Even though she knew of Phoneix yet she never expected the chance of meeting her like that– right in his house. Her stare instinctively seized into a scoff.
" No...let me ask it this way~" Zaylee continued, her gaze fixed on Irish. " What's she doing here~don't tell me she spent the night "
" We should get going..." His words cut right into hers. Her hostile attitude had taken his notice and he wasn't in for her early morning drama– and getting Phoneix mixed in their matters wasn't a choice he would like to take either.
She was about to say more but Irish pulled her away before the words hit. "So sorry for the inconvenience...that's your breakfast~I'll call Levi to get you." He alerted from the exit.
" That wouldn't be really necessary~" The words barely escaped her lips but then, she felt the need to just accept his offer. She definitely knew he wouldn't heed her choice even if she made it known.
Phoenix just nodded, masking her displeasure with a faint smile. There seemed to be a lot about Irish she was yet to unravel and for some reason, she felt quite nervous and suffocated.
Was she trading the same path Del and Bertha had taken?– she thought but then, she didn't want to jump into conclusions like she did earlier.
The ding sound from the door lock jolts her to reality and she sighed, settling down by the dining table as she inspected the meal. " What am I to do with the extra?" She contemplated. " Anyways..." She shrugged, sipping on her glass.
*
*
"Shouldn't we address this here and now?" Zaylee said to Irish who was by now settled behind the wheel. He was dialing Levi's contact as he turned the engine on.
" Are you getting in or not?" He sounded cold and brief. He was ready to take off at any given moment if she hadn't joined. " Irish?" the masculine voice called from the car's speaker.
" Kindly pick up your sister from my end. Something came up at work which I need to rush to" He said, the car set in motion.
She felt a sudden twinge of envy. Zaylee instinctively snapped. " wait for me, I'm getting in~," She said with a frown and he stopped, ignoring her gaze.
" I'll send you the address. Thanks." the voice agreed to his pled and the line went dead afterward. Not giving any audience to her, he veered into the main street and soon they had hit the stream of cars bathing in the morning sun.
His father had sent him a note to meet him up at the office and he knew what awaited him. His absence at the proposed meeting last night was definitely a problem no explanation can quench its flames. He braced himself for the worst as he rode through the busy streets.
•••••••
Back at his villa, Phoenix was almost through with her meal. She was surprised at how good it was and didn't realize when she had consumed virtually everything.
" I wouldn't believe if someone had told me he was this good a chef." She smiled. " He didn't look so either looks more of a spoilt brat I must admit." She thought.
She found him cute because of his innocence. The mere thought of him made her smile like a fool. Her consciousness intuitively kicked in and she felt stupid.
" What are you doing, Phone?" She mumbled. " Get hold of yourself." She snapped out of her daydream.
Picking up the dishes, she headed to the sink but then her cell took her attention– someone was calling. She quickly reached for it, thinking it was Irish but then, it wasn't.
It was Del. " When the devil decides to call~" She passed, allowing it to ring without an answer. She suddenly took remembrance of their last lunch before their marriage when they went for the wedding shopping.
The woman at the restaurant had passed a comment which she didn't place so much meaning to but then, it now made sense.
" Oh, Mr and Mrs Fern. " The woman addressed referring to Del and Berla which made her surprised but Phoenix just felt it was rather a misunderstanding.
She was about to address it but then, the item the lady brought out made her pause in her words. " You forgot your item last night, ma'am," She said, stretching out a mini-shopping bag to Berla.
Phoenix noticed it was from the same shop Berla had gifted her the gift earlier so she just brushed off the thought and they settled in at their table.
" Oh...that's it." Her thoughts hit back to reality. " I need to meet that lady. Maybe I can find out more from her." She decided to head straight to the restaurant right after getting the dishes done.
Just when Del's call ended, Levi's call came through.
" I'm coming over for you."His voice followed the moment she answered and Phoneix smiled. " No need to, Levi...I'll order a ride."
He wasn't willing to accept but Phoenix wanted to start catering for herself without their old dictative attitude. She made it known.
" It's time for me to take care of myself too, Levi. Please, let me do this. That's all I ask for." She drummed home her point. He had no choice but to give in.
" Alright, we'll be waiting here for you~ the doctor said you can be discharged today after the check-up." He mentioned and she felt relieved.
" I'll be there soon... My ride is in, got to go." The call ended with that. As fast as she could, she cleaned up the kitchen and set off to the road.
.
.
.
It was July in the city, the heat bullying in its humidity. Phoenix frantically waved down an approaching cab the moment she got to the bus stop.
" D'LILIES RESTAURANT." She said when she settled in. The car zoomed off there and then. The traffic wasn't as dense as the early morning wave.
In the distance, the half-lit towers of the Farragut houses rose like a Lego. Her head leaned over the glass as her eyes cast out the view.
U&K COMPANY
" The Chairman had been waiting for you." His secretary said as she neared him at the entrance of the elevator. " He looked quite upset. " She added.
" Thanks, Rosee, I'll take it from here." He replied, his facade quite complicated. He made sure Zaylee had stopped at her office before he headed off to his.
Even though he wasn't sure what last night's dinner was about, he could tell she knew its details considering how she stormed in on him at home.
" How dare you stood us up last night ?" The words welcomed a slap to his cheeks and he felt the impact. His eyes blood-shot.
" Upon all I did for you even covering up that murder case for you." He yelled at him with rage.
" I didn't ask for that either, Dad" The atmosphere tensed, cold and bloody. It was a father-and-son depiction of war.