«ETHAN»I sat in on the chair with my feet crossed on the study table. Glancing at the laptop, through the cameras I saw Layla seated at the dining table.Good I thought. The phone was also on the table along with some files neatly arranged to one side.“Layla or Nicole,” I muttered absently.Truth be told, I wanted neither of the sisters but if it boiled down to a situation where 8 had to choose, who would I pick?I toyed with the idea for a while then found the whole thing pointless. How could I picked when my father had already made the decision for me. It was out of the matter.I bit into the bar of chocolate in my right hand and opened the drawers, reaching out for a tiny jotter.“So here was what we were going to do Ethan,” I began softly.I spun the pen in my hand twice then paused hearing a knock on the door. I glanced at the camera.“You can come in Jonas.”“My Lord, I drove her back as requested.”I nodded slipping the jotter into the compartment inside my suit. They all see
«NICOLE» “Mom I'm home,” I called entering the house. I walked up the front porch where she sat enjoying the view and the cool evening breeze. “You usually come home at noon,” She noted without looking up from the sweater that she was knitting. It was a habit she couldn't get rid of even after dad bought her a machine she could use, she always preferred to keep her hands busy the hard way. She was still young and pretty compared to her college friends. In my terms, she should have been dressing up to going out to parties and drinks with friends. Not sitting here like a woman from the 90s, pretending to knit while secretly monitoring my movements. “I had some matters to attend to.” I waved my hands signalling it was nothing worth looking into. “There's red wine fragrance on you.” She pointed out. “That's because I had some drinks before I came. Any thing else detective Victoria?” I rolled my eyes entering the manor. I still hadn't forgiven her concerning Layla's wedding to the m
«NICOLE»The feel of the morning sun on my face never felt better. I sat up stretching, the events of yesterday flooding back.I yawned getting up, determined not to start this day with another wave of self pity. However, if my parents made this house impossible to bear, I would look up apartments on the net and find one to rent until the month ended.I spent some minutes freshening up then slipped into an office button down long sleeve and dark the blue blouse which matched my navy suit perfectly.Since I had work to do at the Crawford Company Company, it was only natural that I dressed coporate.After spending an hour or so applying my makeup and choosing high heels and handbags, I snuck down the stairs not wanting to awaken anyone, neither of my parents especially.I foot into my car and called Loveth, asking if we could go to an eatery for breakfast.———“It would be difficult to get close to your sister,” Loveth began when we had placed our orders.“Stepsister,” I corrected. If L
«LAYLA»I didn't see Ethan the whole of last night. He ordered me to come home then didn't bother speaking to me at all. At some point I suspected he had left the mansion all together. I curled up into bed miserably that night. Instead of telling him about our honeymoon, maybe I could propose a divorce.At breakfast, America told me the usual story. The master wouldn't be joining me.Jonas drove me to the company. I was eager to resume work as that was the only thing that managed to keep my mind occupied.“Aren't you going down,” Loveth asked. I looked up with a frown. Just because everyone seemed to be heading downstairs didn't mean I wanted to leave my precious work. “Whatever for,” I asked resuming my typing. “The CEO is here,” She said looking incredulous that I didn't even know. Well I wouldn't know, he didn't exactly tell me after all. “Oh,” I shrugged. “Run along then, you don't want to miss his glorious appearance.”“So... You're not coming?”“Must you bother me?” I look
«Layla»There were two options, go to twelvth district and find out what I could or let Jonas drive me to Drake's workshop and see if there was anything new.Oh and there was also the option of going to the hotel where everything began. If I was lucky, there would still be clippings of last month... Considering the scandal involved important personalities like Ethan, the file in the cameras might have been saved.I had a premonition that the man Nicole ordered to r#pe me was the same John that was reported on dead today. That would be something worth clarifying.After all, he did look innocent. But then again I couldn't be sure because my memories of that night were foggy. A picture of the scene would do the trick.“Milady,”Looking up, the three story mansion came into view. Oh shoot... I thought.I hadn't been able to make up my mind in time so the driver who didn't have a preferred destination, automatically drove to the mansion.Well I guess brunch would be good too. I thought com
«Ethan» What was I thinking? I stared at the phone with a mixture of feelings. Why would she want to have a conversation with me... Why would I even want to talk to her? I thought more disgusted with myself than ever. Granted, it was about the problem my father created for me by claiming I had to go on a stupid vacation with her but honestly, I didn't have to seek her opinion on the matter, I could just command an answer from her. I was getting soft. I thought in distaste. “Never mind,” I texted back staring daggers at the phone. I shouldn't mistake her for her sister with whom I was more familiar with. “Penny for your thoughts?” I glared across the table at Violet who was as normal, giving me that cheeky lopsided grin which I had grown to despise. “I'll give you a thousand and one dollars for you to keep your mouth shut,” I sneered my voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh really, is that how you reciprocate kindness?” She pouted managing to look innocent. I laughed humorlessly. “
«Layla»“I'll tell you what's wrong with me, you!”Ethan's words hunted me as I ran. I tried to stop the tears from flowing to no avail. What had I done? Was I so wrong in conceding to this marriage?Was I so unbearable? So disgusting?This isn't working I thought. And Ethan had spelt it out crystal clear. Why did I push him... Why did I so desperately want to get hurt.I fled blindly, running away from everything I knew. I needed a safe space to think and clear my head. I definitely couldn't see Drake at this state.Turning onto a dark alley, away from the prying eyes of passers-by, I sat on the concrete ground shaking.“Breathe... Breathe Layla,” I strayed my self as best as I could and pulled out a cloth to clean my already stuffy nose.He didn't even hit me but now
«Nicole»The car was parked and I felt someone carry me down. I was made to move through a winding path and up and down some stairs and around passages before finally my hands were untied and the polythene bag was removed from my head.I stood face to face with Sedar Maxwell, a slight glint in his eyes as well as a smirk at the edges of his lips.He spread out his hands. “Welcome to my humble abode. Sorry for the inconvenience.”His chest bulged out of the thin black that he wore as usual, blinding me once again with his unimaginable number of gold chains. How did someone even manage to wear two belts just to prove he had a thousand gold belts?I glared at him. Heck next up he'll show up with diamond teeth. “You better have a damn good reason.”“Please, make yourself at home.” He smiled fully now, revealing sparkling diamond false teeth that made a one-two-three pattern with his normal teeth. What the fuck... This was oppression!“This is the dark side.”I looked around and sat down