UNPERMITTED ✔

↠ prologue ↠

k a d e

I hold myself still as my mother lets an exhale of smoke from her old fashioned mahogany smoking pipe. The curls of gray end up in my face but I make no move to wave them away.

"Mother can't you just reconsider?" I finally said, unable to hold it in. She snorted and her nostrils flared, unamused by my outburst.

"Really son, ask your father." she said, talking another huff of her pipe. "You are really so stupid to think that you can make decisions like this." I narrow my eyes.

"I will be the boss of this business one day women. You best watch your mouth or I'll-" She laughed, interrupting me.

"You'll what? Kick me out of the family? The house? I brought you up Kade, whether you like it or not. And while your father is in the job, you better respect me." she said, almost snarling. I backed down and dipped my head. Taking a deep breath, I said to her,

"Just... I don't think this is needed." I said, "An arranged marriage? What is this? It's the modern world." My mother rolled her eyes.

"It's tradition, that's what it was. I was wed to your father, and look at us now! You need somebody to carry on the line." She explained slowly. "Besides, it's not like you're getting any younger. Soon you'll be thirty and your days of youth will flit by-" I interrupted her and scoffed.

"Really? Is Vanessa not good enough for you-" My mother brought down the pipe with a sudden movement.

"Vanessa is worth nothing in this world. You should know that by now." she chortled. "And you? Wed and reproduce with that whore? It would tarnish the family name."

I clenched my fist. "Don't speak about her like that." I said. My mother only shrugged, picked up her pipe, and resumed whatever she was doing, sitting in her leather armchair.

"Go bother your father." she said, waving a hand and dismissing me. Clenching my jaw, I turned and left the small parlor, my back turned to her smug face.