This chapter is so long and packed that it is split up into two parts. Here is the first part.
xxx
Conrad is asleep when he is awoken suddenly by a bloodcurdling scream he grabs his boxers and follows the sound of the scream. In the center of the sparkling white over million dollar closet is Caroline collapsed on the floor. Her whole body shaking, her heart beating very fast and her breathing very shallow. He falls to his knees right in front of her. It pains him to see her like this.
"What's wrong?"
She holds out a shaky finger pointing to her phone a few feet away she dropped it when she saw what was on it. "Caroline look at me. Take a deep breath."
"I…cant… my throat is too tight."
"It's going to be ok just look at me." When she does look at him like usual she gets lost in those green eyes of his. He locks eyes with her too and they begin to breathe together. Their fingers finding each other and entwining.
When Caroline's breathing has returned to normal she slumps into Conrad's arms. He bends down and leaves a sweet kiss on her forehead."What is going on?"
"I can't tell you."
He wants to know what is bothering her so much that she is having panic attacks, breaks downs in her closet, screaming in the morning, and making her tremble so much. "I'm not going anywhere, you can tell me."
Caroline has her back against him leaning into his bare chest while his arms are around her and their fingers are playing with each other. "I literally can not tell you, without having full body panic attacks. I can't even bring myself to say her name."
He tightens his arms around her and leaves a kiss on the top of her head, when she is ready he will listen. They have gotten to know each other more this past month and a half then most people ever get to know them.
They are still sitting on the floor when Caroline asks. "How did you know how to do that?"
"That last summer with my mom I had a panic attack while helping this guy named Cleveland and he taught me all these breathing techniques."
She turns her head to the side and kisses one of his arms around her. They are silent for a while just breathing and listening to each other breathe when out of nowhere she says. "Have you ever been to Spain?"
Conrad blinks that was completely out of left field although that's one of things that he likes about her she is unpredictable. "No, I've never been."
She looks at their hands her fingers are tracing the lines on his palm and his fingers are trying to touch hers. "You trust me and I trust you, we should run away to Spain, I have a friend there it's beautiful or Greece swim in the star pool what about the Maldives sleep outside above the ocean."
His fingers close over hers. "That sounds lovely but I have sailing lessons the season ends tomorrow." Caroline snuggles into his embrace she loves that not only was he here this morning but he helped her and stayed with her after. If she were with anybody else they wouldn't of even got out of bed.
"I'm sorry I woke you up."
"It's ok, are you feeling better?"
She nods.
Xxx
When they finally get off the floor Caroline changes from her pink satin robe to a Chanel black long sleeve off the shoulder mid thigh length dress the top of the dress is folded like a collar and there is a gold Chanel logo in the middle of the collar. There is a white belt around her waist with a gold belt buckle, and a dangling belt that says Chanel. Four rows of fake buttons down the front of this dress. She has matched it with black thigh high stiletto boots, earrings that say Chanel, a black Chanel purse, some Chanel bracelets and rings and her signature diamond encrusted C necklace. While Conrad puts his jeans and blue polo back on before he goes home to change for the day.
They sit down for breakfast and Dorota puts eggs and a coffee in front of Conrad and a bowl of raspberries in front of Caroline and a mixed berry smoothie. "Thank you Dorota."
"Dorota mimosa please hold the orange juice and change champagne to tequila."
"Miss Caroline it's only seven am."
Caroline puts her head on her arms on the table only seven am she's already wants to go back upstairs and go to sleep and have it be tomorrow. Conrad rubs her back and she glances over at him. He reaches over and grabs a raspberry she watches as he brings the raspberry up to his lips once it's between his lips she leans over and kisses him. During their kiss the raspberry falls from his lips into her mouth. She smiles as she swallows. "If only we had chocolate."
They both chuckle as the memories of their fun with chocolate and strawberries in the spa area from a couple weeks ago come back to them. Conrad leans forward and leaves a kiss on her lips as he cradles her face in his hands, They can taste the raspberry on their lips. They both smile into the kiss. She feeds him a raspberry and he sucks the juices off her finger their eyes lingering on each other. The only reason they don't deepen the kiss or go further is they know Dorota could walk in any moment and she has her months old daughter with her.
Katherine and Brett walk into the breakfast room and immediately walk out. Brett whispers to Katherine. "Maybe we should start looking for our own place."
"No this is as much my home as it is theirs. Even though their mother bought it. Caroline always made sure I had a bedroom. Whether it was in the penthouse where she custom designed a bedroom for me or here where she saved the bedroom under her floor for me and nobody else stays in the other room so its like we have our own floor too."
Xxx
Bill pulls up to royalty he opens the door and nothing. "I haven't moved have I?" Caroline used to love working at Royalty finding models and coming up with the perfect photo. But now since her father and the board are pushing her out and even some of the newer models don't respect her. It is something she does not look forward to doing everyday. All she wants to do is prove she can run her business, she ran it pretty successfully before the board and before her father found out about the company.
Conrad puts his hands on her bare shoulders and massages them. "Its going to be ok, tonight we can meet up."
"My brothers are arriving later today they are probably going to be staying at the mansion. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable they will interrogate you."
He leaves a sweet kiss on her shoulder. She leans back into him he wraps his arms around her she reaches around and cups his cheek as they kiss.
Xxx
"Members of the board I know you want me gone but I am not going anywhere. This is my company and I know it inside and out." Caroline stares everyone down as the men glare at her.
Xxx
Katherine works at Royalty too she is the head of models. Caroline and her have lunch together everyday. Today they are joined by Enzo. "When I went upstairs to see if you were ok after your screaming had finished. I saw you in your closet being comforted by Conrad. You invited him in?"
Enzo drops his chopsticks out of shock and turns his head to the conversation whatever he was thinking is now gone. "That's huge."
Caroline nods as she chews a piece of salad. "Yeah, I invited him into my closet. He's different then anyone I've been with."
Katherine and Enzo smile they might be wary of Caroline's emotions but they are happy for her they just have a fun y way of showing it. " I'm still cautious of him."
"Why? He's amazing and kind hearted and just beautiful inside and out."
"For one We don't know him and he makes you act different. Two we know your dating history. have you forgotten the last person you dated outside our circle who had brunette hair and you thought was beautiful, I believe you called him fate."
Caroline side eyes Katherine. "I tried to forget about him. Thank you for bringing him up." She looks over at Enzo who has been surprisingly quiet. "Do you think I'm acting different?"
Enzo nods as he picks up the piece of sushi with chopsticks. "You've been back for over a month and I've seen you once. You didn't even answer the text that said Jason and I got married."
The blonde scoffs. "I've been busy with Royalty. I did answer your text I'm so thrilled you and Jason got married it's about time." She turns back to Katherine. "If I only dated people we knew or were in our circle then I would either never be happy with Klaus or settling with Chad. I'm sure Chad and I would have a nice life, we are still on friendly terms. Nobody has ever seen me happy but that's what Conrad makes me. I've never smiled this much with someone or felt like this I can't describe it."
"Euphoric, mysterious, always wanting to be near them, never getting them out of your head. Thinking of their needs before your own."
Caroline points her fork at Enzo. "Exactly." She glances over at Katherine. "I remember someone beginning a thrupple and that making everyone happy and we didn't know the guy at first you made him move and transfer schools to be with him."
Katherine scrunches up her nose. "You slept with him too."
Before Caroline can say anything Enzo cuts in."And we've all kissed him. But we are not talking about him we are talking about how happy Caroline is now. Speaking of the present." Enzo scratches the back of his head "I should mention my sixth step mom is on your board."
Caroline's head whips back to Enzo her little tiff with Katherine behind her."What no. Your father has so many ex wives and you give them all numbers I forget what their names are."
"Eva Sinclair." That explains why earlier she told Caroline that not everyone on the board is against her.
"I will say this and then we can drop it. I may not trust Conrad yet but you did look happy this morning at breakfast."
Caroline's face turns red and she avoids both her friends looks at her. "How much did you see or hear?"
Enzo's eyes widen and he looks at Katherine eagerly awaiting for her to continue. "Hear? I didn't hear anything what was said? I did see you and Conrad feeding each other raspberries."
Enzo glances at Caroline and she has her eyes closed and her face is red from embarrassment. He chuckles. "It could have been worse she could of walked in on you having sex."
Xxx
Giuseppe walks into his daughters office like he owns the place and this is his office. "Your brothers are coming in tonight and tomorrow we are having a family meeting." Caroline nods not even looking up from her paperwork she is sitting on the couch. "Be at the penthouse at eleven with your brothers."
Giuseppe purses his lips not getting the reaction he wanted he knows he'll get it tomorrow. He turns to leave and Caroline takes a breath she knows what this will do to her. "Have you talked with the she-bitch lately?"
"Sybil calls you that, Even though you did destroy her life I do still have communication with her. Why do you ask?"
Caroline wishes she brought the tequila in her desk over before she started this conversation. She takes a breath trying to keep her breathing even. "I thought I saw her in the building. Which is laughable because I banned her from the city. Plus nobody wanted her here the first time why come back for seconds."
Giuseppe swallows did she find out or is she bluffing. The one thing Caroline got from him is the ability of a excellent poker face. You never know when the two are lying or telling the truth. She crooks her head to the side and stares at him silently asking him to challenge her. While on the inside she is freaking out.
"Why would Sybil be here, We haven't talked in weeks."
"Are you still supporting her family?"
Giuseppe scoffs at the true accusations how dare his daughter judge him. He is the parent here. Right here is a perfect example of why he wants to execute his plan. Caroline is out of control and needs to be reined in and the one person who can control this unruly beast that is his daughter.
When Giuseppe left Caroline went over to her desk and takes a couple shots of tequila.
Xxx
"We are celebrating!"
Caroline looks up and in the doorway is Brad, Zero and Jude. Brad has a bottle of champagne and Zero has glasses. "What are we celebrating that the board wants to fire us all."
Brad pops the champagne and pours it into glasses. "We've been with you since you were seventeen and now your 21 and legally allowed to drink with us."
"I'm still twenty until tomorrow. But I will take a glass since we are celebrating me."
Zero hands her a glass. "It's official then the board is going to fire us."
"Yes and no. The board and my father want to kick me out, with me gone Jude would be in charge but he's who I've chosen and plus after hearing Jed and Ben in the elevator that day I know people are not thrilled that the potential CEO's husband is a model, they call nepotism. So Jude would be fired too. Now myself and Jude are out leaving you two. Even though you both are the highest paid models you would be fired for one I found you, two you are part of the original four and my father wants to get rid of all traces of my presence here. So you would be fired unless maybe quite possibly I make a change to your contracts and add in that if I am removed and Jude can't serve his duties as CEO you both are not to be fired for indisputable reasons."
She looks over at Jude. "Can we make that change."
Jude who even though he is the interm CEO, Vice President did start as in-house lawyer. "I will make them on Monday."
Caroline takes a sip of her champagne. "Oh I forgot if something were to happen Zero your job as my in-house bartender is always there for you. And Brad you won't have to go back to Australia, you can be my contractor, well I already have a contractor so you would be apart of his crew. Jude you would go back to being a full time lawyer. This is worst case scenario."
"He scared the new models the other day by coming into the photoshoot room and announcing that we all have to re-audition."
She downs her champagne and groans. "He is actually trying to kill me, at work and now he has plans for my personal life too. I would not wish this man on even my enemies."
Xxx
On the way home Caroline's phone rings and when she looks down at it she gasps. "Change of plans Bill, we are going to JFK."
"Miss Caroline are you running away again?" He glances back at her through the mirror.
"Not this time." She texts Dorota who was on her way out of the mansion when she gets the text she looks down at Ana who looks up at her. "One more thing then we can go see dad."
When they get to JFK Caroline finds Patrick in Cartier texting his boyfriend Ivan. "By far the best birthday present yet." He had sent her a photo of him next to a sign that says JFK NEW YORK with the caption surprise.
The short haired tall brunette guy who has stubble and a hint of a mustache and a pearl earring looks up from his phone and smiles at the blonde. They met over the summer in Madrid, she was in her mom's new store and he was looking around with Ivan and she noticed Ivan was going to try on a top that was not his color and she stopped him and both her and Patrick picked out an outfit for Ivan. While he was trying it on, Caroline and Patrick got to talking and they've been friends since.
They hug and kiss both cheeks. His arrival definitely made her day better.
"What are you doing here?" They text everyday and he never said anything about coming for her birthday.
"Ivan went to Ibiza to visit his friend Isadora I remembered your birthday is tomorrow so here I am surprising a friend."
"Isadora is that the heiress you were telling me about?"
He nods. "You and her would get along really well."
"Next time I visit you you should introduce us."
He puts an arm around her shoulders. "So what are we doing tonight?"
"Do you have jet lag or do you want to go have fun?"
He gets a mischievous smile on his face and she smiles back at him and leans forward. "Bill take us to Augustine."
The bouncer lets them right in much to the boos of the awaiting line outside the club. While Patrick is in black jeans and a black v neck short sleeve sweater Caroline is still in her Chanel off the shoulders dress with black thigh high stilettos. When they enter the club Patrick removes his top and puts it in his back pocket and starts dancing she chuckles and starts dancing too.
They start dancing really close to each other. They entwine fingers and he bends down In front of her and has that mischievous grin on his face the entire time. Her hands slither down his fit eight pack body from behind and he leans back into her body they both laugh. They have missed each other. People in the club have noticed them and the blonde waitress takes video of their dance.
Xxx
"Where's Caroline? Thought she would be here to welcome her brothers home."
"I don't know, she won't answer the phone."
"Probably having sex with that Conrad guy."
Both Damon and Stefan share a look then look back at the brunette who is filing her nails. "You met him? What's he like? Caroline won't tell us anything, other then his name and she likes him."
Their sister is being very secretive about her new love and they don't like it. They share everything. They've even walked into each other's bedrooms hours after sex to wake said sibling up. Their parents never were there but the triplets always had each other. Even though there is two minutes between each triplet, each one had a role in the family. Damon became protective of his siblings, if someone wanted to date his sister they had to get Damon's approval. He and Caroline fought for the top floor suite in the mansion. He protested that he was the oldest he should get it she countered with what would he do with the vanity in the corner and he doesn't have enough clothes to fill the closet. It wasn't until he had to do all her responsibilities and failed that he bowed out and gave her the suite she deserved it. He also gained a new respect for her that day. The middle brother Stefan is not like his older brother or his younger sister. Stefan is quiet and less dramatic. His siblings were always bouncing from person to person and getting into trouble, while he found love with Rebekah and they have been happy since and he never acted out. Their father would tell the other two to be more like Stefan. Caroline being the youngest of the triplets but is also the one who is put upon most. She has toned down her dramatic ways, and grew out of her bad bitch behavior but if she is stressed the bitch comes out. Like her brothers Caroline is protective over them too. She hasn't broken anyones nose or given someone a black eye. But she did make a mother of someone Damon slept with almost faint once over the phone.
"Well you might get your chance to meet him, Caroline and I'm going to take a guess and say that's Conrad are making a scene at Augustine."
Xxx
As everyone goes inside and sees Caroline and Patrick who is still shirtless dancing and laughing and having a good time enjoying each others company. Katherine stops everyone. "That's not Conrad."
"So who is this new guy feeling up my sister."
Stefan pulls Caroline away from Patrick while Damon gets in his face. "What are you doing with my sister?"
Patrick looks him up and down and laughs. Caroline rolls her eyes. "Seriously do you see why I don't want you meeting Conrad. Come let's go before you get punched." She glares at her brothers.
Xxx
Caroline and Patrick get out of the town car in front of the mansion. "I want to apologize again for them."
"It's nothing. I've been in their position with my sisters." Patrick looks up at the six floor mansion in the dark. "Wow you weren't kidding when you said this home is big."
"Yeah you think you'll have enough room?"
He chuckles. "It will be hard but I'll make it work somehow."
They both laugh at each other's dramatics as they make their way to the front door they hear a car door shut. Caroline looks behind her and smiles. He's here even though it means he will be interrogated by her brothers he choose to be here she gave him an out. She sticks her hand out and they entwine fingers.
Once inside the foyer Patrick looks the other guy up and down. He's cute and someone he definitely would go after if he didn't have Ivan.
"Patrick this is the guy I've told you about Conrad."
Patrick leans down and whispers in her ear. "The Conrad?"
She nods Patrick looks him up and down again, he has good style he's in jeans a white long sleeve shirt and a brown jacket it's more color then either Caroline or Patrick are in they both are in black. "Conrad this is my friend Patrick."
Conrad looks Patrick up and down, Caroline is in between both guys. Patrick kisses her on the cheek. "Have fun I'm going to go find a room."
As he leaves Caroline calls it to him. "Tell Ivan I said hi."
He turns around on the staircase and scrunches up his face she laughs. They both know Ivan is not a huge fan of Caroline's. "Your room is on the fifth floor right wing."
She turns back to Conrad. "Hi"
He reaches out and brushes a piece of hair behind her ear making her smile and lean into his touch the ting of jealously he was feeling leaving him. "Hi. How was your day?"
"Long, you?
"It was good. Did you have another panic attack?"
She avoids his eyes as she says. "One it wasn't that bad, I was talking to Giuseppe about someone heinous."
He brings their hands up and leaves a kiss on the back of her hand. "Need a drink?"
"You know me so well. Do you want a beer?"
He smiles at her he knows she doesn't like or drink beer, but she makes sure his favorite beer blue moon is here for him if he wants a drink.
She takes her shot of tequila and hops up on the black marble counter top of the island in the middle of the kitchen. Like everything else in this home the cabinets and everything is white, except for the counter tops which are black marble and really stand out among the white.
He positions himself in between her legs his hands on her waist his beer next to her, her arms are around his neck. He is right against the island trying to get as close as possible to her. Her fingers are playing with the hair at the back of his neck.
"Want to play a game?'
He chuckles as he looks up at her. "With you always, but we don't know when your friends are coming back."
She leans down and lays her on his shoulder. "I love my friends, I really do but I miss when it was just us living here."
Caroline doesn't even realize she said us living here, he noticed it but doesn't say anything it is true he spends his nights here, the staff call him Mr. Conrad, he's been left alone in this home and he's even left a tee shirt here. He likes the idea of them living together.
Out of the corner of his eye he sees the clock and notices its after midnight. "Happy birthday." He leaves a tender kiss on her lips which she deepens and he pulls her closer to him.
Xxx
" I accept. What do you want me to do?"
A sinister smile spreads across Giuseppe's face.