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"Andrei Mark Tan, to the study, now!"
His mother would call his full name when angry like he was a cadet to his father's platoon. He raked his hair and with nothing but his checkered Calvin Klein boxer shorts, he followed his mother to the study.
He couldn't believe that his mother would decide to marry him off to his friend just because they were caught sleeping together. Yes, it wasn't a good idea to sleep with the daughter of a family friend, but then they were sleeping out in the open. It's not like they were behind closed doors.
His mother was already inside the study room facing the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Their summer house on this private island has a study when no one really uses it. I mean, this summer house has been nothing but his and his older brother's playground.
Speaking of his older brother, he was trailing behind him to the study where their mother was waiting. He knew for sure that the reason why his brother was here because he would want to know what was about to go down between him and their mother.
He won't be surprised if he would find out that his brother has something to do with why their mother and Laurie's mother were here on the island. He has no time to deal with his jerk of a brother. Right now, he just wanted this misunderstanding to be done and over with. He has a personal issue that needs his attention more than ever.
He was about to open the door of the study when it was flung open and his mother stood straight beside the door with her scary face. The face he and his brother won't dream of seeing. He is an adult now but he still feels like he will pee in his pants every time he sees his mother's scary face.
"Anthony Mark Tan, call your father and inform him of the current situation."
He snapped his head toward his brother who giggled next to him. Next, his eyes darted toward his mother, who turned her back to go back to the study room. A look was exchanged between him and his brother. They both know what it means to inform their father.
Their mother handles family matter in her own hands. The only time she would tell her husband about a certain situation is if it was of extreme importance. If his brother informed their father of his predicament right now, there was no way in hell he could get out of this situation alive.
Laurie will kill him too, and knowing his bitchy friend, she will throw him under the bus if worse comes to worst.
In his head muddled from last night's excessive drinking, he cannot think of a solution except to delay everything. He grabbed his brother's arm and with clenched teeth said the most painful thing he could say to his brother.
"I'll give you my Lamborghini."
Anthony's sparse eyebrow raised up in disbelief. But he saw the greedy glint in his eyes. He has been wanting to have a Lamborghini for a long time but he doesn't have enough money of his own to buy one. While their mother gave him his as a graduation gift! Although she hated him for taking up Furniture Design as a major in College.
He sometimes feels sorry for his brother with their mother's blatant bias towards them since they were young. But Anthony has always been a douchebag, so he only feels sorry sometimes.
Besides, though he is their mother's favorite, Anthony remains the heir to the majority of the family business. That is the only reason why Anthony hasn't kill him yet and let go of the unfairness of their mother's treatment towards them.
In his desperation, he is now offering his car in exchange for him not to call their father. Anthony saw the situation as a golden opportunity for him. He got the car he has been dreaming of, he would get it from his brother that was totally dying not to give his car away but was being cornered by their mother with the talk of marriage and honoring a lady's reputation.
Anthony grabbed his younger brother's hand for a shake, "You got yourself a deal. Send the car to my condo by the end of the week." he grinned like he won the lottery. "Tell mother I'll be on the tarmac if she looks for me. Congratulations on your engagement!" he laughed like the murderer in some cheap horror film.
Andrie scowled, watching his brother strode out of the house, whistling. He pissed him off too much he wanted to call him and take back what he said. The image of his brother behind the wheel of his beloved Lamborghini almost makes him sick.
But right now, he can't afford his father's input in the problem. He knew his father would be in favor of the idea of him marrying Laurie to save her dignity. He sneered, for he didn't break any honor nor dignity last night.
Laurie is a friend. She is beautiful and he genuinely likes her but he has someone he loves.
Now, he has to convince her mother to stop this nonsense. He was about to push the door of the study to face his mother when Korina came running with his phone in her hands.
"Sorry sir, but your phone has been ringing. It must be important." she handed him the phone like it burns her hands.
"Thank you, Korina."
He glanced at the name on the small mobile screen and saw the name of the person why no marriage or talk about it should happen.
"Hi Babe, my mother is waiting for me. Can I call you back?"
There was no answer on the other line, except for some buzzing sounds. He wrinkled his eyebrows. He cannot afford to make his mother wait.
"Listen, Babe, I know you are still mad at me. But, I promise, I'll make it up to you… hmm?"
"I just called you to tell you that I'm on my way to Spain -"
"You are going to Spain with that mother -" he saw red, hearing that he got dumped just because of some jerk. "Babe…"
"Andrei Mark Tan, I don't have all the time."
He dropped the phone from his ear and entered the study. He saw another helper brewing some tea on the table. He glanced at the screen of his phone in his hand and saw that the other person on the line ended the call. He bit his cheek, as the corner of his eyes sting. 'Five years would be thrown away because of some ridiculous promise of a job in another country.' Bitterness rose up from his chest.
He was in a daze when his mother shoved a change of clothes in his hands and ordered him to make himself decent for Laurie and her mother.