Chapter 24

"No." Mackenzie stared, but this time that no wasn't direct at him. His mother looked at the man. "Ryssa, honestly, I believe in giving a child every opportunity to succeed, but I don't like you should treat them like pets."

"Little Katie isn't a pet," His mother said pulling out a phone, scrolling through messages.

"Exactly. Ryssa, can we please not think about business right now?" He looked upset. Mackenzie picked at his food. "Mummy, I don't like this. Can I have some cake instead? If he puts in the special stuff it'll be good for me." He looked at her, ignoring Rian's shaking head. His mummy looked up for a second, "'Hmm? Course, Kenzie, me and Rian are having a conversation, ok? So you can just go to the chef and tell her, ok?" Mackenzie nodded and pushed the chair back and walked to the kitchen, it wasn't next to that dining room, but getting a servant to fetch the chef, wait for her to come then tell her, wait again, just seemed a lot harder that walking there himself.

He pushed it open. "Chef! Make me a cake; put that special stuff in it."

"Are you not eating your dinner tonight, little master?"

"No, you're a bad cook, you should make better food." The chef nodded and pulled out an old fashioned computer. "Well I'll just cross this off. So far none of my deserts have been denied yet, you've got a sweet tooth, that's good, I like making sweets."

"Yeah…sweets are good. Thank you, chef." Then he left the room, his eyes going over the hall. When he returned his mum was gone and Rian was talking on his phone. Mackenzie glared at the man. "What happened to no business at the table?" He asked, Rian's eyes twitched, Mackenzie sat back in his seat. "Where's my mum?" Rian muttered something in the phone, held it away and said, "She had something come up, had to go,"

"When's she coming back? She promised we'd go see the night lights tonight."

"Late, after you go to sleep." Rian returned his attention to the person on the other end of the phone. "Yes…I understand, yes Chryssa is on her way, should be there any second. I know…I'll be their first thing tomorrow, inform he if there are any changes." He dropped the phone down and shook his head. "Bastards!" Mackenzie looked at the man shocked.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing that concerns you,"

"It concerns me if Mum isn't going to be home, and I can't go to the night lights."

"Will you shut up about those? You can go next time!"

"I want to go this time. I want to go! When is Mummy coming back?"

"Late. Now go to bed."

"You're not the boss of me." Rian stood, his chair sliding back then falling. He was angry now, but Mackenzie wasn't scared. He crossed his arms and waited. Talking slowly Rian gripped the table. "You have no idea…no idea, if you refuse my help…I'm talking to a child," Then he shook his head and sat. The servant returned holding the cake, white with passion fruit on in.

"You can't have that unless you finish your dinner, have your mothers and then you can have it. Thank you, miss, put it over here." He gestured to an empty seat. The servant placed it down and scurried away. Mackenzie was staring at the food, forgetting for a second that he was dealing with Rian. "Give to me."

"No. Eat your dinner." He picked up his mother's unfinished meal and placed it in front of him. Mackenzie stuck out his tongue. "It's yuck, I'm not eating it."

"Then go hungry."

"No! Give it to me, please."

"One piece, just one, you can do that right?"

"No!" he stood this time. "Stop being so mean! I'll tell my mum about you. I don't like you! You can't come into my life, split my parenst up and tell me to do whatever you say! Here if you want the food so badly eat it yourself." He picked up the plate and tossed it. The plate cracked as it collided with his face. "I hate you! I hate you! Get out of my life!" Then he pushed the chair at his step-dad picked up the cake and ran upstairs. "Enjoy your meal!" He screeched and slammed the door of his room.