The afternoon stillness was broken with a shrill cry piercing in the room. Several bodyguards, clad in dark clothing took out their weapons as they rushed towards the source of the noise. However they immediately hid their guns upon seeing who it was.
" Madam!" they chorused. Ana-Leah noticed the guns they hid but didn't talk. Instead she just twirled around in the hall ecstatically. The guards sighed. They should've known it'd be the young miss. Probably this was one of the days she went hyperactive.
Just when they started lowering their guards, a deep voice rang out in the hall. "What's going on?" The guards immediately stood straight. Ana-Leah, who'd been shouting childishly, now stopped to look up at her brother leaning on the rails of the balcony. " Boss…" the guards stammered, hoping he hadn't seen the scene they almost pointed a gun at his sister.
With one wave Forson dismissed the guards, leaving his sister. " I can see that no matter what you'd never mature, huh?" he scolded, but there was a hint of indulgence in his voice. Ana-Leah just sneered and skipped over to her room, her brother following behind. As soon as he reached the door the door was shut closed in his face. He chuckled as he opened the door, meeting his sister's half-naked figure.
" Ahh!" Ana-Leah shrieked at the top of her voice as she scrambled for a cloth to cover herself. " What kind of pervert are you? Don't you know how to knock?!"
Forson just smirked as he sat on the edge of the bed, plopping a pillow on his laps. " What's there to hide? I've literally taken care of you since you were a baby —"
" So?" Ana-Leah rudely interrupted. " I was a baby back then, but now I'm twenty three. "
" But you're still my baby sister, whether you've added years or flesh" Forson smirked. Ana-Leah rolled her eyes as she entered the walk-in closet. Staying in the bedroom trying to drive away her brother would just make him want to stay more. Forson smiled at the retreating figure of his sister. He turned his attention turned to the framed picture on Ana-Leah's pink-and-purple themed desk, his face forming a frown instantly.
Ana-Leah and Forson had made silly faces posing of the camera. Actually Ana-Leah had tickled her brother at the last minute and he couldn't control himself. As if everything was in Ana-Leah's favour, the photographer took the photo immediately he opened his mouth to laugh.
Ana-Leah came out to meet her brother staring intently at her desk. She followed his gaze as he saw him get up. She rushed quickly towards the desk, grabbing the picture. " Why do you still have that picture?" Forson asked, displeased. " 'Cause I like it," Ana-Leah gave a cheeky answer as she rolled her eyes.
" Well get rid of it!" Forson ordered, but his voice wavered a bit. " Not on your life bro," Ana-Leah put the frame down. Forson pouted. That's when he noticed Ana-Leah in her trademark dress— a red long sleeved flared dress with a strip of dark shiny green Kente sown in the middle of the dress.
She put on a pair of Lita boots and let her wavy hair down. She started heading outside, but a bulky figure blocked her.
" Where are you going?" Forson asked, though in his head he already had a guess. " I'm going out with Rhianna and Simon. "
" At this time?" Forson glanced at his watch. " It's just 5:30!" Ana-Leah sighed helplessly — Forson's paranoia was acting up again. " We're just going to get some stuff for project work" Ana-Leah explained. Forson didn't know if he should believe his sister or not; his sister could lie like a pro without batting an eye. Nevertheless he gave in.
" Fine. But be back before nine. "
Ana-Leah pouted unhappily. " This is just like telling me to come home at eight after getting permission to go on a world tour. I wonder if you'd ever let me go. "
Forson understood his sister's frustration. But he was doing this for her own good. She probably didn't know, but this world wasn't as sweet as she thought it was.
He walked up to Ana-Leah from behind. Before the latter could react, her brother was putting on a silvery necklace on her neck. Ana-Leah did like the necklace, but at the same time she wanted to understand her brother's obsession with it.
Forson wrapped his arms round Ana-Leah's neck and the latter held onto as they stared out the huge ceiling to floor window. The room was peaceful and quiet. Just the two of them with each other. They were all they had in this world. Well in the past they had their parents, but fate had to be so cruel. Forson remembered all that, shuddering and his arms unconsciously wrapping tighter.
" Hey!" Ana-Leah said. " You wanna strangle me or what?"
Just then the doorbell rang. Though it was stationed at the gate which was quite a journey from the mansion, it still rang loudly as if it was just downstairs.
" They're here!" Ana-Leah squealed excitedly, wriggling out of Forson's embrace. " And don't worry, I'll be back before you even know it!" she yelled to Forson.
Ana-Leah rushed to the door, watching a screen on the wall. But she didn't see anyone on it. Weren't Rhianna and Simon at the gate? Just then she heard her name called out. She opened the door and stepping outside, seeing the two of them skipping towards her.
" You ready?" Rhianna asked. " Yep!" Ana-Leah spoke. " But won't you go greet my brother?"
" For the where?" Simon interjected. " The guy's too scary! Let's leave before he changes his mind."
" I know right?" Rhianna added. " Let's go!"
They pulled Ana-Leah along as they left the mansion. At the window of his office too, Forson watched the departing figures leave before turning to the bodyguard standing closest to him. " Am I that scary?" he asked. The guard was taken aback by the question. He knew his boss was a straightforward person who didn't like flatteries. But again, he was just a new recruit. Who knew how he'd react to his answer. As if reading his mind Forson spoke, " I don't mind what you say. "
" Okay boss" the bodyguard took in a deep breath. " You're not that scary. It's just that…" the other bodyguards were now looking at him. Forson raised his brows. " Just that?"
" Just that, I think the young lady should be given more liberty. "
Forson looked stunned, and so did the other guards. They thought the new recruit had touched a sore spot of their boss. This guy was dead before he even knew it!
Forson turned to the window, intently staring outside. "Boss…" the new recruit stammered. " I'm sorry!"
" Don't apologize. I'd like to have some peace and quiet for now. "
As all the guards left, he turned to his desk, pulled out a drawer and took out a blue pebble and held it tightly. Even the bodyguards had noticed his obsession with his sister's safety. Was it that strict? He closed his eyes as he clenched his fists. They didn't know. Ana-Leah didn't know. This world wasn't just inhabited by humans. No wonder they didn't understand. Because of him his parents left, and he wouldn't let himself or Ana-Leah go.
Not in this life when he could protect her.