Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been having a major writer's block, but I've managed to break through with this chapter. Hopefully updates will become more frequent, but I can't make any promises because I hate when people make promises that they just can't keep. Thank you so much for the reviews and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. It begins exactly where chapter two left off. Enjoy!

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The DuGrays and Huntzbergers were now seated at the large maple dinner table in the center of the Huntzbergers' spacious dining room. The marble sconces that hung from the deep red walls illuminated the faces of each dining room occupant.

Carter couldn't help but notice the sparkle in the emerald eyes that sat diagonally across from him as they gazed at his son with pure adoration. It was in that moment that Carter realized what Andréa had meant when she told him that Victoria was perfect.

Yes, she was wild. Sure, she was rash, reckless and irresponsible. She had a list of mistakes a mile long, but then again so did Tristan. To an outsider, a pair as bold as the two teenagers would appear to be a match made in hell. Carter, however, saw more. He had seen their chemistry throughout dinner and he had also seen Victoria's ability to put his cocky son in his place. Tristan had met his match.

"He was a man with needs. He wasn't getting' it from her, so where's the harm?"

Apparently Tristan had decided to join Andréa and Shira's conversation regarding John Lees affair with a Swedish maid.

"So because he's a man and can't keep it in his pants it's acceptable for him to cheat on his wife with Olga the Magdalene of Maids?" Victoria asked, incredulously, glaring at Tristan from across the dinner table.

"Like I said, Mrs. Lees sure wasn't putting out so why should John suffer for her mistake?"

"Maybe because he made a promise. He took a vow to be faithful to Lila until death. Lack of sex doesn't change marital vows Tristan."

"Yeah, but she took a vow to cherish her husband. I think a lack of sex shows that she's obviously not following her vows!" Tristan argued.

"You have the most warped view on marriage that I have ever seen in my entire life. You make Henry VIII look like Ward Cleaver. If this is your view on a relationship I have no idea how you expect to be happily married. So maybe you should think about that before you decide that you've found someone you want to spend the rest of your life with."

Though she knew that Tristan was trying to get a rise out of her, she couldn't help but feel agitated. She could not stand adultery. It had destroyed her family and brought her world crashing down upon her.

Tristan stared at his beautiful girlfriend from across the table. He had argued in Lees' defense to agitate her and he knew that she was aware of this. He hadn't, however, meant to close her off.

She was dangerously beautiful, with looks that would guarantee her anything, intelligence and wit beyond compare, and she was all his. This was the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He just hadn't told her that yet.

Carter laughed quietly, amused at the antics of the young lovers. From his vantage point he could see that these passionate debates were a regular occurrence for them. Mitchum also appeared to be of the same opinion. Yes, they regularly cheated on their wives. Sure, they enjoyed late night interludes with their secretaries, but pure, unadulterated love was a pleasure that they had never experienced, yet it appeared that their children were in the midst of one of those magical affairs.

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(Present)

The crash of glass inside of the library brought Carter back from his reverie. Victoria and Tristan had disappeared into the room ten minutes ago and were obviously in the middle of passionate lovers' spat.

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The vase broke loudly against the rich, wine red wall of the DuGray family library.

Victoria was beyond frustrated and at this point who cared whether or not the vase was a prized family heirloom? Tristan sure as hell didn't, so why should she?

"No." she whispered.

Her voice became firmer. "No, no, no, no and NO!"

She backed away from him.

"I can't do this Tristan. I won't. Not again."

She sighed. "I can't believe in you, believe that you love me and then have you take that away. I won't do it again."

"Di, C'mon Di, just look at me."

She looked up because he had used his old nickname for her. Di. Not Bink, like Logan and his friends all called her. (Her middle name was Binkley, her mother's maiden name.) He hadn't called her Vic, like he usually did when he was upset. He had called her the nickname that he had used at the best of times. (He called her Di, as in Diana, daughter of Zeus, and mythological goddess of chastity. This was because he found it highly amusing that Shira would ever have entertained the idea of christening Victoria with the name Chastity. Of course this was only amusing to Tristan because his Di was anything but chaste.)

"Remember the first time we met as adults?" He asked this so softly that if she had not been listening intently, she might have missed the fact that he spoke at all.

Of course she remembered. How could she have forgotten the meeting that had started it all?

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Shira had watched her lovely daughter follow Tristan into the library. She had seen Carter and Mitchum curiously glancing towards the door. She had also seen the looks that Victoria had received during her grand entrance. Many thoughts plagued Shira, but she could not seem to shake the nagging little voice in her head that told her that Victoria was headed for a disaster this evening.

'Her hair will look like a bird's nest once those two have finished. Why couldn't she have just placed it in the elegant bun that the hairdresser recommended?'

A/N: So that's it for now. So, Carter and Mitchum are curious and approving, Victoria and Tristan are hurt and anxious, and Shira, well Shira is superficial and clueless. Sorry, it was short, but this chapter is sort of filler. Next chapter is Tristan and Victoria's first meeting as adults. (When they reconnected at 16, prior to their relationship.) I promise that next chapter will make up for the lack of length of this one. Please review.

xO. Beautiful Deceit