I heard my doorbell ring, it must be grandma. I opened the door for her.

"Are you here to pick me up? I'm not gonna bail out granny." I chuckled.

"Just making sure. Also you'll ride with me." 

"Why? I'm not staying the night there." 

"I know, but you have to take your car." She said emphasizing 'your'. She bought me a car on my birthday and I still haven't accepted it.

"Alex, it's your dream car. You don't have to worry about it, it's on your name, and it's my money that I'm willing to use for you. Your grandfather won't have anything to say about it." She continued. 

I nodded, "Thank you, granny." 
 

"Good evening miss Alexis." I smiled at the helper and greeted back when we entered the house.

"Have my daughters arrived?"

"No, ma'am. But Jules is already upstairs in her room." All of us, grandchildren, have our own rooms here in their house. But I haven't really use mine ever.

"Charles is almost home, I expect everything is prepared well." They nodded. "Do you want to check your room too?" I shook my head and excused myself.

I sat down the couch to text Kaleb, I hope they arrive before grandpa does.

Me: Where are you?

Kaleb: 5 mins, almost there.

I heard a commotion and a boy ran up to me.

"Hello, Alexis!" My younger cousin greeted me, he's 7 years old now I think.

"Hello, little Jonas! Woah, you grew taller." I said patting his head.

"Really? Nice!" I looked around and saw his older brother sitting on the end of the couch, still the quiet one.

"Alexis! It's good to see you!" My aunt hugged me, she's the youngest daughter of my grandparents. Her husband smiled patting my shoulder. 

"Hello..." I crouched down to greet their baby girl in the stroller. She smiled, so cute!

"Hi, Jules!" I didn't bother to look up and continued to play with the baby.

"Aunt Sloane, it's good to see you again. This is a friend of mine, Samantha." My smile fell and I stiffened. I thought she's just dropping by.

I stood up abruptly to go out of the living room but our eyes met. She looks shocked seeing me here, I avoided the gaze and acted like a stranger.

"Alexis, your mommy is here!" Jason shouted. Right on time. 

"I should probably go." I heard Sam.

"Oh, Sam, I didn't know you're here." Granny went to the room. Of course she knew her, she's been friends with Jules for a long time.

"Hello, grandma."

"You should stay for dinner, I don't think Leah will make it on time." Granny insisted, great.

I can't believe Sam's sitting in the same table as me right now, in this hell dinner I've been avoiding. We all ate in silence, I can call this the calm before the storm.

Jules' parents are still on the way because of an important business meeting. It's not like that grandpa would get angry at them. He loves that dedication.

"Gramps, I got an award at school! I aced a test and got number one in my class." Jason proudly said.

"Oh really? That's great Jay, continue doing that." He said.

"Can I get excused? I'm full already." He cheekily smiled. 

"Only if you're staying here tonight." 

"Deal!" Grandpa called some helpers to take care of the kids. Lucky them, they don't get to experience his scary side. 

We finished dinner and he called for dessert.

"You're Miller's daughter right?" Grandpa asked Sam.

"Yes, Mr. Walker."

"I remember him, a notable business man." The helpers served wines for them, I refused to drink.

"It's great that you and Jules are friends, you'll be in the business world both soon. You're classmates right now?"

"No, gramps. But I transferred to their school." Jules answered.

"Uc berkeley, it's a shame. You're parents should've just let you live with us when they were undecided. You could've been at ucla, harvard or even yale."

"Gramps, you know they don't want to be away from their only daughter." She chuckled.

"Alexis." He called me in a serious tone. Here it goes. "I heard you're still in a volleyball team."

"Yes sir." I answered. 

"You're supposed to be focusing on your studies, why are you wasting time with such things?" He asked sipping on his wine.

"It's an extracurricular activity, sir." 

"Kaden graduated at Harvard right? And I heard Kaleb graduated at UCLA. Why didn't you take the exams there?" I clenched my fist. 

My eyes met with Joshua. He looked at me worried, I just slightly smiled at him. I can see my other cousin, Dana, sighing. I hope they won't experience the torment and pressure grandpa gives.

Dana's older sister squeezed her hand. She's Diana, almost the same age as Kaden, but she refused to take the inheritance because they're Dad gave her they're own. That's why Jules was the next in line. Diana smiled at me, we may not be that close but she knows, she understands.

"She passed both the exams of UCLA and Harvard, Dad." 

"Really?" He faced Jules, "You should've taken the exam too, Ju. I know you'll pass easily." He said proudly. Huh? He didn't know?

"Of course, gramps. I take after you. It was a shame." Lies. She took both of it, she didn't pass. Sam smiled awkwardly, of course she knows it's a lie.

"How's your company Kassandra?" He now asked my mom.

"We're doing great dad, Mason just got another business deal." 

"And Alexis? Why isn't she involved with that?"

"She doesn't have to dad, Kaleb is with us. She just need to focus on herself for now." My mom held my hand.

"Shouldn't your real daughter be the one participating in your business?" 

"Charles." Granny interrupted. 

Jules' parents arrived a minute later. I sighed, I can feel Sam glancing at me.

"I'll be talking some important matters to the adults for now, you can all go. Jules you need to be here, I have to announce something." I stood up immediately, must be about the inheritance.

"You okay?" Kaleb asked me when we went out of the house.

"Yeah." I sat beside the pool.

"Does he always put you on the spot like that?" 

"That was still light though, it's nothing. I should be the one asking if you're okay." I looked up at him.

He shrugged, "It's not like he can kick me out of our business. That's not for him to control." He grinned.

He's right, he doesn't have anything with us. It's all of my family's hard work. I remembered I have to check the car. 

"You'll go back to LA later?" I asked

"Yes we have a flight, wanna come?" 

"Nah, I still have classes. I need to go anytime now though, I have to drive. Can you tell mom and dad? I'll just talk to you guys again soon." 

"Okay." He hugged me, "I'll update you about the thing." 

"What thing?"

"Kaden's dream." He said. I smiled, finally.
 

I grinned, there it is my red 86. I gripped at the key in my hand.

"Hey.." 

"You scared me!" I looked at Sam beside her car, I didn't notice her earlier.

I continued walking towards my car, it's shining red. Granny must've asked someone to maintain it well. 

"Why didn't you tell me that you're cousins?" She asked.

"Jules didn't either. I didn't know if she wanted to, so I didn't say anything about it." I removed the remaining cover. 

"What happened earlier, is that why you hated Jules?" I scoffed, what is she trying to say? "I'm sorry, that's no–"

"Sam, did I ever tell you something that could make her look bad? Did I ever try to ruin your relationship with her?"

She fell silent.

"Figured." I breathed out. 

"I'm sorry.." She looked at me sadly.

"I don't care what she told you, or what she's telling you after this. But what happened tonight, it's not a new thing. I don't need your pity." 

I went inside the house to get my things, I walked past by Jules. Our parents must still be in the study, talking.

"I'll get going granny, thanks." I hugged her. 

"Drive safely. I'm sorry about tonight, Alex." 

"Don't worry about it, granny. It's inevitable." 

Thankfully both of them aren't outside when I got back to the car. I started the engine and drove away.