Davin pulled up to the right and into the long, winding driveway of the 'De Castle Estate', owned by one of their subsidiary companies.The moment the car pulled into the estate, the security team opened the gate and lined up to bow in recognition of them.
Kim couldn't believe it as she asked, "Let me guess, this one is ours too?" Davin just shook his head and continued down the driveway.
As they made their way closer to the estate, its exquisite architecture was now visible - from the sculpted topiaries lining the path to the large stone statues in the gardens.
Inside, they found the estate was even more extravagant. Everything was state of the art - from the elegant chandeliers to the pristine marble floors and to state of the fact security system. They had outdone themselves with the De Castle Estate.
As expected of an estate with such security the world's most powerful figures lived there - ministers, politicians, and business tycoons alike.
But to their surprise, Kathryn was also living there. It was an unexpected pleasure for them.
They turned a corner and drove towards a big black gate which opened automatically whist Davin drove in smoothly..
He drove into a really spacious compound, and packed in front of a water fountain..
Kim came down, looked around, and took in the aesthetically pleasing scenery..
The sun was at its highest in the sky, it shone brightly and deflected on Davin face who stood resting his back on the car and cross legged with his hands in his pant pocket..
His aesthetically pleasing features were highlighted as the bright sun hit his face while his tanned skin shimmered under the sunlight...he was simply breathtaking for a man..
He stood and watched Kim walk up to the porch and rang the door bell...
As soon as Kim goes in, he would leave, so he thought.
"You sure you don't want to come in and say hi" she asked while waiting patiently on the door..
Davin shook his head, only his sister could ask him, Davin banks to come in and say hi..
Does she not know who he really is, how much of an influence he has in the country and how people cower at his feet... 'What a naïve girl' he thought smiling..
Just then their was a click sound and the door opened..
The person by the door looked over Kim's head and saw a stoic faced Davin standing in front of a car..
He stood in the door porch, surprise written all over his face.
"Carter" Davin called out solemnly..
"Brother Dav" carter called out with a shaky voice..
Kim who was standing in the middle looked from the shocked carter to her emotional brother..
What is happening, she wondered..
Carter stepped out of the house, walked up to Dav in large strides and embraced him...
---
It had been more than ten minutes since Carter went out of the gym to answer the door and hadn't been back..
Kathryn and Rebecca went out to see what's taking him so long, on getting to the door they saw a bewildered Kim and two men in tight embrace..
Looking closely they discovered one was Carter while the other was president Davin..
"What's going on" Kathryn asked kim..
"Oh that, I definately don't know....its better to hear from the horses mouth" she replied as she observed both men..
"You look gorgeous as always" Rebecca commented as she sized her up.
"Mmmgghh" Kathryn cleared her throat causing the two men to separate.
Kathryn was surprised to see this emotional side of Davin...
She has always seen him as a domineering and cold businessman that always seem to always be in control.
Now, he seemed different....vulnerable even..
She wondered what happened and why both were hugging each other...
It was not her place to ask so she brushed it behind her mind..
"President Davin" she called out..
"President Kathryn" he said calmly, looking straight at her face, he observed her for a minute before looking away..
He loved the way his name sounded in her mouth..
The way he called out her name with his deep husky voice made her heart skip a bit..
"You can come inside if you want" she offered, holding the door open whilw he walked in elegantly and with Pierce behind him..
"Am sorry boss" Pierce whispered...
"Its fine" Kathryn said patting his back...
"Welcome to our abode, what can I get you" Rebecca asked
"A glass of water please" he said sitting comfortably on the couch...
"I will get that" carter offered and went straight to the kitchen.
Davin looked around the house from where he sat, he was pleased with how his design came to life...
"You have such a gorgeous home" Kim commented.
"Well thank you" Kathryn replied, just then carter came back with a glass of water and offered it to Davin who gulped it down in a blink of an eye..
"Come let me show you around" Kathryn offered, deliberately excusing herself to give room to Carter and Davin.
Davin smiled, understanding what she did..
"What happened....I looked for you everywhere, I stopped looking when I called Lt Isaac and he said you died in your tour in Syria" Davin queried...
Taking a deep sigh, he wasn't surprised that everyone thought he died..
"I and my team were set up on our last tour, we were ambushed...." he said as he voice cracked..
"What happened to the others....matt and Chris" Davin asked anxiously..
He was the only privileged kid among the three friends when they were growing up but they loved each other like brothers..
Cater was an orphan from the orphanage while matt and Chris were from a poor home..
Davin financed all their schooling throughout their university days and helped them enlist into the military..
Davin always stood proud whenever he made an appearance in any of their award ceremonies as a major investor in the military, of cause he wasn't coming because of his role but because of his friends..
In every of their milestone he was present, proud and contented..he was happy his friends were living their dream..
Though no one in the country knew of the connection between the four.
Hearing now that they were set up by the same institution they served, he was livid..
"I uhmm....I was the one that made it out alive, matt and Chris didn't" he said solemnly wiping out a tear that threatened to fall from his eyes.
He balled his fist so tight that he knuckles was ashen...looking at his teary childhood best friend, he was beyond furious, but more than that he was sad and his heart was heavy...he was in so much pain...
"How did you survive, and where did you stay after you escaped" davin asked..
"I didn't escape...." he said staring into space.
"It was already too late when we found out that the mission was a hoax, but before we could get out of the building, the bombs they planted in all floors of the building went off...."
"I was barely conscious when I was rescued by the villagers, when I came to , five months had passed...."
"You were in a coma?" Davin asked..
"Yes" he replied..
A glimmer of hope lit in Davin's heart...maybe matt and Chris made it too but in a comatose somewhere else, he thought.
Sensing what was going on in his mind Carter shook his head..
"Their burnt bodies dropped in front of me, all six of my team were burnt to death" he said as tears rolled down his face, this was the first time he was relieving his experience in Syria after eight months of recuperating.
Davin couldn't swallow the lump in throat..he balled his fist so much that his nails dugged into his palm, but the pain in his hand paled in comparison to the pain in his heart.
The atmosphere in the room was gloomy and heavy, the two didn't speak for awhile.
"Come to the party tonight, I will introduce you to the family, after that you will tell me everything that happened before the mission and I will take it from there" Davin finally said while he only nodded..
"So tell me what are you doing here,..." Davin asked..
"I work for miss kathryn, I am her personal bodyguard" he replied..
Davin was surprised to say the least...he can't imagine an elite soldier working as a mere bodyguard and that too his best friend.
"Does she know all of the things you just told me, if yes then is she blackmailing you?...is that why you are working for her.." he queried..
Cater smiled "Yes she does, and no am not being blackmailed, she helped clear my name" he said gratefully...
Davin was about to say something when the ladies walked into the room.
When they walked in on them, they could tell from their countenance that something major had happened....