(Initial Plot) The Meeting

He enclosed his knuckles and gave two sound knocks, his patience wearing thin. The unlocked, and Austin would be lying if he said he wasn't almost knocked off balance. Her features were unique, small lips that somehow appeared plump. Eyes as dark as whisky and dare he say just as intoxicating. She tucked a loose strand of dark wavy hair behind her ear.

"May I help you?" she smiled, her voice musical but stern.

The most puzzling part of this encounter was that Austin was certain he'd met her before. Her eyes widened in recognition as well.

"You..." she sighed in confusion. Austin was certain he was at the wrong address.

"So we have met"

"About five years ago." she finished. Austin couldn't have forgotten her, it was the last time he came for family vacation. He'd met her in the town library doing medical research and he had been intrigued and excited to talk to someone who was fascinated by the same things as him.

"Yes, I recall. I am sorry for disturbing you, I was searching for someone else, I appear to have been given the wrong address." He excused himself. He would have made a mental note to circle back to her but he had a responsibility to marry someone else.

She parted her lips to speak but some else from further inside reserved priority.

"Skylar, who's at the door?" While she spoke to the unidentified woman, Austin felt a sinking feeling.

"Skylar Taavon?" he questioned as she was about to close the door.

"Yes." she responded, her fingers gripping the door.

"It seems that I am in the right place." Austin said. His demeanor changing instantly, he suddenly felt every bone in his body quake.

"You're looking for me?" She said, her eyes shining with innocence. Austin knew he couldn't fall for it.

"My name is Austin Cyner, and I have a proposal for you." he said roughly. Skylar's body tensed at the sound of his name.

"Go away. I have no interest in what you have to say." Her voice broke as she attempted to close the door in his face. His hand reached out to stop it and he saw that quiet defiance in her eyes. The same fire that had attracted him to her so many years ago.

"You will hear me out, after all your child is our family's heir." His words course enough to peel away her skin.

***

Skylar never thought that a situation such as this would arise; then again, she had also been ignorant of the cruelty of fate. What should she do? This man was proposing marriage to her, and not particularly in a pleasurable manner. He was quite ruthless in his proposal and here she thought marriage stood proud with the likes of mutual respect, love and affection. Clearly she had been undeniably deceived. An exercise of inhalation and exhalation proved a sufficient foundation for her to reply.

"Mr Cyner, I... appreciate what you're trying to do, although I may not fully comprehend your motive for suggesting it, I regret I must decline." She had remembered when she first met him five years ago and she would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about him since. But now, she wouldn't dare feel the same about him. She had miss judged him, especially if he was a part of that family

"Miss Taavon, may I take this time to remind you that you are indeed pregnant, with my family's heir." He responded and she felt as if he was judging her. Her circumstances were certainly none to be envied but did that give others the right to treat her with indignation? She wasn't sure what she deserved or if she even deserved anything at all.

"An heir to your family? I'm afraid I don't want to expose my child to you or your family!"

Drawing closer to her, Austin's eyes pierced into her, nostrils flaring and jaw twitching, it was no puzzle that she had struck a nerve.

"Choose your words carefully, that child will be a part of my family and I'll be damned before I let you raise him a bastard!" she stood silent, disgust evident on her fragile features and Austin almost regretted the words as he said it, he of all people had no right to deem anyone, much less a defenseless child a bastard. However, he took advantage of the silence to continue his assault.

"If you don't accept my humble proposal..."

"Your proposal is anything but humble."She corrected.

He sighed, obviously annoyed at being interrupted. "...you can be damned sure that I will oppose you for custody, and I have no reservations regarding who will win."

"It's not even yours!" she spat out helplessly, unable to contain her distress. This child was the only innocent and worthy thing to come out of this entire mess. She couldn't lose him, but she couldn't find it in herself to be a part of that family. One encounter with a single member was enough for ten life times.

"But it is my brother's." He coldly replied.

"I won't marry you, I'd rather..."

"You..." he paused to steady his voice. "You don't have a choice."

****

Skylar plumped down, her heart aching. She knew this stress did nothing good for her child but her head pounded and she feared it was perpetual.

she rubbed at her temples as her mother strolled towards her.

"How much of that did you hear?" Skylar questioned without gazing at her mother. All she ever wanted was to give her mother peace in her final years but here she was stirring up trouble. She could help but feel worthless.

"Enough." she took Skylar's hand in her own.

"I had already promised that family to forget the entire ordeal, how could they do this?" She questioned, not expecting an answer.

"Their family truly is powerful, they are capable of anything, but Skylar, I think you should accept the proposal."

Skylar pulled herself out of her mother's grasp, tears invading her eyes. "What?"

"We live in a small town. It’s not as progressive as the cities, news of a single mother out of wedlock can be damaging to one's character. You will be the topic of the town's gossip." Her mother advanced.

"I don't give a rat's ass about what the town thinks." she turned her back to her mother, the tears rolling down a path. She knew she was deluding herself by maintaining that she couldn't be bothered by others but it was the lesser of the two evils.

"And what of your child? Will you allow him to be the subject of humiliation? With a father, he can have a chance at a normal life."

"I refuse." Skylar replied through clenched teeth.

"Then you will lose your child to that family. You heard Austin, he will claim custody."

All of her efforts to hold the flood gates under wraps had failed. The waves came crashing and with it the little resolve she had built up. She couldn't stand that her mother would face humiliation because of her.

"This is the best option for the child." Her mother pulled her into her fragile arms.

"Okay...I'll do it."