Chapter 4 - Reminded of the past

Chapter 4

After leaving Zelina, Niklaus headed back to work and got a few things done before meeting her for dinner. He was going to take her to a private restaurant owned by his family. He didn’t like big crowds and he wanted to have a private dinner with his wife. And their restaurant had private rooms.

After he was done for the workday, he asked the driver to fetch Zelina from work and he headed to the restaurant and waited for her. 

When Lina arrived, they headed inside the restaurant. The couple were led into a private room because Klaus had always known Zelina was shy and wasn't fond of eating in front of people.

"Zee you can order whatever you like..." Klaus said looking at the menu. He knew what was on the menu, he had been coming here for years.

"There aren’t prices on the menu." Lina stared at the menu like a fish out of water.

Niklaus smiled. "Don't worry I own this restaurant or at least half of it" he told her to calm her nerves.

Zelina gaped at him "Oh... Who owns the other half?" she asked in a whisper.

Niklaus rolled his lips inwardly to stop himself from laughing. She looked so darn cute… "I built this restaurant for my grandmother, but I had given it to my cousin as a birthday present. She’s the head chef here." 

Zelina nods. "I see"

Thinking about Emma, he knew she would be here at some point of the night. She was busy and she loved meddling. "She'll probably pop in later if she's not busy..."

"Are you close to all your family?" Zelina asks putting the menu down.

Niklaus tilts his head to the side. Thinking about how to answer her question. "It’s sort of complicated, I have no choice but to be close to them, she’s my cousin from both sides of the family.” 

Zelina looks at him confused…

Niklaus smiles and explains the story to her. “You see my cousin Emma her mom is my mom twin sister and her dad it’s my dad’s older brother"

"Oh..." Zelina nods as if she understands, but she didn’t understand a word he just said.

Niklaus saw through his wife. But he continued. "And my cousin Ravens dad is my dad’s eldest brother, and his mom is my mom’s best friend from college... "

"Who met first?" Zelina couldn’t help herself. Someone must have met first, who started the romance between couples.

"What do you mean?" Niklaus tilts his head to the side, confused

"Who of the couples fell in love first?"

"Oh, that would be my aunt Ken and Uncle Rain. and its spelt R A I N. My cousin’s name is Reign as well, but his name spelt R E I G N... But my parents of the lot were married a month after meeting, they fell in love the second they met, in a board room no less. My aunt Kenzie married her college sweetheart" he explains the best he could

"How many kids are there?" she asks. She was really interested in his family dynamic.

"Each had two kids except my mom and dad they had 3... And my dad has to live with my mom complaining about it for the rest of his life" he remembers his mother always picking a fight with his mother growing up. His father always apologized first, even if it was for something he had no control over. His mother wasn’t petty she just loved busting his father’s balls reminding him who was boss.

"Why?"

Klaus laughed as he recalled something

"My aunt Becca once told me that my mom almost beat my dad with a broom because he left a hickey on her chest, for my grandmother to see and never told her about it either…" 

"Your family sounds... Interesting" Zelina’s eyes wide.

Niklaus laughs "Well you'll never get bored with us, that's for sure... Like that the moment my cousin Raven has this issue, a girl or my assistant stole his sperm from the sperm bank where our sperm is stored and impregnated herself. Now it’s my problem because it word gets out that Raven had a kid it will cost, his father the next election so it’s all hands-on deck... The reason I brought you out is because they all at the house. Except Catherine she's in Greece" he explains

The villa was a mad house he sure she was prepared for was prepared for. 

"On holiday?" she asks

"No, she's setting up a Tech company over there. I think she’s staying over there."

"Is everyone in your family successful?" Zelina couldn’t help asking

Niklaus thinks for a second. And shakes his head. "Nope My Cousin Raven parties for a living and then there's my sister who thinks she can act..." he rolls his eyes at Zarah’s attempt at acting

"What does your uncle do? The election?" she asks 

"Oh, Uncle Kevin he's the President of the country" he tells her

"Oh, I see" Zelina was back to gapping at him. this family was way out of her league. She didn’t think she fit in with people this great. She wasn’t so proud of her achievements anymore. They were nothing compared to these people. 

"Oh right… Zee there's something I want to talk to you about" he tells her. it was time he came clean at least half clean if that makes sense.

"Okay?" she looks at him expectantly

"I married you because I like you... But to protect you I would like to keep our marriage from the media and outside of my family from knowing, while until it’s safe..." Before Klaus could finish speaking Lina's phone rang

Lina looks at her phone. seeing her sister’s name startled her. "Sorry I have to take this" she tells him

Niklaus nods. But narrowed his eyes at her phone, wishing he had x ray vision.

"Scar?" she answers

"Where are you?" Scarlet asks her sister

Zelina’s quiet for a second before she whispers out "Why?”

"Zelina don't pull that crap on me!" Scarlet shouts

"Why did you phone me?" Zelina asks

"Zelina, I need a place to crash for a few days I got into a bit of trouble" Scarlet says

"Don't you always? I'm sorry but I can't help you" 

"Zelina I'm your sister" Scarlet says to her older sister

 "I don't have family" Zelina says coldly

"Look I'm sorry about what happened 3 years ago" Scarlet sighs

"Not interested find someone who cares about your apology"

"I mean dad was a Jackass, but didn't things work out you didn't..." Scarlet got cut off by Zelina saying bye

"Bye..."

Zelina hangs up... She looks like she was about to breakdown...

"Are you okay?" Niklaus asks her

"Can I just hug you please?" she whispers out

"Sure" he nods

Klaus gets up and comes up Zelina hugs her she starts crying...

Klaus frowns his pretty sure her dead beat sister called her and reminded her of her past... He hated what they did to her.