5

CHAPTER FIVE

ARLYN

I deliberately ignored the knocking on my door, not ready to wake up yet from sleep and secretly hoping whoever was knocking would leave me alone. I groaned and grabbed one of the plush pillows, placing it over my head to muffle out the sound, but it was of little help.

Eventually, I sighed and got out of bed with the worst mood ever, ready to chew off the head of whoever was at the door.

It was only 6:45am.

My anger melted away when the door opened to reveal Ella; an innocent smile spread over her lips, but I wasn't deceived by it at all, all too aware she knew she had just woken me up from sleep.

I stifled a yawn while eying her in irritation. “Isn't it too early to be knocking on doors, El?”

“Sorry, but breakfast is served. Uncle Bradley sent me.”

I blinked.

“Breakfast? It's not even 7am.” I said as my eyes flickered to the clock.

“Yeah, that's usually when breakfast is served here. You don’t want breakfast colliding with brunch, do you?”

I was too poor to know what these words mean.

Brunch?

As a college student, there was no such thing as brunch. If you missed breakfast, you settled for lunch.

Brunch sounded foreign to me, but I didn't bother to tell the high schooler that.

“Uh…no, but it's a little early.”

“Really? What time do you usually eat breakfast?”

“10/11am if I'm lucky enough not to have classes.”

Her brows furrowed like it was a foreign concept to her.

“That's usually brunch time. Breakfast is actually by seven on the dot, not a minute later. That's how Uncle Bradley likes it.” Ella said after a while.

Meaning I had less than fifteen minutes to get ready for breakfast.

I hurriedly went about my toiletries while Ella busied herself inspecting my wardrobe… with a very unimpressed look.

I didn't blame her. I wasn't impressed by my wardrobe either. That's why I had changed my hair and maxed out my credit card on a few clothes. Those were the ones she seemed to like.

“Why didn't you have more of these?” She put up a cute jumpsuit I had gotten from the shop.

“Well, it's because I'm poor.” I shrugged.

She frowned but didn't say anything more. Bummer. I had been expecting her to laugh at least.

Finally I was done with five minutes to spare.

“Don't move.” Ella suddenly called out in a serious tone, and I froze, worried she might have seen a bug on my dress.

She stood before me and scrutinized me from head to toe and back, shaking her head in disapproval.

I frowned at her.

And what's that supposed to mean?

I was dressed in my favorite outing casual wear, baggy black jeans and an oversized black polo.

“Uncle Bradley is so going to have a fit when he sees you, I assure you.” She told me, walking towards the door.

I followed her, suddenly feeling self-aware and hating Ella's effect on me.

“Oh, also I forgot… We are expecting some guests today. They should be here anytime soon.” She announced excitedly, skipping along.

I was confused. What was so exciting about some strangers coming over?

That's right. She was a bit of an extrovert.

Curiosity replaced my confusion. I wondered who they could be.

“Who are they?” I asked, trying not to sound too interested.

They had just been passing by Reid's door. He chose that moment to come out, bumping lightly against me.

I took a step back and mumbled an apology.

“Damn, stepbrother. We have to stop meeting like this.”

I had said it as a joke and expected him to at least laugh, but instead, he stared at me like I had lost my mind.

Damn.

“Tough crowd.” I added, and I about slapped myself. I was absolutely making things worse.

I had forgotten he was a cold and judgmental jerk. I looked at Ella and saw the amusement dancing in her eyes as she alternated her gaze between the retreating Reid and me.

“What?” I asked her, not sure what she found amusing.

She shrugged and resumed her task of leading me down to the dining room.

When we got there everyone was already seated and… surprise… overdressed like they were having breakfast with the president. Come to think of it, Ella and Reid were also formally dressed, Reid in a suit without a tie, while Ella wore a cute blue dress that reached her knee.

I looked at my mum, almost choking at the amount of makeup on her face. Bradley was also in a suit.

I was all too aware of all eyes on me as Ella went and took her seat at the table, and I looked down at my clothes. What I thought of as fashionable now suddenly looked bleak when compared to those of my companions.

My mother beckoned me over at the same time the doorbell sounded. I walked over to the chair beside her, settling into it. Immediately, a staff member dropped a glass of juice before me.

“Try the juice, dearest. The chef just pressed it out this morning.” My mother urged me, and I took a sip, smacking my lips at the sweet taste.

“Oh… you are here.” Reid said, standing up to move around the table to greet someone behind me.

“Of course… I wouldn't miss an invitation to dine with your family, not when you are gracing us with your presence,” a male voice said behind me.

A very familiar male voice, a voice I couldn't just forget even if I wanted to.

Still coughing, I stood up and stared in shock at a reminder of my past, the reason I finally agreed to Mum's suggestion to come down here.

I stared and gawked at the very last person I expected to see in the Bradley's mansion.

And I was thrown back to that day when I had walked in on him in bed with my rival.

“Liam.” I whispered, staring at him with clenched jaw.