CHAPTER 1

Rachel

"Morning everyone".

I come down the stairs into the dining room dressed in a nice floral dress as it is summer in London. I love the summers in the UK.

I round the table give Dad a peck on his cheek and sit down opposite my cousin Lily at the table along with my other cousins and family members. My family is large if not huge with different members and so many children bearing the Williams name we are quite a family that is talked about in the United Kingdom.

Alexander Williams my great grandfather started the business William Enterprises and since then the business has been inherited by my grandfather and then by his sons, my father, and his brothers. Never has women participated in the business as they were either in the entertainment industry or from a business background themselves?  They were all housemakers who made regular appearances in movie screenings or award shows. My family is like any other family in England.

My father is the third son, my uncles Smith and Darn are the ones who handle the company's local affairs and are elder to Dad. My father and the youngest brother Ray have been handling the foreign affairs of the company. They visit different countries almost every three or four months. I don't even know how my dad is never airsick. I swear he spends almost four months flying across the seas. 

So, hehe is either abroad or in the company working out the business deals but he never gives more priority to his business, his priority is always his family and so is the priority of all the other brothers. I have been close to most of my family but I'm closest to my grandma. Mrs. Bailey Wiiliams is a force to be reckoned with. She stood by my grandfather and is the pillar of my ginormous family.

"I heard there is an event lined up for my launch into business. Is that true?" I spread jam over a loaf of bread. The whole table starts speaking about it at the same time. 

"Can't it be a simple event? Like just a press conference" I shrug my shoulders as I take a bit of my bread. Suddenly, the whole table goes quiet and I know I said the wrong thing. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mark snickering. I swear he has a death wish. When he catches me he gives me a smug smile. 

"No Rae, we cannot do that, we are the William's we announce the news in a very grand way". I interrupt now pissed off. But again he's my father and I can't shout at him that too at a table filled with all the elder Williams. Sorry! I don't have a death wish

"Dad what's the need for this," I say serving myself fruits that lily just passed me.

Clang.

"So what do you want". Fuck. Dad's getting pissed off by my behavior. He has a calm façade that's what he uses to make people bend to his advantage. He is good at reading people and right now he has read enough of me to know he is pissed off with the unsaid words behind my normal words.

"We can simply hold a press conference, " I say shrugging a shoulder.

"That's not how the Williams do things, for years we haven't done this. Even our commencement in the company was called upon by a party and so will be yours. End of discussion "

It's a waste of time arguing with Dad he won't understand. Never mind let him do whatever he wants I hope that's gonna make him happy. Extravagance was or is never my thing.

  I love things elegant and chic, that's my style I smile and nod. I pick up my fork and start eating my fruits.

"Okay fine "Dad smiles the one which can melt any heart. Ah! My Dad. I love him so much.

"Leslie are you ready for today's show," I ask as she runs to me and wraps her arm around my shoulder from behind, and tries to steal a cheese cube from my plate that she thinks I didn't notice.

Leslie is my younger sister, daughter of uncle Ray and aunt Melinda, who loves to dance and she has a show tonight which all of our friends and families will attend. 

"Yeah, I'm ready but I'm quite nervous Rae". She runs around the table and kisses aunt Melinda on her cheek and then uncle Ray.

"Don't worry you will break a leg sweetheart " I turn and give her a peck on the cheek she returns the kiss, and she rushes to the sofa and picks up her bag. After saying the goodbyes she leaves for her practice.

Adam is the eldest of all of us he is twenty-seven and he still looks as hot as he used to look when he was in high school. He's a model and girls are mad after him. They throw themselves at him and so is the case for Shawn and Mark. His parents, Uncle Smith and Aunt Kate were a bit annoyed as he decided not to join the business but is now happy because he does what he loves so everything is good. His brown hair is ruffled, and his crumpled white shirt and dress pants make him look as though he forgot that he has to come home. His grand entrance was marked by Aunt Kate's asking about his whereabouts. I look at him and smirk. He throws the black coat he's carrying in his arms on the sofa and stalks toward me. He leans down making me sniff as always he smells of bourbon I thought after we came back from the party he would have joined us in his Ferrari. I was wrong and he was still out there god knows doing what. Fuck! if anyone notices it. We'll all be in trouble, after all, we were all at the last night's party and it won't be taken a genius to figure out we all sneaked out at night to Aura.

"So Rachel are you ready to go to the office "He asks inspecting my plate.

"I am but right now shouldn't you be upstairs taking a bath?" I enlarge my eyes so he takes my cue to leave before he gets caught.

"You better go upstairs to your room before the whole family finds out you are drunk " Mark whispers beside me.

"Aww, my sweet Rach always ready for challenges". God he isn't taking my cue nor is he listening to Mark. I kick Shawn in the shin under the table and gestured for him to take Adam up to his room

Adam leaves us and goes upstairs with a smirk on his face. All older Williams give Adam an indecipherable look. Please don't be caught don't be caught.

Shawn is the brain of the group, At twenty-six he is the CEO of the company and Mark is the COO. I think our parents will soon step down from the main positions in the company.

Lily as in Liliana is Adam's younger sister who is older than me at twenty-three. Jeff is Mark's fraternal twin. I love all of my cousins, I don't know how would I survive without them. Lily and Jeff both share the signature auburn hair whereas Leslie and I have lighter shades of hair that shades closer to blonde.

Alongside these loveable, irritating bunch of people, I also have a twin cousin, Stella O'Connel who is aunt Kimberly's daughter. She lives in New York and runs a fashion house with aunt Kim. I have been close to all of them but I and Stella shared a special bond.

"So I guess it's time we should all finish our breakfast and do our work," Mom says. Typical mommy. She eyes me and I laugh at her. She directed the thing towards me. I was not an eater at all and she is always worried about that. Less does she knows about the last night. Last night was just one of the great nights we have almost every week.

" Yeah I agree with you aunt Amanda," Shawn says and looks at me. He still seems a little high from the drinks he had last night.

"We even have to get our outfits for today's event it's gonna be fun" Lily squeals in an excited voice and clasps her hand together. 

Lily owns a high-end shop in Knightsbridge. Her passion and love for outfits made her open a store in Knightsbridge. The breakfast passes by in silence soon we are all done and return to our rooms. Just before I reach the last stair I see Adam smirking down at me.

"Yeah! Miss Rachel Williams "Adam says with his signature smirk

"Don't call me that, Adam". I snap at him and he merely laughs and walks down the stairs whistling as I roll my eyes and return to my room.