*** *** ****Grandma Joan assembled the family in the dining room, giving them a hard stare.Mr Bruce cleared his throat, "Why are we here mother?"Grandma Joan glared at him, "keep quiet, I'm trying to get a moment here." She snaps."I'm not feeling too well mother." Jeffery announced."Oh my baby." Grandma Joan cooed, "Go and take a rest. I'll tell you about the meeting later on"Jeffrey smiles and walks out much to the annoyance of others. He has always been the favourite of Grandma Joan.Grandma Joan returned her attention to the others, with a sigh, glaring at her.Grandma Joan was not a happy woman, she seemed like a woman whose happiness was snatched from her. She had been working on securing a contract with the Nolvani company for months now, and the deadline was fast approaching. She had recruited her family members to help her, but so far, none of them had made any progress, even with the promise of sponsoring their vacation. She couldn't lose the bet she had made at the lea
*** *** ***The next two days, Asher, Ethan and Ryan got busy with collecting informations."I always knew there's more to you" Ethan whispers, earning a warning glare from Ryan."Sorry." Ethan mouthed as they heard footsteps. Ryan only shaked his head in response. They've agreed Asher was going to reveal himself to the world the following day.Then whatever comes next, they'll battle it together and start attacking the members .How??! Only Ryan and Asher knows that. Since they were still suspicious of Ethan, he was kept in the dark and only allowed to offer an opinion in matters that didn't matter."Hey soldier boy," Olivia entered the kitchen, "I didn't realize this is now your base!" She sneers."Hello marketer." Ethan replies in an overly sweet voice, "it's nice you found interest in monitoring me.""Ryan, tell your minion to stop using my shampoo!! And his hair is usually everywhere.""You should be happy I deem your shampoo worthy of my hair.""Why are you here in the first pl
*** *** "Can I tag along?" Olivia asks, the minute Alina entered the kitchen."Just after you threatened my mother? Sorry no and besides, you heard Grandma Joan, Family only.""I am family too.""I suppose..... In a way but we are talking about Grandma Joan here." Alina explained, almost pleading with her voice for Olivia to understand her."What about Ethan?" Olivia argued.Ethan scoffs, "If Ryan is going, no one can stop me from tagging along.""There, you have it." Olivia opened her arms, as if proving a point."Why do you even want to go? You have no business there.""I want to see how your family is like." Olivia shrugs.Alina face palmed herself and walked to the room. There was no use convincing them.** **Grandma Joan had always been a formidable presence in the family. Despite being in her late seventies, she still had a sharp mind and a commanding voice. So when she called a family dinner in honor of their late grandfather, Javier, everyone knew they had to be there. They
*** *** ***Ryan woke up to a banging head ache. He groaned in pain, opening his eyes slowly.The alarm went off in his head at the unfamiliar surrounding. It looked like a ware house, he noticed, oddly similar to his but this is bigger and.. and....He juggled his body in a daze.He was tied to a chair, the room is dark, save for a single yellow bulb that is supposed to illuminate the entire room."Ah... I see... Sleeping beauty his finally awake." A voice chuckled.Ryan stilled, recognizing the all familiar voice then a giggle followed.Tht giggle. He had warned and threaten her, yet she went ahead with whatever this was?Ryan wore a deep frown instantly, trying to make sense of his surroundings and the circumstances that led him here.He had eaten from the food at the Bruce family house.Everyone ate the same thing, so there wasn't a chance it was drugged, except. His frown got deeper.The dessert was cake, short ones and of different colors, so it was entirely possible he was dr
*** ***"Are we supposed to wait for them or what?" Ethan asks, directing his question at no one in particular."I am not going to wait around. You saw two couples left the dining room, probably to have some alone time and yet you are, still waiting like an idiot." Olivia counters."If that makes me an idiot, then what does it make you too? For the world to know, you are still here, waiting with me and that also makes you much of an idiot as I am.""You sure as hell better have your bus card because I wouldn't pay your transport fees.""I didn't expect you to." Ethan snaps, walking out of the Bruce family house. Everyone had left, leaving only both of them. Olivia muttered some incoherent words under her breath, following Ethan with a grumble. It was late now and the sky was really dark. "Heyy, wait up!" She called after him increasing her pace.Ethan allowed her enter the bus first and paid for both of them before she found her bus card in her purse."That doesn't mean anything." H
*** *** ***"What is this place?" Olivia mutters."Hollock's avenue." Ethan grumbled "Yeah, I know. It was meant to be a rhetorical question." Olivia retorts back, glancing around in hopes of catching a glimpse of the deep voice stranger that answered Alina's phone. He is like her ideal dream man "Whatever." Ethan mumbled, squatting over Alina's bag."This is it." Olivia whispers."Yeah.... what do you think?""They were kidnapped?""Probably, who do you think did it?""I don't know..""You've been with them longer and you don't know if they have enemies?""For your information, we both got started living with them barely few days apart if not the same day.""But you know the family longer, No?""Yeah, I do... Still...""That doesn't excuse anything.""Yeah, whatever.""Olivia, I need you to concentrate, tell me anything you know that can help us find them."Olivia kept mute, her heart beating fast. I really don't know Ethan. I wish I can help but I don't know anything about the fam
*** *** ***Alex enters his villa tentatively, half expecting his father to be seated on one of the chairs in the living room.Ever since his father stalked out of the villa few days ago, he hadn't visited nor has Alex heard anything from him. He is eerily quiet and that scared Alex. "I don't think he'll be coming back." Devin mutters assuredly behind Alex."Let's hope so." The home phone suddenly rang breaking the stillness that descended in the room.Devin and Alex exchanged glances, then seeing Alex wasn't going to answer the call, Devin shrugs and goes to the hall way."Hello?" He answers the call, placing it on speaker as he walked back to the living room."Hello.. this is Booker, Mr Morbian's assistant?""I know you Booker, how may I help you?" Devin asks in a bored tone."I would like to speak with Mr Alex if you don't mind.""I'm afraid Mr Alex is currently indisposed to talk to you now, so if you wish, you can pass on whatever message you have, I'll make sure to deliver it
*** *** ***Booker hung up without waiting for Devin's response. "Getting a joint contract with the Nolvani company?" Alex echoed.Devin nods grimly, "I think we both heard that together."Alex shrugs, "not bad.... I was thinking of a collaboration with them before, anyway, so this would just make me act on my plans quicker.""But don't you find it weird?" Devin asks, a frown on his face."Huh?""You know, coming from your dad, someone who loves competition and coming first, also considering how he has been bad mouthing the company, don't you feel this is weird? You don't think he is up to something, do you?""As much as I would love to ponder on your theory, I would rather not. Just leave the man alone. Maybe he had a change of heart.""Quick reminder Alex, we are talking about your father here.""Let's not talk about it. I don't want to read meaning into everything he does. Everyone deserves a second chance."Devin shakes his head in annoyance, "this is hopeless." He mutters in an