Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

We were now sitting in the living room. Ezekiel and Kaelen were sitting on the left and right side of me, respectively. Aldric was sitting in front of him, behind whom Zephyrus was standing with hands folded in front of his chest. The twins were lazily sitting on the right side of their eldest brother.

So much for a discussion.

Getting bored the minute I sat in the living room; I started playing games on my phone.

"If you are done playing games on your phone, should I start discussing the matter for which we are here?" Aldric spoke in a neutral with a little warmth but courteous tone.

I nodded dramatically.

"First of all, your name is Athaliah Kensington and not Zahra Valkryie."

I was about to retaliate when he spoke again, "And no, your name is not going to change, neither on the legal documents nor unofficially."

"And who are you to decide that?" I asked, getting irritated.

He smirked and said, "Your eldest brother and your legal guardian."

I made a disdainful sound. "It is not even two days, and you started showing your authority on me?"

"Let me tell you something." I took a pause and leaned forward and continued looking into my eldest brother's eyes, "I am not going to change my name. I don't care if you guys torture me or something. But I am not going to change it." I said, emphasizing my last words.

"The woman you murdered, our mom, gave you this name. At least respect her." Reuben spoke with rancor.

Our mom. The most important person in my life. I am not going to correct him by saying I did not kill her. If I were that same seven-year-old, I would have definitely screamed to assert my innocence. But I have done that a lot. And not even a single person in this room believed me when I cried out loudly to prove I hadn't done anything wrong.

But not now. I am letting them think whatever they want. Because for one, I have endured a lot of punishments for the murder that I have never committed. And two, I don't care about their opinions anymore.

"If you do not want to keep your mouth shut, you are free to leave. I do not want any interference when I am talking." Aldric spoke with an authoritative tone, low and calm, but there was a quiet anger simmering beneath the surface.

And that made Reuben shut his mouth.

Seems like no one argues with the capo of Italian mafia.

"Athaliah Kensington. This is your name. I would love it if you do not change this name for the best," Aldric spoke looking towards me, leaving no room for discussion.

I did not argue further. I was tired of the same thing that I have been listening to about me murdering my mom, for the past nine years. I did not kill her, nor I would ever disrespect her. He took my silence for a yes.

"Secondly, I know you need to get adapted to your new environment. Therefore, you will start your school in two weeks."

"I assume I am going to the same school as the twins and Kaelen."

"Yes, but being in college now, twins will be in another building attached to your school, but Kaelen will be in same building as yours," replied Aldric.

"Then I want to make one thing clear. I do not want anyone to know that I am related to them. Not a single soul."

"That is not fair. I want to show you our school and want you to meet my friends," said Kaelen.

"That's a relief. I also did not want people to know we know each other. It will affect my reputation," said Reuben.

"Why cupcake?" Royce asked.

One glare and all the three youngest brothers zipped their mouths.

"Why?" Aldric asked.

I spoke keeping my eyes on Reuben, "For one, I don't want to tarnish my reputation."

From my peripheral vision I saw Zephyrus suppressing a hint of smile.

Turning my eyes to Aldric, I continued, "Two, I don't want unnecessary attention that comes with being related to the Kensington brothers. I want the rest of my school life peaceful"

"It will protect you if the school knows you are one of us." Aldric said.

I let out a short laugh and said, "I don't need your family name to keep myself protected. I am perfectly capable of it."

After thinking for some time Aldric said, "Fine, but the staff of the school will know. For safety reasons."

"Fine by me."

"Third, I need to be informed about your whereabouts every time you are not in the house."

"For safety reasons?" I asked.

"Yes."

I did not react to it. And by the look on the eldest Kensington brother's face, it is clear that he knows that I am not following this rule of his.

However, he didn't pester it and continued, "Next thing is you are refrained from smoking, drinking and drugs. This is not the age where you should be doing it anyways."

Although I don't do any of these things, I would love to have a reaction out of them.

"Oh no! I can't go without drinking or drugs for more than two days." I said dramatically.

"As expected, you are a brat." Reuben said.

"If drinking alcohol or doings drugs is being a brat then aren't you the biggest one? I am sure you drink. If the redness in your eyes isn't a tell."

"I can drink. I am 20 years old."

"Legal age of drinking is 21, lovely brother." I replied sarcastically.

"Oh, come on. She is just messing with us." Ezekiel intervened.

"I don't drink or take drugs. These things will shorten my lifespan, and I can't afford to die early without fulfilling my bucket list." I spoke seriously.

Also, there is only one thing on my bucket list right now. Revenge. From the ones who have ruined my life.

"Tell me about the things on your bucket list. We will fulfill it together." Kaelen whispered in my ear.

Ignoring him, I asked Aldric, "Do you have anything else to say?"

He nodded and said, "One last thing. I want you to be refrained from dating or any sexual things."

He was completely uncomfortable in saying the last words. The wavering tone and the pause between his words were a hint of that.

"You are not supposed to date till you are at least 45 years old." Royce said.

The younger brothers nodded in agreement.

"Hey, that is too far. She can be allowed to date at 30." Ezekiel said.

"I don't know why you guys think that you can control when and to whom I am going to date."

"You are not going to date anyone, anytime." Zephyrus said for the first time since the conversation started in this living room.

I looked into his eyes and said, "If I want a man then I am getting a man. But it's not my priority." Turning back to Aldric, I continued, "Rest assured. I am not going to taint your family name. Yet"

"Ok then. That is all what I wanted to say." Aldric stood up to leave.

"Wait, are not going to set her curfew time to be at home." Reuben presented his best idea.

"You guys don't have any. What makes you think I am going to set one for her." With that, Aldric turned his heels and went out of the living room.

I guess he is not biased after all. Smart thing to do.

Aldric returned to the living room with a laptop in his hand and started working on it sitting in the same place he was in before.

Ezekiel went to make some snacks for us and Zephyrus also sat down with Aldric discussing something in hushed voices. The twins laid on the floor beside each other doing God knows what on their phones.

Kaelen turned towards me and said, "Can I ask you something?"

I nodded. Kaelen is 2 years older than me. Nine years ago, when I was forced to leave this house, I vividly remember him standing beside Aldric holding his leg and crying. I don't know what he was crying for. But when I turned towards him to make our father and brothers stop from sending me away, he turned a blind eye. I was like invisible to him at that time.

And now he wants to make me meet his friends. Dream on. I am indifferent to any of their feelings. And I will make sure they know it.

"I clearly remember you had purple eyes like Aldric when you were young."

"There is a thing called contact lenses that I wear."

"Why?"

There is a reason why I hide my eyes. It is to hide myself from the monsters who haunt me in my dreams. Once they know where I am, they are going to hunt me down and take me back to the same hell.

"Your natural eyes are pretty and unique. When you were young, you used to look like a fairy tale princess." Royce interrupted my thoughts.

"I don't like my natural eye colour."

As soon as I said these words, Aldric and Zephyrus cast a look towards me. Aldric's eyes, similar to mine, ask me questions that I don't want to answer.

"Of course, it would be difficult to see the same pair of eyes that you have murdered every time you look into the mirror." Reuben said with a hint of smirk.

Mom, Aldric and I have a similar pair of eyes. The rest of my brothers have their father's eye. Hazel with a mix of amber coloured eyes.

Reuben is right. I hate when I look into my eyes. Whenever I look at my velvety eyes in the mirror, it reminds me of my past horrors that I endured. He used to love my eye colour. That is one of the reasons I don't like them.

My phone pinged, bringing me back from past memories. It was a message from dad.

'The ball is in your court now.'

Seems like I have a mission tonight.

——🌸——

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