04

A phone call interrupted their conversation. Liam picked it up and motioned for his brothers to be quiet. He frowned when he saw the caller's identity. 

It was Mark, their right hand man. Mark was tested and trusted, after working with them for years. Actually, he had worked for their parents and now, he was at the service of the triplets. 

Liam was confused as to what Mark was calling. They had already spoken earlier in the day and they had given him the instructions to carry out. 

“What is it, Mark? I'm actually really busy-"

“Boss, there's a problem." Color drained from Liam's face and he sat upright in his chair.

“What is it, Mark? What's going on?" 

His brothers noted the urgency in his voice and became alerted. 

“What is it?" Lucien asked him. 

Liam signaled for him to wait. He then put the phone on the loudspeaker. 

“Mark, talk to me! " 

“Boss, the warehouse has been attacked. All the goods have been destroyed and someone tried to set it on fire but luckily, we put it out on time." 

“What the hell? Was anyone hurt?" Lucas chipped in. 

“No boss." 

The response relieved the brothers and they quickly ended the call with Mark.. each of them sat in their own thoughts. 

However, they shared the same thoughts. They all had a hunch that they knew who was behind the attack.. the same person whom they had been chasing had come around to bite them in the ass. 

“If we had taken care of that bastard, this wouldn't have happened. But Filia just has to come into the picture." 

Liam looked at Lucas as he said those words. He wanted to point out to his brother that he was angry at her and disliked her for some reason but he still manag e to give her a nickname but he knew that now wasn't the time. 

“Not now Lucas, please. In case you haven't noticed, we have more pressing matters at hand." Liam looked away from him as Lucien took the words right out of his mouth. 

Lucas didn't blame his brothers. He knew that they didn't understand why he was so angry. They had more than enough to deal with. The curse was doing too much to them and he felt that one day, they might get into a load of trouble because of it. 

All these years, they had been looking for a way to get rid of the curse and were willing to pay anything and he would have been happy that Orfilia came into the picture but she didn't have to come at that moment. 

They had been going after something that meant so much to them and she just came and spoiled the plan. There was no assurance that she was going to heal them. What had even made him angrier was the fact that she had asked for money in exchange for helping them.

That just showed that she was cheap and materialistic. He hated women like that and his brothers were too blind to see that she wouldn't be of much use to them. As if all these problems were not enough, now they had been attacked by the same person that Orfilia made them lose earlier on. 

“Let's go. We need to go see what's going on and make sure that we cover this up. I'll get someone to investigate this." Lucas led his brother out of the room and they all made their way downstairs.

Despite the change in the mood, Lucien still stopped halfway down the stairs and turned to the butler.

“I believe Orfilia is still in the compound? " He asked.

The butler nodded.

“Inform her that the wedding is in two days so she has to get ready as quickly as possible. If she needs any help, all she has to do is place a call." 

He hurried away and the butler turned to deliver the message he had been sent on. He knocked on the door of Orfilia's room and pushed it open after hearing a low “come in." 

“Ma'am, I have a message from Sir Lucien." He started. 

Orfilia stared at her copy of the contract that they had handed her. It was to be her reminder that for the next six months or so, she was theirs and they had the privilege to do whatever it was that they wanted with her. 

She didn't know how to feel. In hindsight, she felt that she should have hesitated for a bit and re read the terms of the contract. She should have looked at the brothers and tried to read the looks on their faces as she signed the papers. She should have asked for something more daring in contrast to money. 

Why has she asked for their money? The last thing she needed was to be benefitting from the same people that had put her in the dire situation that she found herself. They were the reason why she was now alone in this world and had almost her life. But for some reason, she felt safe around them and she knew that they would protect her no matter what. 

 She didn't raise her eyes to look at him. She just hummed in order to hold back the tears that were pricking at the corner of her eyes. She missed her parents… she felt confused and lonely. Her parents had been the source of her strength for as long as she could remember and in the blink of an eye, they had their lives snuffed out of them right before her eyes. 

“Miss" The butler snapped her out of her thoughts “The car is ready. We should go downstairs." 

Orfilia felt tired for some reason. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and forget about all that had happened in the past week. She stood up from the bed and followed him downstairs. 

She quietly made her way out of the house and as she gripped the car door handle, the butler's voice stopped her. 

“Miss" she turned around to face him “I would advise that you brace up. A very big change is coming to the mansion. It feels like a breath of fresh air." 

She didn't know how to comment on that. Seemed like everyone was excited about this but her. As the car began to move, her mind flew in every direction. 

What was it going to be like? 

Being with three men that were brothers. She couldn't remember what it was like to be in a relationship with one person and now… she was expected to make it work with three! 

It was going to involve communication, commitment and all that. For the next six months, her life was going to be a whole different ball game. 

Then there was the sex. As much as she tried to avoid that, she knew that she couldn't. That was another thing she felt she should have stayed before signing the contract. It was too late now. She was going to have to fulfill her own end of the bargain as long as they fulfilled theirs which she knew that they would. 

They finally got to her street and she had to think fast. 

“Sorry, excuse me" she tapped the driver's seat “Please stop the car. I'd like to carry on from here alone." 

“But ma'am, I can't leave you here. I was entrusted with your safety and I have to make sure that you get home safe no matter the consequences." 

The driver was scared for his life. He had been assigned a job and he had to make sure that he carried it out so that his bosses wouldn't take it out on him.

“Well, if you don't let me go, you would be doing the opposite of that. If I'm seen with you, it would just put me into more trouble." 

She didn't give him time to reply before she went out of the car and slammed the door. She used her jacket to cover her face and head. That way, she could make it home, undetected. 

Thunder crackled above her and she silently prayed that it wouldn't rain. It would just make her day more miserable. 

Orfilia sighed as she stood outside her door. With a deep breath, she pushed the door open and entered the apartment. She didn't know how to react to what she saw. The entire room was displaced, papers covering every bit of the floor, her mother's favorite vase shattered in bits and pieces at the corner she had once proudly placed it for everyone to see. 

She looked away from it. There was no time to waste over sentiments… if she were caught here, she might not make it out alive. Her gaze was then fixed on something at the far end corner of the living room. There sat a small unattractive vase that was barely noticeable to anyone. She lifted it and stepped back for the remaining mechanics to be processed. A small drawer finally chucked out under the vase and she quickly grabbed the document in it and shoved into her bag. 

That accomplished, she goes to her room and also shoves a few clothes into her bag. She barely had time to even focus on what she was picking out. Never in her life did she think that she would know what it felt like to be chased, to have to constantly look over your shoulder. She flung her back over her shoulder, gave her apartment one last look. What was once her home… a place of comfort for ger had now turned into a reminder of sadness and grief. 

She now had a new home. With they finally thought, she pulled her hoodie over her head, bent her head, and walked out the door.