In the Don's embrace

"Never do anything when you are in a temper, for you will do everything wrong."

~Baltasar Gracian

13 years ago

"I hate you two!" Charlotte yelled at her brothers as they got out of the car.

"Char, we already apologized!" Landon yelled back

"Stop yelling you idiot, she won't forgive us." Peyton hit his brother.

"I'm not forgiving you no matter what!" Charlotte stormed to her room and locked the door.

"Char!" The boys called after her.

"Leave her alone boys." Miranda their mum told them.

"But mummy, what we did was for her own good." Landon explained.

"Yeah, it's not our fault he's a wimp." Peyton added.

"Let's go, you can tell me all about what you did in the kitchen." Miranda sighed.

They all walked into the kitchen, the boys sat on the kitchen island while Miranda started making dinner.

"So it all begun with a boy?" Miranda asked.

"Yes."

"An ugly one at that." Peyton wrinkled his small nose causing Miranda to stifle a laugh. "It's not funny mummy, he really is ugly."

"Even spice is better looking." Landon added comparing the boy in question to their black Yorkshire terrier pet dog.

"Lan, don't compare your friend to an animal, that's rude." she scolded her son no longer finding it funny.

"It's not my fault he looks like Bannister." he pouted.

"Oh goodness." she sighed holding back a chuckle. It was usually like this with the triplets, it was squabble after squabble.

"Even Bannister looks better, he's not fit for Char."

"And what makes you think that?" Miranda looked at her sons.

"For starters, he's not her class money wise, his IQ is very low-"

"Life isn't always about the money." she scolded.

"It is Mummy." Peyton rolled his eyes "besides daddy always says money runs the world and without it, you are nothing."

"Your father told you that?"

"Yes, he always says it" Landon smirked.

<>

"Daddy." the boys run up to their father as he walked into the house and hugged him.

"Hello boys." Jason smiled at his sons.

"Hey baby". Miranda walked up to them and pecked her husband's lips.

"Ew." The boys scrunched their noses making their parents chuckle.

"Where's my princess?" Jason finally asked after looking around.

"Locked in her room." Landon and Peyton answered at the same time.

"Why, it’s only 7:30." Jason looked at the gold Rolex watch on his wrist.

"Your sons know better." Miranda told him while motioning her eyes towards the two boys.

"Boys?" Jason gave his sons a questioning look asking them to explain.

"She's mad at us." They rolled their eyes.

"Hello!" Fernanda greeted as she walked into the house.

"Hey!" They boys run and hugged her.

"Gosh you've grown so big." She gushed.

"Hey, it’s been ages." Miranda hugged her friend.

"Tell me about it, we've got so much to catch up on." The ladies giggled.

<>

"Where are Ales, Matt, Adriano and Eleanor?" Jason asked looking back and not seeing them.

"They are coming soon." Fernanda told them with a huge smile on her face.

"Let's go and have dinner." Miranda spoke after everyone had arrived and they all walked to the dining room and took their seats as they waited to be served.

"Where's Charlotte, I haven't seen her since we arrived." Matteo finally asked after looking around and nt seeing his favorite person in the Quan family.

"She's in her room angry at us." Peyton spoke bluntly.

"What did you do to the poor girl?" Old Eleanor asked with a small frown.

"It’s because we threatened and maybe slightly injured her crush." Landon answered.

"Her what" Jason choked on his wine. He had completely forgot about the conversation they were having before the Santoro’s arrival.

"Her 'crush'" they spoke in unison.

"Look who we have here." Fernanda beamed at the sight of little 8 year old Charlotte making her way into the room beside her mum.

"Come give me a hug baby girl" she opened her arms and Charlotte hugged her then Eleanor.

"Hey princess." Alessandro greeted with a smile before he gave her a quick hug.

"Hey." she gave him a slight smile which eventually widened when her big green eyes that were red and puffy from crying so much fell on Anthony's face.

"H-hi" she spoke shyly but he didn't responded, he just ignored her and chewed on his food like he had not heard her.

"Hey, I missed you." Matteo got up and hugged her causing a deep shade of red to appear on the little girl's cheeks.

"Don't make me kick his ass too sweetheart." Jason joked but Charlotte didn't take it as one and her smile turned into a frown.

"I was only joking my princess." Jason told her but he had already soured her mood.

The little girl took a seat next to her mother and tossed around the food on her plate the entire time.

"Aren't you going to eat your food?" Landon asked his sister who in turn didn't respond.

"Char, don't tell me you are still mopping over that ugly duckling." Peyton scolded earning a death glare from her.

"Peyt!" Jason scolded.

"What, she knows it’s true." He objected.

"Daddy, tell your sons to stop talking to me, I'm no longer their sister." Charlotte stated glaring at her brothers.

"Over that thing!" Landon gritted out.

"Don't raise your voice at me!" She yelled gripping her fork tightly.

"I will when you are wrong, you are my little sister-"

"We are the same age!"

"It doesn't matter, we were born before you!" Peyton spat.

"So what you dickheads!" She yelled out.

"Charlotte mind your language." Miranda scolded.

"That ugly duck is the one who taught her bad words." Landon told his father.

"No he didn't!" Charlotte yelled.

"Yes he did, he always uses them!"

"Shut up you big mouth!" She warned tightening the grip on her fork tighter.

"Or what" Landon spat "you are just a girl."

Feeling aggravated and angry, Charlotte got up and threw the fork in her hands directly at her brother and it merely missed him thanks to Jason who was quick to pull him away and it landed on the floor.

"Charlotte Kira Quan!" Miranda yelled at her daughter while everyone just stared with utter shock.

"Are you insane!" Peyton yelled marching towards his sister but Anthony held him back.

"Come any closer and I swear it will be too late to save you." She glared at her brother while grabbing the breadknife close to her.

"OK that's enough all of you time out!" Jason yelled "Charlotte go to your room."

"It’s not my fault, they started it." She pouted and stomped her small feet.

"I'm not asking you again young lady, go to your room." He seethed dangerously.

"I hate you! All of you!" Charlotte yelled at her brothers and father before storming off.

"Your daughter needs a therapist." Miranda told her husband with a sigh while moving to check on her son. This was not the first time she was lashing out like that.

"One won't be enough." Landon muttered holding onto his left cheek, luckily the fork had only grazed his cheek.

"Shut up this was you two's fault as well, you know how she gets when provoked." Jason warned them.

"It’s not our fault she's crazy and has bad taste." He commented feeling angry at how their father was defending Charlotte when she was clearly in the wrong.

"Make another comment like that and I'll spank your ass raw." He threatened his son who immediately shut up and stared at his plate.

"Let’s get your face cleaned." Miranda sighed and took her soon to the kitchen where she cleaned his wound.