As the skyline of London came into view from her airplane window, the brunette let out a sigh as she lowered her headphones around her neck. Her companion laughed, causing her to send a glare his way. It had been awhile since she had been home. With her staying around for an indefinite amount of time, she wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea, especially since it was near the matchmaking fanfare that the families of the King Organization participated in.
"You didn't have to come back with me, you know." He told her.
"I know but things would have been boring without you." She smiled before turning back to look out the window.
After graduation, Katherine Gibbs took several tours around the world to ensure she knew all the ins and outs of the world she was about to enter into once she returned home. She wanted to have good relationships with all the moving pieces not only with the partnerships that were in the spotlight but those that were in the shadows as well. Being the only heir to the Gibbs Communications empire, Katherine had a lot of pressure placed upon her shoulders.
She wasn't alone in her travels. While in university she met one Simon Basset, the heir to Hastings Banking. Simon didn't particularly care for any sides of the family business. His father was a cruel man, and he didn't want to do anything that could potentially make his father proud. At a young age Simon had been met with the pressures of being perfect. It was only because of Lydia Danbury that he knew how to run not only Hastings Banking but the shadier side of his family's company as well.
With Katherine's purpose behind her travels, he told his father the same thing. They took in what they could but that didn't stop them from having some fun together. With no return date in sight for the pair, their families made them help in setting up other locations throughout the globe. They didn't mind. It meant they got to stay in places a lot longer and not deal with the full responsibility of their companies just yet.
That is, of course, until Richard Basset grew gravely ill.
Simon packed his bags, fully intending on letting Katherine continue her dodging of responsibilities on her own but she was having none of it. "I'm not letting you do this alone. You didn't let me go through my hardships alone so what makes you think I'm going to let you?" She argued.
He gave her a small, grateful smile and they continued to pack in silence.
"Keep me updated and if you need me to come over, I will." Katherine said as they waited for their rides at the arrivals gate.
"Of course." He gave a small nod to the driver of the crown car he sent for when it pulled up. Simon then wrapped an arm around Katherine's shoulders, bringing her close to him in a side hug before placing a kiss to the top of her head. "Thank you, Kitty."
She smiled, squeezing his waist for a moment before letting go.
It wasn't too much longer until Katherine's car arrived. Eddie, her driver, took her luggage and set it in the trunk as she slid into the back seat. "It's good to see you, Eddie." Katherine said once he returned to the driver's seat.
"You too, Miss Gibbs. I'm taking you to your apartment, correct?"
Katherine nodded. "Unless mum or dad want to see me."
"They made no mention of it tonight. Mrs. Gibbs, however, was wondering if you would join them for breakfast."
Sighing, Katherine pulled out her phone. "I'll text her. Thanks, Eddie."
Breakfast was at 9 a.m. Katherine would have much preferred to still be in bed so she could hopefully get over her jet lag soon, but she knew not to keep her parents waiting. Elizabeth and Howard Gibbs could not be any more different. Elizabeth walked through life with as much of a free spirit as one could in the business that she was in. She was a firm believer in following one's heart and dreams and that all would work itself out if that were to happen. Howard, however, was strict and traditional. He had high expectations and if anything were out of place or went wrong, he was swift in his punishments.
"There's my beautiful daughter." Elizabeth smiled as she came over to hug Katherine.
"Hi, mum." Katherine greeted, easily returning her mother's embrace.
"So, my daughter has finally decided to stop traipsing around the world and come home." Howard said, stepping into the foyer.
"Pretty sure I set up some offices while I was doing that, but you know, good to see you too, dad." She gave her best smile as she stepped around Elizabeth to see her father.
"I don't want any attitude out of you, young lady."
Elizabeth placed her hands on Katherine's shoulders. "Howard, she just got back. The new offices have been successful. She's even taken care of the Cowper and Throwbridge accounts brilliantly while she's been abroad. Can we have a nice family breakfast before we start talking business, please."
Howard sighed as he turned on his heel to walk towards the dining room.
"What do you mean before we start talking business?" Katherine asked as she and her mother followed behind him.
"Let's eat first, dear." Elizabeth smiled.
The large banquet table was set with three covered dishes. Champagne flutes filled with mimosas sat by her and her mother's place at the table while at the head of the table sat a tall glass filled with a bloody mary. Once they were all seated, they removed the metal cover keeping their breakfast warm. Katherine had to keep herself from laughing when she saw that it was her favorite dish. A large, fluffy Belgian waffle covered with fresh strawberries, chocolate syrup, and powdered sugar greeted her. Something was going on and her parents were trying to butter her up for sure.
They ate in silence. The only sound in the room were their forks and knives clinking and scraping across their plates. About halfway through her waffle, Katherine couldn't take it anymore. No one was asking about her travels, no one was making snide comments about how she was eating, no one was talking period and she couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, what is it? What have you two concocted for me while I was away?"
"Katherine, dear, you haven't even finished your waffle yet, is it not any good?" Elizabeth asked, hoping to stave this conversation off for a little while longer. She knew her daughter would not like what had been decided at all.
"Oh, Bessie, she's a grown woman. You can't protect her from this any longer." Howard said, setting down his silverware before focusing on his daughter.
"Before you take over Gibbs Communications, you will be placed in charge of a few of our top accounts and you will be participating in the boss' matchmaking event."
At first Katherine didn't understand why her mother was trying to push things off. She knew exactly which accounts she would probably be given. Then her father kept talking and she felt like all air had been sucked from her lungs. Charlotte King ran London's underworld operations. To keep families powerful and on top, she held a yearly matchmaking event during the spring that mirrored the rituals of a more proper England. Katherine wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. "Are you serious?" She asked, looking between her parents.
"Katherine, we just don't want you to be alone." Her mother tried to defend.
"I'm perfectly capable of running things on my own."
"You need someone who can protect you." Her father said.
Katherine motioned towards the bodyguards standing just outside the room. "That's what they're for."
"Katherine Marie Gibbs, I will not hear any protest. If you do not find someone to marry, you cannot take over this company and all of its dealings."
"And why not?" Katherine argued. "All we do is clean up their messes. Why do I need to be further connected than the friendships I have? You two didn't meet that way."
"Because it's what is expected of the children of those who are in the business."
Katherine stood with a roll of her eyes. She wasn't going to take this anymore. And her mother wondered why she stayed away for so long. "That is absolutely ridiculous. I can run everything about this business just fine. And I'll show you by the end of this week."
"You will not go near the Bridgerton or the Featherington accounts unless you agree to following the boss' rules."
"You're joking. Is this some kind of punishment? It's not like I didn't work while I made my way around the world."
"I'm getting closer to retirement, Kitty. It is time you took over but there are rules that must be followed if you are to maintain the trust that the King empire and our other clients have in our company, in our work."
"Then let me show them through my work."
"Kitty, that's enough." Her mother finally spoke up. Despite now being run by a woman, the organization still adhered to ways of old. While Katherine was out traveling, Elizabeth had to listen to all the scrutiny their circle of friends had towards her daughter. "We tried to find some other way but your connections with Anthony Bridgerton and Simon Basset are not going to cut it due to their reputations. We want the best for you, truly, and I know that this situation isn't ideal, but it must be done. We're still too new for you to skip out."
Katherine growled in frustration, running a hand through her hair. Her father had won the Bridgerton account just before Edmund Bridgerton died. After such a successful campaign, Violet introduced him to Archie Featherington and after that, he was introduced to the London underworld they both were a part of. Charlotte King had been so impressed that she made Gibbs Communication the official communications group of her crime circle. Since she was the first child of the Gibbs family after their induction into the King organized crime group, she now apparently had to play nice.
"Fine, send an acceptance on my behalf. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few phone calls to make."
Stalking out of the dining room, Katherine pulled out her phone to call one Anthony Bridgerton. After her father had won the account, he worked closely with Edmund and Violet, bringing Elizabeth and Katherine around when appropriate. The Gibbs and Bridgertons soon created a small friendship but Katherine's friendship with Anthony wouldn't grow until they were roaming the halls of Oxford together.
Rolling her eyes at getting his voicemail, Katherine slid into the back seat of the company car, informing Eddie that she'd like to go into the office. "Anthony, it's Kitty. I'm back in town so once you're done fucking that actress of yours, please call me back. I have things we need to talk about because my father remains on his bullshit and has roped my mother into it this time. Talk soon."
Once she hung up, she sent a quick text to Simon. Asking for him to call her when he could. She hoped that his morning was going far better than hers.
Simon sat patiently waiting for his father to be discharged to a hospice care facility. His father had been sick for some time now but with him getting closer to the end of his life, Simon finally decided that he would be around. He hated that it cut into his and Katherine's time abroad. He was actually enjoying himself when of course his father had to ruin things yet again. Just because he wanted to end the Basset ties to Hastings and King's crime organization, didn't mean that he wasn't going to do his job. He would just be the last Basset involved.
It seemed thinking of Katherine caused her to appear to him in the form of a text message. He grew worried but just as he was about to call, the nurse came back into the room. He sent a message back, informing her that he'd call when they got settled into his father's Hospice room.
Take your time. She responded back, sending a blue heart emoji as well as she traveled up the lift to her office.
When she arrived, she was reminded of how bare the space was. It held no life or vibrancy that resembled the woman it belonged to. It was as cold as the glass and metal that made up the room. She made the mental note to bring things in to decorate. For now, she was here on business. She needed to know every detail of each of the accounts she would be taking over since she had been away.
She focused on the Featheringtons first since she didn't have a personal connection to them, wanting to sound professional when reaching out to Archie, the head of the family and business. As she read through the file, she situated herself with one of her feet in her chair so she could rest her chin on her knee. She was so engrossed in what she was reading that she didn't notice Anthony walking into her office.
"I come bearing gifts." Anthony said, holding up a small bakery box, grinning.
Katherine startled and looked up, grinning when she noticed the box. "Red velvet?"
"As if there would be anything else." He placed the box on her desk, opening it with a small smirk to reveal that inside was in fact red velvet cupcakes.
"You have a good morning?" She teased as she took one of the cupcakes.
"You know just because I don't answer doesn't mean I'm with Sienna."
Katherine laughed as she began to pull the paper around the sweet treat down. "Don't even. You always answer when I call unless you are in between someone's legs or in a meeting but even then you text me right away to let me know that so don't try it."
He rolled his eyes as he brought the other cupcake towards him, settling into the chair across from her desk. "When did you get back?"
"Last night."
"And you're just now telling me."
"Sleep was a little more important."
Anthony chuckled. "Oh, alright. So what bullshit is your father on now?"
"I had to agree to do the King's matchmaking thing to take on yours and Featherington's account as well as eventually take over the company." She said after she finished chewing.
"Well just go to the events. You don't have to do the whole thing do you?"
Katherine nodded. "Said I needed someone to protect me and a whole bunch of other nonsense along the lines of we're still considered a newer family." Her eyes then widened as she thought of something, a possible other reason for her father to force this thing on her. She lowered her cupcake to try to get her hands to stop shaking. "You don't think they know, do you?"
Anthony moved to sit on the edge of his seat and reached over to place a comforting squeeze to her wrist. "No one knows what happened that semester. Simon and I made sure of it."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure." He smiled reassuringly before leaning back in his chair. "So, with you taking on my family's account, does that mean I get to see you more often?" He asked before taking a bite out of his cupcake.
"Yeah. Looks like I'm home for good for a while. You're going to be at these events, right? Isn't
your sister making her debut?"
He nodded. "Sure is, and Daphne would love to see you. They all would."
"Aw, did you miss me?" She teased him with a small pout.
"I believe I said Daphne and the others." He teased her right back, smirking.
"Guess I'll just spend all my time with them then."
"You would get so bored."
"I don't think so. Ben's rather entertaining."
"Benedict? Really?"
Katherine laughed. "I just hope you know you set yourself up for that. Just walked right into it."
Anthony shook his head as he stood. "Always good to see you, Kitty. Don't be a stranger." He flashed her his most charming smile.
"Same goes for you, mister, and thanks for the cupcakes." She emphasized by popping the last bite into her mouth.
Simon called her on her way home. She informed him of her situation, and he promised to help her figure a way to get out of things as soon as his father passed away, but he couldn't join in the festivities in fear of Lydia Danbury setting him up. He then told her about his father's condition and they planned out how she would help him step away from the business.
"Do you need me to bring dinner by?" Katherine asked.
"No. I'll be fine. I'm going to leave for the night anyway. Have fun getting ready for the introductions."
Katherine groaned. "Don't remind me. My mom already sent me a meeting planner about fittings."
Simon laughed. "Good luck."
