Chapter 6

Jayce

I cleared my throat, clearly not knowing what else to do. Never in ten years of my cooking career have I seen anyone devour my food with so much passion. I don't know what to think of it right now. I can't even describe how turned on I've been only by watching a spoonful of the food in her mouth and to make things worse for me. The moan that escaped from my throat acted like oil in my already fired-up senses.

I turned my head trying to avoid my stare only to find eyes staring at my back.

I took a deep breath trying to calm my unbalanced senses and shook my head to remove any unnecessary thoughts. "You want anything else," I shook her head at my question, trying to avoid looking at me. "Okay, call me, if you need anything, I'll be in the living room."

"But aren't you going to eat anything,"

I shook my head at her question, "I'm not hungry," I said, trying to leave.

She held my hand, stopping me, as I turned my head watching the sincere look on her face. "You must eat, you haven't eaten in a restaurant because of me," she said with a sad expression on her face.

I sighed, as I took a plate of food for myself, sitting beside her, which gained a smile from her, as she resumed devouring the food with the same passion as before.

We both ate our food, quietly one saying anything and as both were empty plates, I stood up took the plates towards the sink, and started washing them by hand.

"You don't own a dishwasher,"

"No, I like washing them by hand, it calms me when I'm tense," which I'm right now, but I'm not going to do that out loud.

"You're different," I heard her mumbling voice.

"What do you mean by I'm different?" I asked, suddenly curious by the way she looked at me.

"You heard me," she asked, and I nodded drying my hand, leaning on my elbow with my hand pressed on my chin on the kitchen table staring at her. "I mean you're rich yet you live in a small house, with very little luxuries and even by talking with I can say that you're very kind, I mean look you helped, treated my wound, even when I'm just a stranger for me,"

I smiled listening to her honest answer. "I like comfort more than luxury and this place gives that and I'm alone, so this much space is more than enough for me. And I'm anything but kind, so don't misjudge me by the way I'm with you, I can be as cruel as one can be when needed," I said, giving an honest reply to her honest question. "I helped you 'cause it is one of the staff 's fault for mistreating his juniors."

She nodded her head. "Can ask you a favor,"

She asked just as I was about to leave. "What?"

She stopped thinking before speaking. "Can you not fire the manager, I mean it was not his fault, I was not working very well,"

I stared at her not knowing what to think of her right now, she is for real asking me to not fire that rude bastard. "Why do you want that?"

"I want him or people around him to suffer because of his job,"

"That not possible, and you might have noticed it today cause it was your first day, but I've heard complain about him for months and his habit of mistreating his juniors, especially women, I mean look at you, he tally ruined the dress code of female waiter of family restaurant to booze bar," I said, not wanting to listen to any of her explanation. But looking at my sad face doesn't work for me. Even though I met her hours before, I hate her sad face. I want to smile. I sighed, "Fine if you care that much about that fool I'll pay his one-month salary in advance, that way he has enough to get through until he finds a new job and all except nothing more from me," I said defeated but my words did works putting a big smile on her the face, which for some reason made me smile too.

********

Rachel

I'm walking faster than I should, it's almost as if I'm running but I don't care, I have duties that needed my care at times like this, Brandon has to run for emergency delivery, and Jane is also out of town on times like this, so I have to take care stay the night with Marlene. I don't have any problem babysitting at night. All I've to do is stay with Marlene and that's all.

I came in front of Brandon's door in no time only to find Brandon standing there all dressed up, ready to up. "Ready to leave doc," I waved, teasing him with a bit of a smile.

Brandon sighed, shaking his head, "I'm not but I have to leave, please take care of Marlene,"

"Don't worry she has a great company," I said, praising myself.

"I doubt that," Brandon said, padding his hand on my shoulder. "But I trust you,"

"Oh, you're crying with all these compliments," I replied, acting to wipe my fake happy tears with a smile.

Brandon laughed. Leaving me alone.

Seeing his back disappear in the dark. I sighed, stretching my aching arms and stiff shoulders. It's been such a long day but I don't let my emotions show up on my face, relieving my vulnerability to the world. I once made the mistake of doing that with Jayce and I'm still regretting it now.

Anyways, time to check on Marlene. I made my way inside Brandon's house and then inside Marline's room only to find her curled up in her bed with a dinosaur Jane gifted her on one of her birthdays.

I smiled, adoring the picture in front of my eyes. It's cute to see how connected Jane and Brandon and their children are together, even without being related to any bond or blood. They are a family that builds with so much love and care for one another.

Seeing them makes me dream of having a family of my own, even though I hated the idea of a family my whole life.

I shook my head, removing the unnecessary thoughts and dreams in my mind. Families are not for me and, I'm better off alone than someone like my mother, only to regret it all my life.

I made my way towards the living room, trying to rest my eyes for some time on the couch. Brandon does have a spare room for days like this bu,t I don't think I can sleep even though I'm hell tired.

And just when I was trying to sit on the couch, there was a knock on the front door, I checked the person through the security cam, before the opening door, only to find standing face to face with the least accepted, and has been avoiding for years, "Rachel," he said, surprised to find behind the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Take a guess," I rolled my eyes, "What do you want?"

"Where is Brandon?"

"Work," I replied, keeping my answer as short as I can.

He nodded, "Can come in,"

"No, I don't to be alone with strange at this time of night,"

"Stranger, Rachel, I'm brother,"

Here comes the topic that I want to escape in every possible, "You might be Brandon's co-worker, friend but not my brother Daniel,"

Yeah, this famous brain surgeon is my half-brother, a seed of my father's affairs like me, and that is what makes us hate our relationship more.

"You can't change the truth by your lies, I don't even why you hate me so much, we were best friends, school bloodies and someone who can lean on one another when in trouble," He said, talking about sweet memories we shared before the truth came out.

"What changed, you are the striking image of him and that's what changed, we were close when we were friends, but now when learned that you're someone that someone related to him,"

"That means you hate yourself too,"

"You're right I hate the fact that I've his blood running through my veins, the fact he the reason I'm in this world, makes my life worse than before, you even know how much I hate myself to be related to the person that has been the cause of mother's pain, misery," I said with my sense raging in fury with every word I speak of that person.

Daniel sighed, staring at me. "I know, what it feels like to be related to a person.... who is the reason for the pain of your loved ones."

"What do you mean?" I questioned, wanting to know the reasoning behind his words.

"Take care," Daniel mumbled, and shook his head, gently kissing my forehead before leaving me alone, with my thoughts and agony.