His expression fell, and he froze as he saw the visitor. If bad timing was a person.
"Well, if it isn't Veronica Peters" he said dryly, shouting the name loudly enough for his brother to hear, as he watched her, in her dark sleeveless gown and tiny purse. With bright makeup. Who the hell wears makeup at night?.
He has disliked her since their highschool, when she left his brother. And she had always teased him for being fat and ugly. His nemesis is back. Gosh! He felt like slamming the door in her face.
"Oh you? Why are you not at your house? what are you doing here?" She asked annoyed
"It is my brother's house. And I don't have to explain anything to you"
"Whatever, Is Harris home?" She asked raising a brow at him
"Err..he isn't. That's sad. He said mockingly. So you better turn around, and go back home. I've got something serious going on right now."
"Move aside, I'll wait for him." she ordered
Just who the hell, does she think she is?
A sound inside alerted them, and she used that opportunity to breeze past Zeke, her eyes solely fixed on Harris.
"Harris!" she exclaimed, and carelessly threw her jacket on a chair, wrapping her arms around him. I've missed you so much. I've been trying to reach you on call, but you never pick up."
Harris stared at her. Could his day get any worse.
"How have you been? I was expecting you would come see me since I returned. But I haven't heard from you. she pouted. It's been years now. I've missed you"
Shit! He messed up. Harris, lacking enthusiasm, replied with a nonchalant, "Hmm."
Veronica, undeterred, suggested, "We should go out sometime, or maybe hit a party, and enjoy ourselves."
Harris, with a slight nod, replied, "Maybe."
Observing their interaction, Zeke watched amusedly. Veronica, could not be easily discouraged.
"Zeke! Instead of joblessely standing there and watching us. Get me something to drink quickly" She demanded snapping her fingers at him.
"Excuse me?" He cocked his brows at her irritated
"You heard me. I thirst and I need something to drink" she repeated arrogantly
Harris perched on the stool, Watched them speechless
"Well, you're welcome. You invited yourself over, you might as well serve yourself."
"That's not right."
"Could you leave already? What the hell?" Zeke was becoming annoyed
"Harris, Veronica pouted and and furrowed her brows at him. I'm thirsty and Zeke is bullying me"
"What the hell?..."
"Enough! Zeke, get her something to drink" he ordered him
"Bro, she can serve herself. I... "
Veronica made a face at him then whispered 'drink'. Zeke hesitated, earning a stern order from Harris
"Get her a drink, Zeke.Hurry!" Grumbling, Zeke reluctantly fetched the drink for her.
"Hurry" Veronica mouthed and made a teasing face at him .
"When you're done with your drink, you take your leave" Harris told her
"What! that's not fair Harris, we haven't seen each other in ages and you're chasing me away. Matter of fact, I plan on staying the night"
"Nope. Impossible. Zeke shook his head. You're leaving" he glared at her
"Harris. Don't make me leave please"
"Veronica, is getting late, pack your things" he instructed her ignoring her pleas
Seeing that Harris stood firm on his decision, she finally agreed. "Fine, I'll leave. But, you must drive me home"
"Zeke would take you" he offered and Zeke wrinkled his face and refused, leading to a standoff.
"I want it to be you. Else I won't go she stubbornly folded her arms and sat down back. Veronica persisted, Come on, Harris, a short drive won't hurt."
"I said no," Harris retorted, his patience waning.
"Bro, don't worry, I'll come with you. Anything to get her out of here" he made a shooting move at her and grabbed his keys.
---
**Shopping Surprise**
~~~~~~~~~
Their drive back home was a silent one, as lots of thoughts ran through their mind. Zeke occupied the driver seat, while Harris sat at the back, his head bucked against a head rest. His eyes shut, as he was silently engrossed in his thoughts.
The car came to a halt in front of a mall.
"Sorry bro, I won't take long. I need to get a standing fan. The air conditioner in my room is bad" he glanced at his brother through the car mirror
"Hmm"
Harris suddenly remembered his fridge needed a refill due to his brother's voracious appetite, got off and joined his brother.
Glancing through the stall, he selected few food stuffs and headed to the pay point. As he prepared to pay, a hand placed a credit card before his. The family symbol on the ring caught Harris's attention. He looked up and recognized the face.
"Well, if it isn't the billionaire," He sneered. Fancy seeing you here."
Zeke, arriving with the fan, was shocked to see his cousin in their city.
"Oh, and the prodigal brother" he grinned revealing his perfectly white teeth, and displaying his dimples.
"Gabriel! What are you doing here?" Gabriel was Greg's son, and only child.
"Nothing much. Father called me to manage a company. I guess you know the company. He grinned. You lost something important didn't you? Haha."
"Manager?" Harris stood mouth agape. That's impossible! So Greg's has began executing his plan, to take over the company from his family. Should Gabriel become manager, there was a high chance he could loose everything
The air in the mall grew heavy. "Gabriel what exactly do you want?" Zeke asked him
"Sir, your card" the cashier presented his card
"I don't know, Father has invited you over tomorrow. Why don't you ask him yourself there. He grinned like a psycho, taking his bag off the counter. And ohh, you better come on time."
He left them. The revelation left Zeke and Harris speechless as Gabriel exited, leaving them pondering the unexpected twists resulting from their father's choices.
"Sir? Are you paying with cash or debit card? ..."
.
.
~~~~~~~~~~
The morning sun cast a warm glow on Annabelle's room as she woke up to a new day. Long rays streamed through the curtains, signaling the beginning of another chapter of her life.
With a sense of purpose, Annabelle rolled out of bed, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders. The clock on her bedside table ticked relentlessly, a reminder that time was not on her side. Today was a special day. She had just been employed at Lancaster Enterprises, a place she was eager to get employed in.
In the compact kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Annabelle, whipped up a classic breakfast—scrambled eggs and toast. As she hurriedly devoured them, the anticipation of the day ahead hit her.
Breakfast devoured, Annabelle hurriedly dressed in a sleek black skirt, a crimson blouse, and polished heels. The mirror reflected a woman ready to conquer the day—
Descending the stairs of her apartment building, Annabelle hailed a taxi. As the yellow cab weaved through the city's streets, she couldn't shake the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. Today was her chance to make a lasting impression at Lancaster Enterprises.
The taxi screeched to a halt in front of the imposing building. With a quick glance at her reflection in the window, Annabelle stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk. The anticipation of the day ahead propelled her forward.
In the flurry of the morning rush, she hurriedly approached the entrance, her gaze fixed on the glass doors as she was amazed of the bustling environment.
As Annabelle pushed through the revolving doors, the collision was swift and unexpected. The cup of coffee in Ezekiel Lancaster's hand went airborne, its contents splattering across Annabelle's blouse.
"Gosh! she shrieked.Could my day get any worse than this?"
"Apologies," Zeke uttered, his tone carrying genuine regret. He was in a hurry also, to go meet his uncle and brother
Annabelle's initial reaction was a mix of surprise and annoyance. As her eyes met a very handsome face. Her eyes swept his features, and she screamed internally.
"Oh, you should try watching where you're going next time" she exclaimed, her voice rising as she began to express her frustration.
Unbeknownst to Annabelle, the scene was drawing attention. Spectators, both employees and passersby, turned their heads in shock.
"This is my first day here, and this is a very weird way to make an impression" Zeke, standing amidst the unfolding drama, couldn't help but feel amused by her unfiltered honesty.
"I'm really sorry," Zeke insisted, his eyes betraying a hint of amusement.
People whispered, eyebrows raised, as Annabelle continued her tirade. Aware of the attention he was creating, Zeke decided to play along, helping her wipe off the coffee with napkins from a nearby stand.
"Are you injured?" He asked genuinely, his concern genuine despite the smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
Annabelle, now a mix of frustration and embarrassment, waved him off. "No, just my ruined blouse.Thanks for nothing." Why the smile on his lips though? She shrugged
With a swift move, Zeke discreetly read the company card hanging from her neck, noting her name. "I'll make it up to you. What department are you in?"
Still fuming, Annabelle replied, "Marketing."
He nodded, "Alright, Marketing. I'll find a way to compensate for this mishap. My apologies once again. Here" he handed her a napkin
"Thanks" as she brought out her hand to take the napkin, he noticed a familiar shiny gold object on her finger. His eyes widened.
There! It was...it was their family ring. He was shocked, as he looked at her face. He couldn't remember having a cousin or sister. How? How did she
"Sorry, where did you..."
"I have to head inside now..." She rushed in and left him....