CHAPTER FIVE

"Um...what brought you guys here?" 

Dante has been asking the two men this question for the last ten minutes. He invited them in, offered them tea but they've refused to talk. They've been glaring daggers at each other since they got in. Not even the world's sharpest knife can cut through the thick tension in the air right now. 

"How do you know Dante?" Sebastian asked Keane. 

"Non of your business. How do you know him?" 

Dante is getting frustrated. He pulled out a chair and sat beside Sebastian. "Um...we won't make any progress here if you don't tell me what you guys want and..." He turned to Keane with a glare, "you! How do you know my house?" 

Keane shrugged, "I have my ways, darling." 

Dante grimaced. "Eww, don't call me that." He turned to Sebastian. "What about you? Did...did I forget something at your place?" 

Keane's jaw dropped in surprise. He was astounded by Dante's sudden change of tone. When Dante spoke to him, he sounded like a tiger ready to pounce on its prey but speaking with Sebastian, he sounded so soft one would mistake him for another person. 

Sebastian shook his head, "no, I came to talk to you about something. I just didn't know you'd have an unexpected guest." Sebastian explained, eyeing Keane in displeasure. 

"I'll just go straight to the point." Keane placed the file in his hand on the table. He motioned for Dante to pick it up. 

"What's this?" Dante demanded as he opened the file. 

"Be my personal doctor." Keane announced without hesitation. Sebastian knitted his brows in anger. What kind of coincidence is this? Why does this idiot have the same agenda as me?  Sebastian thought. 

"He can't, because he's going to be my personal doctor." Sebastian said, placing his own file on the table. Dante was dumbstruck. It's actually happening. What he thought was impossible is happening right now. The two biggest men in Saint Hok and the whole country is asking him to be their personal doctor. Dante found it unbelievable. 

"Wait wait!" Dante snapped. He breathed in and out slowly to calm his racing heart. "What do you guys mean by personal doctor. I mean...you!" He pointed at Keane, "you just met me about two days ago and our meeting wasn't the smoothest so why? How did you reach this conclusion?" 

"Does that really matter? I want you as my doctor, and that's all that matters."  

Dante narrowed his eyes at Keane. As much as this is elating, he found it suspicious. Keane's smirk says it all. He has a hidden agenda. Dante turned to Sebastian but he couldn't read anything off his face. 

"Why do you want me as your doctor?" He asked Sebastian. 

"My former doctor resigned at a short notice and I need a new one as soon as possible." 

"But how are you sure I can do a good job?" 

"You're a skilled doctor, Dante. You treated me, remember? I saw your skills. I don't know anyone more suitable than you."

Dante smiled. He liked Sebastian's complement. Keane was beginning to get worried. Seeing Dante's smile, he knew he was losing. 

"I'll pay you double of what he's gonna pay you." Keane offered. Dante shook his head. "I'm not even gonna consider you until you apologizing for what you did." 

"What did I do?" 

"You splashed water on me, that's what you did!" .

Keane heaved a frustrated sigh, "we're still on this topic?" 

"Yup!" 

Sebastian smiled inwardly. Looks like he doesn't need to try hard to win Dante to his side. Dante already dislikes Keane. 

"So apologize." 

"No." 

"You guys should chill out." Sebastian said. "At the end of the day, Dante has the final say in this. How about this? You go over the contract and when you've made a decision, you can contact the both of us." 

"But how can I contact you guys?" 

"My number is in the contract." Keane said. 

"Mine too." Sebastian added. Dante nodded. Though the two men had left, he kept thinking of what could be between the both of them. They don't seem to like each other very much. Dante studied Sebastian's contract first before Keane's. They stated almost the same thing. The only difference is the money they offered and duration. Sebastian offered half a million per month while Keane offered three hundred and fifty thousand per month. Dante found it absurd. Who pays this much for a personal doctor? 

The two contracts stated that Dante would live with his employer. Follow his employer everywhere he goes. Why? Dante wondered. He's not a bodyguard or personal assistant so why? Sebastian's contract would last for three years, while Keane's is four. In Sebastian's contract, Dante will have the chance to visit his friends and family thrice a month while in Keane's, it's twice a month. 

Dante can live with the terms and conditions of the two contracts but the question is who should he go for? Considering the salary, Dante knew they both had hidden agendas but he could only deduce Keane's. He knew Keane's agenda was to get back at him for what he did but what if Sebastian? What could he be thinking? 

===

"Holy... Xenia! What the hell are you doing here?!" Sebastian exclaimed. Xenia laughed at his scared brother. 

"The most feared mob boss, almost peeing his pants because his sister startled him. You are a disgrace." 

Sebastian stood straight, putting on a serious face, "what are you doing in my room? How did you even get in?" 

"That's not important." 

Sebastian ignored her and went to his closet. Xenia got off the bed and followed him. "You've not seen me for the past three months. Shouldn't you welcome me with a big smile and open arms?" 

Sebastian laughed softly. "Welcome." He said sarcastically.

Xenia smacked his head. "My own brother doesn't love me." She wailed dramatically, "what's my purpose in life if my own brother detests me?" 

Sebastian ignored his dramatic sister as he took off his shirt. When Xenia saw that her tactic wasn't working, she got off the floor and scoffed, "can't you just pretend you care?" 

"No and can you leave? What are you even doing here... in my hoodie?" 

"Looks cute on me, right?" 

Sebastian snickered. "You look like a pregnant buffalo. And you wonder why all your boyfriends leave you."

"I hate you." 

Sebastian winked. "Love you too." He glanced at the wall clock, "it's quite late. Have you eaten something since you came?" 

Xenia grinned. Sebastian can tease and insult her all day but he will always make sure she eats on time. Xenia leaped on Sebastian, almost making them fall. 

"Dude, what are you doing?" 

"I've not eaten. Make something for me." 

Sebastian groaned. He balanced Xenia well on his back and went to the kitchen like that. Xenia loves when Sebastian carries her in piggyback. Sebastian let Xenia down when they got to the kitchen. 

"Mum wanted to follow me but something came up so she couldn't. By the way, she told me to tell you that she must meet a lady when she's coming next time." 

"A lady?" 

"You know mum wants you to get married right?" 

Sebastian smiled. Since he entered his late twenties, his mum had been bothering him to get married. "Do you want me to die without grandchildren?!" She always says whenever she calls. 

"Yeah." 

"Someone just sent you a message." 

Sebastian quickly collected his phone from Xenia. It was a message from an unknown number. 

"Hi, it's Dante. I accept your offer." Sebastian read the message out loud. "Yes! Fuck yeah! Whoahoo!" Sebastian celebrated delightfully. It hasn't even been a day since. Xenia watched as her brother did his little happy dance. Is this my brother? Xenia wondered. She's never seen Sebastian show this much excitement for a very long time. 

"Dude, are you okay?"

"Okay? I'm fucking fine!" 

He picked up Xenia and twirled her around in delight.

"Are you on drugs?" Xenia asked, staring at Sebastian like he just grew a tail on his head. 

Sebastian shook his head, "just happy, that's all."

Keane on the other hand is boiling with anger after he read Dante's message. He declined? How dare he? No one declines Keane Miller. He kept cussing in anger. 

The next day on Dante's way to work, he came across Madam Elena, the mentally challenged woman everyone knows in the street. Though she's mentally challenged, her beautiful voice made her popular. Whenever Dante comes across her, he always made sure he gave her something to eat. Thankfully, he has a hamburger with him so he gave her. 

"Eat it slowly, okay?" 

Madam Elena looked at Dante. She smiled out her almost burnt dentition and said, "secret." 

This is the first time she's speaking and not singing so it surprised Dante. "You're talking!" Dante exclaimed in astonishment. 

"Secret...box." 

"Secret box?" 

She nodded, "box...secret." 

Dante furrowed his brows. Maybe she's just saying nonsense, he thought. Dante left Madam Elena and continued his walk to work. Though Dante left, Madam Elena kept repeating, 'box secret' as she ate. It was as if it meant something but Dante didn't read much to it.