CHAPTER 51Melissa walked into the garden and saw Kristen staring into space and she knew that something was wrong seeing the way his mood was yesterday."Are you okay?" Melissa asked and crouched down beside Kristen while handing him homemade orange juice."I'm okay, thanks." Kristen took it from her, smiled, and took a sip as he stared into space."I don't know if it's my eye but I think you were not yourself yesterday, What happened to you? You tried to act like a big brother but I could notice your sullen look."Melissa asked and stared at him.Silence ensued for a while and it was as though he didn't want to answer her but as the silence became deafening, Kristen spoke."How will you feel if the only family you fought so hard to protect turns their back on you."He asked instead of answering Melissa and Melissa gasped."Come on, Alex. Whatever it is don't let it get to you. The problem. is with them. and not you."She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He had never seen Krist

Jackson sat with his mother, Clara, across the table as she pinned him to his seat with the usual determined gaze she had on.She was here again, in his office space, either to remind him of what he had to do or ask him about a special thing.Whichever it was, he was ready to give her a listening ear. At least that's what he's done for a better part of his adult life."Hello, Mum. How are you doing." Jackson asked the moment Clara sat down."I'm not so fine, son."With the tone she used, one would think she was I'll but in her tone laid an indepth of deceit a person well descending would hear."How can I sleep well knowing that my son holds nothing in his father's house? Isn't that equal to being a nobody?" Then Clara rose up and her face turned sullen. Wanting to cause drama, she went and pulled hard on Jackson's arm."You have to do this one thing to make me proud." She entreated and Jackson's next words mysybhave gladdened her heart."Mum, what am I going to do, senior has grown so

In a dark, lonely, and seemingly endless passageway, Victoria wandered, trying her hands on the wall for any trace of a light bulb.Due to her fruitless venture, fear crept into her like a recoiling snake and she felt so helpless, she almost passed out, but somehow, she managed to stand on her two feet.An eerie silence that threatened to sweep her off her feet enveloped the atmosphere and she was at a loss of what to do.As if to add to her fear, the sound of approaching footsteps terrified her and made the hair at the back of her head, just near her neck, stand on end."I am your worst nightmare, Vic, you stole what belonged to me and now, you'd have to use your blood to make it up."A voice she recognized as Melissa spoke and continued in the animal-like approach. She wondered why the voice had to call her by her name for short, when everything in the dark passageway spelled danger, stealthily lurking near."Stop, whoever you are, stop!" She yelled, using all the energy left within

Alexander was in a pool of thoughts he found difficult to escape. He knew he hated Melissa but at the same time, he couldn't let anyone do anything intimate with him like they did in the past.He was still deep in thought when his phone rang, disrupting his deep meditation."Hello." He put the phone closer to his ear."Alex, we have a date today, I'm already at the venue, waiting for you."Alex didn't know what to respond with. He had told her to go on a date with him and now she was fully prepared. For his name's sake, he knew he couldn't back down. Anyway, if she tried any of her seducing skills, then he was sure to leave the place.Victoria was eating and chatting away as he stared at her with a fake smile dancing on his lips. To her, he was present on that date, but yet, he was far gone and she didn't know it."The potatoes are well fried and I like the chicken. Many people do like sweet and sour cream, do you?" Victoria asked but he wasn't there with her."Yeah, huh?" He asked wh

"Can I see the manager of this place?" Alex demanded hotly. Anyone who saw his face would know that he was being serious."She is busy right now, sir, could you please come back an hour later when she'll be ready." Catherine, one of the workers said with a slightly lowered tone than his, yet he was unable to notice she was pleading."No, I must see her now." He demanded more fiercely."But sir...." Catherine was trying to make him reason with her when Melissa cut her short, she knew Alex more than everyone else at the Best restaurant, and he wasn't giving up any time soon."Catherine, please take over from where I stopped," Melissa said, pulled her hand gloves, and handed them over to Catherine, the lady who was serving customers.Melissa was helping to prepare dough for today's snack when she started hearing loud arguments from outside and she decided to intervene."What do you want from me? Say what you want quickly so I can go back to my duties." Melissa said walking out of earshot