It all started with a phone call.
"KaibaCorp, Mr. Kaiba's office. How can I help you?"
"Hi sweetie!"
The color drained from Ali's face. Instinctively, she facepalmed and leaned her elbow on the desk.
"Hello mother..." she droned.
"What, I'm not allowed to call you?" She scoffed. "Well, excuse me."
"Mother, I'm working right now," Ali protested. "Can this wait?"
She could just picture the frustrated scowl on her mother's face.
"You're always working! Every time I call it's 'Mom, I'm busy right now' or 'Mom, we're about to go into a meeting, can you call later?' It's frustrating!"
Ali sighed. She was a busy person, so what?
"Ever since you hooked up with that Kaiba boy you've done nothing but work!"
"Mom-"
"I'm worried! I don't see you anymore, you never call-"
"Mom, I'm busy!" she cried. "Not only am I working, but I have a wedding to plan! I don't need you nagging at me all the time!"
"Well you wouldn't have this problem if you had just listened to me."
True, Ali probably wouldn't have this problem if she wasn't getting married to Kaiba. Not that she cared, of course, but her old lady wasn't wrong. Izumi Hanae was rarely wrong about these things.
But why she hated Seto Kaiba was a mystery for the ages. You'd think she'd be happy for her daughter, especially considering he'd gotten the approval from her father and both of her brothers. Heaving a frustrated sigh, Ali massaged her temples with one hand.
"Mom, is it really so hard to believe I'm happy?"
"OF COURSE IT IS!"
Ali was going in circles. She really didn't need to deal with this.
"Look, I'll call you later, m'kay? I'm really busy right now."
Ali hung up the phone before her mother could say anything else. She leaned back in her chair and groaned something unintelligible, but was along the lines of "Why me?" She heard Kaiba clear his throat behind her.
"Yes?"
"Was that your mother?"
"What on earth makes you think that?" she droned sarcastically.
"Alicia."
Sighing, she sat back up and slammed her head into the desk.
"Why couldn't I have normal parents?"
"From what I can tell, your father is quite normal," he remarked dryly. "Now pull yourself together."
"Fuck you," she mumbled.
Kaiba regarded his fiancée for a moment before grabbing her sharply by the arm and pulling her out of her seat. Ali protested but was quickly silenced when Kaiba wrapped his arms around her in a rare show of genuine affection. He gave her a reassuring squeeze before loosening his grip.
"Don't let that incorrigible hag get to you."
"But-"
"That is not a request, Alicia," he whispered, "And besides, we don't HAVE to invite your mother."
Ali started to giggle. The fact that he was dead serious made it funny.