"Xander, it's time to wake up buddy," I hear Charles whisper.
I groan, "Shit, I'm not ready,"
"Oh, come on, you have to go back to work," Charles replies.
"Fuck, fine,"
"How are you feeling buddy?"
Memories of last night come flooding back into my mind and I feel like I'm going to faint.
"I'll get over it,"
"Maybe but you know I'm always here for you right?" Charles says, "So is Damien."
"Thank you, Charles, now can you please get out of my room, I'm naked under here,"
"Nothing I haven't seen before," he chuckles.
I sit up on my bed and glare at him, "Get out please,"
"Whatever bitch, we leave in an hour," he says as walks out of my room, closing the door behind him.
I get out of bed and sigh, today was going to be a long day.
I lethargically make my way to my bathroom and get ready for the day.
Thinking about last night, Damien was right, I do have to get rid of my father's ashes but what were the consequences of doing that? Will I be able to let go of what happened and be free? Or will just open another door to more disasters.
This was not something that I wanted to think about, hell I didn't even think that this would get this far. I had told myself that after my father's death, that I would change but it that never happened because I just couldn't let of everything that had happened in my life.
I was never like this, I never wanted to be like this, I never hated women, hell now that I think of it, I actually had a crush on one, when I had just graduated, a good friend of mine, Kate, and after I had confessed my feelings to her, she strung me along and then one day, I found out she had a boyfriend and everything went downhill from there and my father hunting me only made it worse.
Charles took care of everything, handled the media, run the company in my place and tried to put everyone at ease but my prolonged absence didn't help, I was stuck in this very mansion, screaming at walls, banging my head on walls, and literally losing my mind because he would just taunt me and torture me.
After everything, I vowed that I would be just like him, cold to the core and a ruthless, mean son of a bitch. Charles had a difficult time accepting the new me, but he never left me, he stayed and learned to live with, something I feel bad for subjecting him to, he deserves more than this, and now here I am probably on the brink of losing my mind and I don't know it yet, all because I want to be daddy's good little soldier.
I finish getting ready and I grab my briefcase, something that also belonged to my father, and my cell phone and head downstairs for breakfast. I walk into the kitchen, and I can feel the tension in the air between Charles and Damien.
"Morning," I greet.
"Morning," they say simultaneously, both of them glaring at each other.
Charles gets up from the table and puts his dirty dishes in the dishwasher, "I have to go see my mama Xander,"
"Is everything okay with mama?" I ask, pouring my coffee.
Charles shakes his head, "No, I just miss her is all, I'll be leaving with Damien until get back."
"That's okay Charles, give her a kiss for me," I reply.
Charles picks up his car keys and phone and leaves the house.
I wait a few minutes before I sit down beside Damien, "Is everything okay?"
Damien sips on his coffee and he sighs, "He's upset with me."
"What did you apparently do this time?"
"Not apparently, I am guilty this time. I have barely been paying attention to him ever since I started talking to Max," he explains, "I mean I am catching up with the guy, but I think I'm taking it too far by side lining Charles."
"I agree, Charles doesn't like being side lined, but you can make it up to him by taking him out to dinner," I say, "Alone, far away from me and my drama, I can organise everything."
Damien looks at me dumbfounded, "You'd do that for me?"
"Of course, I know that you love Charles, and he loves you and I really want to see you two together forever, you are my parents so,"
Damien laughs, "I'd really appreciate Xander, thank you,"
"Great, you tell me when and I'll set everything up for you,' I smile, I take the last sip of my coffee and put my cup in the dishwasher.
Damien does the same, he throws in a capsule, closes the door, and turns on the dishwasher.
"We need to get going, I'll grab breakfast at work," I say, looking at my watch.
Damien straps in his gun and taser and then puts his blazer on, he picks up the car keys to the Porsche SUV and I pick up my briefcase and we head out, I jump in the backseat, and he gets in the driver's seat, i miss Mike, surprisingly, and his dad jokes and funny stories.
We make the drive to the office and when we get there, the outside of the building is surrounded by paparazzi.
"What the hell is going on?" I ask, as we drive past the entrance.
"We'll go in through the back, but I have no idea what's happening, maybe people are happy you're back,"
"Bullshit,"
Damien parks the car; he calls for extra security and once they arrive, I am escorted into the building. Once I get to my office, I turn on the TV and go to the news channel.
'Miss Nikiwe Abraham's is said to have landed in New York and heading to Forsythe Industries,' the male anchor says.
Maybe this is why Charles run away.
"Oh my gosh,"
'She's said to be here to discuss business with President Forsythe, regarding their mega merge,'
"No, this can't be happening," I whisper to myself.
"Woah, calm down, it's just a rumour, she has suppliers here, remember," Damien says, "She's probably here for that."
"You sure?"
"Yes, Xander, no need to panic," he says reassuringly.
"Okay, okay," I say and switch of the TV, "Charles should be here soon."
"You really can't function without him, can you?"
I shake my head, "I can't, he knows everything, and I hate to admit it, he's the reason why this building is still standing."
"That's why he's diary is connected to your iPad," Damien pulls out my iPad and opens my diary and hands it to me.
I sigh in relief, "Thank you,"
"But if you really need him at any point, call him and ask him when he'll be back,"
I pick up my phone and call him, but he doesn't pick up, so I leave a message. Damien laughs at me and then excuses himself and goes to Charles office.
I sit down on my desk and started with my unfinished paperwork.
My day goes by, and I set up dinner for Charles and Damien and he leave during lunch to go get himself and Charles some suits for their date. Charles hadn't gotten back to me, and I decide to call him again but as his phone rings, he walks through my door, and I almost run up to him and hug him.
"Thirteen missed calls Xander, seriously?"
"Where have you been Charles?"
"Calm down, virgin hulk," he says as we sit down on my leather couch.
"Seriously Charles, where have you been?"
"With mama, you know how she gets, she never shuts up," he laughs lightly.
"Nikki is here," I blurt out, like a secret I've been dying to tell.
Charles laughs, "Well good to know, you keep up with the news,"
"She's here on other business, right?"
"Nah, definitely not, because I mean you did just leave SA without telling her, so no I don't think so," he says.
"You're being sarcastic right?"
He nods, "She's here to check up on you."
"Why? We aren't friends like that,"
He rolls his eyes, "You are her biggest investor and unlike you she has a heart,"
"Mhm, Mhm,"
'You don't get it do you?"
"Nope, I'm not even listening anymore,"
Hell, I would feel worse if I did.
"You're an asshole,'
"Learnt from you," I reply getting up from the couch.
"Let's get on with the day's work," Charles says rolling his eyes.
"If you keep rolling your eyes, they'll get stuck like that," I tease.
"All the better, I won't have to look at your ugly ass face," he shoots back.
"Bitch,"
"Virgin," he smirks.
Right for the ego, he always gets me with that one.
I groan, "Fuck you,"
"I always win," he laughs.
We carry on with day's work, continuously being interrupted by Benny, my social media guy, by the time I pull my head out of my work, it's 17:45.
I dismiss Charles and stay at the office to carry on with my paperwork at around 18:30, someone knocks at the door, I get up and angrily walk towards the door.
"Benny, if it's you, you're fir –
"Nikki?"