3. The Other Brother

Jessica

That night I struggle to sleep in my bed and the nightmare came just like they always do.

Since my first nightmare I've never bothered to sleep in my pajamas, and that was how that night I went to bed in my working attire thinking it was too dark to change.

The same old excuse.

I was quick to hide under my blanket just like my usual coward self and then woke up with a panic attack. My heart was beating so fast and the deafening silence was suffocating me to the point that I was breathing heavily.

I tried to calm myself down, but I was teary and my hands were shaking. It was two in the morning, though I know it was too late to get back to the office. But I panicked looking at the dark corner of my room, and that's when I decide to grab my things and took a taxi back to the office.

"Mam, did you left something at the office?" the security guard asked as he saw me accessing my ID card to my office space.

"No, I just remembered that I need to finish a presentation for tomorrow's meeting."

"Alright then," he smiled politely and leave me alone.

I was feeling relief when I reached my small office. I was spreading my blanket on the sofa, locked my door and closed my blinds then relaxed as I rest my body on the not-so-comfortable sofa.

It's been years since I was able to sleep peacefully, I thought when Troy died I would be free of the nightmares but when it's not I had made peace with the situation. I take what I can get and never complain, I never felt the need to thank God for my messed up life. I have had enough and just trying to survive night after night.

The stress was shown on my body, I was getting thinner, my skin was getting paler since I never go out in the day.

*****

It was morning when Kayleigh knocked on my door, I was still wearing yesterday's clothes when I woke up late for my meeting with the lawyers.

"Jess, wake up. The lawyers are waiting for you, here's your suit jacket I just got them from the cleaners this morning. You don't have time to change your blouse and pants. You need to go now."

"Damn it, thanks, Kay!"

She was helping me with my jacket and spritzing perfume after I was back from brushing my teeth and washing my face. It took me less than ten minutes to put up my hair in a bun and apply the red lipstick to hide my pale complexion.

Kayleigh sends me away with my coffee tumbler and the needed documents in my work purse, thankfully the lawyers' office is in the same building so I arrived only five minutes late to the meeting.

But the disapproving look that Tyler gave me was flicking my nerves on the inside. The meeting ended an hour later, the signing was done. My dad's company was officially bought out, I have become one of their employees, my fate was on their hands.

I was needing my coffee refilled when the fine-looking CEO was to my side and joined me on the elevator.

"That's the same blouse from yesterday, tell me you didn't sleep in your office again."

"I didn't sleep in your office again."

"Cute," his sharp words sends a certain feel to my nerves and I was not liking day one of me working for him already.

"I will have my guys moving your office next to mine, I will need your assistance to smoothens the transition."

"Noted," I replied lowly while cursing on the inside while thinking I would need a new place to spend the night.

"I will know if you sleep in the office."

"Look, Tyler. I'm carrying my weight for the company, I will be working for you and do my best. Sometimes I will pull an all-nighter but that will not affect my work, I will assure you..."

"We will talk about that later, here's your floor. Have a nice day." His words were cold, distant, and very authoritative it was making me back away from him and quickly exit the elevator once it opened.

My steps took me straight to the coffee counter to refill my tumbler.

"So, what do you want for breakfast?" Kayleigh appeared out of nowhere, my mind was somewhere else and she made me clumsily touch the coffee pot plate and burned my hand.

"Oh, my...come here..." she quickly took my hand and put it under the running water.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't sneak up on you. You didn't sleep well, didn't you? another nightmare? maybe you should go visit Dr. Sheridan again?"

She was right, I haven't visited my psychiatrist in a while and the tension was building inside me and it was making me very jumpy lately.

"Maybe I should, it's just that I don't like to talk about him."

"Hey, come here."

Kayleigh pulled me in for her signature hug and it always comforts me in so many ways that I sigh in her arms.

"Well, I didn't know that this is a private break room. Maybe I should go back later?"

Kayleigh let me go and she let out her awkward laugh. The laugh that she always uses whenever there's a cute guy within five meters radius. And I was laughing at her when I saw who she was batting her eyelashes to.

"Mr. Richardson, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"It's Larry, please I'm not going to stop two beautiful ladies from hugging and expressing their feelings in this very good morning."

I know he was the third in line for the Richardson empire, I have studied him. Larry Richardson is currently the hits among the ladies but can crush his business opponent in ways that people never expected from him. He's a true player in all aspects.

"Well, I'm Jessica and this is Kayleigh, my assistant. I didn't see you in the meeting?"

I shake his hand when he offered his, and Kayleigh follows but then excused herself while giving me a wink making me laugh.

"Sorry, it's her thing. She's going to my office to make it more presentable for you."

Larry gives me a big friendly smile and I felt comfortable around him instantly. I didn't know how, but I haven't felt that safe with any man in a while.

"I just arrived, my perfect brother, Tyler had just texted me to introduce myself to you and apologize for not being in the meeting. So here I am. Please accept my apology." He put his hands together and do a little bow making me crack a smile, then laughed at his words making some of the employees looked at me.

"I think people need to see you smile more, some looked like they've seen a ghost."

I let out another laugh and ushered him to my office when Kayleigh smiled at me then swiftly get back to her desk.

"You need to ice your hand, it'll heal faster."

"I'll be fine."

I've had worst.

I quickly clear my thoughts from my dark past and told him to take a seat and explain to him what happened in the meeting I had with his brother and our lawyers earlier.

"...and you'll be taking my office since I will be taking over your operational side and will mostly be here, we'll be exchanging office. I believe Tyler had mentioned you about that?"

"Yeah, he mentioned that I'll be moving to the office space next to his. He says for the transition period."

"Look, don't worry. We're the good guys, we'll take care of your people."

The handsome player looks at me sincerely, and I truly believe that he will definitely do just that.

We talked until lunchtime, he was working efficiently and made me pull out all the files and started working immediately.

Meanwhile, Kayleigh was busy going back and forth boxing my stuff to be move to his office. The office which was located in the exclusive business district where all the top industry business moguls set their offices.

"Come on, I'm taking you out to lunch. My treat, still part of my apology for missing the meeting."

He was not kidding about taking me to lunch, we met Tyler there and he did not look pleased to see me and his brother together outside of office hours.

"Don't mind him, he's been grouchy since the first moment I met him."

I was trying to keep my straight face when Larry whispered the words loud enough for his brother to hear as the well-groomed CEO sits at our table.

"Jessica, I see you've met my brother. Larry, how are you settling in Jesicca's office?"

"See, he even wants to talk about work when I'm having lunch with a very beautiful woman."

I laughed nervously at Larry's comment but it wasn't long until our friendly lunch became a business lunch where we discussed and set up a schedule for an introductory meeting with the top management of both companies before we merged and laid out the best plan for my dad's company.

"I understand that the new office will be further from your house, I'll set you up with a company car and driver," Tyler said before he ended our lunch because he had another meeting across town.

"Larry, thank you for escorting her back to the office, I'll see you back at home." He nodded to his brother and smiles at me before he left us as we're finishing up on my coffee.

"Let's do another cup before we head back to the office? I'm feeling rebellious." He winked and I laughed.

I let him ordered us two cups of coffee, while in my mind I was thinking that at least I have a friend on the inside.

Hopefully.