Welcome back, son.
Welcome back, son.
Author’s Pov;
Seeing Louis in the company was still a big blow to Ruby.
She knew he had told her he came to see someone but she was still feeling uneasy. She still felt like something was wrong somewhere.
She glanced over at Nathan’s side. He was still busy… taking calls here and there.
It was night already and they were just going home. She was so tired and didn’t know when she fell asleep.
Nathan parked for a while to adjust her sleeping position. They still had quite a distance to cover and sleeping like that would hurt her neck.
He pushed her hair to the back of her ear and gazed into her eyes, a smile formed at the corners of his lips.
He doesn’t know what’s funny or why he was acting like that but he quickly got back to his senses and hit the road immediately.
He stole glances at her at intervals.
They soon got home and he carried her all the way to her room, careful not to wake her up.
” You’re back son!” Tracy greeted with a warm smile on her face, but he ignored her and just walked upstairs.
The day had been strenuous and tiring and the only thing on Nathan’s mind was to take his bath and retire to bed peacefully, but it seems that won’t be possible because his Dad has asked a maid to call him downstairs.
He groaned, wondering what it is the old man wants.
” When do you think I can get some rest in this house?” he grunted, standing close to his Dad.
Mr Martins only glanced at him before getting up and walking out.
Nathan heaved and walked after him and they ended up at the garden.
He realised then that whatever the old man had to say got to be serious. He only talks in the garden if it’s about something really important and serious.
” What is it again this time?” an impatient Nathan asked.
” Your brother is back” Mr Martins dropped, carefully sitting on the only bench in there.
Nathan scoffed.
It was supposed to be a surprise to him… the biggest one ever, but it wasn’t anymore because he already knows of it.
EARLIER
” Who?” he asked his secretary as soon as he was out of the meeting.
” He said his name is Louis” the secretary said and Nathan glanced at his watch to check if he could spare a few minutes.
” Who’s he and what does he want?” he snorted coldly.
” He didn’t say but he did say it’s important and you would want to know” the secretary let out, leaving Nathan in a pickle.
” Ahh!! Alright then, let him in” he told her and went to his office.
The door office after a few minutes, revealing a young man in his teenage years.
He was handsome and had the same eyes as him.
” Yes?” Nathan went straight to the point, not giving the boy breathing space.
Louis smiled at him.
” Hey, brother!!” he waved, a smile spreading across his face.
Nathan furrowed his brows, wondering who the guy was.
” What??” he exclaimed.
” I can sit right, you don’t mind?” Louis asked.
He was being more cheerful than usual.
Nathan just stared dumbfoundedly at him as he did whatever he wanted.
The word brother was still ringing a bell in his head.
He has silently prayed for it not to be what he’s thinking, but no, it’s just exactly as he’s thinking.
” Who are you??” he asked rashly, losing his temper once again.
The smile on Louis’ face disappeared also.
” I need your help” Louis said instead, his time and voice changing.
Nathan found this amusing and smirked.
” With what?” he asked.
” And who are you?” he added.
” I would tell you that later, but first, give me your word to help me?” Louis said with a serious look on his face.
Nathan stared at the kid and couldn’t be more stunned.
He had just the same boldness as Ruby and he suddenly reminded him of her.
” I promise!!” he gave out his word slowly, staring deep down into the eyes of this young determined man.
PRESENT
” His mom was here earlier today and she wants him in the family” Mr Martins informed.
” I still don’t see the reason you’re telling me all these?” Nathan said calmly.
” It’s simple. I just called you here to talk to you about it and let you know he would be coming to live with us in the mansion” Mr Martins let out.
” Do you think I’m the one you’re supposed to be discussing this with?” Nathan asked him.
” What do you mean?”
” You have a wife, don’t you think it’s only right if you explain things to her beforehand. I mean, I don’t have an issue even if you bring hundred kids to this mansion saying they are all yours, I don’t, but do you think that would sit down well with Tracy?” Nathan asked him.
” There’s no need for you to meddle in that…”
” I wasn’t meddling, I was just trying to give a point”
” Which is?”
” I don’t care. You can do whatever you want and bring whoever you want. Just know I’m still here because of the Thailand business trip, after that I’m out of here” Nathan said raucously and got up.
” We are having dinner with them this Saturday” Mr Martins said after him, making him halt.
He turned with a scoff.
” You already have everything planned out, huh?” he enthused, a mean look in his eyes.
” You should get ready to welcome them, and no coming late too” Mr Martins told his son, patted him on the shoulder and then left.
Nathan went in after some seconds also, and was unable to sleep after that conversation.
He kept thinking about things, and about why Louis wanted him to do those things for him when he could get them once he got into the mansion.
He couldn’t tell if it was a trap or not and was still contemplating on what to do?.
He thought long and hard into the night and when sleep finally came knocking, there was nothing he could do than to succumb to its will.
SATURDAY
It was a weekend and everywhere was buzzing with life.
The De Martins mansion wasn’t an exception.
Ruby was in the kitchen, helping Tracy and the maids out.
It was supposed to be just dinner, but Tracy has successfully turned it into a feast.
Alot was to be done and they had prepared a lot also.
They all seemed busy in the kitchen and were hurrying to complete the tasks.
Ruby has no idea what the feast was all about and there was no one she could ask about it.
All she knows is that they had important visitors coming that day.
Tracy on the other hand still wore her usual warm and cheerful smile, refusing to allow anything to put her down or sway her.
She knew she was supposed to feel hurt and some women in her shoes wouldn’t even dare do what she’s doing, but then, she knew what she signed up for when she decided to get married to the business mogul…to the biggest business tycoon in New York, into of the most influential and popular families.
Certain things come with a price and this was the price of hers.
“I want the chicken to be spicier than usual,” she told the maid in charge of that.
” Ruby, how about going to change? We can finish up with the rest, we are almost done” Tracy told her, smiling.
” But…”
” No buts, we’ll be done soon. Hurry now” she insisted and Tracy had no choice but to leave.
She passed the sitting room where she saw Ella watching TV.
They glared at each other before she was on her way.
She contemplated on what to wear for a while.
It was different from the dinner they had at her house.
This was like a little gathering of some sort. She wasn’t sure but she still needed to look good.
She had seen Ella earlier and she seemed to be all ready.
She first freshened up and then started working on her outfit.
*
*
The table was packed full with different delicacies, desserts, appetizers, wines and drinks of all kinds.
Goodness!! It was so grand and the table was long and large to begin with.
It was appealing to look at. Tracy really outdid herself.
” What do you think?” Ruby heard har voice behind her.
” Lovely right?” She stood beside her and Ruby noticed she was already dressed as well.
” What?? I told you I would be done in no time” she said, noticing the way Ruby was staring at her outfit.
” You sure did”
” Believe me next time. I’m a pro at things like this” Tracy said.
” I will, but it seems like you have a knack for these things” Ruby said with a chuckle.
” Tell me about it. I mean, it’s the only thing I can really do around here, not that I’m working, and it’s such a shame I didn’t get to know about you until very late. I would have come over to help with the dinner preparations that day” Tracy said affectionately, but Ruby found herself laughing instead.
” I know right,” Tracy said.
” Oh, my!! Sorry about that. It just sounded weird” Ruby said, not knowing how to put her words together.
The words she wanted to say weren’t coming out.
She had totally had the wrong idea about Tracy, but now she knows…she’s a nice person.
” But I can say you did have it under control. You did good for a girl your age. My own daughter can’t even light a fire” Tracy whispered and they both burst out laughing, but it was such a bad timing, because the reason for the laughter soon showed up, looking all angry and ready to pounce on anyone.
” What’s funny mom? What’s so funny that you’re laughing with her?” she shrieked.
” Calm down honey, if you would just give me a hand” Tracy called out.
Ella rolled her eyes, snorted and stormed out.
The table was set and everything was good to go.
It was splendid and exceptional.
” They are here” a maid came to inform Tracy.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
Mr Martins was already heading down the stairs.
” They are here” Tracy transferred the message to him.
He nodded and they all walked outside to receive the guests.
The car was parked in the parking lot and a young woman who was just as young and beautiful as Tracy came down with a young boy behind her, just about the age of Ella and Ruby.
Both Ruby and Ella had a despondent look on their faces as they tried to figure out who they were.
For Ella, she knew almost all her parents relatives and family members and these people were far strange to her and unfamiliar.
She gave up on trying to know who they were and just waited for them to come in.
While for Ruby, she stood there completely dumbfounded, a perplexed look on her face.
Her jaws dropped in shock when she saw Louis. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
The only question in her mind was what he was doing here?.
She knew it had something to do with why he had showed up at the company the other day, and she knew he was lying when she had asked.
” Welcome back, son” Mr Martins pulled him into a guy as he got to them.
This made Ruby even more stunned. She thought she was hearing things.
How… how come??!.
Ella scoffed in disbelief, not practically welcoming of the situation. It was still like a joke to her.
” What’s going on here? So, I practically have another brother and no one thought it was important for me to know” She lashed out her anger.
” Ella!! Watch what you say” Tracy cautioned.
” And why should I do that? Aren’t I telling the truth? Why should I keep quiet then?” she challenged her mom
Tracy walked to her, trying to calm her down. The smiles and side eyes weren’t doing anything to help.
” Stop telling me to keep calm, Mom!!. You guys have to stop treating me like an outsider. For fuck sake am a part of this family. I deserve to know things too” Ella said, really pissed and almost on the verge of tears.
” Watch your tone in front of your Dad” Tracy reprimanded and it was almost turning into a fight between mother and daughter.
” Is this what we are gonna do all day?” a voice broke in.
They all turned to the person who had said it.
Andorra!!.
She flicked her eyelids and mouth like she had said nothing.
Phew!! It was gonna be a long day.