The Wrong Company

Morning came too quickly, and unfortunately for Gabriella, it was a weekend. 

She stared at the ceiling, her eyes heavy but wide open. Sleep had come in small fragments, filled with echoes of last night. The dinner, the insults, the argument… and Alexander’s silence.

Her chest tightened at the memory. Was he really that cruel to have no sympathy at all after what she faced at the hands of his father?

She turned onto her side and buried her face in the pillow, wishing she could bury the bitter feeling that sat in the pit of her stomach as well.

She didn’t have to go to the office today, which meant she would be cooped up in the house with Alexander. No distractions, no escape, and she was already dreading it.

With a tired sigh, she pushed the covers off and sat up, deciding to get started with her morning routine. One thing she knew was that she wasn't going to be leaving her room today. She didn't want to see him. Not yet.

Getting out of bed, Gabriella went to the bathroom and took a long shower, hoping the water could somehow wash away all the terrible feelings that made her heart ache. She got dressed in something simple and put her hair into a messy bun, then dove right back into bed, deciding to distract herself with some reading.

 She spent the rest of the morning in her room, and by midday she was already starving and dying of boredom. The book she had picked up to read wasn't helping much, and her stomach kept growling loudly in protest.

Alexander hadn't checked on her all morning. Not even a text to see if she was still alive or had died in her sleep.

‘He doesn't even care if I starve to death,’ she said to herself.

Suddenly, her phone lit up, and Gabriella threw her book down and grabbed it, thinking it was a text from Alexander. 

“Hi Gabby, it's Dennis.”

Gabriella sat up instantly. She had almost forgotten that she had given him her number.

“Oh, hi.”

“I was wondering if you’d want to step out for a bit if you’re not too busy.”

Gabriella hesitated. He wanted to meet up?

Her fingers hovered over the screen. She wasn't sure it was a good idea. 

Alexander’s warning echoed faintly in her mind. But then again, this wasn't just anyone. This was his brother, and it wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. Plus, the silence in the house was too suffocating to bear.

She exhaled slowly and texted back.

“Where?”

An hour later, Gabriella left her room and tiptoed cautiously down the stairs. She planned to meet up with Dennis and be back by evening. Hopefully, without Alexander realizing she was ever gone. That shouldn't be too hard since he had paid her no mind all day.

Arriving at the bottom of the stairs, she breathed in relief, glad that he wasn't in the living room, but then her eyes caught sight of a mug sitting on the coffee table, steam visibly rising from it. She darted for the front door but froze suddenly when a sound came from upstairs. She held her breath, and then it was quiet again. Sighing quietly, she slipped out and ran towards the gate, adrenaline forcing her heart to beat violently in her chest. She didn't stop till she had made it through the gate and got to the streets. 

She hailed a taxi and texted Denis to let him know she was on her way. 

The cafe was quiet.

Soft music played in the background, and the strong aroma of coffee filled the air. Gabriella’s eyes scanned the area until they landed on him.

Dennis.

He was seated by the window, dressed casually in blue jeans and a grey T-shirt. When he spotted her, his lips curved into that familiar, charming smile.

“Gabriella,” he greeted, standing up as she approached.

“Hi,” she replied softly.

“I didn't think you would make it.”

She shrugged lightly as she took the seat across from him.

“I have my ways,” she shot him a cheeky smile, “ plus I really needed fresh air.”

Dennis let out a slight chuckle.

“Trust me, I get it.”

A waiter approached, and they placed their orders before settling into a brief silence.

“So,” Dennis leaned back slightly, “how are you holding up. I figured you might need a break after last night.”

Gabriella let out a small laugh.

“Is it that obvious?”

“A little,” he admitted.

Gabriella looked down at her hands, shaking her head.

“Your Dad doesn't like me.”

“That’s an understatement,” Dennis said dryly.

She looked up at him, shocked at his bluntness.

“ He doesn't like anyone who doesn't fit into his idea of perfection.”

Gabriella frowned slightly.

“Seems like you’re talking from experience.”

For a split second, something flickered across Dennis’ face.

“ It was hard growing up. I was more of an artsy child, you know? That didn't sit well with my Dad.”

Gabriella listened attentively as he opened up to her.

“Alexander, on the other hand, was always our father’s golden boy, and my Dad did a great job at making it known to everyone.”

Gabriella nodded slowly in understanding. She knew she sensed a deeper conflict at the dinner last night.

“I guess maybe being adopted made it easier for him to brush me aside and focus all his love and attention on Alexander.”

Gabriella’s eyes lingered on him. A mix of sadness and empathy, swirling in her gaze.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“It’s alright, I got used to it,” he said casually.

“Still, he had no right to treat you differently from Alexander, you're both his sons, and you never asked to get adopted.”

“Well, in his defense, I wasn't exactly his idea.”

Gabriella blinked, confused.

“What do you mean?”

Dennis laughed softly.

“I found out while my parents were arguing one night,” he continued. “I was about sixteen years old at the time. They had struggled with conceiving, and my mum wanted to adopt, but I guess my Dad wasn't having it. He wanted to wait.” 

“But she went against him and adopted you anyway.” Gabriella caught on to where the story was going. 

That’s why the relationship between Dennis and Mr. Kingston seemed so rocky. He never wanted to adopt him in the first place.

“Exactly,” he said.

“And then one year after adopting me, my mum finally got pregnant and had Alexander. So I guess my father never saw the need to warm up to me. He finally had a real son. His own flesh and blood,” he said with a bitter smile.

Gabriella was dumbfounded.

“I’m sorry, I didn't mean to bore you with my daddy issues,” Dennis laughed awkwardly.

“No,” she said, leaning forward slightly, her voice softened, and she held his gaze. “You didn't deserve that kind of childhood trauma. Finding out your Dad never wanted you must have been heartbreaking.”

“In a way, it was kind of a relief. He was upset when I told him I didn't want to be a business major in college. Threw a fit with my mum, going on about how I was a disappointment to the family.”

Gabriella couldn't believe the depth of Mr. Kingston’s mistreatment of his own son. In that moment, she understood why Alexander and Dennis seemed so different. Though they are brothers and grew up together, they definitely had two different childhoods.

She looked at him with pity, confused about how to comfort him. The corners of her mouth turned down slightly into a small frown.

“No need to feel sorry for me, Gabby,” he said, waving his hand.

“Let’s change the topic to something lighter.” 

But the dull ache in her chest remained. She couldn't understand how he could talk so lightly about what he went through as a child.

“Enough about me. I want to hear about you,” he said, rubbing his hands together.

Gabriella blinked rapidly.

“What about me?” she asked cautiously.

“Tell me about yourself,” he replied.

“Oh,” she cleared her throat, “Well, there’s not much to tell really, I was a foster kid, never had a family, and have been pretty much navigating life on my own since I turned eighteen,” she said in one breath.

“Hmmm,” he hummed and took a sip of his coffee.

“Look at us, two orphan kids bonding.”

Gabriella burst into laughter.

“Please,” she said, trying to control herself, “you’re not an orphan.”

“Well i might as well be,” he said, laughing.

A mutual feeling of understanding settled between them, and Gabriella felt a small warmth spread through her chest.

“You know I never thanked you for saving me the other night at the club.”

“No need to thank me. How could I not help a damsel in distress?” he said with a smile.

A blush started to spread across her cheeks, and she brought her coffee to her lips, trying to hide it. 

For a moment, she forgot about everything else.

The contract.

Alexander.

But then a thought came into her head, she wanted to ask him about the warning he gave her the previous night.

Setting her coffee down, she opened her mouth to speak when her phone suddenly rang on the table, drawing their attention.

“Alexander” appeared written on the screen. She watched it ring for a few seconds, her heartbeat suddenly uneven. Dennis’ gaze lingered on the name before slowly lifting to her face, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

 She swallowed and answered.

“Where are you?”

His voice was calm. Too calm.