The Age of The Masrui

“When she hadn’t just lost the love of her life… I’ve never seen that look on her face before Ronan.” Bella whispered. “She doesn’t want anyone else to know about her being pregnant... I think she’s reconsidering... I just don’t know how to help her.”

Ronan sighed, shaking his head and whispering a quiet, "I don't know either."

“Nothings ever easy for us is it - “ Bella shook her head then. “God I know how selfish that sounds but... you know what I mean...”

"No, no. I know what you mean." Ronan frowned, kissing her forehead gently. "Happiness is never permanent, hm?"

“We were finally in an okay place - everything was settled, Rhys is getting on great, you’ve managed to get your head above water with the business, we finally had time for us... the baby... just feels like the floors gone from beneath us again.”

Ronan nodded, "I know, I know. We should get some sleep, before the madness if the next few weeks really sinks in."

---

(( Skip a couple of days? ))

Ronan nodded, "I know, I know. We should get some sleep, before the madness if the next few weeks really sinks in."

---

(( Skip a couple of days? ))

((Sure, you first for who you want?))

"I don't know what to do with any of this," Marlowe complained, stacks of paperwork from Dorian's company in front of her regarding the operation and running of it. "Why the hell did he put me as one to take over if anything happened, he knows that I know nothing about any of this."

“Because it’s under your families name and he wanted you to have it... I’m more impressed he had a will written out leaving it to you in the first place.” Maddox murmured. “Leave it for now mm? His employees are running it fine as it is for the moment, you can revisit in a few weeks when you’re feeling more up to it and me and Cal can help you from there.”

"I'd rather try and wrap my head around all of this then decide what kind of flowers to put on an empty casket." Marlowe whispered.

---

"I think it is probably time we give your sister the ring." Ronan whispered as he offered a coffee out to Bella. "It'll hurt her but it might make her smile too, maybe.... hopefully."

“It’s the first time she’s gotten out of bed, showered and eaten since it’s happened this morning... I’m scared if I give it to her it’ll drag her back to bed for another week.” Bella admitted, taking the drink with quiet thanks. “She’s still not said anything... Rhys went in earlier to speak to her, you know what they’re like, usually spend hours just talking about bullshit but he said she didn’t even acknowledge him. She’s worrying me.”

---

“I know.” Maddox said sadly, pulling her into a hug. “I wish I could make it go away...”

"So.. talk me through what all of these papers mean? Which is the most important... the things that I have to sign."

---

"She has to know, and she has to know today before the funeral. It isn't fair to keep it from her any longer than we already have."

---

"Hey, you okay?" Cleo asked gently as she wandered into the same room that Rhys was in.

Rhys was on his bed, upon seeing her come in he turned off the tv where he was watching the race highlights from a few days ago, the race he’d ended up missing. “Hey, hi.” He hummed, patting the space beside him.

---

“I don’t even know what to say to her.” Bella grimaced. “I know he’s dead but he was gonna marry you? Maybe we should give the ring to Marlowe and let her decide what to do with it.”

---

“This one here.” Maddox pulled out a sheet. “Is for the transferral over to your name, he’s pre signed it, needs your signature on here to complete the process so the company is officially yours. Then there’s a few more we both need to sign which means we acknowledge the shares he’s left to the kids too, but they won’t get those until later when they’re eighteen. By the looks of it he’s left nearly everything to you. A few shares here and there to the kids but - “ he grabbed the will to read over it once more to see if he’d missed anything.

"You don't have to turn it off for me," Cleo frowned, making making way over and sitting herself down cross-legged beside him. "Who ended up winning?"

---

"That he wanted her to have it, I dont know." Ronan sighed. "I'd rather avoid conversation with Marlowe until Serena decides what to do with the baby, I dont trust myself not to slip up and tell her. Could you imagine the pressure she'd put on Seren to keep it if she knew? It'd be massive."

---

Marlowe took the sheet off of him and placed it on the desk in front of her, skim reading it quickly. Swallowing thickly when she spotted her brothers signature, resting her finger just beneath it. "So.. I sign this and your married to a CEO, hm? Lucky you." She whispered, attempting to stay light-hearted.

“Unless there’s an updated version somewhere... it’s all yours.” Maddox nodded as he set the paper down. “He last updated when Christian was born by the looks of it, they each get ten percent when they come of age. We’ll go over all that with them later when they’re old enough... you sign there and everything your brother worked for is under you.” He hummed. “This is what he wanted, you to have it all. He’d be proud of you right now.”

---

“Come with me? Help me... break it to her?” Bella finished her drink and put the cup in the sink. “I don’t think Marlowe would do that, I think she’d support her but then again... she’s not even reached out to check on her so... I don’t know.” She murmured, heading to the drawer and pulling out the bag with the ring in before heading upstairs.

---

“Hansen won.” Rhys shrugged. “No biggie. Just means it’ll be more of a challenge when I get back out there next year, and you know me, love a challenge.” He grinned, unphased.

"Mm, no. Hansen's trainer is going to quit on him soon, he is trying for a baby with his wife and we both know without the trainer he is nothing.- lazy and procrastinates. You'll fly through next year if he is the biggest competition."

---

"Mm, I've noticed - cracks are starting to show in her mother Teresa always there for people act." Ronan agreed, before following close behind her.

---

"At least they have the opportunity to be a part of a business they won't have to share with countless cousins." Marlowe whispered, adding as she reached for a pen and out her signature down. "I've not done anything to make anyone proud yet,"

“It’s not like Dorian had any kids to create countless cousins for ours mm?” Maddox rubbed her arm gently. “You’ve taken the first step. He’d be proud of you.”

---

“I like the competition, makes it better when I win.”

---

Bella knocked on her sisters door before walking in, Serena was sat upright on the bed, fully dressed and presentable for the first time since the incident, though was staring off into space, completely unaware of her surroundings. Bella sat by her sister on the bed, taking her hand gently. “Rena, we have something for you... something Dorian wanted you to have.” She smiled softly when her sister blinked before turning her attention. Bella took the ring out from the packet and placed it in her sisters palm. “He was going to ask you to marry him… he loved you a lot Serena. You were so loved...”

Serena stared at the ring, jaw tightening and tears springing to her eyes instantly as her hand closed over it.

"Ah, that why you wanted to spend so much time with me then? Because you knew you shouldn't - it was like a competition?"

---

Marlowe grimaced at that, shaking her head and whispering; "It's ashame... he would of made a great dad."

---

"He wanted you to have it before, he'd want you to have it now too. If it is too painful though we can.. look after it for you for awhile, or give it to his sister for safe keeping. Whatever you need."

“No, it’s because I enjoy spending time with you.”

---

Serena opened her mouth as if to say something, voice catching in her throat before she just shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut when tears began to fall. “H-how do I wear it?” She whispered. “Can’t put it on my finger because he never asked... can’t put it on myself...”

---

“He was good with the kids.” Maddox nodded, kissing her forehead. “Bella text earlier to say Serena was finally out of bed. Maybe you two need a chat? Might be cathartic for you... if you don’t want to it’s okay though, of course.”

"So, you are saying I am not a prize?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and a playful smirk at him; "I will try and not take that too personally, even though that opinion is wrong."

---

Marlowe shook her head in the negative; "What would we talk about? I - No... No I don't want to. I mean, I can't. It's too. I - I have too much to do, I've barely spent any time with the kids and there is the funeral to organise and all of this to work through." She flailed, desperately searching for a credible excuse.

---

"You can put it on a chain, like a necklace? Caliban done that with his. Or uh, we can put it in some kind of display for you - like an ornament?" Ronan suggested with a frown. "Or you can wear it on your finger, until your ready - I doubt people will think anything less of you for doing that."

---

"Cal?" Alexia questioned, knocking on his bedroom door.

“Dorian by all accounts loved her very much, you know he was looking for a ring. Would he want the woman he loved that much to be shut out by his family?” Maddox encouraged gently. “I’m not going to push you... if you don’t want to speak to her then that’s fine. But put yourself in her shoes mm? You were only saying the other day you knew if anything happened to me that my family would take care of you... Dorian would want that too.”

---

Serena nodded at his suggestion of a necklace, pulling a cushion up so she could hold it. “I’m going home… after the funeral I’m going home.”

“You are home.” Bella frowned.

“I came here for you, to help. I stayed because of him and you know that. You have Rhys to deal with, his career is just taking off, and your new baby. You don’t need me on top of that. I’m going home.”

---

Caliban was in bed under the covers, ignoring her knock.

---

“You being a prize implies there was ever any competition. I knew I’d won you over after the first date.” Rhys laughed softly.

Alexia frowned, resting her fingertips against the door thoughtfully before letting herself inside. Closing the door behind herself and making her way over, sitting on the edge of the bed near the pillow and rested her hand on his shoulder; "Hey sweetie, I brought some new things for the bath. Lavender scented bath bo- things. You want to test it out?"

---

Cleo laughed at that, pushing him to the side. "Cocky idiot. Your so annoying."

---

"We want you here," Ronan assured with a frown. "You are part of our family Serena. Don't go back, the house will be too quiet without you around, we'll end up going crazy."

---

"I'm not shutting her out," Marlowe whispered, "I- I'm just not ready yet. I wouldn't know what to say, don't know what she would want from me."

“Maybe just to talk about him with someone who knew him? Bella and Ronan didn’t know him, Caliban won’t talk to anyone so she’s not got him either. If you lost me what would you want from my family mm? What would you want from Karsi?” Maddox shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, she’s not your responsibility, it was just a suggestion. But it’s okay... everything at your pace. Take all the time you need.”

---

“No. You two want peace, it’s all you’ve ever wanted. Me staying here would be selfish. You have your own family to deal with, new baby on the way... I can’t stay here. I don’t want to stay here... this house isn’t home. We had a home together... I’m moving back in there. I’ve made up my mind.”

“You should be alone right now Serena... and you’ll need help with your own baby soon mm? Ronan’s right, we want you here.”

---

“It kept you coming back though.” Rhys grinned, grabbing her wrist and placing a kiss to the back of her hand.

---

Caliban shrugged her off, rolling over to the other side of the bed.

"Fine. Fine. Enough of the fucking guilt trip, Maddox. I don't need it, I already feel like shit. I'll go now, okay?" Marlowe snapped in frustration, getting to her feet and heading out of the room. Grabbing her car keys off of the hook as she passed it.

---

"The baby is going to be our family too, and it'll be nice for them won't it? The cousins to grow up together, under the same roof." Ronan hummed, adding quietly, "It also isn't safe, we're still working out the answer as to why. You need to stay with us, we need to stick to where it is safe."

---

"Your looks done that, your personality absolutely not." She teased.

---

"Cal..." Alexia sighed. "Talk to me?"