Marcus's pov
The next day arrives, and I prepare myself for the family dinner. Dressed in a tailored suit, I hope to present an image of strength and composure, despite the turmoil within me.
"I still think this is a bad idea," Eric tells me as he starts the car. He has been telling me since morning that attending the family dinner will not do me any good, but I am determined to put the past behind me and move on with my life.
I am sure everyone will be surprised, no one expects me to be there. I can't wait to see their shocked faces, especially my annoying stepmother.
"It will be okay," I reassure him.
Eric has always been protective of me since the day we met. He is like my older brother. I remember he was so upset when we found out about Kevin and Thelma's affair.
He was there when I almost gave up on life and always told me that I would meet someone worth my loyalty and love. And that when I meet them I will forget about my cheating ex.
Thinking of someone, my mind takes me to my babydoll and the conversation we had this morning. Her voice sounded hoarse and sexy. Just hearing her voice made my cock hard. I can still remember the way her breath sounded when I teased her about touching herself. Fuck, I can feel myself getting hard just thinking about her.
I meant it to be a joke when I asked her about touching herself but it turned out my babydoll touched herself thinking about me. I feel like the luckiest bastard alive right now. It is not every time a young beautiful woman gets off thinking about me. Only my Juliana, even the name itself sounds sexy. She's one in a million and I know she will be the death of me.
Those lips, I can't wait to taste them. I want to do to her what no one has ever done. I want to give her the world and make her feel safe and loved. I will make her feel treasured as she should. I can still remember her sweet fragrance and how alluring it is.
Today I almost asked for her address the moment she confirmed that she touched herself thinking about me. I feel like a sixteen-year-old hormonal teenager once again, not able to control my emotions.
Juliana is turning me into a man I don't recognize. I need to get control of my emotions or I will end up embarrassing myself when I finally have her in my arms.
I can't wait to hold her and wake up with her in my arms.to be the first one to see her face in the morning and every night before I fall asleep.
Thinking about my babydoll distracts me from thinking about the family dinner I am going to. I wonder how they will react, I am sure my father will be happy but for the rest, I am not sure.
I know my stepmother will find every opportunity to insult me. Oh, I loathe that woman with everything in me. When she just got married to my father she seemed nice but later she showed me who she is, a conniving bitch who only cares about nothing but money. She made sure to make me look bad in front of my father. But today is another day and I won't be intimidated by that woman.
"We are here," Eric announces, snapping me out of my head.
"Thank you, Eric," I say as I get out of the car.
Looking at the mansion in front of me brings back memories, both good and bad. Memories of the time it was just me and my father, are the best memories of my childhood.
"You know, you can change your mind about this dinner if you want, I am sure they don't know that you are here," Eric tells me, snapping me back to reality again.
"I will stay and face the demons of my past with my head held high. And about them not knowing that I am here Is impossible, I am sure my stepmother's spies have already notified her of my arrival."
My stepmother has people who report to her everything. When I was a kid, I used to wonder how she used to know about things I did even before I told anyone else. Until one day I caught one of the helpers watching me and then I later overheard him reporting to my stepmother. Since then, I started being careful.
"Okay, if you say so, enjoy your dinner and please be careful," Eric says.
"I will be careful Eric, these people already killed me once, I won't let them hurt me again,"
"Okay, let me know when you finish," Eric says, starting the car.
I watch Eric leave and I start walking toward the front door ready for whatever is waiting for me on the other side.
"Good evening Mr. Mwale, welcome. It has been a long time since I last saw you." Patrick greets me with a smile on his face. Patrick has been working for my father for years now, and he is practically family.
"Thank you very much, how are you, Patrick?"
"I am fine thank you, sir, how are you? "
"I am good thanks, is everyone here?" I ask him. I need to know who is present so that I prepare myself mentally.
"Yes sir, everyone is here. Do you want me to notify them of your arrival?"
"No, I will just go in." I want to see Kevin and Thelma's faces when they see me.
"Okay, sir, enjoy your evening."
"Thank you," I tell him, giving him my coat, And Stepping into the house. I hear voices coming from the game room. It's good they still have games before dinner. I used to enjoy the games but now I am not sure if I will enjoy them today.
My father is the first one to see me, he puts his cards down and starts taking slow steps toward me. Even after everything that happened my father and I still kept in touch but our relationship is not the way it used to be.
"My boy, I am glad you are here. Oh, I missed having us together for the family dinner." My father hugs me so tight.
"I am glad to see you too old man," I say, rubbing his back. I can see tears in his eyes as we disengage. He is looking at me with so much love in his eyes.
We let go of each other's hands when we hear someone clearing their throat.
"Well, who do we have here? the lost son himself." Naomi, my step Mother comes into view in her perfect make-up as always. This woman is always wearing makeup and jewelry even at home. I don't even know what her natural face looks like.
"Naomi, how are you?" As much as I would like not to greet my evil stepmother, I know my father would not like it so I give her my fake smile and kiss both her cheeks.
"I am okay, how are you?"
"I am great," I answer, with a fake smile on my face. Anyone who knows Naomi can tell that the smile she is giving me now is plastic.
"Are you going to greet your brother and your sister-in-law or will you continue smiling?"
My Stepmother moves to the side, and that's when I see my backstabbing stepbrother and my cheating ex-fiance holding hands as if to prove a point.
"Oh, I will, how can I not? especially since I haven't seen them in years." I tell her as I walk towards Kevin and Thelma.
"Hey brother," I say, hugging Kevin.
"Hello, sister-in-law," I say to Thelma, kissing both her cheeks.
Both Kevin and Thelma are dumbstruck, I bet they didn't expect me to act this cool. I walk back to my father and continue chatting with him. My old man is happy and that makes me very happy. There is nothing that I have wanted more than seeing my father happy. Looking at him right now is a sign that coming here is the right decision.
A few minutes later, Mrs Chileshe the family chef comes in letting us know that food is saved.
"So Marcus, what brings you here? Is there something wrong with your business?"
Naomi starts her interrogation the moment we sit at the dining table. The woman doesn't even wait for me to take a bite.
"My business is great actually, thank you for asking. The reason why I am here is that I missed my old man." I say looking into her eyes and smiling.
If there is something my stepmother hates is not having an upper hand and in this case, she doesn't have it. And I will make sure she does not have it for the rest of the evening.
"Wow, this steak is good," I say as I continue to eat.
"I know Mrs Chileshe's steak is the best." responds my father.
A few minutes later a young woman walks in with a crying baby girl and hands her over to Thelma.
"You have a baby," I say looking at Thelma.
"Yes, she is four years old." She replies with a smile. I can tell she loves her daughter by the way she is looking at her.
My father has never told me anything about the baby all these times we got together for brunch or dinner. Maybe it's because they have been abroad for the past four years and only came back last year. I am sure my father thought I would feel bad if I knew they had a child together.
"She is beautiful." I finally say. Thelma opens her mouth to say something but my stepmother beats her to it.
"You would have known about her if you stayed in touch with your family," Naomi says with mockery in her voice.
"I don't make it a habit to stay in touch with my ex," I say looking at her with disdain in my eyes.
"Not now son," my father says.
"No, let him talk, I am sure is going to blame one of us for failing to keep a woman."
Okay, this is just too far, this woman is trying to provoke a reaction out of me but she will not get it.
"I am not going to be called names for being a faithful partner and a good brother." That seems to shut her up for a while.
"How is the Ndola project doing?" my father asks.
"It's doing fine, I am sure we will be able to finish it by the end of this year."
"I am extremely proud of you son."I can see the pride in my father's eyes as he looks at me.
"Thank you, dad."
I started my company with little money but now am one of the richest men in our country. I started with one resort and now I have more than ten resorts and hotels.
"Do you have any woman in your life Marcus?" Naomi asks. What's with this woman and wanting to be all over my business? I think this woman gets off on tormenting other people.
"Yes, I do," I answer before I even think about it. My mind taking me to my little angel Juliana, her beautiful Brown eyes and those perfect lips are to die for. I wonder what she is doing right now, maybe she is watching a movie or out with friends. I just hope she is safe
"Really? You didn't tell me anything about her the last time we had brunch." my father says snapping me out of my head.
"I was going to tell you soon," I tell him.
" I hope you won't disappoint her too." I know I said I won't react but this woman is not making it easy.
"How can I disappoint her, it's not like she's a cheater like my ex." that one came out wrong I know.
"Stop saying shit about my wife," Kevin says, holding the glass of wine so tight I'm even afraid he will break it.
"Maybe you should tell your mother to stop provoking me. I don't even know why you are angry Kevin because I did not mention any names." I say looking straight at him.
I want Kevin to know that I am not who I used to be, that sweet and loving Marcus is gone. Replaced by Marcus who doesn't give a shit.
"Come down boys, we haven't had dinner together in years, so, please let's just eat in peace." my father says, looking at all of us.
My father has always been a family man and tried to bring our family back together over the years. He wants us to be family again but I am sure we will never be like we used to be.
We continue to eat in silence until we finish and go back to the game room to continue with the games.
I received a message from Eric asking if I was still alive. I reassure him that I am fine and that I am not going to murder anyone.
After playing the games a bit, I go upstairs to my old room, it's the same way I left it. All my things are where I left them but there is also a scent of my father's perfume. I think my old man spends a lot of time in my room.
I am so distracted by memories that I don't realize Thelma Is in the room until she clears her throat.
"What are you doing here Marcus?" She asks me as she takes a step towards me.
"This is my room," I answer, looking at her from head to toe for the first time tonight. She has not changed a lot.
"I don't mean in this room, I mean here for the family dinner that you have avoided for years," she says, taking another step toward me.
"I am sure you heard what I told Naomi, I am here for my father."
"I don't believe you," she says, touching my chest. Before I would have thought of her moves as sexy but right now I feel like I am cheating on my baby doll.
"You can think whatever you want, it's not going to mean a thing to me," I say, removing her hands from my chest and taking a step back.
"I want you to remember that I am married and that I love my husband and my daughter. If the reason you are here is because of me you are wasting your time."
It takes a while to understand what she means. This woman is full of herself, what makes her think that I want her?
"Thelma, I am not here for you, so stop worrying about your family. I am not going to deny the fact that I was once in love with you, but am not anymore. I am in love with someone else, so please stop being full of yourself because I no longer want you in any way. I have a woman in my life so stop imagining things. And to be honest I am glad you left me because if you didn't I would have never met my woman. Now if you excuse me, I have other things to do than listen to your nonsense." I say leaving her standing in my room.
I chat with my father for a few minutes and then I say goodbye when Eric informs me that he is here.
As I walk out of the house, I can't help but feel a sense of relief. I faced my demons and came out stronger. I am determined to focus on building my relationship with Juliana and not let the past hold me back.
As I get into the car, I can't help but smile. I can't wait to see my baby doll again. She is the one who has captured my heart after such a long time and I will do everything in my power to make her happy.