"Show her your room while she returns." Jennifer tried to deny but Adrian also joined his father, it ended up with her accepting them for a drink. "Adrian, take care of her. I wish she was your girlfriend." Mr. Rains muttered his sentence under his breath, as he watched Jennifer go upstairs with Adrian. Adrian heard what his father said and halted his steps and turned around.
"She is not, yet." Adrian winked at his father, giving him the hint that he liked Jennifer just for his father to jump in excitement. Although, the reason was a selfish one. Jennifer's father owned the biggest company. If Jennifer was in love with Adrian, it would be easy to take over that company. Even though that was true, Adrian was overjoyed to spend his time with her.
"You should come often." Adrian spoke, once they reached his room. Jennifer arched an eyebrow in confusion. "He acts so sweet when you are around. Even though it's fake, I at least get to see what a real father behaves like." Adrian was thoroughly annoyed with his father and it was evident in his voice. "Did he give you trouble before I arrived?" Jennifer asked him the question she had been holding in since too long.
"Yes. Crystal is in Seychelles and he was forcing me to go there to help her out with some work." Adrian explained her the entire situation of how his father was arrogating another company there with the help of Crystal's charms and he wanted Adrian to miss school and go there for a couple months, just to be Crystal's servant and handle all her dirty work while she enjoyed roaming around with rich men, attending parties and visiting resorts.
Jennifer felt so sad for Adrian that she could cry. Her parents were so nice and warm to her while Adrian's parents treated him nothing more than a servant. Adrian wasn't going there to help his mother, he was going there to do the bidding of a slut who would mistreat him and the saddest part was that his own father was pushing him into this without his consent.
Adrian might've noticed that Jennifer got teary eyed, so he said, "Don't worry. I'll be fine." And patted Jennifer's head in adoration. What a innocent soul! She was about to cry listening to someone else's troubles. She doesn't even know the cruelty this world has. The ruthlessness with which it would strip you off everything you have and then laugh at your face like nothing ever happened.
"Promise me, you will go only if it is purely your own will. Don't get under the pressure of your father." Jennifer let a single tear fall from her eyes. Adrian hugged Jennifer and she returned the hug. He whispered a little "I promise." Before his father entered the room with a servant, who was holding a tray of beverages and snacks.
"I'll get going, Mr. Rains. My parents are returning from a business trip and I want to be there when they reach home." Jennifer said and walked out directly even without waiting for an answer from Mr. Rains. She didn't care if it sounded rude. He deserved to be treated like that. He was such a bad person and a bad father. Jennifer was angry. She took deep breaths and tried to calm down on her way back home. She didn't want her parents to get worried the very moment they stepped inside the house.
Jennifer's parents arrived. Jennifer ran and hugged her mother. She also hugged her and pecked her on her cheek. Her father handed over their luggage to the servants to sort them. Meanwhile, the chef had already prepared something to eat for them. Jennifer's father hugged her and spun her around like a little princess, which she was, in his eyes. Jennifer was overjoyed. For a single moment, all worries were away. She was happy.
"How was your stay with Adrian?" her father asked her as they settled on the table for eating dinner after washing up. "Good." Jennifer said. The topic of Adrian brought back the pain. Jennifer resisted her tears. Luckily, she succeeded. She was sad, not because Adrian had to go through all of this. She understood the fact that everybody needs to go through some sort of struggle in their life and it was completely okay. But she was sad that she was of no help even though her friend was in trouble. She was helpless.
"Anything worth sharing? Did you both…." Jennifer's mother poked her elbow in Jennifer's stomach. At once, Jennifer understood what she was implying. She blushed, looking down in embarrassment. "No mom." Jennifer's mother laughed earning a death glare from Jennifer's father. "There must be something." Her mother pushed further. "No mom. I told you, we are just friends. Nothing else." Jennifer was staring at her toes. She was blushing so hard that her face had turned into a tomato. "My baby is so innocent. Stop this." He said with his nose scrunched comically.
"Yes. I'm dad's baby." Jennifer pouted adorably and got up to hug her father. Jennifer's mother acted like she was offended but laughed later on. Jennifer had been her father's baby, ever since she was born and Jennifer's mother cherished that bond between her husband and her daughter. The happy little family had their dinner, laughing and smiling ear to ear. They were all together after so long. They missed each other so much. Jennifer's father was home, with his daughter and wife both, after about four to five months.
To all of them, this evening was one of those few evening they enjoyed together, like the Christmas. After all, it is true that distance makes the heart grow fonder.