Sunday in New York

Standing outside, the three of us said goodbye to my family and thanked them for the evening. I hugged and kissed my mum, "Thanks again mom, I'll call you tomorrow." And after we said goodbye, we made our way down the walkway to our cars. I stopped and turned to Jules, "So Hudson said he wanted to go in my car, so you can take his for the night." I took the keys from Hudson's hand and gave them to Jules, who was more than happy to take them.

"Wait, what? I said what? You're giving Jules the keys to my BMW...do you realize what you're doing?" Hudson gave a bemused look.

"Yes, I do." I smiled, taking his hand and leading him to my beater of a car. "Goodnight Jules!" I called. Climbing into the driver's side and starting the car, Hudson got in on the passenger side and his eyes narrowed at me.

"What are you doing?" He spoke in a low voice.

I sighed and looked at him, "I know your dad isn't exactly your favourite person, but he deserves to be told in person that we're getting married."

"No, he doesn't need to be told in person, I left a message with his secretary telling him that we're engaged. That's good enough." He gritted his teeth.

I shook my head and put the car into drive, leaving the house and going on my way to take us to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. "We're going to his house to tell him."

"No, we're not."

"I'm driving and there's nothing you can do about it, unless you want to get us into an accident. Just five minutes Hudson, that's all. I'll even do all the talking if you want." I replied.

He gave a long and exasperated sigh, running both hands through his hair. "Then put your seatbelt on." He growled.

I smirked and did as I was told. "There's my man." I looked over at him with a smile. He tried his hardest to stifle a smile and just rolled his eyes at me. "Eyes on the road."

When we arrived at the Brand Mansion, the door was answered by a servant. He looked a little confused when he opened the door to us but remained composed and greeted us. "Miss Moore, Mr. Hudson, please come in." He opened the door for us and we entered in and I was still dazzled by the chandelier that hung over the foyer; memories of the Autumn Banquet filled my head, there was even a faint sound of classical music from somewhere in the house, but Hudson broke my reverie.

"We're here to see my father." He spoke bitterly. The servant nodded and was about to leave to call on Charles, but he had come down the grand staircase and greeted us.

"Holbrook, I didn't think I'd be seeing you this night." His voice boomed, echoing throughout the room. I've never seen him in casual wear, though this is only my second time seeing him; he wore denim jeans and a light blue dress shirt. I wonder if this is what Hudson will look like when he's older, I smile at the thought.

"Miss Moore, how lovely to see you again." He smiled, shaking my hand and nodding at Hudson. "This is quite a surprise, what brings you home?"

Hudson took in a breath, "We just wanted to pop in to formally tell you-"

"Charles, who is it?" Hilary interrupted by calling from upstairs. Soon she came gliding down the stairs, wearing a long silk robe. She raised a brow and smirked, soon joining her husband. "Well hello, this is a rare visit."

"We were just going to the main drawing room, join us." Charles replied to her, ushering us to the other room.

After being seated, Hudson was about to start up again but Charles interrupted, asking the servant to bring us some drinks.

"Sorry Holbrook, as you were saying." Charles turned his attention back to us.

"We're-"

"Hello." A sing-song voice piped in and we all looked up at the tall blonde entering the room, wearing clothes that looked very...tacky and expensive. When she noticed me she immediately smirked and just like Hilary, raised an eyebrow. "And who is this?"

Hudson gave another exasperated sigh and gritted his teeth. "Giselle, this is my fiancée Avery. Avery, this is my step-sister, Giselle." He turned back to his father. "We're engaged."

I didn't know he had a step-sister...

He turned to me, "There. I think our five minutes are up." He muttered.

"I heard you were engaged." Charles lightly laughed, taking out a yellow scrap of paper from his pocket. "My secretary gave me the message."

Hilary and Giselle looked at him in astonishment. "And you didn't think to tell me?" Hilary glared at Charles.

"I was waiting for Holbrook to come over, I didn't think it was my news to share. But congratulations son, Avery." He gave a reassuring smile to us.

"And now that you know, we really must be going now." Hudson stood up.

"No, just wait Holbrook, I haven't gotten to know Avery yet." Giselle smirked at him.

"Please son, sit a while." Charles looked up at him.

He slowly sat back down. I looked up at him, nervous since I've never seen him so upset; usually when he is, he's yelling or arguing, pacing around the room and making noise, but this is worse, he's quiet and I can only imagine the boiling anger inside of him. His face was stony and his mouth was a hard line.

"So, Avery, where are you from and what do you do?" Giselle looked at me in the same way her mother does.

"I'm from Brooklyn, but I moved to Manhattan when I was 18. And I work for Rolling Stone magazine, I'm one of the editors." I replied.

"Brooklyn? Oh, so then, you're not from the city. However did you manage to survive when you moved here, rent is very high you know." She smiled. I knew what she was getting at.

Hilary joined in, "Oh, I know, soon the money runs out...well, we've never known what that's like. But tell us Avery, what is it like?"

I pursed my lips, getting ticked off at these women. "I wouldn't know. I've always been able to provide for myself."

"Oh, well good for you then." Giselle grinned

"Shut up Giselle." Hudson snapped.

"You don't talk to me like that!" She yelled back.

"Holbrook, don't talk to your sister that way." Hilary scolded.

"That slut is not my sister." He spoke, refraining from yelling again. I never heard him use that sort of language before, sure he swears like a sailor, but being that brute about it...but she deserved it...

"Enough!" Charles voice boomed in, silencing everyone, even me who wasn't saying anything. "Giselle, you do not treat guests as such. Holbrook and Avery came here for a joyous reason, formally telling us of their engagement. The least you and Hilary can do is be is happy for them. Miss Moore, I apologize."

I shook my head. "It's fine."

Hudson leaned in close, muttering in my ear, "No, it's not." I shrugged him away.

The servant came back, sheepishly setting down a tray of flutes of champagne. Charles asked us all to take a glass. "Now then, let's make a toast. To a happy engagement and a lovely marriage."

After raising our glasses, I gulped mine down, feeling nervous and regretting coming here. Hudson didn't drink his champagne and set it back down on the table. He looked at me and I gave him that "I'm so sorry" look.

"When did you become engaged?" Charles asked.

"On Halloween, actually." I forced a smile, feeling sick to my stomach.

"And have you decided on a wedding date yet?" He further inquired.

I shook my head, "No, not yet. We're just happy being engaged, the ceremony will come when the time is right."

Hilary's eyes narrowed down to my hand. "Let me see the ring." She spoke, so I reluctantly outstretched my hand to show her the ring. And with just one glance at the ring, she quickly turned to Charles again and scowled at him. "She's wearing the ring! You said that ring was going to be mine."

"I said no such thing." Charles quickly replied.

"Well she's your wife, you should give her everything." Giselle sounded so childish as she piped in.

"Charles, that ring should be mine. Holbrook has all the money in the world, he can buy her a far more expensive ring, something newer at least."

"And my father has all the money in the world too, oh but I'm sure you know that since you've been milking him for all he's got. Let it alone Hilary, you are not worthy of wearing this ring." Hudson growled.

"Worthy? Oh please Holbrook, you're saying that poor girl from Brooklyn can wear that ring?" Giselle crossed her arms over her chest, smirking at him.

"Do I have to tell you to shut up one more time?! Or shall I make you?" Hudson shouted.

"All of you, stop! Hilary and Giselle, this ring belonged to Claire, it's only fair that Holbrook inherits it." Charles scolded them.

Giselle rolled her eyes, "Yeah, like all that money too."

Hudson then snapped, standing up abruptly. "That is it! You can say whatever you like about me, but when you are so insensitively and purposely insulting the two most important women in my life, you are crossing the line! Charles, you are a coward, you can't even control your own wife. And Hilary, I will never like you. I will never approve of you. You will never amount to the anything other than being a money-hungry sad excuse of a woman! And that goes for you too Giselle! I have people ask me how you get all your money, well it's from sleeping around of course. That's all your good at! I didn't want to come here tonight, but since my fiancée has a good heart and thought that this would be a nice gesture, I did. And perhaps it's a good thing, 'cause now she can see why I hate you all so much."

He held his hand out for me, so I quickly placed mine in his and stood up. "We're leaving."

"You are an ungrateful son!" Hilary yelled.

"Shut up woman!" Charles shouted, silencing her immediately. Hudson strode across the marble floor, gently pulling me along with him. Charles called after him in a regretful voice, I could even hear him following us to the door, but Hudson didn't stop.

He opened the passenger side door for me to get in and soon he got in on the driver's side, taking my keys and starting the car, speeding off away from the house. The drive was the longest and most painful ride of my life; complete and utter silence.

When we got home, he tossed the keys on the table and went into the bedroom. I followed him in, "Hudson...I'm so sorry, I didn't think it would be like this, I-"

"I'm going to take a shower." He muttered, taking off his shirt and going into the bathroom and gently closing the door after him. Soon the shower turned on.

I sighed and sat on the bed, feeling guilty and terrible. I kicked off my shoes and then stood up, starting to strip off my clothes. I quietly opened the bathroom door and went in, opening the shower door and stepping in to join him. He was facing away from me but lifted his head when he heard the shower door open.

Wrapping my arms around him and resting my head on the back of his shoulder after kissing it, I sighed. "I'm sorry Hudson. We shouldn't have gone there. I'm sorry I made you."

He sighed and turned around, putting his arms around me and then bringing his hand up to my chin, lifting my face to kiss me as the hot water beat down on our skin. "I didn't want you to see that. I'm sorry they treated you so badly."

I hugged him tighter, my forehead against his chest. "We don't ever have to go back." I whispered. His fingertips dug into my skin as he held me. "I just can't handle that life again...I will never forgive him." He soon cupped my face, kissing me harder, murmuring against my lips, "You are all I need."