"Stop her!" He suddenly shouted, scaring everyone out of their chair.
The two bodyguards who stood in the dining room quickly ran towards Ivory to carry out Harold's order, while Irene and Nora watched, open mouthed.
They were both confused without knowing what to say.
"Don't touch me!!" Ivory screamed.
"Don't touch her" Harold shouted, confusing everyone the more.
"Dad! What's up with you?" Ivory whined.
"I'm so sorry everyone, i never knew it was Ivory" Harold pleaded.
Another lie!
"I thought as much" Irene said, breathing in relief before sitting back on the chair.
Nola shook her head and sighed. "Harold you really need a knock for shouting that much. Even if it wasn't Ivory,you shouldn't have shouted that much"
"You know how much i hate being interrupted when I'm eating" Harold said, he wasn't telling a lie this time. He truly hates being interrupted when eating and his workers respected that.
"Of course i know but we all heard ivory said Dad before opening the door" Nola said.
"Really? I didn't hear that" Harold said.
"More lies! Harold!" His inner mind cried.
Nola who knew how sharp Harold ears are, he could hear the tiniest sound not to talk of how loud and clear Ivory's voice was when she shouted daddy.
There's definitely something wrong.
"See me in the kitchen after you're done eating" Nola said to Harold who nodded.
She shifted back her chair and started walking to the door.
"You leaving already?" Irene asked after her.
"Yeah, I'm done eating" Nola smiled, she dragged Ivory's cheeks playfully before finally walking out the door.
"Thanks for the meal" Irene shouted after her.
"You're welcome Irene"
"I'm so sorry i scared you out of your chair" Harold said to Irene.
"It's fine" Irene laughed and Harold should have laughed too but he saw how Ivory looked at Irene.
She's confused that she's seated in their personal dining,she knows her father does not allow any worker.
"Irene you're here, i gat no problem with that though " ivory said and Harold couldn't explain how relieved he felt.
Irene only smiled and bit into her chicken.
" Dad my TV just switched off all of a sudden, dunno what's wrong with it" Ivory whined.
"Really?"
"Yes daddy" ivory said.
"Alex go check it out for her and if it's something you can't handle, call Mr Brian.
"Okay Mr Harold" Alex said and followed Ivory out of the room.
Irene finally gulped water down her throat after satisfying herself.
"Thanks for the meal Mr Harold" Irene said.
"Its fine" Harold said and Irene stood up to start clearing the table.
She wondered where to start from, cause the table is almost filled to the brim.
"What are you doing?" Harold asked her.
"I want to clear the table" she said.
"No, don't do that. That's not your work." Harold said.
"But i can help" Irene said.
" People that'll do that are waiting by the door already" Harold said.
"Ohh" Irene said.
Harold stood up and they both walked out of the dining room.
" I should go join Ivory in the library,it's 3pm already" Irene said.
She know she's to join Ivory in the library by 3pm everyday. Ivory had included it in her booklet.
"Ohh...okay but today is Sunday and Ivory prepares for school instead" Harold said.
"Ohh, I'll go join her in her room then" Irene said and started walking to Ivory's room.
She met the bodyguard called Alex by the stairway and their eyes met.
The way he looked made her have a bad feeling about him but she just shrugged it off and proceeded to Ivory's room.
"It might just be misconception" She thought.
She walked into Ivory's room and found her on her laptop.
Wow!
"Ivory" Irene called as she made her way towards her.
Ivory raised up her head and smiled on seeing Irene.
"I've been expecting you" She said.
"Really?"
"Yes, to help me prepare for school tomorrow" Ivory said dropping her laptop and Irene saw that she had been watching animation on it.
Her TV is totally blank and she guessed its something Alex couldn't handle.
" That man's face certainly had something to it" Irene thought worriedly, she does not doubt her feelings.
"Ivory, thanks for making me dine in your personal dining room" Irene said, smiling.
"Me? I don't get" Ivory said, confused.
"Your dad said you're the one who wanted me to dine with you guys" Irene said.
"Me? ohh..yeah!" Ivory said.
She did not remember saying that but maybe she might have said that out of excitement without realising it but it's fine,she wants Irene in their dining room.
"Thank you" Irene smiled.
"Its fine, so my school uniform is already arranged in my wardrobe by the ... You'll just help me revise my notebooks" Ivory said.
"Alright, where are they?" Irene asked.
"In my backpack,which is inside the wardrobe." Ivory said.
Irene saw another slice of strawberry cake in a little plate beside her bed.
"You must really like strawberry" Irene said, walking to Ivory's wardrobe.
"I love it! Everything about that flavour excites me. It's the most delicious flavor you know" Ivory said.
"I don't agree" Irene pressed her lips together.
She loves vanilla more.
"Well i do" Ivory beamed biting softly into the cake.
"Which flavor do you prefer?" Ivory asked Irene,who had placed her hand on the wardrobe handle.
"Vanilla" Irene said.
"Geez! Vanilla tastes sour" Ivory frowned.
"Well...it's the be.." Irene was saying but the content in girl's wardrobe had left her speechless.
It had four floors, the first floor contained sparkly ballerina dresses which almost took Irene's breath away.
These dresses looks like it worth millions.
She won't doubt it if the amount is up to her monthly pay, they are so beautiful it nearly made her cry.
Ivory has everything anyone would ever wish for.
The second floor contained beautiful and expensive looking home dresses. Different designers, perfect styles, classic look.
Irene had always wanted to own a very big and popular fashion store,her dream was to become a very famous fashionista whom both rich and the poor can afford,she wants to be on the list of famous designers but the dream shattered after she lost her parents.
To own her imaginable fashion store,she knows how much it's gonna cost her and she doesn't even have quarter of it. She only wants to focus on her stepmum's surgery and her brother schooling,that's all that matters to her now.
The third floor contained different sort of school wears, neatly ironed and perfectly organized.
"Irene, haven't you found my school bag?" Ivory asked.
"Could i have left it in the library" she said to herself.
"I found it" Irene said, picking up the fancy school bag which had a doll ballerina on the front cover.
"Ohh" ivory smiled, glad she hadn't left it in the library.
Irene closed the wardrobe and walked to Ivory with different thoughts running in her mind and she almost wished she was in ivory's shoes.
"So, I'd love to start from arithmetics" Ivory said.
"Ohh... okay" Irene said, unzipping the school bag.
She placed all of Ivory's notebook on her bedside stool and then started searching for arithmetics.
____🍂
"I already called Mr Brian" Alex said to Harold who was on his way to see Nola in the kitchen.
"Ohh, fine" Harold smiled at him.
Alex is his one of his best bodyguards, he has this diligent nature that Harold admire so much.
"You can go have a nice time, I'll be with Nola in the kitchen" Harold said to Alex.
"Okay, Mr Harold" He said and left.
*
Nola laughed hard in the kitchen after Harold sincerely told her the reason he had scared everyone in the dining room.
"You shouldn't have lied to her" She finally said after her laughter subsided.
"I didn't wanted to lie to her but she was questioning me and i couldn't find a better answer" Harold said.
"If i may ask, why do you want her in your personal dining, you've never wanted any of Ivory's past nannies in your dining room" Nola said.
"Well...i don't know. I just wanted her there" Harold said and Nola sighed.
She's starting to see something she hadn't seen in Harold for years .
"Why the sigh?" Harold asked.
"There's another thing i want to discuss with you" Nola said.
"What?" Harold asked and sipped his wine.
"The amount you want to be paying her is extremely high!" Nola said.
"She told you?" Harold asked.
"Well...she only asked if you pay your workers close to that amount. She knows that amount is outrageous and she couldn't keep it to herself" Nola said.
"I want to help her" Harold said.
"You could have sent your company to do that" Nola said...
"I..i want to help her personally" Harold said.
"Really? And how did you know she needs help?" Nola asked.
"That's something i can't tell you now Nola. Not now" Harold said.
"Okay, should i pour you more wine?" Nola asked.
"No,I'll be going back to the living room now, come with me" Harold said.
"I'm fine here" Nola said.
"C'mon Nola, you stay in the kitchen all day like it's your room" Harold complained and Nola laughed.
"It's my room" Nola said.
"I wish you can just allow me employ another cook, you really need to rest after all these years. Please Nola" Harold said.
He had tried to employ more cooks but Nola always make them leave.
"Harold. I love what I'm doing and this is the only way im able repay the help you rendered me years back. Without you, i might still be in the streets struggling with my daughter but you gave us a good life" Nola said.
"Nola, I've told you severally to stop mentioning that. You're my aunt now, you're no longer the stranger i told my parents to help. You've repayed my help enough, please let me employ another cook. I'm not comfortable with the stress you go through everyday" Harold said.
"Cooking is no stress for me, i do enjoy it" Nola said.
"Please Nola" Harold said.
"Okay, I'll think about it" Nola said and harold sighed, shaking his head.
they both know she won't.
Harold sighed " I'll be in the living room"
"Aren't you going with your wine?" Nola asked after him.
"No" He answered.
___🍂
Harold was passing by ivory's door to his to take a nap, he already spent enough time in the living room.
He stopped when his ear caught what ivory said.
"So now i've told you my dream is to become the most famous ballerina in the world and also have my ballet company. What's your own dream?" Ivory asked and Harold shifted closer to the door.
He pressed his ear to the door when Irene finally spoke after a long silence.
"My dream is to bring back my parents fashion store,to make it bigger, famous and the best in the city. I also want to become one of the best designers in the country, i want my name to appear in the designers top list but i guess some dream can never be fulfilled." Irene said.
He knew.
He knew her dream and how he found out is best known to him.
"Why did you say that?" Ivory asked.
" Let's go back to your revision" Irene said.
"But you've not answered my question" Ivory said.
"I don't want to" Irene said.
"Okay" Ivory drawled.
Harold left the door and quietly walked to his room.
___🍂
"Please stay for dinner!" Ivory said to Irene.
It's getting late and Irene had to leave.
She needs to pack and all. She hasn't even told Damien and Mrs Neave that she'll be a live-in nanny and only come home on weekends.
"Ivory, she needs to leave now. You know she wasn't aware that she'll be a live-in nanny, we just told her today, she isn't prepared and she also have to be here early tomorrow morning to prepare you for school" Harold said.
"Okay" Ivory pouted.
"Starting from tomorrow, I'll be having dinner here okay?" Irene assured Ivory who nodded.
"I really enjoy the time i spent with you" She said.
"Me too and I'm looking forward to the days we'll be spending together but i have to leave now" Irene smiled, picking her bag.
Irene bent to peck her but she suddenly remembered her rules.
*No pecks! Without my permission*
She quickly straightened up but what she had tried to do was obvious.
"You can peck me" Ivory said, surprising her.
"Really?"
" Yes!"
Irene smiled and pecked her on both cheeks while Harold stood watching them.
Is the same person that never allowed her nannies to peck her?
But she allowed Irene,the first day!
Their bond surprised him.
"Someone will drive you home" Harold said to Irene.
"Okay, goodnight" She waved.
"Goodnight" They waved back.
She got outside and was led into a car which has obviously being waiting for her.
Minutes later, they were back on the road after she quickly got cheese for Damien.
Irene smiled.
She had enjoyed Ivory's company so much that she can't wait to see her again tomorrow.
Her phone vibrated in her bag.
That must be Damien.
"She still doesn't know how Damien will take the news of coming home only on weekends" She thought as she brought out her phone.
It isn't Damien.
📞Hi madam Perse" Irene said into the phone after picking up.
📞Irene, i gat good news for you. Come over to my bar now. There's someone waiting for you.
📞Madam Perse, I'm sorry i didn't tell you this,i was planning to actually but i...
📞This person is ready to pay your stepmum's surgical bills and also sponsor your brother!" Madam Perse announced happily.
What!