*****
Jessica woke up the next morning with a numbing headache. The recollection of a night spent railing at Danny came back to her and she let out an embarrassed groan. Her brother was officially a saint. Getting up, she dragged herself to the bathroom and turned on a steaming shower.
As she prepared for another busy day at the Castille Textile offices, Jessica’s thoughts centered on her life as it was. She was the executive director at Castille Textile. She oversaw the different departments in the company, making sure that all the strategic plans were carried out. She appreciated the challenges the job constantly threw at her because the company meant a lot to her. There were those days when she dealt with extremely difficult people and other days that took her to beautiful places like Milan. Her best friend Christine Phillips, who was the editor in chief of a popular magazine constantly, teased her about her charmed life.
For as long as she could remember, being a Castille had always meant prestige and money, lots of money. And Jessica didn’t mind it at all. She liked the reaction people gave her when they found out that she was a Castille. It opened doors for her that many others could never get in to. She was proud of her family name. So yes, she did live a charmed life, Jessica thought as she stared in to a gold gilded mirror at her vanity table.
In all ways but one, she reminded that familiar face staring back at her.
As she applied peach lipstick on her lips, she wondered where her husband was today. He hadn’t called last night. She’d been too drunk to even answer.
When was Kenny coming home?
It seemed like all she did lately was worry and wonder about Kenny.
It was hard to imagine that three years ago they had been inseparable. He’d wooed her with flamboyant gestures that made her cry in happiness. She could still remember the night he’d rented a yacht and they’d had a fabulous evening at sea. Then he’d made love to her until she’d given her everything to him.
Where was that man now?
She wanted that Kenny back.
He spent more time with her baby sister than he did with her. She couldn’t stand the thought. It didn’t matter that the two of them had been best friends before she ever came along. Or that they shared a bond that would not be easily severed. None of that mattered.
She, Jessica, was Kenny’s wife.
If he had things to discuss, he should come to her. It made her so angry that he still insisted on talking to Zoella.
Zoella was selfish. She had decided to abandon the family in pursuit of fame. The girl was a Castille. She should be working for Castille Co. not gallivanting around the world playing the musician. How annoying it was to switch on the television and find advertisements with her sister’s face on them.
Shaking her head, Jessica stood up, ran a smoothing hand down her Gucci tailored trouser suit. It was forest green and showed off her figure to perfection. Satisfied with her looks, she picked up her hand bag; also green to match, and left the master bedroom headed downstairs for breakfast.
Their town house was a large affair on Mayfair Street. Furniture and all the décor had been done by the most sought after interior designer. The woman had done such a wonderful job with the place. It was a pleasant surprise to visit each room. The sunroom on the second floor was done in vibrant Turkish designs. The living area downstairs which Jessica considered as the main room and where all the entertainment was done had been set in a unique modern template. White couches, glass coffee tables, white walls with black and white art and wall hanging on them. Each item arranged in order to balance the room.
Placing her bag on a stool by an arm chair, Jessica admitted to herself that she was proud of her home. The Home and Garden magazine had featured this very living area a few months before. They had called it serene beauty.
She was a damn good home maker. Why couldn’t Kenny see that? A simple, ‘you did good honey’, would suffice. She hadn’t even gotten an acknowledgement for the magazine article.
Deciding against breakfast, the dining room would be too lonely to eat in without Kenny, she picked up her handbag and headed for the office instead. Hopefully Roselyn her secretary would offer her some coffee and a muffin.
An hour later, she was planning her day with Roselyn when the phone rang.
It was Christine Phillips. She decided to take the call in the privacy of her office. Taking the morning paper, her coffee and the muffin from the cafeteria, she headed in to the comfortable office and settled in her chair.
“Morning Christy,” she said a minute later as she sipped her coffee.
“Have you seen the entertainment section?”
“I haven’t. Why? Someone we know in there?”
“Your husband,” Christine said. “He looks very handsome. I didn’t know he’d be in Prague. You could have told me. The magazine has been trying to get an exclusive on Zoella Mya.”
Jessica placed her cup of coffee down and reached for the paper. Hoping that she would not be disappointed again, she turned to the entertainment section and there they were.
Kenny was smiling into her sister’s eyes like she was the only thing in the world. How foolish they made her feel.
“He does look handsome, doesn’t he?” she said to Christy.
Christy sighed.
“He didn’t tell you.” It wasn’t that hard to sense the tension and hurt in Jessica’s voice. “You two need to talk. Get this out.”
“I have talked. The photographs still appear. I don’t know what to say anymore,” Jessica said thinking that this just meant that Kenny was happier than she was right now.
When was the last time he’d smiled at her like that?
“Fine, let’s have lunch then.” Christy suggested sensing despair from her friend.
“I can’t. I have to meet a client today,” Jessica answered.
Her gaze riveted on the photograph now on her desk. It had been kind of Christine to call and warn her. She was sure there would be more calls coming from their combined acquaintances.
“Alright, Jess. Why don’t you call me when you’re free? I’ll take you out; we can shop and spend time at the spa, at your wealthy husband’s expense.”
“That sounds good,” Jessica said with a wide smile. “You’re on.”
They hang up soon after and Jessica settled back in her chair to read the caption underneath the picture.
‘English Tycoon Kenneth Williams takes renowned virtuoso, Zoella Mya for breakfast at his hotel in Prague’
How perfect. They looked so matched. Her husband did not hide the love he had for Zoe. It was so apparent.
With Jessica, it was as though he couldn’t stand her. They fought more than they talked. He didn’t share things about his life anymore. Tidbits like he would be in Prague passed her by. Staring at the picture, Jess couldn’t help the burst of anger.
This was not a way to live. She wanted more from Kenny. She wanted a solid marriage. Like the one her parents had enjoyed. Even Uncle Thaddeus and Aunt Athena were happy in their marriage.
Was it too much to ask to want the same?
******
It really was too much, Gabriella Girgorio Castille thought.
She stood in her living room at the Castille Estate in Brighton simply watching the gardens growing down below in a wild array of color. The gardener was already in there weeding and pruning to make sure that the flowers grew well. She’d always loved the homey feel a flower garden gave to a place. That was why the Castille estate was filled with flower gardens and neatly manicured lawns.
Smiling at the beauty of the gardens, Gabriella took one last look then brought her attention back to the room. Her two best friends were perched on chintz arm chairs delicately sipping cups of tea as they discussed the upcoming party to be held at the botanical garden. It would be a tea party held on behalf of a children’s orphanage in London that they all supported. They were hoping to raise enough funds to
build a new wing.
Lady Marion Basset, a blond woman in her late forties was the wife of a Viscount who’d passed away some ten years before. She had no children from the marriage and spent her time using the wealth she’d been left by her husband on her charities and parties. They’d become fast friends because they understood one another. How it felt to lose a person so close. Gabriella enjoyed talking with Marion.
Emma Jones was a brunette who’d married Edward Jones, the heir to a Pharmaceutical Company, one of those companies that researched and developed pain killers and anti depressives. It was doing well, but Edward Jones spent most of his time in the labs at the company, researching and conducting experiments. He barely had time for his wife and two children.
Gabriella had met Emma at Danny’s graduation from Harvard. Emma’s daughter had also been graduating and from that day, they had remained close friends.
Now here they were, years later. Society revered them only because they had loud opinions, Gabriella thought in amusement. It was surprising that everyone had decided that they were socialites. People could be so fickle. It was refreshing when once in a while one person emerged to oppose them.
This was why her youngest daughter remained her biggest challenge. There didn’t seem to be anything they could agree on. Her career, her lifestyle, her relationships and now her marriage, Zoe was an endless series of fights. It didn’t seem possible that a daughter of hers was marrying a rock star.
“Gabby, what’s wrong?” Marion demanded. “You haven’t said much since we came in. What’s bothering you?”
Gabriella brought her attention back to her friend and the expression on Marion’s face meant that she was not going to back down. Sighing, Gabriella moved closer to them and settled on a chaise that positioned her across them. She gave them both a wan smile.
“Thaddeus called me this morning.”
“Oh no, that’s never good. Your brother-in-law is so troublesome. What did he say?” Emma said
They all knew about Gabriella’s life and how the family looked to Thaddeus Castille for direction. It hadn’t always been that way.
Before, her husband Alexis Castille had been considered the head of the Castille clan. Alexis was older than Thaddeus by six years. It was Alexis who’d been the care taker of the family until his death sixteen years ago. Thaddeus had taken over then.
“Zoe is getting married. Thaddeus asked that I be there. But how can I go when I don’t approve of her husband. She’s marrying a rock star.” Gabriella sighed.
“Little Zoella? Is she finally marrying Robbie McClaire?” Marion asked.
“Yes, the king of drugs and sex,” Gabriella said unhappily.
There wasn’t a person on earth who didn’t know the past that Haden carried. One of the band members had died of a drug overdose when the rock band first started. Scandals followed Haden everywhere. Their escapades were legendary; the groupies, the drugs, the money, and parties.
There was no way Zoe’s marriage would last.
“They’ll be divorced in six months,” Emma predicted. “This could be a good thing.”
“She’s my daughter. I don’t want her hurt. Of course she wouldn’t believe it if I told her.” Gabriella shook her head. “How can I support something that will only cause her pain?”
Her two friends stared at her with concern, each aware of how difficult the relationship between Gabriella and her youngest daughter was. If Gabriella didn’t show up at the wedding, all would be lost.
“Sometimes, Gabby, we have to allow those we love to make mistakes,” Marion said quietly, “we’ll go to the wedding.”
“Yes.” Emma agreed. “There’s no other way.”
“She’s making a mistake.” Gabriella shook her head. “I’ll go to see it, so that I can remind her when things go bad.”
Marion laughed knowing that it would hurt Gabriella to do so. The woman loved her children more than they knew, especially Zoella.
Zoe should know, Marion mused, how precious she was to her mother.
“Gabby, I know you don’t like to talk about it, but why does Zoe hate you so much?” Marion asked. “It might help to talk about it.”
“I—,” Gabriella stopped, staring at the coffee table between them, her thoughts on a terrible day eight years ago.
A day that had seemed so surreal she couldn’t believe it had actually happened. Some times she could convince herself that it was just her imagination.
“I think that things will never be fixed between my daughter and me. There is no need to revisit a time of pure pain, Marion. Perhaps a day will come when I can tell you but not yet.”
Marion nodded in understanding and after exchanging a glance with Emma, they proceeded to do their best to cheer Gabriella up. They talked and laughed until it was well past noon. Then Marion got up because she had an appointment to keep at two o’clock.
“I must leave too,” Emma said. “My daughter is coming home today. I want to make sure everything is ready for her.”
Gabriella escorted them out to the foyer. “Then I’ll be seeing you ladies at the tea party.”
“Of course, Tracy will arrange everything,” Marion said, as she hugged Gabriella goodbye. Emma followed suite and soon, Gabriella stood in the foyer alone.
She immediately headed to her study on the first floor. Closing the door, she walked to her desk and pulled open a drawer at the bottom. Retrieving a box, she placed it on top of the desk and opened it.
It was her memory box. Mementos of everything that had happened in her life were in here. Pulling out pictures in a very old album, she touched the top with reverence. These were her wedding day pictures. She’d been so happy. It still seemed like it was yesterday for her. She’d felt as though it would last forever.
Alexis Castille, the most handsome man on earth, with his beautiful blue eyes and blond hair had married her.
How she’d loved him. He’d swept her off her feet with so much energy and force she sometimes caught her breath just thinking about it. He’d made their love story memorable and so endearing; she hadn’t been able to fall in love again. There simply wasn’t another man like him.
Looking in the box, she picked up a square of silk fabric, a smile flitting on her lips. It was the first piece of fabric created by Castille Textile. She could still remember that day so clearly. Alexis had decided to expand the family business his father had left him in charge of. With his younger brother dealing with the Media Company in Greece, Alexis had opted to explore other avenues. He’d chosen textile because of its diverse nature. Opening a factory in Milan, they’d all waited nervously as the first shipment had been made. The day this silk had been produced, was the day Castille Corporation had been born.
A corporation made up of Castille Media and Castille Textile, creating a powerful business empire that had given them the power and lifestyle they now enjoyed.
Putting that aside, she reached in for a small scrap book. Opening it, on the first page, she found a dried red rose. It marked the night she’d given birth to Danny. Alexis had brought it to the hospital and pressed a wet kiss on her lips. He’d been so emotional. She’d teased him for being so when he commanded so much respect from others.
“Darling, it’s not every day a man gets this humbled. Look at how beautiful our son is. He’s already wrapped me around his finger,” Alexis had answered.
Turning the page, she found the pink rose that was Jessica’s. Jessica was a lady. She’d even had the sense to come during the day and on time. Gabriella chuckled at how cute the girl had been. She was the one who’d taken her father’s blue eyes and blond hair. Alexis had fallen in love all over again, even promising Jessica the world.
The last page had a gardenia. Zoe was the only child who’d not been a rose. She’d not been a lady. Her pregnancy had been troublesome and she’d arrived a month too early. They’d spent their hours afterwards at her side in the hos
pital, praying that she survive in the incubator.
“She’s feisty.” Alexis had declared when Zoe made it through just fine. “She’s willing to live. I love that.”
“Just like you, my love.” Gabriella had said.
In truth, Alexis had treated Zoe like his little princess. She’d been a very cute button nosed child with black curly hair and cute dimples. She’d charmed anyone she met. Wild and spirited, she’d kept them on their toes. It was easy to see why Alexis had loved her the most.
Of her three children, Zoe had been hit the hardest by the loss of their father. Alexis had died in a tragic accident on Zoe’s eighth birthday. He’d been rushing home for the party and never made it.
A devastating time, Gabriella thought staring at her husband’s picture in the box. She’d never imagined she would live through it, but somehow she had. They’d been staying in Manhattan then because Alexis had been setting up the New York branch of Castille Textile. After his death, the task had fallen to her.
She’d been raising three children and trying to get a hold of a vast company with different demanding obligations. If it weren’t for Thaddeus and his patience they would never have made it through. Castille Textile would have fumbled and crashed. Her children would not have the life they did.
Alexis’s will divided the corporation into two, giving the media company to Thaddeus and leaving the textile side to his family. Danny was the majority heir; Jessica and Zoe were left trust funds that would take care of them for the rest of their own lives plus their offspring.
The Castille Clan had turned to Thaddeus as head of the family, and Gabriella had allowed it knowing that it would be better that way. As it was, dealing with her children and the business had taken so much of her time.
Somehow in all of that, Zoe had managed to slip away. Gabriella could still remember the day she’d discovered Zoe was playing in a band at an underground club in Manhattan. The girl had been fourteen years old.
It was by chance that she managed to discover it. Gabriella had been acting C.E.O of the company and had had very little time to deal with her home. Danny was accelerating his education and had already left for Harvard, while Jessica was in Princeton. The only one left at home had been Zoe. She’d been left under the care of a nanny.