《My Crazy Housemate: What Makes You Happy》


 Chapter 1 - I should be worried about them

    "please, I''m begging you..." he tried holding back his tears as he continued. "I love you" he knelt down as his tears kept flowing..

    Lame! Mia thought as she rolled her eyes looking at the large screen in the cinema. while throwing popcorn into her mouth.

    she heard people sniffling and some didn''t even pretend like they weren''t crying.. and just cried out.

    she looked at the girl in front of her, she was probably younger than the girl with about 2 or 3 years. the girl was so engrossed in the movie and kept crying out while the guy next to her tried to control her..

    Mia felt like strangling her so she could shut up.. she tapped the girl and as soon as she turned she warned "can you shut up already!!" she yelled at her without caring out the others around her.

    the girl was taken aback and after about thirty seconds she cried louder.

    Mia could feel her head pounding. before she utter another word. the guy who was sitting close to the girl suddenly turned and looked at Mia. "what''s your problem ma''am?" he glared at her.

    "what? ma''am?..." even though they weren''t so loud, they were able to attract the attention of other people around them.

    "yes ma''aaam" he stressed to make her feel old.

    Mia had gone to the cinema with her childhood friend James and his new girlfriend. she didn''t care about giving them privacy and had purposely sat down in the same row with them even when James gave her hit to sit at the next row.

    when he noticed the commotion. he tried to smoothen the whole thing.. since he was sitting at the next seat after Mia while his girlfriend was sitting next to him, he was able to pull her back and advise her not to make a scene.

    "he called me ma''am, he f*cking called me ma''am, I need to beat out 10years out of his life"

    Mia had the urge to rip the young man apart. thankfully, the useless couple on screen already reconciled and the movie ended.. so everyone dispersed. it was already past 10 in the evening so James had to drop her off since her place was far from the where they currently are.

    "don''t make trouble, be good" James advised as he dropped her off on her street.

    his girlfriend, Anna was sitting down at the passenger seat. so Mia stayed behind. she was still reluctant to step out.

    "so that''s it? you''re going to leave me here by this time? what if I meet bad Guys on my way home?"

    James chuckled before answering "I should be worried about them instead" he winked at her

    "idiot" she glared at him before leaving the car. "Goodnight" she waved at Anna before heading home.

 Chapter 2 - How did it end

    "I don''t like her" Anna suddenly broke the silence in the car even as James'' attention remained on the road.

    "Huh?" he turned his head slightly to ask before facing the road again

    "You heard me! If you really want this to work between us, I think you know what to do" She turned to face the window nonchalantly.

    "What do you mean? Mia is my friend, we''ve been friends since we were young, I can''t just cut her off because you want me to!" He stated without looking at her either.

    "And I am your girlfriend! We just started dating a week back. Can''t you do this for me?" At this point, she turned her head from the window to kook at him. The anger in her eyes was visible. Even her tone increased when she spoke. She took a deep breath and said "Choose one. Me or her?"

    "Are you crazy?" He asked as he tried to focus on her and on the road simultaneously.

    "Choose one now!!" she screamed. She had never seen someone as uncultured as Mia. And her presence alone annoyed her.

    James was startled. He slowly parked by the side of the road. He covered his face with his palm as he took a deep breath. "Get out!" he ordered.

    "What?.." Anna was shocked "You don''t mean that do....." before she could finish, he roared again for her to leave. She was so shocked that she gradually got down. Disappointment was written all over her face.

    "Don''t you love me?" she asked while holding the door of the passenger seat. Tears was already pouring out of her eyes.

    "I''ll send you a taxi" He said as he stretched to her side to lock the door and drove off...

    As soon as Mia got home, she went straight to the kitchen. She knew her mother would be there even by this time of the night. Linda was a local baker and the best in the neighborhood. She was always up trying to organise her things before heading to the bakery in the morning.

    When she got to the kitchen, she found her mum there and gave her a back hug "mum" she called gently.

    "Move back, you''ll get stained with flour" Linda warned.

    "I want to get stained" Mia said as she tightened her arms around her.

    Linda chuckled before pushing her off.

    "Don''t be silly child. How was your date?" she asked.

    Earlier that day, Mia had lied to her that she was going out on a date because her Linda had tried to matchmake her with her friend''s son and so she had lied that she had a boyfriend already who loved her so much. Even while saying it, she didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry because she knew that something like that was never going to happen.

    Mia finally released her "It was okay. He said he can''t live without me and even cried while kneeling down" She grinned as she narrated what happened in the movie she saw earlier.

    "Oh, I see!" Linda smiled as she washed her hands.

    "You should go sleep now, it''s late. Remember you''ll be delivering breads in the morning" Linda smiled as she sent her out of the kitchen.

    "Okay, Good night. Don''t overwork yourself" Mia advised. as she left the kitchen. As soon as she got to the door, Linda called ''child'' so Mia turned.

    Linda always called her ''child''. Mia was Linda''s second child but she was never her favourite. She couldn''t tell why her mother didn''t like her but always favoured her elder sister instead. Although they had been rich at one point, she grew up without much love from her family, and so she had to depend on herself. But after her father disappeared 8 years ago and they became broke, her elder sister, Mary, could not endure living a difficult life and so she also disappeared 4 years ago. Since then, she had been with her mum and have gradually received a little love from her. She could tell Linda was trying to force herself and didn''t care much. But Mia loved the attention still. Even though she still wished to hear her mum call her ''Mia'' one day. In one part of her mind, she really wished Mary would never come back home.

    Mia smiled and looked at Linda, wondering while she was called back.

    "I was just wondering,... How did it end?"

    Linda grinned and looked at her.

    "What are you talking about?" Mia was puzzled.

    "The movie, How did it end? Did she forgive him after he knelt down and cried?" Linda couldn''t help laughing as she saw Mia''s surprised look.

    She''s been found out!

 Chapter 3 - ONE MONTH LATER

    Before the car got to the entrance of the mall, the employees were already standing there, waiting for their boss to arrive. Offending their boss was a risk they never wanted to take. They stood accordingly even as the cars gradually stopped.

    One of the bodyguards who was also waiting, went to the car in the middle as soon as they stopped and opened the door.

    Gradually their Boss stepped out. She was dressed professionally even though she was young. Her hair was loose, mild makeup, a body hug trouser suit and stiletto.

    They all bowed to greet her but she maintained her icy look and didn''t spare them a second glance until she noticed something and stopped in front of an employee. It was clear that the employee was older than her but she was already shivering.

    "What''s your name and how old her you?" She asked coldly.

    "I''m... I''m.. Mabel. Mabel Steve and I''m 28 ma" she successfully answered after stammering repeatedly.

    "Do you think you''re in a clubhouse for you to dress like this?" She turned to look at her assistant. "Handle this" After speaking she walked past all of them. It was at that point that some people remembered to breathe. Their boss was in her early 20''s but she was terrifying.

    Mabel was already on the floor. She knew it was over for her. Everyone knew she always dressed seductively despite being in a uniform in order to entice men, too bad she didn''t know their boss was coming today. They were even more shocked because Mabel had told them she was 21.

    They kept talking until they were scolded by their superior before they finally dispersed.

    As soon as she got to her office which she haven''t visited in a long while, she sent every other person out then took a deep breath. When she was sure she was the only one left in the office, she smiled.

    "I''m back baby" she said as she jumped on her couch in a playful manner. She was lost in happiness before the sound of her ringtone brought her back to reality.

    She took the call without looking at the ID and was shocked when she heard the voice on the other end.

    "Long time no see Chloe" He said.

    She was shocked for a minute before responding.

    "You... you''re back? when did you get back? why didn''t you call me to pick you up?" she stammered.

    "hahaha..I wanted to surprise you all anyway. But don''t tell anyone though. I''m having a bad jet lag so I have to rest in my place first. You didn''t change my password right?" The voice at the other end of the phone replied.

    Chloe was happy and wanted to chat more but when she heard the last sentence, she almost died of heart attack

    "no..no...no...no... just come home instead okay? we''ll let you rest" she tried to stop him. But was unable to and out of anxiety she hung up and immediately dialed another number.

    ***

    "This place is really huge" Mia exclaimed while looking around James''s apartment.

    "You act like it''s your first time here" James replied

    "It''s not my first time here but its going to be my first time staying here by myself" Mia countered.

    She was lucky that during her school break, James also had a break from medical school and so they were able to hang out and catch up. Unfortunately, she wasn''t able to retain her room in her hostel since she was supposed to pay for her room before resuming. When she remembered, it was already too late and Getting an apartment was not so easy especially within a very short time. Luckily for her, James was traveling back to school and had asked her to stay in his place, which was closer to her school, till she finds a place.

    "What? You want me to stay with you?" James asked chuckling..

    Before Mia could answer, his phone rang.

    James took out his phone from his pocket and when he saw the caller''s ID, he ignored it.

    "Why aren''t you taking your call?" Mia asked while sipping from a glass of juice.

    "It''s the house owner, she''s too troublesome, I wonder what she''s calling for" He wondered.

    "Then stop wondering and take your call"

    "Nah! I''ll just text her that I''m at the airport leaving town" He looked at Mia and noticed she was glaring at him "What? it''s not like I''m lying, I''ll be leaving for the airport any minute" he said.

    James could still remember how he met the house owner. He just got into town and didn''t want to stay at home during his little school break so on his way to look for an apartment, he bumped into a Lady in the agency who kept pestering him that she had a good place, he was tempted since the market value was reduced by half. Although, she told him there was someone else in the apartment, but he won''t be coming till the coming year. So he gladly took the deal.

    He laughed as he narrated the encounter to Mia.

    "But James, What if your roommate comes?" she asked.

    "Hmm, he won''t be coming anytime soon. So have fun..Time to go Bro" James ruffled her hair as he left with his luggage.

    "Your head bro!!" she shouted at his retreating figure which made him chuckle.

 Chapter 4 - Unholy Room

    Chloe kept trying to reach James. If her brother found out what she had done, she knew she was done for. Fortunately, she received his text, stating that he was leaving town. That was when she was able to breathe properly. Luckily for her, she had advised James to not change the password for the apartment since he also had a roommate and had warned him to only use the parts of the house she had showed him and not move to the other room. For now she was safe. She knew that her brother hardly made use of the other room, so she was sure he would not find someone else''s property for now, At least, till she figured out how to settle the whole issue.

    "Have a safe trip" she texted back as she was finally able to smile and relax.

    Mia kept admiring the designs on the room, the walk-in closet and also the bathroom. The bathroom was twice the size of her room back home. But she wasn''t surprised, she had seen bigger and better designs. She admired the interior especially the warm colours. She stood in front of the mirror to look at herself. She couldn''t recall the last time she saw her reflection.

    Her long black hair was weaved back in cornrows, her fair skin looked pale but it wasn''t able to hide how pretty she was, she had long eyelashes and full brows, her round eyes were sparkling and her small red lips was perfect for her small face. She had nice figures but she was always putting on a Guy''s Tee and ripped Jeans and her clothes were all black. She never looked like a lady, one look at her and people concludes that she was a Thug. she wasn''t wearing any jewelries either so she was looking rather plain.

    Looking at her reflection right now, a tear escaped her left eye. Once upon a time, this girl was wearing pretty gowns and shoes. Now, here she was at 21 looking so ''unladylike''.

    She quickly wiped the tears off and left the bathroom. She was already depressed so she lay down on the bed while facing the ceiling. She fixed her head set to her ears to listen to a cool song and before she knew it, she was already asleep.

    **

    As soon as Leo typed in the password, the door opened. ''Smart girl, she didn''t mess with my place'' he thought. The lady by his side could no longer hold back so she pounced on him. luckily for him, he was able to keep himself from falling. They had been making out in the car which made the driver almost miss a few turns.. Luckily, he was able to keep himself from staring at them. He didn''t know whether he hated or loved his Job.

    He held her tight as they kept making out while he kicked the door close. His left hand was holding her waist tight while his other hand was already lingering inside her blouse as he slowly led them both towards the other room.

    Though, he hardly made use of that room, but whenever he came home with a girl, he made sure they never get into his main bedroom. He could not imagine sleeping in the same bed where those cheap women have tainted. So the other room was his ''unholy room''

    Gradually, slowly, he opened the door and they both entered inside the ''unholy room''.

 Chapter 5 - Need Company?

    A young man with a suitcase strolled out of the airport. He had the look of a supermodel and Ladies couldn''t help ogling him. He casually walked with a smile on and one look at him, one could tell that he was a carefree person. He looked at his simple and plain wrist watch. "6:17! that was one bloody hell of a trip" he said with a smile as he took out his phone and dialed a number "Long time no see Chloe"

    He could tell from Chloe''s voice that she was really surprised to hear from him after shutting himself out for a while. when he heard her trying to confirm if he was back, he couldn''t help but laugh..''if he wasn''t back, why was he using this line?'' he thought and after many unnecessary talk he asked her the crucial question about his apartment. He had left the apartment under his sister''s care for the past 2 years and he only prayed she hadn''t messed it up.

    Staying in his family home was too troublesome which made him move out 3 years back. he needed to rest for like 3days before facing his family again. Before he knew it, she already hung up. He was surprised but before he could react, a sports car stopped in front of him while a guy in his mid twenties got out of the driver''s seat to give him a full hug.

    Leo was startled for a moment before pushing him off while laughing...

    "doing cheesy things like this doesn''t suit you" Leo said.

    "We''ve missed you man"

    "we?... you didn''t tell anybody I was coming did you?" Leo asked curiously.

    "uhm.. well" he scratched his head while grinning mischievously. "just get in the car, I''ll drive you" he tried to divert Leo''s attention while he took the Luggage from him and placed it inside the car.

    Leo knew his friend so well, and he knew quite well that he had told a couple of their friends but he didn''t push further and just got in. "nice car Richard! can see you still have this obsession of changing cars" Leo said as he got in the passenger seat

    "Old habits die hard" Richard said as he laughed then sped off.

    ---

    All he needed right now was a good Night''s sleep.. he kept thinking of different ways to escape these group of friends but they weren''t keen on letting him go. There were four of them on the table, and each had a girl by his side except for Leo. These Group of rich young handsome Men in their mid twenties had asked for the best private room in the bar to welcome their friend. Some ladies were also in the room entertaining them with songs while the guys threw various vulgar words at them. Echoes of laughter could be heard coming from inside the room and 3 of them where pretty drunk already.

    ''Are they really here to welcome me or drink their balls out?'' Leo wondered.

    Leo had never liked these kind of gatherings. The only reason he was still in touch with them was because of the close ties they had with each other''s families so naturally, they had to flow along.

    He was the only one completely sober. when he checked his watch, it was already 8:56pm.

    that was when he got a message notification from his phone and so he clicked on it.

    "Heard you''re in town. See you soon.

    love, Cherry"

    As soon as he read the message, his mood completely changed. He got so angry, he needed to destroy something. that was when a pretty lady on mini shirt and a crop top walked up to him and spoke seductively. "Need company?"

    As soon as Leo saw her, he almost pushed her from his side. He hated these type of women the most. He wondered why young pretty women would choose to live this way instead of Studying. But on a second thought, he needed to relieve his anger.

    "Let''s go!" he quickly stood up and bid farewell to his friends.

    "Woohoo, have fun don''t mind us" Richard said drunkenly. the others also said one or two things, telling him to ''work hard'' while laughing.

    His ''friends'' always went about with bodyguards - who were outside the room, guarding the door. So he knew they would send them home safely. He tapped a bodyguard on the shoulder and said "Tell your master to send me my Luggage ones he''s sober" After speaking, he quickly left the bar and got into a taxi with her.

    She looked unimpressed. she was expecting him to at least have a nice car like the others, but why was he going home in a taxi? she recalled hearing him say "Luggage" so probably, he just got into tow. She didn''t dwell much on it and continued flirting. Although, he wasn''t really interested, he pulled her to sit on his lap while he kissed her passionately until she released faint m.o.a.ning sounds.

    The driver on the other hand could no longer bear it and from time to time, he tried taking a peek via the rearview mirror but couldn''t see what was happening clearly since it was already dark outside and she was sitting on his lap and also faced him.

    He was in his early 30''s and had seen most scenes like this. But it''s as if, it''s always ''new every morning'' and couldn''t help but blush when he heard the sounds ''can''t they just wait till they get home?'' he asked himself.

    Since she was putting on a mini skirt, it was easier for Leo to ''work'' on her. He slid his hand into her skirt and moved her panties to one side while he slowly used a finger on her. She was already wet from the long kiss. and he could feel the wetness in-between her thighs. He increased his thrusts using 3 fingers and her voice grew louder as she m.o.a.ned. The driver couldn''t bear it anymore and increase the speed. He couldn''t wait for them to get home so he could go home to his wife and also ''feast'' on her. When Leo noticed what he was trying to do. he broke free from the kiss, withdrew his hand and cleaned it on her top. Seeing this, she was a bit irritated, but didn''t mind. she only hoped he didn''t have a girlfriend so she could squeeze her way in. She never wished to become a third wheel. "we''ll continue at my place" he said with a straight face as he freed her from his body while she adjusted her clothes.

    When they finally got to the apartment, as soon as they got down from the car, he got his pay and immediately turned and zoomed off. while the girl followed Leo like a puppy. 1508 he entered the password for the apartment. and when it opened, he smiled ''she didn''t mess with my apartment''

 Chapter 6 - Mr Housemate

    "At that point.... I felt like dying" she narrated.

    "when I saw her watching, although she looked sad, I was heartbroken. and from that moment, we drifted apart....My sister.. my only sister..I was almost beaten to death by her friends while she watched... I hate you!! I hate you Mary!!!"

    Beads of tears slid down from the corner of her eyes unconsciously.

    She had to wake up, she really needed to wake up. She gradually opened her eyes. She was still lying down, facing the ceiling, when she noticed two people entering the room. She remembered putting off the light in the room before falling asleep so the room was dark but she was able to see them when they opened the door because outside the room was brightly lit but they didn''t notice her. She turned her head while still lying down since she felt a little bit groggy. She must have slept for hours.. she thought.

    ''James?'' she asked herself while taking off her headset. then she noticed the tears and quickly wiped it off with her palm.. ''what is going on? He didn''t travel again?''

    before she could register what was going on, they had both entered and the lady was only left with her undies while they both struggled to unbutton guy''s shirt as they kissed.

    Since the door was still open, she could clearly see their bodies and she noted that the guy was a bit taller than James and he had dark hair while James was blonde.

    Most girls would shout and freak out in cases like this. But Mia quickly got off the bed and put on the bed lamp.

    The pair came back to their senses as they noticed someone else was present. The lady pushed Leo off and screamed while trying to cover her body. Fortunately, they had already gotten to the bed so she reached for the duvet and hurriedly wrapped it around her as she glared at Mia while trying to gather her things on the ground. Unfortunately, her top was in the sitting room.

    Leo on the other hand was dumbstruck.

    he had not expected to see someone else in his apartment as soon as he got back so he immediately tidied himself up.

    Mia just stared at the both of them like two idiots while they try to dress up.

    "How impressive! you can go nude in front of a dude but hide from a girl.." Mia said as she moved to turn the main light switch on.

    The room was fully lit now and the lady had been able to wear her skirt. But she still covered her upper body.

    She was so pissed and the only thing she could think of, was that this Leo was a playboy who had agreed to hook up with her while he had a girlfriend. without thinking further, "you shameless thing.." she slapped him and stomped out, throwing the duvet on the floor.

    --

    "Who are you?" Leo asked as he finally came back to his senses.

    "I should be asking you!.." Mia firmly stated as she folded her arms on her chest and sat back on the bed.

    "This is my house!" he said.

    ''Housemate'' that was the only explanation for this..

    ''ah! I thought he was not coming back anytime soon, but as soon as I got here, he came to filth my room'' she thought.

    "I heard the owner of this house is a Young Woman so I guess you''re my house mate. well, Mr Housemate, you must be aware how this share house policy works.. you have your part and I have mine, Moving to this part is totally unacceptable and you should be apologising this instant!!" she declared.

    "w...wh.. what? House... housemate?" he stammered as He could not believe his ears. He only traveled for two years and now he has a housemate?

    Now it made sense how Chloe had ended the call immediately he asked about his apartment.. "that little rat!!.." He said fuming with anger as he tried to fish out his phone from his trouser pocket while he spoke

    "I don''t care how you were able to get here, but get your things and leave this instant!!" he roared.

    "hahaha.. i asked for an apology but you open your mouth to spout nonsense. Aren''t you afraid of losing your tongue?" she looked angry and her eyes showed killing intent..

    Leo was startled, he had never seen a young girl act like this. This time he took note of her dressing and appearance. she looked pretty but was wearing all black and her Jeans were filled with holes the creepiest part was that she was even in a dark room all alone that was why they didn''t take note of her when he entered with Sarah. Looking at the far side of the room, he could see 2 boxes on the ground. he didn''t know whether she was moving in or moving out. although, He desperately hoped it was the latter.

    After getting his phone, he dialed Chloe''s number as he tried to avoid looking at the scary looking girl.

    Chloe who was still oblivious of what had been happening, instantly took his call. but before she could say anything, he screamed into the phone "if I don''t see you here in 5 minutes, you''ll hear from dad" ones he said it, he hung up. He knew that was the best way to get his naughty sister. Although, she was the closest to their parents, she also feared them when they got angry.

    "uhm.. little girl, this...this is my house, I left it under my sister''s care. I do not know you and you do not know me, but it''s normal that you have to leave right?" He tried to convince her with a fake smile.

    "Is that how you apologize?" she asked with a cold expression.

    "hmm..I''m sor...sorry... wait! why am I even apologizing?" Leo had never met someone like this before and he was rather frustrated.

    Mia opened the drawer by the bedside and fetched out a doc.u.ment.. Luckily for her,James had showed it to her before leaving. She threw it at his side and he quickly grabbed it and hurriedly opened it. "First of all, I''m not a little girl, secondly, I accept your apology, thirdly, I don''t care who own this house, but as you can see in that doc.u.ment, I can still stay here for 10 more months. Fourthly, I guess the psycho houseowner is your sister then. So if you still try to throw me out, your sister would be the one going to jail for claiming this was her property. Now, make your choice and do that outside my room" she stated with authority.

    Leo couldn''t believe his eyes or ears, he clenched his fists tightly to the doc.u.ment and felt like ripping it apart before ripping apart this little thing before him, and then rip Chloe apart also. His eyes finally landed on one part of the doc.u.ment then he turned to look at her.

    "James Black? That''s your name?" he asked incredulously.

    "Nope, my best friend, and my best friend''s business is my business."

    she looked at him then raised her chin to point at the door, hinting him to get out.

    ''She really messes with my house!! When I lay my hands on that girl, I''ll surely rip her apart!!!'' he swore while leaving dejectedly...

 Chapter 7 - Ill burn down your apartment

    Chloe always had the habit of sleeping early unlike most people who stays till midnight before going to bed. She always needed her complete six hours ''beauty sleep''.

    When it was time to put off the light and go to sleep, Her phone suddenly rang. She frowned as she took her phone and looked at the caller''s ID. She nearly jumped from her bed when she saw it was Leo calling. After few seconds, calming her nerves, she took the call but before she could say a thing Leo roared "if I don''t see you in 5mins, you''ll hear from dad" then the line went dead.

    she panicked as she jumped out of her bed to get dressed. She knew Leo wasn''t one to mess with and she could vaguely guess that it had to do with his apartment.

    she sighed while thinking of how happy she had been, thinking that she still had time before the issue blows up.

    "no...no...no... if it gets to daddy, then I''m doomed". Her parents loves and pampers her but when it comes to being strict, they discipline her without thinking twice. thinking of how she had been living for the past month and how they just "Freed" her. if they realised what she had done to Leo''s apartment it would be worse than just putting her on house arrest. Luckily, she knew her parents wouldn''t be home by this time since they still both had work to do. So she quickly left the house and sped to his apartment..

    ---

    "I need to hurry up and find a new apartment. I can''t deal with that dude" Mia said as she struggled to wear a black boot while sitting on the bed, she connected the call to her Bluetooth device to make it easier for her to dress up since it was already getting to midnight.

    After laughing for a while, he spoke

    "You really don''t have to trouble yourself so much, if he tries to kick you out, just let me know. I''ll deal with them for ..."

    "He should dare" she interrupted. "he''s such an irresponsible bastard! the first thing he does after returning is to bring a girl over. Who does that?"

    "hahaha, are you jealous? wait! who''s more good looking? me or him?"

    "you''re sick! I''m hanging up" she said angrily. if James was currently in front of her, she would have given him a good beating.

    "Alright then, keep me updat..." before he could finish, she already hung up.

    he let out a soft chuckle as he said "she still hasn''t changed"

    After dressing up, she carried a black backpack that looked heavy and left the room. she was wearing a black face cap, a black Guy''s top,black ripped jean, and a black boot. As soon as she got to the sitting room, she saw a familiar figure kneeling down in front of a guy sitting on the sofa.

    But they didn''t notice her since she was behind them while they kept conversing.

    "please, give me one month... no... 2 weeks.. I''ll fix this! don''t just tell them at home please"

    the girl begged. she looked like she was going to cry as she begged pitifully.

    "I''ll give you a week, if you don''t fix it! do not blame me" he said angrily..

    At this point, Mia walked on them.

    "So after a week you''ll throw me out? you wish!!" she said as she crossed her arms on her chest and looked at them pointedly.

    Chloe raised her head as she peered closer at the figure that just entered. the face cap didn''t really cover her entire face, so she could still see the girl''s pretty face.

    "Mi...Mia?"

    Leo had been trying to respond to Mia''s rudeness but he was taken aback that his sister would know such a person.

    "You know this person?" he asked.

    "yes.. she''s my classmate. She''s the top female and second best in class"

    Chloe didn''t really care much about her classmates, but Mia was an exception. She was really pretty and smart also. She had been trying to top Mia to become the top female.. but Mia had remained the top female in their exams and the second best in class. She had tried looking for various means to get to Mia but Mia''s cold personality had discouraged her. Her being the 4th best student in class had made her sad because she knew that although, her parents didn''t complain, they weren''t so happy.

    Leo could not believe that this person was able to enter into that university more so, was the top student. He was rather shocked and he looked at her carefully..

    "She''s the friend staying here?"

    before Leo could answer, Mia cut him off.

    "I''m not ready for your nonsense. you don''t tell me when to come or go. I can stay here for a month, 2 months and even the complete 8 months. I''ll only advise that you don''t get on my nerves. and if you try to change the password for the apartment, I won''t bother James to go the legal way. I''ll burn down this apartment with you in it" she said pointedly to the both of them as she walked out.

 Chapter 8 - Festival

    Saturdays were Mia''s workout days. Although, she didn''t need to workout anymore cause she knew last night''s event which had been happening quite often always helped her burn off fat, But She still had to go jogging to help her relax. After returning back to the apartment in the wee hours of the morning, she was relieved to know that those psychos didn''t mess with the pass code. she wasn''t in the mood to make trouble with them. Seeing Chloe yesterday, surprised her. Although she knew Chloe was her classmate and among the top 10 students in class, she didn''t know her name but only knew her as a ''snob'' which people had labelled her as. Mia wasn''t really concerned with whatever happened in her class. She only cared about breaking out from the shell of the ''top female'' in class to become the ''top student'' and that''s what she intends to achieve before graduating in a month''s time.

    As she was about entering the apartment, she received a call notification on her headset. so she pressed a button then a male''s voice spoke out.

    "Are you free tomorrow?"

    "Good morning to you too

    .." she rolled her eyes to show her irritation then ended the call as she entered the pass code to the apartment.

    Once she entered, she checked the side of the door for something but didn''t see then continued walking.

    She noticed a familiar figure and an unfamiliar figure sitting on the sofa discussing but didn''t even pay any attention to them as she moved straight to the kitchen to get a bottle of mineral water.

    Richard, who had brought over Leo''s luggage, was shocked to see a strange pretty girl enter Inside the apartment and completely ignoring them. She was putting on a black sports bra, which exposed her little navel and flat tummy. black yoga pants and black Sports sneakers with her hair weaved in cornrows and an average looking black headset. she had sweat all over her and a little towel dr.a.p.ed over her left shoulder.

    she was really pretty and even looking at her indifferent look in a few seconds got his heart racing.. He was still looking at the direction she had followed and was totally lost in thought.. till Leo pulled him back when he yelled.

    Leo was momentarily stunned also when he saw her cause he had only seen her looking like a gangster the previous night. now, seeing her looking good with her feminine curves... he was surprised but he had to snap back to reality in order not to give himself away. so he yelled

    "what''s wrong with her? can''t she change into a slipper instead of using her shoes here? who would clean it up?" He felt rather irritated when he saw her shoe print on his tile.

    " Who..who''s she?" Richard stammered.

    Before Leo could answer, Mia came out from the Kitchen and looked pointedly at Leo which made him shiver slightly.

    "If you have problem with it then buy an extra slipper" she said coldly before heading to her room.

    She had indeed wanted to change it to a slipper but noticed that there was none there. of course, the spare was on Richard''s feet.

    "wh..what? buy an extra? how can you tell me what to do in my house?" he shouted at her direction. But it made no difference since Mia had long entered her room.

    Richard was still confused by the whole drama. he kept pushing for Leo to tell him who she was but Leo ignored him as he went back to their previous discussion.

    "As I was saying, I won''t be going to the festival tomorrow" Leo affirmed

    Richard who was feeling down said softly "you should, it is important. Your parents are putting in enough effort and even invited my family and other prestigious families. you should try even if you don''t want to bump into her"

    "She texted me yesterday. did you tell her I was in town?" Leo asked.

    "No...no... it wasn''t me I swear" Richard swore.

    "hmm, alright then, I''ll visit home tonight" Leo said.

    ---

    Once Mia entered. She went to the bathroom then stood at the mirror. she could remember how guys stole glances at her during her morning jog even if she acted like she didn''t see them. he lips curved up slightly "I''m guess I''m still pretty".

    Her phone rang again then she took the call.

    "Good morning MIA.." he politely greeted "Are you free tomorrow?"

    Mia mocked him inwardly then spoke "What''s the matter?"

    "They''ll be a Children''s festival tomorrow in Waterfall Park you''re aware?" he answered.

    "Who doesn''t know that? so?"

    "The pay is high.. you don''t want to miss out on this. The costumes are ready.. you..you can be Mickey mouse right? he seemed to struggle as he spoke.

    " what the f*ck? you want me to dress like a fu*king clown and dance around some kids? are you kidding me? she asked angrily.

    "no...no..no... the thing is, Kids from the orphanages in the Empire are all coming. the King''s family is sponsoring. kids always love you.. plus they''ll be a lot of elite families bringing their kids. you know how those brats behave..." when he knew he was getting lost for words, he tried to look for another means "yes.. you know that those kids in Freeborn orphanage likes you a lot. do you want them to be bullied, do you?"

    Mia was quiet for a while before finally saying "okay, fine. text me the details then".

 Chapter 9 - I cant live with you

    Mia didn''t come out from her room until late afternoon. She was very annoyed that she had to live with someone else now. Why did he have to come home now of all time?

    She heard her phone ring beside her and reached for it.

    "You crazy idiot! Guess who''s still in the house with me?" She asked James angrily. She had not been able to reach after their last conversation and it annoyed her that he only had to call her now.

    "Why are you so pissed? You didn''t even say ''Hello'' to your boyfriend"

    "Which idiot boyfriend? Your housemate is still here. And worse of all, because the house is actually his, I can''t do anything. I only have to keep threatening his with his crazy sister for forging the doc.u.ments"

    "Was there any trouble?" James sounded concerned when he asked.

    "The only trouble I see now is that I can''t live in this house with that boy. He''s too loud for my liking. He even brought in a girl on his first day home and they came into this room" Mia said in irritation.

    James rolled his eyes. He had already heard all of these before. He knew she was still repeating everything because she was really pissed and needed someone to rant to.

    "Relax sweetheart. Wait... I have to run now. If there''s trouble, do not hesitate to call me. And please.... do not make trouble" He pleaded with her before hanging up.

    Mia sighed in frustration. Why was everything getting to annoying and complicated? Why didn''t he just wait till she was out of here before coming back?

    "He better stays in his lane else I''ll throw him out" She shouted at his room''s door before moving to the kitchen.

    Leo heard her voice while he was busy in his room with his laptop and scoffed in exasperation.

    This was his house. This was his own house! He couldn''t believe she was bullying him in his own house. He had considered leaving to a hotel but that idea was nonsense. Why would he leave his house for someone else. He was going to frustrate her to the point where she''ll have to leave on her own. What a noisy and annoying girl.

    He was never going to let his sister be for subjecting him to this.

    **

    Mia quickly fixed herself Spaghetti with some of the ingredients James had stored in the fridge for her before leaving. She really didn''t like cooking but she didn''t want to starve either.

    As she ate in the kitchen, she went through the bank alerts on her phone and smiled when she saw how much she had saved up. Tomorrow was going to be another day to earn even though she hated the idea of wearing a Mickey Mouse costume and dancing around.

    On her way out of the kitchen after washing the dishes, she saw her housemate enter. She hadn''t bothered to know his name because it wasn''t necessary and she didn''t plan on being friends with him.

    She looked at him scornfully before pushing past him and muttered the word ''FORNICATOR''

    "What.... did you just call me?" Leo looked at her with annoyance written all over his face.

    "Did i say something?" Mia pretended like she didn''t know what he was talking about and walked leisurely towards her room.

    "Ah..this girl! I seriously can''t live with you" He shouted at her back. How dare her call him a fornicator!?

    "I can''t live with you too!" She screamed back at him before banging the door.

 Chapter 10 - One word game

    Leo had just entered inside the kitchen a nice aroma had been wafting from. He hadn''t bothered to come out even though he was hungry and too lazy to go out to get something because he knew didn''t want to bump into her again. He had patiently waited till he was sure she was done with the kitchen before coming out. But even after he came out, she was still inside. He didn''t have any other choice than to go in and get a can of water since he needed it.

    ''She must be very stingy'' He had concluded in his mind because he knew his crazy housemate wasn''t the type to share her food with anyone. There was no slight probability or possibility of her doing so.

    ''Not like I wanted to eat her food anyway.''

    He had ordered a pepperoni Pizza and went to the kitchen to get a can of water when he saw the little devil that was wearing a big polo shirt and baggy knicker.

    He had done his best to not say anything to her anymore. To ignore her till his sister found a way to send the little devil out but what did she call him....a fornicator? Did I ever have s.e.x with her? How annoying!

    "I wouldn''t even agree to have s.e.x with you even if you begged me" He said in annoyance after she banged the door before he angrily took out a can of water from the fridge and scuffled to his own room.

    He wouldn''t have returned to this lame country.

    ***

    That night while he was watching the news in the sitting room, he saw her going out in her usual complete black outfit just like last night. "Gangster" He muttered when she almost got to the door. Mia stopped when she heard him. She turned her head to the corner but didn''t look directly at him. She could see him through the corner of her eyes looking at the TV like he hadn''t just spoken to her.

    ''Oh.. this one word game is going to be fun'' She said in her mind before making a sneering sound and went further to open the door.

    Leo chuckled for having riled her up. He was going to see how long she would last.

    He dialled a number on his phone and quickly, it connected to Chloe.

    "What is your plan?" He asked her. He believed he had given her enough time to think of a way to send this housemate out. What was this.... Big brother Africa? [1]

    "Bro please... You gave me a week. This is just the first day. I''m still seriously thinking about something. I promise you"

    Chloe signalled for the masseuse who had been giving her a massage to be quiet and not utter a word when the woman was about to say something.

    She couldn''t kill herself. She had to take care of herself in order for her to think well.

    She thought about various ideas to convince Mia to leave. But she knew Mia. The girl was very difficult. In her class, they were two snobs: She was obviously one while the other was Mia. A lot of people hated her and she had heard people saying something about her being too full of herself when she wasn''t even from a rich family.

    Chloe thought about enticing her with money��Give her a good amount of money that would help her get a little room to stay for two months and even have some change left for her to spend.

    That was the only thing she could do now. She smiled at finally arriving at a solution.

    For being this smart, she was going to reward herself by taking herself on a shopping spree after her spa session.

    ***

    That evening, Leo visited his family''s house. And he wasn''t surprised when he was told his parents were not at home. Emergency at the hospital had taken them both out as usual.

    He regretted ever coming in the first place. Weren''t they supposed to be preparing for the festival? Why were they always so busy in the hospital?

    "I almost forgot how you looked like"

    Leo turned when he heard his brother''s voice and smiled brightly at him.

    "I''m not sure about that. You''ll always remember me when you look at the mirror" He said with a cheeky grin before the both of them hugged each other.

    "Why didn''t I know you were in town?" Louis asked his twin brother Leo.

    "You wouldn''t have been this surprised if you knew I was around"

    Leo answered before running his eyes on his brother''s outfit. And yes... He was dressed like a doctor with his lab coat on. The typical picture he had of his brother mentally.

    "You''re going to the hospital also?" Leo asked.

    "Oh yes" He looked at his watch before continuing. "If we had known you were going to be around, we would have fixed things well. I have to run along now. You''ll come to the festival tomorrow right? You know about it I guess?"

    Leo nodded before seeing his brother off. He was going there after all. He just hoped he didn''t bump into Cherry there.

    But maybe the future had other plans for him...

    [1] Big brother Africa is a reality TV Show in which people from different countries of Africa live together in an apartment and there is only one winner at the end.

 Chapter 11 - To Silent Readers.

    Hello. I know I''ve been away for a really really long time.

    So, I want to know those still interested so I''ll know whether to continue or not.

    If you''re still interested, leave a COMMENT here.

    If the comments are up to 50, I''ll upload 5 chapters.

    So leave a comment!!

    Thanks ???

 Chapter 12 - Fortunetelling

    The next morning, Mia went to Waterfall Park for the children''s festival. When she saw many children playing together and laughing happily, a tiny smile formed on her face. She liked Children, especially the Children in Freeborn orphanage. She always visited and sent items to them with her family ever since she was younger. Even now when she didn''t have much and her family was incomplete, she didn''t fail to visit them once in a while.

    "Mia. You''re here" She heard Jerry''s excited voice when he welcomed her.

    Jerry was a young man in his late twenties. Blond, handsome, green-eyed, tall and simple. He was wearing a plain white shirt and black pants with a black shoe.

    He had been linking her up with different jobs for as long as she could remember. And he was the one who told her about this.

    "How long am I supposed to stay here?" She asked straightforwardly not bothering to engage him in exchanging pleasantries.

    "Hmm..." He checked his watch and said "It''s just past nine. So let''s say you''ll be staying till three tops" He answered.

    "What? Three o''clock? I''ll wear a heavy costume for..." She used her fingers to count "Six hours? in this weather?" She looked at him in unbelief.

    "You''ll rest obviously" He hurriedly answered her before she would change her mind. He hadn''t planned for an option B and didn''t want to take Amy chances right now.

    Mia sighed deeply. "Why do I have a bad feeling about all of these?" She asked no one in particular and just followed him as he led the way.

    ***

    Leo could finally breathe when his parents left him to greet other families that were present in the crowded park. He noticed his sister was avoiding him. And her emotions had been heightened the entire time; obviously frightened that he might say something to their parents about what she did to his apartment.

    "What''s with the long face? You should have fun" Louis said to his brother as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

    "It''s too noisy for my liking." Leo answered in displeasure.

    "Just do something. Hang out with the kids and have fun" Louis tapped his shoulder twice before he went on his own way.

    "You look....really funny" Leo heard Richard''s mock voice behind him and turned.

    He actually agreed with what Richard just said. He felt he really looked funny wearing the same outfit with the rest of his family.

    He was on a black trousers and a blue polo T-shirt shirt with ''KING''S FOUNDATION'' boldly written on the front and back with white ink.

    "Don''t remind me please" Leo frowned. His facial expression caused Richard to chuckle. He knew Leo didn''t like doing what every other person was doing or wearing what every other person was wearing.

    "We''ve just greeted your parents. I saw Louis also. For a moment, I thought he was you. How do your parents differentiate between you two?"

    "You always ask me that question every time. You''ve been my friend for fifteen years and you still can''t tell who is who?"

    "Well, I can. The cooler one is obviously.....Louis" He said with a teasing smile.

    "Just go on ahead. You''re being annoying" Leo said before walking past him with both his hands on his trouser pocket.

    ***

    Mia looked at the kids through her Mickey Mouse eyes.

    She was dying of heat in there but she didn''t relent and danced with some of the kids who were more interested in watching the Mickey Mouse than using the Merry go-round or any other fun equipment in the park.

    ''I''ll never take this kind of job again. Never in my life'' She said to herself repeatedly. It was just twelve o''clock but she was already so tired. She wouldn''t kill herself because of money.

    When she noticed the kids were not going to let her be, she thought of a plan to play hide and seek with them.

    Of course, she was the one going to hide. She would use that opportunity to take off this annoying costume before coming out again.

    As she looked for a building to hide herself after running a bit far from where the crowd mostly was, her eyes fell on a little wooden building decorated with flowers.

    It looked quiet and isolated so she thought it was probably the best place to relax.

    She gradually snuck in��body first since her head was still peeking outside to make sure no one was seeing her.

    "Ah! Your future is sooooo bright. I am proud of you"

    Mia turned in shock when she heard a voice inside the building she had just entered.

    A woman who was sitting on a mat held a little boy''s face who was probably around six years old and kissed him hard on a cheek.

    On the other side of the table, a man who looked like a fortuneteller sat across them with his legs crossed together on the mat.

    The interior obviously looked like a shaman house to Mia which made her wonder why somewhere like this was in a park like this.

    When they all saw the Mickey Mouse enter, they were startled.

    Quickly, the woman took her son''s hand and left the room. Seems like her time with him was over.

    ***

    Louis was just walking about when he saw a little wooden building decorated with flowers. Out of curiosity, he decided to take a peek. He was also worried a child might be in there because he could hear faint sounds coming from there.

    When he saw a woman and a little boy leaving the place, he became more curious about what was going on in there.

    As he was about opening the door, he heard someone speak

    "If you''re hear to learn your fortune, you can just take your seat"

    Louis wrinkled his brow in confusion, wondering whether he was the one the man was referring to. Before he could say something or open the door, he heard a female voice speak

    **

    "Sorry. I got in here by mistake" Mia bowed her head and tried to leave before his voice resounded in the small wooden room.

    "You should purge yourself of bad luck. More may come your way" The fortuneteller said in a relaxed tone.

    Mia stopped and turned her Mickey Mouse head to look at him.

    "Bad luck? I have bad luck?" She asked him in an indifferent tone.

    "You should know best" The man said with his head down while he continued to fiddle with some kind of beads.

    Mia was quiet. She thought maybe she actually did have a bad luck. From the moment she was born, her family had been in misfortune. She guessed it was probably one of the many reasons they all didn''t like her.

    "You should always behave well. You may likely get lucky in your love life." He advised her which caused her to scoff out.

    "Hey Mr Shaman. ''May'' ''Likely'' You''re not even sure about the things you''re saying and you dare say I have bad luck? How can you be so relaxed when saying annoying things like that to someone''s child?"

    "Your temper will drag you down if you do not control it"

    "Hey!" She screamed at him again.

 Chapter 13 - Jerk

    The fortuneteller raised his head for the first time to look at the Mickey Mouse. "You have a bad temper" He pointed out.

    "So I was supposed to just swallow everything you say hook line and sinker?" She asked him in annoyance.

    "Then why aren''t you leaving?" He asked in return. If she was so unhappy about what he was saying, she could easily leave with no one stopping her.

    Mia took off the Mickey Mouse''s head. Her face was sweaty and her hair was stuck to her face as a result of the sweat.

    "I will leave now. But I want to let you know something. There is nothing like bad luck in my life. I am a very pretty girl and if I want to date anyone, I''ll have a line of guys to choose from so, I''ll obviously be lucky in my relationship because I''ll select carefully. I don''t want some Shaman spouting gibberish and laying curses on me"

    "I am not a Shaman!" He corrected unhappily before stretching out his hand.

    Mia gave him a questioning look. What was she supposed to do with his hand?

    "Money. I read your fortune so you''ll have to pay. it''s 20 bucks" He said.

    Mia scoffed in disbelief "What a scam!" She said before opening the door with full force.

    Of everyone to bump into, it was none other than her crazy housemate. What the hell was he doing here? And it was like he had a smile on her face. He obviously must have heard them and was now laughing at her. She regretted taking off the Mouse''s head at least, he wouldn''t have seen her face.

    She looked at his shirt and saw the boldly written KING''S FOUNDATION on it. She had seen a couple of people around who wore the same polo shirt. So he works for this foundation?

    Mia looked him up and down scornfully before walking past him. She remembered their one word game so she said "Jerk"

    Louis looked at her in confusion. Was she calling the fortuneteller a jerk or was she calling him a jerk? She had looked him straight in the eyes before she said that word. So it meant she called him that right?

    "Miss" He turned and called her.

    ''Miss?'' Mia scoffed. She pretended not to hear him and kept walking. She was so annoyed. Annoyed with everything! She just wanted time to fly by so she would get her pay and go home.

    "You should pay up after having your fortune read. This is not an NGO" The fortuneteller opened the door and screamed at her retreating figure.

    "You will run out of business because you''re nothing but a con artist. Just you watch! Make sure you don''t change location because I''ll come back here to show you how perfect my life turned out to be" She screamed back at him with both her hands on her h.i.p.s like someone ready for a fight.

    Louis looked back and forth between the two of them as they exchanged words. She really looked funny with the outfit she was putting on.

    He had actually wanted to leave earlier when he realised what place it was. But listening to the girl''s annoyed tone as she spoke made him stand there and listen to them banter.

    "Ah! Just leave already before you ruin my day" The fortuneteller said to her in annoyance before he turned to look at Louis with a smile.

    "You can come in" He said to his new customer politely.

 Chapter 13 - Shes strange

    Louis looked at the man and then at Mia who was leaving after her annoyed rant.

    "Young man... Aren''t you coming in?" The man asked Louis.

    After a brief pause, he declined.

    "No sorry." He was never a believer or necromancy and fortunetelling.

    When he turned to leave, the man''s words made him halt his footsteps.

    "Be careful."

    After he said that, the man turned and went back inside Hus little ''shrine''

    ********

    "Two and a half hours. Just two and a half hours left" Mia reminded herself as she desperately tried to not get annoyed or fed up.

    She could feel her temperature begin to rise and feared she was going to fall sick soon.

    She faked a cry when she remembered she had to wear the heavy Mickey''s head again.

    Having no other option, she wore it and resumed her job.

    Louis had tried to follow her but unfortunately, he could not keep up. And what made him even more confused was the different costumes of Mickey mouse almost everywhere.

    So how was he supposed to differentiate her from the others?

    "She''s strange." He said to himself. Not just her foul language, but the way she had also called him a ''jerk'' like he wronged her or something.

    He sighed and turned to leave but he bumped into a young lady when he turned.

    "Hello Louis" She greeted with a smile.

    He looked a bit surprised when he suddenly saw her behind him.

    She was Cherry Anderson. A good scriptwriter and dance choreographer.

    She wore a blue short long sleeved gown with black jelly shoes on her feet. On her hand, she held an high-end designer bag and her hair was left to fall freely.

    And her pretty face was well made-up to look like a superstar.

    "You seem to be the only one who never mistakes Leo and I" He ''greeted'' with a smile and watched her pretty face lit up like she had just been complimented.

    "I''m happy to hear that. Took me a while before I got used to you both."

    "Where''s Leo? Why don''t I see him anywhere?" She stretched her neck and made a show of looking around.

    "He''s probably somewhere with Richard. I''m sure you''ll find him soon."

    "Can you please place a call across to him to know where he exactly he is? He doesn''t have to know I''m here" She asked with a pleading smile.

    "Sorry. You probably should call him yourself. Please excuse me." He added politely before going on his own way.

    Cherry bit her nether lip nervously and contemplated calling him or not.

    "But calling him would ruin the surprise. And I don''t want to do that." She made a decision and began to stroll around.

    She wanted them both to bump into each other, just like fate!

    ********

    Leo was busy having fun with two little girls who were probably around eight to nine years old. He squatted beside them with both on each of his sides.

    The girl who appeared to be older had a red hair while the one who looked younger had black hair.

    He did like kids a lot and even though he was not thinking about getting married, he wanted to at least have two kids.

    "Call me uncle Leo. Leo King" He said to the them after offering them candies.

    "Wow! Lion King. I like your name!" The red haired girl exclaimed excitedly.

    "I like your name also. Can I call you Lion king instead?" The other one asked.

    He laughed and nodded.

    "Okay! You can call me Lion King. But I''ll also give you both nicknames." He negotiated.

    "Lion King. Doesn''t sound bad at all"

    Leo quickly whipped his head to the side to look at the person who had just spoken. And that person was the last person he did not wish to see in his life�� Cherry Anderson!

    "We meet again" She smiled.

    Leo stood to his full height and pretended like he did not know her.

    "So what should I call you? Little pumpkim?" He asked the one with red hair.

    Cherry frowned when he refused to give her any attention.

    Even though she had wanted to leave everything to fate, immediately she saw Richard, she had asked him where to find Leo immediately.

    And although Richard had not wanted to tell her, she always knew how to get her way.

    "Hello little pumpkins" Cherry crouched down to pat their little heads.

    "Would you like to play hide and seek with Uncle Lion King and I?"

    Both girls cheered almost immediately and with Cherry''s instruction, they ran to hide.

    "So can I get your attention now?" She asked Leo with a face devoid of any emotion.

    "Are you crazy? Do you really plan to piss me off this afternoon?" He asked harshly.

    "I only want to talk to you Leo. Can we at least go somewhere to��"

    "I''d act like I didn''t see you and pretend like you didn''t just annoy me just now. The least you could do is to never appear in front of me and keep acting like we do not know each other."

    "You''re being childish right now, you know that?" She spoke to his back when he began to walk away from her.

    "Then you should leave this child alone and go hang out with a.d.u.l.ts" He turned to say to her before going to search for the girls.

 Chapter 14 - Doctor Leo

    Leo''s good mood completely turned sour after his encounter with Cherry Anderson.

    He was pissed at her. Pissed at her for showing up now and acting like everything was okay between them.

    "Would you like to play hide and seek with Uncle Lion King and I?" He tried to mimick her annoying voice as he rolled his eyes.

    The action suddenly reminded him of what she had said about him being childish.

    He hissed immediately before comporting himself. Especially when he noticed the curious glances directed towards him.

    He was pissed. Pissed at himself for still allowing her rouse different kinds of emotion from him.

    He was supposed to be done with her twenty-six months ago. Why was he still so angry whenever he thought about her?

    He sighed and continued to walk around the park. He just wanted to go home and relax.

    Speaking of home, he suddenly remembered there was a Devil in the same house with him.

    ''Oh God!'' He sighed.

    If he had thought his day would not get worse than it was already going, then he was wrong.

    Because of every other person to bump into, he had to bump into his elderly maternal Aunt who liked to talk a lot.

    And worse of all, she was with her group of friends who liked to gossip. They were three other women chatting and laughing with Aunt Deborah, but he was only able to recognise the woman beside her with blond hair.

    She was Aunt Lucy, her best friend. Also in her mid-fifties.

    He tried to dodge so she wouldn''t see him but unfortunately, she did.

    "Oh my goodness. You look so handsome today" Aunt Deborah quickly called him over and stretched her hand to pull him closer to her as she began to introduce her friends to him.

    ''Oh God! What do I need to know her friends for?'' He complained bitterly within him.

    "He''s my little Nephew. So adorable" She began to pinch his cheeks.

    Leo felt very uncomfortable. Little Nephew? Cheek pinching? Adorable?

    He suddenly remembered what Chloe had told him about Aunt Deborah being sick recently. She had also informed him that a lot of things changed about her and they were still trying to get her back to normal.

    "This here is Aunt Stella, this is Aunt Mona. Oh, you remember Aunt Lucy right?" She introduced them all to him and he was beginning to get bored.

    Now, this was were the problem arose. It was time to properly introduce him to them and she shocked him by saying,

    "This here is my little Nephew." She introduced again but did not end there this time. "He is Louis. King Louis. He''s my favourite." She began to cackle.

    "What?" He looked at her in surprise and kept trying to correct her.

    But sometimes, it was too difficult to get women''s attention especially when she was already telling them about the wonderful things he always did in the ''operating room''

    "He''s so responsible unlike his twin brother who never agrees to stay at home and help out the family. I just want to smack his head whenever I see him. Too bad he has the same face with my King Louis." Aunt said the words that shocked him more before she began to pinch his cheeks again and call him "Adorable".

    First of all she had mentioned Louis was her favourite. Now, she was even calling him irresponsible in front of him!

    How was he supposed to tell them now that he wasn''t Louis but the irresponsible one who had refused to return home to help the family?

    Or was he supposed to say "Oh yea Aunty. I am actually King Leo so smack my head."

    He knew it had always been difficult for most people to differentiate between Louis and himself.

    But Aunt Deborah had never found it challenging until now. The illness must have really affected her more than he had imagined .

    All Leo could do was to try to play along while trying to get away from the women but they seemed keen on keeping him

    ''Can today get any worse?''

    He asked himself. And just like nature planned to frustrate him that day, he heard screams close to where they were standing.

    And soon, people began to gather.

    Since the women did not want to be left out, they also moved closer to see and to their surprise, they saw a ''Mickey Mouse'' collapsed on the ground.

    "Mickey is dead."

    "Mickey fainted"

    The kids began to scream and run around.

    "Oh my God. Poor Mickey. Where is the paramedic team?" Aunt Deborah asked first as she began to look around.

    "Oh! Thank goodness we have a doctor here" Aunt Lucy cried out and soon, everyone turned their attention to Leo who looked at them with a confused expression on his face.

    "Come on. Come save Mickey. But take that head off him first"

    People were relieved that a doctor was in their midst and was going to attend to ''Mickey'' before the paramedics arrived.

    "Who...is a doctor.? Me?" Leo asked in astonishment.

    ''Oh God! Who asked me to do this?''

    Thankfully, he knew a bit about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation since he lived with doctors (Father, mother, and brother) and  had been trained to know basic first aid treatments.

    There was no harm in trying right? He could buy enough time before the medic team arrived.

    He made up his mind and went fully into doctor mode as he asked the crowd to give the patient some space.

    It was already beginning to gross him out even before taking off the head. What if he was an ugly man?

    He tried not to throw up at the thought of administering a CPR.

    ''Oh God let it be a pretty girl'' He prayed earnestly.

    But he knew that was likely never going to happen.

    It was rare for girls to take these kind of jobs.

    Slowly, he began to take off the mask. And while he did that, he tried not to close his eyes but his eyes closed involuntarily.

    It was best to never see the face of the man before ''bringing him back to life''. That way, it would be less traumatic for him, and he could easily forgive Aunt Deborah for putting him through this.

    But he was surprised when he began to hear gasps from the people gathered around..

    "Oh my God! It''s a lady. It''s really a lady!"

    "Mickey mouse is a girl?"

    He heard the crowd began to murmur.

    ''A lady?'' Was he hearing things now? Or did God listen to his prayer?

    He decided to open his eyes and look at the fainted lady.

 Chapter 15 - Saving Mickey

    BEFORE THE INCIDENT...

    Earlier, Leo had been taking a stroll around the Park when he saw his brother around an isolated area.

    He called his name but it seemed Louis was trying to follow someone so he could not get his brother''s attention.

    When he looked around the place, he saw the weird looking building and thought he should take a look. Maybe he could find some kind of hidden treasure or something right?

    He knocked on the wooden door but there was no answer and so he pushed the door open. Immediately he did so, he jumped when he saw a man sitting like a Buddha''s statue with his eyes closed.

    "You''re welcome. Come in" The man said to Leo without opening his eyes.

    "Me?" Leo pointed to himself in confusion.

    Was the man really talking to him or was he in some sort of vision or something?

    "Yes. Come in" He man opened his eyes and  used a hand to signal for him to enter.

    Leo did just that and wondered why this kind of place was in a park. Wasn''t it strange?

    ''Isn''t this a Shaman''s house?'' He asked himself.

    As if reading his thought, the man looked at him angrily before declaring,

    "I am not a Shaman!"

    Leo was taken aback. Did the strange man just read his mind?

    A glint appeared in his eyes and he thought this was interesting.

    "You are sick" The man stated.

    "Me? I''m not" Leo quickly shook his head. He was perfectly fine.

    "I wasn''t asking. You are sick."

    The man touched the left side of his chest before he added. "Your heart is sick."

    Leo''s brows knotted in confusion but he decided to remain quiet and listen to what the Shaman had to say.

    "But you''ll be healed soon."

    "O��kay?" Leo looked at the man carefully and waited for him to explain himself.

    The man looked at the beads in his left hand and suddenly began to laugh.

    "Your life is about to get interesting."

    After Leo left there, he began to wonder what the man meant by that. His life was becoming interesting?

    He did not believe in things like that but there was no harm in being hopeful right?

    *******

    AN HOUR LATER...

    "Mickey is a girl!"

    Leo was surprised to hear that and so he opened his eyes to take a look.

    When he saw the girl, he lost balance and fell with his butt landing on the ground.

    Wasn''t this his crazy housemate? He thought to himself in horror.

    He would rather perform a CPR on a pig than to place his precious lips close to hers.

    "Hurry! What are you doing? Mickey might die for real" Aunt Deborah urged him impatiently.

    "Didn''t they say he was a doctor?"

    "He looks like a scaredy cat."

    He began to hear murmurs around him and his mind dived further into tumult.

    This was his brother''s reputation he was trying to ruin.

    And there was no way he could admit to them now that he was not Louis but Leo.

    He looked at Mia again and somehow pitied her.

    She looked really pale and unconscious. And there was sweat all over her face.

    If only they could take off her entire costume first to give her enough fresh air.

    Why did she opt in for this kind of job?

    He began to complain inside him.

    Having no other choice, he decided to imagine she was another Lady instead. A prettier lady who didn''t have a foul mouth and bad temper like her.

    He took in a deep breath and stared at her lips.

    When his eyes landed there, he gulped down every saliva he could find inside his mouth.

    He could not believe she had such pretty and glossy lips despite how foul mouthed she was.

    "Hurry" He heard his aunt''s friends urge him and he returned to his senses.

    He first placed a hand under her nose to check whether she was still breathing before settling himself to give her a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

    He placed his hands on her chest to attempt a chest compression. All the while, desperately trying so hard not to take note of her b.r.e.a.s.ts which he could feel.

    ''Heavenly father, this is unfair''

    Didn''t that Shaman tell him his life was going to be fun from now on?

    First, he had bumped into Cherry. Next, he bumped into his Aunt. And now, he was to save his crazy housemate. How was this fun!?

    ''You can do this Leo. You can''

    He assured himself before placing his mouth on hers and was startled by how soft her lips felt on his.

    He tried not to think of anything else other than to save her and so he repeated the chest compression and mouth-to-mouth action until they all heard her gasp loudly.

    "Lady Mickey is awake. Lady Mickey is save!"

    The children began to cheer and clap their hands in joy.

    Even some a.d.u.l.ts joined them to cheer also.

    Mia opened her eyes slowly but could not fully open them because the sun stung her eyes..

    She noticed a figure hovering above her and tried to make out who the person was and what was happening to her.

    "Ben...jamin?" She asked with a faint smile since all she could see was someone who was covered by the sun and the person seemed to look so much like Benjamin.

    But unfortunately, the image transformed from ''Benjamin'' to the ''jerk''

    Her eyes bulged out and immediately, she sat up and pushed him. Her push caused him to land on his butt the second time.

    "And that''s what I get for saving your life?" He asked with a frown.

    Mia turned to look at the crowd around them before she turned to look at Leo with two fingers touching her lips.

    "You....kissed me?" She asked him in horror.

 Chapter 16 - You might end up liking her...

    Leo blinked at her in confusion.

    "What do you mean by whether I kissed you? Can''t you see I just saved your life?" He asked her angrily.

    He could not believe that was the ''thanks'' he was receiving from her after everything.

    Mia blinked back at him before turning to look at the people gathered there in a daze.

    She realised she must have fainted.

    But while her mind was still wandering in the dark, she felt a soft lip on hers, thinking it was Benjamin, only for her to open her eyes to see the ''Jerk'' hovering above her.

    "Young lady. My Nephew saved your life. He is a doctor. You should thank him." Aunt Deborah said to Mia with a motherly smile.

    Mia looked from the elderly lady to Leo who was still sitting on his butt.

    How could life be so unfair? Why did this idiot have to be the first to feel her lips?

    Or rather, why was his lips the first she ever felt on hers?

    She tried not to cry before standing up with wobbly feet to leave the scene. But she did not forget to smack his head with her hand before shuffling out of the scene with her heavy costume.

    "Ah!" Leo scoffed in shock even as the medic team arrived.

    That was what he got for saving her life?

    He frowned deeply before getting up to chase after her.

    That was the last straw that broke the camel''s back!

    She was so going to leave his house because he did not like ungrateful girls.

    "Leo.. What was that just now?" Richard called after him in surprise.

    He had seen and heard people saying Leo was a doctor and should save a lady.

    Even though Leo was very identical to his brother, he knew that the guy he was seeing there was obviously Leo and not Louis.

    So he had thought Leo would explain he was not a doctor but a writer. But to his shock, he saw Leo push forward with the idea while pretending to be his brother.

    And what even shocked him more, he saw the lady and realised who she was. She was the lady staying in his house.

    Leo ignored Richard and continued to walk fast in order to catch up with Mia that was already running.

    "Whoa Bro.. Chill! You look like someone going to start a war." Richard put a hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving any further.

    "I am not only going to start a war, I am going to knock some sense into that empty head of hers." He spat out in fury as he stopped to explain to his friend everything that had happened.

    "Is she crazy? The first thing she could ask was whether or not I kissed her? Like why would I want to kiss someone like her who is not only foulmouthed but ungrateful and bad tempered?"

    Richard began to grin. Those were guys for you. Out of everything Leo said, he was only interested in their mouth-to-mouth ''encounter''.

    "Was it soft?" He asked to interrupt Leo who was still ranting.

    "Hell yea it wa��" Leo suddenly paused and glared at Richard who was now chuckling.

    "Are you crazy?"

    "So you liked it? Look how you just admitted it at once."

    "Cause I was thinking a whole lot of things and my mind didn''t register what you had asked me."

    "That''s the best time to get the truth out of someone. Don''t be too worked up. Besides, even though she has those kind of attitude, you know she''s really pretty and that should cover up for her shortcomings right?" Richard laughed.

    "Do you think being pretty is just enough? She has to work on her manners too. Jesus! I cannot believe how unlucky I am today." He exclaimed out of frustration.

    "You didn''t deny she was pretty. That''s very interesting. Trust me, you might end up liking her one day." Richard assured him.

    "Are you out of your mind?" He suddenly yelled at Richard.

    "How do you expect me to like someone like that? I''d rather shave my head and turn into a monk" He hissed.

    "So should we make a bet? If you dare fall for her, you''d shave your head and turn into a monk."

    Leo didn''t see any possibility of that ever happening so he quickly accepted the bet.

    "Good. Then I give you two weeks. If I am sure you still hate her this much, I''ll pursue her" Richard declared with a grin. "She''s cool you know"

    "Are you out of your mind? Who do you think you are to call the shots here?" Leo eyed him and pushed past him to go look for the ungrateful and bad mannered crazy housemate of his.

 Chapter 17 - Money can never be bigger than me

    "This is the worst day of my life" Mia declared angrily as she marched to look for the shaman''s little ''shrine''.

    She believed that he was the one who cursed her. If not, why would she suddenly faint and that womanizer was the one to perform a CPR on her?

    Now, she didn''t even feel like she had fainted just a few minutes back. She felt okay.

    This was obviously more supernatural than natural and it was his handiwork.

    But no matter how much she trudged around, she still could not find the building, much to her annoyance.

    "Ahhhhhhhh!" Mia screamed before using both hands to pull her hair.

    Her emotions were heightened and she thought she was going to cry any moment. But she did not want to.

    Of everyone to be there at that moment, why did it have to be him? She asked herself regrettably.

    She checked the time to see it was past 3 already and sighed in relief. This was good. She just had to go get her paycheck and disappear from this cursed place.

    But when she got there...

    "Your pay was slashed" Jerry informed her apologetically with his head down. He could not afford to look at her face because he knew what was coming for her next.

    "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to piss me off right now?" Mia asked him in a calm but angry voice.

    She had literally risked her life out there by putting on this crazy costume to dance for a bunch of kids. Not only that, she had even collapsed and even though she only lost consciousness for a little while, she was beginning to feel very sick and miserable. Also, if she hadn''t taken this job, there was no way in hell she would have been ''kissed'' by the guy she hated so much!

    But now they wanted to slash her pay?

    "I am so sorry Mia. I do not have any control over it. The employers did this." He paused and began to explain for her to understand their reason for it.

    "Everyone was being monitored to make sure you were all doing your jobs and not slacking off. But on several occasions, you were not at the spot you were supposed to be at. And it was made clear to you that you were supposed to remind there." He explained with an apologetic look.

    "Are you all out of your minds? I am not supposed to ease myself or go wat something? I was just supposed to stand there for those many hours like a slave?" She scoffed in disbelief. This was totally unacceptable to her.

    "But you were told beforehand not to leave."

    "''.....Except on emergencies that were justifiable.'' That was what they said. I was still performing my duties. Because I was playing hide and seek with the kids!" She raised her voice in anger, causing the other employees who were in different costumes to frown deeply and began to complain because she was delaying them from receiving their own paychecks.

    "I even collapsed there. At least you all must have seen it since you''re so good at monitoring right?"

    "Mia.. I am truly sorry. But there is nothing I can do about this."

    "Don''t give me that crap!" She turned around to look at the others before hissing out "And y''all stop saying things behind my back if you don''t want me to get angrier than I already am"

    Even though she looked small, she was very scary at that moment so they kept mute.

    "You convinced me to take this silly job and promised me that the pay was good. First, I was not assigned to the part where those kinds from FREEBORN Orphanage where. I did not complain about it. But now you''re trying to tell me that Elton Mayo wasted his entire time teaching the world about how to imbibe the Human Relations Principles of management by considering the fact that we are all humans? Like you really expected me to stand there for six hours and now you think my ''excuses'' are not justifiable?"

    Jerry was obviously lost. Where was Elton Sayo... Ayo...or was it Mayo��coming from?

    "You''re going to go back to those people and tell them to give me my complete paycheck. The deal was for me to stick around with this frustrating costume till 3 o''clock, and I did just that"

    Jerry did not know what else to do. This was the reason he didn''t like to offer her jobs. But whenever he was short of people, he had no other option because she was always available to take any job he offered. But this was the bad side of it. She was going to really trouble all of them if her complete paycheck was not given to her.

    "And what''s all these noises coming from here?"

    Mia turned to check who the voice belonged to. And she saw a woman enter inside the room. She was in her mid forties, tall, slender, had dark hair that was tied in a bun, and she wore that ''KING''S FOUNDATION'' polo she had been seeing everywhere with black trousers.

    "Mrs King. Good day" Jerry quickly organised himself and stood straight.

    ''Mrs King? Like from the Kings family?'' Mia asked herself as she looked at the woman suspiciously.

    Every other person greeted her, Mia also joined.

    "What''s with the noise." She asked again as she eyed all of them suspiciously.

    "My pay was slashed" Mia explained immediately.

    The lady turned her attention to Mia who''s fave had a deep frown.

    "For what reason?" Mrs King asked calmly.

    Mia quickly explained everything that had happened to her. She was not a liar so she also included the part where she wanted to take the head off for a few minutes but suddenly bumped into a shaman who wasted her time.

    "A shaman?" Mrs Kings asked with a look that showed she did not believe what Mia was saying.

    "Yes. There is a Shaman''s house nearby. I was surprised to see it in a park like this."

    "Young lady. There is no Shaman''s house here. This is a children''s park. And we specifically checked to make sure the place was suitable for us to use for this festival" Mrs Kings explained with a deep frown.

    "Are you�� calling me a liar?" Mia asked in surprise.

    "If you hadn''t lied and said you saw a shaman, I probably would have asked them to give you your full pay. But lying to people, especially to elders, isn''t all nice. Weren''t you trained by your parents?" She explained to her.

    Mia turned to look at Jerry with a look that explained she could not believe this was happening right now.

    As usual, he gave her an apologetic look and said nothing.

    "Just for a couple of bucks you all think you can treat people the way you please?" Mia asked with angry eyes.

    She had taken several jobs and knew how employers treated part-time employees like they were trash who should be grateful to them for offering their services.

    "I hope the money chokes you" She said to no one in particular before heading towards the door.

    "Young lady!" Mrs Kings voice called angrily.

    Mia took in a deep breath and turned to look at her, wondering what the woman wanted to say to insult her again.

    "We always pay whoever works for us. So take your paycheck before you leave and stop being proud. Pride would take you nowhere in this life" Mrs Kings lectured and Mia began to laugh like she had just heard something funny.

    "So I have to be c.o.c.ky before I can go far in life? That''s quite a motivational talk" She made a snide remark before walking to where Jerry was.

    She stretched out her hand for him to hand it over and he quickly placed an envelope with a relieved sigh, in her hand.

    Mia held it tightly before holding both ends. And while everyone watched, she ripped it into two, and more pieces before allowing it scatter all over the floor.

    "I''ve used it the way I like. Are you happy now?" Mia asked Mrs Kings specifically.

    Mrs Kings eyes were blazing with fire and her hands were fisted beside her. This was the greatest insult she had ever received and it was coming from and uncultured little brat.

    "If you think you all can trample on me because of some wads of cash, then you''re wrong. Money �� can never be bigger than me." She said with dark eyes before leaving the place.

 Chapter 18 - Im coming over.

    As Leo continued to search around for Mia, he bumped into his twin brother, Louis.

    "I have been looking for you everywhere. What''s it they''re all saying about me saving someone? That was you right?" Louis asked Leo with a suspicious look.

    How else was he going to explain the fact that everyone was saying the King''s young doctor saved a lady when he knew he had been attending to something else at the time such incident occurred and he hadn''t saved any lady like they claimed.

    Only conclusion he could come up with was��it had been Leo''s doing.

    "Long story. Aunt Deborah mistook me for you and forced me to save the la��." He was about to say lady but he paused. Someone like her could never be considered to be a lady. So instead, he settled for "Girl"

    He hissed as he explained. He really wanted to stop remembering everything that had happened the past hour.

    When Louis heard his short narration, he began to laugh. "I''m glad you were able to save the Lady. Did the medical team take her to the hospital yet?"

    "Hospital? That crazy girl ��" He wanted to say more but kept quiet instead. It was best to not remember. He reminded himself.

    He did not want to start talking about Mia. Plus, it was only Chloe and himself who knew she was staying with him.

    Speaking of Chloe, he had to teach her a little lesson.

    "Where is she? That little devil?"

    "Who is a little devil? Oh! Have you seen Cherry?"

    "I don''t want to talk about her." Leo frowned before explaining to him that it was Chloe he was looking for and asked whether he had seen her.

    "I haven''t seen her. She probably must have ditched us all. You know she hates these things." Louis explained.

    When they both went their separate ways, Leo still looked around in hope of finding Mia or Chloe. He had to see one of them to vent his anger and frustration on.

    "Why are you wandering about?" Leo heard a feminine voice behind him and turned to see his mother standing there with a smile.

    "You''re here. What about dad?"

    "He is with some chiefs. Men talk. I had to leave him."

    "Have you seen Chloe?" He asked her with the hope of receiving a positive response but unfortunately, he was disappointed.

    "I was just about to ask you same. I haven''t seen her. Did she do something wrong this time?"

    Leo thought about telling his mother all his naughty sister had done. His parents would probably find a way to move that girl out of his house right?

    But he decided against it. He was going to teach her a lesson on his own.

    "She did nothing wrong. Just wanted to see her before I leave."

    Mrs Kings smiled before placing a hand on his shoulder. "I am really happy to see you. Let''s talk more at home."

    "Home?" He gave her a confused look.

    He hadn''t planned on going home. In fact, he didn''t like going home!

    "Yes. Home" She nodded. "You''re not planning to not come over are you? You should come over for dinner and at least spend the night." She gave him no chance to object and turned to walk away, but she stopped when he called for her attention.

    "I wanted to ask�� why is there a Shaman''s house in this park?"

    "A Shaman''s house?" She raised a questioning brow at him.

    "Yes. Isn''t this supposed to be a park? That place looked creepy"

    "There....is really a Shaman''s house here?" She asked again to be sure.

    The Mickey Mouse girl had told her about a Shaman''s house but she had called the girl a liar. Now her son was telling her the same thing. It only meant the girl had not lied.

    "There is. But I could not find it again. I just thought you knew. Anyways, I''ll see you later"

    He kissed her cheek before going on his own way.

    Mrs Kings felt a pang of guilt.

    Not only had she called her a liar, she had also asked her if she wasn''t trained.

    But remembering how rude the girl had sounded and how she had ripped the envelope into pieces, she frowned deeply.

    "Silly girl" She said before shaking the thought out of her head to go do something else.

    *********

    Immediately Mia got to the house, she slumped on the bed and began to cry.

    Calling her a liar had really broken her down. She could take different insults from people, but being called a Liar was one she could not take.

    It reminded her of when she was little. Whenever they searched for something around the house and could not find it, they always accused her of taking it. Sometimes she was sure the item was with her elder sister, Mary, but Mary would call her a liar and her parents would take Mary''s side.

    In school also, she had been faced with similar cases. She didn''t know why people always looked down on her or call her a liar and a thief.

    What did she do to deserve something like this?

    Was it her fault for presenting herself to the people to insult her.

    She heard her phone begin to ring and did not bother to check who was calling.

    When the phone began to ring for the third time, she picked up the phone from the bed and was about ending the call in annoyance before she saw it was Mira calling.

    Mira was her friend just like James.

    The three of them were childhood friends and always stuck around together.

    Just like James, Mira was a rich kid. She could get whatever she wanted on a platter. But she wasn''t proud. Or maybe she was, but she was never proud to her or rubbed her riches on her face.

    Mia was surprised to see her calling with her local number since Mira had been in a art school outside the country and they were only able to communicate via video call once in a while.

    "Mira!" Mia quickly sat up.

    "Why''s your voice sounding that way? Who annoyed you?" Mia could tell Mira was frowning by the tone she asked with.

    "I am fine. Are you in the country?"

    "Yes babe. I called you earlier today but it seemed you were busy. You didn''t even bother to call back."

    Mia forced out a laugh amidst her sadness. Mira was always so dramatic and Mia could swear that she was pouting right now.

    "Sorry. Had a stupid job and wasted six hours of my precious life today. I don''t want to remember it."

    Mia said with a dismissive tone.

    "I spoke with James a few minutes back and he mentioned your living arrangement." Mira paused and began to laugh before adding.

    "I''m coming over. I need to hear ever single detail about it and the guy living with you."

 Chapter 19 - You dont know anything

    "What? That was Leo?" Mrs King asked Leo in surprise as they ate dinner around the long family dining table.

    When she heard the King family''s young doctor had saved a lady, he had naturally assumed it was Louis who had done that.

    She remembered the incident now and was thanking Louis for being there on time but to her surprise, Louis had said it was Leo who did that.

    Everyone else felt the same way apart from Louis who knew about it already.

    "Aunt Deborah put me through this mess. I don''t even want to remember it" He said before he continued with his Cajun Chicken Pasta and veggies.

    It was his favourite, and they had specially prepared it to welcome him back home.

    He would have actually preferred a beer on the table, but instead, there were healthy smoothies made with different kinds of fruits.

    "I''m really proud of you Darling." His mother said again before looking at her husband as she waited for him to day something also, but he remained quiet while eating his food.

    Leo saw it but pretended like he did not.

    People do say that "In every family, there is always a black sheep." He probably was the black sheep of his family.

    His father had wanted him to become a doctor just like the rest of them, or probably a lawyer if he didn''t want to join them in the medical field.

    But instead, he had chosen to be a photographer and cinematographer.

    And having that kind of job meant that he would always travel far from home. He always moved from one city and country to the other.

    Leo didn''t think there was anything wrong in doing that. Besides, he was paid well�� Cool cash. Maybe his brother was made to take care of the sick and all, but he was not.

    He liked to see pretty things instead of gory sights.

    He liked to hold a camera instead of a knife.

    He liked it when his heart raced in excitement at the thought of the gem he was about to create, not getting tensed because he did not know whether the person he was operating on would die or not.

    He wanted to make people prettier instead of leaving scars on their bodies.

    He had chosen that path, and he liked it with all his heart.

    He didn''t mind what his father thought anymore.

    For years, he had tried to convince his father that this was what he wanted to do, but his father was never interested in whatever he had to say. He had made it clear that he wanted him to become either a doctor or lawyer.

    To him, being something else aside from those two was a stain to their family''s name.

    The probably could allow Chloe do whatever she wanted since she was a woman. But Leo was a man�� and a King.

    The place became unbearable and suffocating to the point where he had to move out.

    But it wasn''t as if his father completely ignored him. They do exchange pleasantries�� just like they had done at the park earlier, but that was all. Nothing more or less.

    Leo looked at Chloe who was sitting opposite him and he saw her quickly move her eyes away from him.

    He didn''t mind her acting like a thief. All he wanted was for her to move that girl out of his apartment. He had talked about it with Chloe right before dinner and she had promised to send Mia to somewhere else soon.

    "Are you sleeping here tonight?" Louis asked.

    "No. I''m going back to my place." Leo answered almost immediately.

    Before his mother could say a word, her phone rang with an emergency call from the hospital.

    Leo was not surprised to see the Doctors hurrying out of the house. In fact, he had been surprised that they were able to stay for long hours without receiving any call.

    Was this the kind of life they expected him to live?

    Well, he couldn''t.

    ***********

    "James'' place looks good. Better than I imagined." Mira said as she looked around the sitting room before sitting down.

    "Would have been better if I was living alone." Mia said in a annoyed tone before sitting beside her.

    "Is he that bad?"

    "Just wait till he comes here and you''ll see how much of a jerk he is"

    Mira began to laugh. "I won''t be surprised you''re actually the one who has a problem. You don''t like anyone, and always look for an excuse to start a quarrel."

    "This guy is worse. He is rude, annoying and��" Mia suddenly remembered how he had appeared inside her room with a lady beside him and frowned deeply.

    "And handsome? Is he handsome?" Mira asked inquisitively.

    Mia knew Mira had always had a thing for handsome guys. She didn''t mind whether he behaved like a jerk or not. So far he was handsome, he was perfect.

    "He is....not" Mia said before standing up to go inside the kitchen while Mira closely following behind her.

    "Just try to get along with him baby. Would have asked you to move into my house but it''s very far from your school."

    "I am really trying my best believe me. I am" Mia took out some vegetables from the fridge and washed them before she began to slice.

    "Don''t tell me you want to prepare noodles?"

    "Of course. That''s the fastest food to prepare. I am starving." She wasn''t only starving, she was feeling sick. It was a miracle that she was still this strong after collapsing earlier.

    "How many times have I told you that noodles is not good for your health? Leave those things. Let''s go eat out. I am also starving." Mira tried to pull Mia away but she didn''t budge.

    "You know I hate to eat out."

    "You don''t hate it. You''re only obeying your mother because she doesn''t like it."

    "It''s the same thing." Mia said with a frown.

    "For goodness sake Mia! You''re a a.d.u.l.t already. How long are you going to keep trying to impress your mother?"

    Mia stopped what she was doing, took a deep breath, and turned around to look at Mira.

    "Do you want me to throw you out of this place?" She asked in a calm voice.

    "I don''t mind you throwing me out of here. You know I''ll never stop telling you the truth. Your mum doesn''t care about you yet you always try to please her. Can''t you think about pleasing yourself for once? Do you know��"

    "Just stop it!" Mia raised her voice and lifted her head as she tried to stop tears the tears from falling down.

    "You�� don''t know anything." She said in a low voice before dumping all the veggies inside the waste bin.

    As Mia pushed past her to leave the kitchen, Mira wrapped her hands around her in a hug.

    "I am sorry about all I said. I didn''t mean to hurt you. You know I love you a lot and your happiness matters a lot to me. Please forgive me baby."

    They heard a thud and quickly broke away from the hug to look at the door.

    There, Leo was standing with wide eyes and dropped jaws as he stared at both ladies.

 Chapter 20 - Witch

    As Leo lay on his bed that night, he tried to make sense of everything he had seen and heard a few hours back.

    It was no wonder she behaved like a boy. It was obvious now that she was into women. He could not believe another woman was telling another woman those words. Wow! He had read about it but never in his life did he think he was going to witness a scene like that.

    When he remembered what happened, he sat up with annoyance.

    "Jerk?" He asked himself. He had been taken aback when he heard the other girl ask Mia whether he was the ''Jerk'' she had talked about.

    The more he remembered it it, the annoyed he got. He did not want to leave his house for a stranger if not, he would have done just that.

    He did not like her one bit, so what was the nonsense Richard was saying about a possibility of him falling in love with her? He would have spat on the floor, but because he did not want to mar his spotless floor, he stopped himself from doing so.

    If Richard liked, he should go ahead and pursue her. There was no way it concerned him.

    "What a Psychopath!" He spat out angrily before getting up.

    He had to work or do something. He needed to occupy his mind with other things instead of getting angry.

    He ran his eyes around his room and thought about doing some cleaning. His room was wide and spacious and every corner was tidy. He had different wallpapers attached to the wall and all of them had been his creation.

    One picture was of the beach, another was of the sunset, another was of a little girl smiling.

    He smiled as he looked at that particular picture. "Kate" He said her name in a low voice before looking at the last wallpaper.

    It was the back of someone completely clad in a black outfit from head to toe. The person also wore a black baseball cap. They had been other people around, but he had taken great measure to take a shot of the only one he needed.

    He stretched out his hand to touch the person, his gaze showed longing.

    He could still remember that night. The first and last time he saw the mystery girl. That period, his mood had been sour from what Cherry did to him.

    In a bid to make him feel better, Richard had forced him out with him one night.

    He said there was a street dancing competition and they should both watch.

    He had not been interested in it. In fact, he hadn''t been interested in anything at that point. Even when the dance went on, he had not been paying attention.

    But something finally caught his attention. In a group of five guys, there was a girl. And she seemed to be the lead as she danced in their middle. Her face was painted with different bright and dark colors, plus she was wearing a cap so no one could have actually been able to make out what she actually looked like.

    The way her body moved effortlessly as she danced, he had never seen something like that in his entire life. It was beyond beautiful!

    At that moment, he totally forgot about his sadness. He wondered what it would be like to take a good shot of her. Before he remembered to take out his camera, the group was already done. He was only able to take a photo of her back before she disappeared.

    In fact, the entire crew disappeared. None of them had been present to receive their prize for coming out first place in the competition.

    And no matter how hard he tried, he could not find or meet her.

    Since the street dancing was a competition that took place only once in a year, it made it even more difficult to ever see her at that time plus he travelled out of the country.

    He ran his hands over the large wallpaper. At the end of it, there was his signature and a ''BLACK LADY'' written there.

    "Black Lady" He muttered.

    A text notification beep pulled him back to reality. He checked to see it was from Richard who was asking him to come have fun with him.

    Since he was less busy at the moment, he decided to do some photo editing later and just go have fun for now.

    When he came out from the room, the noticed that the place was awfully quiet. He could only guess that the girls were both out since he had left them to go settle inside his room.

    He looked at the direction of her room''s door and muttered a "Witch" before leaving the apartment.

    *******************

    Mia paced around the side of a busy street as she waited for someone.

    When she finally caught sight of the person, she sighed in relief and moved closer to where he just parked his motorcycle.

    The young man who was around her age bracket handed her a nylon back and gave her a skeptical look.

    "What is it? What''s with the look?" She asked him curiously.

    "You are going to have to increase my pay you know that right?"

    "What? I also give you some pies! Don''t be silly" She complained with a frown before peeking inside the bag.

    "How is she? Does she look sick or anything?" She raised her head to ask.

    "She looks fine."

    "Okay. Thanks." Mia thanked him and waited for him to drive away but he remained there and continued to look at her.

    "What is it?" She raised a questioning brow at him.

    "When do you intend to stop this?" He asked while giving her a pitiful look. "It''s no longer funny."

    "Wh..at? Funny?" She asked in a tone that showed she was becoming angry.

    "I can''t remember when this whole thing started or what gave you the idea to always buy your mother''s pastries and bread with the little money you earn from the menial jobs you take up. Don''t you think��"

    "Stop it!" She interrupted in a low but harsh voice.

    "I am tired of you all trying to lecture me. So just do what you''re asked to and mind your business." She spoke slowly, but it was very obvious she was angry.

    He sighed and looked at her pitifully. He could never understand her. But instead of getting angry at the way she was sounding, he pitied her even more.

    "Mia. I am sorry. I just don''t want��"

    "I said it''s okay. You all will never understand."

    She licked her lips and blinked a couple of times before walking away from him.

    As she walked down the street, it began to rain. She did nothing to shield herself from the rain and continued to walk in a daze while trying her best not to cry.

    She suddenly remembered when she was younger. She had heard Kids talking about their parents and the things their parents had done for them. Those kind of conversations, she usually kept herself from it because she had nothing to say and it always made her sad.

    She had a lot of love to give to her parents, but why did they never want it? Why did they not show her love at all?

    She would have thought that that was the way they showed their love since every one differed, but she had seen the way they treated her sister, Mary. It was very different from the way she was treated.

    But it didn''t matter to her. Now that her mother had no one else but her, she was going to take care of her. Maybe one day, just one day, a miracle might happen.

 Chapter 21 - Isnt this roommate?

    By the time Mia got home, it was already dark. She was sure she must have looked like a crazy person to anyone who had seen her walking under the rain in a daze.

    She was completely drenched from head to toe and her whole body shivered, her eyes were dim, lips chapped and hair sticking to her face like a zombie.

    She knew she was sick. And all she could think of that moment was to get inside the apartment as soon as possible.

    As she tried to type in the passcode,  she realised she could not really control her hands anymore. Even her eyes were closing involuntarily.

    She bit her lower lips to the point where she almost drew out blood. The pain left her conscious for a while and she quickly typed in the code to open the door.

    Immediately  she entered  successfully, she slumped on the floor and collapsed.

    ****************

    "So which of the girls here would you like to take home?" Richard asked Leo with a naughty grin before turning to look around the club room.

    "That one there..." Richard c.o.c.ked his wineglass towards the direction of a petite redhead who was dressed in a black mini gown and red heel. "She is Sophia. Such a beauty."

    "I''m not in the mood for this tonight. I only came out to have a couple of drinks with you. I think it must have stopped raining by now." Leo said before standing up to leave.

    "Hey. Where are you going to? It''s just a few minutes past 9" Richard called after him as he stood up to follow him out.

    "I have some work I need to attend to. You can have fun without me." Leo answered as he kept walking towards the exit.

    "What about Sophia?" Richard asked, sounding disappointed.

    "I just told you I have work." Leo said as he tried not to sound annoyed.

    He noticed the rain was still drizzling but at least, it wasn''t as heavy as it was before so he entered inside.

    "I should at least drop you off. Where are you hurrying to?" Richard complained with a pout.

    Leo also did not know why he was suddenly hurrying home. Maybe because the ''black lady'' in his picture suddenly popped into his mind that evening and he was becoming emotional, or maybe because he had a feeling that one of his clients would suddenly demand for their picture and he did not want to disappoint.

    "I don''t want to be a bother" Leo turned to answer him. "So just have fun and make sure to go home early."

    "Stop doing that thing you''re doing. Just wait here, I''ll go get my car. When you''re done sorting yours out, you can drive yourself all you want."

    After saying that, he hurried to the car park. It didn''t take long before he returned and drove off after Leo joined him inside.

    ***************

    "You should hurry home now. I think it''s going to rain heavily again. And thanks for the ride" Leo said to Richard before he got down in front of his apartment''s building.

    "See you tomorrow then."

    "Yea."

    He waited a bit for Richard to drive off before he went inside.

    As he was about entering his passcode, he heard the loud sound of thunder followed by a heavy rain pour.

    "What''s this all of a sudden?" He frowned as he thought about Richard who was driving.

    The roads were already bad as a result of the first rain pour. He was very sure this one was going to make movement restricted.

    He hissed before opening the door and the first thing he saw, scared the hell out of him.

    He saw a figure dressed in black lying lifeless on the floor with the side of her face on the floor and the other side covered with her long, wet hair.

    "Isn''t this housemate?" He asked himself in shock.

    Why was she lying out cold on the floor? Did she by chance commit suicide? Or someone killed her here?

    A lot of silly thoughts ran through his mind as he thought about what to do.

    "Hey!" He called first and desperately prayed for her answer him.

    He squatted and used his hand to shake her. As he shook her, her body turned with her back on the floor, so he could see her face now.

    He almost jumped in shock when he saw how horrible she looked. She looked like a zombie. Her face was pale white and her lips were also white and chapped.  When he checked her pulse and found she was still breathing. He sighed in relief.

    He didn''t want anyone dying in his house. If she hadn''t been so stubborn and had waited for the medics team to take her to the hospital back when they were at the park,  all of this wouldn''t have happened.

    He quickly took out his phone to dial the emergency number and when he asked for an ambulance, they apologised since the downpour was heavy and everyone was advised to stay indoors. As the lady on the other end gave him first aid tips on what to do, he cut the call angrily.

    "Shit!" He cussed loudly as he wondered what to do next.

    "Why did she have to walk in the rain when she''s sick?" He complained before lifting her.

    It surprised him when he noticed she was very light. As light as a feather.

    Was this the same person who always threatened and annoyed him? He thought that if he exerted more pressure, he may squeeze her to death.

    As he carried her inside her room, he almost dropped her on the bed but quickly thought against it since her things were soaked.

    He paused to think of the best thing to do. When he realised he had to undress her, he choked on his own saliva and began to cough.

    How was he supposed to undress her?

    "Hey.. hey..wake up" He shook her body but she still remained unconscious.

    He could not believe his luck. Only today and he was already in this kind of situation with her for the second time.

    "You can do this Leo. All you have to do is take off her outer wear." He assured himself before looking around for the best place to lay her first.

    His eyes landed on a blue blanket on the bed so he quickly flung it with one hand while trying to hold her tight.

    He tried his best to arrange the blanket on one side of the bed and it had taken him quite some effort since he was still carrying her plus his clothes were also getting soaked.

    As he carefully dropped her on the the bed, he led his hands to the hem of her Tshirt but he kept withdrawing.

    No matter how much he thought about it, he wasn''t ready for this.

    After a few seconds, he decided to just get it over with. She wasn''t  attractive to him after all.

    He assured himself before holding the hem of her shirt.

    As he gradually began to lift it up, he swallowed hard and tried not to look at her body but her face instead. He wasn''t a pervert who was trying to take advantage of a helpless woman. No he wasn''t!

    Her perfect belly came into sight and he tried his best not to look at it.

    As he was about to get to her chest region, Mia stirred.

    He was a bit startled and stopped moving his hands immediately.

    Slowly, he saw her open her eyes in a squint. "What...are you... trying to... do?" She asked in a really faint and hoarse voice.

 Chapter 22 - Good Job Leo.

    "What....are you... trying to do?" Mia asked with a very faint voice and almost dim eyes.

    Leo was startled for a few seconds. What was he trying to do? Of course he was trying to save her life since common sense didn''t make her realise she was supposed to take care of her health since she was sick. Even if she had fought with her girlfriend, was it enough for her to ignore her health?

    Anyways, he was glad she was finally awake. This was probably to his advantage since he wouldn''t have to help nurse her back to health.

    "Are you awake? Can you hear me?" He asked her hopefully.

    "Ben.... ja... min?" She asked groggily as she tried to make out the person''s face.

    A deep frown creased his brow. Who the hell was this Benjamin? The other time when he saved her life, she had also called him Benjamin. He would have thought she was her boyfriend, but he knew now that she had a girlfriend.

    "Hey crazy lady, Can you hear me?" He asked in a low voice as he tried to shake her lightly.

    "My head... my head... is banging" She said in a whisper before dozing off.

    Leo''s eyes shot wide open when she suddenly slept off like that. She wasn''t by chance dead was she? He asked himself in horror.

    He quickly checked for her pulse and sighed in relief to know she was still alive. But when he remembered he have to at least help her, he frowned again.

    As he thought about how to continue, an idea popped into his mind.

    Quickly, he reached for the light switch and turned it off.

    He believed undressing her in the dark would help him out and that way, he could easily imagine she was one of his hook ups and quickly get it over with.

    But he had not expected it to be worse.

    Because it was dark, his hand kept brushing against her skin and anytime it happened, he jumped in shock. Her body was soft and very warm.

    He tried not to think of the moment where his hand had touched the upper part of her lace bra. He shook the thought out of his head and dropped her shirt on the ground as he moved over to her trousers.

    He took in a few deep breaths before reaching for her trouser button.

    He had never in his life been in this kind of tough situation.

    If it had been with someone he liked, that would have been a different issue. But he didn''t like this one so why the hell was his body beginning to feel funny?

    "Lord save me from this temptation" He prayed silently as he slowly began to pull her trousers off her.

    His hands brushed against her h.i.p.s and he could make out the ties of her panty.

    ''She wears this kind of panties? She probably has a kinky side. How weird'' He said to himself as he gently pulled the trousers off her.

    He was done! There was no way in hell he was ever going to take off her underwear. He forced himself to believe they weren''t wet. His hand had touched them earlier and they didn''t  feel that wet to him. She had to manage that way.

    Thankfully, he was able to make out the duvet in the dark and used it to cover her body before turning on the bed lamp.

    "Good job Leo. Good Job!" He praised himself before going to get a laundry basket and a mop to wipe the floor clean.

    He couldn''t just live in a dirty environment.

    As he looked at her sleeping/ unconscious figure on the bed with sweat covering her face, he sighed deeply in frustration.

    First, she had to house crash, now, he had to take care of her? After all she had done to him?

    Her only luck was that he didn''t want her to die in his house and that was the reason he was doing all this. Also because if anything happened to her inside his house without him administering first aid, the police would surely arrest him. He believed he wouldn''t have stopped to even call for the ambulance if he had seen her passed out on the streets.

    He helped her dry her hair and wipe her face with a towel and lukewarm water and felt her stir before mumbling some incoherent words.

    Before leaving the room, he turned off the bed lamp and pulled the duvet away from her body since the room''s temperature was becoming too hot for her.

    He made his way to the door and them straight to the kitchen to go make some hot soup for her.

    When he returned with the bowl of soup and medicine, he totally forgot about his light ritual and turned on the main light switch.

    When he turned around to look at the bed, he was shocked and frozen on the spot.

    There she was, lying on the bed with her hair sprawled all over, with only a red lace bra and panty on.

    For a few seconds, he stopped breathing as he stared at her with wide eyes and agape mouth.

 Chapter 23 - This isnt right.

    There was a very big difference between seeing and merely touching. The overall of them all was �C seeing and touching.

    Now, Leo understood that better as he continued to stare at the sleeping Mia.

    He had seen different shape and body type, but hers was something else. Or maybe his mind was only playing a trick on him because he hadn''t  expected her to have this kind of body.

    Her lace bra looked a bit small for her so he could clearly see the top of her exposed b.r.e.a.s.t and faintly see the outline of her pink n.i.p.p.l.e through the lace. He cussed his good eyesight for that.

    He had seen her belly before. He saw it back when she had gone to jog and when he had been taking off her dress earlier. But seeing it now, with her almost looking n.a.k.e.d, was a different thing entirely.

    Her belly was flat and looked firm. She had a small belly button also.

    Things became tougher for him especially when he looked at her tiny lace panties.

    There was a particular effect red lingerie had on men or probably him alone. Not to talk of when it was lacy!

    "Oh God!" He gasped aloud before quickly hurrying out of the room while shutting the door behind him.

    He dropped the bowl of soup on the dining table and began to pace around.

    "This isn''t right. This isn''t right one bit" He said to himself over and over again as he wondered why he was feeling funny because  of her body.

    She had a gorgeous body quite alright, but he did not like her for goodness sake!

    He roughly ran his hand through his hair before he began to do some press ups and push ups.

    But that also did not help his situation because the image from earlier kept flashing in his mind.

    Now he regretted not taking Richard''s advice to take that Sophia girl from the bar home with him.

    If he had done that, she probably would have helped undress her. Or even if he had been the one to still do this, then at least he would have seen someone to pour out his s.e.x.u.a.l frustration on.

    But unfortunately, he hadn''t brought any woman home and it was still raining heavily outside.

    Did that shaman say something about his life becoming interesting? This was so out of it! Everything had been going bad for him ever since!

    "What am I going to do?" He asked himself as he began to pace around again.

    He noticed the bowl of soup on the dining table and remembered he had to fix her something so he could give her a drug since he wasn''t sure she had eaten anything.

    He took back the bowl of soup inside the kitchen to heat it up since it was already a bit cold.

    When he slowly approached the room again, he took in a deep breath with his eyes closed.

    When he finally opened the door,  he resisted every urge to take a peek at her. He first turned off the light, and slowly approached the bed.

    But it was as if the earlier image was already imprinted in his mind. Even in the darkness, he could still make out her figure and what she wore.

    He knew how to find the duvet so that had not been challenging for him. But when he used it to cover her, his hand brushed against her skin and he jumped again.

    But this time, he jumped for a different reason. She had sweat all over her body and her body was very hot.

    He knew instantly that it was a bad idea to cover her up. He quickly switched on the bedside lamp but reduced it so it would be very dim and opened up the windows to allow fresh air inside the room.

    When he came back to the bed side, he closed his eyes and realised it was time to make a decision. He wanted her to be okay so he could easily get this over with.

    Slowly, he pulled the duvet from her body and sucked in air when he could still see her clearly.

    "Leo.. you have to be professional. Louis wouldn''t behave the way you are behaving right now." He scolded himself before he gently propped up her head with a pillow.

    Thankfully, she cooperated unconsciously while he fed her the soup.

    As he did so, he tried not to have any perverted thoughts. He tried not to take his eyes down. The only thing he concentrated on was the bowl of soup and her face.

    There was still a little soup remaining, but he kept that aside. He was going to feed that to her after feeding her the medicine.

    Every attempt to make her take the medicine proved futile. Feeding soup and medicine were two different things.

    He remembered some movies where they fed medicine to the sick by grinding it with their teeth before passing it to the sick patient. More like a mouth to mouth stuff.

    He shook his head in horror. He was never going to do that. Firstly, he hated drugs and there was no way he was going to grind it with his own teeth. Secondly, what if she suddenly woke up and accuse him of kissing her again? She had gotten angry earlier and he didn''t want to start another quarrel. Thirdly, his hormones were already hyper. He remembered how soft her lips felt from earlier and feared he may linger for too long or do something inappropriate if he did that to her.

    Even though he did not like her, sometimes, the body doesn''t listen to the head or the heart and just does whatever it wished.

    There was a better option to this. He wondered why the movies didn''t use that method instead. He went back to the kitchen with the drug and dropped the two tablets in a cup, added a little water and used a spoon to grind the medicine inside while also stirring the liquid.

    It didn''t take long before the medicine dissolved.

    He returned to the room and fed her with it and once he was done, he fed her the remaining soup to help wash down the awful taste of the medicine.

    When he checked her temperature again, he noticed she was less sick now and sighed in relief.

    He thought about going back inside his room but thought against it since she may fall sick again and now, it was just three in the morning, anything could happen.

    He lay on the other side of the bed with his eyes on the ceiling, trying his best not to look at her.

    Before he knew it, his eyes closed involuntarily and he slept off beside her.

 Chapter 24 - Dont flatter yourself little girl

    In a daze, Mia had walked for a really long time before she got to her mother''s bakery. She stood under the rain and saw her mother through the glass window in her shop as she arranged her things while getting ready to close for the day.

    She took out her phone to call her mother, hoping to hear her voice since she did not want to disturb her by going in and neither did she want to go inside her store looking like that.

    After dialing her mother''s number, she watched how Linda took out her phone from inside her apron. When she checked to see who was calling, Mia had expected her to take the call but to her surprise, her mother kept back the phone inside her apron.

    That had been the last straw for Mia and she suddenly became very sick.

    She could not use a taxi because she could not find one and even when she did, they weren''t willing to carry her because she was completely drenched.

    For two hours, she had trekked back to her place. And the only thing she could remember was that she had opened the door.

    ****************

    Gradually, her eyes fluttered open. She looked at the ceiling for a few seconds as she waited for her brain to process everything and remind her of where she was. After a few extra seconds, she remembered this was the place she was living now, even though she didn''t remember how she had gotten in bed last night.

    She felt weak so she decided to just close her eyes for a few seconds more before making herself something to eat. Thankfully, it was Sunday and she didn''t have anywhere to go to till Monday when she was supposed to resume school.

    Immediately her eyes closed, she heard something that sounded like a grunt beside her. She thought it had probably come from her but then, she heard it again with a bit of shuffling and to her utmost shock, a hand dr.a.p.ed over her chest.

    Her eyes immediately flung open while her head whipped to the side.

    If she wasn''t already shocked, she was shocked now. She came face to face with a guy''s face. And this guy was none other than.....

    When the realization set in, she screamed at the top of her lungs and used every strength in her to kick him out of the bed till he fell on the floor, eliciting a loud wail from him after the thud.

    She jumped out of bed and looked at him in shock.

    "Why are you in my bed? What are you doing in my room?" She asked with wide eyes that burned from anger and confusion.

    Leo frowned as he rubbed his left elbow and also the back of his head. He was almost standing up to shout at her for being ungrateful. But he fell back on the floor and the words formed a lump in his throat when he saw her standing in front of him in only her underwear.

    She noticed the way his eyes widened and went up and down. That was when it dawned on her that something felt strange.

    She didn''t want to believe what it was and she silently prayed for it not to be so as she looked down on her body to see she was half n.a.k.e.d.

    She screamed again. She was so loud that Leo had to use his hands to cover his ear.

    "What did you do to me? Did you drug and **** me?" She asked accusingly after she hurriedly pulled the duvet to cover herself with it.

    But she did not end there. She grabbed a pillow from the bed and began to use it to hit him on the head. Since he was still sitting on the floor, it made it easier for her.

    "Can you stop it already?" He yelled angrily at her but she did not stop.

    "You pervert. You dirty disgusting perverted jerk! What did you do? You drugged me didn''t you? That''s probably why I do not remember a thing!"

    Leo had never been so frustrated in his entire life. Did he make a mistake by returning to the country at this very moment?

    He knew it. He knew it had been a bad idea to help her. The first time he did, she had accused him of kissing her. Now, she was accusing him of taking advantage of her while assaulting him.

    Over the next few seconds, he did nothing as she hit him. His mind was occupied with other things.

    As she kept hitting, the duvet fell from her body and she yelled.

    "Close your eyes. You better close your eyes and not look at me!" She warned before grappling  the duvet to wrap around her chest.

    Before she could hit or accuse him again, he forcefully pulled her by her arm, she lost balance and fell on the bed.

    He didn''t give her any chance to fight back because he lay on top of her and pinned her hands above her head.

    "What are you trying to do you rapist!?" She spat out angrily.

    "Don''t flatter yourself little girl" He said in a cold voice.

    "I do not find you attractive to the point where I''d take advantage of you."

    Mia looked at him angrily. Her chest kept heaving up and down from anger and he didn''t  miss it. Fortunately, the duvet was still covering her body.

    "I will get you arrested. Believe me" She swore as she kept wriggling her body to get away from him.

    "Yea. I think so too. We should get the cops involved in all this as soon as possible." He agreed with her immediately.

    "Yes. You should rot in jail where you belong you dirty bastard. You slept in my room and I am half n.a.k.e.d and you dare deny taking advantage of me?" She asked accusingly.

    A scoff escaped his lips. "I guess I should always leave you to die whenever you''re helpless. But first, get the hell out of my house."

    He tried to move away but she suddenly began to cuss him again so he remained there. Plus, he knew moving was probably going to be a bad idea at the moment.

    It wasn''t new that men always woke up with a boner. Even though her accusation had deflated it, with her wriggling about beneath him, it had stirred him up again.

    There was no way she wasn''t going to see it if he stood up. That was probably going to justify the fact that he was a pervert.

    So what about lying on top of her. Which was worse?

 Chapter 25 - As soft as the bed.

    "Can you just shut up and stay still!?" Leo yelled at Mia, totally startling her.

    Thankfully, the duvet was helping at this moment. He was very sure she could not feel anything poking her.

    Why had he done it? Why did he sleep off inside this room? Why? He scolded himself over and over again.

    But another voice in his head reminded him that it was because he was a good person. He had wanted to keep checking on her and because he was also tired from the previous day''s stress, he had slept off.

    "Get the hell out of my body!" She demanded forcefully.

    Leo c.o.c.ked his head both sides to study her face carefully.

    "Are you sure you are not dumb or you are only playing dumb to annoy me?"

    "What?" She asked with angry eyes.

    If he had taken advantage of her, wouldn''t  she have known? Wouldn''t she have felt it?

    Because Mia was very weak, plus seeing herself in only her undies, and seeing him lying beside her when she opened her eyes, that was the best conclusion she could come to.

    "Every girl that have stepped into this room, do you think they stepped out without being touched by me? Without us having fun?"

    Since she wanted no other answer other than the one she wanted to hear, he was going to give her that.

    Mia gasped and looked at him with wide eyes. "You..... you did that didn''t you?"

    "Didn''t you like it? You told me you did." He pretended like he was thinking.

    "Yea.. you said you loved it."

    "Shut your mouth!" She yelled at him as tears began to well up in her eyes.

    He used a hand to pin both her hands to the bed and used another one to brush the hair out of her face.

    "I guess your body is used to me. Didn''t you see the way you just jumped out of bed in your underwear without bothering to check whether you are clothed or not."

    She had not actually thought about it because she was used to sleeping like that�� in her underwear. So it had been by impulse that she had suddenly jumped out of bed to ''attend'' to him.

    When he saw he had finally gotten to her, he began to chuckle.

    "You''re really soft, yet you keep acting like King Kong." When he noticed she was still looking at him in shock, he tapped her cheek gently.

    "I told you, you''re not my type. You should thank me for nursing you back to life. If I hadn''t come back home, you probably would have been dead by now." He assured her. "Look there.." He pointed at the drug and bowl by the bed head.

    Mia turned her head a bit and when she saw it, she finally blinked and sighed in relief. "You.....didn''t?"

    "Why? Were you hoping that I would?" He teased.

    "Are you out of your damn mind?"

    "You swear a lot for a little girl."

    "I am not a little girl you bastard!"

    "You should be around the same age as my sister. She''s a little girl and so are you"

    "I don''t care. I am not your sister. And I am not going to have this conversation with you on top of me" She said with a deep frown.

    Leo had totally forgotten he was on top of her. She felt so soft. As soft as the bed.

    "Make sure you go to the hospital. I don''t want you dying in my house one day. It would be too bothersome."

    "Get the hell away from my body!" She yelled at him again. His weight was pressing down on her too much and she began to wriggle about again.

    Leo also began to chuckle again. "You know it''s funny how some girls act all strong and mighty but just the realization of them being taken advantage of tears them apart. I thought you were going to cry. But look at you right��"

    "Don''t begin a new conversation while still lying on my body and pinning me down like a rapist."

    "Just say thank you. You won''t die."

    Suddenly, the room''s door flung open, startling the both of them.

 Chapter 26 - Overreacted

    Mia and Leo both had a loud scream come from the door.

    When they looked at the door, Leo saw his sister Chloe, standing there with wide eyes and agape mouth.

    "What... what are you doing?" Chloe asked him before rushing inside the room amd began to hit him with a pillow.

    "What is wrong with women!?" He yelled before finally standing up.

    "What are you doing?" Chloe still could not believe what she had just seen. Was her brother trying to force his way on Mia?

    She had come over this morning to speak with Mia. After knocking for a long time, no one opened the door. She had taken a step further to open the door on her own and that was when she heard Mia yelling in the other room.

    She could not make out the words Mia was saying but she had hurried to go check and to her shock, her brother was lying on top of her while pinning her down. What else was a girl supposed to think?

    When Leo moved away from her body, Mia stood up immediately while making sure the duvet doesn''t fall from her.

    Leo scoffed at his sister before leaving the room. But not without getting a pillow thrown at him from Mia.

    Chloe followed immediately and began to badger him with questions.

    "You had to hit me. Seriously?" He suddenly turned to face her, interrupting her questions.

    "What else was I supposed to do? What were you doing to her?"

    Leo scratched his head in frustration. He knew he had gone a bit far with his teasing earlier.

    He had only wanted to annoy Mia since she had been annoying him ever since, but he hadn''t expected her to be so soft. When he saw her teary eyes earlier, he thought he was probably seeing things. Since she acted all high, rude and mighty, he hadn''t expected a little teasing to break her down and make her cry.

    Maybe he was wrong then. But he was still angry. He kept helping her yet he always got scolded in the end.

    "I wasn''t doing any of that. Do I look like that kind of person to you?" He asked Chloe with a frown.

    Her lips were pursed. She neither agreed nor disagreed with his question.

    He sighed before walking inside the room. He closed the door before Chloe could say anything else.

    He wasn''t mad at his sister, no he wasn''t. Instead, he was mad at himself. Maybe he was mad at himself for taking things too far or probably because he shouldn''t have helped her or even if he had, he shouldn''t have slept off on the bed beside her.

    Chloe looked at his door with an unreadable expression. She knew her brother was not that kind of person, but what else was she supposed to think or believe?

    When she saw Mia earlier, it was obvious that she was only on her lingerie since she had seen her bra strap. What else was she supposed to do? Mia was also a girl like herself and her first instinct was to fight her brother off.

    If Mia hadn''t been shouting, it would have been a different case because she could have easily assumed that they were on it together.

    Or maybe did she get things wrong? Was her brother really not doing anything? The only way to know was to ask Mia herself.

    She knocked on Mia''s door for the second time but there was still no answer coming from inside.

    Mia looked at the bowl of water on the ground with a small towel inside of it. She also saw the satchet of medicine by the bed head and the bowl he had used to feed her soup.

    She suddenly remembered her dream.

    In her dream, she was talking to Benjamin. It seemed she had been under the rain for a long time because her whole clothes was wet. They both stood in front of a building to shade them from the rain but unlike her, he was completely dry.

    "You should take your clothes off. You may fall sick if you still leave those on" Benjamin said to her with worry etched in his eyes.

    She knew it was a dream. There was no way Benjamin would ever look at her like that. In fact, Benjamin had never looked at her anyway before.

    Before she knew it, he began to take her clothes off. She had panicked and then, her eyes fluttered open.

    The light had stung her eyes when she opened it slowly. She had been very weak and her head had been aching like crazy but she remembered someone asking her whether she was okay or awake. She could not exactly remember the question.

    After that, she remembered nothing else.

    Her head was beginning to hurt again. She sighed deeply before closing her eyes and lying back on the bed as she wondered whether she had overreacted.

    She had walked in the rain back here and her clothes had obviously been soaked. Had he really taken care of her the whole night?

 Chapter 27 - Mad but Embarrassed

    Mia could not bring herself to come out of her room. How was she going to face him?

    She wasn''t actually bothered because she had quarrelled with him earlier and called him a pervert when he had taken care of her, but she was embarrassed because he had seen her almost n.a.k.e.d. That thought still did not sit well with her no matter how much she thought about it.

    Why was the heaven punishing her like this? Was that Shaman correct after all?

    First, she had collapsed and he had helped her come back by breathing for her with his mouth. Then, he had also helped her last night while she was almost n.a.k.e.d. Why did it have to be him?

    Why did it just have to be him and not anyone else?

    She was starving and dehydrated and so she knew she had to leave the room. She could not hide inside forever.

    She first peeked to make sure he was no where in sight before she opened the door and forced herself out.

    When she passed by the sitting room, she jumped when she heard the sound of the TV.

    She had thought he was the one sitting there but on a second look, she realised it was his sister that was sitting on the couch.

    As if sensing that someone was watching, Chloe turned her head to see Mia standing behind her and quickly stood up. Mia was clothed in a baggy short and Tshirt, both black in color while her hair was parted and tied in two ponytails, making her look like a high schooler.

    "I guessed you were sleeping so I didn''t bother going in." Chloe explained. "And I''m sorry for suddenly barging into your room like that. I thought you were in danger" She added.

    Mia thought Chloe wasn''t as bad as she had thought. She seemed nicer than the way people in school had painted her to be. Or maybe she was only doing this because she knew Mia had the upper hand in all of these. She could guess that Chloe was going to be in big trouble if she did not leave. And that was not her business. It''s  what she got for indulging in fraud.

    Mia walked past her to the kitchen. She was quite uncomfortable with the whole apology and ''pretending to be nice'' thingy.  She knew Chloe didn''t just come over to chitchat with her.

    "So what is it?" Mia asked when she closed the fridge after taking a can of water and she saw Chloe had also followed her inside the kitchen.

    "I got a good place for you. Nicely furnished, steady electricity and water supply.  Oh.. I even stocked the fridge to the brim. It''s enough for you to get by before we go on another vacation."

    "I knew it." Mia said uninterestedly before gulping down half the can of water.

    "Location?"

    "Oakland!" Chloe said while trying not to show how excited she was.

    Oakland was a really nice estate. Most working class people could not afford it, talk less of students.

    Thankfully, she had her ways and had asked a friend for it since she was out of town at the moment.

    "Oakland? Are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g kidding me?" Mia asked with dead eyes and a low voice. "That''s like a hundred miles away from school"

    "I know. But it''s very nice and the environment is conducive. Trust me, you''re going to like it. It''s why I came here. To show you the place." Chloe tried to cajole.

    "There''s no way I''m gonna leave here for that place. I don''t care about how nice it is or anything. I agreed to follow James here because it is closer to school and aside from that, I won''t leave here. Who knows what you''re both going to do to his things?" She frowned.

    Chloe knew she was not supposed to get angry but she could not help it. This was Oakland for goodness sake. If she had the opportunity,  she would stay there instead of going to school from home. She didn''t  see any reason why Mia would be rejecting such offer.

    "I''ll pick you up every morning on my way to school. I swear." Chloe swore before adding. "I also swear not to mess with your friend''s things"

    "You don''t even have the right to swear like that since it''s not your house. Besides, how sure I am that the place in Oakland belongs to you? I don''t  trust you and I won''t."

    Chloe knew she wouldn''t be able to survive her brother''s  temper when he gets pissed. He had not really been very angry with her because he loved her but when he meant business, she knew she would be done for. She had to do something about him before things got out of hand.

    "I won''t go anywhere. Trust me." As Mia left the kitchen, she added. "And you should return home now if that''s the reason you came here. When my mind is made up, nothing can change it." She stated firmly.

    Immediately she got back to the sitting room, she bumped into Leo who was coming out of his own room and jumped in shock since she had not expected to bump into him.

    Leo looked mad but somehow embarrassed to see her.

 Chapter 28 - You wont like me when Im mad

    After buying a few drugs from the hospital that evening, she hurried back home when she noticed the cloud was beginning to gather and turn darker.

    Unfortunately,  she was still a few blocks away from her place when the rain began to fall heavily.

    She ran with all her might while trying to use her jacket to cover her head.

    And suddenly, she felt the rain stop hitting her head and when she raised her head to see why, she saw an umbrella covering her head.

    "Hello lady!" She turned her head to the side and saw a young man holding a large umbrella. He smiled the kind of smile that didn''t reach his eyes and Mia thought he was probably just helping her out to be polite and not because he wanted to.

    Mia looked at him for a second time and instantly recognized him. He was her classmate. She did not know his name but he had some really nice features that were hard to forget. He was quite tall, had a long black hair that was always tied in a ponytail, a pretty face, and had a peculiar ''bad boy'' kind of look. Surprisingly, he was also dressed in Black from head to toe with a leather jacket and high boot.

    "You''re Mia right? Mia Lucas." He called her name slowly.

    Mia could only nod and said nothing else to him. "I get it. You''re a very quiet person. I''ve noticed. So you live around here or you came to see someone?"

    Mia remained quiet and began to walk faster. She hated talking too much. Especially with people she did not count as friends just like this guy.

    "I can guess you do not know my name even though we''ve been classmates for years. My name is Jeremy. Jeremy Williams. I live around this neighborhood. I did a double take when I saw you in this outfit. Didn''t know you had this side."

    "Thanks for being nice" Mia said to him before she ran away and left him standing there with his umbrella.

    Thankfully, she was already close to her block and it took her only a few steps before she got home.

    When she opened the door, she saw Richard inside having a conversation with Leo.

    "Hi house mate!" Richard said with a happy wave and a bright smile.

    Leo noticed she was a bit wet and frowned.

    "Do you really want to kill yourself? If you want to do that, then go live somewhere else" Richard almost jumped in shock since he hadn''t expected Leo to suddenly blow up at her.

    "I am talking to you" He yelled after her when she ignored him and was heading towards her room.

    "Hey man easy!" Richard touched Leo''s arm to remind him to calm down but Leo shrugged it off.

    Mia sighed, turned around, and raised the little nylon bag higher for him to see.

    "This is medicine. You don''t have to worry about nursing me back tonight. Thanks for worrying." She said with a frown before turning to the room and closed the door with a bang.

    "What was that? You nursed her back to health last night?" Richard asked with a surprised look.

    Leo slowly inhaled and exhaled as he tried his best to control his temper.

    Ignoring Richard, he went straight to her door and began to pound it with his fist.

    "What is it? Can we live a day in this house in peace? Why do you always like to make trouble?" Mia yelled immediately she opened the door. When he saw her face, he thought she was going to burst into tears.

    Leo was a bit startled. If there was one lady he found it difficult to understand, it was her.

    One time she was rude, next, she was looking like a hurt puppy.

    In a low voice, Leo began to speak, "Let''s not argue so much today. I heard from my sister that she found you a nice place to stay. It''s the reason I called my friend here..." He turned to point at Richard.

    "We''ll use his car and help you get your things there. It''s the least I can do for you as your short-term Housemate."

    "I already told her I cannot go to Oakland.  No matter what, I have to stay here."

    "CAN YOU.... just listen to me?" He raised his voice but reminded himself to keep it down. He didn''t want to tell and then she began to cry.

    "Look..." She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath before she continued.

    "My head aches. My mind is messed up and I am beginning to have a funny feeling in my lower abdomen which I am pretty sure would soon generate to a stomach cramp. I think I am about to see my period and I am a little cranky at this time of the month. So please..." She closed her eyes again and rested on the door.

    "Just let me be. You won''t like me when I''m mad." She slowly opened her eyes again to look at him.

    "If you understand.... then leave." Before he could say anything else, she shut the door on his face.

    He turned around and Richard could see Leo''s flushed cheeks.

    "Did she have to talk about periods and all?" Leo muttered to himself with a frown.

    **************

    As Mia lay on the bed, she wondered why she didn''t just thank him for last night. The way she behaved most times wasn''t how she wished to but it just happened that sometimes, things didn''t go the way she planned. It also hurt her that she could not behave like a normal human for once.

    Tomorrow, classes was resuming.

    As much as she hated school, she also had to get away from this house and away from him.

    Her phone began to ring with a call from Mira and when she took it, she realised it was a conference call between James, Mira and herself.

    She also wasn''t looking forward to talking much tonight.

 Chapter 29 - Campaign

    It was Monday at last. Mia left the house early since she had a morning class. Thankfully, she did not bump into Leo.

    She was only able to walk for 7 minutes before she arrived in front of the large University gate.

    It was a prestigious university. The type she never would have been able to afford if she hadn''t been offered a scholarship.

    When she walked past the small pedestrian''s gate, she noticed a lot of fliers littered on the ground and banners hanging almost everywhere. She was only able to take a step before someone handed her a flier.

    She didn''t bother to look at it or take it. She walked past and went straight to class.

    She felt very uncomfortable in her white button shirt and black trousers with a flat shoe. She had tied her hair in a ponytail and carried a small backpack that helped carry her books.

    In school, she always had to behave well, and that also included the way she dressed and talked.

    She wasn''t from a rich family where they could easily cover up crimes with money. She could get kicked out anything for being irresponsible and she did not want that. It would break her mother''s heart.

    "Hello lady!"

    She heard the familiar voice behind her before he dropped his books on the desk and sat beside her.

    "You look good." He whispered to her.

    Jeremy Williams. She remembered his name.

    "I think we both have similar style of dressing."

    He said as he looked at her up and down. Yesterday, they had both been dressed in all blacks. Today, he also wore a white shirt and black trousers.

    There were students who were always required  to dress formally. It included the law students, medical students, and the business students�� which they fall into.

    So even if they hated it, the always had to follow the dress code and dress well.

    "Why are you suddenly being clingy? What do you want?" Mia asked while bringing out her books from her bag to place them on the desk.

    "You''re smart. I think we are similar. So I want to be friends with you. Help me, and I''ll help you." He said with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.

    "I don''t need you to help me with anything. Neither am I interested in helping you. I am not a philanthropist " She answered uninterestedly and looked around, wondering why the teacher was not in class yet.

    Everyone else seemed to be busy having fun chatting with each other. She could guess most of them were talking about the past holiday and the countries they visited blah blah.

    She would have preferred sitting alone but this guy just had to disturb her because he was a pest.

    "I noticed the way you looked during last year''s prize giving. It was as if you expected your name to come first. Unfortunately,  Kelvin also beat you again."

    Mia turned her head and shot him a suspicious look. Was he some kind of stalker or something?

    When Jeremy noticed he had gotten her attention, he smiled.

    "I''ll help you get to the first position. In return, help me study. I need to graduate with a good result."

    "What''s your cgpa?" She asked uninterestedly.

    "A little below Four point." He answered with a shy smile.

    "And you want to help me get to first place while you also want me to help you pass? Can you even listen to yourself?" She asked angrily. Was he joking with her?

    "I know what I am saying. Aren''t you curious why I came to you instead of directly meeting Kelvin since he is the top student? It''s because I know what you do not know. He isn''t as smart as everyone thinks he is and only made it there because of his parents and because he is the Student''s council president."

    "That''s quite a blasphemy" She said as she searched inside her bag for something.

    "I know why you''re killing yourself to be the top student. And the funny thing is that Kelvin has it all at the tip of his finger. He doesn''t deserve to beat you. Help me to help you." He said seriously this time.

    Mia was quiet and for a second he thought she was contemplating his offer.

    "If you have a beef with Kelvin, then go settle it with him. Do not drag me into it." She warned and sighed in relief when she saw the pen she had been searching for.

    "Hello Students!"

    Mia cringed when she heard the loud greeting come from the speaker.

    When she looked at the front of the class at the group consistuting the nuisance, she froze.

    Jeremy''s gaze darkened when he also saw the people on stage.

    "I''m sure you all know me but I''ll do well to reintroduce myself." The guy with the mic spoke loudly into it and got the student''s attention.

    On the stage were five students. Three male and two female all in their campaign mode and outfit with fliers and banners in their hands.

    "I am the Student''s Council President, Kelvin Hank. And I don''t need to tell you about my department or faculty since  you''re  all my classmates " He paused to laugh and the others joined him.

    Mia''s gaze was fixed on the other young man beside him. He looked like he was slightly nervous but he managed to keep a smile plastered on his handsome face.

    "Since we all know it''s the time of the year where I have to hand over the mantle of leadership, I present to you a young man who I feel is good enough for this position and I kindly ask for your votes and support."

    "What the hell is wrong with him? Is he even suppose to do that?" Jeremy frowned and complained to no one in particular.

    "He is none other than our very own former Secretary General of the Student''s Council, Benjamin Stark"

 Chapter 30 - Goddess

    "Vote for him!"

    "Vote for Ben!"

    Mia kept hearing these words as the campaign team hand out the fliers to the students inside her class.

    She looked like she was reading her textbook, but who was she kidding? She had been looking at one word inside her textbook for the past few seconds while her heart kept thumping.

    "I guess it''s obvious who I''m going to be voting for" Jeremy said beside her as he watched them hand the fliers over.

    Thankfully, Jeremy was a good distraction right now.

    "Who? For Benja�\min?" She asked with interest.

    "Hell No!" Jeremy quickly rebuked it.

    "So far Kelvin supports him, I''ll just have to vote for his opponent"

    "Even if his opponent is not fit for the position?" She asked again.

    "Who cares about school politics? I don''t get shit from it. Besides, do they do anything else other than suck up to the management and encourage school corruption."

    "I wonder if you have proves for your blasphemes" She shook her head and checked inside her bag for her earphone.

    Mia suddenly realised she was talking too much to him. She had never spoken for that long with any of her classmates before.

    "Please vote for me"

    Mia froze when Benjamin handed her a flier. She looked at the flier and then at his face. He was smiling at her. His smile was nervous and she had noticed his hand was shaking a bit.

    Slowly, Mia reached for the flier but before she could, Jeremy grabbed it from him.

    "We are not going to vote for you." He said to Benjamin who looked at him awkwardly before he threw the flier on the floor.

    Mia quickly connected the earphone to her phone and plugged both ears inside her ear with her face down the entire time.

    She saw him leave but she still didn''t raise her head. She could see his black shoes and the hem of his black trousers as he went to meet the other students at the next seat.

    Mia turned to look at Jeremy. "Pick it up"

    "What?" He raised a brow to ask curiously.

    "The flier. If you want to sit beside me, then you should learn to keep everywhere clean."

    He smirked at her and obediently picked it up. After he did, she took it from him and shoved it inside her bag.

    She had expected him to ask her why she took it but when she looked at him, she noticed he looked lost.

    He was staring at the front with all his attention.

    When she looked at the front, she saw Chloe, who had just entered.

    Saying Chloe was simply beautiful was an understatement. She looked like a goddess!

    It was as if bright lights radiated all around her whenever she took a step.

    She wore a blue chiffon shirt with white buttons, a white short skirt that was resting above her knees, a white stiletto and a black designer leather handbag.

    Her hair was tied in a bun at the back of her head and she wore a mild make up on her face.

    This was the Chloe Mia was a bit familiar with. Not the one asking her to leave her brother''s house.

    "Vote for Benjamin" Kelvin stretched a flier at Chloe, interrupting her grand entry.

    Chloe looked at him and down at the flier in his hand.

    "Here. Vote for Benjamin" Kelvin repeated with a smile as he waited for her to take it.

    "Get the hell out of my way you piece of shi�\" She closed her eyes and let the words trail off.

    She was in a bad mood. A really bad mood. And the last person she wanted to speak to was this Kelvin Hen or Han or whatever his name was.

    Kelvin''s face turned red from embarrassment as he moved out of her way to allow her pass. He could not lift his head because he knew the whole class was probably staring at him at that moment.

    Jeremy smiled brightly when he watched this. Especially that look on Kelvin''s face, he liked it a lot.

    Chloe''s eyes searched around until it fell on Mia.

    She took a few steps till she got to where Mia was sitting and sat on the other seat beside her.

    "Can we talk after this first class?" Chloe asked politely.

    Everyone watched with interest as they wondered what the two snobs were talking about.

    "Good morning to you too. And no... we can''t. I already told you what I wanted to tell you" Mia answered with disinterest before she hit the play button on her phone.

    The slow song began to play and soon, she was lost to earth.

    Chloe noticed this and frowned.

    As she stood up to leave, she noticed the guy who was sitting at the other side of Mia had been staring at her.

    "What is it?" She asked him with a frown but didn''t wait for him to say anything before she walked to the back seat.

    "You are in talking terms with her?" Jeremy pulled off the Mia''s earphone to ask immediately Chloe left.

    "Are you crazy?" Mia scowled at him for interrupting her music.

    "Just talk to me please." He pleaded earnestly.

    "How long have you liked her?" Mia asked

    Jeremy was taken aback since he hadn''t  expected that question.

    "Why do you think I like her?"

    "Am I blind? The smitten look on your face was so obvious." She answered.

    "Wow!" Jeremy exclaimed before a smile creeped up his face.

    This was probably the first sincere smile she had seen on his face.

    "I''ll answer you if you agree to also answer my question." He bargained.

    "You must think I''m curious to know about you to the point where I have to make a deal. Save it."

    "Then I guess I''ll just have to ask after all."

    He saw her bag was still open and quickly pulled out the flier from inside.

    She tried to take it back but he was faster and lifted it higher since he was sure she wouldn''t be able to take it unless she stood up.

    "Benjamin..... how long have you liked him?"

    Mia looked at him in shock.

    "Hello students. Sorry I''m late." The teacher apologized as she entered.

 Chapter 31 - Hey again!

    "I''ve told you countless times to stop following me about. And you should stop asking me silly questions also" Mia said to Jeremy with a frown as she head towards the school''s cafeteria.

    "Come on Mia. Alright I''m sorry for suddenly throwing that question but just hear me out. We haven''t still made a deal yet."

    He continued to follow her while she picked up a tray.

    "If you want me to be your tutor, you have to pay me. Aside from that, I don''t want to have anything to do with you."

    "But I don''t have money!" He said with spread hands.

    "And I don''t have your time." She said with a shrug before heading to a vacant seat inside the cafeteria. Who was he kidding? If he didn''t have enough money, how was he able to afford his tuition? Aleast she knew he was not in any scholarship program.

    "What if I help you with your crush? I can make Benjamin like you back" He stated confidently as he plumped himself on the seat opposite her.

    "Shhh!" She frowned and looked around to make sure no one had heard him. Thankfully, no one was actually paying them any attention.

    "I. Do. Not. Like. Him. And stop saying things like that." She said through gritted teeth.

    "Don''t lie to me. We both know each other''s  secrets so we can just be friend. I also do not have friends."

    "I know your secret?" She asked with raised brow.

    "Of course!" He answered with a nod. "You know I like Miss Chloe King. I''ve liked her for four years now." He moved closer to whisper. "You''re the only one I''m telling this."

    "King?" Mia asked with interest. "She''s from the King family? That King family?" She asked in surprise.

    "Don''t tell me you''ve never heard people talk about it or when the lecturers address her as ''Miss King''?" He asked in disbelief. "Are you even in this world?"

    Truthfully, she didn''t  really care about anything that went on in her class. She only came to school for lectures and disappeared immediately the lecture ends.

    Maybe she had heard people refer to Chloe as Miss Kings before, but she could not really remember.

    So it meant they owned the Kings foundation? And the festival two days back had been organized by her family?

    She had assumed her housemate worked there when she saw his ''Kings Foundation'' polo, but he was actually their son? Interesting.

    "What are you thinking about?" Jeremy asked curiously.

    "Just some things..." Mia answered with a shoulder shrug before she began to feast on her burger.

    She almost choked on it when she heard the familiar loud honk from a public address system and the campaign team trooping inside the cafeteria.

    "Oh God. Thank God I''m not eating right now. Would have surely gotten an indigestion from seeing these faces." Jeremy said as he saw Kelvin and the others come in with their "Vote for Ben" anthem.

    Kelvin began reciting his long line of speech about how Ben was the right person for the position while also soliciting for votes from his fellow students.

    Jeremy''s eyes were dark as he watched Kelvin speak.

    "I just hate him."

    "Yea.. it''s pretty obvious." Mia answered while trying her best not to look at the other young man standing beside Kelvin.

    "You know, you''re really good at hiding your feelings. If I wasn''t so observant, I wouldn''t have known you liked Ben. But what did you see in him? Besides, he is a class below yo�C"

    "Stop it!" She said harshly with a glare.

    "I hate people like you who act like you know it all but actually know nothing." She continued before facing her burger.

    "Alright, I''m sorry. But please consider it. If you will agree to help me study, then I''ll make sure you get to the number one. I''ll prove that Kelvin doesn''t deserve that spot and you''ll be the top of the class in this graduation. Imagine the opportunities that would be presented before you" He tried to entice her.

    "I can get to the top on my own. In this life, there are people bound to be number one�� Kelvin for example, number two�C me , and number last�C you" She pointed at him. "Let''s just accept things the way they are and graduate in peace. I didn''t come to this school to fight for injustice or expose any corrupt practice going on within the premises."

    "And you better stop following me before I lose my��" While talking, she stood up with her tray and before she could complete her sentence, she bumped into someone and the tray fell on the ground with a clattering sound.

    She almost yelled at the person in annoyance but when she looked again, she realised it was Benjamin with a flier in hand.

    "Oh hey again! Sorry" He bent down to help pick up the tray.

 Chapter 32 - Funny thing about crushes.

    By Three O''clock, Mia was done with all her classes for the day so she left school for home.

    The day had been hectic. First days of resumption were usually like that; with them trying to fit in with new lecturers and all. Plus with the campaign going on and Jeremy following her about like a fly.

    As she waited for the light to change so she could cross with other pedestrians, her phone rang and she quickly connected her earphone to take the call.

    "Hey girlfriend!" Mira squealed excitedly into the phone.

    "What are you happy about?" Mia asked with her normal uninterested voice.

    "Long story short, I have my father''s credit card with me. So in a few minutes, I''ll come pick you up. Let''s go shopping and make James die of jealousy"

    Mia could still hear the excitement in her voice.

    "Thanks but no thanks." She didn''t like leeching off her friends. If not for the circ.u.mstances,  she wouldn''t have agreed to stay at James'' place. Now that she was even there, she was fighting a battle that did not really concern her. She knew the crazy guy that lived in the same house with her would have also tried to throw James out. Knowing the type of person James was, she was pretty sure he sould have left to avoid trouble.

    "Come on.. I knew you were going to say that. But I won''t take no for an answer. I''ll come pick you up after classes okay?" As Mira spoke the cars stopped to give pedestrians a chance to walk so she hurriedly began to cross the road.

    "So that aside, how''s classes going? Sounds like you''re in a busy place" Mira added.

    "Yea. Just left school and as usual... School was..... school" Mia laughed a bit.

    *************

    Leo had just finished the registering his new car and was driving home when he saw a familiar figure crossing the road right in front of his car.

    Firstly, he was surprised because she was dressed in cooperate and looked nothing like the devil he knew inside. He had not seen her when she left in the morning.

    Then, he had seen her laugh as she said something. He could guess she was in a call with the way she spoke while wearing her earphone. He must admit she had a pretty smile. But it had been so short that he barely got to see what her full face looked like when she smiled.

    When he realised what he was thinking, he quickly shook the thought out of his head.

    "Lion in sheep clothing. Just look at her walking to my house like it belongs to her." Leo tsked as the lights signalled for cars to move and he began to drive.

    "Who are you talking about?" Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her seat and asked him. She knew he was talking about Mia. She had also seen Mia cross by and had frozen in her seat. Because of the issue with her brother''s house, she had not been able to have fun freely or pester him to tell her all about his time abroad.

    Leo had come to pick her up from school earlier, saying that he needed to speak with her.

    He didn''t know how she was going to do it but he wanted that girl out of his house. She wasn''t only a terror but it seemed he had not been able to think straight after that night. The images of her body kept flashing in his mind and he thought he was probably going to go crazy soon.

    "What''s her name again?" He asked Chloe.

    Chloe knew who he was referring to so she answered almost immediately in a nervous tone.

    "Mia. Mia Lucas."

    "Mia Lucas" He repeated. ''Such a pretty name for a foulmouthed girl.'' He thought to himself.

    "Do you know anything else about her? Like where her parents live for example?" He asked curiously and shot a quick glance at her.

    "Bro... you aren''t trying to involve her parents right? Please... It would complicate things"

    "Then you should have thought about it first before you played with my house!" He blew up at her as the car braked in front of his house.

    *********

    Mia had already gotten home and was stripping out of her school attire. Walking was faster from her school than driving because she only had to cross while for those driving, they had to take a turn before getting to the other lane.

    "Alright. We''ll talk later." Mia said before hanging up.

    As she looked at the mirror inside the bathroom, a small smile appeared on her face.

    Benjamin had spoken to her today.

    Having a crush on someone was a really funny thing because while they do not even know about your existence, you kept thinking about them all the time.

    It''s been like that with her and Benjamin.

    Another funny thing about all this was the fact that you could meet or bump into someone a hundred times and not give a shit about them. But one day, something just happens and you suddenly find yourself attracted to that person.

    She was sure he hadn''t recognised her. She had began to like him a few months back, just before they wrote their last semester examination.

    She hadn''t thought it was that serious until she started have day and night dreams about all the silly things couples did that she wanted to try out with him. Quite absurd yea!

    She had thought she was still in control until she saw him today. Looking as real as ever, standing before her and talking to her.

    "That stupid Jeremy!" She cussed loudly before going to take a shower.

    Because she feared Jeremy might say something to Ben when she bumped into him at the cafeteria, she had quickly left the place while signaling to Jeremy to follow her.

    Now she was home, but she also hated the presence of the guy next door�� literally.

    She wondered when all of these was going to end.

 Chapter 33 - Ding Dong

    Mia was just about to get busy with her laptop to go through some school work when she heard the doorbell ring. Her brows formed a questioning arch as she wondered who it probably was.

    Housemate wouldn''t ring his own doorbell and as far as she knew, his sister also didn''t need to because she came in and went out as she pleased.

    Mira! That was the first person that popped inside her head but that would be really fast since it had been only a few minutes their call ended and it didn''t sound like she was on the way already.

    Before she got to the door, the bell rang twice more and she quickly opened it without taking a peek outside.

    It was a woman yea, but it was not Mira. This one looked a bit older, grown, matured, and really pretty. She was even wearing a classy short black chiffon gown and low white strappy sandals while holding a small red purse.

    Mia noticed the odd look in the lady''s eyes as she looked at her.

    "Who are you?" The lady asked in a sharp and irritated voice.

    "I live here. Who are you?" Mia asked back. She would have shut the door in her face if she hadn''t remembered that she had a roommate and this was probably one of his ''flings''. She definitely looked like his type.

    "Isn''t this Leo''s apartment?" She asked again as she tried to force her way inside but Mia held the door firmly in place.

    "You are being rude madam!" Mia said in a harsh voice that startled her.

    "Ma.. Madam?" She asked in utter shock. She couldn''t believe Mia had just called her ''Madam'' when she was just in her mid twenties!

    "First your name, then who you are looking for" oh! She remembered the lady had said Leo. Was Leo his name? She hadn''t bothered to know what name he was called.

    "I am Cherry. Cherry Anderson. Leo''s girlfriend. And who are you?" She asked coldly as she stared at what Mia was wearing. She wore a big black polo that looked like a guy''s own and only a little short that exposed her thighs and legs. Her hair was in a messy ponytail, making her look rather ''cute''. She could vaguely guess that Mia was probably in her early twenties even though she looked like a high schooler.

    She probably wasn''t Leo''s new girlfriend was she?

    "Your Leo is not here. Call him and come back when he returns." As Mia was about to shut the door, she heard a familiar masculine voice behind Cherry.

    "What are you doing here?" Leo asked with dark eyes.

    Chloe stood beside him and said nothing. But she obviously looked surprised to see Cherry there.

    Mia thought her time there was over so she closed the door and returned to her room.

    "Why are you here?" Leo asked again in a harsher voice.

    "Hello!" Cherry greeted Chloe with a forced smile before turning to Leo.

    "I came to talk. But who is that girl inside? She is not your girlfriend is she?"

    "So what if she is?" Leo shot back in annoyance. He didn''t mind that he hated Mia, but he could at least use her to get away from this demonness.

    A deep frown formed in Cherry''s face. She turned to Chloe and said with a pleading voice. "Can you please excuse us? I want to speak to your brother for a few minutes."

    "Hell no! The only one who should be leaving here is the stranger and that is you! Don''t try to annoy me Miss Cherry Anderson. I''ve been encountering too many unfortunate incidents ever since I met you at the park. So please leave here with your bad luck.. I beg you."

    "Ouch!" Chloe exclaimed. "I... I guess I''ll just have to go inside and wait for you." She said to Leo before whisked past the both of them and opened the door.

    "Leo I am sorry�C"

    Leo shot her a dark glare before following his sister inside. He didn''t think twice before shutting the door in her face.

    "Call Mia out." He ordered Chloe angrily while scratching his head. He needed to set his life in order but first, he had to get rid of Cherry and Mia!

    Chloe nervously approached Mia''s door and knocked twice.

    Mia opened the door and shot an angry look at Chloe.

    "Can there ever be a peaceful day in here?"

    Leo noticed the way she was dressed and frowned. Didn''t she have a little bit of decency? Why was she always dressed like that when she knew she was staying with a man?

    No wonder... It did make sense she was not attracted to men. That was probably the reason she didn''t care about how she dressed around him.

    "Please Mia. That''s your name right? Just come sit here. We need to discuss amicably." Leo said in a persuasive tone as he moved closer to the couch and gestured for her to sit.

    Mia walked to the couch with pursed lips and hands folded in front of her chest.

    "Sit!" He said to her through gritted teeth and with a forced smile.

    "I don''t think I like this...." Mia said as she looked suspiciously between Leo and Chloe who was fidgeting.

    "This isn''t about what you like now little girl. Because my sister is involved in this and I do not want to seem inconsiderate or insensitive, I''ve considered getting you a place of your choice where you could live comfortably for at least a few months. All I need are your details and��"

    "You got me..... a place to stay?" She asked with a small insincere smile.

    "We haven''t found a place yet but we want to know the kind of place you like." Chloe chipped in. "I mentioned to him that you wanted to stay somewhere closer to the school�C"

    "Are you uncomfortable living with me?" Mia turned to ask Leo.

    "Of course!" He answered almost immediately her questions landed.

    "Why? Because you''ve seen me n.a.k.e.d and couldn''t stop having perverted thoughts just like you''re having right now?"

    "Wh....what? Are you insane?" He scoffed in disbelief.

    "Well, you tell me... you always look for the slightest reason to blow up at me and always get angry. I do not see why we can''t live peacefully,  this place is big enough for that. And to be frank.... I kind of like this place."

    "Wh�Cat!?" Leo could not believe all she was saying to him right now.

    Chloe was stunned as she listened to Mia.

    *Ding Dong* And the door bell rang....

 Chapter 34 - Im sorry.

    "But I....."

    "Hold on. I''m still listening" Mira interrupted Mia rudely as she continued to give her full attention to Chloe who was narrating everything to her.

    She didn''t know what was wrong with Mia that made her always behaved so rudely and annoying. Sometimes, she wished she could just slap some sense into her friend''s head.

    When the door bell rang earlier, Leo had refused to let Chloe open the door because he thought it was Cherry who was still outside.

    But when Mia''s phone began to ring with a call from Mira, she guessed it was probably Mira at the door and went to open the door for her.

    "Great! Now she even brings in her friend everyday" Leo sighed when he saw the ever smiling Mira enter.

    When Mira asked what was going on, Chloe explained everything to her while begging her to talk to her friend.

    Mira shot Mia an angry glare before turning to look at Leo apologetically. "Can I speak with you for a minute?" She asked politely.

    "Me? You should be speaking with your friend, why me?" He asked out of annoyance. He really hated dealing with College girls.

    "Just please." Mira pleaded.

    "Mira what are you trying to do?" Mia asked in confusion.

    "Stay out of this Mia. This is going to be between me and him from now on."

    Leo thought Mira was better compared to her friend. So he didn''t mind leading her inside the kitchen for the both of them to talk while he handed her a bottle of water on her request.

    "What is wrong with your friend?" He asked in a serious tone. He thought it was better to refer to Mira as her friend rather than her girlfriend since he did not want them to know he knew about their relationship.

    "What do I call you?" Mira asked as she sat down opposite him.

    "Leo is fine." He said with a shoulder shrug.

    "Alright Leo. I am really sorry about her behaviour. She is really not as bad as she appears to be. Believe me."

    "Oh really?" Leo crossed his hands in front of his chest and relaxed his body on the chair.

    "I know.. I know.." Mira suddenly said when she saw the doubt in his face.

    "I know she behaves rudely most of the time but�C"

    "Make that ''all the time''." He interjected rudely.

    "Well... all the time." She added reluctantly.  "But she isn''t  a very bad person. I know I shouldn''t be saying this but I think it''s best I tell you." Mira paused for a few seconds while trying to contemplate telling him or not.

    "I''m listening." He said impatiently.

    "I have seen her several times with antidepressant drugs. She hides it well, but I know she is going through a lot and probably very depressed. But it''s her nature to tell no one and always keep to herself."

    Leo wasn''t very surprised. He was though, but just a little bit. He wondered what a little girl like herself was doing with those kind of drugs.

    "It''s obvious she is depressed with the way she acts."

    "It''s not something you should mock" Mira frowned at him unpleasantly.

    "So how does this relate with her staying in my house?" He asked again. This time, his impatience was clearly visible in his face.

    "It''s hard for her to adapt to places. I was surprised to learn she was living here. Sending her out would be a bad idea."

    "And how does that even concern me?" He asked with his palms spread open.

    "Please Leo. I beg you. Just let her stay for a month."

    "I can''t live with people!" He shot back at her but tried to keep his voice down.

    "I was planning to talk with her parents concerning this issue. I''ve tried reaching her friend who lived here but it seems his number no longer goes through."

    "He schools in the states.... Wait what?" Mira''s eyes shot wide when she remembered he had mentioned something about Mia''s parents.

    "You were considering meeting with her parents? No no.. please don''t do that. Try whatever you may but do not meet Mia''s mother concerning her. It may kill her�� literally" She added.

    "Why?" He asked in confusion. Why was everything so complicated?

    "I cannot tell you more than I have right now. Please... I know she acts all rough and all, but when you get to know the real her, you''ll see what a pretty soul she really is. She only projects anger at people as a defense mechanism. She''s actually a very weak girl inside."

    Leo paused for a while as he thought about what to say.

    "She could have as well asked me nicely." He said as his reslove began to weaken. Why was he suddenly pitying her?

    "Well that''s just�� her nature. But she has a cute side... trust me."

    ''Easy for you to say that since she is your girlfriend'' He thought to himself.

    "I have never been in such a shitty mess!" He exclaimed while massaging his temples.

    "I''ll bring her here so you can both talk this out. Please be patient with her." Mira pleaded before dashing out.

    Leo thought he was probably going to go crazy.

    He could not believe he was considering buying the idea of staying with her in the same house.

    He took out a can of beer from his fridge and as he took his third gulp, the door opened and the three ladies walked in�� Chloe, Mira, and Mia who looked a bit sober.

    There were only two chairs inside the kitchen so Mira asked Mia to sit on the chair she had been sitting on earlier while Leo still remained where he was with Chloe now standing behind him, looking as nervous as ever.

    There was a few seconds of silence before Mira poked Mia''s arm, reminding her to say something.

    "I''m waiting." Leo said as he folded his hands in front of his chest while observing her keenly. She definitely looked like an adorable high schooler. He immediately shook that thought out of his head. What adorable?

    "Mr Leo..... I... am sorry." Mia apologized with her head down, totally startling him.

    "This is your place and I know I do not have any right to act the way I have been acting ever since. But please, let me quietly stay here for two weeks and I''ll disappear from your sight. I promise you." She raised her head to look at him, and he could clearly see the desperation in her eyes.

 Chapter 35 - Terminal illness?

    Even after Chloe and Mira left for the other two to discuss things between themselves, Leo still remained sitted on his seat with a can of beer in hand.

    Mira had sent him a pleading look before she left with Chloe. She could only hope and pray for Leo to handle things smoothly and allowed her friend stay.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything?" Leo asked with his arms now crossed in front of his chest.

    "I�� don''t have anything to say" She said in a low voice with her head down.

    Leo raised a brow at her before asking,

    "Can I ask you a question?"

    "What is it?" She lifted her head to look at him curiously.

    He noticed she had pretty eyes. He wondered how they would look like when she smiled beautifully.

    "How old are you?" He suddenly asked.

    "Twenty-three." She answered truthfully. She had never seen it as a big deal to reveal her age.

    Leo nodded. She was just as young as he thought.

    "You should know how to address your elders right? You can see I have a younger sister who is just the same age as you. You can''t just talk to me so casually especially since you are living here illegally" He said quietly, feeling smug that he was older than her with four good years!

    "I know." She managed to say without any form of protest. She felt tired and drained. Really tired!

    Her mother had not even called her to know how she was doing. Even when she called, her call was not returned.

    "I seriously cannot believe I am doing this right now" He said in a resigned tone. "Come with me." He ordered as he stood up.

    "Where?" She shot him a curious look.

    "To the hospital. I can see you are still sick. If you want to be living here, you have to at least do one thing for me�� do not die in my house!" He said with a glare.

    "I am fine. I really am." She tried to convince him.

    "Get up. I dont have all day." He said impatiently as he waited for her by the door.

    Mia stood up reluctantly. But she didn''t follow. She just stood there and watched him.

    "Why aren''t you following?" He asked with a frown.

    "I already have drugs inside my room. I cannot afford to spend more than I already have." She explained bitterly. Angry at herself for exposing her vulnerable situation to a stranger.

    Leo folded his hand and looked at her again. He could not count the number of times he had studied her just today.

    Did she have some kind of multiple personality disorder? One time she was shouting about, next, she looked like a hurt kitten. Or was she only pretending so he wouldn''t send her away? These thoughts ran through his head as he looked at her.

    "Did you go to a hospital?" He asked.

    "A pharmacy" She answered curtly.

    "Well, you have to get a proper check up. I need to be sure you''re okay before I can allow you stay here. And remember, I am doing this for your friend."

    If Mira hadn''t pleaded with him to allow her, he probably would have marched to her parents'' apartment to settle this once and for all.

    "I don''t like people doing me favours." She said with a frown. She didn''t like feeling indebted.

    "You''ll pay me back." He answered immediately before adding, "Now come with me. But first, get dressed."

    As he left the kitchen, Mia looked down to see she was still in a big black polo and tiny shorts. She wasn''t really the one to care much about how she dressed indoors. But was it proper to dress like this inside a house with a stranger man?

    ************

    Leo drove quietly to the hospital with Mia sitting beside him on the passenger seat. They were both quiet.

    There were times when Mia didn''t just like to talk, there were other times when she got easily angry and irritated�� just like the past few days. She hated those mood swings. She had prayed for it to go away but it always came back at least every month to haunt her.

    Her phone began to ring, breaking the silence. She saw it was a call from Jerry, the guy who usually linked her up with odd jobs. She had wanted to end the call but decided against it and took it instead.

    "Mia?" Jerry called in a tensed voice.

    "I''m here" She said in a low voice while brushing her hair away from her face.

    "I am so sorry about the other day. I really couldn''t do anything." He was referring to the incident at the park where her pay was cut.

    "It''s fine. I probably also went overboard. Sorry for putting you through all of that." She apologized, totally startling Jerry.

    "Oh wow!" He heaved a huge sigh of relief. "If I knew it was going to be this simple, I would have called earlier." He said in a relaxed tone but paused to ask,

    "Are you okay?" He asked with worry in his voice.

    "I am.... well, I guess. But I''ll be good." She said in a sad tone that caught Leo''s attention.

    Leo hadn''t heard Jerry''s part, but he quietly listened to Mia''s soft voice as she spoke. Her voice now was quite different from what he was used to listening to.

    What was really wrong with her? He suddenly remembered what Mira had said about her being depressed.

    "I notice you haven''t been looking well lately. You are not sick right... like.... have a terminal disease do you?" Jerry asked with a gasp, causing Mia to laugh dryly.

    "It would be better if I had a terminal illness, at least I''ll know my time on this shitty world is almost over" She said with a short, dry laugh.

    "Be good. I have to go now." She added when she noticed Leo was pulling over, and dropped the call.

    Terminal illness? What were they talking about? Leo wondered again but quickly brushed it aside.

    Whatever it was, he didn''t care much so far she didn''t die in his house. That was all that mattered most to him.

 Chapter 36 - Stupefied

    "Is doctor Loius in?" Leo asked the first nurse he saw immediately he entered the hospital with Mia.

    He hadn''t bothered to ask for any of his parents because he knew they were probably unavailable�� either in meetings, conferences, impromptu trips or have medical emergencies to attend to.

    "Oh... you must be his brother Leo King. Wow! I heard you were both identical but I didn''t expect this." The young nurse exclaimed in surprise.

    Mia was behind Leo. Her mind was occupied so she had no idea what they were both talking about.

    Was it not a bad idea to have followed him here? She asked herself as she wondered whether things would return back to normal if she just ran away from the hospital.

    "Yea." Leo replied the nurse with a polite smile before asking for his brother again.

    "He is in the operating room right now. You are here for a check up?" She asked curiously.

    "For someone." He said, moving to the side to reveal a nervous looking Mia.

    "There is Doctor Lily. She is free now. You just have to make a quick appointment at the counter and she''ll be attended to as soon as possible."  The nurse replied with a simple smile.

    "Alright. Thanks." He said before turning to Mia and asked her to follow.

    When Mia was given a form to fill, she suddenly turned to look at Leo who was standing behind her.

    "Mister...." She called softly.

    Leo turned to look at her curiously. He could not understand her. He just could not. Why did she look like a kid that was being bullied?

    "I want to go home." She said in a small voice.

    "We are already here." He said through gritted teeth. He was beginning to run out of patience.

    "Even the consultation fee is high." She complained.

    "I told you I''ll pay for it. Please..." He held her shoulders firmly and looked into her eyes. "I don''t like seeing sick people or taking care of the sick. If you are not going to get yourself properly checked, I won''t have any choice but to kick you out of my house." He threatened.

    "So... you''re saying.... on a long run, this is for you and not me right?"

    "Yes." He nodded.

    "Then I don''t need to pay you back right?�� since you mentioned it is for you." She added cunningly.

    He pursed his lips and let go of her shoulders. "Just hurry up. I have things to do at home"

    He said impatiently before turning to go sit down.

    ************

    When Mia went to meet with Doctor Lily, he desperately prayed she didn''t have a terminal illness. She looked like a kid who hadn''t seen much or experienced much fun in her life and it would be sad for her to leave the world just like that. Even though he didn''t like her, he had sympathy and empathy for people and it was the reason he was doing this�� plus he didn''t want her to die in his house. He hated seeing dead bodies.

    Thankfully, she only had high malaria and hadn''t been feeding well.

    "She''ll be fine. I''ve given her a shot and some drugs. She just have to come here for the next three days to take the shots. And.. she has to eat well and take her drugs." Doctor Lily explained to him as she saw him off.

    Doctor Lily was also a top doctor in the hospital.  She was approaching her thirties, tall, had a cute face and kind eyes. She had been working in the hospital for the past four years and everyone knew she had a huge crush on his brother, Doctor Loius, even though they all pretend not to know.

    "Is she your girlfriend?" Doctor Lily asked Leo in a whisper.

    "What? Hell no!" He quickly rebuked it.

    The way he rejected it made her laugh out.  "She is not that bad. Why are you sounding that way?" She asked as she looked at Mia who was already walking through the door.

    "Just forget about it. I''ll see you another time. Tell Louis I said Hi"

    "Yea sure." She nodded and waved him goodbye.

    *************

    "What have you eaten today?" Leo asked as he drove them back home.

    As Mia was about answering, her phone began to ring. When she saw it was a call from her mother, her heart stopped almost immediately. Instantly, she took the call.

    "Mum?" She asked with a bit of skepticism, as if afraid it wasn''t her mother but someone else.

    "How are you child?" Her mother asked.

    When she heard her mother''s voice, a big smile appeared on her face.

    "I am fine. I am very fine!" Mia answered happily as she sat up.

    "How are you mum?" She asked back.

    "I am okay. I need some help with the chores around the house so when you are free, drop by. There are also some breads for you to help me deliver."

    "No problem. No problem at all. I''m free. I''m coming now."

    When the call ended, Mia turned to look at Leo who was also looking at her in shock.

    The car had stopped for a while because of the traffic lights so he had been watching her the whole time.

    "That... was my mother" Mia said to him with a big, genuine smile.

    Before he could say anything else, she quickly unbuckled her seatbelts and opened the door.

    "Thank you. I have to turn back." She waved him happily and began to run, leaving Leo totally stupefied.

 Chapter 37 - I wont do this again

    "Are you even listening to me?" Richard asked in annoyance. He had been talking to Leo the entire time but his friend seemed to be busy with his laptop instead.

    "Of course. Keep going." Leo nodded.

    "I doubt that. You''ve been intently looking at this same picture for the past one hour."

    "That''s because I''m trying to think about something plus I''m slightly distracted by what you''ve been saying. But trust me, I''ve been listening" He said with his attention still on his laptop.

    "Oh really? So what did I say about Elijah?" Richard decided to test him.

    "''So I met with Elijah and he promised he was going to meet with them. This is going to be a big opportunity for you. You know that right?"''

    Leo quoted him word for word, making Richard smile.

    "Even after that ��" Richard was suddenly interrupted when he heard the sound of someone trying to open the door from outside.

    They both watched as Mia pushed the door open with force, banged it, and ran inside her room without sparing them a glance. She also banged the room''s door with great force.

    Leo looked at the direction of her room door with his brows arched in confusion.

    "She looked like she was crying." Richard pointed out the obvious.

    "That''s weird. She seemed pretty fine and happy earlier." Leo said to himself.

    He had seen how happy she was when her mother called her and had ran out of his car to go meet with her. He remembered how she had smiled brightly and waved him, plus she had even left her drugs behind.

    So why the sudden change in her mood? Or did something happen to someone in her family?

    "Do you know what''s wrong with her?" Richard asked with concern..

    "Do I look like I do?" Leo asked with a frown before he continued with his laptop. But he could not seem to shake off the way he was feeling.

    One time she was okay, next she wasn''t. What exactly was up?

    ******

    Two hours after Richard left, Leo still remained where he was in the sitting room. Once in a while, he looked at her door and wondered why she wasn''t coming out.

    He looked at the small nylon of drugs beside him and took it with him as he went to her door.

    "Hello" He tapped lightly on her door but didn''t receive any response.

    He kept knocking but still didn''t receive any reply.

    Suddenly scared that something was wrong, he reached for his phone to call Chloe.

    "Send me Mia''s number." He said to her immediately it connected.

    "I... don''t have it." Chloe replied.

    "What about her friend or anybody close to her?" He asked further. If he had her phone number, he could easily call her to come out.

    "I don''t have it. Her friend is out of the country and I don''t know the other girl I met there today" She said in a low voice.

    "So how do I reach her?" He asked in frustration.

    "What''s wrong? Are you still planning to kick her out? Please..."

    Leo did not know how to explain to Chloe that he was worried she was probably sick and had passed out inside.

    "Don''t worry. I''ll fix it." He said before hanging up.

    After knocking for another minute and did not receive any response, he remembered he had some spare keys and went to search for it.

    When he found the one he believed belonged to his ''unholy'' room, he went there and slowly began to open it.

    As he opened the door, it seemed to give him a feeling of deja vu. He remembered that night and immediately removed his hand from the doorknob.

    "I won''t do this again" He said to himself before turning around but he only succeeded in taking a step before he turned again and finally opened the door.

    He peeped inside but did not see her anywhere. He thought she probably must have collapsed somewhere so he entered inside in a panic. He looked around once and even went as far as checking under the bed just to be sure, and that was when he heard footsteps behind him.

    Mia was wet from head to toe. A white towel was wrapped around her chest and covered only a bit of her thigh. She fluttered her lashes at him in confusion and he looked at her with both shock and embarrassment.

    "You like to go into people''s room now?" She asked in a cold voice. "What are you searching for under the bed?"

    He could see her eyes were swollen. She looked like she had been crying the whole evening.

    Leo was obviously fl.u.s.tered. Now, he thought he was stupid. Why didn''t he think about the bathroom first?

    "I.... was searching for something." He stuttered awkwardly before standing up to full height. He tried desperately to take his eyes off her but he just could not.

    "And you thought I took it? Do you see me as a thief as well? Because I am in your house you think I am a thief?" She asked in an accusing voice even as her eyes began to water.

    "I never said so." He quickly denied it.

    She looked like a baby and it drove him crazy that he didn''t know how to handle babies.

    "You just said so!" She shot back at him with a dark glare and quickly wiped off the first tear that escaped her eye.

    "What did I ever do wrong for you all to treat me this way?" She tried to hold herself but she could not and began to cry.

    "I''m sorry. I really wasn''t here to search for anything. I just wanted to check up on you. And here.... I brought your drug" He handed her the little nylon he had carried with him inside.

    She raised her head to look at him skeptically but took it from him.

    "But how could you just come in. What if I was n.a.k.e.d?" She barked at him again and began to cry.

    Her entire emotion was messed up. She wasn''t one to always cry especially in front of people. But today, she was really heart broken. Just when she had thought her mother cared about her....

 Chapter 38 - Obsession

    "Are you alright? What is it?" Leo asked Mia with a concerned voice, not knowing whether to move closer or leave the room.

    Mia sat down on the bed and began to clean her eyes gently with the back of her hand.

    "Sorry for blowing up at you. I''m just.... my mind is just so messed up right now" She buried her face in her hands as she apologized.

    "Thanks for the drugs. I''ll remember to take them." She said dismissively, obviously hinting for him to leave.

    "I know I am not supposed to ask, but since we''re living together,  I believe I should know what''s wrong with you" He said, resting his back on the wall.

    "I don''t want to talk about it or about anything. It''s good enough that I''m not getting angry after you entered my room unannounced. That''s the behaviour of a pervert." She said with a frown before standing up.

    Once again, he saw her standing there in nothing but a towel. He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat to say something but her phone began to ring. It had rang for three times now. She picked it up and answered it.

    "Mia? Hello?" A young man''s voice called.

    Leo wondered whether it was best to leave the room now since she seemed better. He decided to leave and began to head towards the door.

    "Yes. What is it?" Mia asked the person on the phone rudely.

    "Practice starts in an hour. Mr B is looking for you."

    "I cannot come"

    "What? What do you mean by��" Someone else suddenly grabbed the phone from him. When she heard the voice, she knew it was Mr B.

    "Where the hell are you Mia? Get you ass right here!" Mr B yelled at her.

    Mia was already on the edge, his scolding further sent her over the edge and she yelled back at him.

    "I said I cannot come. You son of a bitch!" She disconnected the call immediately and threw her phone on the ground.

    Leo, who had just gotten to the door, froze in shock before he turned to look at her. She had collapsed on the bed with her eyes on the ceiling.

    "Have you eaten yet?" He managed to ask.

    "I can take care of myself." She said before sitting up and walked back inside the bathroom.

    By the time she came out again, Leo was already out, she also didn''t see her phone on the ground.

    **************

    "Wow. I wasn''t expecting you today." Leo said to Loius who had just paid him a surprise visit.

    "I heard you came by with a girl and asked for me." He said with a grin before adding. "Let''s have beer first."

    Leo looked at her room''s door nervously. He prayed for her not to come out now.

    He didn''t want to start explaining why he was living with a lady to his over-righteous brother.

    "Been keeping in touch with Cherry?" Louis asked.

    "You know I don''t talk about her."

    "She mentioned someone in her interview today. There was no name but I knew it was you" He paused and waited for Leo to say something.

    "I am not curious about that. Trust me." He said leisurely before taking a big gulp from the beer can.

    "So how''s life�� living as you wish?"

    "I do not regret it at all" Leo said before tilting his can in a silent toast.

    "I saw Doctor Lily today. How''s it going with you both?"

    *BANG*

    They both heard the sound of something crashing.

    "What''s that?" Louis stood to ask immediately.

    Leo scratched his head awkwardly.  "There''s someone in the room.... A guy" He added immediately he saw the surprised look Loius gave him.

    "He.... likes to... throw things" Leo continued even though he knew he wasn''t making sense. After a small pause, he gave Louis a pleading look.

    "Can you.... go home now... and act like all of these never happened?" He pleaded.

    "It isn''t a guy is it?" Louis asked suspiciously as he began to walk towards the room. He could not believe anything Leo was saying.

    "I''ll explain the whole thing to you I promise. But first, just go home. Don''t tell the family about it."

    "Are you sure the person is not hurt?" He asked with a worried look. "You are not doing anything illegal right?"

    "Not at all. Let''s just meet up tomorrow or some other time." Leo said impatiently before leading him out.

    After Loius left, Leo went straight to Mia''s door.

    After fixing her phone earlier, he was able to take Mira''s phone number from inside since it didn''t have a lock. In fact, her phone was a very old phone and outdated phone. If it had been the latest model phones, it probably wouldn''t have turned on with the way she threw it earlier.

    When he called Mira, he explained that Mia had gone home after receiving a call from her mother but suddenly returned with a foul mood.

    Mira had patiently listened to him talk and when he was done, she began to speak,

    "I don''t know how to say this to you Mr Leo.... the thing is...  Mia is kind of obsessed with... you know... pleasing her mother. So when things doesn''t go as planned, she gets all crazy and all. And trust me, most of the times, things do not go as planned because her mother is a self centered witch who only cares about herself."

    Leo had heard weird things in his life. But he hadn''t expected that one. Who the hell lived to obsess over pleasing their mother?

    He did not bother to knock on her door this time. He opened the door and saw her crouched on the ground in a fetal position.  She was quiet and her eyes were closed. He could see her face were completely wet with tears.

    On the floor were the pieces of the broken bottle of a syrup medicine.

    "Mia?" He called her gently before squatting down in front of her. Thankfully, she was now dressed in a black shirt and tiny short again!

    She slowly opened her eyes. There were very red and teary. She looked at his eyes and he could see tears were still pouring out.

    "I didn''t mean to break it. It refused to open" She said in a low, throaty voice, referring to the bottle of medicine that was now broken on the ground.

    For some reason, Leo''s heart squeezed painfully.

 Chapter 39 - There is a condition

    Leo naturally had a soft side. Even though he was quick to get angry sometimes, he was not one to see someone in pain and let the person be, especially when the person was living in his house.

    Maybe because he had a younger sister that was the same age as Mia and was probably seeing her as his own younger sister. He wouldn''t want his younger sister to live like that.

    "Can you stand up?" He asked her softly.

    Her eyes were still closed and she didn''t say a word.

    He didn''t have any other choice but to carry her from the ground and gently place her on the bed.

    She seemed to be sleeping because she did not say anything and her breathing was heavy.

    He had been able to note that she was soft but at the same time, violent. For some reason, she reminded him of himself. He was just like her, having contradicting sides.

    "Are you sleeping?" He asked as he lowered himself to sit beside her sleeping figure.

    Her body was hot. He wanted her to take her medicine and eat something before sleeping. Now, he realised he was not even bothered by her exposed thigh anymore.

    "I am awake." She managed to say with a cracked voice.

    "You should take your medicine and eat something. Else, your illness may worsen"

    "I just want to die" She said before a sniff.

    "You cannot die. At least not in my house." He joked, but he had meant it. He really did not want to see a corpse. It was his greatest fear.

    "Why are you so nice to me?" She suddenly asked.

    The light in the room was dim. It was just the lamp by the bed that was on and it was not very bright but they could both see each other''s faces. His was filled with pity while hers was filled with tears.

    "Cause I am a human and I should be nice to people." That was the only answer he could come up with.

    "But I wasn''t good to you." She added in a tiny voice. "I have never been good to you"

    "I don''t treat people depending on how they treat or treated me�� well, there may be exceptions. But in general, I am nice to everyone�C even those who stay in my house illegally."

    Mia cackled dryly at that. He was a strange person. He was probably the first person she was hearing that from�� someone who didn''t treat others the way others treated them. He obviously had a nice gene. But she didn''t.

    "I am sorry. And thank you... for everything" She said before closing her eyes.

    She knew she had been ungrateful. He had helped her a lot. First, with the house. Then, he saved her at the park and then he helped nurse her back to health and even paid for her drugs.

    It felt weird to be receiving these favours from one person at the same time. It was the first time she was in a position where one particular person had to help her over and over again. As much as she was embarrassed by it, she was not in any position to reject it now.

    Leo smiled a bit. "Now that wasn''t so difficult was it?"

    "It was." She said without opening her eyes.

    "Your drugs�C"

    "I took them already. And I ate something before coming here"

    There was a small pause before Leo asked,

    "Do you want to talk about what''s bothering you?" He asked skeptically. He wasn''t sure he was in any place to be a ''listening ear'' for her. Was he even ready to take up such responsibility?

    It was funny how their relationship developed overnight. From his strong hate towards her to strong pity. He wondered what the future held for them.

    "I don''t want to talk about it." She said before pulling the duvet to cover her body.

    "Alright. Good night little girl." He said before leaving the room.

    Mia opened her eyes when she heard the door lock. She wished she could leave the house and stop troubling him. He had seem like a bad person the first time because he had suddenly entered her room with a n.a.k.e.d lady, totally fl.u.s.tering her, plus he had acted like she broke into the place and tried to throw her out when it had been his sister''s fault.

    She really would have left along the line, but she was short on the amount to get a good and comfortable apartment at such a short notice.

    And from the first night there, she liked the place. She realised she was very relaxed there and had slept through the night without waking up to strange nightmares.

    She had thought maybe it was because she was in a new environment or probably because she was so tired, but the night after that, she had also slept just fine. She liked the feeling and wanted to stay longer.

    But maybe she had been a bit extreme with the way she handled things, coupled with the fact that her entire emotion and mood had been terrible.

    When Mia visited her mother earlier, she had expected to help her mother with chores and bread deliveries, but to her surprise,  her mother told her she had done everything already.

    "You''ve suffered a lot. I called you here to give you a treat" Linda said.

    Mia had been surprised, stupefied, elated, glad.

    Her mother had made her a really nice meal and told her to just sit down and eat. Mia didn''t have much appetite to eat because she was over excited., but because it was rare for this to happen, she sat and ate everything. Suddenly her mother sat opposite her, startling Mia.

    "How has part time jobs been?" Linda asked her.

    "Good. Once I gather a bit more, I''ll send it into your account. We''ve gone halfway with the debt right?" Mia asked.

    "Yes. But the other part may take us another four years to complete."

    "I know." Mia said sadly before reaching to hold her mother''s hand. "I''ll keep working hard to help us pay off Mary''s debts."

    "What do you mean by Mary''s debts?" Linda asked with a frown before pulling her hand away from Mia''s.

    Mia bit her lip in embarrassment before quickly apologizing. Her sister, Mary had accured those debts, but apparently, her mother didn''t like it when people mentioned it.

    "You love your mother right?" Linda asked with a quiet voice.

    "Of course I love you." Mia admitted immediately.

    "Mr Timothy said he would let us off the debt and even refund the previous ones we''ve paid" Linda informed her

    "Really?" Mia asked in surprise. That didn''t quite make sense to her.

    "Yes. But there is a condition to it.. one only you can help with." Linda said as she observed Mia''s face intently.

    "Me? What is it?" Mia asked curiously.

    Linda paused for a bit. It was as if she was contemplating telling her or not.

    "He wants you to marry his son."

    Mia''s jaw dropped immediately. Mr Timothy''s son? Was he not the one with the Down Syndrome?

    "You told him NO right?" Mia asked with a nervous laugh.

    Linda smiled at her sadly before covering her daughter''s hands with hers.

    "Child... haven''t you thought about getting married?"

 Chapter 40 - Good Morning!

    "Child..... Haven''t you thought about getting married?" Linda asked.

    Mia''s jaw dropped. She soon recovered and began to laugh.

    "No. Not at all. That''s weird" She shook her head

    immediately.

    Get married? That was the least she wanted at this point in her life. Why would she want to get married when she was still trying to map out her life? It was absurd!

    And even if she wanted to get married. Mr Timothy''s son? That was not possible!

    "You are already 23" Linda reminded her. "And I am sure you do not have a boyfriend yet."

    "Don''t worry mum. I''ll work really hard to pay off the debt. Do not worry too much about Mr Timothy. We''ve been able to pay it up all these years. We can still do so now." She assured her mother with a smile.

    "There would be no need to stress ourselves too much if you just marry Mr Timothy''s son. He is rich enough to take care of you for the rest of your life." Linda said seriously before standing up.

    "Think about it dear."

    "You must be joking." Mia said with a look of disbelief. She didn''t want to believe her mother was serious.

    "Why would I joke with something as serious as marriage?" Linda asked with a frown.

    Mia stood up, totally speechless and baffled.

    "You are really serious? You..... want to sell me for money now?" She asked angrily.  It was the first time she was getting angry at her mother so openly.

    "Are you crazy? How could you say that?" Linda asked with a yell and angry eyes.

    "Then what does this mean? Would you have asked Mary to do this? Would you?" Mia accused.

    *SLAP*

    "How dare you accuse me like that? Are you saying I hate you and love Mary more?"

    Mia closed her eyes as she felt her cheek burn from the slap. She slowly opened her eyes again and tears dropped.

    "This is Mary''s debt. She played around and got herself in trouble. You borrowed more to pull her out of that trouble. Now, she ran away from home and I have been doing all I can to pay it up. Isn''t that enough?" Mia raised her voice in anger.

    "Look at me! Do you care to know the last time I took proper care of myself? It''s as if I was born to pay off Mary''s debts because that''s what I''ve always been doing."

    "Never have I bought myself a nice dress or an underwear? What about a nice meal? What about cosmetics?"

    "I grew up wearing dad''s clothes because I couldn''t even touch your precious daughter''s clothes. After everything I have done for you and this family, how can you ask me to do something like that?" Mia lamented bitterly.

    Strangely, it was the first time she was pouring out her heart like that.

    "Did I ever ask you to not take care of yourself? Did I tell you to slave away for this family? I didn''t compel you to do so. But as a part of this family, you should take up responsibility. Do you want to see me dead before you realise this is serious? How dare you yell at me just because I asked you to get married? Do your mates still live in their parents houses at this age?"

    At this point, Mia was already crying loudly. She was not surprised. Her mother had always been like this. In fact, she was surprised at herself for thinking her mother had treated her to a meal because she only wanted to give her a treat and not ask for something absurd in return.

    "I will do anything for this family but not that. I won''t get married." Mia said resolutely.

    "Then get lost. I regret ever calling you my child. Leave!" Linda yelled at her as tears began to stream down her own face.

    "And don''t ever return here. I don''t ever want to see you again."

    For a split second, Mia contemplated her decision. Could she really live without seeing her mother again?

    "Please Mother��"

    Linda quickly snapped at her,

    "Don''t call me your mother you ungrateful child. Ever since I had you, it''s been one problem or the other. I should have listened. I really should have."  Linda sat down in one of the chairs and buried her face in her hand as she continued to cry.

    "First business sank, then my husband mysteriously disappeared,  then my daughter. What else is going to happen. What else?" She lifted her head to see Mia looking at her with tear streaked face.

    "Why aren''t you leaving? Get lost."

    For a few seconds, Mia quietly looked at her. But then she made a decision, and walked out.

    ************

    "I wanted....to be a good daughter. I worked day and night to help pay the debts her daughter and herself had accured. I never bought something nice things for myself because I wanted her to be debt free. I never said No to her�� today was the first time I said a no to her." Mia''s subconscious narrated.

    "I wanted her to love me. I wanted her to hug me. I wanted her to hold me."

    "But now..... I can''t live that way anymore. Now, I have to live for myself. Now, I''ll do the things I want to do."

    "Now, I''ll abandon her."

    Mia woke up with a new resolve. She was never going to slave herself for anyone again. As much as she was tempted to return to her mother and apologize to her, she refused to do so.

    ************

    Leo woke up late that day. When he checked the time, it was past 9 in the morning.

    He had slept late the previous night because of work and also because he was worried about the girl in the next room.

    He left his room in a hurry to go check on her and his nose met a delicious smell immediately he opened his room''s door.

    He follwed the smell to the kitchen and saw Mia standing there, stirring something inside the pot on the fire.

    She was wearing a white tshirt but this one looked a bit smaller than the ones she usually wore. She also wore a small grey short and her hair was tied together in a neat ponytail.

    "Hi!" She greeted with a smile when she turned and saw him standing here. "Good Morning."

    Leo looked at her in surprise.  Now, this was weird. She was suddenly looking cheerful and happy.

    "What are you doing?" He asked with an uncertain voice.

    Just the previous night, she had been sick and looked broken. Now, she was all hyper.

    "Cooking obviously. You also have a share." She said and winked at him, startling the hell out of him.

 Chapter 41 - Bucket List

    "I feel very uncomfortable" Leo finally said something after a while.

    He had been quietly observing Mia while she did all she did but he could not help voice it out at last.

    Probably because he wasn''t used to her being nice and cheerful so seeing her this way made him uncomfortable. She wasn''t actually saying a thing, but even while eating, she was smiling sheepishly.

    "Why is that?" Mia asked as she sipped her tea.

    She had made Toasted bread, pancakes, french toast and a milky tea for the both of them for breakfast.

    Leo could not remember the last time he had a homemade breakfast like this�C and from someone he barely knew, but he had joined her on the table when she invited.

    "I didn''t know the one you liked best so I made all.... To thank you" Mia had explained to him when she saw the confused look on his face after she placed the different variety of foods on the table.

    Although he was skeptical about the while thing, her food looked tempting so he had quietly sat down opposite her while she served him breakfast.

    "Why are you uncomfortable?" Mia asked again when he kept looking at her without saying anything.

    "How do you feel? Still sick?" He asked curiously.

    "Nah. I''m good. Do I look sick?"

    She didn''t look sick to him. In fact, he had never seen her looking so pretty and lively. And that made him worried.

    "This isn''t like a last supper, where you''re planning to die or something right?'''' He raised a questioning brow at her, making Mia laugh loudly.

    The sound of her laughter startled him. He looked intently at her, drawn by her laughter.

    He had imagined she was going to be really pretty when she laughed and she had not disappointed.

    She looked amazing when she laughed. Her eyes sparkled, the side of her cheeks deepened a bit like she had a dimple but it was not very noticeable. She had a fine set of small teeth that was arranged in a strange form�C white and spotless.

    "You''re pretty" He said out unconsciously.

    Mia stopped laughing and stared at him in surprise.

    "Really?" She blinked at him.

    Leo didn''t want to make it obvious that he had mistakenly said out what he had been thinking so he shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly,

    "You should laugh often. You''re prettier when you laugh." He admitted.

    "Thanks." Mia answered with a blush before sipping from her teacup.

    "And.. Thank you." Mia said to him with a smile before taking a big bite from her toasted bread.

    "For?" He raised his eyebrow questioningly.

    "For being friendly."

    "It''s weird having you behave like this." He confessed.

    "I know. It''s also weird for me. But I''ll try to live like this from now on."

    Leo nodded. He didn''t know what she had decided to do, but he hoped for her to live well.

    "No classes today?"

    "There is."

    "And you''re here?" He asked with a surprised voice.

    He could not imagine his parents'' reaction when the found out that Chloe was skipping classes.

    "I have never missed classes before. I just wanted to know how it felt like." She admitted casually.

    Now, this was strange. Leo thought. Why did it feel like she was trying to fulfill everything in her bucket list before she died?

    "So what else have you not done before and you''re planning to do?" He asked inquisitively, suddenly interested in knowing about her.

    "Hmmm..." Mia pondered on his question.

    "Go shopping, get a new phone... go late to class... deliberately fail a test.."

    Leo listened attentively as she counted it all with her fingers. Everything she mentioned where things majority of people did on a passing everyday. Why did they seem like a big deal to her?

    "Do not study for tests... go see a movie at the cinema without getting angry at the exaggerated  reaction of viewers, go to the beach, not take up any odd jobs for a month, oh... and have s.e.x.." Her eyes twinkled when she mentioned that part and Leo chocked on his tea.

    "Are you okay?" She asked when she saw him choking.

    He cleared his throat awkwardly and managed to nod. But as a guy,  he seemed interested in that topic.

    "S.e.x?"

    "Yes." She nodded.

    She wanted to go wild. Everything she had not done before, she wanted to try it all. All the money she had been saving up to send to her mother by the end of the month, she was going to spend it all on herself. She wanted her mother to see how useful she had been to the family.

    Leo was startled. He had never met anyone so open like her. Maybe because he had been taking her for his little sister, the thought of her having s.e.x repulsed him just like he wouldn''t want to hear his sister talking about it like that. He suddenly remembered something and asked,

    "Do you have a boyfriend? Or girlfriend?"

    "Nope" She answered.

    "Really?'' He asked in surprise. He had thought she was dating Mira.

    "What about Mira?"

    "She doesn''t have a boyfriend. Are you interested in her?" Mia teased.

    Leo laughed before shaking his head. "I wasn''t asking that. I thought you were a couple."

    "Me and Mira?" Mia gasped before she began to laugh.

    "Not at all. We are friends." She corrected.

    "Really?" He asked with a look that showed he didn''t believe.

    "Why would you think that?"

    "So you''re not interested in women?" He asked with profound interest.

    "Nah. Not at all. But I''m not homophobic either"

    "I think we may have a little problem there." Leo confessed with a frown.

    "What is it?" She asked curiously.

    Leo was not one to hide things. He liked to say it the way there were.

    "I thought you liked women you know... plus you didn''t seem to mind much that I saw you half n.a.k.e.d so it convinced me you weren''t s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to the opposite s.e.x."

    "Your point is?" She questioned.

    "Now that I know you like men, plus I''ve seen your body and the image doesn''t seem to leave my mind, there may be a problem... and you know, with us living together.." He admitted with a worried sigh.

    Mia paused for a second to comprehend what he was trying to say.

    "Are you saying.... you may be s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to me?" She asked with a loud gasp.

    Leo chuckled when he saw her reaction and nodded. "I''m saying it could happen. But do not worry, I see you as my little sister so I''m certain that wouldn''t happen"

 Chapter 42 - Older brother

    Mia realised she wasn''t as confident with her plans as she had thought. There were some things one couldn''t change�� time, season, and Mia''s attitude towards her education.

    She had made up her mind earlier that day that she wasn''t going to go to school, but that decision made her very uncomfortable. Her brain kept reminding her she had a class by 1pm and even after convincing herself that she wasn''t going to go, she found herself in front of her school gate at exactly 12:45 pm.

    She had come too far to give up on her education at this point. Maybe she could change other aspects of her life but not her education because she was not sure she would be able to handle it if her results dropped.

    As usual, the school environment was rowdy and busy. It always reminded her of how much she hated going to school. She couldn''t wait to graduate.

    "Vote for Benjamin."

    "Vote for Henry"

    "Vote for Tiffany"

    Those words kept echoing as she head to her class.

    She sat down at the back seat and sighed when Jeremy joined her.

    "Are you okay?" He looked at her with concerned eyes and she began to wonder when they became friends for him to care about her.

    "Why?" She asked.

    "You are late. Something happened before you came."

    "What is that?" She asked curiously. Normally, she would have said "I am not interested." It was in her nature to not care about anything that was happening around her. But now, she wanted to know.

    He was about to say something before the teacher entered.

    ****************

    Leo could not help but yawn. He was in a meeting at a fancy caf�� with a client who wanted him to be the photographer at his wedding.

    As he listened to the man talk, he made up his mind to reject him. The man sounded very rude and arrogant and he hated those kind of people.

    "You must understand that I also have my terms Mr Will"

    "I beg your pardon?" Mr Will carefully placed his coffee mug on the table and raised a brow at him.

    "I''ll lay them out for you"

    "What''s there to tell me about?" Mr Will interrupted.

    "I''m paying you for this job and I don''t see any reason why you should give me any terms. All you have to do is pick up your damn camera and do what you can do best." He said with a scowl.

    Leo frowned. One thing he hated the most was people insulting him or his profession and this was an insult.

    Mr Will was a major car dealer in his mid thirties. He was tall, average looking, and with this little time they spent together, he could tell he was an egotist.

    "That''s insulting" Leo said with a disapproving frown.

    "I am just stating the fact."

    "Sorry, you mentioned a previous client of mine recommended me to you right? Who is that?" He asked curiously. He didn''t deal with clients like this so he wondered why someone would recommend him to this type of person.

    "Cherry Anderson. She mentioned ��"

    "Wait what?" Leo sat up and frowned even more.

    "Cherry Anderson?" He stood up from his seat immediately. He had been looking for an excuse to not work with him and now he had two. If he had known it was Cherry Anderson, he wouldn''t have agreed to this meeting in the first place.

    "I''m sorry Mr Will but I won''t be working with you." As he turned to leave, he paused to add, "And you have a shitty attitude. You better work on yourself."

    ***************

    As he drove back home, he passed by his family''s hospital and remembered Mia was supposed to go there for her shot.

    He had taken her number from her phone the previous night and returned her phone when he went to meet her later that night, so he sent her a quick text to remind her she was to go over to the hospital later.

    When he remembered their conversation this morning, a smile creeped up his face.

    Maybe she wasn''t as bad as he thought even though he still felt very uncomfortable by her new change in attitude.

    When she asked "Are you saying you may be s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to me?"

    He had been a bit startled by her bluntness but he had chuckled�C especially because of the shocked look on her face when she asked.

    He had assured her nothing was going to happen because he saw her as his younger sister but the look on Mia''s face showed that she wasn''t very convinced by that. She had looked at him with a red face and opened mouth and after a few seconds, she ran back inside her room without looking back.

    He couldn''t believe there was ever going to be a day where he would think she was ''cute'' but surprisingly, he thought so now.

    He was very sure he would be able to handle things but first, he needed to tell her to dress properly around the house.

    He may try to convince himself that she was like his ''younger sister'', but he wasn''t sure his body felt the same way.

    He had seen her, touched her, indirectly kissed her, and even lay on top of her and he remembered how soft her body felt under his.

    He still had the mental picture of how she looked like half n.a.k.e.d.

    Mia living under his roof was a big temptation but somehow, he was confident that he would be able to overcome it..... or maybe not.

    ***************

    Mia was inside the school cafeteria with Jeremy when her phone alerted her of a message.

    Her ringtone was unusally loud and sounded funny so a few eyes darted towards their direction, giving her a funny look.

    Jeremy raised his brow in amus.e.m.e.nt when he saw her take out her phone from her bag. He couldn''t believe that people still used those kind of phones.

    Mia was oblivious to whatever was going on around her.

    She noticed the text was from a strange number and clicked on it.

    ''Remember to visit the hospital. And make sure you eat something. From your Older brother.''

    Mia smiled when she read the text. Older brother indeed.

    "This is the first time I''m seeing you smile like this. Your boyfriend?" Jeremy asked curiously, although he was skeptical about it since he knew she liked Benjamin.

    Mia shook her head and kept back her phone inside her bag.

    "A certain older brother." She answered with a short laugh.

 Chapter 43 - Messing with older brother.

    "First of all, I wanted to apologize. You may think I am troublesome but trust me, this is not how I normally act. I''m just trying to get your attention because I need your help." Jeremy explained to Mia.

    "Well, you came at the wrong time because I am not actually interested in all of these right now."

    "Did something happen? You seem... different" He wrinkled his nose.

    Mia took her tray from the table when she stood up to leave and Jeremy followed.

    "You said you wanted to show me something." She reminded him.

    "Oh yea..."  He took out a flier from inside his backpack and gave it to her.

    "Before you came today, the SUG Vice President made an announcement." He continued to explain as she looked through the flier.

    "It''s a talent show that will be coming up during the students'' election week"

    "Wow!" Mia exclaimed when she saw the prize to be won. "Are you participating?"

    "No. But I thought you may be interested. Only those with this flier can register. So I''m giving it to you" He said with a haughty smile.

    "I never said I was interested in participating" She tried to hand it back to him but he refused to take it.

    "Oh please Mia Lucas. I thought you may be touched and agree to be my tutor once I do you this big favour." He frowned in disappointment.

    "You''re getting way ahead of yourself Jeremy Williams"

    She increased her pace when she got to the gate.

    "Oh! Benjamin is having a party. He came with the other annoying flies to the class before you arrived to invite us to his party."

    "A party?" She stopped to ask him.

    "Yes. Are you going?" He smiled when he thought he finally got her attention.

    "Hell N�C" Mia paused to consider it.

    "I thought you didn''t like Ben because of James. Why are you interested in his party?"

    "Because of you. I thought you may be interested in attending cause you know�C" He let his words trail off and winked at her.

    "I''ll think about it." She said before waving at the familiar car parked nearby when it honked. She could see Mira in the driver''s seat through the windshield.

    "I don''t have your phone number. I need to know if you''re going to the party so we can go together. You know... I don''t have friends, neither do you"

    Mia rolled her eyes at him before asking for his phone. She thought Jeremy acted like a kid who liked being pleased no matter what and the only way to get away from him was to do what he wanted.

    She typed in her number and handed it back to him.

    "Alright. Thanks" He said with a smile before waving at her. He also extended his wave to Mira who was watching them from the car.

    "Who is that handsome guy?" Mira asked with twinkling eyes immediately Mia joined her.

    "A classmate. He''s been all over me lately wanting me to help him with some stuff. Quite troublesome though" Mia babbled, surprising Mira.

    "You seem to be in a good mood" Mira noted. The Mia she knew would have easily brushed her question off. In fact, Mia wouldn''t have given her number to the guy since she was sure that Mia had just given her number to him.

    She had been surprised when Mia called to ask her to go shopping with her. Something was definitely wrong. The Mia she knew did not spend money like that. In fact, she hardly spent money at all.

    "Probably." Mia answered with a shoulder shrug.

    "Wow. Great. I always want to see you looking this way." Mira said in a chipper voice.

    After a brief pause, Mira spoke again,

    "I''m really curious to ask what suddenly happened to you, but I''ll leave those questions for later when we have dinner. So tell me, where do you want to go to first?"

    "Oh.. the hospital." She hissed.

    "Hospital? Why?"

    As Mira kept driving, Mia narrated most of the events that had occurred between Leo and herself. But she made sure to keep out the incidents that occurred when she was sick and how he had seen her almost n.a.k.e.d. She only mentioned how they had been getting along, how he took her to the hospital and his assumption that she had been dating Mira.

    Mira laughed loudly. "He thought we were dating? That''s crazy?"

    A short laugh escaped Mia''s lips. "I was also surprised."

    "But he seem like a really nice guy. Wow! He even took you to the hospital. Plus he is good looking and rich. You should date him."

    "Hell no!" Mia repulsed the suggestion immediately.

    Leo was nice, yes. He was also good looking and from a rich family. But he didn''t seem like her type. She didn''t want to admit he was way out of her league and she had been able to guess from the first day that he was someone who played around with women.

    She had seen him enter inside her room with one n.a.k.e.d woman and just the other day, another woman came to his door.

    "What are you thinking about? You suddenly like the idea of dating him?" Mira asked with a teasing smile.

    "No."

    "So you won''t be bothered if I made a pass at him?"

    "You want to date him?" Mia raised a brow at her. Although, she wasn''t very surprised. It was Mira''s nature to follow her emotions and do whatever she wanted to do.

    "Doesn''t sound like a bad idea. Or I could probably just have s.e.x with him. He''s smoking hot"

    "Mira!" Mia exclaimed, making Mira to laugh out.

    "Anything worthy to know about him?" Mira asked with interest.

    Mia thought about it and then added with a short laugh. "He has another sister aside Chloe."

    "Really? Who?"

    "Me!" Mia exclaimed.

    Mira raised a curious brow at her and asked,

    "What do you mean?"

    "Apparently, he takes me as his younger sister and that''s why he''s been so nice to me."

    "Oh my God!" Mira laughed so hard to the point where she had to park the car by the side of the road.

    "He sister-zoned you? Oh no!" She said in between her fits of laughter.

    "I don''t understand what''s so funny." Mia said with a frown.

    "Sweetheart...." Mira began to speak when her laughter subsided.

    "What do you think? Should we mess with him a bit and see how far he is willing to go with this ''sister'' stuff?" Mira asked with a naughty glint in her eyes.

    "What are you talking about?" Mia questioned with a confused look on her face.

    *************

    Some hours later.....

    Mia looked between Cherry and Leo who were both standing inside the sitting room. All three looked at each other.

    Mia finally opened her mouth to say something. She looked at Leo and greeted... "Hi.... ba-by"

 Chapter 44 - Mission Failed

    FEW HOURS BEFORE.....

    "Remember to always take your drugs" Doctor Lily reminded Mia with a kind smile.

    "I won''t forget. Thanks" Mia returned her smile. Doctor Lily had a warm personality and she liked people like that. Too bad she couldn''t act like that to others.

    "And... say hello to Leo for me." Doctor Lily said with a wink before turning to retun to her office.

    As Mia approached Mira, she saw someone pass by and enter a room so she stopped walking and looked ahead curiously.

    She thought the person looked very much like Leo even though she had only seen the person''s side profile. The person wore a doctors'' coat and his hairstyle was somehow different. She shook her head. It was not possible. She was very sure Leo was not a doctor, plus Doctor Lily had just asked her to say hello to him. She wouldn''t have said so if he was working in the same hospital with her.

    "What are you looking at?" Mira asked curiously while looking at the direction Mia was looking at.

    "It''s nothing. Let''s leave."

    ************

    "You are suddenly craving chinese foods?" Mira raised a brow at Mia who continued to walk inside the fancy restaurant.

    "I really need to know what''s up with you." Mira said to Mia as she sat down opposite her.

    The restaurant was big and really fancy. It sold intercontinental dishes and had a lot of customers inside. Mia felt a bit self conscious after looking around because she was still dressed in her school outfit.

    "I just want to have fun." She replied the curious Mira.

    "Did something happen?" Mira continued to press.

    "Well, nothing much happened. I just want to live my life from now on and do everything girls my age do."

    "Wow!" Mira exclaimed with shining eyes. "Really? You really want to be a free bird now?"

    "I was never inside a cage" Mia answered with an eye roll before accepting the glass of water a waiter offered.

    "Oh you think?" Mira also took a glass and thanked the waiter before turning to look at Mia again.

    "I''m glad to hear that. It makes me so happy to know this. Is James aware?"

    "I think school is taking all of his time. Haven''t heard from him yet."

    "Me too."

    When a male waiter showed them the menu, Mia choked on the water she was drinking when she saw the prices.

    "This... is just for a meal or I''m also going to be a shareholder of this restaurant after paying this amount?" She asked the waiter in shock as she pointed at the price, making Mira cackle.

    The waiter smiled awkwardly before informing her that those were the prices of each dish.

    "Wait... I don''t have to pay for this glass of water do I?" Mia suddenly asked in a panic as she raised the glass of water the waiter had served them earlier. She assumed even water would be expensive in this kind of place.

    "No ma''am. That''s for free." He explained with a polite smile.

    "Alright. Thanks. We''ll get back to you."

    Immediately the waiter left, Mira controlled her laughter and said,

    "Come on, let''s just have it. I''ll pay for it to celebrate your freedom."

    "No way in hell I''m buying a plate of food for that amount. Jesus!"

    The lowest amount on the menu was equivalent to her two weeks salary�� and that''s if she took three different odd jobs.

    "Let''s leave." Mia demanded. Despite Mira''s protest, Mia pulled her away from the restaurant.

    Miss classes�� Mission failed.

    Eat in a fancy restaurant �� Mission failed.

    Mia sighed deeply when they got back to the car.

    "Let''s go shopping then." Mia decided. No matter what, she wasn''t going to back out now. She swore.

    **************

    "So... about what I told you earlier, do you want to mess with him?" Mira asked with a naughty smile as she drove.

    "I''m not sure." Mia said with uncertainty.

    "Come on... since you want to go wild, let''s start with him. Let''s see how long he''s going to keep seeing you as his younger sister."

    "I don''t mind him seeing me that way. Besides, I don''t want to do anything that''ll make him throw me out of his place."

    "Stop it!" Mira scolded. "You are a young, pretty, s.e.xy lady. I can assure you he won''t throw you out. Just tease him a little and make him confused."

    "Actually....." Mia considered telling Mira everything that happened between them.

    "What is it" Mira looked at her curiously.

    Mia sighed. She needed to get it off her mind anyway so she began to narrate how she had woken up that morning in only her underwear and saw him sleeping beside her.

    "Oh my God! He was on top of you and you... you.. felt.... him?" Mira gasped as she tried to keep her focus on the road.

    "I did. God.. it was so embarrassing. But I acted like I felt nothing."

    "Was he big?"

    "Mira!"

    "How did you feel... weren''t you turned on?" Mira continued to press.

    Mira sounded excited when she asked. She liked these kind of conversations and so far, this was the first time Mia was having this kind of intimate conversation with her.

    "I won''t have this conversation with you" Mia said with a blush.

    She remembered how she had felt him pressed onto her that morning. His body had a really peculiar scent and while she had tried to act like it was fine with her, she had felt his male organ pressing onto her. She thanked her stars the duvet had been there to protect them both.

    If there was one thing Mia was good at, it was pretending like all was okay with her and, she had been acting like that whenever she saw him but she still had goosebumps and her stomach tightened whenever she remembered that morning.

    "At this rate, I think you may both end up having s.e.x very soon."

    "Do not say that. I cannot have s.e.x with a promiscuous person. I have to do it with someone I love and who loves me also. Please let''s drop this topic." Mia said with an embarrassed blush.

    "Mia is finally going to get laid!" Mira squealed loudly.

    *************

    Leo had been busy inside his room with laptop when he heard the front door open.

    First person that came to his mind was Mia. He didn''t know what he was thinking when he suddenly left the room to the sitting room and was startled when he saw Cherry Anderson there instead.

    "Hi" She greeted with a small smile.

    Cherry wore a short sleeveless gown with a deep V-neck that exposed her cleavages. He hair was tied in a ponytail and her face had mild make up. In all, she looked really pretty.

    "How did you get in here." He asked with a frown.

    "Through the door." She pointed at the door with an innocent look on her face.

    "Get out." He said with a dark scowl but she didn''t move.

    "I came to speak with you. I get that you are mad about what I did but please��"

    "What exactly are you apologizing for? For fixing me up with that jerk or what you did two years ago?"

    "Leo��" She took a step closer and he stopped her from taking another step.

    "Leave. Now!''

    "You didn''t change your passcode it means you still love me right? Let''s just talk Leo. I miss you... I miss us" She declared with a sad look.

    Her words didn''t seem to have any effect on him. He held her shoulders and turned to lead her to the door but she turned to push him away angrily.

    "Is it because of that little girl? You are not having anything serious with her are you?" She yelled at him.

    Speak of the devil, Mia opened the door and entered inside with two full shopping bags in her hands.

    Mia paused and frowned when she saw Cherry inside.

    Cherry narrowed her eyes to look at Mia. She didn''t want to believe this girl was really living with him.

    "Are you seriously dating her?" Cherry turned to ask Leo with a deep frown.

    "So what if I was?" Leo asked her before shooting Mia a pleading look to play along.

    Mia could guess he didn''t want her around. She had also noticed how he sounded the other time she visited.

    She looked between Cherry and Leo and finally opened her mouth to greet Leo.

    "Hi...ba-by" It had sounded really awkward to her and she almost cringed in embarrassment.

    Leo was a bit startled and as he watched her, be tried his best not to laugh but he couldn''t help it and began to chuckle.

 Chapter 45 - Cherry

    Leo hadn''t been sure Mia was going to play along. Even if she had been open minded recently, she still acted a bit rigid. So it had surprised him that she had easily played along. What did she just call him? Baby?

    Even Mia looked shocked and embarrassed at the way she called him. He tried his best not to laugh but he could not help it. She definitely looked cute.

    He began to chuckle and Mia frowned at him. Was he messing with her? She was helping him out but he was laughing?

    Cherry looked between Mia and Leo suspiciously.

    When Leo noticed how she was looking at them, he went into character....

    "Welcome baby. How was your time out?" He asked while moving closer to hug her.

    Mia froze when he wrapped his arms around her. If there was one thing she hadn''t expected, it was a hug from him.

    Leo had a peculiar scent she couldn''t quite understand. But it was a good scent.

    To Cherry who was looking at them with a frown, it seemed like Mia was not hugging back because of the shopping bags in her hand but in reality, Mia was simply too shocked to even make an effort to hug him back. She had never hugged a boy like this before�C not even James.

    "Oh.. my lady went shopping. What did you get for me?" Leo asked with a big smile as he took the bags from her hand. "I really hope there are some s.e.xy lingeries inside like the one you wore last night." He winked at her.

    He was having fun seeing her face redden. Maybe this was the time to pay her back for everything she had been doing to him. But on a second thought, she was helping him out so he decided to stop messing with her when he saw the awkward look on her face.

    Mia had never been in such an awkward situation all her life. She glared at Leo disapprovingly and turned to look at Cherry who was looking at them with angry eyes.

    "I guess you should leave now ma" Mia said in a respectable voice. Causing Cherry to frown even more.

    "Ma....?"

    "You really should leave now. I need to ravish my baby" Leo said to Cherry before dropping the shopping bags on top of the table to scoop Mia into his arms, totally startling her.

    Leo could not help it. As much as he wanted to stop teasing her, something kept pushing him to continue.

    "What... are you..�C" Mia stammered but Leo''s voice cut her off.

    "You know your way out" He turned to tell Cherry as he carried Mia inside her room.

    Mia''s cheeks were bright red. Mira had told her to mess with Leo but it seemed like he was the one messing with her.

    He slowly put her down after locking the door with his back and began to chuckle quietly.

    "You''re a bad actress. But it''s still okay" He complimented her.

    "You went overboard. What was all that about? How could you hug me and say you wanted to ravish me?" She snapped at him with a deep frown.

    "Hey!" He quickly used a hand to cover her mouth. "Shhhh... She''s probably still there."

    Mia pushed his hand away and scowled at him. "That''s your business to handle."

    "Come on, it''s the least you could do for me... you know... you''re living with me." He said with raised brow.

    "So I just need to keep doing all you want me to do?"

    He gave her a look she could interpret as "Yea.. you have no choice."

    "Well... sorry.. and thanks for helping me out. That''s the only way I could get her to leave�� And why don''t you lock your room door?"

    He asked when he remembered he had only turned the doorknob to open the door without using a key.

    "It''s just us. So why do I have to lock it?" She asked with a confused look on her face.

    Leo gave her a funny look.

    "I''ll go check if she''s still in. We need to talk."

    "Wait.. you are not planning to throw me out are you?" She asked in panic.

    "No.... Unless you tell me you didn''t see Doctor Lily today."

    "Well, I did" She nodded.

    "Good then. I''ll be back shortly."

    Mia paced around her room nervously. This whole thing was a had idea. She cussed herself for letting Mira put those kind of silly ideas in her head.

    Mira had told her to tease him a lot. Since she wanted to have fun, she didn''t have to necessarily go wild or have s.e.x with people to have fun. Mira had told her that the best thing to do was flirt.

    "Just flirt with him. Prance around the place in revealing clothes. Sometimes, pretend to bump into him in the kitchen while tying only a towel. You could even take it a step further by ''accidentally'' dropping the towel on the floor." Mira said with a naughty squeal.

    Mia shook her head. There was no way she was going to do any of that. Especially since he had told her he may be s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to her. Flirting with him would be like jumping into a burning furnace. She was going to save the flirting for Benjamin.

    Speaking of Benjamin, she made up her mind to go to his party and had done a little shopping to that effect. Oh.. her shopping bag was in the living room.

    At that moment, Leo knocked on the door and she invited him in.

    She looked at his hands and noticed he wasn''t holding her shopping bags.

    "She already left." He informed her.

    "So�� I think there is something we need to talk about." Leo started. He had to remind her that he was a man and even though he was calling her his younger sister, the devil knew they weren''t related and may send temptation so she had to always cover up her body.

    "Wait! Where are my bags?" She asked before moving past him to the sitting room.

    Leo followed her and saw how she looked around with creased brows.

    "You left it on the table right?" She turned to ask him.

    The shopping bags were nowhere to be found and it didn''t make any sense that it suddenly grew legs and walked away.

    Leo hissed. "Cherry Anderson!" He used a hand to scratch the bridge of his nose.

    "What? Your girlfriend took my bags? Is she that childish?" Mia asked with a disapproving frown.

    "Wait what? Cherry isn''t my girlfriend." He corrected.

    "Well I don''t care..." She said in a high pitched voice. "I just need my bags. Call her!" Mia demanded in a panic. She had spent a lot of money on those things and couldn''t let it go like that.

    The last thing Leo wanted was to call Cherry Anderson.

    "Can we just�� forget about it. I can pay for it�C"

    "Hell No!" She interrupted before he could finish.

    "I used my hard earned money to buy those things. So call her.... Now!" She added when Leo continued to loom at her without making any move to call.

    Leo sighed and finally took out his phone to call her.

    "You finally called me first." Cherry spoke first immediately the call connected.

    Leo frowned. "Where are the bags?"

    "What bags?" He heard her ask with an innocent voice.

    "Don''t play dumb with me. Where are the shopping bags?"

    Mia quickly flung the phone from Leo and began to speak.

    "Your name is Cherry right?" She had heard Leo call her Cherry Anderson.

    Mia didn''t wait for Cherry to speak before she continued.

    "Are you f.u.c.k.i.n.g with me? You look so pretty and sophisticated yet so childish and petty. If I don''t see my bag in the next couple of minutes, I''ll come to wherever you are and pop that Cherry head of yours!" Mia yelled angrily into the phone.

    Cherry was quiet on the other end.

    Leo looked at Mia as he asked in both shock and amus.e.m.e.nt. "Pop... her... cherry head?"

    When Mia heard his question, she looked at him with confusion and it finally dawned on her what she had just said.

    Did she just say she was going to ''pop her cherry head''?

    ''To pop a cherry'''' was a slang for breaking one''s v.i.r.g.i.nity.

    "Oh...." Mia exclaimed in embarrassment. "I guess that came out wrongly." She cringed before returning the phone to Leo.

 Chapter 46 - Dream....

    "Don''t you think it''s time to get a nice office space instead of working at home?" Richard asked Leo.

    "This house is big enough for that. And more comfortable also." Leo answered with his gaze fixed on his laptop.

    Richard was already used to this workaholic attitude of his friend so he didn''t feel bad that Leo wasn''t paying much attention to him.

    It was in Leo''s nature to not allow people inside his room. He just didn''t like anyone in his private space which was why he always came out to the sitting room whenever Richard came over instead of inviting him inside his room.

    "How was your meeting yesterday?" Richard asked his curiously. He always liked to know all about Leo.

    He had greatly missed Leo when he travelled out of the country so now that he was back, he didn''t want to give him any breathing space.

    "I don''t even want to talk about it." Leo answered with a frown. He didn''t want to remember the arrogant jerk, Mr Will and Cherry who had set them up together.

    "What about the girl?" Richard asked while angling his head at the direction of Mia''s door. "Is she feeling better now?"

    A small smile appeared on Leo''s face before he nodded. "She is indeed great. She went to class." He answered carelessly as he began to type away on his laptop.

    "Uh oh.. What was that?" Richard asked while looking at Leo suspiciously.

    "What is what?" Leo raised his head to ask Richard curiously.

    "You were always angry whenever I mentioned her or whenever you see her. But you smiled just now." Richard narrowed his eyes to look at Leo. "Something going on that I do not know about?" He pried.

    "Well... she isn''t as bad as I thought. I guess she had only been burdened by some personal stuff but she is okay now." Leo answered with a shrug as he continued with his laptop.

    "Remember our deal? I gave you two weeks but at this rate, I think you may fall for her even faster." Richard taunted.

    "Fall for her?" Leo laughed without raising his head from the laptop.

    "That''s absurd. I take her as my younger sister."

    "Oh wow!" Richard laughed.

    "Sister? Leo junior doesn''t know that." He said while looking down at Leo''s lap that was covered with his laptop.

    "Stop putting those dirty thoughts in my head. She is pretty. Yea. But she is still young and innocent." Leo blurted out defensively.

    "''Still young'' I don''t think so." Richard added with a naughty wink. "She looks all full blown and ripe."

    Leo turned to look at him with a straight face. "Don''t talk about her like that. And... stop it. I''m serious."

    Richard was making him remember the silly dream he had just last night. Maybe because he had said something about ravishing her and had hugged her just to prove a point to Cherry�� it had all backfired.

    He woke up feeling hot and bothered. He could not believe he had had a wet dream about Mia. The evidence had been on his morning erection that refused to go down and he had made sure to not come out of his room till he was sure she already left the house.

    "Alright... alright. But remember I gave you two weeks and said I was going to go after her if nothing worked out with you. You have just a week left bro." Richard reminded him. Failing to note the blush on Leo''s face.

    ********************

    "What the hell? You mean she actually took your shopping bags with her?" Mira asked in a tone of utter disbelief.

    Since Mira was bored and very much available,  she took it upon herself to always pick Mia up from school everyday. The Mia she knew back then would have said a firm no but Mia had agreed to it willingly.

    "I swear, I was so pissed!" Mia confessed.

    "Like what the heck! Please tell me you got back the shopping bags?"

    Mira glanced at her briefly before facing the road again.

    "Sure. Apparently, she was still inside her car outside the apartment when we called her so she came back in with the bags in hand. I didn''t spare her a second glance and just took the bags from her hand. Gosh! I was so tempted to hit her pretty face for being so childish." Mia shook her head. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

    "I can''t believe this. I haven''t seen her but I hate her already. Who behaves like that?" Mira shook her head.

    "Enough about her. So I talked to Jeremy and told him I would be going to the party on Friday night with you."

    "Cool! But I really can''t promise you anything yet. You know how my parents are. They could change their minds at the very last minute and I wouldn''t want to disappoint you darling."

    "I have never been to that kind of party before. And my first time going there, I don''t want to look like a loser."

    "I know. And I really can''t wait to dress you up for the party! Should I follow you inside and do some make-up testing?"

    "I am not sure about that. Leo doesn''t seem like the type who likes regular visitors."

    "Duh! I''m going to keep coming often. And you better hold your man before I snatch him from ya." Mira said as she parked in front of the building.

    "He is not my man!" Mia said with a frown.

    "Okay ma''am." Mira wasn''t in the mood to play around so she quickly agreed with Mia when she heard her phone begin to ring.

    "Oh shoot. My father is calling. I guess I have to hurry home. I''ll see ya tomorrow" Mira waved at Mia before driving off.

    Mia waved back with a small smile.

    Was life always this nice? She hadn''t actually done anything special or overly out of the ordinary but she felt slightly relieved and somehow free.

    But deep within her, she wasn''t very happy. Something seemed to make her feel like she was doing the wrong things but she shook the thought out of her head and went inside.

    ********************

    "Hey! I didn''t know you baked" Mia said when she entered the kitchen to find Leo beside a little oven she had noticed in the kitchen earlier.

    Leo turned to look at her. When she returned from school earlier, he was already inside his room since Richard left a few minutes before she arrived.

    He had warned himself not to go out when he heard the door open.

    Seeing her now, she had freshened up. Her face was bright and sparkling and as usual, she wore a really tiny white short but this time, she wasn''t wearing a big tshirt but a red tank top instead.

    He was very sure he would have choked if he had been eating or drinking something.

    What was she doing? He could see it, she wasn''t even wearing a bra!

    Bits of his dream suddenly began to flash and he quickly pulled his eyes away from her.

    He had wanted to tell her about her dressing pattern around his house but had totally forgotten because of Cherry and her childish tantrum.

    "Why are you dressed like that?" He asked her before turning to wash his flour stained hands at the sink.

    "How? What''s wrong?" She asked, moving closer to him.

    She liked to wear less clothes around the house so she didn''t see anything wrong with it. But after a second pause, she seemed to remember she was living with a guy now.

    Leo turned around and their eyes met.

    She noticed how he looked at her.  He looked at her legs and his eyes moved higher and lingered around her chest region.

    When Mia noticed, she gasped aloud and used both hands to cover her chest.

    "Older Brother!" She cried. Startling Leo who wondered why she was calling him her older brother.

 Chapter 47 - Repay me.

    "Sorry about earlier." Leo apologized as he served her his freshly baked coconut tart. They both sat opposite each other in the kitchen.

    "You were oogling me" Mia said with her eyes on the tart as she took in the sight. She had never imagined Leo as the type that baked.

    Leo was relieved she didn''t sound annoyed as he had expected.

    "I was." He admitted. He was not one to lie about things he did.

    "And that''s because of what you wore. Jesus! How can you dress like that when you know I''m inside the house?" He scolded her.

    He was glad she had hurried out of the kitchen to go change after she noticed the way he was staring. Now, she wore a tshirt and a longer short but parts of her thigh was still exposed.

    "I don''t like to dress much around the house. Heat makes me uncomfortable and sometimes, I have rashes." She explained. "But..I thought you said I was your younger sister." She asked with a pout.

    The thought of having Leo as a brother had delighted her a bit since she had always thought of what it was like to have a brother. It was the reason she was now free with him plus she believed guys gave the best advise. The things she told him, she had never been able to tell anyone before. Even James and Mira had never seen her in her lowest point but he had.

    Leo sighed. "Mia.. it''s easier said than done. Please dress well and cover up properly. I am a guy for goodness sake." He said in a really low voice. "But you do dress well to school or when you go out." He reminded her.

    "It''s because I do not have a choice and it''s only for a few hours. After which I hurry home to pull it all off"

    Leo avoided her eye contact when she said the last part.

    Had he made a big mistake returning to the country now?

    Ever since he met her, he had been encountering one challenge or the other. It was either trying to get her to leave his house, or trying to save her, or quarreling with her and now, he was facing a really difficult situation.

    He wasn''t the type to usually hold back. When he was attracted to a girl, he went straight for her. But he couldn''t with Mia and he didn''t know why.

    Maybe because it would look like he was trying to take advantage of her.

    But after his dream, he couldn''t stop having dirty images float about his head.

    "Earlier... were you aroused when you saw me?" She asked while looking at his eyes.

    "What?" Leo choked on his pie when he heard her question.

    "I am just curious. I really want to know what I need to do to get a guy to be attracted to me." She explained.

    Leo blinked at her a couple of times before he gulped down half glass of his juice.

    If only she knew he was aroused at that moment. He thanked the tables for helping him conceal it. He cleared his throat and tried to act like everything was okay when he looked at her.

    Mia was staring right at him. He wondered why she wasn''t embarrassed asking him that kind of question.

    "When you say attraction, do you mean s.e.x.u.a.lly?" He asked curiously.

    "I don''t know... it''s just..." Mia paused to think and took a small bite from the pie she hadn''t touched at all.

    The taste suddenly reminded her of her mother and her mood changed immensely.

    "What is it? You do not like it?" Leo asked when he saw her contorted brows.

    Mia shook her head slowly. "It''s nice... very nice.." She said sadly before sipping from her glass of orange juice.

    "Are you sure you''re okay?" He asked again when he noticed she still looked sad. He really prayed she wasn''t in the process of switching to the other ''Mia''.

    Mia closed her eyes for a few seconds and when she opened it again, she smiled.

    "I''m going to a party on Friday night" She informed him.

    "Party? What kind of party?" He asked curiously. He was really relieved to see she was not brooding.

    "It''s being organised by one of the contestant for the students'' council president�� Benjamin Stark. It''s going to be my first time attending a party so I''m a bit nervous." She confessed.

    "Benjamin?" He raised a brow as he questioned.

    "Yes..." Mia nodded.

    Leo remembered she had called him Benjamin twice.

    The first time was when he gave her a CPR. The second time was when he was looking after her the night she was sick..

    "You like Benjamin?" He asked curiously. Startling Mia.

    "How.... did you know?" She looked at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

    Leo frowned. So she had really been seeing him as her crush whenever she was unconscious and he was helping her out? Who the hell was that guy anyway?

    "Oh.. I just guessed since you mentioned it''s your first time attending a party you must like him to agree to go." He lied, not wanting to disclose anything else.

    "Please.. do not tell anyone about it." Mia pleaded.

    "Who was I supposed to tell? I don''t sit down to gossip people." He said with irritation evident in his tone.

    Mia probably didn''t take note of it or maybe she did but she chose to ignore it and went on to say, "Mira especially. She won''t let me be if she knows about it."

    "I won''t tell Mira...." He promised.

    Mia narrowed her eyes to look at him and he wondered why she was staring at him with such intensity.

    "What''s wrong? I already said I won''t tell."

    Mia shook her head. "It''s something else. Can I ask for a favour?"

    "You''re already living in my house and eating the bread I baked. What other favour could you possibly ask for." He asked with a short laugh.

    "I know right? Sorry about ��"

    "It''s fine. What''s the favour?" He interrupted.

    Mia''s lips formed a straight line. She avoided his eye contact and looked at her now empty plate.

    "For the party on Friday night, I was told that there was going to be game where you have to kiss the person you liked the most in the building."

    His brows knitted as he looked at her with rapt attention, wondering where she was heading to with all of these.

    "I...." Mia paused. She didn''t know how to explain it to him.

    Leo noticed her cheeks were flushed and was really curious now.

    "Yes?" He pressed.

    "I plan to kiss Benjamin." She blurted out before biting her lower lip in embarrassment.

    "Oh....." Was the only thing Leo could say. His tongue was tied.

    "But..."

    "But?"

    "I don''t know how to." She said in a low voice.

    Leo looked at her in surprise and amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "You don''t know how to?" He asked in disbelief.

    "I don''t know how to."

    "You''ve never kissed someone before?" He asked with interest. It was totally unbelievable.

    Mia was embarrassed but she decided to play it cool.

    "You stole my first kiss" She said with a glare.

    It took him a minute to understand what she meant and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.

    No wonder she had been so pissed that day.

    "I didn''t kiss you. I was only saving your life." He explained in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "Well, it''s all in the past." She said with a shrug of indifference.

    "So what was the favour you needed?"

    "Since you stole my first kiss, why don''t you repay me?" She asked while looking directly at him now.

    "You just said it was all in the past besides, I saved your life remember?" He tried to reason it with her properly.

    "So... you want me to repay you? How?" He asked when he saw her looking at him with a pout.

    "The thing is.... I..." Mia cleared her throat and looked down. She didn''t want to meet his gaze.

    "Can I practice how to kiss with you?" She blurted out.

    Leo''s eyes widened and his jaw dropped!

 Chapter 48 - Are you learning?

    "You are crazy." Leo stood up and said in horror after he found his voice. "What has gotten into you? How can you ask that of me?" He asked her. Obviously petrified.

    Mia frowned. Even though she had asked him to help her with something so improper, she hadn''t expected him to reject her so outrightly. Didn''t every guy liked it when ladies presented them with such offers?

    "You are the only guy I know. James isn''t around and even if he was, I wouldn''t ask him for such since we have been friends for a really long time. But it''s different with you. Besides, it''s not like we like each other that way and I''ll be leaving here soon anyway. So I really�C"

    "Stop.. stop.." Leo said and raised his hands to interrupt her before she could finish talking.

    "Do you really know what you are asking of me?" He looked at her in bafflement before sitting down again.

    "Of course I do." Mia nodded. "A kiss."

    "So... you want me to teach you how to kiss so you can become a pro and go ahead to kiss the boy you like?" He asked with a frown. What was she thinking? Was she trying to use him? Did he look that cheap to her?

    Mia nodded. "You seemed fine kissing that lady I saw you with inside my room." She said with a pout before looking down.

    Leo remembered the day she was talking about and sighed. "That''s a different issue. You are a little girl. You shouldn''t be thinking about getting a boy''s attention with a kiss. You should study hard and make good results." He advised her like the ''big brother'' he was.

    "My result is good already. And I am not a little girl. I told you I''m 23. Plus my mates are already doing these things so why can''t I?" She retorted.

    Leo opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

    "You don''t have to do it if you''re uncomfortable. There are a whole lot of people I can ask for help." She said to him.

    "You won''t even dare." He said out before he could stop himself.

    He didn''t want to imagine it. Guys were never to be trusted.

    "I won''t dare?" She looked at him in confusion.

    "Look Mia..." He inched closer and held her hand but quickly pulled away when he realised what he had just done.

    It was their first physical contact with her sober and in her right mind.

    Mia on the other hand looked like nothing had just happened.

    Hw wondered how she always managed to stay calm despite everything.

    Didn''t he have any effect on her?

    "You can''t just go meet any random guy. Some guys are dogs. They won''t want to stop with just kissing you trust me. And if you''re not careful, you may fall into their hands" He lectured her.

    "That''s why I asked you for help instead. I know it''s shameless for me to ask this since you''ve helped me a lot already but I figured guys derived pleasure in... you know.. mouth-to-mouth action" She said with a naughty smile.

    Leo was stunned. He couldn''t tell whether she was innocent or naughty. Or maybe she was a mixture of both, but he was sure she didn''t know what she was doing. Everything came naturally to her.

    "You are someone I can trust even though I''m just getting to know you. It''s the reason I''m asking you to teach me..... please?"

    She trusted him? Leo thought that was funny so he laughed.

    "You trust me?" He shook his head. "I can''t promise you I won''t want to go further." He confessed.

    "So you''re saying you''re a dog then?" She raised a brow at him.

    "Jesus! No! I do have... self con-trol" He said with uncertainty. He really wasn''t sure he could be able to handle all of it.

    "Then help me. Don''t worry, we don''t have to do it directly. You could just tell me what to do while I practice with a pillow or something."

    "So I seriously have to do this? Why can''t you just watch some YouTube videos?" He complained.

    "My phone doesn''t enable YouTube."

    She had planned to get a better phone when she went shopping but had been really surprised to learn how much a mobile phone cost. She couldn''t bring herself to spend such amount and had only gotten herself a few clothes and undies instead.

    "I''ll get you a new phone then. But please don''t make me do this." He tried to run away from it.

    "I don''t want you to do that." She said with a frown before getting up to leave the kitchen but Leo quickly called her back. He was slightly worried she may go meet some other guy outside.

    "Alright alright. Since we''re already done eating, let''s see a movie. You may learn a thing or two from it." He said to her and began to walk towards the sitting room.

    Mia smiled brightly and followed him out.

    Truthfully, she didn''t know what she was doing.  But she just wanted to live freely from now on. Everything girls her age did, she wanted to try it. Too bad she didn''t have enough money. She would have to take up some part time jobs again to get by.

    "It''s already pretty late. Aren''t you going to school tomorrow?" He asked as he selected a movie before switching off the light in the sitting room.

    "Class is by 10am. So I''m good." She answered and sat down on the sofa.

    ****************

    Leo turned to look at Mia who was sitting beside him and noticed her cheeks were flushed but she was still staring intently at the couple making out on screen.

    ''She''s really determined to learn'' He said to himself before turning to look at the TV once more and tried to focus but it wasn''t working.

    The only sounds they both heard were the m.o.a.ns of the couple on screen. Leo quickly picked up one of the small pillow on the couch and placed it on his lap for reason best known to him.

    Mia turned to look at him briefly before turning to look at the TV again. By now, the lady was fully n.a.k.e.d with her butt on the man''s office desk and her arms around his neck.

    Leo shifted uncomfortably. He wasn''t really one to get aroused by mere movies but lately, his hormones had been jeopardized.

    He shook out whatever thought that was trying to form on his head and turned to ask Mia..

    "Are you learning?"

    Mia looked at him and blinked twice before standing up.

    "Good night." She said to him and quickly ran to her room, leaving him bemused.

    He picked up his phone and dialed Richard''s number. He probably should go play around outside to relieve himself.

 Chapter 49 - I am not okay.

    Leo woke up pretty early the next morning. Maybe it was safer to say hadn''t slept the previous night.

    He had gone out with Richard to go have fun and probably hook up with a nice lady but unfortunately for him, his mission was not successful.

    His mind kept drifting back to Mia''s request and he also remembered her flushed cheeks as she watched the screen, making her look very innocent and adorable.

    Every woman he had seen in the clubhouse did not interest him. Even when some made passes at him, he felt disgusted and left the clubhouse.

    He knew he was in trouble now. A very big trouble.

    He had thought his attraction for her was something minimal and casual but he had been really wrong. And with each passing day, his self control dwindled.

    Even last night, he had also dreamt about her. His dream had been so vivid. She had walked into his bedroom wearing only her lingerie and demanded for him to come kiss her.

    He closed his eyes again as he tried to relive the dream but it suddenly dawned on him that he was behaving like a pervert and sat up immediately to go get himself a nice cup of coffee.

    Mia was still locked in. She had mentioned her classes was by 10 am so he guessed she was still asleep since they had both seen a movie until 12am before he went out and returned a few minutes past 2am.

    He sat in his favourite spot in the kitchen and looked at the seat opposite him where Mia usually sat.

    "Can I practice how to kiss with you?"

    He remembered her request and shuddered. He wouldn''t lie and say he had not been tempted to do it. Even now, after thinking it over and over, he still wanted to try it, but he was really holding himself back.

    It was just like jumping into fire and... no one liked fires.

    He was a realist. Maybe she wasn''t, but he was.

    He knew if he did it once, he was probably going to want to do it over and over again and it was risky.

    He shook the thought out of his head. If she wanted to have fun, she should go ahead. But not with him.

    ''Maybe I need a company.'' He thought to himself and smiled when a really nice idea popped into his head.

    "Tara!" He said with a smile.

    He thought if he brought her to come live with them, then she would be able to distract him from having dirty thoughts about Mia since Tara was very clingy.

    *****************

    Mia and Leo bumped into each other in the sitting room.

    She was dressed for school while he was dressed to meet with a client.

    They both quietly stared at each other awkwardly before Mia hurried out without even saying a ''good morning'' to him.

    Leo wrinkled his brow in confusion. Was she having those silly mood swings again? He wondered as he also left the house.

    "Get in. I''ll drop off." He offered when his car got closer to her.

    Mia looked at him through the window and shook her head.

    "Thanks. But I prefer to walk" She said while avoiding his eyes contact. She didn''t wait for him to say anything else and began to run.

    Leo frowned. Now, that was strange. "Did I do something?" He asked himself. Or maybe she had seen through his thoughts? He wondered in frustration as he watched her cross the street to the other side.

    It didn''t take long before Mia arrived at school. As usual, Jeremy came to bug her.

    She was probably now used to him since she was no longer pissed as she used to whenever he came around.

    "Seems like you ran here. There''s still 10 minutes left before the class starts." He informed her as he sat beside her.

    "I know." She answered while opening her back to fetch out her books.

    "So why did you run?" He asked with his head c.o.c.ked to the side.

    Mia didn''t look at him but instead, she began to sort through her books.

    How was she supposed to tell him she had been running away from the owner of the house she stayed? It was probably better to refer to Leo as her benefactor after everything he had done for her.

    The previous night had been one hell of a night for her!

    She had made a terrible mistake by agreeing to watch such explicit movie with him.

    She hadn''t thought a mere movie was capable of of arousing feelings in her she hadn''t known she possessed.

    Maybe it was because of the ideas Mira had been pumping into her head lately, or maybe it was because she had been thinking about kissing Benjamin and having s.e.x.....

    While watching the movie last night, a crazy thought had jumped into her head. She imagined how it would feel like to experience what the lady was experiencing and as the thought came, the couple on the screen suddenly changed to herself and Leo.

    She had been stupefied by it and just at that moment, he had asked her,

    "Are you learning?"

    His questions had further taken her aback since he had asked at the ''wrongest'' time. All she could do was flutter her eyelashes and run away after saying a good night while hoping that he hadn''t noticed her flushed cheeks because she was very certain her cheeks were flushed then.

    She felt like a terrible person and a disgusting pervert.

    Leo had helped her and taken her as his sister but not only had she done nothing to repay him for his kindness, she had went on to have dirty thoughts about him.

    If only he knew... she was very certain he was going to kick her out of his house for being a pervert just like he had done in the dream she had last night.

    She dropped her head on the desk and cringed as she remembered the dream...

    Leo had yelled at her and called her a pervert then went on to tell her to leave his house. He had said,

    "Even if I said I may be s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to you, did you think you were my type and I would stoop so low to have s.e.x with you? After all I did for you, you dare think of me that way? I am so disappointed in you. I didn''t know I have been housing a pervert."

    Till now, she still felt like he had directly said those words to her in real life. It was the reason she could not face him this morning.

    "Are you okay?" Jeremy asked.

    Mia shook her head.

    "I am not. I am not okay" Mia admitted with her face still buried in her palm.

 Chapter 50 - Tara

    "I''m surprised you are still here. I thought you would have disappeared back to the hospital by the time i get here." Leo said to his brother in a jocular manner when he saw Loius coming down the stairs.

    Louis chuckled lightly.

    "I told you I''ll be available for the next three days. I still have a life outside the hospital, you know?"

    "Oh really?" Leo feigned surprise. "So how do you intend to spend the next 2 days? And what did you do throughout today? Let me guess.. Read books?" He teased.

    From the look on Louis''s face, it was obvious Leo was correct.

    "Medical books?" Leo continued to press. He always liked to tease his brother for being too serious.

    "Was I supposeed to read romace novels? Loius asked with a laugh.

    "You''re so boring. It''s why you''re still single until now."

    Louis didn''t comment on that, instead, he asked a question of his own.

    "So why did you suddenly decide to come home?They both moved to the couch to sit down.

    "So I can''t visit my parents'' house anymore?"

    "I know you younger brother. You do not come here unless you were summoned or you need something." Louis answered in a matter-of-fact tone.

    Leo laughed. "That is not very wrong anyway."

    "I''m here to get Tara." He added.

    "No way! Tara''s already used to living here with us. You think she''ll even remember you? Loius asked.

    "I saw her the last time I visited and she seemed really happy to see me."

    "She probably thought it was me."

    "Tara is smarter than that. You should know that by now." Leo said while draping a leg on top of the other.

    "Hmmm... Whatever you say."

    "So about the last time I was at your place...

    What was that? It was a girl right? Louis asked while raising a brow at Leo in suspicion.

    "It was." Leo admitted. Louis was a very smart person and he knew lying to him would be pointless because he would see through it.

    Louis gave him a look which could be interpreted for "Go on"

    Leo thought it wouldn''t make sense to say "Chloe forged my house doc.u.ments and turned my house into a sharehouse and now a girl lives with me but she has this crazy side and you witnessed one that day." So he settled for something else.

    "She is my girlfriend." Leo blurted out.

    "You are kidding me right? I mean, you just returned to the country and now you have a girlfriend who lives with you?" Louis asked in obvious shock.

    "I''ve known her for a long time. You know... online dating.. that sort of thing" He answewred with a shrug of indiference.

    "And now you live with her? What if mum and dad finds out about this? Besides, you know it''s scandalous right?"

    "You aren''t going to tell,  are you? Plus you should know by now that I do not care about what they say or think. But still do not mention it to them."

    Leo was only doing this for Chloe. Left for him, he wouldn''t mind if anyone saw a lady inside his house. If only they knew how he lived the past years abroad.

    Loius sighed. "You should always live and act well. You know we look identical and I don''t want you dragging that face about and getting into trouble.

    "I''ve always known that was your biggest worry. But do not worry brother. You won''t ever get into trouble because of me." Leo assured him with a smile..

    "Now, enough about me. How''s you and Doctor Lily?" Leo asked with a wink.

    ************

    Mia''s classes for the day ended by 3pm but three hours later, she was still skeptical about returning home. She wandered the streets aimlessly after returning from the hospital.

    She was thankful Mira could not come pick her up from school because something came up, else, she was certain Mira would have noticed something was up with her.

    Her stomach grumbled and she knew she was going to starve to death if she didn''t return home.

    With no much confidence, she began to stroll towards the direction of Leo''s apartment. A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the door but still could not enter.

    How was she supposed to face Leo? She took in a deep breath and slowly typed in the passcode to open the door.

    She peered inside first to be sure he was not in the sitting room and when she was certain he wasn''t,  she entered inside and closed the door after sighing in relief.

    As she tiptoed towards her room, she heard something strange and turned to look at her side.

    She got the shock of her life when she saw a little hairy dog lying there, staring right back at her.

    When their eyes met, the dog began to bark furiously and Mia screamed.

    At that moment, Leo opened his room''s door and came out to find Mia running around while screaming his name for help, with the dog seriously enjoying the chase.

    "Tara!" He called in surprise.

    When Mia saw him, she immediately jumped on his body with her hands wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist.

    Tara stood in front of them and continued to bark at her, causing Mia to jump up and down his body.

    Leo''s eyes widened. At that moment, it seemed like he had no idea about what was happening around him. The only thing he knew was happening was that Mia was on him and moving up and down while his hands was around her waist, trying to keep her from falling.

    Things were even more difficult because he was only wearing a short and his upper body was bare since he had been on his way to go take a shower before he heard her scream.

    Mia kept shouting and bouncing on top of him, totally oblivious to whatever was happening with Leo.

 Chapter 51 - Tension.

    "Stop barking, you idiot." Mia yelled at the hairy and fluffy Maltese dog while still holding Leo tightly.

    When she turned her head to the side and noticed the dog standing on its hind legs while barking, desperately trying to reach her, she screamed and began to move up and down again.

    "Don''t just stand there. Do something." Mia scolded Leo who had been standing there like a statue.

    When he came back to his senses, he felt terrible for enjoying the whole thing and frowned.

    "Tara, it''s enough" He looked down at the dog. She stopped barking and sat on the floor while wagging her tails.

    "You should go down now." Leo said to Mia whose head was buried in the crook of his neck.

    Leo''s heart was beating fast and he feared she would hear it. He wasn''t a saint after all.

    Here was a girl whose hot breath was tingling his neck, whose soft hair was all over his neck and chest, whose hands and legs were around him with his hands around her waist while she was pressed to his hard-on. He wasn''t sure a monk wouldn''t feel the way he was feeling now.

    "Come down? Are you crazy? This creature is still down there. I hate dogs" She said without raising her head from the crook of his neck.

    She heard Tara whimper and clutched Leo''s neck tighter.

    "Oh God!" A guttural growl escaped his lips and his breath hitched.

    "Are you okay? Are you sick?" She asked while raising her head to look at him.

    Leo shot his eyes immediately. He was afraid she may see it in his eyes: L.u.s.t, desire, whichever it was. He didn''t want her to see it.

    "Are you alright?" Mia asked again in a lower voice. Afraid the dog may continue to attack if she spoke louder.

    "Your body feels hot and even your face is turning red." She stop talking and strained her ears like she was trying to concentrate on something and said,

    "Your heart is beating very fast. Are you sick?" She moved a hand from his neck to feel his forehead and that sudden movement made her slip down his body a bit.

    When another growl escaped Leo''s lips, Mia gasped this time and her eyes shot open.

    She felt it. It had directly pressed to her female member. Even though she was naive most times, she could still guess what it was.

    ''Why did he come out of his room if he was aroused?'' She screamed in her head.

    But on a second thought, she had been the one who called him for help.

    Leo slowly opened his eyes to look at her shocked face.

    He still didn''t let go. Mia was also frozen in that spot.

    "Th..at.... That is... your junior brother ri-ght?" Mia asked in a stutter with her cheeks flushed.

    Leo didn''t know when a laugh escaped his lips. He knew it was wrong to laugh at that point because he had been taking advantage of her but he couldn''t help it.

    "I''m sorry. This thing pops up at any time." He apologized in a very low voice while still staring intently at her and not making any effort to drop her.

    "Oh My God!" She gasped again.

    She also came back to her sense and realised where she was and the position they were. She also noticed he wasn''t wearing a shirt and his hands were around her waist.

    Fortunately, she was well dressed. She wore a button down grey shirt and black pants. But she could still feel the heat his both emanated.

    Leo had never been in such an awkward situation before. He desperately tried to suppress the urge to run his hands over her back amd pull her closer to him. He reminded himself that he wasn''t one to take advantage of little girls, especially the one he called his sister.

    Mia was a very attractive young lady. He had even been attracted to her when he didn''t like her, talk more of now that they had both been getting along and she had asked him to help her learn how to kiss.

    Speaking of kiss, should he just teach her now? He wondered as his eyes well on her lips.

    "I''m sorry. You must feel uncomfortable." He said and turned his head to the side when he saw her face.

    He was sure the look in his eyes contributed to why her cheeks was very red.

    "You should come down now. Tara won''t bite."

    "Are you crazy?" She snapped at him.

    Even though she desperately wanted to get away from his body, there was a dog standing inside the room! In front of her!

    "Are you Tara''s father? Did you both have a family meeting and she told you she wouldn''t bite me?"

    Leo chuckled lightly. "She was only surprised to see you." He explained. "Tara is lovely and playful. Trust me."

    "That''s what I was told some years back but I was bitten by the same dog who was supposedly ''not going to bite''. I know this position is weird and awkward, but I still value my life. Please take me to my room." She pleaded as she looked back at the dog who was squatting on the floor, staring at them with interest.

    ''Take me to my room.'' That statement messed up his mind again. It sounded like an invitation to go to bed with her. But he knew better than that.

    He looked down at Tara again. He just couldn''t believe the terrible mistake he made by bringing her to his house.

    "Hold onto me." He said and began to move towards her room.

    Mia reluctantly wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to not think about anything else.

    "Is she following?" Mia asked with her head buried in his neck. She felt traumatized whenever she saw dogs. A dog hadn''t only bitten her, her mother had hit her for allowing herself get bitten by a dog because the money she was supposed to use for other things, she had used it for Mia''s hospital bills instead.

    "Stay there." Leo turned his head to the side to instruct Tara who whined again with her ears down before running to the back of the couch.

    When Leo helped her down, she felt it again. Even though she tried to feign indiference, the look on her face gave her away.

    They both continued to stare at each other awkwardly. It was just them standing inside a room, door closed and a large inviting bed.

    They both felt the tension.

    Mia tired to focus on his face alone. She didn''t want to look further for the fear of what she may see. Although, she was tempted to check.

    "Why would you bring a dog inside without consulting me first?" Mia suddenly blew up at him, changing the atmosphere.

    "Consulting you first?" He asked sarcastically before adding, "This is my house."

    "But you should have at least asked me.  Did you plan to give me a heart attack? How am I supposed to live in the same house with a dog?"

    "Tara is lovely. You''ll love her." He assured her. He was thankful that his hormones were no longer on the rise.

    "Lovely? Did you see how she attacked me?" Mia asked with a scowl.

    "You know, I need to take my bath right now and get to work. Good night." He said before leaving the room.

    Mia locked the door with her key immediately he left and released the breath she didn''t realise she had been holding back.

    She began to pace around the room.

    She had seen his bare chest, touched it, clung into him, smelled him, felt his junior brother between her legs.

    She buried her face in her palms as she remembered.

    She congratulated herself for being able to control her emotions. She was really good at it sometimes.

    While they were still in the sitting room earlier, an image flashed in her head�� the image of the couple in the movie and how they had metamorphosed into Leo and her. She was glad nothing had happened.

    There was no way she was ever going to do anything with Leo. It had to be with the guy she liked. And she only liked one guy�� Benjamim Stark. And the next day was his party.

 Chapter 52 - How can I undo it?

    Mia''s grumbling stomach woke her up the next morning.

    She hadn''t eaten anything since the previous afternoon. She had planned to eat something later at night but after what happened between Leo and herself, she could not bring herself to come out of her room and besides, there was still a dog just outside her door.

    But it was going to be impossible to lock herself inside all day because she had a class that Morning and was also starving.

    She checked the time on her phone and saw the time was just a few minutes past 6am. Her first class was supposed to start by 8am so she had to do soemthing.

    She didnt know whether the dog was sleeping, or how deep dogs slept- if she was. Still, she couldn''t risk it and go out just like that.

    She remembered Leo had sent her a text before when he reminded her to go to the hospital so she checked her phone for his number.

    Even though she was still embarrassed about what happened the previous night, she didn''t have any choice now.

    Now that she thought about it, how did he get her number? She wondered with a frown.

    ******

    Leo didn''t sleep until it was almost 3 in the morning so he was still sleeping when he heard his phone ring and sleepily reached for it to check who was calling.

    Sometimes, he wished he wasn''t always business�Cminded so he could easily ignore or reject calls without bothering to check who was calling. But he just couldn''t no matter how sleepy or tired he was.

    He saw the incoming call was from "Crazy Housemate" and sat up immediately, wondering why she was calling so early.

    Their relationship was slowly changing and he was sure she felt it also.

    Things would have been a bit easier if Mia had screamed at him or hit him for coming close to her but her indifference and hidden anxiety made things difficult for him. It made him think that maybe, she was enjoying it all too.

    He knew she always tried her best not to react but he always noticed the way her hands shook when she was nervous or embarrassed.

    He had noticed it on the night they both saw a movie together, he had also noticed it the previous night when she clung to him while trying to escape from Tara.

    Even though she acted like it was no big deal, he could see the innocence in her face.

    After a little hesitation, he took the call.

    "Hello?"

    There was a little pause on the other end before Mia spoke.

    "I need to prepare breakfast but I don''t know where your dog is. I can''t leave the room." She said in a low voice.

    "Oh... Tara is in the sitting room. But I''ll keep her inside my room while you do your thing. You can come out in the next few minutes." He said to her and hung up after she thanked him.

    From her room, she could hear how Tara barked after Leo''s room door opened. She was probably happy to see him after such a long night in a new environment.

    "I''m taking Tara with me to my room. So go on and do your thing." Leo said in a loud voice towards her room door and left the sitting room with the little dog running after him.

    *********************

    "Well, hello there!" Mira greeted Jeremy with a flirty smile when she saw him standing beside Mia.

    "Hi. You must be Mira. I finally get to meet you." He said while shaking the hand she extended. The other times he saw Mira, she was always inside her car but this time she had parked her car and strolled further inside the school to meet Mia.

    Mira flashed him another flirty smile before turning to look at Mia who was eyeing her suspiciously.

    "So are you ready for the party tonight?" Mira asked Mia in an excited voice.

    Truthfully, Mia was a bit nervous, but she simply shrugged her shoulders like it wasn''t a big deal.

    "It''s just a stupid party. What''s there to prepare for?" She asked in a tone of indifference.

    "Good. You are also going right?" Mira turned to ask Jeremy.

    "Sure. I can''t let Mia go alone. Friends should always stick by each other." He said before turning to smile at Mia.

    "We are not friends." Mia corrected him with an eye roll but he didn''t seem offeneded instead, he laughed.

    "Well, see you at the party then." Mira said as she got inside her car.

    Jeremy waved at the both of them and left while Mia joined Mira inside the car.

    "So how''s the smoking hot guy you live with?" Mira asked as she drove towards Leo''s house.

    Mia''s head dropped.

    "There is something I must tell you" Mia confessed, piquing Mira''s interest.

    "What is it?" She glanced at Mia briefly before turning to look at the road.

    Mia closed her eyes and clenched her fists tightly as she blurted out. "There''s someone I plan to kiss tonight."

    The car braked immediately and Mira''s eyes shot wide opened.

    "You plan to kiss someone? Is it Leo?" She asked with interest.

    "No.. not at all." She raised her head to refute immediately

    "Then who is it? You have a crush on a boy? How come I didn''t know about this?" Mira asked with a disappointed frown.

    "It''s just... I don''t even know what to say." She dropped her head again and sighed. "I don''t even know how to go about it and I asked Leo to�C" She paused and bit her lips.

    "You asked Leo to what?" Mira asked impatiently.

    "I told him I wanted to learn how to kiss with him and he freaked out." She confessed with flushed cheeks.

    "Oh my God! How could you ask him that?" Mira gasped but the look on her face showed she was amused.

    "What''s wrong with asking a guy for that tiny favour?" Mia asked in confusion.

    "You don''t get it do you? This is someone who said he may be s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to you and you asked him for that? I''m pretty sure he''s very uncomfortable living in the same house with you now."

    Mia bit her lower lip nervously.

    "How can I undo it?" She asked.

    "There''s nothing to undo darling. Deed''s done already.... Now tell me about the guy you like. Where you met him, how you met him, what he looks like, where he lives, how rich his family are and number of dates you both has had." Mira said as she began to drive again.

 Chapter 53 - Do you trust me?

    One rainy afternoon, a younger Mia tried to shield herself from the rain and the first building she saw was the Science complex.

    She was twenty years old then and had just resumed college so she didn''t quite know her way around.

    She had tried to enter inside the Science complex building but the security men by the door stopped her when they saw her ID and noted she wasn''t in the science department.

    "But it''s raining. I just want to go in and would leave immediately it stops raining." She assured the men there.

    Her hair and clothes were already a bit wet and she didn''t want to leave just then because her mother would scold her if she saw her coming home with drenched clothings.

    No one could afford to get sick at that point because their priority was to save enough money to pay off the loan sharks.

    "We cannot let you in ma. It''s the school''s policy. You can check your students'' handbook and see the instruction boldly written inside."

    The man who had stopped her explained politely.

    They also felt bad for her but there was nothing they could do about it. They were only doing their jobs.

    "Alright." Mia said dejectedly before turning around.

    She looked at the rain and noticed it was getting heavier. She was tired, hungry, and cold.

    It was the first time in a long time she wore a semiformal outfit. She usually wore crazy jeans and polos but now she wore a button down shirt and plain trousers with a low shoe.

    She took in a deep breath and was about running in when she felt a hand pull her back followed by an umbrella covering her head.

    She was a bit startled and turned to the side to look at him and that was when she saw him for the first time�� Benjamin Stark.

    She guessed he was probably around her age and he also looked like a freshman.

    Mia had seen a whole lot of handsome young men, but his was on a different level entirely. Or maybe she was seeing him like that because of the circ.u.mstances and how he just appeared out of nowhere to help her like a guardian angel, she really couldn''t tell.

    "You may catch a cold if you run under the rain." He said with his eyes looking ahead. He turned to look at her and handed her the umbrella before covering his head with his hoodie and ran under the rain toward the gate.

    After that time, Mia didn''t see him again and she didn''t actually mind. The school was very big and it was rare to bump into each other especially when they didn''t belong in the same department.

    The next time she saw him was a few months ago. Just before their final exams.

    He seemed to have a friend in her class and she had been surprised to see him inside the school cafeteria the first time she went there. Her scholarship hadn''t covered for her feeding expenses. Because her family made it an habit to save every penny they had, they hadn''t thought it was necessary to pay for school meals. But she couldn''t continue living like that so she had paid for it few months ago. She couldn''t risk having ulcer because they were in debt.

    "I''m sorry about your loss man." Ben''s friend said to him.

    "It''s fine. I''m better now." Ben assured him with a small smile.

    "It''s sad to think I''d graduate before you."

    "Well, you wouldn''t have if it hadn''t happened during exams. Deferring my education was the only thing I could do." Ben explained.

    Mia watched from the other table and when their eyes met, he sent her a small smile and continued to talk with his friend.

    Maybe it had been the smile or maybe because he had helped her few years back. But she suddenly felt drawn to him.

    She had always thought she was an as.e.x.u.a.l being. When people talked about boyfriends, crushes or intimacy, she was never interested in all that. Besides, she didn''t think love was made for someone like her.

    ********

    "Wow! What a story." Mira exclaimed as she parked by the front of Leo''s apartment.

    "But don''t you think confessing is the right thing to do? You can''t just jump in and kiss him." Mira advised.

    "Well.. I don''t... I don''t know." Mia answered with a sigh.

    Mira also sighed as the both got down from the car. "But I''m still mad at you. How come I didn''t know about this?"

    "I didn''t think it was serious."

    "And now you think it is?"

    "I don''t know.." Mia answered with a shoulder shrug.

    "Urgggh! You don''t know anything. How frustrating." Mira said as she waited for Mia to open the door.

    Mia absentmindedly opened the door and it was until they both entered that she remembered there was another creature inside.

    Tara barked.

    Mia screamed and began to look for where to hide but to her surprise, Mira exclaimed in surprise and quickly handed her bag over to Mia before squatting to pet the dog.

    "What a cute little baby. What''s your name?" Mira asked with a smile as she rubbed the dogs head.

    Tara hopped and wagged her tails as she enjoyed the attention Mira was giving her.

    Leo came out of his room and witnessed the scene. He almost laughed when he saw the shocked look on Mia''s face as she watched her friend pet the dog.

    He had heard her scream and run out of his room again, thinking she was probably running around again.

    "Her name is Tara." Leo said to Mira before turning to look at Mia. "And I told you she doesn''t bite."

    Mia looked at him and quickly broke the eye contact to look at Mira again.

    "Aww.. Tara is so cute. I''ve always wanted a Maltese dog." Mira looked over her shoulder and said to Leo who smiled at her.

    Mia watched their exchange and frowned before stomping towards her room.

    Tara barked at her back and Mia quickly increased her speed and ran inside her room, making Mira and Leo chuckle.

    "I''ll see you later cutie." Mira said to Tara before joining Mia inside the room.

    *************

    A FEW HOURS LATER.....

    "Leo?" Mia called him, hoping he would hear his name and come out of his room.

    They were about heading to the party and she wanted him to know she was leaving.

    Mira held Tara and continued to pat Tara''s head. Mia had refused to come out of the room unless someone was holding Tara and Mira had volunteered.

    Leo''s door opened and when he saw her, he froze on the spot.

    He didn''t know whether he was shocked or surprised by what he saw.

    If he hadn''t heard her voice, he would have doubted it was Mia.

    She wore a small top and short black leather skirt. A skirt!

    He didn''t know what she did to her hair, but her hair looked beautiful. It was curly and brushed to one side and she wore make up. He looked at her from the crown of her head to her feet which were covered in a pair of high boots and felt his heart begin to race.

    "Ahehm.." Mira cleared her throat and giggled, bringing him back to his senses.

    Leo was used to seeing Mira look pretty everytime so he was not surprised when he saw her skimpy gown and high boots.

    Mia was secretly pleased with Leo''s reaction and spoke awkwardly.. "We''re going out. I may return late and wanted to let you know that I would call you once I return so you could help me put Tara away."

    Leo still observed her with a look of disbelief. When he noticed she was waiting for him to say something, he simply nodded.

    "No problem." He assured her.

    Mira handed Tara over to Leo and as they were both about to leave, Leo spoke.

    "Uhm.. Can you excuse me for a moment?" He said, looking at Mia.

    Mia looked at him in confusion before turning to look at Mira.

    Mira nodded for her to go on and excused herself out of the house after winking at Mia.

    "I''ll be back shortly." Leo said to Mia immediately Mira left before going towards his room with Tara. By the time he returned, Tara was no longer with him.

    He moved closer to her and stood in front of her.

    "So... it''s finally the D-Day huh?"

    Mia nodded nervously.

    "Are you prepared?"

    Mia knew what he was talking about and blushed.

    "I... don''t know.. I guess I am." She stuttered without looking at him.

    "Do you mind one more practice?" He asked with his gaze fixed on her face. He enjoyed watching her every reaction.

    "I won''t kiss you. Just practice." He assured her when he noticed her reluctance.

    She sighed deeply before echoing. "Just practice."

    Leo smiled and moved even closer to her. He slowly put his hand around her waist and her body tensed up.

    "Just relax..." He whispered as he brushed some strands of hair away from her face.

    "Look at me. You should look into his eyes before you do it." He instructed in a very low voice.

    Mia looked into his eyes and he rewarded her with a small smile.

    "You shouldn''t just leave your hands lying limply beside you. Place them on my shoulders."

    Again, Mia did just that. She noticed she was becoming very uncomfortable with the sudden  promiscuity.

    He lowered his head till their noses touched and when he felt her breathing hitch, he asked in a whisper.

    "Do you trust me?"

    Mia shook her head slowly. "I don''t." She whispered back.

    "Good. I would have felt bad if you did." After saying that, he closed the distance between them and kissed her lightly on her lips.

 Chapter 54 - "Have fun, Mia."

    Leo buried his head on the bed as he scolded himself for acting stupidly.

    He could not control his pounding heart neither could he think straight at that point.

    He had not planned to kiss her. He had only wanted to teach her the basics; show her where to place her hands, where she was supposed to look at and how she was supposed to keep her posture. He hadn''t planned to kiss her at all.

    But he had acted rashly. She had been too close to him. Her scent had been the only thing his nose smelled. The circ.u.mstances hadn''t helped either. Maybe it had been his fault. He was the one who asked her to place her hand on his shoulder while he held her by her waist.

    The moment he looked into her innocent eyes, he knew he could not escape the temptation.

    He had always thought Mia was a temptation he could overcome but he had been terribly wrong. He could not resist her lips either. It was the first time he saw her wore lipstick and it was a red shade that suited her just right.

 Chapter 55 - Kissing Party

    Chloe frowned as she looked at the direction of the party. She liked parties, but she didn''t like these kind where a lot of people knew her and disliked her.

    She would have preferred clubbing instead of coming here. She really hadn''t wanted to come, but her mother had asked her to since Benjamin was her friend''s son even though she wasn''t close with Benjamin, and Benjamin''s elder sister was her friend.

    "Chloe!" A young girl around her age squealed excitedly before pulling her into a hug. "I didn''t  think you were going to come."

    The girl was Amara Stark, Benjamin''s elder sister. Over the years, herself and Amara grew to become friends. Amara graduated the previous year from their university and was currently  working at a relative''s company.

    "I really didn''t want to come. I hate childish parties." Chloe complained.

    "I know. But this is something Ben must do especially as he is running for the council''s president. We need to support him big time." Amara answered as she linked arms with Chloe.

    "What about your parents, and brothers? Leo and Louis? Been long I saw them. Heard Leo was in town."

    "Yea. He returned less than a month ago. Louis is good. He finally took a break from the hospital. He actually was the one who drop me off here." Chloe informed her.

    "Too bad. I would have loved to say hello to him."

    "What about your parents? They aren''t home?" Chloe asked as she looked at the tall building by the side.

    "Nah. They both decided to leave Ben to his thing. As his big sister, I have to supervise everything." She winked at Chloe.

    "Big sister indeed". Chloe chuckled.

    "Why does everywhere reek of smoke and alcohol? It''s irritating." Chloe frowned.

    She noticed the ugly looks people gave her but didn''t mind. She was used to being looked at that way. She knew they all called her a snob. And she liked it....

    Chloe suddenly paused and frowned. She diped her hand inside her trouser pocket and then the small bag she held, but she didn''t find her phone.

    "Shit!" She cussed loudly before turning to look at Amara. "Please give me your phone. I think I left my phone."

    ****************

    "Parties are over exaggerated. This is boring." Mia whispered into Mira''s ear.

    "It''s because you refused to have fun. I can''t believe you rejected those hot guys that wanted to have a chat with you. Now I can''t even enjoy the party because I can''t leave you to have fun by yourself." Mira complained.

    "Do you like Jeremy?" Mia suddenly asked when she noticed Mira had been looking at his direction where he was chatting with a guy.

    "Why do you ask?" Mira asked as she snagged a plastic cup filled with drink from a passing waiter.

    "You are not going to drink that, are you? That''s like a combo of a whole lot of things. It''s gonna get you knocked out." Mia said as she tried to take it from her.

    Mira giggled. "And who said this is for me? It''s yours." Mira said. She was glad that they have moved from the previous topic about Jeremy.

    "Me? What a joke. You know I have a really low alcohol tolerance." Mia shook her head.

    "You''re just gonna have two big gulps and brace yourself to kiss Ben. If he freaks out, then blame it on the alcohol.." Mira advised her before offering her the red plastic cup.

    Mia looked at it skeptically but before she could drink it, she was interrupted by the voice on the mic.

    "Heyo ladies and Gentlemen..." A guy who was passing as the Mc said into the mic to get their attention.

    "I believe you all got your number tags when you came here. Now, we''re going to the fun part."

    "It''s time.. it''s time.. it''s time.." Mira said excitedly while tugging Mia''s hand. "It''s a good thing you''re number 21. At least you get to kiss Benjamin early. Unlike me who picked 46" Mira whined.

    Mia''s whole body tensed up when she realised it was time. "I think... this is a bad idea. I can''t do it." Mia said in a low voice and shook her head. She had lost all her confidence. The crowd were so much plus she wasn''t sure how Benjamin would react.

    "Come on, this is for fun..." Mira tried to cajole her as the Mc continued to explain the rules..

    "Once we call the number, the girl and the guy with the same tag number should put up their hands so we can see them, then go ahead and kiss the person they like." He explained.

    When he called number one, a guy and a girl put their hands up. They were both standing with a partner so they hadn''t bothered to search round for the person they liked. They kissed their partners and received cheers.

    A fight had almost broke out when a guy tried to kiss another girl whose boyfriend was standing beside her but thankfully, some big guys separated them before things escalated.

    Another girl tried to kiss a guy but he had rejected her. That had made Mia even more nervous a d she took a big gulp from the cup.

    She desperately prayed he didn''t reject her. Else, she was going to hit him. She swore.

    Another guy who looked pretty much like a nerd tried to kiss a girl but was slapped hard across the face by her before he could do it.

    "Breathe well... it''s going to be��" Mira stopped talking and widened her eyes when she noticed the cup was empty already and Mia''s eyes were becoming dull.

    "I said only two gulps." Mira whispered in frustration before taking the cup from Mia to throw on the floor.

    Mia''s eyes widened when the girl with the number 10th tag kissed Benjamin. Ben had simply stood there and allowed her do it and laughed shyly when they broke apart.

    Somehow, she felt heartbroken. She looked at him sadly before looking away. Her eyes locked with Jeremy''s who was giving her a sympathetic look.

    "It''s okay. It doesn''t mean he likes her." Mira tried to assure her.

    Mia nodded slowly and tried to force out a smile.

    Maybe they had planned to frustrate her because the next group of girls who put their hands up, two out of five had also kissed Benjamin. Just like before, he did nothing and laughed shyly when they were done.

    "Such an asshole." Mira cussed under her breath as she glared at Ben.

    "Hey.. I really think you should change your mind about kissing him." Jeremy whispered to Mia when he got to where the girls were standing.

    "I don''t want you joining the queue of girls that fancy that loser." He added.

    "Jeremy has a point." Mira added.

    Mia could feel her head spinning already. She looked at Ben one more time and pouted sadly. She had made a mistake coming to the party. She made up her mind not to kiss him. He was probably also going to just let her do it and smile when she was done.

    "Number 20!" The Mc called out in a bubbly voice.

    "It''s almost your time" Mira whispered to Mia.

    The number 20 guy was Kelvin, the smartest guy in Mia''s class that Jeremy hated. Kelvin slowly walked towards Chloe''s direction and stood in front of her.

    "What the f.u.c.k!" Jeremy swore out as he watched.

    Mia and Mira looked at Jeremy and that was when Mia remembered he liked Chloe.

    Everyone paid attention to what was going to happen. They knew the kind of person Chloe was but doubted she was going to turn down Kelvin. Kelvin was handsome, very intelligent, he was the current council president and also from a very rich family. A lot of girls and even guys harboured feelings for him but where always too scared to say it out.

    Even in the party, he had rudely rejected a girl who had tried to kiss him, thereby making the others scared to approach him.

    As Jeremy was about to go stand in between the two of them, Chloe said loudly to Kelvin, "If you are tired of living, then go ahead with that silly thought in your empty head and watch what I do to you." She threatened with a glare.

    Everyone was startled. Everyone knew Chloe was snobbish but they hadn''t expected her to treat Kelvin that way.

    "Isn''t that Leo''s sister? Jeremy likes her?" Mira asked with a disappointed frown when she saw the smitten look on Jeremy''s face as he looked at Chloe.

    "I think we better leave this party now. I''m tired." Mia said in a very low voice. She felt bad for herself and her friend.

    "Ahem.." The Mc cleared his throat awkwardly with the intention to clear off the awkwardness.

    "Let''s just move on. Number 21.." He announced.

    "Where is the female?" He asked when Mia still didn''t put up her hand.

    Mia looked around nervously before her eyes fell on someone who seemed to be heading towards her direction while looking around in confusion.

    "Isn''t that Leo?" Mira asked in surprise.

    Mia was also surprised to see him since she hadn''t expected to see him there.

    What was he doing there? She wondered as she looked at him.

    Slowly, an idea popped into her head and she slowly lifted up her hand, getting everyone''s attention.

    "Alright. So.. time to kiss the one you like." The Mc declared.

    "What are you trying to do?" Jeremy asked her with a confused frown.

    Mia didn''t say a word. Her eyes were still fixed on her housemate.

    She slowly walked up to where he was and without asking for permission,  she wrapped her hands around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips just like he had donebefore she left the house.

    She thought it was better to kiss him instead of kissing Ben. She knew he was a very understanding person and she was going to explain why she had done so when they got home.

    Not only Jeremy and Mira, everyone includding Chloe gasped in shock when they saw it.

    Mia frowned before slowly pulling away. For some reason, he didn''t smell like Leo.

    She looked at his face and wondered why he somehow looked different. Even his hair was styled differently.

    She saw his eyes and wondered why he was looking at her with so much surprise.

    "Aren''t you... the girl from the amus.e.m.e.nt park?" Louis asked her in surprise.

 Chapter 56 - "Mia kissed Louis"

    "Can you at least tell me what is wrong with you?" Richard asked Leo with an exasperated sigh.

    For the past one hour, they had both been sitting inside a bar, quietly drinking a glass of white wine. Leo had invited him out and from the way he spoke, Richard could tell there was a lot on his friend''s mind but Leo had refused to say a word to him about whatever he was passing through.

    "Come on, talk to me. I''m not comfortable seeing you like this."

    Leo took another gulp from his wineglass before looking at Richard. He desprately wanted to get the whole thing off his chest so he began to talk.

    "You know I''m really not a kiss and tell..."

    Richard nodded in encouragement for him to continue.

    Leo looked at him with an uncertain look before saying in a low voice. "I kissed Mia."

    Richard''s jaw dropped. For many seconds, he remained like that without saying a word.

    "You... kissed your flatmate?" He asked when he finally found his voice.

 Chapter 57 - Do you like her?

    "Can you slow down Mia?" Mira asked as she tried to catch up with Mia who was walking fast by the side of the busy road.

    Jeremy was also following them closely but he didn''t know whether to stop her or not since Mia looked like she would prefer to be alone.

    "I kissed a guy I do not even know!?" Mia turned to say in disbelief before she turned and began to walk faster again.

    "Ya,  I know.. it''s crazy... I also had not expected Leo to have a twin." Mira said in understanding.

    "Hell ya, no one did!" Mia turned around again and began to bite her nails nervously while pacing around in circle.

    "In one night I kissed two guys and they are brothers!" Mia said in a tone of utter disbelief.

    When she said she wanted to go wild, she had not expected things to turn out this way.

    "Wait, what? You mean you kissed two brothers? Like.. that was a case of mistaken identity?" Jeremy finally asked but none of the girls answered his question.

 Chapter 58 - Sorry but not sorry

    Leo waited for Mia the entire night but she didn''t return home.

    Worse of it all, her phone wasn''t going through, he also didn''t have Mira''s number and he knew nothing else about her or where she had probably gone to.

    Early the next morning, he heard the front door open and jumped up. He didn''t know when he slept off in the couch while waiting for her to return since the previous night.

    Mia entered inside the house looking very pale.

    "Oh God.. where have you been?" He asked while pulling her into a hug that startled the both of them.

    He hadn''t expected it to happen but it seemed his hormones were controlling his body lately. He slowly pulled away and looked at her face intently.

    "I... am fine.." Mia said awkwardly without meeting his eyes. She felt really dizzy and tired plus she had a mild headache from the drink last night.

 Chapter 59 - See you in 10 minutes.

    The next day, Leo tried to focus on working but he could not. His mind was completely messed up. He felt terrible for what he had done.

    He knew Mia was not like other girls before he went on to kiss her and she had further proved that to him by her threat last night.

    Ever since she left the kitchen in the middle of their lunch, he hadn''t seen her again. She remained in her room the entire night and even when he stood in front of her door to knock so he could finally apologize, he could not bring himself to do so.

    Now, it was Sunday. He had hoped she would at least come out so they could patch things up. He really did not want to fight with her. He didn''t want that at all since he was already used to her friendship and used to the both of them eating together. He didn''t want to be the one to ruin things between them.

 Chapter 60 - Keep living...

    Mia lifted her head when she heard heavy footsteps towards her direction and saw Leo... no.. Louis. On a second look, she realised it was Louis. They really did look alike.

    She noted he was a really good time keeper because he was there in exactly 10 minutes.

    He wore a casual Tee and trousers and his hair was neatly styled to the back unlike Leo who always went about with a messy hair which was actually kind of cute.

    Louis smiled at her before taking the seat opposite her.

    "Good afternoon." He greeted before asking, "Why didn''t you order for something?"

    She also noticed he had a nicer appearance compared to his twin brother. He looked like the type who smiled a lot and he had a really s.e.xy kind of baritone.

    Mia was still embarrassed and it was evident in her flushed cheeks.

    "I wasn''t planning on taking anything. I just wanted to apologize." She said while trying to maintain eye contact with him.

    "Alright." He nodded without pushing much.

    "I''m listening." He said before folding his hands in front of his chest.

    "About the other night, I am really sorry. I don''t think it''s necessary explaining the reason it happened that way, but I think it''s best I let you know that I am really sorry for it."

    "Is something going on between you and Leo?" Louis asked straightforwardly.

    "Why are you asking me that?" Mia asked with a frown.

    "I''m just curious since you kissed me thinking it was him." He explained, making her cheeks color.

    "Some things led to that. I believe I have done what I wanted to do and cleared my conscience." She said before standing up.

    "Are you sure that''s the only thing you should be apologizing for?" Louis asked whilst still relaxed in his seat.

    "Are you sure that''s the only thing you should apologize for?" He asked again when he saw the confused look she was giving him.

    "What else was I supposed to apologize for?" She asked curiously..

    "You called me a jerk." He said while looking at her.

    "Are you messing with me right now? When did I do that?" She asked with a frown. "Friday night was the first time I met you and I do not remember calling you a jerk even though I was a but tipsy that night."

    "Are you sure about that?" He asked, c.o.c.king a brow at her.

    "I guess you just have been really surprised that night that you didn''t hear the first question I asked you.

    "What question?" Mia asked as she thought back to that night.

    She remembered the first question he had asked her was "Aren''t you the girl from the amus.e.m.e.nt park?"

    "I can see you remember now." He said with a smile once he noticed her facial expression change.

    "We met in front of that strange looking building that looked like a shaman''s house and you called me a jerk immediately you saw me." He reminded her.

    "Oh...." She exclaimed. "That was you?" She asked in surprise. She had called him that thinking it was Leo since they had been having their ''one word insult session'' back then.

    "Yea." He nodded. "That was me. I guess you also mistook me for Leo."

    "I''m sorry about that also. Do have a nice day." She said and began to walk out but he stopped her again.

    "Shouldn''t you at least have a cup of coffee with me before leaving? I came here because of you and can''t just leave now." He said while looking at his watch.

    "I never asked you to come here. Have fun drinking your coffee." She said before walking away.

    ***************

    Chloe stood in front of a small studio apartment and knocked for the second time.

    "Coming.." A male voice yelled from inside before opening the door.

    "Hey babe" He said before kissing her cheek lightly. "Sorry for keeping you, I was in the bathroom." He explained when he saw her frown.

    Chloe looked him up and down and nodded. It was obvious he had just come out from the bathroom. His body was wet including his hair. He was topless, revealing his perfectly constructed body and wore a loose fitting pant. A towel was dr.a.p.ed around his shoulder while water dripped from his body.

    "I said I''m sorry..." He apologized with a pout and made to hug her but she stopped him with a hand in between them.

    "I don''t want to get wet. I have to visit the mall soon." She explained before handing him an envelope.

    He smiled happily and quickly checked inside. After counting the money, he frowned slightly and looked at her.

    "Babe.. it''s short." He said with a sad pout.

    "That''s all I can give to you now."

    "But��"

    "No buts David. You have to do with that. I''ve given you too much money already yet you don''t do anything profitable with it. Because of you I''ve gotten into trouble several times and even messed with my brother''s apartment and now I can''t even��" She paused and took in a deep breath as if trying to calm her nerves.

    "Just take that."

    David looked at her sadly and held her hand... "I''m sorry." He apologized.

    "This time, I''ll make sure I get a good job and take good care of you "

    "You keep saying that everytime. Anyway, I don''t think they would be any need for that." She said before walking towards the door.

    "Why? What do you mean?" He asked, moving closer to her also.

    She was quiet for a bit and looked at his confused face.

    "I am breaking up with you." She said.

    "You.... are joking right?" He asked in shock.

    "I am not. This... cannot continue to go on between us. I just realised I�C"

    "Chloe please..." He moved even closer and cupped her face with his hands so she would look at him.

    "Chloe... I love you... I.. I cannot live without you.." He said in a low voice as if he was going to break down any moment.

    "You love me too right? You care about me right?"

    Chloe forcefully pushed him away and raised her voice. "I... I don''t know anymore.. I don''t even understand this relationship. The only thing that goes on is you constantly asking for money while I keep giving you money over and over again. Are you even sure you love me or you are just after my money?" She asked angrily.

    "How can you say that Chloe?" He asked in disbelief as his eyes began to water.

    "I know it''s very normal for you to think that way because of the circ.u.mstances but even if you didn''t have any money or come from a rich family, I wouldn''t love you less. It''s been 4 years with you.. how do you expect me to live without you now?" He asked before wiping off the first tear that escaped his eye.

    "Just take the money and keep living. I can''t do this anymore." She said before storming out.

 Chapter 61 - That feels better..

    Leo had also gone out after Mia did and by the time he returned in the evening, he realised Mia was already at home.  She had fixed them both a simple dinner and left his covered on the table with a note that informed him that it was for him.

    She had locked herself in her room all day till that night. Throughout that day, he hadn''t seen her.

    Leo looked at her door when he came out of his room that night. He made sure Tara was inside his room since he didn''t want her scaring Mia.

    Slowly, he approached her door and knocked lightly. It was just 9pm so he assumed she was still awake. He could hear her talking and he was sure she was talking to someone on the phone while he heard her footsteps walking towards the door.

    Leo stood there frozen when she opened the door. She was really in a call, but he hadn''t expected her to be fresh out of the shower.

 Chapter 62 - You should stop it.

    Leo actually found it amusing that Mia was hiding from him. The moment they both bumped into each other the next morning, she had taken off through the front door without bothering to look at him or say a good morning.

    She was sober now so he was sure she remembered what she had done last night. He couldn''t believe she had ruined such intense moment by farting.

    "You really should get your shits together. You have been acting so unlike you for the past few days." Jeremy said to her once he sat down beside her.

    He didn''t know when they became friends, but it just suddenly happened that way.

    "I am trying to think."

    "About what? Friday night still?" He asked with a raised brow.

    She really wished it was only Friday night she had to worry about. Now, she also had to worry about last night. Just see why she hated beers!

 Chapter 63 - You are our hope.

    Mia heard her phone ring as she was going home and took it from inside her bag while also trying to keep her eyes on the road.

    She sighed when she saw it was Mr B calling. After blowing up at him the other day and had even called him a son of a B. She was pretty sure he was going to return the favour now and probably say he didn''t ever want to see her again.

    "Hello? Mia?" His eager voice asked.

    "Yes?" She said carefully.

    "I just wanted to say I am sorry for the other day and how I reacted... Are you free right now?"

    Mia''s brows furrowed in confusion. What was happening?

    "I''m on my way home from school.. why?"

    "Good! Can you come over to the studio? There is a great opportunity for all of us... for you.. you don''t want to miss this Mia.. you really do not want to"

    "A great opportunity?" Mia asked in confusion as her steps halted.

    "Yes. Remember the annual street dancing competition? Another one is coming up by the end of this month. I think The Exclusives tried to block us from getting this information but I eventually got it and have gotten our tickets. The first place award is triple the previous one!" He said excitedly and stopped to catch his breath.

    "Triple? Really" She asked with interest.

    "I swear. Mia you have to come here now. This isn''t something I can explain on the phone. Just come here and I''ll put you through. But please tell me you are in." He asked with a pleading and eager voice.

    All Mia could hear was Triple Triple Triple.. If they could win, she would have enough money to pay for at least two months in advance to the loan sharks.

    "Alright. I''m on my way." She said before turning around.

    ****************

    Leo frowned when he saw Louis outside his door. He checked the time and noted Mia would be back from classes soon. He didn''t want Louis to meet Mia there. He didn''t want him to know that Mia was the girl staying with him.

    "You don''t look happy to see me." Louis said with a smile. Everyone wasn''t happy to see him and he didn''t really seem to mind much.

    "You could have called first. What if I wasn''t around."

    "I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. It didn''t matter whether you are in or not little brother." He said before he sat on the couch.

    "Don''t call me that." Leo said with a frown before sitting beside him..

    "Where is your girlfriend?" Louis asked as he looked at the direction of her room.

    "She... is out." Leo answered casually. He really hoped Mia wouldn''t come home soon.

    Louis looked at Leo suspiciously. He had a girlfriend who was living with him so why was he also interested in Mia just like Chloe had said?

    "I saw Mia in school today.." Louis started..

    "What.. Mia?"

    "Yes. We also met at the caf�� opposite the hospital the other day. I don''t know whether she told you"

    "She did tell me about it..... How is Doctor Lily?" Leo asked. He didn''t want to continue with that conversation since it made him feel uncomfortable.

    "Don''t even think about running from this little brother... what is your relationship with Mia?"

    "That shouldn''t concern you. And stop calling me little brother!" Leo reminded him in annoyance.

    "You have a girlfriend already. How come you also like her?"

    Leo said nothing. He didn''t see any reason why he should explain himself to his brother but he knew his brother was not going to leave until he got a proper answer.

    "It''s her." He said in resignation.

    Louis looked at him in confusion as he wondered what Leo was talking about. Who was who?

    "My girlfriend that stays here. It''s Mia." Leo said.

    "What?" Louis looked at him in surprise. Is Mia really your girlfriend or you are just messing with me?" He asked with a frown. If they had truly been dating, they both could have easily said so since friday night. Everything just didn''t make sense.

    "She is really my girlfriend." Leo tried to convince him.

    "You know I can always tell when someone is lying. Maybe she stays here but she is obviously not your girlfriend. So I think it''s best you tell me the truth and how she got to start living with you." Louis said as he relaxed his body on the couch.

    Leo sighed in frustration. Louis had always been like that. It was always difficult to lie to him because he always saw through whoever tried to lie to him.

    *************

    "Mia... you need to understand that this is going to be a bit different from the normal dance you do." Mr B explained to her in a private corner away from the other dancers.

    Mr B was the team leader and choreographer but he never danced with them. He was in his late thirties, tall, had an athletic body�C all thanks to his many years of dancing. His hair was a bit long and tied in a ponytail which dangled about with every step he took.

    "By different you mean?" She asked curiously.

    "I mean.. it''s a couple kind of dance. You have to... you know.. dance together, rub bodies together.." He explained as he moved his waist... hoping she would get his point.

    "Like we are going to rock each other on stage?" She asked bluntly.

    "Well... something like that." He said with a casual head shake.

    "I can''t do that." Mia said with a frown. Even though she had danced with the team for years and they were all friendly with each other, she had never for once agreed to dance like that. It was the exact reason her mother hated dancing. Linda always said it was too worldly and dirty. Mia had promised her she was going to show her it wasn''t like that but her mother had forbade her from ever dancing. It was the reason she always hid to do it and wore heavy make ups or masks sometimes so no one could recognize her.

    "Mia... that''s the concept. This is money." He tried to cajole her. "You won''t have to work odd jobs for 2 full months if we take first place. And this creates a lifetime opportunity to be one of the biggest dancing crew in the country. Mia..." He cupped her face and looked into her eyes.

    "We can only rely on you to do this and take us there. You are our hope."

 Chapter 64 - Dogs are scary

    Triple the amount .. Triple the amount .. Triple the amount.

    It rang in Mia''s head till she returned home that evening. She imagined what the money would do for her. If they took first place, then she was going to use her share of the money to pay off two months debt so she could buy enough time to look for Mary to come pay up the rest. Even though she was not happy with her mother, it was the least she could do now.

    The house was made in a way where he would know if the main door was being opened just in case of a break-in. So when he heard the little ring that alerted him that someone was opening his door, his heart skipped a beat and he quickly stood up. He had been waiting for her the entire day and wondered why she was running late. He had even called Chloe to know whether they had late classes and she had told him no.  He had felt it wasn''t appropriate calling Mia directly so he hadn''t bothered it.

    He left his room and didn''t take note of Tara leaving the room with him before he closed the door.

    He was already out of his room when he asked himself why he was coming out. It was now like an habit to him to always come out whenever she returned from classes. He guessed it was probably because he was used to living alone so suddenly hearing the sound of his door opening when he was inside was rather strange to him. Plus he had to be sure it wasn''t someone else breaking into his home. Speaking of someone else, he remembered he hadn''t changed the passcode for the apartment. He didn''t want Cherry entering inside his house again. She had been persistently sending him emails after he blacklisted her number about how she wanted them to discuss. What language did he need to use to tell her he was no longer interested? The whole thing was pissing him off.

    "Hello." Mia greeted with an embarrassed blush and tried to hurry past him but he quickly blocked her way with an amused expression on his face.

    "You can''t avoid me for long, you know right?"

    After the fart incident, she had found it difficult to look at his face and it greatly amused him..

    "I... don''t understand.. who... who is avoiding you.?" She said in a stutter without meeting his eyes.

    She began to wonder whether being embarrassed made people''s heart beat so fast because hers was beating rapidly.

    Leo was so close to her that they both could literally feel each other''s body heat.

    Mia heard the faint sound of a whimper before Leo could say something and her eyes widened when she saw Tara in a sitting position while looking at them with her head c.o.c.ked to the side.

    "Oh my God! What is she doing there?" Mia asked in shock as she moved closer and held him in place to hide her from the dog who wasn''t even paying her any attention.

    Leo looked back at Tara who was looking at them curiously and turned to look at Mia who was holding unto his shirt with her body pressed to his.

    "Do you always do this on purpose or you actually don''t know what you are doing?" He asked while looking down at her.

    He didn''t want to believe that she was always unaffected by their proximity.

    "What are you saying? Send her away... please..."

    He realised she really didn''t know what she was doing. Her actions were casual and innocent.

    "Tara feels bad. She wants to know you but you always push her away." He explained in a sad voice and heard another whimper come from Tara.

    "Dogs are scary. They scare me to death." She confessed while looking up into his eyes.

    He was staring right back into her eyes and she finally realised how close they were. He was very close to her, she was holding his shirt, his body was pressed to hers and they were looking into each other''s eyes. She suddenly began to feel hot and moved her eyes away. Her heart continued to race and she felt she probably would have an heart attack.

    Leo secretly smiled when he saw her reaction. He perfectly understood what that was. She finally felt it. It wasn''t just him after all.

    "You can start by releasing your grip on my shirt." He said in a low throaty voice that made her immediately let him go.

    She was scared of dogs.... She really was. But her will to move away from him was stronger.

    Before Leo could say anything else, she pushed him away and ran past Tara inside her room..

    Leo slowly turned around with a big smile on his face as he winked at Tara. Mia was finally acting like a little girl. An adorable fl.u.s.tered little girl.

    His own heart was beating rapidly.

    At first, he thought he was only attracted to her s.e.x.u.a.lly. But he wasn''t really sure anymore since he realized he wasn''t thinking about doing that with her at the moment. He liked to see her and watch every of her reactions.

    He squatted to pat Tara on her head. "I brought you here for another reason but.... you are really doing a good job." He said with a smile before going to knock on Mia''s door. He didn''t wait for her to answer before he informed her,

    "I ordered takeout for dinner. Eat and remember to take your drugs." He said before turning towards his room.

    Mia''s back was still pressed to the door as she waited for her breathing to stabilize. She had been startled when she suddenly heard the knock on the door and his voice just outside.

    She was beginning to always feel uncomfortable around him. She closed her eyes to think and the image of his body close to hers filled her mind and she quickly opened her eyes to shake off that image.

    His eyes... those eyes had been staring down at her. She had seen his lips. Those soft lips that had been pressed to hers the other time. The way he looked at her always seemed to make her feel hot. His hair... she wanted to touch it.. she envied his lashes.. so long and dark and whenever he smiled, they fluttered about like a butterfly''s wing.

    Her heart began to beat even faster.

    She wasn''t that naive. She could vaguely guess what it was all about. She was attracted to him.

    "Mia.. you have to move out as soon as possible." She said to herself in panic.

 Chapter 65 - Chat with Friends

    That night, Mia finally received a call from James after a long time.

    Ever since their last conversation where she complained about how she couldn''t live with Leo and how much of a jerk he was, he hadn''t called again and she couldn''t call because of the international charges. James was rich, she wasn''t.

    But she had sent him messages on his social media but he had not been online for days which worried her.

    "Where the hell have you been?" She asked James immediately she took his call.

    "Wow! You must have really missed me a lot to be raising your voice at me."

    "I''m not joking right now. For more than a week I didn''t hear from you. Thought you had died somewhere." She said, making him laugh.

    "We got a new director in school. Really crazy guy. Changed a lot of rules and expects us to always be at the teaching hospital oh... without our phones! He said it''s a major distraction to youths these days.. a very archaic kinda man who still thinks we live in the sixties. Jeez I was so pissed! Tests were also pretty strict. There was no way I could remember any of my mobile gadgets at that point. I haven''t even called my family in days!" He complained bitterly.

    "That sounds..... tough. So are you free now?" She asked him. If he was able to reach her now, it meant he was free right?

    "Finished my tests today. Got a week break before we continue with all the madness. I hate it!"

    "It''s sad to hear that. But I''m glad you''re faring wel�C"

    "James!!!"

    Mia heard the excited voice of a girl call his name and heard James laugh.

    "I''ll call you in a minute. Just hold on." James said before hanging up.

    Two minutes later, his call came in again. "Sorry about that. So we were saying?"

    "Who was that?" Mia asked curiously.

    "Oh... Angela. Met her last week. You need to see her dude... she is smoking hot!" He said excitedly making her roll her eyes. He always seemed to forget she wasn''t a guy whenever they both talked.

    "Don''t you have a girlfriend over here? Why are you talking about some other girl like that?" Mia asked with a frown.

    "A girlfriend? I have a girlfriend?" She could hear the confusion in his voice as he asked.

    "Of course. Anna''s her name right? We all went out that night two months ago." She reminded him while shaking her head. But to her surprise, she heard him laugh.

    "You are the worse friend in this world! Jeez.. we broke up that same night. I cant believe you still think I''m with her."

    "What? You broke up that night? Why? And why didn''t you tell me?" She asked on surprise.

    "You are the last person I know who cares about anything going on in anyone''s life. But I thought you must have figured it out somehow. We just broke up... no biggie." He said while brushing it off like it was nothing. He didn''t want to tell her Anna had asked him to choose between the both of them. It wasn''t necessary.

    "Oh..."

    "Tell me what''s up with you. Heard Mira''s been around and oh.... how are you living? He didn''t possibly throw you out of the house, did he?"

    She could hear him adjusting his position as he asked.

    "He didn''t."

    "So... you are okay living with him now or you still want to throw him out?"

    "Well.. I guess I could manage for now but I''m making plans to leave. Need to find a studio apartment. I really hope to leave here soon."

    "What''s that?"

    "What''s what?" She asked in confusion.

    "That tone you''re using... Did something happen between the both of you?" She could hear the suspicion in his voice as he asked.

    "No! Nothing happened!" She said immediately which made him even more suspicious.

    "Mia?"

    "Yes?" She answered as she buried her face in her pillow. She knew James was always observant and it was always difficult lying to him.

    "Did you have s.e.x with him by chance?"

    "Jesus! No... how could you even think to ask me that!?" She sat up and raised her voice in disbelief.

    She heard him sigh in relief before saying..

    "Good. I wouldn''t want you having s.e.x with someone I haven''t even seen before. You can''t tell me a dude''s been living with you for this long and nothing''s happened....So tell me..."

    "Tell you what?" She asked in a low voice. She could feel her face starting to color.

    "What did you do with him?"

    "Nothing!"

    "Even without seeing you you know I can always tell when you''re lying, just like right n��."

    "Fine! We kissed okay? But that''s just it. Nothing else.. I mean.. he kis-sed me"

    "Oh my God!" She heard him gasp followed by a laugh. "You finally kissed a guy? This is interesting.. how did it feel like?"

    "Stop asking me that. Are you a pervert?" She asked with a deep blush.

    He laughed again and turned serious when he asked this time. "Was it consensual or he forced it on you?''''

    Mia paused to think. It really hadnt been cinsen and at the same time, she didn''t think it had been forced.

    "It... was... it just happened." She said nervously.

    There was a little pause before James spoke again,

    "I hope he''s worth your first kiss else I''m going to kill him when I see him." He threatened.

    "I''m very uncomfortable discussing this with you. The kiss wasn''t even serious. Just a light��" She stopped talking and tucked in her lips.

    "You like him" He said in a voice that showed he wasn''t giving her any room for denial.

    "Christ! No!" She said immediately.

    "Then why are you thinking about leaving in a hurry? Isn''t it because you are scared about things getting messier than it already is?"

    Mia was quiet. It was the truth�� not the part about her liking Leo because she knew she didn''t. She was scared of the kind of things that may happen between them. The kind of attraction may lead to something else and she wasn''t ready for that ''something else'' especially not with Leo who had a lot of women. There was a big difference between liking someone, being attracted to someone and loving someone. She was only attracted. That''s it!

    "There is someone else I like." She confessed to him. It was the only way James was going to move away from that topic.

    "Really?" She could hear the surprise in his voice and sounds that suggested he was sitting upright. She knew she was really surprising him since it was first time she was openly telling him things like this.

    "He''s in my school." Mia began to tell him all about Benjamin but she left out the kissing party part.

    It was enough telling James she had kissed her housemate, she couldn''t tell him she had also kissed his brother.

    ****************

    "Wait a minute, so you''re saying you told Louis the truth?" Richard asked Leo curiously. They were both sitting opposite each other in their usual hangout bar.

    "I didn''t have any choice. That guy is really smart. And.. he seems quite interested in her.." He said with a frown.

    "Oh shit! Is this a kind of real life vampire diary series where two brothers are into a girl?" He asked obviously finding the whole thing amusing.

    "What kind of��"

    "With your kind of personality, you are obviously Damon while Louis is Stefan and our Mia plays Elena." He said in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "She said she''s moving out soon." Leo said deliberately ignoring Richard''s statement.

    "And what do you plan to do?" Richard asked when he noticed the sad look on his friend''s face.

    "Well... the plan has always been for her to leave right?"

    "I can swear on my life that you do not want her to leave."

    "Stop doing that. You are making me feel weird." Leo eyed him, making him laugh.

    "Finally, your life is interesting" Richard said before taking a sip from his wineglass.

    Leo suddenly remembered what that shaman had said about his life becoming interesting soon. Was this it? Was it Mia? He wondered.

    "But you know what Leo?" Richard said as he picked up his wineglass again.

    "What?"

    "Damon got the girl." He said with a wink as the glass met his lips.

 Chapter 66 - For me or yourself?

    The loud ring and vibration of her phone woke Chloe up. She swore loudly before stretching a hand to reach for her phone. Immediately her hand found it, she answered the without bothering to check who was caring since she easy still wearing her sleeping face mask.

    "Baby...?"

    Chloe sat up immediately she heard the familiar voice.

    It was David. Her boyfriend.. or rather, her Ex boyfriend.

    She took off her sleeping mask as flung it to one side of the bed and said nothing while waiting for him to speak first.

    "Hello? Are you there?" He asked but was still met with silence.

    "Chloe I''m sorry. I know I deserve this and all but you need to understand that I cannot live without you. No matter how much I try to think about it, I can''t just let you go. I haven''t even done anything for you yet. Chloe please��"

    She ended the call immediately and threw her phone on the bed before running her hand over her hair roughly.

    No matter how much she thought about it, it was the best decision to break up with him. She had been dating him for four years. Four good years!

    That time, she newly entered the university while he was in his second year when they met.

    He was from a rich home and liked to live lavishly. He spent recklessly and always partied.

    They had both clicked from the first day they met during the freshman welcome party but by the time he was in his third year, his father''s business failed. His father could not handle the whole thing because the more he put in money, the more it crashed. It got to a point and he died. She remembered how distressed David had been back then. She had made sure to be there for him and helped him with all he needed. But it seemed he couldn''t get over the fact that they were now poor.

    He dropped out of school since he could no longer afford it and because he didn''t want to lose face in front of his friends, he kept borrowing from her to keep up with his lavish lifestyle.

    At first she thought he was eventually going to get over the whole thing and face reality but ur hadn''t worked. After that, she thought he was making good use of the money to cater for his mother and 2 younger siblings, but she realised he even bought drinks for his friends in clubs just to show he was still in charge.

    Several times she advised him to change and accept the fact that things can never be the same. She had even asked him to go back to school and promised to help him with some money for tuition but he said he was already too old for school... at just 25!

    She couldn''t spend cash carelessly anymore since her parents had noticed how money was constantly leaving the account and now monitored it so she could only give him limited cash so her parents wouldn''t suspect.

    This had led to a little problem between the both of them because he kept asking her to take more while she kept trying to make him see she couldn''t and most times, he snubbed her out of anger but kept promising he was going to pay her back.

    Few months ago, he told her he was finally willing to go to school but needed some funds and she had been happy to hear that. When she saw an opportunity to have good cash by putting up her brother''s apartment for rent, she hadn''t thought twice about it and had asked James to send it directly to David''s account, hoping Leo wasn''t coming home till the next year. But not only did he party with the money, he had even begged her for more.

    That had been the height of it till she finally thought it was best to just break it off after giving him the money. She made a resolve to never look back no matter what. It was truly over and she was done with him!

    She picked up her phone again and after a moment hesitation, she blacklisted his number.

    ************

    Mia didn''t have any class to attend that morning so she slept in. She was tired from having read her books the entire night... or better still, pretending to read when nothing actually entered inside her head.

    She woke up with an headache that morning after vigorously shaking her head the entire night so that Leo''s image would stop popping up.

    "This is frustrating!" She said as she reached for a bottle of pills.

    She took out some pills but realised she was out of water which meant she had to leave the room for the kitchen.

    First thing she did was to peek outside to be sure neither Tara nor Leo was inside and when she was sure none was in the sitting room, she tiptoed to the kitchen without looking back and also peeked inside the kitchen to be sure he wasn''t inside.

    Leo''s head hovered above hers without her knowledge as he also peeked inside the kitchen. "What are you looking at?" He asked, startling her.

    She jumped in shock and whipped her head around to see Leo standing behind her. She didn''t know where he had come from or when he got there.

    "Good Morning" He greeted with a smile while waving a hand in front of her face.

    She looked down and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

    "Good morning." She greeted.

    "Where you looking for me?" He asked with a teasing smile.

    Mia began to laugh nervously and shook her head. "Of course not. I was checking for Tara." She said to him without meeting his eyes.

    "Tara is behind me." He said with a smile while using his thumb to point behind.

    "What?" Mia''s eyes bulged out as she looked behind him to see Tara wagging her tail. The moment their eyes met, the dog barked while still wagging her tail and she jumped in fear.

    Leo chuckled and moved away from her front so she was fully exposed to Tara. He knew if he continued to stand there, she was going to hold unto him again to hide.

    As she was about running inside the kitchen, he pulled her back by her arm and turned her so she was face to face with Tara.

    "What are you doing? She is going to bite me!" Mia said in fear as she tried to move away but his hands on both side of her arms were holding her firmly in place.

    Leo pressed closer to her as if in a backhug and whispered inside her ear "Just be still. Tara do not like violent girls"

    "I don''t like dogs either!" She said with a loud screech as she kept trying to turn but he held her firmly in place.

    Tara charged towards her. She closed her eyes and screamed as she waited for the dog to bite but surprisingly, she felt the dog rubbing its fur on her leg and opened her eyes. It was as if Tara was dancing around her legs.

    "I told you. She only wants you to like her." He explained as he slowly let go of her shoulders.

    "I can''t move Leo.... I feel like she is going to charge at me at anytime." She said in a frightened tone. Her whole body was frozen in place.

    "Shhhh... just stand still." This time, he pulled her into a back hug with his hands resting in front of her belly and his chin resting on her shoulder.

    Mia''s whole body froze.

    Leo could hear his heart pounding in his chest. He still didn''t understand why he was always doing this to himself and to her.

    Maybe because he was used to ladies always being around him and now he couldn''t seem to control his hands and mind from doing what they wanted to do.

    "Are you... trying to make the dog like me or you''re... doing this for yourself?" Mia asked in a stutter.

 Chapter 67 - I dont like it when you are so close..

    "Are you.... trying to make the dog like me or you''re doing this for yourself?" Mia asked in a stutter. The proximity made her very uncomfortable.

    He was hugging her! All of her senses screamed.

    One thing Leo really liked about her was her ability to always say what was on her mind. According to her, it made life easier and he actually agreed to that. But that was also where his problem with her lied. She always took him aback with his questions. He tried to imagine other girls in her shoe, they would have just pretended like nothing was happening but she always liked to say it out.

    Leo ignored her questions and just buried his face on her neck. He liked her smell. His head screamed for him to let her be but his body could not move. He just wanted to stay there with her.

    Mia''s whole body froze. She could feel his hot breath on her neck and immediately had goosebumps all over her body.

 Chapter 68 - Cheers!

    Mia didn''t pay much attention in class that morning. Her mind was occupied with how to find Mary.

    When Mary first disappeared 4 years ago, they had checked with all of Mary''s friend to ask if they''ve seen Mary but none claimed to have see her. When they reported to the station, the police had mentioned she was an a.d.u.l.t. At 20, it wasn''t strange for her to just decide to leave the house to catch some air. Those had been their words.

 Chapter 69 - A big Male Tara.

    "I said I don''t want to talk to you. You are embarrassing me." Chloe said to David with a frown. She hated drawing attention to herself for the wrong reasons and David was doing a pretty good job drawing the wrong attention to her.

    She could see most of the students had already taken out their phones to video the whole thing. It was how the world worked now. Instead of helping, people preferred to take videos and circulate then. Well, she wasn''t expecting anyone to help her though.

    "And stop videoing." Chloe yelled at the others as she looked around.

    "Alright... alright Chloe.. I''ll leave.." David said as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Please... can you... lend me some money?" He said while looking pleadingly at her. "Just a little bit and I promise to never disturb you again." He said in a really one voice so no one else would hear.

    Chloe frowned in annoyance and slapped him.

 Chapter 70 - "You drank juice"

    Mia looked at him with confusion written all over her face. He was traveling? How come?

    "Didn''t you just return?" She asked.

    "Yes. But remember the job I told you about this morning? The one with a big time producer?"

    When she nodded, he continued. "It pulled through. He has seen most of my works and thinks it''s cool. I still need to do a final shooting to show him how good I am and by next month, I''ll officially begin working with him." He explained to her. For some reason, he wasn''t as excited as he would have normally been.

    Mia didn''t know what to say. The first time she saw him inside the house with a lady, she had wanted him to drop right there and die. But now, she didn''t even want him to leave... who was she going to stay with?

    "Wow.. But... can you handle it? Haven''t you been working alone the entire time or you have people who work with you?" She asked in a gentle voice.

 Chapter 71 - Be careful

    Mia tried to hide the dark circles under her eyes as she prepared to leave for school the next morning. The previous night, she did what she knew to do best, run. Leo had let her go after she claimed to be ''drunk and needed to sleep.'' And when he told her she had drank juice, she almost but her tongue for telling such a pointless lie.

    "I said I feel drunk. I have my body and know how it feels." She shot back before running into her room and sheard him chuckling as she hurriedly closed the door. He was enjoying messing with her and a plan began to form in her head to return the favour.

    But she really wasn''t sure about that. She had noticed she had more self control than Leo. Leo may probably take that opportunity to jump in unlike herself who always ran away.

    "You look out of it again! What''s been up with you lately?" Jeremy asked as he joined her seat.

 Chapter 72 - You seem to care.

    For over an hour, Mia spoke on the phone with Chloe and slowly explained the confusing table for her to understand.

    "Thank you. I really do appreciate this." Chloe said by the time they were done.

    "Yea. It''s all good." Mia said casually.

    "I should treat you to lunch sometimes... to thank you." Chloe said. This was her opportunity to get closer to Mia which in turn would help her academics this semester. Even though she already had good grades, she wanted better grades.

    "That wouldn''t be necessary. Must take care of yourself." Mia said before hanging up.

    She was pretty much exhausted with the lecture and by the time she checked the time, it was already past 8 in the evening. She was at least thankful she didn''t have any class to attend the next day which was a Thursday.

    She heard the front door open and her heart skipped when her mind registered Leo had just returned.

 Chapter 73 - Get out!

    "Doctor Louis!" Doctor Lily called as he was about exiting the hospital.

    Louis smiled and greeted her also. Doctor Lily was a free spirited young woman so everyone naturally went along with her, including him.

    "My shift also just ended. I was thinking if you could drop me off on your way home?"

    "You didn''t come with your car?" He asked suspiciously.

    Just like everyone else in the hospital,  he knew doctor Lily liked and despite years of working together, he still didn''t see her as anything other than a colleague.

    "It developed some mechanical faults this morning so I didn''t use it to work."

    "Alright then." He agreed and led her towards where his car was parked.

    "How was work?" He asked as he drove. They both worked under different departments so it was always difficult to cross paths especially since the hospital was really big and their departments were in different floors.

 Chapter 74 - She is adorable

    Leo kept knocking on the door but he was careful not to pound it. He hated loud noises like banging doors, loud honking cars, clattering objects and a long list of others.... It was one reason he disliked Mia back then. She always banged his doors when she was pissed and it annoyed him.

    "Mia please open the door." He pleaded as he kept knocking.

    He wasn''t with anything and couldn''t just leave like that.

    He knew he had messed up and didn''t know how to explain to her that he was sorry. He shouldn''t have done that. There were other girls out there who would have been interested in having that kind of relationship with him, but certainly not Mia! He scolded himself.

    "At least let me get my card and car key and my phone.. Mia please.." He kept pleading as he knocked on the door hoping she would forgive him and let him in.

    He suddenly heard a chuckle behind him and turned to see Louis standing there with a smile on his face.

    "Do not tell me she threw you out of your own house." He said with a voice filled with laughter but he didn''t dare laugh when he saw the frown on Leo''s face.

    "What are you doing here by this time of the night?" Leo asked obviously not pleased to see his brother standing there.

    "To see you of course. Doctor Lily doesn''t live very far from here. I dropped her off and wanted to say Hello to the both of you. Who would have thought I''d witness such an entertaining scene." He said with a short laugh.

    "It''s not funny, okay?"

    "Of course it isn''t" Louis said while trying to suppress a smile. "What did you do to her?"

    Louis wasn''t one to gossip. But he was obviously interested in this one. He folded his arms in front of his chest and rested his back against the wall.

    "It''s none of your business. You should go home now." Leo glared at him before turning to knock at the door again.

    "Well, I think you have to come with me since you''re obviously stuck out here." Louis offered.

    He was really curious to know what had happened between them for her to throw him out of HIS OWN HOUSE!

    Just then, Leo heard the sound of the door opening from inside and he looked on in hope as his mind registered that Mia was about to let him in.

    Just as he expected, Mia opened the door but spared neither of them a glance. She quickly began to hurry away from the apartment.

    Leo turned to look at her with a frown. He noticed the look on her face and could tell something was wrong. Where was she going to by that time of the night? It was already approaching 11pm and she was even still wearing her grandma''s outfit.

    "She doesn''t look okay."

    "Of course I''m not blind." Louis answered which earned him a glare from Leo.

    "I wasn''t talking to you" Leo shot back at him.

    He didn''t like the fact that Louis was suddenly coming over and unannounced for that matter. He also hated the fact that Louis had seen him in the kind of situation he was in. If only he minded his business and stayed away!

    Once Mia got to the side of the road, she didn''t need to look around before she saw the dark car they had told her to follow.

    "Get in." A cold looking man said to her as he opened the back door for her.

    They were three men in total. One at the driver''s seat, the other at the passenger seat and the one who had opened the door for her, he had obviously been sitting at the back seat. They looked to be in their mid or late thirties.

    She hesitated only for a second before she got in and he followed suit.

    Mia was really uncomfortable and scared but she tried not to make it obvious.

    How did her mother know she was living with a man? Well, her answer was right here! It should have been Mr Timothy. Since his men had come to fetch her, then it was obvious he had known where she was and told her mother about it.

    She noticed the lewd way the man beside her was looking at her and frowned.

    "Ain''t you a pretty girl?" He said to her in a deep voice as he inched closer to her.

    Mia ignored him and looked out her side of the window. She had a lot on her mind and didn''t  have the luxury of time to entertain him.

    "I''m talking to you girl" He said before holding her chin to turn her head to face him.

    "I don''t want to talk to you." She snapped at him before slapping his hand away, making the men at the front to chuckle.

    "She''s a tough one isn''t she?" The driver asked.

    "You better let her be before the boss gets mad" The other one at the passenger seat warned.

    "She looks pretty. Even the ugly clothes she is wearing didn''t hide that. I''m really eager to see what lies underneath these clothes" He said and laughed shortly.

    Mia turned to eye him contemptuously. He wasn''t really bad looking facially but he had a disgusting appearance. He reeked of smoke and sweat and his teeth were a dark shade of brown and his lips, chapped and black. The l.u.s.tful look in is eyes also irritated her to the bones. She just wished to�C

    "Don''t you want to have a little fun before we meet your mama?" He asked as he touched her arm.

    "Keep your filthy hands to yourself and try not to annoy me. I''m not in the mood for this." She said with a deep frown but deep down, she was scared and uncomfortable.

    "Do not worry baby. I can put you in the mood." He giggled and touched her b.r.e.a.s.t while brazenly trying to fondle it.

    Mia''s eyes shot open immediately and as if by impulse, she slapped him hard on his face.

    "What the heck!" He scowled at her, making her have goosebumps.

    The men at the front began to laugh heartily.

    "Oh my, this is funny!" The driver exclaimed as he continued to laugh.

    "I think I like her already. She is adorable." The one at the passenger seat said while also laughing.

    "How dare you hit me?" He bellowed at her and tried to grab her throat but the car braked immediately.

    "You shouldn''t do anything stupid. We are here." The driver said to him as he got down from the car.

    He glared at Mia angrily and Mia gladly returned the favour by glaring right back.

    They opened the door for her and through the window, she could see her mother sitting together with Mr Timothy inside her bakery.

    "You can do this Mia." She muttered under her breath and followed the men inside.

 Chapter 75 - King?

    Mia''s gaze locked with her mother''s as she entered inside the bakery. Mr Timothy smiled immediately he saw her but before he could say anything, Linda stood up and took large strides to where Mia was standing and gave her a hot slap on her face.

    "You s.l.u.t. I knew something changed about you and I can see it now. You now live with a man? No wonder you had the guts to talk to me that way the last time. Was this how I raised you?" Linda asked in fury. She kept throwing strings of questions, leaving no room for Mia to reply any.

    "Oh dear! You should control your temper. You will have enough mother�Cdaughter time later. But right now, we need to talk�� Come dear! Come sit here.'''' Mr timothy said as he pulled out a chair for Mia to sit.

    Mia still looked startled from her mother''s assault. She knew her mother was going to do something like that to her but her mother calling her a ''s.l.u.t'' was one thing she hadn''t expected.

    How could she call her that? Mia tried to maintain a straight face but her lips quivered.

    Her hands fisted beside her as she slowly walked past her mother to sit on the seat Mr Timothy had pulled out for her.

    Linda frowned. So now she even had a thick skin? She hissed in annoyance before returning to her seat.

    "How are you?'''' Mr Timothy asked her with a pleasant smile that revealed the crow''s feet in the corners of his eyes.

    With the way he smiled, one may think he was a good person. He looked gentle and meek especially with the kind look in his eyes. He was in his fifties but looked very healthy. Of course he would look so when he often exercised his body by moving around and chasing debtors.

    "Just get it over with already!" She snapped at him angrily. He was never a pleasant sight to behold.

    "Oh.." He chuckled.  "You''ve really grown so big. I remember when you were younger and still innocent. Tell me, the man you live with, is he your boyfriend?'''' He asked with interest.

    ''I. Said. Get. It. Over. With" She said through gritted teeth and made sure not to look at her mother who was sitting beside her even though she could feel her mother''s piercing gaze on her.

    "Alright dear.'''' He said with a smile.

    ''''So the thing is, your mother owes me for this month and she brought me only a quarter of the money. What am I supposed to do with a quarter? He asked with a mocking laugh.

    Before the little argument with her mother, Mia had left her with some money to use in settling her debts but she knew the money she had given her mother wasn''t enough.

    "So the thing is��" He looked at the both of them before saying, "I want my money.'''' He showed them his ten fingers and added, "And with interest" He added with a sardonic laugh which left Mia irritated.

    Mia turned to look at her mother who she was still pissed at for calling her a s.l.u.t before turning to look at Mr Timothy again.

    "If you want your money then you should go get it from the one you lent it to. Why are you all involving me? Didn''t she tell you she disowned me?'''' Mia asked and stood up to leave but her mother''s harsh words stopped her in her tracks.

    "How dare you say that? You mean he should go and look for Mary to pay off the debt? Where are we going to find her? Even if we do, where is she going to find such amount from?''''

    "Hold on ladies�� I think you should sit down now little girl. The night is just starting." He said to Mia and looked at the chair as he hinted for her to sit.

    Mia relunctantly returned to sit down. She knew he hadn''t just asked her to follow his men there if he didn''t have something important to say to her aside from the fact that her mother hadn''t completed payments but she desperately prayed and hoped he wouldn''t raise the issue of her getting married to his son.

    ''''I gave you an option to marry my son..." Well, there they go... she sighed.

    You know I have always liked and admired you far more than that useless sister of yours who put you both in this mess.."

    "I will not let you insult my daughter." Linda interjected with a scowl. She would never allow anyone speak ill of her daughter in front of her.

    "You seem to be very protective of her�� what about Mia here? Isn''t she your daughter?'''' He asked with a curious smile on his face.

    He hated it when parents treated their children differently. Maybe it was because he had experienced it firsthand. His parents had always prerferred his younger sister to him and even handed the family business over to her. He had made sure to treat his children equally even though one was not very sound and that was why he was trying to make Mia marry his son since his younger son was just about to get married. From the little time he has known the Lucas family, he could tell Linda treated both daughters differently.

    "I will not marry your son" Mia''s voice cut in before Linda could say something else that was probably going to throw her into a worse mood.

    "Fine'''' He answered with a shrug. There were other families he could bait into marrying his son.

    "You have to pay me then. Your boyfriend is from a really rich family afterall. What''s his name again��? Leo king right?'''' He asked.

    "Are you following me?'''' She asked with a dark look on her face.

    "King? The man you live with is from the King''s family?'''' Linda asked with a surprised look on her face.

 Chapter 76 - Bingo!

    Almost everyone, if not all knew about the King''s family. They had the biggest hospital in the city and ranked number one when it came to charity.

    Linda could not help but wonder how Mia was able to know one of the Kings and even lived with him!

    "He is not my boyfriend. He is simply accommodating me in his apartment until I find a new one'''' Mia said while looking at Mr Timothy instead.

    She didn''t want any case where they would have to involve Leo simply because they thought he was very close with her and had a thing with her.

    Mr timothy chuckled like he had just heard something amusing. He signalled for one of the men to come over and the one who had been sitting at the passenger''s seat earlier handed Mr Timothy an envelope.

    He took the envelope and handed it over to Mia. "You are really not dating him?'''' He asked mockingly.

    Mia frowned as she opened it, wondering what was inside that made him sound so confident about her dating Leo King.

 Chapter 77 - This is overreacting!

    "Are we just going to keep going round and round?" Louis asked Leo.

    They had both followed Mia immediately they saw her get into a strange looking car. Since Louis was with his car keys, they hopped into Louis car while he followed the car.

    But it was as if they knew they were being followed because the driver began to drive recklessly until they lost them.

    "I don''t care. We have to know the route they took. I think it''s that way.. go there." Leo pointed at the left bend as he kept trying to call Mia''s phone. It rang repeatedly but no one took the call which made him even more worried.

    "You said that the last time and we still didn''t find them." Louis reminded him. He was also worried. He wondered who the men were and why Mia followed them when they obviously looked dangerous.

    "Do you think we should call the police?" Louis asked Leo.

    "Stupid! Stupid!! Why did she follow them? Shouldn''t she have talked to me first or something?" Leo bellowed angrily at no one in particular. His heart was racing so fast and he feared it may burst. He had never been so scared in his entire life.

    "Oh shit!" Louis exclaimed and slammed the brake pedal when he almost hit someone crossing the road absentmindedly. The force sent both male bodies jerking forward before the car eventually stopped.

    "What the��" Leo was about to exclaim but paused when he looked at the person the car almost hit.

    "Mia?" He asked himself in shock before quickly unbuckling his seatbelt and leaving the car.

    Louis looked at her in surprise and also got down from the car.

    When Mia saw Leo, her eyes which looked dead twitched a bit and Leo''s heart stopped when he clearly saw her face.

    Her face was very red. Tears were all over her face, her hair was messy, her eyes were bloodshot and she looked lifeless.

    "Jesus! What happened to you Mia?" He asked in surprise as he scanned her body. He was beginning to imagine the worse especially since she had left with a group of men but thankfully, her clothes were intact.

    He saw her mouth quiver and the next thing, she burst into tears.

    Both Louis and Leo were taken aback. They were curious about what had happened to her but they knew it was not the right time to ask.

    They were both thankful she was okay at least.

    Leo did the only thing he could do at that time. He embraced her and allowed her cry on his chest.

    He felt his chest constrict as he heard her sob. With every sound she made, he felt as though a knife was being used to pierce his heart.

    "It''s okay Mia... I''m here." He said reassuringly as he continued to pat her back gently.

    ''I''m here''? He thought about what he had just said..

    Who was he to her? He asked himself but quickly shook that question out of his head. That wasn''t his priority at the moment.

    "I just want to die.." She said as she continued to cry in his arms..

    "Shhh... it''s okay. I won''t let you die." He whispered to her.

    Louis watched the both of them from the side. He felt like an outsider and intruder at that moment but there was nothing he could do. Seeing Mia that way broke him.

    Leo led Mia into the backseat of the car and joined her there, leaving the front for Louis alone.

    He continued to hug her even inside the car and when his eyes strayed up, his eyes met with Louis''s who was looking at them through the mirror.

    "What?" Leo mouthed with a glare. He was grateful his brother had driven them both and because of him he could hold Mia behind but that didn''t mean he was still happy with him.

    Louis shot him a glare also before focusing on the road.

    Mia who was oblivious to what was happening tried to think about something else so her mind could finally settle but no matter how hard she tried, her brain kept replaying all that had happened inside..

    "What is the meaning of this?" Mia asked her mother in a voice full of disbelief.

    "Bingo!" Mr Timothy said with a smile as he snapped his fingers together.

    "I''m asking what this is?" Mia asked Linda again.

    This time, her voice was louder.

    Linda didn''t meet her eyes. She sat there with her face turned to the other side and her eyes closed.

    "Why is my name here?" Mia turned to ask Mr Timothy since her mother was suddenly dead and dumb.

    "You are a smart girl. You should understand" He said with a straight face.

    Yes, she was smart. She had read it. But she couldn''t believe it.

    "This is some sort of joke right?" Mia asked hopefully before turning to look at Linda.

    "You didn''t only use the bakery and house as a collateral you also used..... me?" The words had been difficult to come out but she said it out anyway as she looked at Linda in utter disbelief.

    "I am talking to you! Why the hell are you quiet?" She asked and hit the table loudly as she stood up, making Linda jump in shock.

    Mr Timothy crossed his legs and folded his arms with a smile on his face proving he clearly enjoyed the show.

    "Mia calm down. We don''t have to give you away if we pay off the debt... that''s why.."

    "Are you insane!?" Mia asked in a low and disbelieving voice as she tried not to blow up.

    "We? Who do you mean by we? You sold me off? Sold me off for Mary?"

    "I didn''t sell you off!" Linda raised her voice in defense and it had to take everything in Mia to control herself from hitting her mother or saying something she may end up regretting.

    "You signed it! You f.u.c.k.i.n.g signed it!" Mia showed her the part with her signature and the part Mary had signed also.

    "You knew about this all along and even helped Mary take the loan?" All the while, she had thought her mother didn''t know about it until Mary disappeared. How stupid had she been?

    "How could you do this to��" Mia choked on her words and pressed a hand firmly to her chest as she felt like her heart was about to explode.

    "You are overreacting Mia. This doesn''t call for this I promise�C "

    The doc.u.ment had only stated that if they didn''t pay up, they would take the Bakery, house and Mia. But she had been paying up. She had been working her ass off to make sure they paid up because she also didn''t want Mr Timothy to take anything from her, not even Mia.

    "I am overreacting? You think I am overreacting?" Mia asked with a disbelieving scoff. "I will show you overreacting!" Mia said and began to overturn all the tables and chairs inside the bakery. Crashing and clattering sounds soon filled the whole bakery as she pushed down everything including her mother''s bread showglass.

    She went totally berserk as she kept chanting...

    "This is overreacting! This is me being angry!"

    "Stop it Mia! Stop it!" Linda said in a pleading voice as she tried to stop Mia.

    Mr Timothy continued to watch from the side. He really didn''t feel guilty for what he just did. When they signed the doc.u.ment years ago, she had told him she would pay him the money at all cost and pleaded with him not to ever mention Mia''s name was also included on the doc.u.ment but he couldnt keep pretending especially now that he needed his money and a wife for his son. One has to come through for him.

    "H..ow could you do this to.. me?" Mia asked Linda in a broken voice. "After all I did for you. After all I did for this family? What did I ever do to deserve this?" She burst into tears and collapsed on the seat closest to her which had not been destroyed by her.

    "I am sorry... please Mia.." Linda pleaded as she also began to cry. "I really didn''t mean to sell you off. I only wanted to��"

    "Why wasn''t it Mary?" She asked furiously as tears continued to spill from her eyes.

    "Why did it have to be me? Do I deserve this? Do you really hate me this much?"

    "All my life..... I''ve been slaving away for this family. I did nothing for myself and worked really hard because I wanted to be able to pay off the debt your daughter owe. Do you know how I lived? Do you know how people looked down on me? Do you know the humiliation and embarrassment I faced while working for others?" There was nothing she could do to stop her tears as they kept streaming down her face. She had been hurt several times by her family, but this was the worse. She hadn''t expected this at all.

    "Mia�C"

    "But I didn''t care!" Mia interrupted her in a loud voice.

    "I didn''t care how others treated me. Even though I felt like hitting them, I let it be. Do you know the dangerous things I had to do just so I could give you money? Do you know how I almost died one time in a fire outbreak while working overtime? Do you know the number of times people tried to molest me or accuse me of taking their stuff?"

    "But I endured it! Because I didn''t want them to take the bakery you love so much and the house you treasured, I endured all of it. But this is what I get? After all my sacrifices?" Mia began to laugh dryly as tears spilled from her eyes.

    Linda buried her face in her palm and continued to cry. No matter how hard she tried to stop Mia from talking, Mia didn''t budge.

    "I''m sorry Mia"

    "Tsk tsk. Such a mean mother." Mr Timothy said from the side. He felt really bad for Mia. What did the girl ever do to the deities to make them give her a mother like that? He wondered as he stood up and looked at both women.

    "For Mia''s sake, I''ll be extending it to a week. You have to pay me this month... you know what happens when you do not pay." He adjusted his suit and walked out leaving both women inside.

 Chapter 78 - Let thy will be done

    "Who is the person you love the most in the entire world?" A lady teacher asked the little children in her class.

    "I love my Mummy the most!" A Six years old girl said with a big smile on her face. One could easily tell she truly loved her mummy with the way she was smiling.

    "Why do you love your mummy Jodie?" The teacher asked the little girl.

    "She gives me all I want and makes me happy Jodie answered.

    "What about you Henry, who do you love the most in the world?" The teacher asked a little boy the same question.

    "I love my mummy." Henry answered.

    "Why?"

    "Because she always hugs me whenever she sees me and tells me I should always say her name whenever anyone asks me this question" Henry answered, making the teacher laugh out.

    "What about you Mia?"

    "Mia Lucas?" The teacher called again when it looked like she was deep in thought.

    "Yes?" The Six years old Mia asked.

    "Who do you love the most in the world?" The teacher asked.

    Mia looked at the teacher and then at her classmates who were waiting for her to answer.

    Almost all of them had said they loved their mummy because she did this and that for them

    ... did it mean that when she hugged you, she would become the best mother and you would love her the most? Or when she buys whatever you need and call you sweet names?

    Linda had not done any of that for her before. She suddenly envied the kids.

    "Mia Lucas?" The teacher called her again.

    "Who do you love the most in the entire world?"

    After a brief silence, Mia finally opened her mouth to talk. "Myself."

    She didn''t know what was wrong with her answer and why the students continued to tease her for it even after days past.

    Did it mean she had to love her mother for them to finally see her as a human?

    "Mummy, that is the girl that said she loves herself the most." A little girl whose mother came to pick her up from school one day said to her mother as she pointed at Mia who was waiting together with Mary for their mother to come pick them up from school.

    "Tsk tsk. As young as she is, she is already that dirtyminded." The woman sneered at Mia before turning to her daughter.

    "Who do you love the most baby?" She asked as she squatted and gently pinched her daughter''s cheeks.

    "You mummy!"

    Her mother giggled before carrying her in her arm and twirled her around.. "Mummy is going to give you a special treat okay?"

    Mia and Mary watched the both of them from the side.

    "It''s going to be okay Mia. Don''t think about it" Mary said as she turned Mia''s head to look at her.

    "Was I supposed to love someone else more than myself?" Mia asked with teary eyes. She still didn''t know what she did wrong.

    Her mother didn''t treat her the way the other kid''s mothers treated them. What about her father? He actually treated her better than Linda but he was never around, always busy with work and they rarely saw him at home.

    "It''s okay. Stop crying.." Mary used a hand to clean off Mia''s tears. "Whenever anyone asks you who you love the most in the world, just say mummy."

    Mary advised her before adding.. "Now clean your tears. You don''t want mum to see you crying.." She said as their mother''s car got closer.

    ~~~~~~~

    Was it wrong to have wanted her mother to like her? The only thing she craved for, was her mother''s love. She wanted to also brag in school about all her mother had done for her. But no matter how much she tried, nothing happened. But Linda always treated Mary well.

    Mia had begged God that she wanted to die. Maybe if she did, the whole pain she was feeling would stop.

    If she died, then she''d leave Linda to regret. If she died, she wouldn''t have to pay up debts she didn''t borrow or marry someone she didn''t wish to marry. Maybe if she died, she''d finally rest from all the years of struggle.

    She wanted to die and she wanted to do it quickly.

    "Why do you keep treating me like you picked me up from the streets or I was sold to you as a slave?" She had asked her mother with tears in her eyes but Linda remained quiet. All Linda did was cry. She didn''t know why Linda was crying... was it because she regretted her actions? Or because Mr Timothy exposed her? Or because she destroyed the things inside her bakery? Mia didn''t know exactly, and she didn''t care.

    Mia staggered out of the bakery and began to wander aimlessly.

    Maybe if she died, the world would finally cut her some slack.

    She looked at the busy road and something whispered into her ear to just keep walking so a car would hit her and she would die.

    She looked on with teary eyes and tried to do just that but her legs were frozen on the spot. She was scared.

    She didn''t want to die.

    ''Dear God... Let thy will be done.'' She prayed silently and stepped into the road when she saw a car coming..

    She shut her eyes and waited for it to hit her with bated breath but then... she heard her name.

    She couldn''t control her emotions when she opened her eyes to see Leo looking at her with surprise and shock.

    ''Let thy will be done'' She remembered her prayer and burst into tears. Maybe this was God telling her not to die. She really hoped he had better plans for her and that was why he was keeping her alive.

    ~~~~~~~~

    Leo watched as Mia''s mouth kept moving in her sleep. He was cuddling her on her bed, hoping she would find peace if he was there beside her.

    It was weird for him. He couldn''t remember ever holding any lady like this especially the one he was not having a thing with. But here he was, lying on a lady''s bed with her head on his chest as she slept. He wasn''t even worried he may get aroused and try to take advantage of her because at that point, he wasn''t thinking about anything else other than the fact that he wanted to make her feel better. He didn''t know what she had gone through, but he wanted her to rest for the night and hoped she would talk to him in the morning.

    He tried not to disturb her sleep as he reached for his phone which was on the bed. When he reached it, he used a hand to send a quick text to Chloe.

    "When is your first lecture tomorrow?"

    He waited for about two minutes before a reply came in.. "I don''t have any lecture to attend tomorrow. It''s a free day. Any problem?"

    "Alright, thanks." He replied before dropping the phone.

    He was really thankful Mia didn''t have any classes to attend. She could sleep in the entire day and rest her head.

    Chloe looked at her phone. ''Thanks?'' She asked herself. She had thought he wanted to meet her or ask her to help him do something but he had said only a simple ''Thanks''? It only meant one thing, he hadn''t asked her that because he needed her help. He was asking her that probably because of Mia.

    So why would he be asking her that instead of simply asking Mia who lived with him?

    Chloe was naturally a very curious person so she sat there and kept asking herself different questions. She didn''t feel bad for telling Mia to be careful of her brother because she didn''t want Mia to become his victim.

    Benjamin''s elder sister, Amara, liked Leo a few years back before he started dating Cherry. Leo knew she liked him and wasn''t interested in pursuing a relationship with Amara but he had gone ahead and kissed her one evening, thereby leading her on.

    When he told Amara he wasn''t interested in dating her, Amara had cried her eyes out and didn''t go back home for two days. It had taken her time to heal and accept the fact that nothing was ever going to happen between them.

    She knew how much Cherry, who Leo had loved, deeply hurt him and since then, it didn''t look like he was ready for love again. So she didn''t want Mia to become his plaything for the meantime. She had to take responsiblity since it was her who caused everything and made them live together.

    As far as she was concerned, all men were liars and greedy people who only cared about their feelings. See David for example.

    She sighed as she remembered him. She had really wasted four years of her life and a lot of money because of him. What a shame! She sighed.

 Chapter 79 - Embarrassed.

    Mia had a really long sleep before her eyes slowly fluttered open.

    Okay, maybe it had been a really short sleep because she had left the house late at night and was sure it probably would have been around 3 O''clock by the time she arrived home and slept.

    But you know some cases where the night becomes unusually long especially when you are sick or wants to travel out of the country to another country for the first time? That was more like it.

    She woke up feeling very tired and sick.

    The night had been hell for her. She kept having back-to-back bad dreams but somehow, she felt safe and slept peacefully despite it all.

    The room was still very dark even though she could hear the birds chirping outside and the sound of driving cars. She always liked to sleep in the dark and thankfully, this room was unusually dark when the windows were closed and lights turned off. It was another reason she really liked this house.

    She suddenly remembered the previous night but.....

    Wait a minute! Something was not right. Her brain suddenly registered that she was being cuddled and every bit of grogginess disappeared from her as her eyes widened.

    Even though the room was dark and she could only make out the outline of the person''s body, she knew the familiar scent�� what did he smell like again? She still couldn''t point it out. But she knew she was being cuddled by Leo King.

    She used a hand to touch her body and sighed in relief when she noticed her clothes were still in tact.

    She hadn''t been bothered because she thought he may have taken advantage of her, she was relieved because he hadn''t helped her take off her clothes like the last time when she was sick and wet. She didn''t want that awkward incident to repeat itself again.

    She looked at him and guessed it was probably the reason she slept well despite all that happened the previous night.

    His breathing was even. It was obvious he was deep in sleep. She knew she wasn''t supposed to be thinking about anything else, but she blushed feeling how close their bodies were pressed together.

    Despite a lot of pillow on the bed, his long arm served as a pillow for her head while her face was directly facing his neck. They were both lying on their sides with his other hand dr.a.p.ed over her waist to her back.

    When she shifted a bit hoping to get away, he shifted also in his sleep and she quickly shut her eyes. It would be embarrassing if they were both wide wake to face the awkwardness. After a few seconds passed and it seemed like he wasn''t going to wake up, she opened her eyes again.

    From shifting earlier, his face was now close to hers with their foreheads almost touching.

    She could make out every part of his face as he slept peacefully.

    The memories of the previous night hit her again for the umpteenth time since she woke up but just as she had been doing, she shook it out of her head. For now, she didn''t want to remember.

    She had desperately prayed for last night to be a dream before she slept off in Leo''s arms inside the car. But reality came crashing in when she saw Leo lying beside her on the bed.

    He shifted again, and this time, he did more than just change positions. He pulled her body closer to himself and also moved closer so that their foreheads were now pressed together.

    Mia''s whole body froze that moment. She figured he must be thinking she was his pillow. Her heart began to beat faster despite herself.

    Get your shits together Mia! You just found out your mother and sister sold you off and if you cannot pay up by the end of next week, you are going to be forced to marry a man! She scolded herself sternly.

    This was not the time to have silly thoughts. It was only unfortunate that the body had a mind of its own sometimes. And most times, the body''s actions controls the brain.

    She thought about waking him up.. maybe if she did, the whole madness would stop.

    "You are so soft." She heard him whisper groggily as he shifted again till he had his face buried in the crook of her neck.

    Mia''s body involuntarily jumped when she felt his breath on her neck.

    ''I don''t deserve this lord''. She said in her head. Had he stopped her from killing herself to come face this with him? Why were they punishing her so much?

    She couldn''t lie and say she wasn''t being affected by any of it. Hell, she was!

    Mia''s eyes slightly widened when she felt something poking at her thigh. Did she need anyone to tell her what it was?

    She had learned over the years and even during biology classes back then in highschool that men usually had an early morning erection. She had witnessed it for the first time on the day she woke up beside Leo and he had lay on her body  while teasing her.

    When he shifted again and unconsciously rubbed her back and inched closer, she was immediately startled and tapped him to wake up.

    She could feel goosebumps all over her body and her heart began to beat erratically also from the fact that his hot breath on her neck was making her feel weird.

    She didn''t know whether he was having an e.r.o.t.i.c dream or simply just attaching himself to her body warmth but she could no longer take it.

    He groaned sleepily and finally opened his eyes when she tapped him for the second time.

    He inhaled sharply and ran his hands over her arm.

    Mia could guess he was probably still not fully awake.

    "Are you awake now?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

    She noticed how his whole body stiffened and guessed he was conscious now.

    He moved his face away from her neck and looked at her face in the dark.

    He stared blankly at her for a few seconds. The room was dark but like a miracle, she could suddenly see his face and his eyes which were staring right back at her.

    His eyes slightly widened when he came to his senses and he realised how he was holding her.

    He quickly moved away and sat up. "I''m so sorry, Mia" He said as he put on the bedside lamp, expelling darkness from the room.

    "I didn''t mean to..." He quickly added. He knew he had been behaving lately like a pervert plus she was also mad at him for kissing her and he wouldn''t want to give her any other reason to be pissed at him.

    He had actally hoped he would wake up before her and escape before she woke up since he didn''t want the drama that happened the last time to repeat itself but unfortunately, he had slept deeply since he didn''t sleep until it was past 4.

    Mia also sat up and rested her back on the headboard. Her eyes went to the bulge in his pants and she quickly averted her gaze as her face flushed.

    It didn''t escape the ever observant Leo. He looked down at himself quickly and as expected, there was a pole mounted there saying a good morning to the both of them.

    He quickly reached for the duvet and covered himself. "I''m so sorry about this�� God! I feel so embarrassed.." He said in an embarrassed tone and when she looked at this face, she noticed his cheeks were flushed.

    Leo was never one to be embarrassed whenever his ''younger brother'' came around. In fact, he was proud of it and always walked confidently with it even in front of the ladies he had been with especially inside this room.

    He couldn''t believe he was suddenly acting like a teenage v.i.r.g.i.n to Mia, and it was certainly because of the kind of girl Mia was.

    She wasn''t the type of girl he behaved that way with��. Even if he tried, he may end up sleeping outside his house and he wasn''t sure he was willing to take such risk again.

    There both sat there awkwardly with no one saying a word.

    "I''m.. sorry if I did anything inappropriate��" He started to apologize.

    He had been having a really good dream. He couldn''t remember the details of the dream but he knew it had been a good dream and there had been a girl in it who was hugging him with a big smile on her face. He remembered how soft the girl''s body had been and it felt like he had really hugged her in real life because that part was vivid in his head.

    His brain suddenly registered that he may have hugged Mia unconsciously and he cringed in embarrassment .

    He suddenly looked at Mia in confusion. The girl in his dream had looked exactly like her. Only difference was, he had not seen her smile that way before, neither would Mia ever take the initiative to hug him.

    How he wished he would see a big genuine smile on her face one day.

 Chapter 80 - That should be me...

    Chloe paid a visit to the mall that Thursday since she was free. As usual, everyone began to act like they were very busy immediately they saw her. They knew their female boss was a cold and heartless person and wouldn''t waste time to fire them if they messed up.

    "I think the boss is in a bad mood. You better not get into trouble." A male staff whispered to a female staff.

    "Even when she is not in a bad mood she is scary, I wonder what is going to happen when she is in a bad mood." The lady whispered back to him.

    "If you are both going to keep talking instead of working then get out!" Chloe said angrily from behind them.

    They both jumped in shock, having not expected to see her there before running off.

    Chloe went around the mall checking to make sure all was in order. Almost all of the shoppers didn''t know she owned the mall so she continued to breeze by as she observed everywhere.

 Chapter 81 - Desire

    Mia continued to stare at Leo in bewilderment. His line of thought made a lot of sense.

    If she loved someone else more than herself, who was going to love her for her?

    She had spent years of her life loving her mother. Everytime, she did only what would please her, but then, her mother hadn''t showed her a bit of love, neither had anyone else actually loved her the way she loved her mother. No wonder she had been living like that.

    "I have been so stupid" She said to herself.

    "Are you okay?" Leo asked in worry when a tear slid down her eyes.

    "Why are you crying?" He asked as he sat beside her on the bed and used his hand to wipe off her tears.

    Mia looked into his worried eyes. She suddenly felt too emotional and burst into tears.

 Chapter 82 - Perverted thoughts

    Immediately Leo left the room claiming he wanted to go fix something,  Mia jumped out of the bed and ran straight into the bathroom.

    She looked at the mirror and noticed her face was still flushed and her lips still slightly swollen from from the intense kiss earlier.

    "What have I done?" She asked herself in shock as her heart continued to beat very fast. She sat on the toilet bowl with both hands on the sides of her face.

    "Mia.. Mia... Mia.." She cried out her name over and over again.

    How could she lose herself completely like that? Her mother had called her a s.l.u.t and a p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e because she was living with a guy and had kissed ''him'' even though it was his brother. What was she going to call her if she realised what she had done? She had even initiated it and acted like a s.e.x starved p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e.

    She couldn''t explain how it happened. It was as if she was suddenly possessed and wanted to swallow him whole.

 Chapter 83 - *2327*

    Mia hadn''t thought anything was wrong with her clothes until that moment. She didn''t know where she was following him to. He had simply asked her to get dressed and he would be waiting for her outside.

    She threw all her things around in frustration as she tried to pick the best one to wear. There was nothing. The only decent clothes she had were the ones she wore to school and they were too formal.

    She sighed deeply. She didn''t want to keep him waiting so she quickly threw in one of her polo and a trouser with boot. Looking all black.

    She cringed when she saw herself on the mirror. She didn''t even have anything to use on her face. The other time she went to the party with Mira, Mira had brought her make up kits from her house and used it on her.

    She paused for a few seconds to ask herself why she was doing all of this. It wasn''t like they were going on a date. He was simply asking her to hang out.

 Chapter 84 - Those kind of things happen.

    Mia looked out the window in surprise as they stopped in front of an amus.e.m.e.nt park.

    "We... are stopping here?" She turned to ask him.

    "Yea. Sure." He said with a smile as he got down from the car. She just kept staring and didn''t know he had already opened the door for her to come down.

    "You act like you''ve never been here before." He said in a teasing tone which made her remember the last time she was there and had collapsed.

    "Sorry." She blushed in embarrassment at the memory. She had been so mad ay him for ''kissing'' her instead of thanking him for saving her life.

    Whenever Mia went to an amus.e.m.e.nt park, it was always to work. Either she was picking dirts from the floor, cleaning some places, washing the lavatory or the last time, dressed as Mickey mouse. She had never gone there before to have fun and back then when she was younger, she used to envy kids who went there with their parents.

    "Here." Leo said as he handed her a cone of ice cream. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn''t seen him purchase it.

    Since it was a weekday, the place wasn''t very crowded. They were more a.d.u.l.ts there than kids who were probably still at school.

    "You don''t like this place?" He asked when he saw the look on her face. She had been staring without any emotion on her face so he couldn''t tell what she was thinking.

    "I like it." She said and finally smiled.

    She looked at the ice cream in her hand and smiled once again. He had actually promised her an ice cream when he was trying to stop her from crying and here it was...

    "So.. what are we going to do first?" She asked curiously after they walked around the park for a while and they were both done with their ice creams. If it was possible, she wanted to try all of the equipments there.

    They started with bumpy car rides. Mia rode one while Leo rode another as they kept bumping into each other. Mia felt very excited as she kept bumping into his car. Not to be left out, he also began to chase after her car to bump into her but she kept swerving to avoid him till he bumped into a kid''s car who began to cry and call for his mummy.

    Leo cringed at the boy''s high pitched cry and kept apologizing while waving his hand but the boy cried even more making his parents began to cuss at him for bullying their baby.

    From the side, Mia laughed her heart out at the awkward look on his face and stuck out her tongue when he glared at her.

    Next, they went towards the Ferries wheel.

    "It looks scary. I''ve never done this before." Mia said as she looked up at it.

    Leo smiled pervertedly at the way it sounded.

    "Do not worry. You just have to hold me tight if you are scared. I''ll protect you." He said with a wink as they both took the ride.

    Few minutes later, he was screaming his lungs out as he held unto Mia who was glaring at him angrily.

    Did he say he was going to protect her?

    He took the opportunity to bury his face in her neck and wrapped his hands around her.

    "It is also my first time riding this." He confessed to her making her smile secretly.

    Mia enjoyed the Ferris wheel ride more than she had thought so she suggested for them to also take the Roller coaster ride.

    "I hope you aren''t going to scream again like before." Mia said to him as they prepared for the ride.

    "What do you take me for? I was only acting so it wouldn''t be awkward for you to scream alone." He said defensively.

    "I didn''t scream" She reminded him with a raised brow that made him scoff.

    "Whatever." He muttered under his breath.

    First, the roller coaster ride went slowly but began to gradually increase it''s speed.

    "I think I may throw up" Mia said nervously in a loud voice as she turned towards Leo and gagged.

    "Hey... hey.. hey.." He put a hand in between them to stop her from coming any closer.

    "Hold it in. We are almost ther�C" He also gagged and Mia cringed as she turned her face away from him.

    Both tried to catch their breaths when they returned to the ground and as they both locked eyes, they burst into laughter.

    Leo admired her laugh for a long while. She was finally laughing. In fact, now that he thought about it, she had been laughing a lot since they arrived.

    He checked the time and noticed they had both spent over three hours there which surprised him since it didn''t look like they had spent much time.

    "Still want to have fun?" He asked her and she nodded enthusiastically.

    Next, they both took a carousel ride and she waved at him from her ''pony''s back.''

    "Ah! I am starving." She said once they were done.

    "Me too." He agreed with her and led her out of the amus.e.m.e.nt park towards his car.

    Throughout their time there, he didn''t forget to take pictures and as he drove out, he gave Mia his phone so she could check out the pictures they had taken.

    The ride wasn''t long before they stopped in front of a mini restaurant.

    "They have pasta. Cool!" Mia said as she looked at the menu.

    "You really love pasta, don''t you?" He asked.

    He had noticed that most of the times she cooked at home, it was always pasta.

    "Yea. It tastes nice."

    "Pasta then! Two plates please." He said to the waiter who nodded and quickly disappeared.

    Mia had never had so much fun in her entire life. When their meals was served, she quickly began to eat not minding that he was watching her.

    "Can... I have another plate?" She asked and forced out a smile when she saw the look of horror on his face.

    Leo chuckled and quickly called for the waiter to bring another plate.

    "Do you have a beggar in your stomach?" He asked her as she began to eat the second plate with same enthusiasm she had used in eating the first.

    "I have a big appetite." She confessed to him and he nodded.

    "Cute." He said under his breath and smiled before facing his own food.

    To his surprise, she also finished the second plate and gulped down the glass of water on the table.

    "Sorry. Excuse me."

    Leo was about to ask her what she was apologizing for when she suddenly burped loudly.

    "Woah!" He exclaimed as he looked around to make sure no one else had heard that but she rewarded him with a smile.

    Once their plates were out of the table and they were a bit relaxed, Mia noticed he was looking at her so she put her head down and asked...

    "I... don''t have to sleep outside, do I?" She asked nervously.

    "What are you talking about?" He asked in confusion and saw color rise to her cheeks.

    "You know.... after this.. this morning." She stopped there and prayed he was going to get what she was saying.

    A little pause and she heard him say a long "oooh". Then she knew he got what she was saying but to her surprise, he chuckled.

    "Nah. It''s fine." He said.

    He hadn''t expected her to raise the topic about what had happened between them this morning.

    She was trying to know whether he would send her outside just like she had done to him when he kissed her.

    "Those kind of things happen. I mean.. you are an attractive woman, I''m an attractive man. It''s not abnormal that something like that happened." He explained to her.

    "I didn''t say you were attractive." She murmured but that made him laugh instead of annoying him.

    "Come on Mia, you know I am attractive." He said with a wink making her eye him.

    "What a narcissist." She mumbled.

    When he saw the look on her face, he could guess that she was still uncomfortable about what had happened between them so he reached for her hand across the table and held it making her body jump.

    "Look... you lost control, I lost control, we both lost control. It''s not your fault. And.. I actually kind of liked it." He confessed.

    Mia''s eyes shot up to meet his immediately he said that and she saw amus.e.m.e.nt dancing in his eyes.

    "You are a pervert." She said and quickly pulled her hand away from his before standing up.

    He laughed out before standing up also.

    "We should go somewhere else." He said and looked at the time.

    It was already past 5 in the evening.

    "Where are we going to?"

    "You''ll see." He said with a wink and led her to the car after he paid the bills.

    Few minutes later, they were inside a gaming centre.

    "I''m sure you''d like this one." He said before taking her hand to lead her towards an area with dancing floor mats for two people.

    "You want us to dance?" She asked curiously.

    "We just have to follow the instructions. Remember not to step on the wrong box." He said to her.

    Mia watched a couple dance and everyone who was watching applauded them when the lady stepped into the wrong box and missed her steps causing her to fall.

    "Our turn." Leo said excitedly before they climbed the mat.

    "This is going to be quite easy." Mia said smugly before the music started.

 Chapter 85 - Mara or Miara

    Leo laughed heartily as they both left the gaming centre, much to Mia''s chagrin.

    "Come on girl, you need to smile." He said to her and turned to pinch her cheeks but she frowned even more.

    "It''s not funny" She said with a frown.

    "Really? It''s not? I thought it was. With the way you were bragging earlier, one would think you were going to beat me in dancing" He said smugly.

    "Don''t flatter yourself. It was my first time dancing in a dance mat and it seemed like you are already used to it. I promise you I''ll beat you the next time." She said as she raised her chin challengingly.

    "Really?" He asked with a look of amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "I''m really looking forward to you beating me the next time."

    "Leo!" Someone called him from behind before Mia could answer him.

    When they both turned to look at the person, Mia recognized him as Leo''s friend. There was a pretty young lady beside him clinging onto his arm.

 Chapter 86 - Its wrong Mia. Its so wrong.

    Leo frowned when he saw her come out of her room in just her loose tank top and short.

    How many times did he need to tell her to always dress properly around him?

    She didn''t seem to mind as she followed him.

    When they got to the kitchen door, he turned to ask her.

    "You would you prefer we see a movie as we eat?"

    "Yea. Cool." Mia said as she turned towards the sitting room.

    "Alright. I''ll just get us some drinks."

    He handed her the pizza and she went over to the couch to sit while he entered inside the kitchen to get them both juice. He didn''t want her to always feel left out drinking juice while he took beer so he poured them both two glasses of orange juice and suddenly remembered the other night.

    She had ran away claiming she was drunk. He decided to humor her and checked the bottle of juice for the percentage of alcohol in it. He laughed when he found nothing of that such before heading towards the sitting room.

 Chapter 87 - Okay but not okay

    She paused and looked at him a bit before looking down.

    "My...." Her brows furrowed as she began to talk.

    "My mother sold me off." She said and looked at him.

    Leo looked at her with a straight face before saying..  "That''s not funny."

    He knew she was joking and it made him slightly angry that she was joking when he was being serious.

    He waited for her to get serious but the look on her face showed she was very much serious and he frowned deeply.

    "You are being serious?" He asked in a mixture of shock and surprise. He still couldn''t get it. The whole thing didn''t make sense. Her mother sold her off? Which mother would ever do such?

    "You think I''m joking right? Sounds funny doesn''t it?" She asked with a straight face before laughing dryly.

    He continued to look at her with confusion written all over his face.

    "Your... your mother sold... you?" He asked with his brows furrowed in confusion.

 Chapter 88 - Five thousand.

    Leo was able to deduce now that Mia always fell asleep whenever she cried really hard and it was always a deep sleep. Well, a lot of people did but Mia''s own was kind of special because even though she was sleeping, she still cried deeply even in her sleep.

    He slowly carried her to her room and dropped her on the bed. If he meant to look, he was sure going to see how exposed her chest was but that wasn''t his problem at that moment. Nothing else mattered to him as he tucked her into bed and sat by the edge of the bed to look at her face.

    He had a really sad look on his face as he brushed some loose strands of hair away from her face and used the duvet to properly cover her body.

    He buried his face in his hands and sighed deeply. Everyday, he got to know her more. He got to know her deeply and it was obvious she had a really tough life.

    How did she survive it all?

 Chapter 89 - Ever heard of CONVENIENT?

    "Are you dating any of the King brothers?" Benjamin asked her.

    She looked at him in surprise. How had he guessed that? Wait... Jeremy had told her a rumour had been flying around about her kissing Louis at the party that night and she had seen how some people looked at her in school since that night.

    "My family and the King''s family go a long way back. And my sister is friends with Chloe King." He explained.

    Mia had kissed Louis but he noticed how Leo reacted to the whole thing. So he was kind of ?

    curious.

    "Well... I... uhm..." She tried to say something hut nothing came out. Thankfully, the door beside them opened and students began to file out.

    "Mia." Jeremy called as he approached her.

    "What happened to you? You never come to class late." He asked before turning to look at the guy beside her in surprise.

 Chapter 90 - A new dancer?

    "Hello." Mia greeted the rest members of the dance crew when she entered inside the dance studio. There were five guys inside and a girl who assisted Mr B.

    "Where is Mr B?" She asked the guy nearest to her.

    "He is inside his office. Speaking with someone."

    "Who?" She asked curiously.

    "The new male lead dancer."

    "Isn''t that supposed to be you?" She asked with a confused frown.

    "Well, some things happened at home. I won''t be able to dance. Besides, this guy is a really good dancer. It''s a good thing he is agreeing to dance with us even though I do not think he needs the money. He is from a rich family already." He whispered.

    "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" She asked herself in a low voice. She was already used to dancing with the people here and a new person, she only hoped they wouldn''t have any problems with each other.

 Chapter 91 - Who is a better kisser?

    "What the hell!" Mira exclaimed in surprise but quickly kept her voice low when she noticed how people inside the restaurant were beginning to look at her.

    "Wait a minute.. You mean you went there and the guy you have a crush on was there and not just that, he is going to be dancing beside you?" Mira asked with wide eyes.

    Mia sighed before rubbing her forehead. "I was so surprised suddenly seeing him there. I didn''t even know he was a dancer" She said.

    "He has enough time to dance when he should be campaigning? Something seems off. How did he react when he saw you?" Mira asked with curiosity.

    "Well... he did look really surprised. Then he smiled and said..."

    "It''s surprising to see you here." Benjamin said with a pleasant smile. "I didn''t know you danced."

    Mia didn''t know what to say at that point. Meeting him there totally caught her off guard.

    "Are you okay?" Mr B had asked when she just stared with slightly wide eyes.

 Chapter 92 - Tara is sick

    It was past 5pm by the time Mia arrived at home.

    Her heart began to beat very fast at the thought of bumping into Leo.

    She remembered Mira''s words saying she was in love with him. That was absurd right? She hadn''t known him for long and she wasn''t even sure she was into him beside the attraction she felt around him. So what was the crazy thing about love?

    "Absurd!" She scoffed as she opened the door slowly.

    When she entered inside, neither Tara nor Leo was in sight but she could hear Tara making whiny voices inside his room.

    Was Leo going to come out? She asked herself. Leo always came out whenever she opened the door.

    She looked around and didn''t see the shoe he usually wore out and even his house slipper was there. Did he go out by chance? She wondered with a disappointed frown.

    She heard Tara''s voice again and began to wonder how he was able to live with the dog inside his room. Didn''t Tara poo or peed?

 Chapter 93 - Why are you with Mias phone?

    Leo''s back rested on his car which was parked by the side of the road on top of a bridge.

    It was just past 7 but it was already a bit dark. The night breeze made him slightly cold as he stared out the bridge, lost in thought and didn''t see his phone repeatedly ringing inside his car.

    His head was filled with memories of the past.

    "Come on babe.. you don''t have to look so mad." Leo said as he wrapped his hands around Cherry''s waist.

    "Do not talk to me okay? I need to be alone."  Cherry said sounding annoyed and tried to push him away but he held her tighter.

    "Okay, I''m sorry. It won''t happen again."

    "Do not tell me that! I am tired of it. You always keep flirting with women. Don''t you have any respect for me?" She asked angrily as her eye began to water.

    ''''But I don''t sleep with them believe me." He said.

 Chapter 94 - A persistent psycho.

    It was already past 8pm but instead of resting at home, Chole remained at the mall. Her brain was a mess and she needed work to relieve herself.

    She did feel bad about the way she had spoken to Leo earlier that day but she just needed to get it off her head and she was still slightly hurt that he didn''t want her to stay with them.

    "She has been inside the office since noon. I doubt she has eaten anything." One of the male staff told Jeremy who was working that night.

    "Really?" Jeremy asked with a worried look on his face as he looked at the direction which led to her office upstairs.

    "You like the boss don''t you?" The guy asked looking at Jeremy suspiciously.

    "I do." Jeremy answered honestly with a nod. He didn''t see any point of denying it when it was clearly obvious. A lot of the staffs were already talking about how he asked for her number the previous day and she hadn''t fired him.

    "You''re a tough one aren''t ya? Everyone''s looking for a way to get away from her and you are falling in love with her? Or is it for her money? She''s super cute and rich. That should be it right? You won''t be the first golddigger to approach her, trust me." He said with a wink.

    "Stop saying nonsense." Jeremy said with a frown before walking away.

    He passed by the counter where they sold cookies absentmindedly and stopped in his track as his eyes landed at one.

    *************

    Chloe raised her head when she heard a knock on her office door. That''s weird. Who was that? She wondered with a frown.

    "Come in." She said without raising her head from her desk.

    Jeremy slowly entered inside with his hand behind him.

    "Hi!" He said with a nervous smile.

    "You again." She said with her head still down.

    ''At least she remembers my voice.'' He said to himself.

    "Yea.. me again." Jeremy said as he got closer to her desk.

    He didn''t bother to sit and stretched his hand to give her a small nylon bag which obviously was from the mall.

    "I got you this. I figured you''ve been in here for hours."

    She looked at the bag with a blank expression before raising her head to look at him.

    "What''s in there?" She asked indifferently.

    He quickly took out a box of cookies and a small bottle of juice with a straw. "Something to eat." He said as he placed it in front of her.

    "You sure you didn''t just pick it from the store?" She asked him as she looked at them.

    "I paid for it." He said trying not to sound annoyed by what she was implying.

    She picked them up to check the prices.

    "How many hours do you work?" She asked.

    "Sometimes three, sometimes five."

    "The prices for these should be equivalent to what you earn after working for four full hours." She noted.

    "And you''re using it to get me this?" She asked sounding annoyed.

    She didn''t like people who spent money carelessly especially when they didn''t have much.

    "Return them and ask for a refund." She said before waving him away.

    There was a deep frown on Jeremy''s face as he remained there without moving.

    "Why aren''t you leaving?" She asked raising her head to look at him.

    "I got it for you. At least you can see I worked for four hours just to get you something to eat. Can''t you see I''m being sincere about getting to know you?" He asked with a frown.

    "This is what you call sincerity?" She asked in derision as she picked up the things he had bought.

    "Look, this is the kind of person I am. I don''t care about anyone or their false sincerity so leave and make sure you ask for a refund for these."  She said before placing them inside the bag.

    "I won''t." He said resolutely making her look at him with disbelief written all over her face. He was too stubborn for her. She wished she could just fire him.

    "You aren''t afraid I may fire you?"

    "I am not."

    She sighed and closed her eyes while she massaged her temples with both hands.

    "Stop being so persistent. I won''t like you." She said firmly.

    "That''s not what is important right now. I just need you to eat something. And since you were not in the first class today, I wanted to know if you already have the notes or you want me to send them to you via email?" He offered.

    Chloe looked at him with a blank expression. She really wanted to say something but nothing was coming out.

    "Why are you doing all of this? I already told you not to expect anything just because I gave you my phone number. I''m done with the male folks." She said with her hands up.

    "I know you are done. But I''m just starting and fortunately... I hope to start with you." He said in a small voice causing her to scoff before laughing dryly.

    "So you want to keep bringing me snacks and be my bodyguard and send me notes..." She said sounding amused.

    "Guys shouldn''t act this way. You are supposed to be tough and act indifferent not trying to woo me in these absurd manner. It''s going to make ladies take advantage of you." She lectured him.

    "I don''t have the time or energy to play hard to get. For now, I do not intend to woo you. I just want you to be okay and get to know me." He said with a small smile before turning to head towards the door without giving her a chance to speak.

    Immediately he opened the door, he turned to look at her.

    "And I liked the dress you wore today. We wore similar colors and it made us look like a couple when I sat beside you." He said with a wink before leaving her office.

    Chloe looked at the door in amus.e.m.e.nt and shook her head as a laugh escaped her lips.

    This one was definitely a persistent psycho!

    She said to herself as she began to munch on the cookies.

 Chapter 95 - You are a dirty pervert.

    The Vet clinic Tara was taken to was the most popular Vet Clinic in the city and so the building was quite large and had different sections just like a normal hospital.

    The clinic had a whole lot of positive reviews online so there were always a lot of people inside the clinic with their pets.

    "Tara. A Maltese dog. 4 years old." Leo said at the counter and he was directed to where he would find here.

    He hurried to where he was directed to and easily noticed Louis who was sitting around there.

    "Where is Mia?" He asked looking around. "And Tara. How is she?" Leo asked impatiently.

    "Tara is fine. She is resting. Mia went to the restroom." Louis said with an amused expression on his face.

    "You got here even earlier than I expected. You must have been really worried."

    "Of course, I''m worried about Tara!" Leo said immediately.

 Chapter 96 - I heard you correctly.

    "What did the Vet say?" Mia asked Leo when he came out with Tara sleeping in his arms.

    The dog looked really adorable as she slept peacefully. Mia understood now why people said dogs were adorable and cute.

    "Well, I think I''ve been leaving Tara to fend for herself too much lately. She had a really terrible indigestion" Leo said with a sad frown as he looked down at Tara.

    "Oh! That must have been painful for her" Mia said in a low voice as she followed them out.

    "And she hasn''t been playing much lately. I think she was sick of being locked inside the room all day. Thanks for saving her. I don''t know what would have happened to her if you hadn''t been at home." Leo said with a small smile to Mia.

    "Why do you lock Tara up in your room?" Louis asked curiously.

    Mia suddenly felt guilty. She knew it had all been because of her.

    "I''m sorry." She said in a small voice with her head down. She felt really guilty.

 Chapter 97 - Your Jacket.

    Mia remained quiet during the rest of the drive no matter what Leo said. She needed help. But she didn''t know why she couldn''t accept his. She didn''t want to feel indebted to him. It was too much.

    How could she just let him pay it all up like that?

    It made her feel small. Too small before him. She imagined Chloe. His sister wasn''t only a goddess, she had everything and wasn''t sure she would ever depend on someone to help pay up her debt. How would Leo ever look at a girl like her after helping her with it?

    "You should at least say something. I want you to be free Mia. I want you to live freely and stop slaving yourself away because of your family. This is not about me pitying you. I would have also done same for someone else and I know if you were in my shoes, you would do same." He tried to convince her as he kept looking between her and the road.

    He sighed when she still didn''t say a word.

 Chapter 98 - Im always ready.

    Chloe watched as the security team kept trying to pull the crazy lady away. They had arrived there two minutes after Jeremy pulled her away from almost attacking her with a dagger.

    "Let me be! Let me be all of you!" Mabel yelled as she flailed wildly in their arms to get away from their grip.

    "You think you are so special because you own a stupid mall? You think you are better than everyone just because you were lucky to be born into a rich family? You are going to die a single and lonely soul. No one is going to like you."

    Chloe laughed dryly from the side. "Then go own a mall you floozy, but I don''t see that happening because you are going to rot in jail! And just so you know... I don''t care whether or not people like you like me because I like myself a lot and do not like any of you." Chloe clapped back as she waved her off.

    The crazy lady continued to scream and cuss loudly as the men pulled her away.

    "You guys should be careful. The lady weighs a lot." Jeremy said as he watched the men struggle to contain her erratic movement.

    "Shut the hell up you bastard! I weigh less than 50 Kilogram" She spat at him angrily as they dragged her away.

    The scene would have been funny to Chloe if she wasn''t scared and annoyed at the same time.

    The manager remained there even after they dragged the lady away. He kept looking at Chloe fearfully. He knew things were not going to go well for him. Although he was far older than her, she was still the boss after all.

    "I... am sorry."  He said as his knees buckled and met the floor.

    She sighed angrily before using her hand to brush her loose hair backwards.

    "You and the head of security should leave your resignation letter with my assistant first thing in the morning." She said before reaching for her car keys inside her bag.

    Jeremy wasn''t surprised to see her behave that way. He knew the kind of person she was and had heard the other staffs talk about how she hated it when people didn''t handle their jobs properly. This was just a reminder of what he was getting himself into.

    "I''m sorry." The manager begged on his knees with his hands pressed together.

    "You are sorry? You are sorry!?" She asked angrily.

    "I was almost killed by that crazy witch right here!" She said in a raised voice filled with anger.

    "She no longer works here and not only did she have an access into this building, she could come over to the VIP lot without being detected at all and you tell me you are sorry? She almost stabbed me with her knife!" Her voice was raised in hysteria.

    "Do you know the minutes I spent with that crazy lady in here? And the security team didn''t appear here until the tenth minute which means they took note of the incident going down here in the seventh minute and you are telling me you are sorry? You know what? Also tell all the people in charge of security tonight to leave their resignation letters. All of them! Now get lost before I get mad." Chloe said impatiently with her voice still shaking.

    He knew waiting there was going to make her even more pissed so he quickly scurried away.

    Immediately he left, Chloe''s eyes began to blink uncontrollably. She placed her arm on the car and buried her head there as she tried to steady herself and her emotions.

    Jeremy took note of her whole body shaking. She was obviously scared but always acted tough. He thought as he watched from the side sadly.

    "Thank you... again." Chloe said turning to look at him.

    "Just how many enemies do you have?" He asked her curiously. He had been offering to help her deal with one and here was another.

    "You want to become one? It''s pretty easy." She said eyeing him and tried to open the door with the key but she couldn''t manage it because her hands were still shaking.

    "If you have a lot of enemies, you should at least have a form of protection." He lectured before taking close steps towards her.

    "I do have a form of protection with me and was about to use it when you came." She said to him in a firm voice.

    "Really? What do you have?" He asked curiously. Was it a gun perhaps? Or a knife?

    Chloe dipped her hand into her bag and took out a pepper spray showing it to him.

    "Here. I''m always ready." She said with her chin up.

    "I didn''t see how ready you were ealier. She would have hurt you real bad." He said to her.

    "I''m glad I came here in time." He said looking intently at her face.

    "Why are you coming closer to me?" She asked with a frown when she noticed he was now awfully close to her and was looking at her face with so much interest.

    "This!" He said before taking her car keys from her.

    "I''ll drive you home." He offered.

    "I can do that myself." She said and tried to take it back from him but he raised his hands reminding her how much taller than her he was.

    "You haven''t still recovered from the shock. Its safer if I drive."

    Chloe eyed him suspiciously before asking.. "What were you doing here anyway? You obviously do not own a car and not in the VIP section even if you do." Was he by chance stalking her?

    "I came to directly ask you for your email address since I wasn''t sure you''d take my calls if I called to ask you for it. And I''m glad I came for you." He said with a proud smile.

    He had been shocked to the bones when he noticed someone attacking Chloe. He didn''t want to imagine what would have happened to her if he had gone there a minute late.

    She sighed before asking in resignation.. "Do you have a driver''s license?"

    With a small smile, he answered. "Sure."

 Chapter 99 - Music!

    "Now, remember you are our dear Princess Jasmine." Mr B repeated as he held Mia''s shoulders and led her to stand in the middle of the stage.

    "While you..." He said calling for Benjamin with his hand. "You are our Aladdin. The thief who fell in love with the princess."

    He also led Benjamin to stand beside Mia and she suddenly became uncomfortable again.

    It was the second time they were doing this and it was her fault. She still wasn''t comfortable with the idea of Benjamin touching her.

    "So you both remember the steps right? You were able to grasp the whole idea?" Mr B turned to ask Benjamin.

    "Yea. I got it perfectly." Benjamin said with a curt nod.

    Mia tried to keep her breathing steady. It was quite uncomfortable for her being this close to Benjamin plus being hugged earlier by Leo still haunted her senses.

 Chapter 100 - Im used to it.

    Mia took in a really long and deep breath when it was time for them to start dancing again.

    "You can do this Mia. This is Benjamin. It isn''t a big deal" She said to herself and shut her eyes when she heard the start of the music.

    Soon, she felt Benjamin''s hand on her upper arm, repeating the same movement he had done for two times already. Her body stiffened once again.

    His hand went down to her lower arm and then he locked their fingers together.

    Everyone especially Mr B watched in apprehension. They could only hope and pray for Mia to do it well this time.

    When it was time for her to spin around, she did and Mr B sighed in relief.

    Mia and Benjamin came face to face and his lips slightly curved up in a smile as he pulled her closer to his body making her b.o.o.b.s press to his hard chest with only their clothes in between.

    She sucked in breath and he took note of it.

 Chapter 101 - Whats wrong with him?

    "Oh my... God!"

    Mia jumped in shock when she turned on the light in the sitting room immediately she entered and found Leo sitting on the couch with his heavy eyes on her.

    His legs were crossed, one on top of another, and his hands were folded in front of his chest. He wore a casual house tee shirt, a black short and house slipper with his hair really messy.

    The scene was like that of a man who was waiting for his cheating wife to return home  at midnight.

    The time was almost 2 am. What was he still doing awake? She wondered as she changed into a house slipper.

    "So where did you go to?" He asked without moving at all.

 Chapter 102 - You are so silly!

    Jeremy sat inside the classroom with his earphone on as he waited for the class to begin.

    It was as if Jeremy knew whenever she walked in even if his mind wasn''t there because immediately he looked at the door, Chloe entered inside.

    Surprisingly, she was staring right back at him.

    It was the first time she was looking so intently at him. He looked behind him just to be sure he was the one she was looking at and when he turned,  she was still staring.

    What even surprise him the most was that she walked towards him and sat down beside him while he continued to look at her in surprise.

    "What is it? Why do you act like you''ve see a ghost?" She asked looking at his face.

    Jeremy looked around and as expected, all eyes were on the both of them. He noticed the contemptuous look Kelvin gave him but turned to look back at Chloe without sparing Kelvin a second glance.

    He blinked a couple of times not knowing what to say to her.

 Chapter 103 - Tutor?

    "Why him? Can''t I just ask James?" Mia asked turning to look at James.

    "Hell No! We are both going clubbing tonight. I would have suggested for you to come along with us and pick up a random guy to dance with since you''d feel less awkward but I know you are going to turn us down so do this yourself and ask for Leo''s help." Mira said to her immediately.

    "Why are you both being this way?" Mia asked the both of them with a sad frown.

    "Sorry Mia. But she calls the shots here." James said looking at Mira who always had the final say.

    "You could still pick up Benjamin''s calls and go practice somewhere with him." James suggested.

    Immediately after Mia''s classes ended, she ran out of the school premises before she would bump into Benjamin. He had called her twice already but she still hadn''t taken his calls.

    Mira glared at James for suggesting that to Mia  and trying to ruin her plans.

 Chapter 104 - You... want to drink beer?

    "Why do you look so down?" Richard asked Leo.

    Leo had surprisingly paid him a visit that afternoon so they sat on the balcony and drank as they enjoyed the cool weather.

    "It''s probably going to rain tonight." Leo noted as he watched the clouds.

    "So? Are you planning to do some naughty things tonight?" Richard asked with a wink.

    "By naughty things you mean?" Leo asked as he gulped his beer from the can nonchalantly.

    "With the crazy girl in your house."

    "Mia is not crazy. Are you out of your mind?" Leo asked frowning at Richard.

    "Oh really? I remember you used to call her Crazy and say a lot of bad things about her. She''s suddenly not crazy and you also take her out on dates?" Richard asked with a teasing smile obviously enjoying the whole thing.

 Chapter 105 - Are you drunk?

    "You know you are very naughty right?" James turned to ask Mira as he drove.

    He had quietly watched her make a phone call to Leo without interrupting and now that she was done, he decided to speak.

    "What is it?" Mira turned to ask him with an innocent smile.

    "You know what I''m talking about. Do not even think about acting dumb." He said with his gaze on the road.

    "I''m just helping the poor girl. She is young and naive and silly and clueless and..."

    "It''s okay... it''s okay!" James interrupted making her giggle.

    "You seriously want something to happen between them don''t you?"

    "Why not? I like him. He is perfect for her and she likes him too. Since they are behaving like chickens, I have to push them." She said with a shrug.

    "So you''re like a matchmaker now? Did you by chance also have a crush on him when you first saw him?"

    "Come on! Do I crush on every guy I see?" She asked incredulously.

    "....."

 Chapter 106 - Just wait for it...

    "You are kidding me aren''t you?" Leo asked her with a surprised look.

    What was she doing? Lend her a thousand bucks? Didn''t he tell her he was going to lend her a hundred thousand already? He had been patiently waiting for her to ask him to dance with her so he could see how well she danced but she was asking him this? The disappointment and displeasure was evident in his face as he waited for her to answer his question.

    "Lend me a thousand bucks" She repeated sounding more confident.

    "Are you Sara Wang?" Leo suddenly asked her.

    A frown formed on Mia''s face as Mia''s wondered who that was.

    "Who is Sara Wang?"

    "The main protagonist of Hello, Mr Li. It''s a romance novel in ." He explained patiently.

    "What does she have to do with this?" She asked drunkenly raising a confused brow at him.

    "She always asks for the wrong things at the wrong time. Just like you are doing right now. On fact, you are like her twin" He said.

 Chapter 107 - Hold my waist.

    Mia hurried to the kitchen saying she wanted to do something  so Leo took the opportunity to push the sofas backwards to give them enough space to dance. He carried Tara from the ground and placed her on the sofa..

    "You are going to be our little audience." He said before winking at Tara who was breathing heavily with her tongue out. She still looked scared from the rumbling thunder.

    "Hi!" Mira said with flushed cheeks as she came out of the kitchen.

    Just as he expected, he smelled beer. She must have gone to drink some more.

    "Are you sure you''ll be okay?" He asked her as she reeled towards him.

    "Yea. Are you going to be okay?" She asked him.

    "Sure. Why not?" He asked with a funny look on his face.

    Mia raised her shirt up, making Leo look at her with a confused frown.

    "What... are you.." Before he could complete his sentence, he saw her tying the hem of her shirt to the side of her waist with her bellybutton exposed to his eyes.

    "You can start the music now." She said before looking around again.

    The lights were giving her some kind of confidence plus the drink was also making her feel like she could do anything and just later blame it on the alcohol.

    He had already connected the song to his home theater sound system so he started the music.

    "I''m sorry for any discomfort this may cause you." She apologized in advance as she walked towards him.

    "No problem. So what do I do? Are we going to like... waltz together?" He asked curiously as he stretched out his hand for her to take it but to his surprise, she shook her head and moved even closer to him.

    "You just have to stand still. I''ll show you what to do." She said before placing her hands on his shoulders. Leo was really startled but he tried to act indifferent. They were so close and he could feel her soft chest on his hard chest.

    Mia didn''t look at him. She looked down and took in several deep breaths to calm herself.

    "What am I supposed to do with my hands?" Leo asked since his hands were just lying limply by his sides.

    "Hold my waist." She instructed.

    ''I have a really bad feeling about this.'' He said in his head before he slowly placed his hands on her bare waist.

    The moment he touched her waist, they both sucked in breath.

    "I''ll just... restart the song." He said before picking up his phone. Once he did that, he moved back into position.

    "I''m sorry." Mia apologized. His discomfort was obvious to her.

    Leo only smiled at her and said nothing as the music started...

    ????

    *When your legs don''t work like they used to before.

    And I can''t sweep you off of your feet.

    Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love*

    "Nice lyrics." He said in a teasing tone as he looked down at her face. He had the strong urge to hug her and bury his face in her neck but he held back.

    "Just ignore the lyrics." She whispered into his ears and he felt her hot breath tickle his neck which made him stiffen..

    ????*Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks.*????

    Just as it was about entering the next line of the song, she moved back, spinned and moved closer till she pressed her chest to his again.

    Then she turned around with her back pressed to his body and led his hands to touch her belly.

    "Jesus Christ!" Leo whispered underneath his breath as his eyes slightly widened.

    What was happening? Was this the dance? Was this it? Like, this is really it?

    *????And darling I will be loving you till we''re 70.

    And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23... And I''m thinking ''bout how...*????

    Leo just stood there like a statue. He was totally shocked!

    She was s.e.xy�Cdancing with him! He hadn''t ever suspected that Mia could dance like this since she always acted so stiff. Her body kept flowing and moving freely like water as it rubbed his own body.

    *????People fall in love in mysterious ways.. maybe just the touch of a hand... Oh me I fall in love with you every single day, and I just wanna tell you I am..

    So honey noooow..

    Take me into your loving arms...*????

    She turned around but didn''t look into his eyes. She had been trying not to look at him ever since they started.

    But then, she began to remember all Mr B''s instructions. "Maintain eye contact." Mr B would always say.

    She took in a deep breath and raised her head to look into his eyes and caught him staring right back at her.

    Goosebumps suddenly rose on Leo''s skin immediately their eyes locked.

    They both stared at each other quietly but she noticed something had changed in the room and looked up.

    It was the lights. It wasn''t just a stagnant red illumination but the light was rotating between red, blue and green making the house look even prettier than it was before.

    "Wow!" She exclaimed silently as she looked up in amazement. Slowly, a smile appeared on her face...

    ????Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars, Place your head on my beating heart. I''m thinking out loud, Maybe we found love right where we are..????

    The music continued and Leo''s gaze never left her face as he saw her smile really brightly. Her smile was blinding to his eyes.

    Seeing her smiling like this, he suddenly remembered the first time he saw her. If anyone had told him a month ago that he would be in his sitting room dancing with Mia while his heart raced, he would have scoffed in disbelief and laughed at the absurdity of it all. But here he was...

    "Who are you?" It was the very first question he asked her when he saw her inside the room when things were about to get nasty between himself and the lady he had taken home with him. Surprisingly, she had said..  "I should be asking you."

    He could still remember how pissed he was that day.

    But here they were....

 Chapter 108 - Its raining outside...

    Leo''s body didn''t move. He really didn''t know what to do. Mia did everything�� rubbing her body against his, leading his hand to touch her bare belly while also touching his body. In fact, she had turned around to his back and rubbed him down from his chest down to his belly.

    This was a really different side of her he hadn''t expected at all.

    He closed his eyes and bit down his lower lip when he felt himself begin to get aroused.

    ''Please not now. Not now.'' He silently prayed.

    She turned to look into his eyes again and gently cupped his face.

    Her eyes were steady and she didn''t look as drunk as he had thought she was.

    She stared right back without breaking the eye contact and to his surprise, he she began to move closer....

    The song was playing for the second time already. And he wondered just how long they were going to continue this.

 Chapter 109 - Warm up?

    Chloe looked out her office window for a long time until a knock came on her door.

    "Come in." She said without turning around.

    As expected, it was Jeremy. She could tell he was the one even without checking.

    "I was just wondering when you were planning to leave." He said after he closed the door behind him.

    "It''s still raining heavily. I guess I have to wait a bit more before leaving. Why? You are in a hurry to leave?" She turned to ask him.

    He could guess she didn''t want to leave because she was scared of going down to the parking lot after what happened the previous day. But he was here with her right?

    "Uhm yes..  it''s already nine thirty. My sister would be worried and scared." He said with a frown.

    "You have a sister?" She suddenly asked curiously. She was just realizing now that she knew nothing about someone who was going to be working for her.

    "Yes. Ellie Wiliams. She is 8." He explained.

 Chapter 110 - "Im Ellie"

    Chloe tried not to seem surprised when Jeremy pulled over in front of where she believed was his apartment.

    "This is where you live?" She asked pointing at the building.

    "Yes." He nodded and soon began to wonder how they were both going to get to the door when they were not with umbrellas and it was still raining heavily.

    Chloe looked at the apartment. It was a big flat. They were outside but she could guess it had up to four rooms inside. It was a really nice building and she began to wonder why someone who lived in this kind of place would be taking up different part time jobs. She thought he was probably going to be living in a small apartment with his sister.

    "Do you by chance have another umbrella?" He turned to ask her.

    She slowly shook her head. "I don''t have another."

    She had given her only umbrella to that family earlier.

    "I guess we have to run. Sorry." He said while giving her an apologetic look.

 Chapter 111 - I feel weird.

    Mia''s body glistened with sweat as she sat under the mixed colored lights with her chest heaving up and down and her lips slightly puffy from the kiss earlier.

    She would have looked quite enticing to Leo if his mind wasn''t messed up at the moment.

    "What is wrong?" Mia asked after his humourless laugh.

    He had asked whether it was a warm up before her main dance and when she informed him that it was a part of the dance, his mood suddenly changed.

    Did she say or do something wrong?

    "Wait a minute Mia Lucas." He said before standing up from the floor.

    "You mean you are going to be doing this dance with a boy?" He asked emphasizing on the word ''boy''.

    "That''s what I said." She repeated with a nod before standing up from the floor also.

    "No!"

    "No what?" She asked in confusion.

    "You can''t dance this." He said shaking his head in disbelief as he walked into the kitchen to get a can of beer.

 Chapter 112 - You like what?

    Leo had never been this tempted in his entire life.

    He remembered he had reminded himself some days back to not let Mia take alcohol again but he had let her and tonight''s case was on a whole different level.

    She wanted to sleep inside his room? He thought he told her he didn''t really like others inside his room. She was really tempting him. Definitely tempting him!

    "Go, hurry up! Run!!!!" Mia said passionately as she urged him to move since he was just standing there and looking at her.

    He wanted to say something but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. He sighed in defeat before carrying her towards his room. He didn''t have much choice anyway.

    Carefully, he laid her on the bed and she shut her eyes when her back touched the bed. "It feels nice... and different." She m.o.a.ned softly as she spread her arms to enjoy the comfort.

 Chapter 113 - How does that work?

    Maybe Mia forgot how Leo usually moved about in his sleep but Leo didn''t forget.

    She stirred awake first when she felt his movements with his body pressing into hers..

    The lights were out and they were in complete darkness but it took her a few seconds to realise what was going on and where she was.

    She was in Leo''s room and on his bed and he was cuddling her under the duvet!

    She knew it was his room because even though it was dark, she could tell it wasn''t her bed and even the way the room smelled was different from hers. The room smelled like him. It was really nice and refreshing.

    Her head pounded fiercely but she tried not to make any sound. What was she supposed to do? How did she even end up in here?

    Immediately, flashes from the night began to come back to her. She first remembered the dance, the kiss, the argument but that was as far as she could remember.

    ''We didn''t by chance....'' Her eyes widened in the dark room as she tried to rack her brain to be sure she hadn''t slept with him.

    She touched her hip and sighed when she found her clothes were still intact.

    Now the question remained the same, how was she going to move away from him when he was holding her like this?

    She didn''t even know what the time was but it was still raining outside but less heavily than it was before. She could hear the raindrops.

    She felt his hot breath on her forehead and immediately had goosebumps.

    She wanted to move. She swore she wanted to. But at the same time, she didn''t want to leave.

    His hand was still around her waist holding her tightly while the other one was lying close to her head.

    She bit her lips down and her heart began to race wildly as she thought about draping her hand around his waist also.

    It was an harmless gesture right? She was just going to put her hand there and go back to sleep.

    She placed her hand around his waist and snuggled closer while trying to convince herself that she wasn''t doing anything wrong.

    She closed her eyes and tried to sleep but sleep didn''t come. Her head was still pounding but she didn''t even want to leave the bed to go swallow some medicine to help her head ache less.

    She was slightly cold and liked the warmth their bodies produced under the duvet.

    Her hand began to slowly move up from his waist to touch his arm which was around her waist.

    He had nice arms. It was so firm that she just couldn''t stop touching it.

    Something screamed in her head for her to stop it but she couldn''t. She just kept feeling his arm until she moved it away from there and acsended to his hair.

    She tried to be gentle about it so she wouldn''t wake him up. She didn''t want him to wake up and see her as a pervert. She just wanted to have her fill and sleep off without him ever finding out.

    She gently touched his hair and she suddenly remembered touching it just a few hours ago.

    It was soft and sleek and she was jealous. She was jealous of him.

    She wondered whether there was anything he ever lacked. He was just too perfect!

    She sighed deeply and pulled her hand away.

    "Are you done?" He asked her in a quiet voice and she couldn''t help the gasp that left her lips.

    "You... you are awake?" She stammered in embarrassment. He had caught her after all.

    She felt him move his other hand and before she knew it, a dim light lit up the room.

    He just stared into her eyes quietly without saying another word while hers continued to look at his with shock.

    When she could no longer maintain the eye contact, she shut her eyes immediately and pretended to sleep.

    Leo smirked as he watched her face. He didn''t even bother to move his hand away from her waist.

    "You must really like my hair a lot." He said to her before moving his hand away from her waist to touch her own hair.

    He tucked some strands behind her ear and began to play with some locks with his fingers.

    She sucked in breath but kept her eyes shut and her lips tight.

    "Why are you pretending to be asleep?" He asked her before asking another question.

    "How do you feel?" He asked and returned his hand to her waist.

    "I don''t feel anyway. Stop saying nonsense." She snapped at him before opening her eyes to see the amused look he was giving her.

    "I was asking about your head. Doesn''t it ache? You are up really early. Were you uncomfortable?" He asked.

    He had woken up the moment he felt her stir awake and had been waiting for her to lash at him since she was already sober but to his surprise, she did nothing. Or rather... she did something and started to feel up his body and hair which surprised him..

    He just let her continue without interrupting, remembering how she drunkenly confessed that she liked his hair and had always wanted to touch it.

    "Uhmm... my head aches a bit." She confessed in embarrassment. She couldn''t believe she had sounded that way when he was talking about something entirely different.

    "Do you feel any other way?" He asked her with an amused glint in his eyes as he waited for her to answer.

    "I don''t." She said with a blush before closing her eyes.

    He suddenly pulled her closer and placed his lips very close to her earlobes.

    "Do you want to know how I feel?" He asked in a whisper.

    She didn''t need him to tell her. She could feel something already poking her thigh and she knew what it was making her swallow really hard.

    Leo didn''t make any move on her. He pulled away from her and lay his head on the pillow while still holding her tightly to himself.

    "Loosen up, Mia Lucas. I won''t try anything without your permission." He said to her as he looked into her confused eyes.

    His other hand had disappeared under the duvet in between them and was trying to keep his erection from touching her.

    "How does it work?" She suddenly asked after a while.

    "How does what work?" He asked and watched her face turn bright red.

    "That.. down there. Is it going to go away if you leave it or you have to do something to make it go away?" She asked curiously.

    He laughed before closing his eyes. "Do not ask me such embarrassing questions, Mia Lucas."

    "I was just being curious." She said defensively.

    "Okay, I am going to answer yours if you agree to answer mine." He negotiated.

    "I''m listening."

    "Why haven''t you ever had s.e.x? Is it because you have never had a boyfriend or because you just didn''t want to?" He asked curiously.

    If he thought it was impossible for someone''s face to look like a tomato, he just realised it was really possible because her face was burning red.

    "I..." She paused before breaking eye contact.

    "I don''t know." She said with her eyes on his chest.

    "I''ve been so busy with school work and part time jobs to think about having... that... I guess.."

    He nodded in understanding before saying.. "Well, I think it''s a good thing. But you have to be careful. Most men like to take advantage of innocent girls like you."

    "Why?" She asked curiously.

    "Because they love the idea that they are going to be the first to touch you and bring you pleasure so they want it at all cost." He explained.

    She swallowed nervously before asking... "Are you... like that?"

    "You mean?"

    "Do you think about taking advantage of me because I haven''t done it before?" She asked in a really low voice..

    He quietly looked at her for a few seconds before shaking his head.

    "Remember I told you I was s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to you? I don''t think it would have made any difference even if you weren''t... you know..  that.." He answered honestly as he looked into her eyes which were staring right back at his.

    He wanted to kiss her lips so badly and he felt he was gradually losing the battle to hold himself back.

    It was funny how she could seduce him without even doing a thing.

    "You haven''t answered my question." She said, interrupting his thoughts.

    "Well... there is nothing much there. If I don''t put my mind to it, it just goes away." He answered with a shrug.

    "Ooohhhh" She said nodding slowly like she understood what he just said.

    "Uhm... I wanted to tell you earlier that... I don''t think I would be moving out anytime soon. If... you don''t mind?" She asked not knowing how he would react.

    "Really?" He looked at her hopefully. "You are really not moving?" He asked.

    "For now, well, yes... I currently have a lot at hand and��"

    "It''s fine. You can stay for as long as you like." He quickly interrupted while trying not to sound really desperate.

    "Really?"

    "Yea. Really." He said with a small smile.

    "Oh.. and I wanted to tell you that I would really appreciate your help with the... loan.. if you don''t mind?"

    She said with an embarrassed blush.

    "And I don''t also mind Mia Lucas." He said with a bigger smile this time.

    Seeing him smile so beautifully, she smiled back at him.

    "Now let''s get you some aspirin for your headache." He said before standing up from the bed.

 Chapter 114 - Spill it!

    Chloe''s eyes popped open at once the next morning and she sat up on the bed immediately. She looked at the window and saw it was already bright outside and the rain had stopped falling. She remembered she was in Jeremy''s house, sleeping inside his room and on his bed, wearing his clothes!

    Chloe bit her lower lip in embarrassment, remembering how she had confidently told Jeremy she wasn''t going to get much sleep since it wasn''t her bed but looking at the time now, it was almost 8 am. She had slept so well.

    She slowly stood up from the bed and went inside the bathroom to empty her bladder first.

    She looked at the mirror and wasn''t pleased with her reflection one bit. She quickly washed her face, finger combed her hair, used the mouth wash she found there before slowly leaving the room, not looking forward to seeing him but it was inevitable.

 Chapter 115 - Brace yourself.

    "You must be really happy coming out." Leo said as he looked down at Tara who was obediently following him even though there was a leash around her neck.

    The weather outside was cold so he had dressed Tara up for the cold and was also dressed for it. He would have preferred to sleep in or just sit and talk with Mia but he needed to give Tara a little attention so she wouldn''t fall sick anymore.

    He took out his phone from his pocket when it began to ring and saw it was a call from Richard.

    "What''s up?" Leo said into the phone.

    "Hey man? You are home right? I''m almost at your place." Richard said immediately.

    "What? How can you just head to my place without calling first?" Leo asked with a frown.

    "Which is why I am calling since I am almost there. You are home right? We need to talk about something."

    "Is it urgent?" Leo asked with a sigh.

    "I think it is."

 Chapter 116 - Do you think Leo likes me?

    "Dude! You are a terrible friend. I mean, you have Mia and Mira all to yourself? How come you never told me about Mia''s friend being so pretty?" Richard asked as he sat down and continued to shoot Leo an accusing look.

    "Look elsewhere man. Don''t even think about flirting with Mira." Leo said with a glare.

    "Stop being stingy. You already have Mia. Just give me the Mia with the ''R'' which is MiRa. You do not possibly want both women do you?" Richard asked as he narrowed his eyes to look at his friend suspiciously.

    "None of your business." Leo said with disinterest.

    Richard wasn''t ready to drop the topic just yet so he continued..

    "I saw the way Mia was looking at you earlier. Something been happening between you two right?"

    "What do you mean?" Leo asked raising a brow.

    "Come on, you are smarter than this Leo. You like her and you know she likes you too. It was so obvious. Why are you holding back? It''s so unlike you."

 Chapter 117 - A party?

    "Well, we are here." Jeremy announced when he got to the last bend before the King family''s house. He was to stop there while she drove the rest of the way home since her house was just around the corner.

    "Yup!" Chloe said nonchalantly as he pulled over.

    Jeremy turned to look at her for a few seconds and she looked back at him wondering why he was staring..

    "You look tensed." He said when she opened her mouth to talk.

    "I''m fine." Chloe said returning to her usual cold voice before she got down from the car.

    She was still a bit tensed from seeing Leo earlier. He was probably going to call her soon.

    "See you at work tonight then" Jeremy said before getting down also.

    It wasn''t like other jobs where they had to take a break at weekends. In fact, sales at the mall was higher during the weekends.

    "I wanted to ask earlier..." Chloe said when she stood in front of him.

 Chapter 118 - Do not overdo it.

    "You seem so excited about this. Are you sure you know what you are doing?" James asked Mira who was lying on his bed, wearing just his sweatshirt which covered her up to half of her thighs.

    Mira pretended to think before giggling. "I''m so happy about Mia finally having fun. I can''t wait for things to start working well for her."

    "What if Leo King doesn''t like her that way? You are just going to put ideas in her head and she''s going to feel sad about it if he eventually doesn''t feel the same way about her."

    "Leo definitely feels the same way." She said with a confident nod.

    "When I see a guy who likes a girl for real, I know."

    "And why are you still single?" James asked as he pushed his laptop away to look at her.

    "That''s the point, I know sincerity and insincerity from just a look and I can tell they do not love me but need something. But you need to see the way Leo looks at her." She shrieked excitedly. "I don''t know why he is holding back and making Mia so confused."

    "I think it''s you who''s going to make her confused. Just let her be and handle all of this on her own. Let things move smoothly so no one gets to blame you for anything later okay?"

    "But I already started." She said with a pout.

    "Just this party and I will leave them be. But I''m pretty sure things are going to change after this party." She said with a grin.

    "Well, I hope so. I desperately do."

    Mira was about to say something when her phone rang.

    "He called faster than I expected." She said with a smirk before taking the call.

    James looked at her as he wondered who she was talking to.

    "Hello. Who is this?" She said into the phone in a casual voice.

    "Hello pretty lady, it''s Richard." He said.

    "Richard... Richard... Richard.." She pretended to think before exclaiming. "Oh! You are Leo''s friend aren''t you?"

    Richard was slightly hurt that she had to take a couple of seconds to remember him when they just met a few hours ago and he had asked for her number just before she left.

    "Yes. Hope I didn''t disturb you?" Richard asked.

    "Well, I was busy studying my books but uhm... it''s fine. A girl needs a break sometimes." She said with an indifferent shrug and tried not to laugh when she saw the funny look James was giving her.

    "Really studious. I just wanted to let you know that this is my number and I am going to keep calling you." He said.

    "Okay." Mira giggled as she answered.

    "I have to go study now. Some other time then." She said.

    "Alright then."

    Immediately the call ended, she burst into laughter and hit James who began to laugh also.

    "You are such a playgirl." He said shaking his head.

    "Please remind me who I learned from again?" She asked c.o.c.king a brow at him.

    "Definitely not me."

    "Definitely you! Besides, this Richard guy looks like a player. And you know what I like?" She asked as she got on all fours on the bed and slowly crawled to where he was sitting to whisper in his ears.

    "Playing players." She said with a bright smile. "I am so having a lot of fun this holiday!"

    She suddenly remembered something and hurriedly fetched for her phone.

    "I can''t believe I haven''t even thought about inviting him yet."

    "Who?" James asked as she began to dial a number.

    "Jeremy. You remember that guy with Chloe yesterday?"

    "Leo''s sister?" He asked.

    "Yea, the guy with her, Mia''s classmate."

    "You could have just said the guy you are crushing on for this month and I''ll remember immediately." James said rolling his eyes.

    "You saw it clearly yesterday... He is obviously into Chloe. I give up." She said as she raised both hands up in surrender.

    "Typical of Mira. You do not bother to put up a fight." He said shaking his head.

    "That''s me baby." She said proudly before dialing his number again since the first one didn''t connect.

    "But what if Chloe follows him there? Wouldn''t it be awkward if her brother also showed up?" James asked thoughtfully.

    She shook her head. "Trust me, I don''t know her that much, but I can tell she is not a very social person. There''s no chance of her coming."

    She said and smiled when the call connected.

    ***********

    "Where are we going to?" Mia asked when Leo just kept driving nonstop. She could swear they had both travelled to another country already.

    "Don''t worry... you''ll see." Leo said with a small smile as he continued to drive quietly.

    He was becoming more and more quiet lately. She noted sadly.

    Was he by chance losing interest in her? But why would he take her out if he was losing interest? She asked herself.

    Finally, the journey came to an end and they both got down.

    "What are we doing here?" Mia asked looking at the front of the beauty store without going inside.

    "To get some beauty treatment." He said before giving her a small smile.

    "Why? I am okay like this." She said in embarrassment.

    "I know and I like it. But where we are going to, you need to look a bit more than... casual. So let''s just get you something nice and we talk later?" He asked before holding out his hand for her to take it.

    Mia looked at him in surprise before turning to look around.

    He wanted her to take her hand? Why!!!?

    "I... I''m not sure I can take your��"

    He quickly grabbed her hand before she could complete her sentence and began to stroll inside while she tried to pull her hand away.

    She hadn''t held a man''s hand while walking around before and it made her feel embarrassed especially with the way they were both dressed.

    "You are going to attract people''s stares if you keep squirming like that. Just be still." He said as he tried to hide his smile.

    Even after she stopped fighting it and tried to hide her face, she could still see the way people were staring at them.

    It was obvious they were all thinking the same thing... what would a guy like him be doing with a girl like her?

    "Do you want to learn a secret?" He turned to whisper to her ear as he continued to lead her inside.

    "What?" She asked in a shaky voice. She was still really nervous holding hands like this.

    "Louis and I own this place." He said and watched as her eyes widened in shock.

    "For real?" She gasped.

    "Hmm.." He nodded and smiled at her reaction.

    "We bought this place five years ago. But we rarely come here. We have people do the job for us and most times, Chloe comes over to help us supervise the place." He told her.

    Chloe also came here? Just how many things was Chloe doing at the same time? It was also a wonder how she still managed to make really good grades on top of it all. She was really a genius.

    "That''s.... wow! I really don''t know what to say." She said before turning her head around.

    This was the kind of place she wasn''t sure she would be able to ever come in her life except some kind of miracle happened and she was suddenly super rich.  Even right now, she didn''t fit in at all with the kind of clothes she was wearing and it was obvious with the disgusted sneers people gave her.

    As if sensing what she was thinking about, he whispered to her..

    "Do not let them get to you." He said before he stopped by a counter.

    "Leo King." He told the girl.

    She looked at him in surprise before quickly reaching for the telephone to make a call.

    Almost immediately, the door behind them opened and a woman who looked to be in her early forties came out. She was elegantly dressed and really suited the place.

    "Oh my world! Leo!" She exclaimed before pulling him into a hug. "I thought you were kidding when you called earlier but you are really here!" She said with a big smile as she pulled away from the hug.

    She turned to look at Mia and also hugged her which surprised Mia.

    "She is the girl?" She asked and when Leo nodded, she took Mia''s hand to spin her around slowly.

    "She''s a beauty already. I won''t have to kill myself making her look prettier."

    "Please do. I want to see how much prettier she can get." Leo said with a big smile.

    "Then every man is going to be wanting her.." She said with a wink.

    "Do not over-do it then." Leo quickly said and laughed when she laughed.

    Mia''s face was burning red from their teasing. She was so embarrassed she could not look at their faces.

    "I''ll do my magic. You go do your thing and I''ll work on your lady."

    She said with a wink before turning to Mia.

    "Shall we?"

    Mia looked at Leo and when he nodded, she followed the lady.

    But she turned around to wave at him when she remembered he always like to wave at her even when they were inside the house.

    He smiled brightly and waved back.

 Chapter 119 - What. The. Hell!

    "Ehm.. do I have to style my hair? I thought I was only going to change out of these clothes." Mia said when they were about to enter inside a room.

    "My dear, we have to. This is part of the services Mr King paid for."

    "He paid for it?" She asked in surprise.

    "Yea.. I guess he told you he owns this place with his brother right?"

    Mia nodded.

    "He still has to pay for the services." She said with a wink before pushing the door open.

    "I''m sorry dear, but you have to get your hair and make up done first before we go pick out some clothes for you. The stylist has somewhere he has to be so he has to leave really early." She said before giving Mia and apologetic smile.

    "Darling, this is Mike." The lady said to Mia when they entered inside the room which looked like an executive salon.

    "He is the best stylish here. He is going to make you look pretty while I go handle some things in the office."

 Chapter 120 - A complete gigolo

    Leo stole a quick glance at Mia as he drove.

    Mia had been counting. It was the 34th time he was looking at her since he started driving. She could no longer hold back and spoke..

    "You must be really surprised seeing me look this way."

    "Well, I am." Leo said with his gaze on the road.

    "You look like a really rich and sophisticated lady who had never taken up a single part time job in her entire life." He said with a small smile making her laugh.

    "Well, I guess that''s good."

    "Yea, it is." He agreed immediately.

    "This suits you. You should look like this once in a while." He said before glancing at her briefly.

    "Yea, I think that''s a good idea. The next time I''m going to one of my part time jobs, I''ll just look like this." She said sarcastically making him chuckle.

    "I heard a lady tried to bully you. Quin." He said softly after a small pause.

    "Was she your girlfriend?" Mia asked.

    "No."

    "A fling?"

    "..."

    "I knew it." She said before turning to face the window without saying anything else.

    "But I''m glad you were able to stand up against her." Leo said.

    "...."

    Her head was still placed on the window as she looked ahead without bothering to answer him.

    "You didn''t have to buy me those clothes. It''s not like I''m going to wear them anyway." She said with a frown. The clothes had been imposed on her and no matter how much she tried to refuse, they all ignored her.

    "Why won''t you wear them?" He asked with a confused frown.

    "Seriously?" She turned to ask him.

    "I only ever go to school, dance rehearsals and part time jobs. Where am I supposed to wear them to? I''m an indoor person."

    "You are going to leave school one day. For now, you could go out with me.... I mean.. we could hang out once in a while if you have no where to wear them to. It''s a gift."

    "I don''t like gifts." Mia said with a frown before looking at the window. He was promising to hang out with her when he was going to be travelling soon.

    Leo could tell something was wrong with her but he didn''t know what was. She was suddenly so grumpy and he couldn''t understand her.

    "Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

    "Yes." She answered honestly making him turn to look at her in surprise.

    "What did I do?" He asked curiously.

    She sighed before sitting up and turned to look at him as he kept driving.

    "I feel like I am just going to keep being attacked by those girlfriends of yours. First, it was that Cherry lady who took my shopping bags from the house and now this one. I wonder how many more I am going to bump into in the future." She hissed before turning to look out the window again with her hands folded in front of her chest.

    Leo pulled up in front of a shopping centre and when he turned the car''s engine off, he looked at her.

    "Seriously, I really do not know what to say about that but I truly apologize. I sincerely apologize." He said and tried to take her hand but she quickly withdrew her hand making him smile.

    "You know you are acting like a jealous girlfriend right now?" He asked with a teasing smile.

    "Ha.... ha... ha! Very funny." Mia laughed awkwardly.

    "Who is acting jealous?" She asked with a frown before turning to look at where they just stopped.

    "A shopping centre? Are you buying something?" She asked curiously and hoped he wasn''t planning to get her somehing else. The booth was already filled up.

    "Uhmmm... yea." He answered before coming down from the car. She was about to open the door but he quickly stopped her.

    "Do not. Since you look like a princess right now, I am going to be treating you like one." He said as he hurried to open the door for her.

    A smile creeped up her face but she quickly maintained a straight face and tucked her lips in.

    "My lady?" He said as he offered his hand for her to take it.

    She considered taking his hand but was interrupted when they heard two men who just came out of the shopping center discussing as they walked towards their car.

    "I wonder what she is doing with a guy like that. I can bet he is only a pretty face trying to rip her off of her money. Poor girl." One of the men said as the looked at Leo and Mia.

    "He looks like a complete gigolo. Tsk" The second man said as he looked at Leo and then at Mia with twinkling eyes as if accessing her.

    Mia and Leo watched as the walked past them towards a car and got in while still obviously talking about the both of them.

    "They were... talking about us right now?" Mia turned to ask Leo who was looking at the men with a disbelieving frown.

    A laugh tried to escape from her mouth but she quickly tucked in her lips. Leo looked at her when he heard some suppressed laughter sounds coming from her. Seeing Leo''s face, she let loose with a loud guffaw and laughed heartily.

    "They just... they just said you were after my money." She said between her fits of laughter and continued to laugh with her back now arched and her hands on her knees as she tried to maintain her balance.

    Leo looked at her when she raised her head and noticed tears already coming out of her eyes from too much laughter.

    "You must be having so much fun." He said shaking his head before handing her his handkerchief.

    "Thank you." She said with a laugh before dabbing the tears from the corners of her eyes.

    Leo couldn''t believe it. He looked like a gigolo?

 Chapter 121 - Is that Mia?

    Leo shook his head at Mia who was still laughing before walking inside the store with Mia following him.

    "You want to buy a phone?" She asked curiously when she saw him stop at a store where phones were sold.

    "Yea." He answered with a shrug.

    "Why? Is yours bad?" She asked curiously. She had seen him use his phone just a few minutes ago and it didn''t look bad.

    "Hmm... something like that." He answered as he picked up a phone. It was black, sleek and the latest model of that particular product. He checked the specs and nodded in satisfaction.

    "This would do just fine." He said to the salesman before making payments, then he turned to look at Mia.

    "I really want to buy this phone. But what''s going to happen to my other phone?" He asked her.

    "Are you asking me that right now?" Mia asked looking at him in confusion.

    "Yes." He answered with a nod as he continued to wait for her to say something.

    "You seriously aren''t expecting me to say something right?" She asked again.

    "I think I should keep using my phone for the meantime."

    "Then what are you going to do with this?" She asked with a frown. Did he just derive joy in spending recklessly?

    "Maybe you should just have it. That way, I can still see the phone around." He said as he handed it over to her.

    "You... are kidding me right?" She asked looking down at it and shaking her head.

    "Yea. I already paid for it."

    "We could just ask for a refund then!" She said and tried to move past him to the salesman but he blocked her path.

    "They do not refund after payment. We are going to mess with the records and end up putting him in trouble."

    "I don''t think so." Mia said shaking her head again as she tried to walk past him but he pulled her by her arm.

    "You must be hungry. Let''s go have lunch. ." He said as he began to lead her out.

    "But..."

    "Let''s just go."

    "The pho..."

    "We have to eat" He interrupted as he opened the car''s door for her to get in.

    She sighed in frustration before entering inside while he placed the nylon which had the phone on her laps.

    He was definitely doing all of this on purpose. Since he was being too stubborn and wanted her to keep playing dumb like she didn''t know what he was doing, she was just going to play dumb then. It was his money, wasn''t it?

    Finally, he pulled up in the parking lot of a really tall and magnificent building.

    "Why are we here?" She asked nervously seeing it was an Hotel..

    "What do you think?" He asked with a grin.

    "Why... are we here!?" She asked in a really nervous voice that made him chuckle.

    "You''ll see. But do not be tensed. I didn''t plan any naughty thing." He said with a cheeky wink before leading her inside.

    Seeing the place, she understood why he had made her change into these clothes. She really would have stood out had she looked that way. People looked at her now as she walked in beside Leo but seeing the looks on their faces as they looked at her, she was confident it wasn''t for a bad reason. She did fit in.

    He led her to the hotel''s restaurant and a smartly dressed waiter led them to their table.

    "Mr King" A man called as he approached their table.

    "Mr Charles."

    They both shook hands before Mr Charles turned to look at Mia.

    "Hello." He said to Mia politely.

    Mia also greeted him before they all took their seats.

    She gave Leo a questioning look as she wondered who the Mr Charles was. Mr Charles was a fine man who looked to be in his late thirties. He wore a really nice suit and he looked kind of strict.

    "Mr Charles is my family''s lawyer. One of the most reputable lawyers in this country, he is going to be helping us with your family''s case with Mr Timothy. So feel free to tell him all he needs to know about the case."

    He said to Mia making her look at him in surprise.

    *************

    Two hours later, they returned to the car and sat quietly. It was already past 6 in the evening. Mia was quiet and looked downtrodden after recounting her family''s tales to them.

    Leo tried to cheer her up so he poked her arm to get her attention.

    When she looked at him, her eyes closed immediately when a light flashed.

    "Stop taking pictures." She said in embarrassment before covering her face with her hands.

    "Come on, let''s just take one and send to Mira. I''m sure her reaction to your looks is going to cheer you up."

    Mia shook her head stubbornly. "I don''t want to."

    "Come on, don''t be stubborn. If you refuse, I am going to send her this picture." He showed her the one he just took of her and she shook her head in horror. It was ugly and not very clear.

    "Just one?" She asked.

    "Just one." He assured her.

    Mia sighed before moving her hands away. He turned it into a selfie and stretched out his hand so he could snap the both of them.

    "Now smile.. 1...2...3... *click*"

    He looked at the picture of the both of them with a smile before opening his WhatsApp to send the picture to Mira. He thought he should surprise Richard and also marked his number and sent it with the caption "Guess who?"

    Once he sent it, he dropped back his phone and smiled in satisfaction as he began to drive.

    He hadn''t driven far when his phone rang with a call from Louis.

    "What''s up man?" He asked after connecting the call to his earphone.

    "Is that Mia?" Louis asked in surprise.

    "What are you talking about?" Leo asked in confusion as he slowed down.

    "Didn''t you just send a picture of yourself and Mia into the family group chat? Why did you do that? Are you dating her now?"

    "What!?" Leo braked the car immediately.

    "Family group chat!!!!!!!?" He asked in shock.

 Chapter 122 - A castle kind of cake.

    "Oh my god! Oh. My. God!" Mira exclaimed with bulging eyes as she checked her message.

    "What is it?" James asked as he stopped playing his video game to look at her.

    Mira was still in his house again, wearing his shirt. Since her parents were more or less workaholics, she liked to spend her time with friends.

    Mia wasn''t the party type and she liked to study. But James always gave her attention and when they weren''t partying, they were both talking and laughing and when they weren''t doing that, they were playing video games.

    "Come see. Come see now!" Mira said in a hurry but was too impatient she had to jump on him causing him to fall back on his bed with her on top of him.

    "Look!" She turned her phone''s screen to show him the picture Leo had sent her.

    "Why is the housemate there?" James asked when his eyes saw Leo who was smiling at the camera.

    "He sent it to me. Keep looking." She urged him and almost fell off his body but he placed his hands on her waist to keep her on top of him.

    "He sent it to you? You have his number?" He asked raising a brow at her.

    "That''s not what''s important right now! Look at the girl beside him!" Mira called his attention to it in frustration. He always saw what he wasn''t supposed to see and ignored what he was supposed to see.

    "Who is that...." James words stopped and his eyes widened.

    "That''s Mia?" He asked in surprise as he tried to sit up.

    Mira nodded excitedly before moving away from his body to let him sit up.

    "It''s Mia! It''s f.u.c.k.i.n.g Mia!" She exclaimed in excitement and began to quickly dial Mia''s number.

    "She looks like a goddess! Oh my God! I can''t believe she went out with Leo looking like this and didn''t send me a picture earlier!"

    Mira stood up and began to pace around as she waited for the call to connect. The excitement was just too much for her she couldn''t control it.

    "Wow!" James exclaimed again as he watched Mira who was pacing around.

    "She looks really gorgeous. I am so lucky she doesn''t always look like that. She would have completely outshone me! I feel so ugly right now."

    James chuckled and shook his head at her. Typical of women. He thought.

    **********

    "Is that Mia?" Louis asked in surprise.

    "What are you talking about?" Leo asked in confusion as he slowed down.

    "Didn''t you just send a picture of yourself and Mia into the family group chat? Why did you do that? Are you dating her now?"

    "What!?" Leo braked the car immediately.

    "Family group chat!!!!!!!?" He asked in shock.

    "Of course, I just took a break from work and saw your message pop in. Wait! It was a mistake?" Louis asked with a chuckle.

    Leo disconnected the call immediately. He didn''t see the confused look on Mia''s face as she wondered what was up with him.

    "Are you okay?" She asked seeing how shocked he looked..

    "I... am not sure." He said shaking his head as he checked his phone.

    He had sent the picture to Richard, Mira and his family''s group chat! What the hell!

    "Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!!!!!"

    How had he accidentally tapped that?

    He had never sent nor replied to any message on that group chat and the first time he managed to send a message, it was this?

    The caption was probably going to contribute in sending the wrong message to them.

    He didn''t want to check who had seen the message because there was no time. He quickly tried to delete the message but when he tried to tap on ''delete for everyone'', because he was impatient with it, his hand tapped on ''delete for myself''. Which means, everyone else was going to see the picture except for him.

    "Noooooooooo!" He screamed in frustration as he tried not to cry.

    Mia was startled and looked at him in surprise and confusion as he kept shaking his phone as if trying to undo the mistake.

    Now, there was nothing he could do about it.

    He turned to look at Mia with a sad pout.

    "Are you... okay?" She asked. He looked like he just lost a close relative.

    "I... I... I sent our picture to my family''s group chat by mistake."

    "What!?" Her eyes widened in shock.

    "H.. how.. can''t you delete it?" She asked as she looked even more nervous than he looked.

    "I can''t... at all.." He said shaking his head in frustration.

    "What are you going to do? Is that going to cause a problem?" She asked in worry.

    *ring ring*

    Mia''s phone began to ring. She saw it was a call from Mira and cut the call before sending a quick text that she would call her later.

    "Mia Lucas... I''m doomed." He said in frustration and just then, many messages began to pop on the group chat.

    He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

    He didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry. Seeing Mia looking uncomfortable already, he didn''t know whether to tell her the kind of ''family group chat was actually talking about.

    It wasn''t just with his family, but his aunts, uncles, cousins and even grandparents! They were about 40 people on the group chat. The King''s family was large and they always liked to keep in touch with everyone both in the country and outside the country.

    "Everything is going to be fine right?" Mia asked but was interrupted when his phone began to ring.

    "Cool! My grandmother." He said as he considered taking the call or not but he decided to just take it else she was going to keep bugging him. At least he could just explain things to her and he hoped she would get it.

    "Hello mama!" He greeted with false excitement.

    "Oh my boy!" His grandmother cried... literally.

    "I am so happy you''ve finally moved on after what that girl did to you." He heard sounds like his grandmother was blowing her nose into a tissue and sighed.

    This was going to be more difficult than he had thought.

    "No.. grandmother..  the thing is.."

    "I have been waiting for the day you would finally move on and start living like a human. I am so happy for you...."

    ''What? ''Living like a human''? Have I been living like an animal?'' He asked himself with a frown.

    "She is such a pretty girl and I am happy she agreed to date a man like you...."

    ''Now, what the hell!?'' He thought with an even deeper frown.

    "The thing is grandmother... it was a mist�C"

    "Your grandfather wants to speak with you." She said before bursting into tears and he could hear her blowing her nose.

    He turned to look at Mia and noticed the curious look she was giving him.

    "My boy. I am so proud of you." His grandfather said in a calm voice.

    "Grandfather, it was a mistake. The picture wasn''t meant for this group chat!" Leo hurried to say since men were easier to talk to than women when they were emotional.

    "Yes and I am glad you made the mistake. You were hiding your girlfriend from us all this while making us think you were done with women after what that bad girl did to you..."

    "No.. I mean.. she is not my girl��"

    "Your grandmother is already making plans to throw a party for you." His grandfather cut in. "We are all so excited!"

    "What? Party? When did she make those plans?" Leo asked in shock.

    His grandfather moved the phone towards his grandmother and he could hear her giving out instructions.

    "No..no I want the biggest cake in the universe. The kind of cake that can fit in Leo and his lady; A castle kind of cake, and decorate it with the words... ''Welcome back to love Leo King''."

    "Oh God!" Leo gasped as he used a hand to massage his temple.

    "And I do not want many people at the party... just a family thing and maybe some friends. Two hundred guest would be fair."

    He heard his grandmother continue to give out instructions and almost passed out.

    "My boy, I am proud of you. Bring your lady home soon."

    While his grandfather was talking, he noticed an incoming call was coming from Richard.

    If he wasn''t so strong, he probably would have burst into tears.

    His grandfather hung up before he could clarify things and just then, a call came in fron his mother.

    "Things aren''t going well, are they?" Mia asked biting her lips.

    "Not at all, Mia Licas." He managed to tell her.

    His whole family had known about Cherry and what she had done to him. Ever since then, they had been trying to show their support and convince him to forget about her since they believed he had refused to have a girlfriend because of what she did to him. He had wondered several times why they weren''t bothering Louis about it since Louis was older than him and had refused to have a girlfriend.

    Seeing now that he had a ''girlfriend'' he knew his family was never going to let him be.

 Chapter 123 - Such guts!

    The only gifts Mia ever received in her life from people who weren''t her family were from Mira and James during her birthdays.

    It was her first time receiving so many gifts at the same time, and from one person. She didn''t know how to feel about it.

    A part of her scolded her for accepting it while the other part told her she hadn''t begged him for them. He had done it by himself and imposed it on her so why was she killing herself over it?

    She looked from the gowns, to big tee shirts to girly shirts to trousers to cosmetics to footwears and then to her phone.

    "I feel weird." She said shaking her head. What was she supposed to do with all of this?

    Why was he doing all this? Did he really like her that way and was trying to impress her with his money?

    ''But why would he want to impress a girl like me?'' A voice asked in her head.

 Chapter 124 - Four?

    "Just look at her, do you recognize this princess?" Mira asked James with a grin immediately Mia walked into the caf�� they had planned to meet.

    "Stop it!" Mia said with an embarrassed smile and moved to sit down but Mira stood up to hug her passionately until the people inside the caf�� began to look at them weirdly.

    "You look so pretty. I still can''t believe this is you!" Mira said showing her the picture with herself and Leo before looking at her from up head to toe. Mia was glowing!

    Mia looked at thr picture.

    They were both smiling at the camera and the caption under the picture read.. ''Guess who?''

    "Are you dating him now?"  James asked going straight to the point.

    Although he was also really surprised and happy to see Mia''s new look, guys didn''t always show much emotion the way girls did.

 Chapter 125 - Queen of Dance

    Seeing the rain slowly begin to shower, different people had different reactions to it.

    Mira and James relaxed on his bed as they both saw a movie together inside his room with the lights off and a big bowl of popcorn and coca cola in between them.

    Jeremy on the otherhand looked at the window with a big smile on his face. He had prayed for it to rain so Chloe would sleepover at his house again. Was God answering his prayers?

    He was startled when one of the workers suddenly appeared behind him.

    "What are you thinking about instead of arranging items at the counter?" The young man asked looking at him suspiciously as Jeremy stepped away from the window.

    "Just something." He answered with a shrug.

 Chapter 126 - Before the others arrived.

    Richard returned to his house when he saw the rain was becoming heavier so it was just Leo inside the house with Tara, biting his fingers as he waited for Mia to return.

    He regretted letting her leave the house. He considered going to her studio but wouldn''t that be too much? He didn''t even know where her studio was. But Mira probably should.

    Maybe he should just call Mia? He picked up his phone and was about to dial her number when a call came in from his mother.

    He had been ignoring his mother''s call the whole evening and knew he could no longer do that.

    "Mum?" He said into the phone immediately he answered it.

    "Why haven''t you been taking your calls?" She asked.

    He could tell she was definitely displeased by the say she was sounding.

    "Sorry" Was all he could say.

    "How come we didn''t know you were dating someone?" Mrs King asked Leo.

    She had been inside the theater and the moment she came out and took her phone, she saw several missed calls and messages from her husband''s relatives asking about Leo''s girlfriend.

    She had been totally lost but later found out about his post on WhatsApp. She checked it and looked at it in surprise.

    It was a big surprise seeing her son had moved on and it delighted her. But ignoring her calls made her angry.

    She thought she had least had the right to know needed to know about it before he told the other family members.

    "Look mum, that was a mistake." Leo said as he hoped his mother would listen to him at least.

    "What was a mistake? Not telling me?"

    "The post! It wasn''t meant for the group chat. It was for someone else."

    "But the lady is your girlfriend, isn''t she?" She asked quietly.

    "She isn''t."

    "Then who is she to you? Why was she inside your car? Why did you both take that photo together and what was the person you planned to send it to is supposed to guess?" She asked throwing questions at him which showed she didn''t believe him.

    "She is�� she is uhm��"

    Leo couldn''t say she was his housemate else Chloe was going to be in trouble. Now the problem was, he didn''t know how to introduce her. What was he supposed to say?

    "She is a friend. My friend" He said.

    "Too much hesitation. You are definitely hiding something." Mrs King said sounding suspicious.

    "She really isn''t! I tried to tell grandma but she was already halfway planning a party and kept talking about a cake as big as the heavens or something..  You really have to help me talk to them." Leo said in a pleading voice.

    His mother was quiet for a while before she sighed.

    "Let''s talk at home tomorrow."

    "Alright. Thank you." He said sounding relieved someone was finally listening to him.

    Once they disconnected the call, Mrs King continued to think about it. She could tell something was up with her son and the lady and she was glad to see he was finally moving on. She opened the picture, looking intently at it and wondered why the girl looked slightly familiar.

    ************

    "Perfect!" Benjamin said with a grin immediately the music stopped.

    Mia sighed deeply in relief and couldn''t help smiling. This time, she had done it with much confidence and was able to dance with him feeling less awkward than before.

    They both heard a clap down at the stage and was startled to see Mr. B standing there, slightly wet from the rain outside. They hadn''t known when he got there but it seemed like he had been watching them dance for a while.

    "That was good! It was simply amazing. Mia..." He met her halfway as she was about getting down from the stage and cupped her cheeks.

    "You did excellently well. I guess this hanging out of a thing did work out." He said with a pleasant smile making Mia''s eyes dart sideways.

    She looked at Benjamin waiting for him to tell Mr. B she hadn''t showed up at all neither had she taken his calls but he said nothing and just nodded at her briefly.

    "It''s 20 minutes to practice time. The others are going to be here soon. I really hope they do not think about coming late and blame it on the rain." He said before turning to look at Benjamin.

    "Can I see you inside my office Ben?" Mr B asked him.

    "Sure." Benjamin quickly followed Mr B to his office while Mia watched them curiously.

    She wondered when they became close to the point where Mr B called him ''Ben''.

    She thought about what Mira said about inviting Benjamin to the party. Was that really a good idea? She asked herself. She didn''t know why she wasn''t comfortable around the Benjamin guy. It was surprising how she had been having a crush on him the entire time and now he was here, she just wanted to get away as soon as possible.

    She went over to the window as she watched it rain.

    She wondered how he was doing, what he was doing and where he was.

    Was he still at home or was out?

    Was he working or sleeping?

    She would never know unless she called so she went to fetch her old phone inside her backpack but remembered everything had been transferred into her new phone. She fetched for it and looked at it in surprise when she saw 5 missed calls from Leo.

    The loud music inside the studio had probably drowned the ringtone. She guessed as she called him back.

    His last call was 6 minutes ago so there was a possibility he wasn''t sleeping yet.

    "Hello?" He answered and asked immediately she called.

    "Hi!" She replied sounding nervous.

    ''What am I supposed to say or ask?'' She asked herself as her eyes darted around. Oh! She remembered he had called her first.

    "Uhm... I saw your calls just now. Was busy earlier" She said.

    "Yea, I wanted to know... uhm..."

    Leo scratched his head as he thought of what to say. What did he want to know about?

    "Yea, I wanted to know if you got to the studio safely or you were stuck somewhere because of the rain." He quickly said.

    "I got to the studio before it started raining heavily. What about you?"

    "What about me?" He asked in confusion.

    "How are you?"

    A small smile appeared on his face. "I am fine. Are you done with rehearsals? Do you want me to come pick you up just in case it would be difficult to find a taxi?"

    "No!" She said immediately.

    "I.. can... we are just about to start the main rehearsals. So I''m still here for the next four hours."

    "Oh.." He sighed in disappointment.

    "Main rehearsals? So what have you been doing since you left the house?" He asked with a slight frown on his face.

    "I went to see Mira first, then came over to the studio. I had to rehearse separately with the male lead...."

    Leo''s frown got even deeper as he heard this. She had gone there because she wanted to rehearse separately with a guy?

    Well, it wasn''t that much of a big deal since the others were there right? But his hope was dashed when she added...

    "Before the others arrived."

    "You... you''ve been in there the entire time alone with a guy?" He asked as his eyes slowly widened.

    "Yes." She answered with a nod.

    "Really?" He asked again.

    "Yes." She nodded again wondering why he kept asking her the same question.

    "Was it... that kind of dance?" He asked as he swallowed hard.

    "You mean the type I danced with you?" She asked.

    "Yes. That type"

    "Yea.. it was. Just a little  different since the main lead was also dancing. The music was also different."

    "Mia? Can you come in here for a minute?" Mr B called from behind making her turn around quickly.

    "I have to leave now. Bye!" She said and quickly disconnected the call while he continued to look at his phone in disbelief.

    ************

    "I won''t do it! If you want to ask her out then ask her out. But don''t use me." Ellie said to Jeremy over the phone making him frown.

    "Come on, you promised you were going to help me with this." He said in a whisper as he hid inside one of the rooms where some sanitary items were kept.

    "Just tell her you want her to come home with you. I don''t think she''s going to be impressed if you keep using me." Ellie said.

    "She doesn''t like me. But she likes kids! She likes you."

    "Then just make her like you!" Ellie replied sounding frustrated.

    "Please Ellie, I would''nt be asking you if I knew what to do." Jeremy said in a pleading voice making her sigh.

    "Just help me this one okay? Please?"

    "Fine!" She said begrudgingly.

    "I''m only doing this for you. I know she is nice to me and pretty but I didn''t like the way she ignored you." Ellie said with a sigh.

    "Do not worry about it. She treats every a.d.u.l.t like that. Just do this for me. Okay?"

    "Whatever." Ellie said before hanging up.

    Jeremy came out of where he was hiding and jumped in shock when he saw Chloe standing right there, looking at him with her head c.o.c.ked to the side and hands folded across her chest.

    Just then, Chloe''s phone began to ring inside her trouser''s pocket.

 Chapter 127 - Mad with rage!!!

    "Well well.. if it isn''t you." Chloe said looking at Jeremy while her phone kept vibrating.

    "Wh... what are you doing here?" He asked looking all fl.u.s.tered having been caught red handed.

    "What am I doing here?" She asked raising a brow. "I own this place. I can be anywhere I want to be."

    Jeremy could only pray and hope she hadn''t heard his conversation with his sister. That was his only prayer as he kept looking at her like a thief who had just been caught.

    With her gaze still fixed on him, she answered the call.

    "This is Chloe King. Who is on the line?" She asked watching Jeremy''s face as his lips formed a thin line.

    Chloe heard a little girl crying on the phone as she spoke.

    "This is Ellie. Jeremy''s sister, Ellie Williams."

    "Oh.... Ellie." Chloe said forcing a smile at Jeremy who was cursing his luck.

    "I am scared. I am all alone here... it''s raining and he still isn''t back yet. Please can you come home with him?" Ellie pleaded.

    "You are scared and all alone and it''s raining and your brother isn''t back and you want me to come to your house with him?" Chloe repeated so Jeremy would know what they were talking about.

    "Yes." Ellie said before bursting into tears.

    "You don''t have to waste so much tears acting. You should save it for when I kill your brother." Chloe said as she blocked the door when she noticed Jeremy was about to escape.

    "Wh...at are you talking about?" Ellie asked in a quiet voice.

    "Your brother is here, want to say hello to him?" Chloe asked.

    Ellie could guess they had been caught and quickly disconnected the call leaving Jeremy to his fate.

    "Hi boss!" Jeremy said forcing a smile at Chloe.

    "You know you''ve got some nerves... making your little sister lie for you." She said narrowing her eyes to look at him.

    "She... wasn''t lying."

    "You are such a terrible liar." She said glaring at him. "I heard children''s voices at the background."

    "That''s the TV." He said smoothly.

    "I am so dumb I no longer know how the TV sounds." Chloe said forcing out an insincere smile that told him he was done for.

    There was no way he could escape since she was blocking the only door.

    "What tricks are you planning to play? Don''t you understand that you are not my type?"

    "David didn''t seem like your type either." He said referring to her ex boyfriend.

    Chloe frowned when she heard him. "Well, I made a mistake dating someone who isn''t my type and I do not intend to repeat the same mistake." She shot back.

    "And I am glad to hear that." He said with a smile as he regained his confidence again.

    "Glad? Why?" She asked in confusion looking at the smile on his face.

    What was wrong with him? Why did he always make her angry?

    "If you can date someone who isn''t your type, I think you can also do that again. Besides, I think I am your type." He said flashing her a smile.

    "Are you trying to piss me off?" She asked through gritted teeth.

    How did she get tangled up with a delusional psycho like him?

    "Look, there are a lot of girls always around you here and in school... find your type amongst them and stop trying to piss me off." She warned and was about to leave the room. But he quickly hurried to blocked the door with his body and smiled broadly at her.

    "Aha! I see what your worry is." He said with twinkling eyes.

    "What are you talking about?" She asked with a deep frown seeing how he was not letting her pass.

    "How did you know about girls always around me? By chance... you watch me, don''t you?" He asked with a teasing smile.

    Chloe scoffed in disbelief.  "Stop kidding yourself. It''s not hard to see it when you make it so obvious you are enjoying the attention, now get out of my way!"

    "Is that why you''ve refused to date me? Because of those girls? You are so cute when you''re being possessive"

    He said with a small laugh before touching the tip of her nose making her jump in shock as her mouth fell wide opened.

    This was the first guy she had met who was behaving this way to her. Wasn''t he scared she may fire him or throw him out or lock him up in jail?

    "Are you crazy!?" She blew up at him angrily.

    "I''m sorry I made you jealous. But trust me, I don''t like any of those girls."

    He said seriously making her sigh in frustration.

    She would have pulled her hair if she wasn''t so concerned about the way she looked at work.

    "Look Jeremy..." She paused when she didn''t know what else to say.

    "I''m sorry I tried to use Ellie. I just liked the fact you slept in my room last night." He said when he noticed she was tongue tied.

    "Oh..! And I already used your schedule to prepare our reading timetable. I''ll give you a copy on our way home."

    "Can. You. Stop. Talking. For. A. Minute?" Chloe asked trying to control her temper.

    He scratched his ear and shook his head.. "I don''t think I can. I just want to say all of it so you can blow up at me once." He said and didn''t wait for her to talk before he said..

    "I was invited for a party tomorrow night. Party time starts by 9pm so I was wondering if I could leave work early?"

    "Then.. how do I go home?" She asked frowning at him.

    "I was wondering if you would love to go to the party with me." He said and held his breath.

    "You.. want me.. to go to a party with... you?" She asked looking at him as if he was crazy.

    "Yes.. it''s a welcome party for Mia''s friend. You remember that guy we saw with them.. James. Yea.. the guy you spoke to. It''s his welcome party. So I was wondering...."

    "Are you mad!? Do I look like I have the luxury of time to attend parties with you?"

    Chloe almost burst into tears from the frustration. He had so much guts. She would give him that.

    "Your brother... your bother may be there also. What if he recognizes me and really wants to know our relationship?"

    "And you think he has the luxury of time to attend such parties? Just... just get out of my way and get back to work." She said massaging her temples.

    "She''s scary." Jeremy said under his breath.

    "I can hear you." Chloe said as her face turned red from anger.

    He quickly opened the door to get away but turned back to say something causing him to bump into Chloe who was about leaving also.

    She sighed deeply and bit down her lower lip as she tried to contain her temper.

    "I just wanted to tell you that..." He looked deeply into her eyes and took a step closer to her making her move back and look at him with a confused frown.

    "I am never going to wash that bedsheet you slept on" He said with a cheeky grin and ran away when he saw her open her mouth.

    He could hear her screaming angrily inside the room and burst into laughter.

    "Come back here! I am going to kill you and kill myself!!!" Chloe yelled as she flung the door open.

    When she came out looking mad with rage, she noticed some workers looking at her and also at Jeremy''s back.

    They couldn''t help but wonder what the boss was doing inside that room with Jeremy.

    She marched into her office angrily and for the first time in a long while, she took out a can of beer to gulp down.

    *************

    "You should have told me to come pick you up." Leo said to Mia immediately she entered inside the house.

    He took the umbrella from her and helped her carry her backpack which surprised her but she tried not to let it show.

    "Why are you still awake? It''s 2am." She said looking at the wall clock.

    "I was waiting for you. I thought you were going to ask me to come pick you up."

    He looked her up and down, her clothes were slightly wet from the rain and she looked cold.

    Immediately after her rehearsals, she had left the studio without looking back. Thankfully, Mr B had given her an umbrella when she refused to spend the night at the studio with the rest of them.

    "Go freshen up. I''ll make you tea." He said before heading towards the kitchen.

    Mia looked at his retreating figure. ''This is weird''. She thought to herself as she called him quietly.

    ''What is it?" He asked turning around to look at her.

    "My bag." She reminded him.

    "Oh! Here." He returned to where she was standing and gave it back to her while smiling awkwardly.

    "Thank you." She said with a smile.

    She didn''t know how else to thank him for everything. He had done more than enough and she was feeling really indebted.

    "I''m sorry." She said looking down.

    "For what?" He asked looking at her in confusion.

    "For wetting you."

    He looked down at his clothes. He was completely dry. He was about to ask what she was talking about when she suddenly hugged him.

    Leo''s eyes slowly widened in surprise as he stood there stiffly.

    He was finally wet!

 Chapter 128 - Zombie

    *Knock knock*

    James rolled on his bed and his eyes slowly fluttered open when the knock came on his room''s door.

    "Yea?" He asked groggily still lying on his bed.

    "Breakfast is served. Mum wants you down." His younger sister, Rachel said from outside the door.

    He groaned before sitting up. "Okay. Be down soon." He said to her and heard her walk away.

    He looked beside him on his large bed and there was Mira, snoring lightly with her mouth slightly open and her hair messy.

    He chuckled and shook her shoulder so she would wake up but she only groaned and turned over to the other side.

    "Mira? Wake up sleepy head." He said and continued to shake her.

    They had both stayed awake for most of the night seeing different movies and playing video games. He was also feeling really sleepy but he knew he it was compulsory to join the family for breakfast so he stood up and kept shaking her shoulder until she woke up.

 Chapter 129 - A friends friend.

    "We are getting a divorce." Mira''s mother, Mrs Bill spoke first when she noticed her husband wasn''t going to speak first.

    Color drained from Mira''s face and it slowly wrinkled to form a from as she looked between her parents who were sitting opposite each other in the sitting room.

    "You are joking, aren''t you?" Mira asked trying her best to believe they were both only messing with her.

    "Sweetheart, we wanted to let you know before we complete the paper work." Mr Bill said.

    Mira had gotten her looks from her father. Mr Bill was the type of man who cared more about his  health than he cared about his family and had refused to see himself as old even though he was already approaching 50.

    Just like Mira, he wasn''t very tall. His wife, Susan was taller than the both of them. But unlike his father, Susan was pretty much average looking and a complete workaholic who didn''t seem to care about her looks at all.

    Her father ran a big time publishing firm while her mother was the Vice Chancellor of Winster University�C one of the biggest federal universities owned by the government of the state.

    Her mother had spent many years of her life trying to get to that height and now that she was there at 43, she was dedicating the rest of her years to doing well while neglecting her home just like her husband was doing.

    Mira stood up without sparing them another glance and began to head towards her room.

    "Darling��" Her mother called after her as she followed and tried to stop her before she could enter inside her room.

    "I''m sorry." Susan said looking sad.

    Mira turned to look at her with her misty eyes and tried to contain her temper.

    "So it finally came to this huh?" She asked rhetorically before laughing humourlessly.

    "Look dear, we''ve been trying to make thing work believe me. But it''s not just working"

    "Because you both are terrible!" Mira blew up at her and saw her father standing far behind her mother.

    "You are both selfish people who think of nothing else but yourselves."

    "Do you both ever consider how I feel? All you do is work and work. You even sent me to school in a different city and never came to visit me once!" She said as tears began to fall from her eyes.

    "I am your daughter! Your only child. At least you both should show a bit of care to me. Don''t you ever feel bad that I prefer staying over at James'' place than in my own house? This house!?"

    "Do you know how much I envy James for having such nice family and parents?" Mira paused to catch her breath and began to cry.

    "Darling�� its�\---"

    "I''m not done talking." Mira interrupted her father who was about to talk in a choked voice.

    "I. Am. Not. Done. Talking." She repeated sternly when her mother tried to talk.

    "I am tired of the both of you treating me like this. I am tired of being neglected. It''s not just all about the money you send to me. I''ve been praying everyday for the day this stupid ambition of yours would die but now it''s this��.? Breaking up without even thinking about me?"

    "You both go ahead and do what you like. But I am going to be divorcing you both also! I will never see you two again!" She said before entering inside her room and slamming the door making her mother to jerk in shock. One of Susan''s hand was covering her mouth as she blinked back tears.

    "She''s going to be fine. Let''s give her time." Mr Bill said placing a hand on her shoulder to comfort her."

    Susan nodded slowly before turning to head towards her room.

    Mira''s back was against the door as she sat on the floor and cried with her head buried between her raised knees.

    This was the reason she could understand what Mia was going through because her parents always did this. They were never around.

    Whenever she ended up with a guy and think.. ''Yay! He is finally the one'', she would later find out he was either a student in her mother''s university and wanted her to help him talk to her mother concerning something, or he was an editor or content writer who wanted a job in her father''s company. They all wanted to use her to get to the people she hardly even saw at home.

    She felt so alone and only found peace whenever she was with her friends or at James'' house because his parents and siblings made her forget about what she was going through.

    ************

    "Are you going to keep snubbing me?" Jeremy asked Ellie as he served her a freshly baked bread he had gone to buy early in the morning.

    "��" Ellie said nothing and just sat down on the seat he pulled open for her.

    "Come on, I''m sorry about last night. I didn''t think she would be there while I was making the call."

    Jamie said sitting opposite her.

    "I was so embarrassed. I felt like an idiot. Now she''d think I''m nothing but a liar and its all thanks to you,  my wonderful brother" She said rolling her eyes at him.

    "Come on, I said I''m sorry. I was also embarrassed!" He said before touching her arm.

    Ellie sighed.

    "Why do you even like her? She doesn''t like you."

    She said sadly.

    "Isn''t she a great girl? Didn''t you like her when you met her?" Jeremy asked her with a smile.

    "I did like her. She is great, yea. But she doesn''t look like she likes you. Why don''t you meet some other girl instead? I know a lot of girls like you."

    "Come on, how can I like any other girl after meeting a girl like Chloe?"

    "You really can''t stop?" She asked with a sad sigh.

    He shook his head. "Maybe I can, but I don''t want to. Seeing her makes me happy." He said with a dreamy look in his eyes.

    "If I tell you the family she comes from, you''ll be shocked."

    He said with twinkling eyes hoping that would finally make Ellie to smile.

    "I don''t care about whatever family she is from. I don''t just want anyone treating you like you are below them." She said before leaving her chair.

    "Come on, you have to eat. I stood on the line for a really long time just to make sure I got you this bread." He said with a pout.

    Ellie sighed for the hundredth time before sitting back down and continued to eat.

    Although she was still a little girl, she was really protective and sometimes behaved like she was his mother which was always funny to him.

    "Can you sleep over at the next house tonight? I''ll be going to a party." He told her.

    "Whose party?" Ellie asked curiously.

    "A friend''s. More like�� a friend''s friend." He corrected.

    "You have a lot of new friends lately." She said looking at him with a squint.

    "I am going to introduce you to all of them one day" He said with a smile before moving over to the sink to wash the dirty dishes.

    He could only pray for Chloe to follow him to the party even though he knew that was impossible. He didn''t like the fact that she was always either in class or in her office. The only time he had seen her out was at the party Benjamin held at his house and he was able to find out then that Benjamin''s sister was Chloe''s friend.

    He looked at the sky through the window. It was now clear with the sun shining brightly. He pouted sadly remembering it hadn''t rained heavily like he had prayed for last night.

    The rain reduced when Chloe was ready to leave so they had both stuck to their original plans but this time, she gave him an umbrealla to stand there and wait for a taxi before driving off. Immediately she drove up, the rain got heavier.

    She had told him she was going to sleep in today and go to the office at late noon. He smiled remembering he was going to see her later.

    ********

    Mia remained inside her room. She couldn''t even read at all. Her back was on the bed and her eyes on the ceiling.

    She hadn''t been able to think straight ever since Leo left the room.

    She sat up abruptly as she tried to put her thoughts in order.

    ''Why do I always feel this way around him?''

    ''Do I like him?''

    ''So what about Benjamin?''

    ''Do any of them like me that way?''

    She asked herself.

    Maybe the best thing to do was to actually invite Benjamin to the party just like Mira had suggested.

    Mira had said it would help her know who she really liked if both guys were at the same place. She had also said Leo''s real feelings would show if Benjamin was there.

    She made up her mind to just invite him. It was either he said a yes or no, no big deal. She told herself before dialing his number.

 Chapter 130 - Just this once boss....

    Everyone went about their lives while looking forward to the party that evening.

    Thankfully, Mia was finally able to study. She had also surprisingly received a call that morning from Chloe to ask her a few questions related to a particular subject. That had also prompted Mia to study and temporarily forget about Leo. She reminded herself that he was already a successful graduate while she was going to fail if she didn''t study hard.

    Leo had been inside his room since morning. She didn''t know whether he was sleeping or working since he hadn''t come out from his room after leaving her room that morning.

    She yawned widely which reminded her she hadn''t eaten anything. She was just about to leave her bed when a call came in. It was from Mira so she quickly answered it.

    "Hey!" Mira said in a less cheerful voice which was unlike her.

    "Hey! Why haven''t you been taking your calls? What''s wrong? You sound sick. Are you okay?" Mia asked sitting up.

 Chapter 131 - Are you locked in?

    "Please tell me you are going to the party tonight..." Richard told Leo who was sitting in Richard''s dining with his hands crossed.

    Anyone who saw Richard''s house would probably think it was a family house. It was large, exquisitely furnished and looked bright. It always reminded Leo of his family''s house.

    "I guess I have to." Leo answered with a shrug.

    "Good! Because I''ll be going there and it would be awkward if i went there myself. I don''t even know who they are having the welcome party for." He said with a laugh making Leo to chuckle.

    "You''ve been sulking since you came here. What''s wrong? Haven''t you clarified the issue with your family yet?" Richard asked going to sit opposite him.

    "I haven''t been able to do so. These people only believe what they want to believe. Even my mother wants me to come home tomorrow." He said with a frustrated sigh.

 Chapter 132 - Its not his fault.

    As the hour drew nigh, Mia became even more apprehensive. Something told her this whole thing was a bad idea. She didn''t know what Mira had been thinking doing all she did and saying it was going to be fun.

    She had gone ahead to invite Benjamin that morning after Leo left her room and he had asked if they were going to go there together. She reasoned since she was inviting him over, it only made sense that they went together but Mira had already given her a default answer to that question in case he asked so she had told him she was going to be going early to help organize the place and he could come later while she would wait outside for him.

    She had been surprised he had even agreed to it and told her he was going to see her later that night.

    Before Mira left that evening, she had wanted to touch up Mia''s face but gasped in shock when she got to the table and saw different cosmetics and make up products there.

 Chapter 133 - Clash....

    "Chloe?" Leo called in surprise. He hadn''t expected Chloe to be there at all.

    Chloe looked up at him in shock. Since the party hadn''t started yet, herself and Jeremy had gone there to sit and wait since the main sitting room was kind of busy with people moving about. She had been complaining about how much she hated going to parties earlier but Jeremy had kept trying to convince her about how it was a good idea coming out once in a while which had gotten her upset and she had asked him to stop talking.

    "What are you doing here?" Chloe asked standing up immediately.

    Jeremy also looked at him in surprise before standing to whisper to Chloe. "Told you he may come here."

    Chloe frowned at him for still coming close to her when her brother was there watching the both of them.

 Chapter 134 - I am your friend?

    Everyone had different reactions seeing Leo suddenly pull Mia away.

    Benjamin looked at them in both surprise and confusion as he wondered what was happening and why Leo and pulled her away. He thought it would make sense to follow suit since Leo had looked like he was angry.

    Mira tried to follow the both of them but James took quick steps to block her path.

    "I think you should no longer get yourself involved." He advised Mira. He had been having a bad feeling about this whole thing and it seemed he had been right to feel that way.

    Mira placed both hands on her hair and ran her hand through it. "You.. also don''t think this is going as planned right?" Mira asked him with hopeful eyes as she waited for him to say things were going to be fine. She wasn''t sure this was the kind of reaction she had expected. Well, she was glad that Leo had actually reacted that way which made it obvious that he liked her, but Mia''s reaction was what was getting her worried.

 Chapter 135 - Beginning to like you a little too much.

    "I''m sorry Mia Lucas... I went a bit overboard."

    Mia read the message Leo sent to her thirty minutes later and she began to also feel guilty.

    She was partially at fault for everything and she regretted listening to Mira in the first place. She had even made it obvious she was mad at her earlier.

    "What''s wrong?" Mira had asked her immediately she saw Mia stomping angrily towards the building after her argument with Leo.

    "What happened? What did he say?" Mira pressed while James looked at Mia curiously.

    "I really don''t want to talk about it so please don''t ask me." Mia said sounding annoyed before walking inside James'' house.

    Mira looked at her in shock and turned to look at James.

    "She''s mad at me." Mira said feeling her heart squeeze in pain.

    "I''ll talk to her." James told Mira and hurried after Mia.

    Mia had also refused to speak with James. She was confused and her thoughts were messed up. Since the party was just starting, everyone split up and were having fun separately but she wasn''t sure she was ever going to have fun.

    She had looked around for Leo since she went inside but didn''t see him anywhere around and it made her feel awful.

    "Are you okay?" Benjamin who was sitting beside her asked and she quickly put her phone aside so he wouldn''t see the message Leo had sent her.

    "Yea.. sure." She forced a smile at him and he nodded before watching the people who were dancing.

    "Do you want to dance?" He asked her making her eyes widen slightly.

    "No.. I don''t want to." She rejected immediately while shaking her head.

    "Why? A dancer should always be ready to dance." He said flashing her a small smile before raising his hand to tuck some stray strands of hair behind her ear.

    Mia looked at him with surprise and pulled back immediately to fix her hair herself.

    "Thanks." She said before looking ahead.

    He cleared his throat awkwardly and excused himself.

    "I''ll just go get us some drinks." He said to her and quickly left.

    Mia took out her phone immediately he left to read the message Leo sent to her again.

    After a moment''s hesitation, she sent..

    "I''m sorry too. I shouldn''t have raised my voice."

    She waited a few seconds before sending another one. "Where are you?"

    "In my car." He replied with a tiny smile on his face. He hadn''t expected her to forgive him like that. After he sent the message, he had waited for her to reply and when a minute passed and there was still no reply, he assumed she was still mad at him and was about to call her when her message came in.

    He knew he had overreacted and him being angry didn''t give him any right to talk to her that way especially when they were not in a relationship.

    Earlier after his argument with Mia, he had been returning to the building when he saw Mira who looked like she had been waiting for him. Immediately she saw Leo walking towards her, she quickly intercepted him.

    "I''m sorry." She said and he could tell from her voice that she was trying not to cry.

    "Why are you apologizing?" He asked looking at her curiously.

    "It was me. I talked Mia into doing all she did. I told her to invite you and Benjamin and I also told her not to tell you Benjamin was her dancing partner." She confessed.

    She knew it was the right thing to do at that point unless she didn''t want her friend to ever talk to her again but at this point in her life, she really needed her friends.

    "I can''t say I''m surprised." Leo said casually. He knew Mira was the one who always pushed Mia to do most things she did and he made a mental note to talk to Mia about it.

    "So.. why did you do so?" He asked.

    Mira looked at him guiltily before answering honestly.

    "Because I wanted Mia to have a closure about how you felt about her." She said startling Leo.

    "A closure about how I feel?" He asked in surprise and confusion.

    "I thought I was doing the right thing. She has been confused for a long time and I wanted you to express yourself by showing jealousy and confessing to her. I didn''t think she''d end up getting mad at me." She said with a sniff.

    "I''m so sorry. I just wanted things to work out well for you and Mia."

    Leo didn''t blame Mira for all she did. She was just a friend trying to help out but he didn''t know what he was supposed to do which was why he remained inside his car and had been thinking before he came to the conclusion that he owed Mia an apology.

    Mia looked at Leo''s message Leo''s wondered what to send him next.

    She bit her lip before looking around. Everyone was busy having fun and the mood music was making her head bang.

    "Would you like me to come over?" She typed the message and shook her head.

    She wanted to clear it but made a mistake and sent the message making her jump up from her seat as a loud gasp escaped her lips.

    "No.. no..no.. that was a mistake!" She said in panic as she began to turn around while some people who saw her looked at her like she was crazy.

    "That was a mistake.. I didn''t mean to send that." She quickly typed and sent it immediately.

    A small smile lit up Leo''s face when he read her last message. He had been really surprised to see her message asking if he wanted her to come over. Although he couldn''t see her now, he could imagine her pacing around and biting her lip in embarrassment.

    He quickly typed another message and waited with bated breath for her reply.

    Mia''s heartbeat increased when a message notification came in. She kept looking around her just in case Benjamin was coming but he still wasn''t in sight.

    She closed her eyes and took in a long and deep breath before opening the message.

    "Should I be expecting you here soon?" He asked making her heart skip. What was she supposed to reply?

    Her eyes scanned around nervously until it fell on Mira who was having a chat with Richard at one end of the sitting room.

    James was at the other end with a pretty blond girl who was obviously flirting with him.

    She also saw Jeremy and Chloe and who were just sitting beside each other looking really awkward as if they were trying to ignore the other''s presence. She was slightly curious about what was up with them but that was the least of her concern at the moment.

    She looked at her phone and sent a text to Benjamin.

    "I''ll be back in a few minutes." She didn''t want him coming back and searching for her.

    Leo''s heart skipped when he read the message she just sent him. "I am coming."

    She was really coming? He asked himself in disbelief as he waited impatiently for her.

    A few minutes later, she opened the front door of his car and joined him inside..

    She looked nervous and her cheeks were flushed when she said a simple "Hello" to him.

    "I really wasn''t expecting you to come." He said still in surprise.

    "Uhm.. well, I can still leave." She said and moved to open the door but he quickly stopped her.

    "I didn''t mean it that way. What I meant was... I didn''t think you''d come after what happened." He explained.

    "So.. you are not planning to come in?" She asked changing the topic.

    "I don''t know. Everyone''s still warming up. I''ll join later." He answered with a shrug before looking at her face seriously.

    "Hope you haven''t been drinking?"

    "No.. no.. Well, just a little sip." She said with a soft laugh. "I know I get crazy when I drink so I have to stay away from it." She answered with an embarrassed blush.

    Leo laughed and nodded in understanding.

    The car suddenly became quiet and it was really uncomfortable for the both of them until Leo broke the silence.

    "Look Mia, I don''t want us to ever fight. I''m not comfortable fighting with you at all." He confessed while brushing her hair away from her face to tuck them behind her ear.

    Mia''s breathing stopped as she just let him do it while looking into his eyes. It suddenly dawned on her. It wasn''t Benjamin. It was him!

    Her heartbeat increased at that realization but she managed to speak.

    "I... am not comfortable with it also." Mia agreed.

    They were both quiet.

    They stared into each other''s eyes as they waited for the other to talk first.

    This time, it was Mia who spoke first.

    "I know... it''s really crazy and... well.." She stopped talking and swallowed her saliva nervously seeing how Leo just kept looking at her flushed face.

    "What I''m saying is.. I am the kind of person to.. say things out because I can''t leave them inside my head with all of my school works and family problems.. I always think my head would explode if I leave too many things inside."

    "O--kay? Is this like the part where I have to pretend like I understand what you are trying to say?" Leo asked her in confusion with his gaze never leaving her face, making her laugh nervously.

    "I am saying... that... I think... I am beginning to like you... a little too much." She said and shut her eyes immediately in embarrassment.

 Chapter 136 - Awkwardness....

    ''Round table of awkwardness'' was the best way to describe the gathering.

    Leo sat beside Richard who was sitting beside another guy they called Frank who sat beside James who sat beside the pretty blond girl who had been flirting with him earlier. Beside the blond girl, the lady who had been at the front door with the tags sat on the next seat while Mira was next, and Mia, and Benjamin, and Jeremy, and Chloe and Peter, James brother, then a girl who looked like Peter''s girlfriend even though they claimed they were just friends, then back to Leo.

    In total, there were thirteen people, seven guys and six girls sitting around the round sofa in the other sitting room with a dim light as they prepared for the games. Since the couch was round, they could see each other''s faces.

    Others who weren''t really close to them were still busy having fun at the main sitting room while James had asked his younger sister Rachel to go do something else because this type of gathering wasn''t meant for a 16 years old girl.

    The atmosphere was kind of strange and awkward for some people there who kept trying to avoid the other person''s gaze.

    Let''s go from the beginning....

    James had walked into Mira n.a.k.e.d.�� Awkward 1.

    Whenever their eyes met, they both quickly looked away and pretend to do something else.

    Awkward 2 was Chloe and James who were sitting beside each other. This time, Jeremy wasn''t saying a word.

    AN HOUR EARLIER....

    "You know we can''t keep standing here pretending like you are settling a family issue right?" Jeremy had asked Chloe. He had really thought they were going to look for Leo and Mia but Chloe wasn''t moving and just sitting at one of the benches close to a beautiful garden at the side of the apartment.

    "Don''t you prefer this serene atmosphere to the noisiness in there?" She turned to ask him.

    "Well, I do. But I don''t want to miss out on the games." He said with a slight blush.

    "And what games are you talking about?" She asked while looking at him suspiciously, especially at the blush on his face.

    "It''s nothing." He said quickly.

    "You know you are a terrible liar right?" She said with her eyes narrowed at him.

    "..."

    "Anything you are thinking in your head, you better stop thinking it. Don''t think I won''t hit you if you tried to kiss me in there just because I''ve been lenient with you." She warned sternly.

    "Then who do you suggest I kiss?" He asked.

    "Anyone that''s not Chloe King. I won''t play such silly games with you all."

    "Is it because your brother is here?"  He asked curiously.

    "You really think that''s it?" She asked raising a brow at him.

    "Then why don''t you want me to?" He asked like a whining child making her turn to look at him in frustration.

    Chloe was quiet for a while and just stared at his face making him very uncomfortable.

    "Kiss me" She suddenly said while looking deeply into his eyes.

    "What!?" He asked as his body involuntarily jumped in shock and his eyes widened. That was the last thing he had expected to hear from her.

    "I. Said. Kiss. Me." She repeated carefully for him to catch every word.

    "I... should kiss you?" He asked in utter disbelief.

    "That''s what I just said. Isn''t this what you''ve always wanted? This thing you think you feel for me, I''ll just prove it to you that whatever it is you feel for me is not love then maybe you can stop doing these annoying things you do after I let you kiss me."

    She said coldly with her gaze never leaving his flushed face.

    Jeremy looked at her quietly. He was trying to tell whether she was really serious or joking.

    Chloe smirked thinking he didn''t have the guts to do so but to her surprise, he slowly reached for her face with his hands and cupped her cheeks gently making her eyes widen slightly.

    He moved closer and closer and closer with their eyes never breaking contact.

    Jeremy''s heart raced wildly as the tip of his nose touched hers. All he could see at that moment was her soft and glossy lips which was inviting him. She had told him to kiss her, hadn''t she?

    But... he didn''t.

    He stopped just before their lips met and said in a quiet voice. "I don''t have to understand my feelings with one kiss."

    "But if you dare me like this another time, I''ll really do it." He said before leaving her face then he stood up.

    Chloe was stunned speechless. They both quickly looked away from each other and he said after clearing his throat..

    "We should return inside now."

    Chloe stood up and quickly hurried past him, not saying anything else.

    They have both been acting awkwardly since then, especially Jeremy who couldn''t seem to forget that moment when he had been tempted to kiss her for real.

    Awkward 3 was Leo and Mia.

    EARLIER...

    "I am saying... that... I think... I am beginning to like you... a little too much." Mia confessed and shut her eyes immediately in embarrassment.

    Leo''s heart had stopped beating when he heard her say those words.

    ''Is she confessing right now?'' He had asked himself in surprise and the surprise was obvious on his face as he looked at her.

    It wasn''t the first time he was faced with something like this. The last few years when he had been having flings, there had been cases where the ladies would confess to him. The scene was always funny to him because he would really laugh and tell them they must be dreaming because he always made it clear he didn''t need anything from them other than their bodies and he was ready to also give them his body and money if they asked. That was all. No other attachments.

    But now....

    "Oh God this is crazy!" Mia said as she used a hand to cover her face. The more he was quiet, the more she was beginning to regret her actions because she didn''t know what he was thinking.

    Leo remained quiet as he tried to think about what to say.

    He liked her. He knew he did.

    But he wasn''t sure he was ready to walk down this road again.

    "I am not saying I want to date you." Mia quickly said as if reading his mind.

    She pulled her hands away from her face and he could clearly see how flushed her cheeks were as she said without meeting his gaze....

    "I am not even saying I need anything from you. I just... I just thought it was best to tell you that. I don''t even know what I... actually feel. I do not know if I like you because you are one of the first people to really care about me or because I.. " She paused and bit her lip nervously. "Or because I had my first kiss with you and those other..." She swallowed hard.

    "Those other things...we.. did. I am not sure either and I really am not ready for any relationship or commitment so please do not think I am asking you to date me. I just.. I know I like you and I am comfortable around you. It was the reason I practiced my dance with you. Not because I wanted to impress Benjamin like you thought but because I was more comfortable with you. Oh God what am I even saying!?" She stopped to catch her breath and used her hands to cover her face in embarrassment.

    All the while, Leo just looked at her as she kept rambling on nervously.

    As much as he didn''t like to admit it, he felt butterflies.

    Mia turned to look at him for the first time and when she saw him staring right back, her body jumped in shock and she hiccupped.

    Her mouth was left hanging open for a few seconds before she managed to say a word.

    "I... think I should go in now before Mira gets worried." She said and hurriedly opened the door. She didn''t spare him another glance and quickly ran away.

    Leo''s body was still frozen there even after a long time. Over the years, he had been able to realise from his psychologist friend that he had Philophobia�� the fear of falling in love with the wrong person. Although, his case wasn''t very serious as the others his psychologist claimed to have seen.

    This was a step he was really scared of taking. It was the reason he could not say a word because he didn''t want to reject her, neither could he accept her.

    He hated the fact that even after two years, he still felt this terrible about what Cherry did to him. A girl he had loved with the whole of his being and had even swore with his life that Cherry was not that type of girl when his college friends tried to convince him that all ladies were cheats.

    This wasn''t a path he was willing to take again. But what was he supposed to do now?

    "Are you all ready?" James younger brother, Peter asked as he placed a box of cards on the table in front of all of them.

    "We are going to go clockwise. Pick a card and you have to do whatever is written on it." He said excitedly as he blew a whistle for the game to officially begin.

 Chapter 137 - Truth or Dare?

    "So where are we starting from?" Peter asked as he looked at all of them with a smile on his face. There were some people who naturally liked playing games like these and Peter was one of them.

    "Mia?" Mira whispered Mia''s name. Since they were seated beside each other, it was easy to communicate.

    Ever since Mia came back inside, she hadn''t said a word to her or even to anyone. She felt Mia was still mad at her and she wouldn''t want that especially now when things were pretty awkward for her both at home and here.

    "Are you still mad at me?" Mira asked her when Mia only looked at her and said nothing else.

    "I''m not. I just don''t want to talk about it." Mia said in a gentle voice. She was really tensed and uncomfortable especially since Leo''s gaze had been on her ever since he came back inside.

    "Are you okay?" Mira asked her.

    "Yea.. sure." Mia replied before looking ahead.

    She was just going to try to do things on her own from now on. But it didn''t mean she was really mad at Mira. Mira was her friend who cared about her just that her ways were sometimes unnecessary and risky.

    "Remember the rules.." Peter read it out again. "You have to only tell the truth and do the dares. If you fail to tell the truth, you have to do a dare and vice versa. The person beside you would have to tell you what you are to do. And�� if you are at the receiving end of a dare and you do not want someone to use you, you have to gulp down two full glasses of beer."

    "Oh! And if you do not want to do any, you have to drop a thousand bucks. The money would be given to James since this is his party." Peter added cheerfully.

    "That''s crazy." Mia said from the side as she bit her lip nervously. Her eyes strayed to Leo and caught him still staring.

    His eyes seemed to be communicating with her to not play the game and leave but she sat there anyway.

    "I think the punishment is quite fair." Benjamin whispered into her ear and she saw Leo fnally look away.

    "So we are starting from her." Peter said as he looked at his ''girlfriend'' who he kept claiming wasn''t his girlfriend.. Since they were going clockwise, it started from her.

    She smiled nervously before dipping her hand into the box to pick out a random card.

    Everyone waited for her to read it and she did.

    "Oh! It''s a truth." She said excitedly as she read it out loudly for everyone to hear.. "If you could change one thing on your body, what would it be?" She giggled before placing her hands on her hardly visible b.o.o.b.s.

    "I''d like them to be bigger." She said erupting laughter from most of the folks there.

    "I think this game is a bad idea." Chloe said in a quiet voice.

    The next person was Leo. He leisurely dipped his hand inside the box and picked a card.

    "A dare." He said with a smirk before reading it out. "Try to make the person next to you laugh. You''ve got 60 seconds."

    Leo turned to look at the person beside him. It was Richard. Richard kept his face stone-cold as he waited to make sure Leo failed. Leo smiled at him before inching closer to whisper in his ears..

    "If you do not start laughing. I am going to tell everyone how you peed in your pants in grade school because the girl you were crushing on held your hand." He threatened.

    Before everyone knew it, Richard was laughing like a maniac while they all looked at him in confusion and amus.e.m.e.nt.

    The next was Richard. His card was a dare. "Show your browsing history to all the players."

    "Now everyone''s going to know what a pervert you are." Leo said with a smirk as Richard took out his phone. But on a second thought, he shook his head. "Can I drink?" He asked looking at all of them with an embarrassed smile.

    "Nope! The guy beside you would have to ask you a question." Peter said as they all turned their attention to the next guy.

    The next guy called Frank looked pretty uninterested as he asked. "How many girls have you had s.e.x with?"

    "Woooah!" Most of the people in the table exclaimed.

    Richard looked at all the people there. He wouldn''t want to make a bad impression so he quickly reached for his wallet and gave Peter a thousand bucks while the others clapped and cheered.

    The next person was Frank. He picked a truth card. "If you could take away one bad thing in the world, what would it be? Obviously my ex girlfriend!" He answered immediately making all of them erupt into laughter.

    Next was James.. He also picked a truth. "Your last relationship and why it ended?"

    He looked at Mia and just went on to answer honestly. "It was about 2 months ago. She wanted me to choose between a friend and her and I chose my friend." He answered with a shrug making Mira and Mia to look at him as they wondered the friend he was talking about.

    "Ohhhh." Some people exclaimed again.

    "How could she say that?" The blond girl who had been flirting with him asked with a smile but he only smiled back and didn''t answer.

    Next was the blond girl. She picked a card and rread t out.. "Find someone you think is with a condom here and search them. If you fail, you have to stand until the party is over."

    "Woooaaaaah!" This time, it was longer.

    "Oh wow!" The blond exclaimed when she was done reading it and stood up.

    "I guess I have to narrow my search to the guys here." She said with a giggle and began to look at all of them while the ladies watched curiously.

    She looked from Peter to Leo to Richard to Frank to James, Benjamin and Jeremy.

    "Well, here we go.." She said with a sigh and went to stand in front of Benjamin and Jeremy.

    Both guys just looked at her as she flashed them a smile then she pointed at Benjamin making the crowd cheer while waiting for the search to begin.

    Benjamin looked briefly at Mia who was also staring right back at him before he turned to look at the blond.

    "I think I''ll drink instead." He said when the girl asked him to stand up so she could search him.

    "I knew it.. he''s definitely with a condom." She said smugly as she returned to her seat while wriggling her waist.

    While some looked cheered, some looked at him in surprise�� most of them actually including Mira, James, Chloe, Jeremy and Richard who had been pissed earlier about Mia being beside Benjamin instead of beside Leo.

    But there was one person who kept staring daggers at Benjamin and it was obvious to all those who knew about Mia and Leo.

    Benjamin downed two full glasses and sat back down without looking at anyone.

    "What the hell!? He brought a condom!" Mira whispered to Mia who said nothing and just continued to look ahead. She tried not to think about anything else. She also made sure not to look at Leo.

    Next was the girl who had shared the tags.. "Give someone a lap dance." She read out.

    "Wow!" She said happily before walking to where Leo was sitting without even thinking twice. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment.

    "What are you doing?" Leo asked when she stood in front of him with a big smile on her face. He had noticed the kind of look she gave to him immediately he arrived the party.

    "A lap dance." She said with a flirty smile.

    Leo looked at her one more time before he reached for two glasses of beer. As he gulped it down, he locked eyes with Mia and didn''t look away until he was done with both glasses.

    They all cheered for him while the girl returned to her seat less confidently with flushed cheeks. She hadn''t expected him to turn her down just like that in front of everybody.

    The next was Mira. She picked a card and looked at it in surprise.

    "French kiss someone for 2 minutes."

    "Wooooah!" They cheered excitedly.

    Mia''s mouth fell open as she turned to look at Mira who was frowning in confusion. James also looked at her in surprise.

    "Just tell them you want to drink." Mia whispered to Mira even though she knew they wouldn''t let her. She was going to pay a thousand bucks instead and that was a really huge money!

    "You know that can''t happen. Even if it''s possible, it''s two glasses. You want me to pass out cold?" She asked before standing up.

    She looked around and deliberately ignored James as her eyes fell on Richard. She smiled at him and turned to look at Jeremy.

    Jeremy noticed it and shook his head immediately in a way to tell her not to choose him. He wasn''t one to joke with intimate things like kisses and it was the reason he was mad at Benjamin for allowing a lot of girls kiss to him at his party the other night. His hate for him had even spiked up tonight.

    Mira shrugged and moved towards Leo and Richard''s direction. She held out her hand to Richard who was smiling brightly and he took her hand and stood up.

    "Well�� here we go." She said and stretched to meet his lips while he brought his head down to make things easy for her.

    Mia gasped in surprise as she watched Mira and Richard kiss. She turned to look at James but noticed he was suddenly very busy with his phone and not looking at them.

    Mira placed her hands on Richard''s shoulders while his hand held her waist to hold her in place as their tongues moved together.

    Leo looked at Mia and almost laughed when he saw her mouth hanging open. He was glad she hadn''t been the one to pick that card.

    His eyes went to his sister and he saw her looking down at her nails with really flushed cheeks.

    ''They are both so alike.'' Leo said in his head as he kept looking between Mia and Chloe. Then he watched the other three girls who were clapping and hooting excitedly.

    "Time up!" Peter said after the two minutes were over and they broke the kiss.

    Richard and Mira opened their eyes and looked at each other before bursting into laughter while the others cheered loudly.

    "I think I''m in love." Richard whispered to Leo immediately he sat down.

    "You say that everytime." Leo reminded him.

    ~~

    "That wasn''t so weird was it?" Mira asked Mia immediately she sat down.

    "It sure was.. really weird!" Mia said with flushed cheeks as if she was the one who had kissed him.

    The next person was Mia....

    Truth or Dare?

    Which would it be?

 Chapter 138 - Truth or Dare (2)

    Everyone watched as Mia stood up to pick her card.

    "I can feel your anxiety from here." Richard teased Leo in a whisper but Leo didn''t say a word and just watched as she picked up a card.

    Her eyes slowly widened when she saw what was written on the card.

    "Come on, read it out��" Peter urged her.

    Mia didn''t look at anyone. Her eyes were still fixed on the card and her heartbeat increased.

    She remembered the rules again. If she didn''t do whatever was written on the card, the person beside her was going to make her do a dare. And if she didn''t want to do any of them, she had to pay a thousand bucks. Where was she going to get such money from?

    "How��" She gulped down saliva as she read it out while her friends watched her with curious eyes.

    "How would you describe your�� first s.e.x--ual experience? And who did you have it with?"

    "Wooooah!" The others cheered while her friends became uncomfortable, especially Leo.

    Mia''s eyes quickly went to him and saw him looking at her with an unreadable gaze.

    Whatever she had with Leo, could it be considered as her first s.e.x.u.a.l experience? She wondered nervously. He was the first person for her but she wasn''t sure she could mention his name here. She was also skeptical about saying she had never had it before since Leo had told her some perverted men would see her as their prey once they learned she was innocent in that aspect.

    But she couldn''t tell the truth. She also couldn''t say it was with Leo. Hell! Her friends and classmates were here including Leo''s friend and sister. Benjamin was also beside her eagerly waiting to hear her answer.

    She decided to go for the alternative and pray Benjamin would give her a lesser dare because she didn''t have a thousand bucks to pay. She worked for many hours to be able to earn such amount and wouldn''t be so stupid to spend it here.

    "Come on! We are waiting!" The tag girl said impatiently.

    Mia thought about lying instead and just mention some random guy''s name but she always found it difficult telling lies and she wouldn''t want people to see her as that type of person.

    While she was in a state of dilemma, Leo moved his gaze away from Mia over to Chloe who was also looking at him.

    He seemed to be communicating something to her but she looked at him in confusion, not getting what he was trying to say.

    She saw him take out his phone and began to type so she took out her phone from her purse and saw a message from him pop in.

    She looked at him in surprise before nodding.

    "I guess Benjamin would would have to ask me a question then." She said with a nervous laugh before throwing the card on the tray with the other used cards.

    "I don''t think that''s a good idea." Richard whispered to Leo who was frowning.

    "Oh.. me?" Benjamin asked rhetorically as he stared at Mia. He hadn''t been able to look at her face since the incident with the condom.

    "So dude.. tell her what to do." Peter said while the others cheered and anticipated.

    "Jeremy?" Chloe whispered to Jeremy and he turned to look at her in surprise. It was the first time she was talking to him since that incident earlier.

    "Yes?" He asked curiously and she moved closer to whisper in his ears making him feel goosebumps all over his body when he felt her breath on his ear.

    "So Mia �� uhm.." Benjamin pulled his ear as he thought about what to ask her.

    "Just tell her to kiss you or do something. Ya''ll are making this game boring." Peter''s girlfriend complained with a sigh.

    "Okay�� I dare Mia to��."

    Mia''s heart began to beat really fast as she waited for him to say it.

    "Mia is going to pay the money." Mira said aloud with a smile just as Benjamin was about to say something.

    Mia turned to look at her in shock and confusion. Pay? Where was she going to get that money from?

    "Really?" Peter, James and the three other girls asked in surprise.

    "Yes. Really." Mira confirmed with a nod.

    Mia''s face was flushed as she looked at Mira. Was she trying to embarrass her? Where was she going to get the money from?

    "What are you doing?" She asked Mira in a quiet voice but Mira took her hand and discreetly handed her some cash notes.

    "What is this?" Mia asked as she looked at it in surprise.

    "The money. It was passed to me for you. Just use it." Mira said with a wink as she urged Mia to hand it over to Peter.

    "Who gave it to you? I can''t just��"

    "Just do it. The money is going to James anyway so we can take it back from him." She said with a grin before pushing Mia.

    Mia loked around in confusion and then her gaze landed on Leo who was looking at her with a bright glint in his eyes.

    It was him. It had to be him. She concluded.

    Peter approached her with a big smile on his face and took the money from her which she relunctantly released.

    "Wow! That was a sly move." Richard whispered to Leo with a cheeky grin while leo nodded briefly at Chloe.

    All the while, he kept a straight face like he was not interested in whatever was happening there.

    "I knew he liked her." Jeremy said when he saw the exchange between Chloe and Leo. He had been the one to pass the money to Mira.

    "Yea." Chloe answered curtly before looking at Benjamin who had an embarrassed smile on his face.

    She kept wondering what he was doing here beside Mia when Amara, Ben''s sister had told her Benjamin had a girlfriend.

    The next person to pick a card was Benjamin.

    He picked a dare.. "Make a romantic marriage proposal to the person on your left." He read out.

    "Do not even think about it!" Jeremy said immediately making everyone including Chloe to snicker.

    "I know you are happy the card didn''t say ''the person on your right''." Richard teased Leo again making Leo regret allowing Richard to sit beside him. But truthfully, he was greatly relieved.

    Benjamin shook his head as he looked at Jeremy. "I can''t do that." He said with an awkward laugh.

    "So I guess you have to ask him a question then.." Peter said to Jeremy while everyone waited for his question.

    Jeremy looked at him seriously before asking.. "Remember you have to answer honestly.... what is your intention towards Mia?"

 Chapter 139 - Truth or Dare (3)

    "What are you doing?" Chloe was the first to ask while Mia, Leo, Mira and James looked at him in shock. They had not expected that at all.

    "Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" The others chanted, oblivious to whatever was happening with the others.

    Benjamin was also stunned but he laughed awkwardly before turning to look at Mia. It was the two of them once again.

    Mia could not believe she was once again the centre of attention when she just escaped from one.

    Although she was curious to know what he thought about her, she didn''t want to know like this.

    Her eyes went to Leo and she saw him looking at her face with that gaze she still couldn''t read.

    "My intentions towards Mia?" Benjamin said looking at Mia''s face who was also looking at him.

    "I like her."

    *Pffft* James who was gulping down his beer to avoid the awkwardness suddenly choked and spat it out in shock.

    Mia''s eyes widened in shock and her jaw dropped when he said it. He liked her? Unbelieveable!

    Benjamin just smiled at her and turned to face the others.

    Mira also looked really shocked. This was something she hadn''t seen coming. She looked at Leo and saw him looking nonchalant with his gaze down but the veins in his head was clearly showing. This was it�� he was jealous.

    "Why did you ask him that?" Chloe asked Jeremy who was frowning deeply. Benjamin liked Mia? What a joke!

    "Because I am curious and I know everyone else is also curious." He answered in a whisper. "I just didn''t expect than answer." He said with a sigh as he looked at Mia who was still looking very baffled.

    "That was a nice confession. Let''s move on!" Peter who had been cheering with the others said and pointed at the next person.

    Jeremy.

    The atmosphere was still very awkward for most of them but they tried to pay attention. Even Mira couldn''t say anything to Mia.

    Jeremy''s card was a dare and frowned when he read it out. "Sing one of beyonc��''s songs."

    The others in the group laughed and and urged him to go on but he shook his head

    "Can you just ask me to tell the truth instead?" He turned to ask Chloe who shook her head at him. She wanted to watch his humiliation as a pay back for all the times he had been frustrating her.

    "Sing it! Sing it! Sing it!" The crowd chanted again as Peter gave him an empty bottle to use as a microphone.

    Jeremy laughed shyly before clearing his throat then he turned to look at Chloe. Since she wanted him to sing, he was just going to sing it to her.

    ????"You''re just like poison. Slowly moving through my system breaking all of my defences with time."????

    "Oh my f.u.c.k.i.n.g god!" The blond girl gasped loudly as he sang the first line and so did everyone else.

    Chloe''s eyes shone in surprise hearing his voice. Never would she have thought that he had such a perfect voice! She was a terrible singer and this just made her feel completely bad for herself.

    Leo who had been lost in his thought turned to look at Jeremy and his sister and frowned at the look on her face.

    ''He just got her in the perfect spot.'' He thought to himself knowing how much Chloe liked singers.

    ????"You''re just like poison

    And I just don''t get it, how can something so deadly feel so right?

    I''m not sure of what to do, it''s a catch twenty-two ''Cause the cure is found in you, I don''t want it, but I do

    You''re just like poison

    My affliction, I''m addicted, I can''t lie

    Kiss me one more time before I die"????

    He conclude the song with a wink at her while everyone clapped soundly. Even Mia forgot about the awkwardness for a minute and just clapped.

    The boy''s frowned when they saw the six girls around the table looking at Jeremy with so much surprise and awe.

    Jeremy sat down quietly and tried not to look at anyone but he looked at his side and immediately, Chloe looked away before reaching inside her purse for something.

    She was the next to pick a card so she took out a thousand bucks from her purse and was about to hand it over to Peter when Jeremy held her hand.

    "Come on, you should at least do something or pick a card and decide not to do it. Don''t ruin the fun." He said with puppy eyes making Leo frown again while Chloe pushed his hand away.

    Leo couldn''t believe Jeremy was currently adding to his problems at the moment.

    "I think I like Jeremy again." Mira whispered to Mia making her roll her eyes and look ahead. She had decided to not look at either Leo or Benjamin.

    "How did you get that money?" Mia suddenly remembered to ask her.

    "It was from Leo right?" She asked but tried not to grin too much.

    "How did you get it?" Mia asked impatiently. Leo wasn''t sitting close to them so she didn''t know how he did it but she was sure it was him.

    "While you and Benjamin were both staring at each other awkwardly, Jeremy told Peter to give it to me. You know.. so it wouldn''t be awkward since Peter was the only one standing and moving the box. Then Jeremy texted me that it was meant for you." She explained quickly and they both turned to look at Chloe when she finally moved.

    Chloe relunctantly reached inside the box and took out a card. She scoffed when she read what was written on it. "If you are a guy, call your mother and tell her your girlfriend is pregnant. If you are a girl, tell her you are pregnant."

    She looked at Leo and saw him smirk at her. He knew she was never going to do something like that. They both knew who their mother was.

    "I won''t do it." She said plainly making the blond girl and tag girl to sneer at her for acting so c.o.c.ky.

    "Then I guess I have to ask you a question then." Peter said with a wink since he was the next in line and the last to complete the circle.

    "Hmmm�� what''s the worst day of your life?" He asked.

    "Oh, Come on..! Is this a grade school truth or dare?" A lot of people complained but Chloe''s face already turned pale while Leo looked at her quietly.

    Jeremy noticed how her hands were tightly fisted beside her and looked at her with worry.

    Chloe sighed before answering..

    "It was the day.... I lost someone��." Her eyes turned misty and she swallowed hard before adding quietly. "The day I lost a friend."

    Everyone was quiet after she answered. No cheering, no laughing, no talking.

    She noticed it and forced out a smile. "That''s it."

    Peter cleared his throat before announcing he was the last to pick for that round.

    "Spin a bottle and dance with the person the bottle points at."

    He read it with a smile before picking up the empty bottle Jeremy had used as a microphone earlier.

    He spun the bottle and most of them watched eagerly as it turned and landed on Mira making them clap.

    "I''m so lucky!" Peter said excitedly as Mira happily stood up. Peter was like her younger brother so she didn''t mind it at all. She took his hand as they both danced to the music coming from the main room.

    James watched Mira who they all knew was a terrible dancer dance and his lips twitched with a smile.

    Meanwhile, Jeremy''s eyes never left the sad looking Chloe while Leo''s eyes never left Mia.

    "I hope you are ready with your tags?" Peter asked excitedly when they stopped dancing.

    "Time for our big kissing game! We have to move into the main hall" He announced.

 Chapter 140 - Little punishment...

    "I have to go now." Chloe turned to tell Jeremy. She didn''t want to get herself involved in that kissing game or whatever they called it.

    Her tag number was 8 and there was no way she was going to do that.

    "Come on, can''t you just��" Jeremy was interrupted when Chloe''s phone began to ring.

    She took it out and her eyes shone with surprise seeing it was her father calling her.

    Jeremy looked at the caller curiously and wondered why she looked uncomfortable to answer the call. When his mother was alive, she did let him go to parties so he didn''t see why they wouldn''t let a 23 years old girl party.

    The music at the background was a bit low since they were about starting the kissing game so she figured she could take the call in there and just pretend she was spending the time at the office.

    "Hello sir?" She said with false cheerfulness as she began to head towards the main door, leaving Jeremy behind.

 Chapter 141 - Perfect moment....

    Richard had been smiling like an idiot when he saw Leo carry Mia out like his bride. But it was shortlived when he realised Leo had actually left the venue with Mia��. How was he going to go home? They had come together in one car!

    "That evil bastard!" He cussed silently before turning to look at Mira who was grinning from ear to ear. At last�� it worked! She thought excitedly. She would have gone to jump on James and happily hug him that this was finally a success but that was something she couldn''t do now. She shut her eyes as she remembered the embarrassing situation between them inside his bathroom. How was she going to sleep with him on the same bed?

    The atmosphere in the room was still kind of awkward. Benjamin stepped down from the stage and tried not to look at anyone. Had he come to this party to be embarrassed repeatedly? He had been able to confirm that there was something going on between Leo and Mia watching them tonight.

 Chapter 142 - Putting you to sleep

    It wasn''t until 4 am before the whole place was quiet and peaceful.. No loud music, no giggling ladies, no boys loud voices.

    If they had close neighbours, James was sure they would have called the police.

    He looked at his sitting room which was terribly messy with some people who couldn''t go home lying in different corners and positions.

    Peter rubbed his eyes drunkenly as he walked down the stairs and looked around as if searching for something.

    "What is it?" James asked him.

    "Rachel. She isn''t inside her room." Peter answered with a yawn.

    "You look sleepy. I''ll look for her. What about Mira? Have you seen her?" James asked remembering it had been a bit long since he last saw her.

    The last time he saw her was about a hour ago when she was seeing Richard off. Richard had said he wasn''t used to sleeping in other people''s houses and thankfully, one of the guests had offered to drop him off so he could find a taxi home.

    "I don''t know. Let''s just check the other resting area." Peter suggested as they walked to the other room beside the sitting room. They could hear some strange sounds coming from there as they approached.

    The light was off so Peter flicked the light switch and stared in surprise when he saw a couple having s.e.x right there on one of the sofas. They obviously looked drunk and didn''t even mind that the light was on. Peter and James stared in surprise as the lady kept bouncing on him.

    The lady''s top was discared so her b.o.o.b.s was exposed to them.

    They looked small but it was a nice sight to behold.

    "She has nice tits." Peter said absentmindedly.

    "Yea. But Mira''s is prettier." James said in a barely audible whisper.

    "What..?"

    Peter turned to look at him and James suddenly realised what he had just thought aloud.

    ''Damn it! What the hell is wrong with me?'' He asked himself. Thankfully, it seemed Peter hadn''t heard what he said or maybe he was too drunk to make out what he said.

    James was the first to look away. It was uncomfortable watching especially with his brother beside him.

    "There they are." James said pointing at Mira and Rachel who were cuddling together on another sofa.

    Peter peeled his eyes from the couple which were now m.o.a.ning a bit loudly. Both boys obviously sprouting a hard-on.

    Peter hurried to carry his little sister who was reeking of beer.

    "I told you not to let her drink." James said with a displeased frown. She was still 16 and if their parents knew they had let her drink, they were going to be angry.

    "I stopped her from drinking. Girls are too stubborn. You needed to see how much Mira also drank." Peter said shaking his head.

    He and James had also drank a lot but the good thing was, they had strong alcohol tolerance like their father while Rachel took after their mother. They wouldn''t be surprised she had only drank half a cup to have passed out like this.

    "Good night." Peter said as he carried Rachel.

    "Christ! When did she add so much weight. I need to make sure she works out with me tomorrow."

    James could hear Peter complaining as he carried their little sister out while trying not to trip.

    James looked down at Mira who was trying to find a confortable position since her sleeping buddy had been carried from her.

    Her dress was riding higher and higher so he quickly pulled it down to cover her thigh. He had seen her wearing only his shirt a couple of times and felt nothing but now... well, he did feel soemthing a couple of times but it hadn''t been really serious.

    He was embarrassed now to see he was getting really turned on just watching her. He guessed it probably had to do with the fact that he was drunk and the couple at the other end who had now passed out.

    He gently carried the sleeping girl like a princess and head towards his room. She moved about, obviously uncomfortable so he tightened his grip around her so she wouldn''t fall. He looked down at her briefly and noticed her eyes were slightly open.

    "Are you awake?" He asked but she only groaned in reply.

    James kicked his room''s door open and the sound made her open her eyes again.

    "James?" She called drunkenly as he pushed the door close with his back.

    "Yea. It''s me. Putting you to sleep." He said trying to let her know it wasn''t some other guy trying to take advantage of her.

    "Oh.. I feel so�� weak." She said as she struggled away from his arms to stand on her feet.

    James slowly put her down but when she tried to walk, she staggered and almost fell so he held her waist to keep her up. His erection pressed to her butt in the process and it grew even larger at the impact. The suddenly let her go in panic.

    "I''m fine." She said with a short giggle and fell face down on the bed with her clothes and shoe still on while her legs were dangling.

    James sighed in relief seeing Mira hadn''t taken note.

    "Aren''t you going to change out of those?" He asked her. He knew Mira wouldn''t be comfortable sleeping with her clothes on. She preferred wearing only his large polo and panties.

    "Arggh! I''m so tired." She replied weakly and tried to unzip her dress while James shook his head at her and watched her quietly.

    Was she going to take off her own dress while sleeping?

    "I''ll just go get you one of my tee shirts."

    He was about to turn but noticed how she was struggling with her zip.

    He moved to sit very close to her and it wasn''t until he began to help her unzip her dress that he realised what he was doing. His hand stopped midway when the back of her white lace bra came into view.

 Chapter 143 - Voices in his head

    "Are you done with the zip?" Mira asked James before burping loudly.

    "Almost." He swallowed hard before fully unzipping it.

    She struggled to turn around and eventually did. With her eyes closed, she began to strip out of her clothes. It was almost a struggle for her especially with her back on the bed.

    She was finally able to remove her hand and pushed the dress down her chest a little, revealing her white lace bra to James who was no longer breathing.

    Images from seeing her n.a.k.e.d earlier flashed in his head so he could vividly imagine what her b.o.o.b.s looked like with the bra aside.

    His eyes moved to her hands which were struggling to get the gown past her h.i.p.s. Her body was so smooth and soft. He had seen this body a lot of times but now, it was different and it was obvious in his nether region which was growing even more.

    He saw her hand stop struggling with the gown and looked up at her face to see she was looking at him. Her face was really flushed and he couldn''t tell if it was from the drinks she had or from embarras.e.m.e.nt.

    He wanted to touch her. The devil knows he really wanted to touch her.

    "My... shoes.." She said in a whisper so he snapped back to his senses and remembered she was still wearing her shoes and she wanted him to help her with it.

    He stood up and squatted down to to help her out of her boots. He wished he hadn''t moved his eyes up because when he did, he saw the line of her panties which was covering her private region. Just in that moment, she arched her back up to let the gown pass her h.i.p.s.

    Finally, she succeeded and the gown fell down to her legs. His eyes widened when he came face to face with her panty claded crotch.

    "What... are you... do-ing?" He asked in a hoarse voice when he saw her trying to take off her lace panties.

    "I need to change out of these. It''s uncomfortable." She managed to say with her eyes still closed. Apparently, she was in her own world.

    "No.. no.." He said and stood up. "Do not do so. I am here." He reminded her.

    "Why does it matter? Ah.. I''m so sleepy." She said and hooked her fingers on the waist band of her panties to pull it down.

    James was tempted to watch but he shook the thought out of his head and went to switch off the lights, plunging the room into complete darkness. He believed things would be better if he wasn''t seeing anything.

    "I''ll sleep in Peter''s bedroom." He announced.

    "Isn''t his girlfriend there?" Mira asked as she shuffled out of her panties.

    "I don''t think so."

    "Do not leave me alone in here��" She said in a pleading voice.

    "You are drunk and n.a.k.e.d." He said through gritted teeth.

    "oooh.. my head is spinning." She m.o.a.ned and that just made him begin to have wild thoughts again.

    "Just stay with me... please..."

    James sighed in resignation before moving closer to the bed.

    He also didn''t like to sleep with clothes on so he took of his clothes and was left in only his boxer brief.

    He then climed into the far end of the bed. The bed was wide enough so he was sure their bodies wouldn''t have to come in contact.

    He heard her breathing softly and assumed she was sleeping.

    His back was on the bed and eyes staring blankling in the dark. If only he wasn''t so tired.. maybe he would have done something about his erection which was refusing to go down. He was thankful the room was dark so she wouldn''t take note of it.

    "I thought you were going to sleep with the blond tonight?" She suddenly said and rolled over to where he was sleeping but didn''t get too close to him.

    "Why would you think that?" He asked turning to his side to face her.

    "I don''t know... I just thought so. She was flirting with you all night."

    "I don''t sleep with every girl who flirts with me." He said with an irritated tone.

    "But you kiss every girl who flirts with you?"

    "If the case arise." He answered casually.

    "So what if I flirt with you?"

    James shifted back on the bed. "You shouldn''t say something like that."

    "Why?"

    "You are drunk, n.a.k.e.d and on my bed. You shouldn''t say things like that." He said in a strained voice.

    "��."

    The silence was becoming too awkward so James spoke.

    "Sorry about earlier. I didn''t mean to.. you know.. barge in on you."

    "I know." She said quietly.

    "Richard.. do you like him?" He asked. This topic was safer than talking about that. He concluded.

    "Yes. He is a wonderful guy."

    "Someone you can date or just a guy you want to crush on this week?"

    She giggled hearing him say that. "He is a great guy. I don''t mind dating him. At least I know he isn''t pretending to like me because he needs my help to get to my parents. Besides, he is also a rich guy."

    "Hmm.. I see��"

    Mira wondered why he was sounding that way. Was that jealousy?

    "Good night." She said to him and turned to face the opposite side.

    "Night.." He said back and turned to face the opposite side. Now, their backs were facing each other.

    He prayed for sleep to come to free him from this. Only a few minutes passed and his eyes began to feel heavy. Just as he was about to sleep, he heard soft sobbing sounds coming from Mira.

    "Mira?" He turned immediately.

    "��.." She sniffed.

    "Are you okay?" He asked as he shifted closer to her.

    "My parents are getting a divorce." She said without turning around.

    "What?" He asked in surprise. He would have asked why? But that wasn''t a question one could ask in this case.

    "I''m so sorry." He said and tried to hug her, totally forgetting she was n.a.k.e.d.

    He was practically spooning her with his hand on her belly and her n.a.k.e.d back pressed to his bare chest.

    They both froze and immediately, his hard-on came back to life.

    ''Shit!'' He cussed silently.

    ''Move away from her.'' A voice in his head said.

    ''Just stay there and act like you do not know what is happening.'' Another voice said.

    He tried to move away but he just couldn''t. It was the first time he was holding her this intimately and he knew if he moved his hand only a bit higher, he would touch those glorious twin peaks up there.

    The thought alone made a groan escape his lips and enter into Mira''s ears who immediately had goosebumps all over her body.

    ''What''s happening?'' Mira asked herself. ''Is this.... oh.. his hand feels so good.'' She thought in her head.

    Both were breathing heavily now. Maybe it was the drink she drank because Mira began to feel funny. His hand on her belly, his breath on her neck and the obvious hard-on poking her butt made her feel warm all over .

    James'' hand began to unconsciously move in circles in her stomach.

    "J.."

    "Please�� tell me to stop." He said in a husky whisper. He didn''t want to ruin their friendship because of this and he also didnt know how to stop but maybe if she told him to, he would eventually come to his senses.

    "..."

    Mira didn''t say a word.

    ''James, her parents are getting a divorce. She needs a friend right now to comfort her'' One voice chided him.

    ''This is also a nice comfort for her'' Another one said to counter the first one.

    Which voice was he going to listen to?

 Chapter 144 - Bodyguard

    Thankfully, the students in the management class at school didn''t have a quick lecture on Monday morning until it was noon, so those who went partying, woke up pretty late except for Chloe who was sitting in her office chair with two of her staff opposite her. One was her female Personal Assistant, the other one was the head of Public Relations.

    "I tried talking to the major investor who wanted to pull out but he insists on meeting the boss first before he considers changing his mind." The head of the PR who was a young man reported.

    "He wants to meet me first? Why?" Chloe asked in confusion.

    "I do not know. He refused to say anything else to me."

    Chloe scoffed in disbelief. ''Who does he think he is?'' She asked herself and a voice in her head answered. ''He is a major investor and if he pulls out, it''s at your loss.''

 Chapter 145 - Showered with a beer?

    Mira''s eyes slowly fluttered open and quickly closed back when light entered into her eyes.

    She groaned as her head ached fiercely and tried to sit up. When she managed to sit on the bed, she slowly opened her eyes again and this time, the ache in her head wasn''t as terrible as the first time.

    Beside her, she saw a little stool and on top of it, there was a bottle of water and a bottle of pills.

    James must have left it there. The thought of James made her quickly turn to check beside her on the bed but she didn''t see James. His side of the bed looked like he hadn''t slept there.

    She tried to remember what had happened last night and when the memory began to return, she gasped and looked down at her body but she wasn''t n.a.k.e.d.

    She was wearing one of James'' shirt and one of the shorts which he had bought for her to wear whenever she was sleeping over at his place.

    "Oh my god!" She gasped and used a hand to cover her mouth as her eyes bulged out.

    How could she have stripped in front of him?

    But that was the least of her problems because she suddenly remembered their n.a.k.e.d bodies pressed together, she could still vividly remember how fast her heart had been beating.

    He had been slowly touching her belly and she remembered him begging her to stop him.

    She tried to remember what she told him but she remembered she hadn''t said a word. Her brain had been foggy then and she hadn''t pushed him away nor encouraged him.

    They had both remained that way for a while and just when she thought he was going to go further, he stopped a abruptly and withdrew his hand.

    "I could talk to Mrs Bills for you." He offered with a husky voice as he moved away from her.

    She had been a bit startled, not knowing what her mother had to do with all of this and seeing how quiet she was, James continued...

    "I mean the divorce.. to let her know how you feel about it because I am pretty sure you wouldn''t want to listen to them talk."

    It was as if he was struggling to speak and she could hear how he was trying to control his breathing. Mira didn''t turn at all.

    She was still lying at her side, clutching the duvet which was covering their bodies, and after a moment''s quietness, she rolled to the end of the bed where she had been lying down earlier.

    "I�� I''ll talk to... my par-ents." She said nervously.

    James sat up from the bed and she could tell he was dressing up. A little while passed and he asked, "You are still under the duvet right?"

    "Hmmm"

    He moved over to where the light switch was located and flicked it on while Mira closed her eyes tightly.

    She heard him open his wardrobe door and began to search around for something. He walked to her side where she was closing her eyes and clutching the duvet around her body tightly then he dropped something on her bed.

    "You should wear this. I''ll be downstairs, not sure when I''ll be coming up here so lock the door from inside." He said before leaving the room in a hurry.

    Mira''s heart continued to beat very fast after he left. It didn''t take long before she dozed off. Looking at James'' side, she was sure he didn''t return last night.

    "This is so embarrassing!" She said with her hands covering her face now. How was she going to face him? What was she going to say to him? If James hadn''t stopped, she was pretty sure she wouldn''t have stopped him. What was going to happen to their friendship now?

    She didn''t have an answer to these questions but she definitely knew what to do in another aspect, she wasn''t going to sleep here anymore, or at least, in his room.

    She swallowed the pills quickly and hoped it would work faster as she picked up her phone. A gasp escaped her lips seeing it was past 11 in the morning and she had a couple of missed calls from her parents and Mia.

    She walked to the door slowly which she hadn''t locked last night because she was too weak to stand up, and after taking a deep breath, she opened it.

    She slowly began to take the stairs down, trying so hard not to make a single noise. She knew she couldn''t avoid him, even if she did now, she was going to eventually bump into him later.

    She stood in her tracks and her heart stopped beating when she saw James'' back. He was using a mop to clean the floor and wore an headset.

    It was as if he sensed she was behind because he suddenly turned around and instantly, the atmosphere was filled with awkwardness.

    "Good�� morning. Did you find the drugs?" He asked with a straight face.

    "Yea. Thanks." She replied with a stiff smile and began to wonder what next to say.

    "How long have you been on this? Where are the maids?" She asked.

    James looked at her quietly as he tried to figure out whether she knew what had happened the previous night or not.

    "We are out of some food supplies so I offered to do this while they went grocery shopping. Your Breakfast is on the table. You should eat."

    He said more comfortably this time.

    "And Peter and Rachel?"

    "Rachel is inside her room, still knocked out while Peter went to school."

    "Ohh.."  It reminded Mira that it was Monday morning and she would soon be returning to school once her holidays are over.

    They both stared at each other quietly before James broke the silence..  "Your mother called me. I let her know you were still asleep and would call her when you are awake."

    Talking about her mother brought sadness to her eyes. She only nodded before turning to look towards the dining.

    "I''ll go have breakfast. I''m starving." She turned and was about to leave when he spoke again in a quiet voice this time.

    "I''m sorry about last night Mira." He said and saw her freeze but she didn''t turn.

    He guessed that had only happened because he had a lot to drink last night. God knows last night had been a struggle for him. The voices in his head kept messing with him until he made up his mind he was just going to fall into the temptation.

    But then, he remembered Mira''s smiling face and how she always jumped on him and kissed his cheeks playfully. He remembered how she always said he was her best friend in the world and nothing would ever come between them. He also remembered how he always comforted her after a break up and how she also returned the favour.

    He knew just a few minutes of allowing his l.u.s.t take over was going to ruin their friendship and he didn''t want that. So just before his hand went higher, he stopped and pulled his hand away.

    And he was proud of that decision.

    When he left the room that night, he came down and began to pick up the littered items until his eyes was heavy and he slept off on the couch just as the clock approached 6 in the morning. It was only a few minutes past 8 when his eyes opened again and he began to wake the others to return to their homes. Since then, he had been awake and trying to clear his mind by engaging himself with some chores.

    Mira had thought he wasn''t going to mention it so now, it was even more awkward for her.

    She could have easily claimed to not remember what happened but she decided against it. She was going to face this head on and deal with it.

    "It''s fine. You do not have to apologize."

    "I wasn''t talking about the bathroom incident. You know that right?"

    "I remembered��. It''s okay." She finally turned to face him.

    "I just�� do not want you to hate me because of that." He said with his eyes down in guilt.

    "I know I messed up but I''m still hoping it wouldn''t ruin our friendship. Your friendship is more important to me than anything else in this world." He lifted his head so she would see the sincerity in his eyes.

    Mira smiled at him. This time, it wasn''t stiff or forced. It was a small genuine smile.

    "Thank you. Your friendship also means a whole lot to me." She said making him smile and heave a deep sigh of relief before placing a hand on his chest.

    He was greatly relieved she had forgiven him so easily.

    "Friends hug?" He asked before dropping the mop to spread his arms wide.

    Mira shrugged before going to hug him.

    "Oh jeez.. go take your bath." He cringed before pushing her away playfully.

    "Did you drink the beer with your hair or showered with it?" He teased making her squint to look at him.

    "You asked for the hug so you have to hug me." She said before trying to forcefully hug him but he ducked.

    "Come here!" She demanded and tried to hug him but he quickly moved away and soon, she was chasing him round the house while they were scampered around, laughing like two kids.

    "Ahh.. my ankle." Mira wailed and raised one leg to grab her ankle. "I just sprained in because of you." She complained bitterly.

    "Really? Where?" James hurried to check her ankle and immediately he got closer, she wrapped him in a bear hug while he realised she had just played him.

 Chapter 146 - Feels weird to live normally

    They had just returned from the party, standing in front of her room''s door and was about to kiss when Tara barked. But that hadn''t stopped them.

    Leo had slowly lowered his head until their lips touched then he withdrew, looked into her eyes and sealed their lips again. This time, he kissed her passionately with his hands on her waist while she wrapped her hands around his neck and stretched to meet him. They had both kissed fiercely until they both could no longer breathe and pulled away from each other. She smiled and was about kissing him again when he suddenly gave her a weird smile.

    She paused and quickly let go of him. "You are not Leo." She said in fear as she stepped back.

    He didn''t answer and only smirked making her confirm it really wasn''t him. "Louis?" She called out with a gasp and when he tried to touch her, she screamed.....

    And woke up from her dream with a start.

 Chapter 147 - I like her....a lot

    "Mr Williams, can you please tell us what you learnt in today''s lecture?" Mrs Pine, one of the accounting teacher asked Jeremy who quickly turned his head to look at her in confusion.

    As usual of students, they all turned their heads to look at him. His eyes moved from the teacher to Chloe who was smirking at him.

    He looked away in embarras.e.m.e.nt and smiled at Mrs Pine before pulling his ear.

    "You.... were talking about taxation."

    "Of course, we were obviously going to talk about that since it is the course title" She said with a scowl making the other students laugh.

    "You should always pay attention in class instead of stealing glances at those who pay attention in class." She advised before turning her attention towards Kelvin who was staring daggers at Jeremy for reasons best known to him.

    "Mr Hank, can you please tell Mr Williams a bit of what he missed from today''s lecture?" The teacher asked Kelvin who looked away from Jeremy to face her.

 Chapter 148 - I know a Cherry

    "You are sure nothing happened between you two?" Mia asked Jeremy when they both got to the school''s cafeteria.

    "Nah. He just wanted me to know my place and stay off his path." He explained.

    "Why are you both always at each other''s necks?"

    "He''s jealous because I''m more handsome." He said with a boyish grin making her eye him.

    "Just be careful. He seems like the kind who likes trouble a lot."

    Mia warned making him look at her face seriously like he was thinking about something.

    "Here!" She took out a printed material from her bag and placed it in front of him.. "I summarized most of our lecture notes in here. If you do not understand this, then I''m not sure even God can help you." Mia said and still wondered how he was able to secure a scholarship.

    She had been waiting for him to reply but he kept looking at her strangely making her raise a brow as she dropped the burger in her hand.

 Chapter 149 - Stop wearing skirts to class

    "Hey! Hold up!" A guy called behind Mia as she was leaving the school premises making her turn to look at him in surprise.

    He was obviously not in her department or class so she looked at him in confusion as he hurried to stand beside her.

    "Hi! I''m Alex." He said with a warm smile as he clutched his backpack tightly.

    "O-kay?" Mia asked as she waited for Alex to explain what he wanted. It was rare for people in school to approach her since she didn''t dress well and obviously didn''t look rich.

    Alex was a bit fl.u.s.tered. He looked like he hadn''t expected her to react that way but nonetheless, he kept a smile on his face.

    "Second time seeing you around here. Love your new look. You are pretty by the way." He complimented making her narrow her eyes the more.

    "Is this what I think it is?" She asked in surprise. Although she had seen people admire her from afar, she hadn''t imagined they would come approach her like this.

 Chapter 150 - You look... fl.u.s.tered

    By the time the car stopped in front of Leo''s house, Mia could tell Leo was really sick and was trying to hide it from her.

    "Get on my back." She said as squatted in front of him making him raise a confusing yet amused brow at her.

    "Are you... okay?" He asked as he looked at her without making a move.

    "You are sick. I can''t let you walk too much so hop on my back and I''ll carry you inside the house."

    It wouldn''t have been very funny to Leo had Mia not looked very serious as she said to him in an authoritative voice.

    "Hurry up!" She said sternly as she looked over her shoulder to see his face which had a smile plastered on it as he watched her in astonishmemt.

    He had never had anyone offer to give him a piggyback ride before.

    "I don''t.." He suddenly stopped talking and the smile on his face turned to a mischievous one as he leaned in on her back.

    Since she was stubborn, he was going to have to indulge her.

 Chapter 151 - Granting permission

    Mia had been really worried seeing Leo lying there with his eyes closed. What if he was really sick? She didn''t want him to fall sick. Without thinking twice, she approached him to touch his forehead. His body was hot but he hadn''t given her a moment to check properly because he pulled her forcefully making her fall on top of him.

    Her heart skipped several beats as she looked at his face in surprise when he pulled her up so she was looking directly at his face. His eyes slowly opened and their eyes locked making her want to get away as soon as possible.

    She was still very embarrassed after confessing to him last night and had been thankful he hadn''t mentioned it. But she also didn''t want to stay on top of him like this. Not at all! Her heart was beating so fast she feared it may explode.

    He said something with his eyes never leaving hers making her gulp as her eyes lowered to the lips which had just opened up to let the words come out.

 Chapter 152 - Stubborn Jeremy

    "Why does it always rain whenever I am stuck with this boy?" Chloe asked herself quietly as Jeremy drove them both to the location she was to meet David.

    The bastard had actually asked her to come to his place but she had refused and insisted on meeting with him in an open place. Since it began to rain, she asked him to wait outside the building where he lived so they would talk quickly before she returned home.

    She turned to look at Jeremy who was very quiet.

    ''This is weird. He usually talks a lot so why is he quiet?'' She asked herself as she looked at him.

    ''Did I do something?'' She wondered and began to think back to all that had happened that day. She couldn''t remember ever saying anything to make him angry at her so why wasn''t he talking to her?

    She suddenly frowned and looked at him in anger.  ''What''s my business if he isn''t talking to me? It''s better this way. I can enjoy some quietness.'' She sighed and turned to look out the window.

 Chapter 153 - Angry Chloe

    "It has nothing to do with you." Chloe told David with a dark glare. "I just came here today to let you know I have moved on. If you keep bothering me, I would have to other choice but to get you arrested. I mean it." She warned before turning to leave.

    "Gaby is sick." He suddenly said in a loud voice which stopped her in her tracks.

    "She is really sick and needs to be taken to the hospital. Please.... Chlo�C"

    "See? I knew this was it! You want money. Because of money you always make up useless stories. Well, you can go work hard and take her to the hospital. Do not involve me. We are over. And I am never going to let you enslave me again." She said angrily before moving to her car to open the passenger''s seat''s door.

    "What is wrong with you? Why did you come out? I told you to stay in!" She snapped at Jeremy but kept her voice low since David was still around.

 Chapter 154 - A penny for your thought

    Leo knew he was falling into a pit. A really deep and dark pit. But he couldn''t help it.

    After the incident with Cherry, he had made sure to lock himself out of anything called special feelings towards the female specie. The only female he ever liked where those from his family.

    He didn''t want to take that road anymore. It had been difficult, suffocating, and he felt like giving up at that moment. When he slowly began to recover, he warned himself never to fall for any woman. To always keep them at arm''s length and if he wanted them for pleasure, he had to make it known to them. He had been living that way. But it made him laugh at himself that it was only two years. Just two years and a little ignorant seductress came into his house and refused to leave and had captured his heart in the process.

 Chapter 155 - For you...

    Leo King had a lot to do. He had to go with Mia to go see her mother and Mr Timothy, he also had to go home to go meet his mother since they had to talk about the whole ''cake as big as the universe'' thing and the party his grandmother was planning to hold for him. But now, he wasn''t sure he would be able to do any of those.

    He tried to think straight and let her go. To get away from her, to roll away and adjust himself. But he couldn''t.

    His self control was slowly slipping away but he reminded himself this was Mia.

    And Mia was the only woman capable of throwing him out of his house if he overdid things and crossed the boundary.

    But where there boundaries now? She didn''t seem to mind.

    ''Shut up Leo! Do you think she''s capable of thinking straight right now?'' He scolded himself.

    As crazy as it sounded, he wished he was a Werewolf. At least, he would have taken this opportunity to mark her so that whenever anyone saw her, they would see the mark on her neck and know she belonged to someone. To Leo King.

    "Leo..." She m.o.a.ned out his name again making him never want to stop. Making him want to do more things to make her say his name that way over and over and over again.

    He slowly raised his head from her neck to look at her face. Her eyes were closed. Her hands now groping the sheets tightly, and she was biting her lips, which looked rather seductive to him.

    The whole thing was so e.r.o.t.i.c that he grew larger and almost lost control.

    ''Focus Leo!'' He shook his head to shake out every other thought and fought the urge to take her lips in his and suck on it until she screamed his name in ecstasy.

    She opened her eyes and after a few seconds of staring at each other with undisguised desire and passion, she was the first to react.

    She pushed him away. Although she didn''t push too hard, Leo moved and lifted his body off of her.

    She knew if things continued this way, she was going to lose control and do things she wasn''t sure she would end up liking or regretting. She hated taking risks and this was one big risk that scared her so much.

    Seeing the panic in her eyes, Leo moved completely away from her but still remained on the bed and used the duvet to cover his lower body so she wouldn''t see ''it'' even though she had felt it just a few seconds ago.

    His eyes went to her legs and when she noticed where his gaze was, she quickly pulled down her skirt which was doing a pretty good job of covering almost nothing from his eyes. Then, she sat up and put a hand in between them.

    "Do not come any closer. I... I rebuke you.." She stuttered and stood up in a hurry.

    ''Okay, this is weird.'' Leo thought to himself.

    ''Does she regret it? The kiss? I didn''t even touch her.''

    "What''s wrong?" He asked her calmly not wanting to scare her.

    She looked slightly disheveled. Her hair was messy, her clothes rumpled and face extremely flushed red and lips slightly swollen from the passionate kiss they had both shared.

    He watched her wrap her hands around her body as if she was cold... or scared.

    "I am... scared." She said as she looked at him with obvious fear in her eyes.

    Leo sat up on the bed. He would have reached for her but he didn''t want to scare her more when she saw how turned on he was for her. He concluded it was best to just sit there under the duvet and act like everything was okay with him even though his hormones were driving him insane.

    "Sacred? Why?" He asked her in a quiet voice. He feared if he raised his voice even a bit higher, she may run away. From the room, from the house, from him.

    "I don''t know... this.. this whole thing." She said shaking her head.

    "What''s ''this whole thing''?" He asked in confusion.

    "This!" She said pointing at the bed while raising her voice slightly.

    "I don''t... even know what to think or what to do. I like you, I am attracted to you. But.. I don''t think I... want this. I just..."

    "Mia." Leo called her seeing how confused she looked as she kept rambling on.

    Mia looked at him and stopped talking and to her surprise, she saw him taking off his hoodie.

    "What... what... are you.." Why was he taking off his clothes? She was telling him she didn''t want this but he was stripping?

    Leo ignored her and stood up with his back to her making her back away. He had taken off his hoodie but he was still wearing a simple white polo inside. Was he planning to completely strip before her?

    She watched him tie the hoodie around his waist, making sure she wouldn''t notice a thing before turning to look at her again.

    She kept moving back until her back was pressed to the wall and he stood in front of her before he raised his hands and dropped them on her shoulders to make sure she looked at him and not avoid his gaze.

    "Calm down Mia. You can say all you want to say slowly. You don''t have to be scared." He said and looked deeply into her eyes with gentle eyes.

    "I promise you, Mia... I won''t ever do anything that''s going to make you scared or uncomfortable. So just relax, and talk to me. Okay?" He asked her with a small smile that made her suck in breath again.

    Why was he so adorable? She hadn''t been the type to always fuss about looks and all but why couldn''t she just be indifferent towards him like she had always been with every other guy she had met?

    Leo watched her face in confusion as he saw a tear slide down her eyes and she sniffled.

    "Mia? What''s wrong?" He asked in surprise as he caught the tear with his hand and cleaned it off.

    "What''s it?"

    "I... I don''t know. It''s just..." She dropped her gaze from his to look at his chest which was directly in front of her. She could hear his heartbeat which was pounding very loudly and fast.

    "What is it? Why are you crying? Did I do something wrong? Please tell me.." He pleaded with her desperately. He didn''t like to see her cry. He always saw Mia as a strong girl and knew she was the type to cry when the situation was really tough for her.

    "It''s too... difficult to not like you." She said before slowly wrapping her hands around his waist then she placed her head gently on his chest.

    "I am scared. I''ve not liked anyone before. I don''t want to like someone and they begin to treat me like my mother did. If the woman who gave birth to me can treat me like that? Then what about someone I just met? I''m scared Leo King. I rarely like someone but when I do, I like the person with my all. What if the person doesn''t like me back? What if it''s all a lie? What if at some point, I no longer matter to the person? This is too big of a risk for me to take." She said in between sobs.

    She was now crying really hard now. She was crying more because she was pitying for herself in advance. She knew things didn''t always end well for her. She wasn''t even sure why she really liked him. Was it because he was nice? Or because he was from a rich family and was helping her out? Or because her hormones kept drawing her to him because he was super attractive? She didn''t want to make a mistake.

    But she knew one way or the other, she couldn''t escape this. She was going to eventually make a mistake. She was going to regret it. But she didn''t know whether the regret was going to come from either running away from this or facing it head on.

    Leo was flabbergasted. He stood there like a statue not knowing what to do or say.

    This was also a part of his fears and he had been right to feel this way. He didn''t want to hurt her. He wasn''t sure he could give her the type of love she wanted to wipe off every pain she had felt before. But he also didn''t want to let her go.

    Should he make the promise? The promise to be there for her always? The promise to keep her safe and make her feel loved? The promise that he would never meet any other woman except for her? But could he keep it? Can he fulfill it?

    Should he assure her that she could trust him? Can he trust himself even?

    He hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her possessively and also in comfort.

    "Truthfully Mia...." He started slowly.

    "I am... also scared. Very scared."

    "But I''ll be here."

    "For you..."

 Chapter 156 - Ive always had people do it for me

    Jeremy pulled up in the parking lot of the mall and stepped down. Chloe had told him earlier that she wouldn''t be returning to the Mall but instead, would be going home. But after her meeting with David, she had changed her mind. She said she wanted to stay at the office and occupy her mind with work before returning home for dinner. She still had a bit of time.

    "You weren''t supposed to come to work today right?" Chloe asked Jeremy as she began to walk out of the parking lot and heading inside. Her eyes darted around, afraid that someone may jump on her.

    "No. How long are you planning on spending here?" He asked her as he took out his phone to check the time.

    "An hour should do. You can return home."

 Chapter 157 - Im jealous

    "Mr Charles is going to drive down there on his own. I hope you are going to be okay when you meet all of them." Leo said as he briefly glanced at her while driving.

    Since they left the house, they hadn''t said a word to each other. And after thinking about what to say for a long time, he said that instead, hoping it would lighten the atmosphere.

    Mia only nodded in response and looked at the window. Her mind was very preoccupied.

    ''Today is a really long day''. She said in her head.

    Waking up late, hurrying to school, running away from Benjamin, coming home with Leo, making out with Leo, confessing to Leo again, and now she was going to meet her mother and the last person she ever wanted to see�� Mr Timothy.

    She wished the day would end so she could just go to bed and wake up tomorrow, pretending like everything was fine.

    She turned to look at Leo. There was a question eating her up and she wanted to ask him, but she didn''t know how he was going to react to the question.

    "What is it?" He asked without turning to look at her. Through the corner of his eye, he could see she was looking at him and he knew Mia wouldn''t just be staring at him for nothing. There was something in her mind she desperately wanted to let off.

    ''''Nothing." She shook her head gently and turned to look out the window.

    "There is something." He said calmly and se turned to look at him again.

    "There... is something I am curious about." She said softly.

    "What?" Leo asked quietly but was a bit uncomfortable with the way she sounded. What did she want to ask? What was she so curious about? He asked himself as he waited for her to talk.

    "I am just curious�� that lady the other day...Cherry."

    Leo stiffened at the mention of her name and Mia noticed it.

    What had prompted her to suddenly ask this question out of the blue? Leo asked himself as he shifted.

    "You both dated right?" She asked and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

    Cherry was a very pretty woman. Her looks, the way she dressed, Mia knew she would never measure up.

    If she was a man, she would look back a couple of times if Cherry walked past her.

    Knowing that Leo had been with someone like that, she kept wondering what he had seen in her to say he was attracted to her and he liked her.

    "We did." He answered without looking at her.

    Hearing him admit it made her feel even more jealous. If Cherry came back and said she wanted them to be together, would he still be interested in her when Cherry was there?

    This wasn''t about her self esteem right now. It was simply reality.

    "So�� what happened between you two?" She pressed on even though she knew she may not like the answer.

    "Did any of you do something to upset the other? Or you both fell out of love and decided to end things on equal grounds?"

    Who was she kidding? She knew it wasn''t the latter. From the way Chloe had sounded, Cherry had been the one to hurt him.

    She watched as his facial muscles turned rigid.

    Leo didn''t ever like to talk about this topic with others except his Psychologist. Ever since it happened two years ago, everyone who knew him had made sure not to mention it and even when they did, he wouldn''t say a word to them.

    But he knew he had to give her an answer.

    "She cheated." He said as his car pulled up in the parking lot of Mr Timothy''s building.

    "So we broke up."

    Mia felt her heart squeeze when she heard the pain in his voice as he spoke. And it wasn''t because she felt bad for him. It was because he still felt hurt. He probably hadn''t moved on.

    Then did it mean there was still some kind of lingering feelings?

    Leo turned to look at her face. She looked sad.

    "How long did you date?" She asked again in a strained voice.

    He turned off the ignition and sighed before answering honestly. "Four years. It was four years."

    Mia sucked in air audibly. Four years?

    Those four years, he had loved her, they had gone out together, she had probably spend a lot of nights inside his house and slept on his bed.

    They had both kissed and most likely, did more than just kissing.

    Mia felt hurt and heartbroken.

    He hadn''t been the one to cheat neither had he broken up with her because he no longer loved her. He had done so because she hurt him.

    Leo looked at her and wondered what she was thinking right now. He didn''t know why she decided to raise this topic now of all times.

    "I understand." She said softly and tried to open the door but he held her hand and stopped her from opening the door.

    "What is it that you understand? I need to know." He said quietly.

    He knew how most girls acted and whenever they said they understood, they actually didn''t  understand a thing. It was only a ploy to end the topic so they could go and start thinking weird things inside their heads.

    "Leo, we have to go in right now." She said calmly.

    "Not until you tell me what it is that you understood."

    Mia sighed and turned to face him properly.

    "That you loved her a lot. That you dated her for long and broke up with her because she cheated and I can swear you still feel something for her. I guess it is probably the reason you began to have flings and not want to commit to any kind of relationship." She said before forcing out a smile which didn''t reach her dull eyes.

    "I told you, I do understand." She repeated and waited for him to let go of her hands but he didn''t.

    Majority of what she said was correct but he wasn''t sure he would agree with her that he still felt something for Cherry.

    "I don''t. I admit I began having flings, but it was because I didn''t want to think about what she did or anything else. And I have stopped doing that Mia. You know so."

    "I don''t." She shook her head immediately.

    "I don''t know Leo. I''m serious." She said in a small and quiet voice.

    "I really haven''t been with any other woman since we... look Mia..." He took in a deep breath and continued.

    "Those things are all in the past."

    "You probably think so. Look, you don''t have to be bothered and think I am going to end up becoming clingy. I told you before that I do not want anything from you remember? We can just be friends. You shouldn''t try to force yourself into loving someone. From your reaction when we started having this conversation, I realised you aren''t also ready for any relationship..."

    "Mia��"

    "But Leo.." She continued.

    "I am not Cherry. And I do not think I am the type to have flings." She said with sad eyes.

    "This thing between us is not clearly defined and I do not think I want to continue. I''d like us to stop this whole...  thing before it leads to something else. I am afraid I may like you more than I already do while you are still hung up on your ex and is trying to use me to forget about her. I don''t want to be heartbroken at the end. I already feel this way right now, I don''t know how I am going to feel when I end up liking you more."

    "That''s not it��" He quickly interrupted with a frustrated sigh but she cut in again.

    "Maybe I am not making much sense right now and you think I am overreacting, but I hope you try to understand this from my part and put yourself in my shoes. Remember how angry you were when you thought I was only using you to get Benjamin to like me more? I think I also feel that way right now. And I am also jealous.. that you could date someone like her for years." She forced out a laugh and sniffed before looking out the window to see a taxi pull up.

    The smile on her face disappeared when she saw her mother step down from the taxi.

    Leo kept talking but she didn''t hear a thing as her gaze was fixed on her mother.

    "Mia.. are you listening to me?" He asked and followed her gaze to see a slim woman paying the taxi driver.

    "Is that her? Your mother?" He asked.

    He could guess it was her from the look on Mia''s face.

    "Hmm.. it''s her." Mia answered before moving her gaze from her to look at Leo.

    "We should head in now. Let''s continue this conversation at home. Please?" He asked with pleading eyes.

    Mia wanted to tell him there was no point talking about it again but she found herself nodding in agreement.

 Chapter 158 - Linda and Leo

    Chloe had never faced such kind of awkwardness before.

    They had placed a small wooden chair inside the bathroom in front of the mirror while Jeremy sat there and waited for Chloe to blow dry his hair for him.

    Chloe tried not to look at his face in the mirror because she may blow up at him if she saw the grin on his face.

    "Why do you keep a long hair if you cannot take care of it?" Chloe asked and frowned at him before moving about to get the things she needed in place.

    She couldn''t believe it. She of all people was doing this. Maybe it was a mistake employing him in the first place because he was making her do the things she didn''t like to do.

    As she walked towards him,  she noticed the look on his face had changed and now, he looked sad.

    She stared at him through the mirror in confusion. Did she say anything wrong? Why was he sad and no longer looking at her?

    ''Should I ask him what I did wrong?''

 Chapter 159 - Signing her fate

    Leo, Mia, Mr Charles, Linda, Mr Timothy and Mr Timothy''s lawyer all sat around a round fancy wooden table inside Mr Timothy''s office.

    Leo sat beside Mia and held her hand under the table as a from of support to her and Mia really needed it. She didn''t know how she would have been able to do all of this without Leo. In fact, without Leo, she wouldn''t have been here. She probably would have been working her ass off somewhere while her pay would be cut in half eventually because most rich people were naturally wicked.

    Mia tried not to look at her mother who was sitting opposite her. Her mother hadn''t bothered to call her to know how she was faring the entire time. Maybe she had done the right thing by cutting all ties with her.

    "Welcome to my round table. I was inspired by King Arthur." Mr Timothy said with a smile as he looked at all of them one by one.

    "We do not care if Merlin inspired you. Just go straight to the point. We have other things to do." Leo said impatiently making the two lawyers and Mia laugh a bit despite being very tensed.

    "So.. are you both really dating now? You denied it the last time." Mr Timothy asked Mia, totally ignoring Leo''s comment.

    "Mr Timothy. The young man needs to leave so let''s hurry up." Linda said with a small smile.

    He was paying up over a hundred thousand. She didn''t want him to change his mind because of Mr Timothy''s incessant questions. Where were they going to start from if he changed his mind?

    Mia looked at her with a straight face after she finished speaking. It was as if this woman right here wasn''t her mother. She just didn''t recognize her.

    Linda still looked the same. She wore a loose green pant and faded black top which was almost turning into grey. Her hair was in a bun and she looked like she had aged more since the last time Mia saw her.

    "Alright. Let''s go straight to the point." Mr Timothy said and cleared his throat before turning to his lawyer to bring out some doc.u.ments from his briefcase.

    "As much as I would have loved for Mia�C who I love so much to become my daughter in-law, I guess it''s also a good thing that I will be having my complete money today. And it''s all thanks to a King." Mr Timothy said before looking at Leo who was scowling at him.

    From the moment Leo heard that he had planned to take Mia as a wife for his son, he had hated him with passion and finally meeting him now, he couldn''t just hide his hatred for him.

    His lawyer handed the doc.u.ments to Mr Timothy who then handed it over to Mr Charles as the lawyer to take a look at it.

    Leo waited for Mr Charles to study everything and after a lot of minutes passed, Mr Charles patiently explained the details to Leo, Mia and Linda.

    It was too bad the state allowed things like this. It was crazy. Mia thought as her hands fisted while Leo squeezed her hand to let her know he was still with her.

    If she ever found herself in politics, she was going to make sure to move a motion for this thing to be scrapped.

    "Everything is perfectly understood." Leo nodded before turning to look at Mr Timothy.

    "I believe if the whole debt is paid, then you would never appear before them again."

    "Of course! I have other important things to do. You just have to pay the Hundred and fifty thousand...."

    "A hundred and fifty?" Mia was the first to speak up before Linda could.

    "Yes.. didn''t you hear it when the lawyer mentioned it earlier?"

    "What the hell do you think you are doing? The money isn''t even up to a hundred thousand bucks? I know it''s close to, but not up to. Why are you saying it''s a hundred and fifty? Is this fun to you?"

    "It''s okay Mia." Leo turned to look at her.

    He didn''t want her to say a word. All he wanted was for her to be quiet while he handled everything for her and she returned home as a free lady. He couldn''t wait for that moment.

    "Mr Timothy. Are you playing games right now? We have been paying up. The money left is only nine hundred and eighty three thousand. How did it suddenly spike up like that?" Linda asked, looking really angry.

    "This is business Mrs Lucas. If only your dumb daughter didn''t just sign the papers without reading the terms properly.... but why would she? When she already planned to run away. Tsk. How useless."

    "Stop it!" Linda said angrily.

    "No, he won''t!" Mia snapped at her mother. Surprising all of them around the table especially Linda.

    "He won''t stop it because he is correct. Imagine if I had been the one who did this. Would you still sit here and defend me?" Mia asked before laughing dryly.

    "For years... four good years. I lived like a slave. I worked so hard. But you never missed a chance to call me names. But you can still sit here and defend Mary? Don''t even make me get angry right now." Mia said in a really dark and threatening voice that surprised Leo.

    "She messed up. I know she did! But she was young and naive, and people make mistakes. She is your sister! You��"

    "Shut. The. Hell. Up!" Leo said as he tried to contain his temper. His words were very clear and powerful and it made her mouth clamp up immediately.

    "I can''t believe this. I just cannot believe someone like you is a mother. I''m sorry to ask this but... are you insane?" He asked as he looked at Linda''s face keenly.

    "When you were younger, did you take a lot of drugs that messed with your brain? Mia is your daughter for goodness!" He said and hit the table which made all of their bodies jump involuntarily.

    He wasn''t one to insult his elders, but he just couldn''t help it right now especially seeing Mia at the verge of tears.

    "She is the daughter who had been with you all these years and slaved herself away. Do you know all you''ve made her go through? Do you know how she''s been living? Do you know the kind of jobs she took up just to send money to an ungrateful soul like you?" He asked and remembered the day at the amus.e.m.e.nt park when he was asked to come save Mickey mouse and realised that the Mickey mouse was Mia Lucas.

    "Mary was young and naive? A girl who was in her twenties already? Can you even listen to yourself and tell me if you are making sense right now?"

    Leo never would have believed there was a mother like this. He had a question he wanted to ask her. A question he really wanted to hear the answer to. And he had asked Mia one time..

    "I know this sounds crazy, but do you think maybe... she isn''t your real mother?" He had asked Mia during one of their dinner hangouts inside the kitchen.

    Mia had looked at him with a straight face before sighing. "I... don''t know. But I want to believe she is."

    "Why? She doesn''t treat you well. She treats Mary better and��"

    "Honestly, I have thought about it." She cut in.

    "Any normal person would have had that same thought. But... I''m not sure I''m ready for those kind of dramas. I don''t want to ask her that question and find out that maybe my birth parents were even worse. I just.. don''t want my life to become more complicated than this. So I really do not want to raise that topic at all. Until I am sure I am ready for it."

    He understood her. And because he did, he wasn''t going to ask Linda that question. Especially not in front of strangers.

    "With or without you Linda, Mia is going to do just great. And you are going to regret it. I promise you."

    Leo said before asking for the doc.u.ments. Even though Mira wasn''t there, so far her mother was there and had signed the first doc.u.ments, there wouldn''t be any problems.

    He passed it first to Linda who signed it with shaky hands and teary eyes.

    Mia sat there stiffly. She didn''t want to say or do anything because she felt she might break down from either sadness or gratitude towards Leo.

    Everyone on the table signed the doc.u.ments except Mia.

    This was crazy. People were always signing her fate. Just like Mira and her mother had done.

    When Mia returned home with Leo that evening, she went straight into her room and buried her head on her pillow as she cried the tears of freedom.

    She felt like a huge load had just been lifted off her shoulders. After four years, she was finally free.

    Leo smiled sadly as he stood by her door without bothering to go in.

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 Chapter 160 - Im watching you Jeremy Williams

    "Thank you again for helping me fix my hair and buying me dinner." Jeremy told Chloe with a smile as he got down from her driver''s seat to let her drive.

    They were both at a few blocks from her place and it was time for her to take over and finally end their moment together.

    "It won''t happen again." She said indifferently before grabbing her keys from him. It had been the first time she cared from someone else''s hair.

    Jeremy didn''t move away to give her a chance to enter so she raised a brow at him.

    "Why are you still here?" She asked him curiously.

    Jeremy hadn''t  returned home since morning. In fact, he had practically spent the whole day with her because he had even slept on her couch and after classes, he had also followed her to go meet David and back to the office where she helped him dry his hair and bought them both dinner.

    He was beginning to get nervous about going home. Ellie was going to be really mad.

    Chloe waited for him to say what he wanted to say and began to wonder why he looked nervous.

    "I''d... like to cook for you." He blurted out less confidently.

    Chloe raised arched her brow. "Cook? For me?" She asked carefully.

    He bobbed his head up and down. "I was thinking if it would be possible for you to come over to my place after our classes tomorrow."

    Chloe gave him a strange look which he couldn''t decipher.

    He wanted to cook for her? Why?

    Other people always wanted her to do something for them. While Jeremy always wanted to do something for her, protect her, buy her snacks, now he wanted to cook. She just couldn''t understand him and his real motive.

    "Why?" She asked him.

    It was quite surprising she wasn''t very harsh like she always was. She was speaking calmly with her hands folded across her chest.

    "Why?" He asked back in confusion. "I just... want to cook for you." When she gave him a suspicious look, he quickly corrected.

    "I do not mean to say you don''t feed well or anything. I just... want to cook for someone else other than myself and Ellie."

    She looked at him for a while before shaking her head.

    "I can''t." She said before moving closer so he had to move away from the door. The rain had stopped falling a long time ago so they weren''t bothered about getting wet.

    "Oh..." Jeremy sighed in disappointment but didn''t push her.

    "I have a business meeting tomorrow." She added as she entered inside her car.

    "So.. does that mean you can another day? Like the day after tomorrow?" He asked with a hopeful smile.

    Chloe rolled her eyes at him but said nothing as she started the car. He took that as a Yes and smiled brightly as he closed the door for her.

    "You can just tell me your favourite food tomorrow or whatever it is you''ve been craving for for a really long time. I''ll fix it for you." He said and waved at her.

    Chloe looked at him one more time without a word before driving off.

    She shook her head and her lips involuntarily curved in a tiny smile as she looked at him through her rearview mirror before her car took a turn and he disappeared from her sight.

    Jeremy stood there with his hands deep inside his pockets and a smile on his face. Who would have thought that there would come a time in his life where he would be this close to Chloe.

    Someone he had always admired from afar and thought it was a pipe dream thinking he would ever talk to her one day. But here they were.

    One day, he was sure he would drive her into her apartment and introduce himself to her family as her boyfriend. He was a very patient person. He could wait.

    He turned around and almost got the scare of his life when he saw a car parked behind him with a young man resting on the car with his hands folded across his chest as he looked at him intensely.

    He had been so lost in his thought that he hadn''t realised when the car stopped there or how long he had been watching him.

    He looked closely and recognized him as Chloe''s brother, Leo.

    He tried to act cool with everything as he approached him.

    "We meet again. Hello!" He greeted first but as he looked at the young man closely, he could tell something was different about him aside from his hair which was neatly styled.

    "Who are you?" Louis asked as he kept observing him.

    Jeremy frowned. Why was he asking him that? Hadn''t they met a couple of times already?

    As if reading his thoughts, Louis introduced himself.

    "I am Louis. King Louis. And I''m sure it was my brother you met."

    "Oh! Shoot!" Jeremy exclaimed as he looked at him in surprise. No wonder Mia had kissed Louis thinking it was Leo. They were both so very similar. Super identical.

    "I''m Jeremy. Jeremy Williams." He said politely.

    "And why did you just drop my sister off, in her own car, close to her house, and is standing here?" He asked suspiciously as he eyed him up and down.

    Jeremy scratched the back of his neck as he thought of the best way to answer so that Chloe would not get into trouble.

    For some reason, he felt this brother was probably more difficult than the other one.

    "We are friends. And classmates."

    "Chloe doesn''t have friends." He said immediately.

    "She does. I''m her friend. I could be your friend also if you want.." He offered innocently as he extended a hand making Louis draw back and look at him cautiously.

    "I guess you are also going to drop me off, stand and watch me drive off with a sheepish smile on your face while you stand in the middle of the road and not care that a car might come crush you because you are blinded by love." He said before shaking his head.

    "Eww.. That''s gross. Why would I do that?" Jeremy asked and cringed.

    Louis closed his eyes and sighed deeply. This one wasn''t very normal. He concluded as he got inside his car.

    "I''ll talk to you some other time. I''m watching you Jeremy Williams." Louis said before driving off.

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 Chapter 161 - Dinner was.... as usual

    Some time later, the King family were all seated around the dining table with their meals served.

    "You have been really busy lately. Are you sure everything is okay?" Mr King asked Chloe who almost choked on her drink while both brothers looked at her intensely.

    They both thought it was probably that boy who was keeping her busy�� Jeremy Williams.

    Chloe used a napkin to clean her mouth gently before raising her head to look at her father.

    "Yes dad. All is fine. Just a few things I need to put in place so I can''t return home some times especially considering the distance. But I''m good."

    "I hope it doesn''t affect your studies honey? You have to graduate with good grades just like your cousin Ella and make us proud okay?" Mrs King said with a warm smile before covering her daughter''s hand with hers.

    "Yes. Sure." Chloe nodded. It was about Ella again! Even though it wasn''t very obvious, the extended family were in a covert battle of who the best kids were. So if Ella did well, her parents would want Chloe to do better than Ella so she would be used as an example for the other cousins, while the other cousins would want to also do better than her.  Really crazy!

    Mr King continued with his food, not bothering to look up again so Mrs King spoke this time.

    "So Leo, who was that girl?"

    Leo had been uncomfortable eating with them especially with his father present. So being in the spotlight now made him even more uncomfortable. If he had a choice, he would have preferred to be beside Mia than come here where his father would look for an opportunity to remind him that he was a disgrace for choosing the camera over a stethoscope and making them a laughing stock amongst the extended family.

    "She is my friend." Chloe answered first when Leo remained quiet, surprising all of them. Even Mr King raised his head to look at her.

    "Your friend?" Her mother asked as she looked between Chloe and Leo while Louis observed quietly.

    "Yes."

    "So you were the one he planned to send the picture to?" She asked again.

    Chloe didn''t know anything about that but after a brief glance at Leo, she nodded.

    "So why was he with your friend if there is nothing going on between them?" She asked in disappointment. She had been happy Leo finally had a pretty woman beside him.

    "I guess they both share a lot of mutual friends now" Mr King finally said and looked up at Leo.

    "Didn''t they also attend a friend''s party last night?"

    "Chloe went to a party?" Mrs. Leo asked in surprise before turning to look at Chloe whose hands were fisted beside her.

    "What''s all these questions for? Are we kids?" Leo finally asked in irritation.

    "If these dinners are going to be like this everytime then do not invite me anymore."

    *Bang* Mr King suddenly hit the table angrily.

    "Hell, we won''t!" He spat out. "All you do is bring us trouble and nothing but trouble. And now you want to drag your younger sister into your wayward lifestyle?"

    "When did he bring trouble to this family? You are exaggerating dad." Louis said with a frown making his father scowl at him. "Stay out of this."

    "First, you disgraced the family by trying to marry that wench then you tour round the world like a homeless beggar and hook up with different useless ladies and now, there is another woman. The only thing you are known for is women! And you had to disgrace us further by showing the whole family the kind of person you are. Can''t you be like your brother for even one day? I am still trying to think about what you had Mr Charles do for you and if it isn''t��"

    It was Leo''s turn to hit the table with great force before he stood up.

    "I am done having this conversation with you every f.u.c.k.i.n.g time. It''s none of my business if you do not support my career. It''s none of my business if you hate the women you see me with. And it''s none of your business what I do with my life since I do not spend a dime of your money...."

    "Leo.."

    Leo shook his head at his mother for her not to say anything. "I am an a.d.u.l.t. I am 27, same as Louis. Chloe is also an a.d.u.l.t. You cannot keep telling us what to do at this age."

    Chloe didn''t like how things had turned out but she sat still and watched sadly. She loved her parents even though they were strict but she also loved her brothers and Leo was right.

    Her parents even controlled her bank account. At 23, she wanted to move out and go to her own apartment but she would never raise that.

    Leo had been the only one brave enough to defy them, she wasn''t sure she could even though she really wanted to. It was also why she couldn''t ever let them know about David.

    "You are my children. And it is my responsibility to show you all the right path." Mr King bellowed at him.

    "Right path?" Leo snorted

    "You call comparing us to your nieces and nephews every single time as the right path?" He asked again.

    "Well, I don''t f.u.c.k.i.n.g want to take that path!"

    He picked up his jacket and turned to look at his mother.

    "Dinner was.... as usual. Have a good night all of you." He said and began to walk out. He was just going to go meet the only one who gave him peace.

    Mrs King looked at his plate which he hadn''t even touched at all and sighed.

    "And you better stay away from him!" Mr King turned to tell Chloe sternly.

    **********

    "Where are you coming from?" Ellie asked Jeremy immediately he entered inside the house.

    Her hair was tied in a messy bun, she wore a tiny apron her size and as she stood there glaring at him, she placed a hand on her hip while the other hand help a spatula which she was pointing at him.

    "From class." He lied with a sheepish smile. He couldn''t say ''work'' since she knew Mondays were his off days.

    "Class? It''s three minutes past eight." She said as she pointed the spatula at the clock.

    "I... went to church." He blurted out.

    "You only go to church for Christmas Carols Jeremy Williams." She reminded him.

    "Were you with your boss again?" She asked with a narrowed gaze at him.

    "It''s not what you think." He shook his head immediately.

    "Then what do I think Jeremy Williams? Aren''t you forcing yourself on a woman who doesn''t want you?" She asked and c.o.c.ked her head to her side.

    Jeremy looked at the tiny girl. He could lift her with only a hand but here she was, bullying him.

    He stood tall and hoped his height and built would intimidate her.

    "I am your older brother. You can''t bully me!" He said sternly.

    "Really? Then let me catch you." She said and charge at him with the spatula.

    Jeremy''s eyes shone and he immediately began to run while she chased him around.

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 Chapter 162 - Mr Bill?

    "Are you seriously not going home tonight also? Shouldn''t you at least talk to your parents? Your mother have called me twice already and it feels very awkward lying to her." James said when he entered inside his room to see Mira still lying on the bed with her eyes on the ceiling.

    "I don''t want to go back there. They are both bad people" She said sadly.

    From the way she looked, James could tell that she had cried when he left her there and he knew it had to do with her parents getting divorced.

    She suddenly sat up and looked at him with teary eyes. "They didn''t even care about me when they were together. I feel they are finally going to abandon me now. How am I going to live in a far away country, knowing my parents are no longer together?"

    "Come on Mira..." James said as he walked over to the side where she was sitting and sat down beside her.

    "I really want to tell you it''s going to be okay and you would survive but I know that isn''t what you want to hear right now. But let''s hope, this wouldn''t pull through and they will eventually realise how much the other means to them and stop this whole thing."  He assured her with a pat on her back.

    "I''m just scared James. I''m scared I''ll be alone." She said with tears sliding down her face while James quickly used his hand to clean it off.

    "Something is up. I can sense it. They wouldn''t just bring up divorce out of the blue. Even though mum is always busy, I know she loves my dad a lot and I do not buy the crap about them falling out of love or just wanting to separate."

    "So what are you saying...?" James asked patiently.

    "I don''t know." She cried and hit the bed in frustration.

    "Why can''t they just stay together? At least because of me?"

    James heaved a deep sigh before hugging her gently. "It''s going to be fine okay? I promise.."

    He pulled away from the hug to help smoothen her hair with both hands and looked at her small face.

    "Stop crying, you look older than me right now."

    Mira eyed him before hitting his arm which made him laugh.

    "I guess I should should bring your dinner up here so you eat while we play soccer."

    "Dinner? It''s time for dinner?" Mira asked in surprise as she picked up her phone.

    She gasped when she saw it was already past 8 and all the missed calls and messages she had missed. While brooding and sulking, she had silenced her phone so she wouldn''t be disturb.  She had no idea she had spent hours just lying there.

    "Oh my goodness! How did the day suddenly fly by?" She asked as she jumped out of the bed to pull the curtain and confirm if it was really dark outside. And it was.

    "What''s wrong?" James asked as he saw her moving around frantically while carrying her dress and shoes from his wardrobe.

    "I have a date with Richard tonight. I totally forgot." She said in a hurry and opened the messages he had sent her, asking if she was okay and to text her when she finally saw his calls and messages.

    "A date? With Richard?" James asked carefully.

    "Yea yea.. we planned it last night. I have to get dressed." She said and hurried inside his bathroom.

    "I had no idea you were both at that stage." He said as he stopped in front of the bathroom''s door so they could still talk to each other even though he felt uncomfortable standing there.

    He heard her turn on the tap and gargle before speaking.

    "That''s why we are going so we can know each other."

    "Oh..." James nodded slowly. He wasn''t sure he liked the sound of that. He didn''t like Richard for some reason he didn''t understand. Maybe it was like those cases where people just disliked someone for no reason at all.

    "Where is Peter and Rachel? I haven''t seen either of them at all." Mira asked.

    **********

    "I told you to stay at home! Why did you follow me here if you were just going to freak?" Peter asked Rachel with a scowl as they both got down from the car.

    Rachel looked at the luxurious building and became more nervous. It was an exclusive bar and night club which was newly opened the previous week.

    When Rachel overheard Peter saying he was going there tonight, she had pleaded with him to go with him and had made sure to dress in a way where no one would doubt she was more than 18 years even though she was still 16.

    "Hey Bro!" A young man who just stepped out of his sport''s car waved at them before coming over to side hug Peter.

    He looked at Rachel with surprise while she smiled at him.

    He was Noah Vicker. Peter''s super hot best friend and class mate. His father was super rich but Noah didn''t like to show it unless when they saw his cars and studied his simple outfits properly. He was their high school''s prince charming and the best basketball player. Well, it was all going to end when he graduates very soon.

    He wore a teeshirt which hugged his athletic body, with the first three buttons undone, a black denim and a simple shoe. His hair was in a neat undercut and in one ear, he wore a diamond earring which she had always wanted to steal.

    "What is she doing here?" He asked Peter as he looked at Rachel who wore blue short gown with a deep V-neckline which exposed her small cleavages, and a thigh high boots with a mild make up on her face. She looked totally different from the Rachel he knew.

    "She insisted on coming here." Peter said with a shrug.

    "And you let her?" Noah asked in bewilderment.

    "Hey! Why are you sounding like my father right now?" Rachel frowned at him. Even her brother didn''t react that way.

    "Because your brother is clearly out of his mind letting you come here, dressed like that when you are still a minor." He said while shaking his head in disapproval.

    "Do not call me a minor!" She snapped at him before taking out an ID to flash in front of his eyes

    He took it from her to look at it properly and raised his head to look at Peter.

    "Seriously? You let her come here with a fake ID? What if she get caught?"

    "I really dislike you." Rachel hissed at him and stretched to take it back but he dipped it inside his pocket.

    "You ain''t going in there little lady. Unless you want me to tell your Mrs Black."

    "What?" Rachel asked in astonishment. "You aren''t even my brother. Who do you think you are to always control my life?" She asked angrily while Peter just watched the both of them with a sigh.

    He knew when they started, it was going to take a long time for them to stop their banter.

    "..... and I didn''t want to say this, but you should stay away from my business. Don''t think I do not know how you chase my admirers at school away just because you want to be the ''super good brother''. I am 16 and can take care of myself!"

    "Why would you even have an admirer at 16? At 16 I was studying really hard and also became the school''s best basketball player and racer."

    She scoffed. "I don''t care about your silly basketball! Just��"

    She stopped talking when her eyes caught sight of two people coming down from a car at the opposite side of the parking lot which she was facing.

    Noah and Peter noticed she was looking at something or someone, so they turned around to check and Peter''s eyes widened slightly.

    "Isn''t that..."

    "Mr Bill." Rachel answered in surprise before Peter could complete his question.

    "Mr Bill? As in, your brother''s best friend''s father?" Noah asked in confusion as he watched the young lady beside him clutch his arm while smiling at him lovingly. He was old enough to be her father, yet he was openly flirting with her also?

    "What the hell! Who is that lady?" Rachel asked as she watched them head towards the entrance of the club house.

    "He is cheating on Mrs Bill? This is crazy!" Peter said with a deep frown on his face as he watched how doting Mr Bill acted towards the young girl who was dressed to the nines.

    "What are you doing?" Noah asked when he saw Rachel was dialing a number.

    "To tell Mira about it, of course."

    "And why would you do that? You are just going to cause trouble." Peter said as he tried to take the phone away from her.

    "If you were Mira, wouldn''t you like to know? Imagine she later finds out we knew about this and didn''t tell her... look, I''ve seen a lot of movies to know one should always talk when they have the chance to do so. So I''m calling her right now!" She said with a tone of finality before the call connected.

    Mira who was about living the room took the call and her eyes turned red from anger when Rachel told her about it.

    "I am going to kill that bitch, whoever she is!" She said in anger as she stomped out with James closely following behind her,  trying to stop her and also cussing his sister in his head for telling her about it.

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 Chapter 163 - Hunting for Mr Bills mistress (1)

    "I do not think this is a good idea." James said as he drove Mira towards the venue.

    "It isn''t? Then what is? I told you in there right? A divorce isn''t just going to spring up like that. It was definitely my father''s idea. And to think it was because of a really young lady who is young enough to be his daughter. I won''t let her ruin my family. I will never��"

    "Maybe she isn''t that young. You know Rachel can exaggerate things." He interjected quickly.

    "I do not care! Hell is going to let loose today if this whole thing is true. And I will never forgive dad for doing this. Never!''" She said with resolve as she looked ahead. Maybe she would have still had a slight doubt in her had Rachel not taken a photo of the car they had both stepped down from. It was one of her father''s cars and she had driven it a couple of times. So that was definitely him inside the clubhouse. Never had she  imagined her father to be a cheat. It was heartbreaking.

    James remained quiet for a long time not knowing what else to say to calm her down.

    "So... what about your date?" He asked carefully without looking at her.

    "Date? Oh! That''s true." She exclaimed and quickly took out her phone.

    It was as if nature was against her going on the date with Richard. Firstly, she had been inside the room all day and forgot the time. Now, something else had interrupted her.

    She quickly placed a call to Richard and after a few rings, he answered. She was glad she hadn''t called him earlier to tell him she was ready for the date before Rachel called.

    "Hey!" Richard said into the phone. He sounded more relieved to hear from her than angry.

    "I''m so sorry. Something came up. I hope you didn''t wait for me." She said with remorse.

    James glanced at her briefly and returned his gaze to the road.

    "Oh.. I''m glad to hear you are okay. Got me really worried. I didn''t want you to think I was creepy else, I had planned to call Leo to ask Mia if you were alright.

    Although not in the mood, she giggled. "I''m really sorry. Let me make it up to you tomorrow. Dinner''s on me."

    "Really? Then I''m looking forward to tomorrow. Do have a great night."

    "Yea, you too. Thanks." She said with a weak smile before disconnecting the call.

    "Good thing he is a really understanding guy. It''s one of the reasons I prefer older guys." She said to James.

    "Older guys?" James who had been quiet asked.

    "How old?"

    "Four to seven years older is fair... I think." She answered with a shrug.

    "Oh... but don''t you think it is boring? I mean, even though we are all in our twenties, those guys are like in a different generation. They may most times say thing you do not understand and Vice versa."

    "Have you ever thought Mia and Leo''s relationship as boring? In fact, I think it is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. I do not think dating a younger guy would work for her. She needs someone mature, someone in charge, maybe that''s what I also need."

    "So you want to... work things out with Richard?" He asked emotionlessly with his gaze still on the road.

    He didn''t like the way he was feeling now but he didn''t want to dwell on it. He thought maybe this sudden attraction of his towards Mira was because of all that had happened between then the previous night. Just as he had told her, her friendship was more important to him that anything else and he wasn''t ready to ruin it for anything in the world.

    "The only thing I''m thinking about doing right now is to murder that bitch who is trying to ruin my family. Speed up! You are driving too slowly." She urged him.

    *******

    "So are we just going to stand here?" Noah asked Peter and Rachel.

    "Of course! Mira has to come so we''d go in together." Rachel bobbed her head up and down as she answered.

    "I think this isn''t going to end well... but well, I''m not surprised. Nothing you do ever ends well." Peter said with a sigh. He had come to party and meet pretty girls, not for this!

    "And what is that supposed to mean?" She asked with a displeased frown before turning to see the amused smile on Noah''s face as he looked at her.

    "And what are you smiling at?" She snapped at Noah. She didn''t know whether she disliked his attitude or was indifferent about it. She was thankful he hadn''t come over for the party last night because he had a ''game with the boys'' as he had said. If he had been there, he probably would have asked her to go sleep upstairs. Sigh!

    "We probably should go inside. It''s uncomfortable standing out here." Noah suggested as he looked around the parking lot which was almost filled with different luxury cars.

    "Besides, it''s going to be really difficult finding them with the crowd that has formed inside."

    "He has a point. We should go in and try looking for Mr Bill before Mira gets here." Peter agreed.

    Rachel nodded her head and the three began to head towards the entrance.

    Noah looked at Rachel who was stomping towards the entrance like someone ready for war. Only thing left was a gun in her hand and everyone would definitely know she was ready for war.

    "Chel, you probably should stick close to m��"

    One dark glare from Peter and Noah coughed.

    "Stick close to your brother."  Noah quickly corrected.

    It was like an unspoken rule between guys to stay away from the other''s sister and Peter had reminded him a million times even though he had assured him he didn''t see her that way.

    "Of course! Now give me my ID" Rachel stretched out her hand with a smirk on her face.

    Noah relunctanctly dipped his hand inside his pocket and handed it over to her.

    "Anyway, I do not think it is going to be needed. Don''t I look 19?" She asked the two boys with a smile.

    "Yes sure." Both agreed immediately. They knew telling her otherwise was going to make her blow up.

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 Chapter 164 - Hunting Mr Bills Mistress (2)

    A few minutes later, Rachel looked like she was at the edge of breaking down in tears when she was bounced out.

    They had been smart enough to have a barcode scanner for IDs and immediately knew hers was fake. She was rather lucky they hadn''t reported her to the police.

    They hadn''t bothered to check Peter and Noah''s ID, they only asked for hers after looking at her once. It was as if there was nothing she could do to hide the fact that she was still a teenager.

    "It''s going to be fine.  You should just go home." Peter said sadly. Even though he hadn''t wanted her to come, he still didn''t like seeing her at the verge of tears.

    "I don''t want to!" She shook her head childishly making the boys sigh.

    They both couldn''t just leave her there like that.

    "Alright.. promise me if you go inside, you aren''t going to drink a single thing." Noah said with his hands inside his pockets.

    "I... can go in? But how?" She looked up at him with hopeful eyes while he took out his phone to make a call.

    After a few rings, it connected.

    "Mr Stuart?"

    Rachel listened keenly to the conversation and hoped he would really do something to let her go in with them.

    "I am currently in front of your clubhouse with my friends but there is a little problem."

    Noah moved to a corner to explain things to him. Mr Stuart was his father''s very close friend and his father had invested greatly in this clubhouse, so he knew he could ask him for this small favour so the scary girl wouldn''t cry.

    After a few minutes, he returned to the siblings with a smile.

    "Well?" Rachel asked impatiently.

    "Do not touch anything and stick beside us always."

    "I swear it!" She raised her right palm with a grin on her face.

    Noah shrugged before walking past them. "Let''s go catch some cheating motherf.u.c.kers then."

    *******

    "I''m glad I was well dressed." Mira said as she got down from the car.

    "Well, good for you. Because I''m not." James looked down at his simple shirt and trouser he was wearing.

    "It doesn''t matter. Guys always look the same anyway. Let''s hurry inside."

    There was quite a crowd inside and it was all thanks to being an exclusive bar and being newly opened. Everyone wanted to go there so they would share the experience with their friends while their friends also wanted to go there so they would talk about it with their friends next time.

    "Alright. How do we find them?" James asked as he looked at the large room where people were dancing and rocking each other.

    "I feel like I just stepped into Sodom and Gomorrah." Mira said with a lost look as she looked around.

    There were some private rooms without doors  downstairs which was probably for some VIP clients. There, she could see people making out while some smoking from pipes and drinking expensive wines.

    A lot of people where dancing in the dance floor while the different lights and smokiness of the place gave it a real clubhouse vibes. She felt her eardrums were going to burst from the loud music.

    Looking up, she could see some glass compartments which were probably a higher VIP section. She couldn''t see a thing but was sure those upstairs could see what was happening down.

    "Where are we going to start from?" James asked her.

    "It''s not been a long time since he arrived, he''s probably dancing right?"

    Mira shook her head. "My father is well known. He wouldn''t do things like these openly.

    The both of them looked up immediately. He had to be inside one of those glass rooms.

    "Mira! James!" Rachel called at the top of her voice as she approached them.

    "What are you doing inside here?" James asked with a frown seeing how she was dressed. "How did you even get here?"

    "I came with them." She pointed behind at Noah and Peter who approached them.

    There wasn''t time to exchange pleasantries so they went straight to the point.

    "Have you seen him anywhere?" Mira asked Rachel.

    "No. He''s not in this floor." Rachel confirmed their guess and Mira nodded.

    "I have to go upstairs then."

    "Won''t you be needing a VIP key card or something?" Peter asked.

    "Every VIP card here have the VIP customer''s name crested on it and a specific room assigned to them. And... it is really expensive to acquire it." Noah chipped in.

    "How expensive?" James asked.

    "Really expensive." He stressed on the ''really'' for emphasis sake.

    "You are acquainted with the owner right? Can''t you just call him and ask him to tell us where Mr Black is and call him down here?" Rachel asked innocently while the group turned to look at her like she had gone cray�Ccray.

    "Wow! Why didn''t any of us think of that? I guess it''s a very good idea letting Mr Stuart know we are here to bust one of his VIP customers for cheating on his wife.. see why you should be studying really hard at 16?" Noah said sarcastically making her glare at him in annoyance.

    "But I have to get it somehow. No matter the price, I''ll just have to use one of my father''s cards for it." Mira said impatiently while looking upstairs.

    "Uhm.. well, I have one." Noah announced as he took out a card from his wallet to show them.

    Mira took it from him immediately with wide eyes.

    "You have one and you''ve been beating around the bush the whole time? Tsk" Rachel hissed at him but clamped her mouth shut when she remembered he had just helped her get inside.

    "Only those with the card can go in with a partner. So..."

    "We can go together." Mira said immediately.

    "Are you sure you can both look around the floor yourselves?" James asked as he looked up again.

    "We don''t have a choice... do we?" Mira began to rack her brain for a way out until she looked at Rachel and smiled mischievously.

    A while later, the bouncers winked at Noah who rode the elevator upstairs with his hands around the waists of two young women.

 Chapter 165 - Beer?

    Chloe returned to her room and sighed weakly as she began to strip out of the clothes she had been wearing since morning.

    She seriously wondered whether there would come a time where they would all have a peaceful family dinner without quarrels or dramas.

    After Leo left the house angrily, Louis had gone after him immediately, but seeing Louis return almost immediately he left, she could tell Leo already drove off so Louis went straight to his room while their father followed suit, leaving herself and her mother sitting there alone awkwardly.

    "I hope you aren''t doing anything capable of making your father mad at you?" Mrs King asked carefully.

    "No.. not at all." Chloe shook her head immediately. This was exactly the reason she hadn''t bothered to tell her family about David''s stalking. If they realised he had been her boyfriend who had been leeching off her to the point where she had put up her brother''s house as a sharehouse, they were going to disown her for real.

    Mrs King smiled warmly at her.

    "Good. We can count on you to always do the right thing." Mrs King said and placed a hand on top of Chloe''s hand.

    "Just study really hard, take care of your mall and be happy. When it is time, we are going to fix you up with a good guy so do not let anything distract you, okay?" She said with a smile.

    Chloe cringed at that. Seriously? That wasn''t what she wanted. She didn''t want that kind of life. Were they in the 20s?

    "Something wrong? Anything you want to say?" Mrs King asked as she watched Chloe''s facial expressions.

    "Nothing. It''s all good. I need to study so I''ll just..." She let her words trail off and quickly excused herself to her room.

    She slumped on her bed and looked at the ceiling unhappily.

    Why did people always think the rich lived without problems? She really wished money could solve everything and make her happy.

    If only they would just let her live freely, she probably wasn''t going to ever get married to any man.

    She picked up her phone and tried to decide whether to call Leo but after thinking about it for a long time, she shook her head.

    She wasn''t sure he would want to talk to her right now.

    She envied Leo so much. He was the only one who did as he pleased. She wished she could be like that. But she wasn''t sure she would be able to do so.

    One of the most dialed numbers saved in her call logs was Jeremy''s number.

    She remembered she had created a file for him to study with and placed a call across to him immediately.

    She chewed her lower lip as she waited for the call to get connected and wondered why he was taking long before answering her call.

    Just before the call ended, he answered it.

    "Boss?" He asked skeptically.

    She could guess why he sounded that way. She rarely called him after he dropped her off at home, except there was an information she had forgotten to pass across to him.

    "I''m sending you a file. You should study it tonight." She said without beating around the bush.

    "Really? Thanks." She heard the smile in his voice and frowned. Was he always happy at everything?

    She didn''t know what else to say since she was always used to giving instructions and ending the call so she just pressed the phone to her ear awkwardly and waited for him go say something.

    It seemed he was also waiting for her to give him an instruction because he was also very quiet.

    Her brows wrinkled a bit as she heard some sounds in his background.

    "Where are you? Didn''t you go home?" She asked in confusion.

    "I''m outside. Ellie indirectly threw me out." He answered with a light chuckle.

    "Ellie? Why?" She asked as she sat up on the bed.

    "She was first pissed at me and then she saw my hair. She got jealous that I let someone else do it for me and got madder because it was better than hers so she said she didn''t want to me for the next 2 hours. I''m supposed to reflect on my actions." He chuckled again and was surprised to hear her laugh.

    The siblings were really something. How could a 22 years old boy let an 8 years old bully him like that and he didn''t mind?

    "You could have just locked yourself inside then.."

    "Yea. Wanted to. But she was watching a cartoon in the living room. Had to give her space and come out here to watch the night. And it reminds me of you."

    "Me? The night reminds you of me?" She asked in confusion. Was that an insult? Wasn''t nights usually said to be a form of darkness whether literally or metaphorically? So did it mean he saw her as darkness?

    "Yea.. it''s... really pretty. Just like you." He said smoothly which took her aback.

    She said nothing and he also remained quiet for a while before he said,

    "Thank you."

    "For... what?" She was confused once again.

    "I don''t know.. for just being you and always listening to the suggestions of someone like me... I guess...." He was quiet for a few seconds before adding..

    "I miss you."

    He closed his eyes tightly and waited for the yells to come. He had taken a huge risk saying that to his boss who was hot tempered but it was his nature to be forward about how he felt.

    Keeping things all bottled up made him feel very uncomfortable.

    Meanwhile, color had risen to Chloe''s cheeks. What was with him tonight saying cheesy things?

    She cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something in her usual stern voice but nothing came out.

    "Say.. hello to Ellie for me. Good night." She said quickly and ended the call before throwing the phone on the bed.

    "That''s weird." She said as she looked at her phone.

    *******

    Mia did something which she had never done before�C by herself.

    After crying for a long time inside her room, she had gone to the kitchen. She sat on the kitchen chair where she usually sat and placed three cans of beer in front of her.

    The next day was school, yes. But she wanted to get wasted. From happiness? Sadness? She didn''t know.

    She was supposed to be very happy, wasn''t she? But now, she was so sad because she kept remembering how she had been slaving away for the past 4 years just to make sure she paid a debt she hadn''t taken by herself.

    Funnily enough, Tara was sitting right there at the kitchen, staring at her. But Mia didn''t even have the energy to run away from her and she could swear she saw the look of surprise in Tara''s face.

    She had only drank a half of the first can when she heard the front door open.

    She stood up immediately and tried to find her balance as she realised that the drink was already affecting her.

    She hoped it was Leo and not some robber. But why would Leo come now when he hadn''t left for a long time?

    She placed both hands on the wall and used it to support herself as she left the kitchen.

    Leo''s steps halted as he looked towards the kitchen where the light was on.

    He was about to go in there when he saw Mia come out.

    She looked disheveled. Her hair was almost in a tangled mess, her eyes were red and swollen, her face was wet from tears, her cheeks flushed from the beer. As usual, she wore her house top and short.

    They both looked at each other quietly. Mia stood tall and looked at him with worry. She could tell something was wrong with him. Was that why he had returned earlier than she had expected.

    "Mia.." He called her name in a faint voice before walking towards her.

    Before she could react, he enveloped her in a hug with his face buried in the crook of her neck, and his eyes rightly shut.

    He was down, broken, and needed solace. And he knew the only place to find solace was here, was with her, Mia Lucas.

    Mia stood there stiffly and just let him hug her. She could tell something was wrong with him and was no longer worried about herself but was worried about him.

    She reached for his back to pat him gently. "It''s going to be okay." She assured him quietly.

    She didn''t know what was wrong but thought it was best to just comfort him until he was ready to tell her.

    "I should be telling you that." He said as he also began to pat her back gently.

    They both suddenly chuckled before pulling away from the hug.

    "Beer?" She asked softly.

    "Can see you are already into it. Let''s just have it then." He said with a stiff smile as she took his hand and led him to the kitchen.

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 Chapter 166 - Mr Bills mistress

    "It all started about 10 years ago." Leo narrated.

    "The whole family was happy until that moment. Well, not really happy�C like happy, but we could manage. Then, during dinner one evening, I suddenly told the folks...

    "I don''t want to be a doctor."

    The whole family stopped eating and looked at him while he gulped nervously. Now, there was no going back. He had to face whatever came his way head�Con.

    That day, he had been really terrified because they had all expected himself and his brother to become doctors since Chloe had made it clear from the beginning that she wasn''t going to be one and it had been obvious in her grades where she always got lower grades in science subjects.

    "Is that supposed to be a joke?" His mother asked first when she saw how tight Mr King''s face was.

    "I''m sorry, it isn''t." He shook his head gently.

    The atmosphere was so tensed that even a stranger would feel it in the air if they walked in right now.

    Mrs King looked at Leo in disbelief before turning to look at her husband who had dropped his cutleries and was wiping his mouth clean with a napkin.

    "So, what do you intend to do instead?" His father had asked calmly which surprised him since he hadn''t expected them to take it easily.

    But he still wasn''t sure they would like what he wanted to do. So after looking at them cautiously, he confessed..  "A photographer."

    His mother choked and quickly had to reach for a glass of water to gulp down the shock.

    "A... photographer?" His father asked in utter disbelief which reflected in his eyes.

    "Yes. It''s what I intend to do." He sounded braver now as he spoke. The challenge was always how to raise it and now that he had, there was no going back.

    He looked at Louis who had been quiet. He had had the conversation with him some days ago so while everyone else was baffled, Louis was calm and just sat down there observing everything.

    "But Leo, you have good grades. You are... you were born to be a doctor.. both you and your brother. The twin doctors, remember?" His mother tried to cajole.

    "That had never been my dream." Leo cut in rudely.

    "You are the ones who need the ''twin doctors'' and had been talking about it to everyone for years. I''m sorry mum, but I am sick of it. Being a doctor isn''t going to make me happy."

    "No one gives a damn about what makes you happy!" His father cussed loudly and hit the table, taking them all by surprise from his sudden outburst and from cussing, since they rarely heard him utter cuss words.

    "You don''t have to be happy. Your number one duty and priority as a Doctor is to make other people smile, to make them happy, to give them hope. That is why we stay hours in the theatre trying to make sure people survive. It is all about sacrifice!"

    "And I don''t want to make that sacrifice at the detriment of my happiness!" Leo said in a slightly raised voice which showed he was angry.

    "I don''t want to do that. I don''t want to spend all my life trying to make people happy while I am not. I... won''t do it." He said before leaving the table.

    "It was from that day.. everything changed." He said to Mia.

    "He totally cut me off. My mother was forgiving but my father never was, although in public, he didn''t make it so obvious." He sighed unhappily.

    "I wouldn''t lie and say I do not miss those days when we were all happy together. I do miss it."

    "But do you regret your decision?" Mia asked the most important question she had wanted to ask from the moment he started telling her about it.

    Leo shook his head almost immediately.

    "I do not regret it one bit, Mia Lucas.."

    "But there was a time I began to think things through and regretted it. That time, my father cut me off from everything and even finance. He didn''t want to support my career and forbade everyone in the house from helping me out. So I had to work really hard. I took part�Ctime jobs��"

    "You did?" Mia asked in surprise as she observed the boy sitting opposite her. He didn''t look like someone who had lived that type of life.

    Leo chuckled. "Yes. And I hated it even though I really hadn''t done difficult tasks. I worked for elite organisation. I shamelessly used my identity as a ''King'' and claimed I wanted to just learn for the experience and see how it was like to live outside. They naturally paid me more than my income with hope that I would put in a few good words to my family, especially my father�� who wasn''t speaking with me by the way."

    Mia chuckled. "Well, good for you." She gave him a ''I-am-proud-of-you'' kind of smile.

    "I am glad you, at least know what you wanted and went for it regardless of everything. You are lucky." She said with a sad gleam in her eyes that Leo instantly took note of.

    "What do you really want to do?" He asked with inquisitively.

    "Me? Uhmm.. . I... really don''t know." She shrugged.

    "A Businesswoman? A Dancer?"

    She shook her head.

    "I''m taking up business because of my mother. I love to dance. It''s my hobby, but I''m not sure it is something I want to do as a career."

    "Really? Then what have you always wanted to do from the beginning? What did you imagine for yourself?"

    Mia looked at him and giggled a bit drunkenly.

    She had actually expected they would both drink a lot of beer but immediately Leo followed her inside the kitchen, he removed all the beers from the table and dropped water bottles instead, so she was still sober but only a bit tipsy.

    "When I was younger... maybe I didn''t tell you this, but aside from being a businessman, my father was a politician."

    "Really?" Leo inquired with slightly wide eyes.

    "Yes. So one day, I went with him to the State''s government house. Kids were not allowed to stay during their meeting briefings so I stayed upstairs and watched. I was so fascinated. I thought it would be cool to just sit there and decide the fates of millions of citizens that would make them happy." She said with a little smile before looking down shyly.

    "You... wanted to be a politician?" He asked with really wide eyes this time.

    *******

    Noah had to act like he had hooked up with both ladies in the club as he led them by their waists towards the VIP session.

    "Aren''t we supposed to be talking or something?" Rachel asked in confusion as they rode the elevator with just the three of them in it.

    "Yea, we can talk about something... anything." Noah agreed as he watched her confused face intensely.

    "I really hope they wouldn''t be difficult to find though." Noah said as he looked at Mira who was quiet.

    "We must get them and pound her!" Rachel spoke up with vigor as she raised her fist in the air.

    "You seem really excited." Noah whispered to Rachel who humphed at him.

    The elevator door opened and the three got out.

    Seeing how large the hallway was Mira''s brows furrowed.

    There were different doors with numbers just like in hotel rooms. The hallway was quiet and empty except a couple who just walked past them.

    Although she had expected it all to be glass rooms, it look pretty much like every other normal room. The glass was probably only at the other end where the VIP customers could watch the club.

    "What are we going to do? I do not think we can just keep moving from room to room." Rachel asked Mira who was looking at each doors with her full concentration.

    Mira looked left and right at the doors on each rows which were up to ten each.

    "Or maybe, we can." Mira answered with a nod.

    "We can''t. The CCTV camera is going to capture us and they are going to know we are up to something." Noah lectured as he discreetly looked up at a camera.

    He was glad he had come here before the girls did something really silly on their own.

    Mira took out her phone that instant and began to dial her father''s number.

    "What are you doing?" Rachel asked.

    "There always have to be a way." Mira shrugged as the call connected after ringing three times.

    "Hello? Baby? I''m glad to finally hear from you." Mr Bill said in a breath voice like he was panting which disgusted Mira who quickly disconnected the call.

    His daughter had been devastated about their divorce and had refused to take his calls, but here he was...

    Maybe other girls would have cried, but what Mira felt was extreme anger.

    She whispered an instruction to Noah when her father called again passed the phone over to him to answer the call instead.

    "Baby?" Mr Bill called.

    "Are you Mira''s father?" Noah asked calmly.

    "Yes. Who are you?"

    Noah could hear the suspicion and alert in Mr Bill''s voice hearing a man answer the call instead of his daughter.

    "Your daughter was involved in a very fatal accident. You have to hurry here right now. She may die." Noah said dryly without any emotion before disconnecting the call while Rachel rolled her eyes at him.

    "Seriously? That''s the best you could do?" Rachel asked him with a frown.

    Immediately Mira''s phone rang again, probably to ask where she was, a door opened noisily which attracted the three people''s attention.

    "Ta�Cda!" Mira muttered with a smirk as she began taking heavy strides towards the room her father was coming out from while buttoning his shirt impatiently.

    "Baby? Where are you going to? What is wrong?" A lady who was half dressed ran out of the room after Mr Bill who just left her halfway without any explanation.

    Mira stood frozen in the spot while her father raised his head to look ahead after buttoning up.

    He literally jumped in shock seeing Mira standing right in front of him while the lady behind him gasped when she saw the people.

    "Mi....ra..." Mr Bill stammered nervously but Mira''s eyes went to the lady behind him.

    "Mary.... Lucas?" Mira asked in disbelief.

    "Mary Lucas? As in, Mia''s sister?" Rachel asked as her eyes widened while Noah wondered what his friend''s girlfriend was doing there with Mira''s father.

 Chapter 167 - Fights

    Mira stood frozen on the spot as she looked at her father and at the girl behind.

    Mary was just as she remembered but only slightly different since she was now older compared to how she looked four years ago.

    She had similar long black hair just like Mia, which was scattered all over her face. Mary was tall unlike Mia and she had a pretty heart shaped face. If her hair had been tied in a pony tail, her nice facial features would have been accentuated to show how pretty she looked. But whenever she was put side by side with Mia, Mia was always seen as the prettiest because while Mia had the sweet innocent look, Mira had the s.e.xy kind and she always wore a bright red lipstick to remind people of that.

    Mira didn''t look like someone who had been been ''missing''for years in fact, looked liked she was living very well except now with her make up smeared and she was half dressed in the hallway.

    She quickly began to button the upper part of the crop top she was wearing to hide her bra from their sight especially, the young man who was looking at her curiously.

    "Mary? Isn''t your name Emily?" Mr Bill turned to look at her in confusion.  He had heard Mira call her Mary before but had been too shocked for his brain to process things.

    "Mary? Emily? I thought your name was Kylie?" Noah asked before nodding his bead slowly. He could understand what was going on right now. She was probably a hooker.

    Panic flashed in Mary''s eyes but she said nothing and began to put her clothes in order quickly.

    "You are Mary,  Emily and Kylie at once? Just wow!" Rachel sneered from the side while Noah pinched her arm to keep her from saying another word.

    "Baby, I can explain. This isn''t what you think it is." Mr Bill turned to look at Mira who was looking at them with her face bright red from anger.

    Mira didn''t know where to start from. Firstly her father was cheating on her mother with her best friend''s older sister who had been missing. How did it all happen?

    "I''ll just go get my things. You should fix this." Mary said in a shaky voice and turned to return to the room which they had both come out from. She had to run away before Mira told Mia she was in the City.

    "Where are you going to? You crazy bitch! How dare you flirt with my friend''s father and the father of your younger sister''s friend and now you want to run away?" Rachel charged at her and it had to take the effort of Noah to pull her forcefully back by her waist before she went to pull out Mary''s hair who was staring back in shock.

    Mr Bill was also short of words as he just stood there awkwardly while he was also embarrassed. He hoped Mira would give him a chance to explain himself even though he didn''t know what he was supposed to say.

    "Let me be! I am going to kill her." Rachel said in anger as she flailed about in Noah''s arms while he refused to let her go.

    He was smart enough to know by now that Rachel didn''t make empty promises.

    "Baby, let''s go talk at home..  please?" He said as he looked consciously around the hallway. It was obvious he was worried about being seen by others.

    "What are you doing here?" Mira finally spoke in a quiet voice filled with hate.

    "I��"

    "I wasn''t referring to you Mr Bill.. so you can just move and pretend like we do not know each other." Mira said with a glare before looking at Mary who was slowly beginning to recover from all the shock.

    Mira had never liked Mary and it was obvious Mary didn''t like her either. During her visits to the Lucas'' house, she had met Mary a couple of times and they had both fought one day which had made Linda ban Mira from ever visiting her house again.

    But now, Mary was having an affair with her father? How was she going to just let it be?

    "You name is Mary and you are Mia''s sister?" Mr Bill asked her when his brain finally began to fiction a bit. What sort of crazy coincidence was this?

    "I am not Mary. My name is Emily." Mary said while shaking her head in denial.

    "You crazy dirty piece of garbage!" Mira said in annoyance before storming to where Mary was standing, pushing past her father on her way.

    Before anyone could react, she slapped Mary hard across her cheeks and pushing her down to the floor where she climbed on top of her.

    Mary hadn''t expected that so it was until she was at the floor and being slapped repeatedly that she came to her senses.

    "What the f.u.c.k is wrong with you?" Mary asked as she tried to push Mira away forcefully. She tried to stand up but Mira kept her pinned down and despite the efforts of her father to stop Mira from hitting her, the hits increased.

    "You knew he was my father, didn''t you! How could you do this to me? To your sister? Are you that shameless? Is this how you have been living after abandoning your sister with your sick brained mother? You are shameless and I am going to make sure you pay for it." Mira said as she continued hitting Mary on the floor who was doing her best to deter her slaps and punches.

    "Do not touch me! Do not f.u.c.k.i.n.g touch me unless you want me to defile every moral rule and hit you also." Mira yelled at her father who was trying to pull her away, with bloodshot eyes and could see three hefty looking bouncers already approaching with fast steps.

    "Get off me!" Mary cried as she tried to push Mira off her. The arrival of the bouncers made things slightly worse for Mary because Mira went completely berserk. It seemed she was trying to have her fill before they would separate them so she hit her harder while Rachel cheered for Mira at the side.

    The security pulled Mira away from Mary with force even as she kept screaming for them to let her be.

    "What the hell is wrong with you?" Mary stood up and stomped her feet in anger before throwing a hard slap across Mira''s face who was still being held by a bouncer.

    Everyone''s eyes widened at the scene. The first person to react was Rachel who pounced on Mary and began to pull her hair with force.

    This resulted in another round of fighting and screaming so a bouncer and Noah hurried to pull Rachel away.

    Mary scoffed in both anger and disbelief. Her face was very red. No one could tell whether it was from the many slaps, the embarrassment or from anger. She even had a cut on her lip which was slowly dripping blood.

    Also, her hair was now in a tangled mess and the top of her dress had been torn which revealed one side of her red bra while her skirt rode up but she quickly pulled it down before people saw more than necessary.

    She was lucky she had chosen a jean skirt else the crazy girls would have torn it already.

    She turned to look at Mr Bill who was staring at her angrily. She opened her mouth to say something but her face was filled with another look of disbelief when he suddenly slapped her hard which made her fall to the floor again!

    "How dare you filthy thing lay your hands on my daughter?" He asked her harshly.

    ******

    "I miss him." Mia admitted to herself softly as she lay on her bed and looked at the ceiling.

    She had only returned to the room about 10 minutes ago but now she missed his presence.

    Her head whipped around quickly when her phone began to ring.

    It was James.

    She sat up and answered the call immediately.

    "Mia? Were you sleeping?" James asked quickly.

    "No.. What is wrong?" She said in alarm when she heard how he sounded.

    "You should come here right now."

    "Where?" She asked and jumped out of the bed.

    "The Police Station."

    "Police station? Who is at the police station?" Mia asked quickly as she reached for a polo inside her wardrobe which looked messy from all the clothes�Csearching earlier.

    "Mira is here. You also have to see��"

    "Mira? Oh my God! What is she doing there? Did she get in trouble? I am on my way now."

    Mia didn''t wait for an answer and quickly ended the call. She wore a tight fitted trousers and a sneakers before leaving her room in a hurry.

    She knocked on Leo''s door impatiently and he quickly opened it before looking into her worried eyes.

    "Can... I borrow your car keys?" She asked. She wasn''t sure when she was going to find a taxi and it was quite a distance from this place to the police station.

    "What is wrong?" He looked at her face in concern.

    "Mira is at the police station."

    "What? Why? I''ll take you there. Hold on." He returned inside his room quickly to change from his short into a trousers and picked up his car keys before hurrying out with her.

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 Chapter 168 - Police Station

    Mia tapped her lap nervously as Leo drove down to the police station.

    She wondered what Mira had gotten herself into. She had called James'' line again but he didn''t answer. She could only hope nothing was wrong with both of them.

    "Be calm. It''s going to be fine. We are almost there." Leo turned to assure her before facing the road again.

    Earlier, after Leo and Mia had returned to their rooms, they tossed and turned in bed, each unable to fall asleep.

    Leo had wondered whether it would be a wise decision to ask her to spend the night in his room instead but he had quickly discarded that thought.

    He thought it was probably the time to just tell her everything that was truly up with him so she wouldn''t think he was trying to use her or play with her. He had meant it when he said he liked her but be didn''t know where or how to start.

    Mia on the otherhand, although she thought about him, she had also been thinking about her life. What she was going to do? How she was going to live?

    She had been really lucky staying with Leo because now, she wasn''t wondering much about what she ate since she ate his food and lived comfortably in his house while she walked to school most times since her school wasn''t far from his place.

    Life had been really easy for her since she started living with him. She had also stopped having those crazy mood swings and sudden depression.

    How would she have lived had she rented an apartment far away from school or stayed alone?

    If she had agreed to Chloe''s demands and moved to Oakland, would things have turned out this way? Certainly not! She would have still been killing herself, trying to pay up debts, working part time upon part time and not having a good night''s sleep while also trying to keep up with school works.

    She didn''t know how to ever thank Leo or repay him. Her mother had always told her never to trust boys that they never did things freely for ladies, but he had said his payment, was seeing her live freely and happily. That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her and those words had also made her cry when she remembered it this evening.

    Also remembering how Leo had stood up for her against her mother just a few hours ago, she couldn''t thank him enough.

    "We are here..." Leo announced, which brought her back to her senses and she began to worry about her friends.

    "Thank you..." She assumed he was going to leave so she quickly got down from the car and raced inside the police station.

    "Miss, who are you looking..."

    Mia ignored the policeman when she saw Mira looking so unlike herself as she sat faced a policeman who looked like he was questioning her alongside two other ladies. The lady sitting at the middle was Rachel while the last lady''s face was hidden behind her messy hair so Mia couldn''t see her face but she noticed the lady was wearing a jacket which belonged to the police.

    "Mira?" Mia called as she quickly went to where she was seated.

    "Mia.. thank goodness you are here." James said as he stood up from where he had been waiting with Peter and Noah.

    Mia totally ignored him as she focused on Mira who turned to look at her with red and swollen eyes. It was obvious she had cried. There were also some scratch marks on her face which proved that she had gotten into a fight.

    "What happened to you?" Mia asked with eyes filled with worry as she hugged Mira who remained expressionless.

    "You must be Mia Lucas?" The young policeman who looked to be in his thirties asked Mia who quickly nodded.

    "Why are they here?" She asked the policeman before turning to look at Rachel since Mira wasn''t saying anything.

    Mia could only see the side of the last lady and since she entered, she noticed the last lady hadn''t turned to look at her at all.

    "Did you both fight?" Mia asked Rachel who quickly shook her head.

    No one actually knew how to break the news to Mia that the last lady there was her sister who had been missing for four years and she had been caught having an affair with Mira''s father and she was probably the cause of Mira''s parent''s divorce which Mia hadn''t heard about.

    The policeman who had been interrogating the three girls understood why they were all quiet so he coughed to get Mia''s attention.

    "Uhm... Miss Lucas.. the issue is...."

    "Your crazy bitch ass sister got into a fight with Mira and I." Rachel suddenly said as she turned to look at Mary with a nasty glare.

    There was a sudden quietness as everyone looked at Mia who had confusion written all over her face.

    "What.. are you talking about?" Mia asked as she looked at Rachel and the girl Rachel was looking at.

    "My... sis..ter?" Mia stuttered as her gaze focused on Mary whose whole body was frozen on the spot. She was doing a pretty good job hiding her face with her hair.

    Mira sniffed. She had never met such awkwardness and embarrassment in her entire life. She was here with all of her friends and most of them had seen her father with another woman. She had gotten into a fight and was thrown out of the clubhouse then she continued her fight outside until the police was called on them.

    Remembering how her father had received a business call and left without thinking twice while apologizing, she just realised what a useless parent she had.

    Although she was an a.d.u.l.t, the police needed a guardian to be there for her and there was no way in hell she was going to call her mother, neither was her father going to come right now.

    The policeman would have actually let them go but he could guess they would start another round outside so he kept them there until Mary''s guardian arrived.

    Mia slowly walked up to where Mary was seated with her heart pounding really fast and violently.

    Mary? But how could it be Mary? Where did she suddenly come out from? Why would she be here fighting with Mira?

    "Miss?" Mia called respectfully as she stood by Mary''s side and waited for the lady to raise her head.

    "Miss?" Mia called again and this time, her heart thumped wildly.

    "Just f.u.c.k.i.n.g raise your head you bitchy motherf.u.c.ker!" Rachel blew up as she nudged Mary with her elbow who yelped in pain and shot her head up involuntarily.

    "Rachel!" James called harshly before the officer began to berate her and threatened to throw her in a cell.

    Firstly, Rachel wasn''t supposed to speak. She was also supposed to be remorseful and also, she was using the wrong language.

    "Hey! Don''t scare her." Noah said softly to James who eyed him.

    Peter shook his head at his sister. He didn''t think Rachel would ever learn her lesson. He probably should suggest to the policeman to lock her up until the next day.

    Meanwhile, Mia''s wide eyes stared at Mary who was looking away guiltily.

    "Mary?" She asked in disbelief.

    Four years. Four good years, she had disappeared. And all of a sudden after the debt was paid, she was coming back?  Why? To borrow more? To make her life hell?

    "What.. are you doing here?" Mia asked quietly as her brain still kept trying to process everything.

    "Someone f.u.c.k.i.n.g answer me!!!!" Mia blew up, startling every single soul inside the police station as they all stopped what they were doing to look at her.

    She was so angry because no one had said a word to explain what was going on there.

    "What are you doing here?" Mia asked again.

    "Can''t I be where I want to be? How dare you raise your voice at me huh?" Mary shot her a glare as she frowned at her.

    Mia couldn''t believe her ears.

    "Really?" Mia asked her with a smirk.

    "You can be wherever you want to be?" Mia asked again quietly as she turned to look at the policeman.

    "She is my sister. Can we leave now?"

    The policeman shook his head. Seeing the look on Mia''s face, anyone could tell she wasn''t planning something good.

    "Her guardian is on her way." The policeman informed her.

    "Her guardian? Who?" Mia asked curiously.

    The policeman said no word causing Mia to become even more frustrated.

    She still didn''t know why Mira and Rachel had gotten into a fight with Mary but that really wasn''t her priority at the moment.

    She suddenly felt tired and drained and she needed to think for a few seconds. She didn''t want to act rashly since she was inside the police station.

    She turned and moved to where James and the other boys where sitting.

    James tapped the space beside him and she went to sit down there.

    "What is happening?" She asked James in a quiet voice.

    A surprised glint flashed in James'' eyes and he tried to pull the collar of her shirt to cover the obvious hickey in her neck but it didn''t work. The collar was too low.

    Before James could say anything, a voice interrupted them.

    "Where is my daughter? Where is she?"

    Mia''s heart skipped when she heard her mother''s voice as she barged inside the station.

    Linda''s eyes scanned around for Mary and she sighted her almost immediately. Since she was focused on only her daughter, no one else mattered to her so she didn''t take note of Mia who was sitting at the other corner.

    ''What a reunion'' Mia thought in her head. Her mother must be happy to see Mary after four years.

    But the next thing that happened made Mia even more surprised and left her confused.

    Linda marched to where Mary was sitting and hit her arm angrily.

    "You stubborn girl. How many times have I told you to stop getting into trouble? I can''t keep coming here everytime to bail you!" Linda grumbled unhappily.

    All heads whipped around to look at Linda and then at Mia.

    Linda''s reaction only meant one thing... This wasn''t the first time she was seeing Mary in four years. They had obviously been keeping in touch.

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 Chapter 169 - Calm before the storm

    "I cannot keep doing this. Do you know how stressed you get me everytime?" Linda whined to Mary as she hit her arm again like a mother would do to her stubborn child.

    Mia watched the both of them with her eyes as wide as a bowl. This couldn''t be... right?

    It isn''t possible right?

    She tried to believe as she slowly stood up and watched as the policemen tried to calm Linda down.

    "Can you stop it? I didn''t cause trouble. They started it. Besides, you shouldn''t be worried about me right now." Mary said in irritation as she turned her head so Linda would follow her gaze to see Mia.

    "You didn''t cause trouble? Then why are you here�� oh my!"

    Immediately Linda locked eyes with Mia, Linda gasped and her bag fell from her hand.

    Mia''s brows furrowed as she watched Linda carefully.

    "M...ia... what are... you doing here?" Linda managed to ask as she gulped nervously.

    Mia couldn''t say a word no matter how much she tried to say something.

    Even Mira was looking at Linda with so much hatred and anger.

    "Officer?"

    Everyone suddenly turned when they heard a voice call behind them.

    Even Mia returned to her senses and looked at Leo who approached the policeman.

    "You are?" The policeman asked wearily.

    He had a lot of other important jobs to do but because of this small case of fighting in public, the police station was almost filled up.

    Leo took out his wallet from his pocket and took out a card which he handed to the policeman.

    "Leo King?" The policeman asked in surprise, getting the attention of all the people who heard him.

    Linda was really nervous. This was the second time she was meeting him today and the first time, he hadn''t been nice to her.

    "I think the police have done a good job keeping these ladies here... how about, you let them all go home now?" Leo asked with a smile.

    Thr policeman who was standing now looked at Leo curiously.

    "Are you by chance related to anyone here?" The policeman asked with interest.

    Leo turned to look at Mia who looked completely lost and confused with everything.

    "I came here with my girlfriend, Mia, and her friends are here. Plus her sister who had been missing is here. They probably should go have a reunion party at home..  right?"

    Girlfriend? Everyone seated there was rather surprised including Mira.

    "Right!" The policeman agreed immediately with a nod before he began the process to release all of them.

    A few minutes later, they were all released ans began to exit the station.

    Leo didn''t know what to do at that moment as he held Mia''s hand and led her out. She still looked completely lost as a lot of thought ran through her head.

    He had decided to wait in the car earlier when Mia left so he would drive her and Mira back but when he saw they were spending a lot of time inside and heard two policemen who were passing by talk about a girl who was ''having an affair with her sister''s friend''s father'', he began to wonder what that was all about. Was Mira having an affair with one of her sister''s friend''s father or were they talking about someone else and not Mira?

    He thought he should go in and see things for himself and so he went in and after introducing himself to a police officer and let him know he was there for those people, the policeman had let him sit at the other end. So he sat there quietly and watched how Mary yelled at Mia not to raise her voice at her.

    He couldn''t see the girl''s face but he guessed it was Mary, which had greatly surprised him.

    Wasn''t this the same girl who had been missing and Mia had been making plans to search for her again?

    But he got even surprised when he saw Linda hurry inside and her reaction towards Mary.

    ~~

    Mary and Linda walked slowly behind the group. It seemed they were stalling so Mia would go far away before they actually made an effort to walk like two normal humans.

    Mia turned to her side and saw Mira who was still staring blankly as James held her firmly to his body.

    "Mira..." Mia called her slowly. Mira turned her head to look at Mia. Both had almost the same look on their faces. Only difference was Mira had some bruises on her face.

    Mia still didn''t know what had transpired between Mary and Mira but it seemed no one was willing to tell her.

    Meanwhile, Rachel who was still burning with anger had to be forcefully pulled away by Peter and when it looked like she was being too strong for him to handle, Noah took over.

    He grabbed her by the waist and led her towards his car while she kept whining for him to put her down.

    Everyone could feel the tension in the atmosphere. They knew this was all a calm before the storm so they wanted to quickly leave the Lucas family to handle this themselves.

    Mira managed to force a smile at Mia to assure her she was fine.

    "Let''s meet tomorrow?" Mira asked her softly.

    She wasn''t sure she was in the mood to talk. Mira didn''t like to cry in front of others. It was the reason she had been quiet since they arrived at the police station even though she had cried while beating up Mary.

    Everything was weighing her down. She wasn''t sure she could tell her mother about this. Why the whole thing was making her angrier was because her father had actually left her there for his business.

    "Do not act rashly Mia. Trust me, you don''t want to go sit in there." Mira pointed at the police station''s entrance before leaving with James who looked at Mia sympathetically as he walked away.

    Since Leo was standing beside her, he was sure Leo would be able to handle things for her... actually... he hoped Leo would stop Mia from acting rashly.

    This quietness of Mia showed she was trying to acc.u.mulate everything and think properly and that may just lead her to go berserk.

    After the others left, it was just Leo, Mia, Linda and Mary left.

    "Let''s go home." Mia turned to tell her mother and Mary.

    Mary had been given a polo to wear from the lost but found bin and had returned the police jacket to the policeman.

    Her hair was now in a messy ponytail, the shirt covered almost half of her thigh which made it look like she wasn''t wearing a skirt. Her face was bare now and very red from the bruises the two girls had inflicted on her.

    Mary finally raised her head to look at Mia and then at Leo.

    Leo King.. from the family of doctors, 27 years, photographer. She remembered those facts about him. How did Mia meet someone like him?

    Leo noticed the way she was staring at him and frowned.

    "Why are you staring at me like that? You also want to hook up with me?" Leo asked dryly as he watched Mary''s face which flushed from embarrassment at his words.

    Leo eyed her in irritation before going to open the back door of his car. "I think it''s best you both come in. There are a lot of things we need to talk about."  Leo said. He was doing most of the talking and Mia was grateful for that. She had to constrain her temper unless she wanted to be thrown in a cell and she didn''t want that until she knew all that was happening right now.

    "This is a family issue Leo." Mary managed to say.

    "So I do not think you should get yourself involved."

    "So you think?"  He asked her sarcastically as he moved closer to her.

    "I had no idea you did because all this while, I thought you were sick in the head. And it''s Mr King... not Leo." He reminded her about how to address him.

    "Mr King.. Mary... is right. We... can settle all of this ourselves."

    Before Leo could answer Linda, Mia spoke up in a really cold and quiet voice.

    "Both of you... f.u.c.k.i.n.g get into the car before I lose my temper."

    They could see how tight her neck looked and how clenched her fists were.

    They didn''t need a soothsayer to explain to them that she was burning from anger and at the verge of losing it.

    "And I have every right. Because if I want right now, I can throw you both in jail. It would be pretty easy." Leo smirked and looked at the entrance of the police station behind them.

    All the while, Linda knew where Mary was but left Mia to pay the debts and wanted Mia to marry Mr Timothy''s son? Just wonderful! And they dared say it was a family issue and wanted him to leave? They wished!

    Linda looked at Mary and silently communicated to her with her eyes before she went to the open car to hop in.

    Mary also reluctantly followed and got in.

    Leo stood in front of Mia and placed both hands on her shoulders to get her attention.

    Mia lifted her eyes to look at him and he could see how cold they looked.

    "It''s going to be fine Mia, I''ll protect you." He assured her.

    Mia looked at him quietly before shaking her head.

    "You should protect them instead."

 Chapter 170 - I would appreciate that

    "Are you okay?" James asked as he drove Mira to his house even though he knew she wasn''t okay. How would she be okay in this situation?

    "..." Mira said nothing and just looked out the window instead.

    She tried to stop her tears from flowing but it wasn''t working.

    By the time they got to the house, they heard the loud bang of the door upstairs and knew it was Rachel when they saw Noah and Peter standing outside her room''s door.

    "I''ll just go home. Guess party isn''t going to work tonight." Noah told Peter who nodded apologetically.

    "Sorry this whole thing is ruined."

    "Stop that man. You''re my best buddy and I do not mind. And that''s why I would advise you feed Rachel with more sweets for her temper to become less bitter.." He said lightly making Peter chuckle.

    "You said something to me earlier about meeting Mary before didn''t you? Where did you meet her? That girl had been missing for years." Peter said.

    Noah was about to say something but stopped when he noticed James and Mira where close.

    Mira wasn''t in the mood to say much so she just turned to look at Noah. "Thanks a lot for tonight." She said politely. There was no way she would have been able to go up there had it not been for him and they wouldn''t have known Mary was in town.

    "And Peter, thank you also." She said before going to knock on Rachel''s door.

    Mira knocked once before saying..

    "Rachel, It''s me. Thanks a lot for being beside me tonight. I just want you to know that I owe you a lot... and I love you." Mira said before turning away with tears in her eyes.

    How come those who weren''t biologically related to her cared more about her than her real family?

    James led her quietly to his room and closed the door after they both got in.

    "I''ll draw you a warm bath and get you something to eat." He said.

    "I''m not hungry." She shook her head immediately as she went to the large bed but sat down on the floor since her clothes were dirty and she didn''t want to stain the white sheets.

    James didn''t argue with her. Instead he said,

    "You need to eat something Mira.. you look exhausted. But firstly, I''ll draw you a bath." He announced and stood up.

    He only took a step towards the bathroom before he heard Mira''s phone begin to ring.

    One look at the caller, Mira turned off her phone and turned to look at James. "In case anyone from home calls you to ask about me, tell them you have no idea."

    James nodded. "But you know they wouldn''t believe it right?"

    "It doesn''t matter." She hissed before looking away from him.

    "I just... wanted to remind you that this isn''t Mia''s fault. Just in case you are also mad at��"

    "I''m not mad at Mia, James." Mira said as she looked up at him.

    "Why would I be mad at Mia for what her sister did? I know Mia is also a ''Lucas'', but Mia would never hurt me." She said sadly.

    "Is that also a reason you didn''t tell her about it including your parents'' divorce?" He asked knowingly.

    "Now that I think about it, I think I did a good thing not telling Mia about the divorce beforehand. You know how crazy she gets when she is mad." She said with a deep sigh.

    "I''m glad you are still rational even at this point." James said with a smile.

    "You can stay here for as long as you wish��"

    "I''ll return abroad." Mira interrupted while he looked at her in surprise.

    "I need to return to my apartment in school. Need to get away from all these over here."

    "But..."

    "School is resuming anyway. There''s no much difference going there earlier." She said with a shrug even though her eyes were brimming with tears.

    James moved over to sit beside her on the floor while she placed her head on his shoulder.

    "Can you... not go?" He pleaded.

    "Why? You are also going to leave soon. Mia is preparing for final exams also."

    "But Mira..."

    She removed her head from his shoulder to look at him while they stared at each other.

    "We are all going to be fine eventually.. right?" She asked hopefully.

    James looked at her teary face quietly before he cupped her cheeks, then he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. It wasn''t the first time he was kissing her forehead but this time, a lot was different. Mira was also sobbing quietly.

    "We are all going to be fine. I''m always here for you Mira. You know that."

    "I do." She affirmed with a nod before wrapping her hands around him for a hug.

    ********

    As the car parked in front of Linda''s house, Mia quietly stepped down. The atmosphere had been filled with tension and quietness.

    Leo climbed down and went to Mia''s side to hold her hand.

    "Do you want me to go inside with you?" He asked in a whisper as they looked at the mother and daughter come down from the car.

    Mia turned to look at his face. Mia had always liked to handle things by herself but ever since she met Leo, she had come to greatly depend on him and was too lazy to do things on her own.

    Mia stood on her toes and brushed his lips with hers lightly.

    "I would appreciate that." She said quietly before turning her gaze towards the two women who was looking at them with an unreadable gaze.

    Leo was taken aback by her reaction just now but he quickly recovered.

    Linda took out her key from her bag and opened the door. Mia could see how her hand was shaking so much while Mary stood behind her mother.

    Mia hated Mary so much. She wasn''t sure this kind of hate she had for Mary existed between siblings.

    Mary had gotten her into trouble a lot and she was also blamed for it while Mary acted like she was the good one.

    She was rude, mannerless, annoying. Most of Mia''s attitude had been a reflection of Mary''s because Mia had to be like her sister to be able to defend herself from her.

 Chapter 171 - We are in love

    Leo looked inside the house when they entered inside. It was small and looked uncomfortable. How come Mia lived in a place like this? He asked himself.

    There were only two old couches inside, a small wooden table that had seen better days, a really old box TV with a video player.. everywhere was small and congested, making it hard for him to breathe inside. He had never been inside a house as small as this.

    He could see why Mia like his place. ''Ah! This girl.'' He was just going to make sure she never returned there.

    The three women looked at each other''s faces before Mia stepped closer to Mary.

    Although there was slight guilt in Mary''s eyes, she tried to keep a challenging look which caused Mia to scoff at her.

    "Lower your gaze" Mia warned quietly but in a stern voice. Mary didn''t have any right to look at her that way when she was supposed to be apologizing to her.

    "Mia.." Linda called in a choked voice and that just seemed to set Mia off. She raised a hand and hit Mary''s face with force which made her fall to the floor in shock and startling the other two people who were watching but no one tried to stop her.

    "What? Are you going to hit me back for hitting your precious daughter?" Mia entered at Linda before looking down at Mary.

    "How dare you look at me with those filthy eyes of yours? How dare you do all you did!?" Mi raised her voice angrily and the fury was evident in her eyes.

    "How long have you both been meeting each other?" She turned to ask Linda.

    "Mia please... let''s talk about this..." Linda pleaded as tears began to stream down her face.

    "What is wrong with you Mia? Do you realise I am your older sister?" Mary asked from the floor as she looked at Mia angrily but also with fear.

    "So what if we''ve been meeting each other for a while now? What is wrong? Why are you overreacting? Is it because of the debt? Haven''t you paid it already?" Mary asked. "Besides, I also sent mum some money. How do you think she''s been able to pay her part for years? You think it''s from the bakery?"

    Leo could not believe there was someone with an attitude like Mary. She wasn''t even showing remorse at all.

    "Wow! You''ve actually been keeping in touch with each other for years?" Mia asked again even though she had guessed it.

    "Mia please... this is.. we can explain... Mr Timothy... he was really after her... he would have sold her off for real..." Linda said as she tried to touch Mia''s hand.

    Out of anger, Mia pushed Linda so hard that she wailed in pain when she landed on the hard floor but Mia didn''t seem to mind what she had just done. In fact, this was the beginning.

    Mia began to laugh as she looked at the both of them.

    "Ah! I have a lot to say but I don''t even know where to start from." She said in between laughter as tears ran down her cheeks.

    She noticed Leo was coming closer and seeing how angry he looked, she turned to shake her head, telling him not to do a thing.

    "I know where the problem lie Linda Lucas... you refused to discipline your daughter. But you know what? I''ll help you do so." Mia said to Linda as she pointed at Mary.

    "Make sure none of them leaves here." She instructed Leo before disappearing into one of the tiny rooms.

    "Mr King... we were wrong..  but this.. this isn''t right... there was nothing we could do at that point and I''m sorry I used Mia..."

    "Enough about that.. what were you doing in the police station?" Leo asked, hoping that would distract him from the burning anger he was feeling right now.

    Linda also didn''t know why Mary had been there so she also looked at Mary curiously while Mary looked at anywhere else but at the both of them.

    "You had an affair with Mira''s father and you knew who he was?" Leo asked darkly.

    Why was she trying to ruin Mia''s life?

    "She.... what?"

    Mia who was coming out from the room with a whip in hand looked at Leo in shock when she heard what he had just said.

    Colour had completely drained from Mia''s face.

    "Mary... what.. what is he talking about?" Linda asked Mary who was sitting beside her on the floor.

    Leo looked at Mia in confusion. He thought Mia knew about it since he hadn''t followed her inside the police station but met them when the two sisters were already talking.

    "You were having an affair with Mira''s father?" Mia asked quietly in disbelief.

    She wouldn''t give Mary the benefit of doubt and say she didn''t know he was Mira''s father because he was quite popular and hearing the name ''Bill'' was enough for Mary to know he was her friend''s father.

    Mia remembered Mira''s reaction earlier. The bruised, the cuts the tears on her face, the sad look. Mia couldn''t stop the tears that left her face. Mira was one person who loved her a lot in the world and her sister just had to do this to her?

    Mary quickly stood up from the floor seeing how Mia was approaching her with a whip in hand.

    "We... we are in love." Mary said as she moved backwards.

    That was another bomb Mary had just dropped and they all looked at her in shock.

    "You are in love? With Mira''s father?" Mia asked carefully, trying to make sense of everything.

    "Mia stop this... I don''t want to fight you." Mary said when her back was pressed to the wall while she looked at the whip in Mia''s hand. It was the same whip their mother always used on Mia.

    "Fight? No one is fighting here. I am beating you up."

    Mia raised the whip but felt a hand wrap around her waist to stop her. It was her mother.

    "Mia please... don''t do this.." Linda begged.

    "If you don''t get the f.u.c.k away from me right now, I am also going to whip you.. I swear on my life." She said darkly before pushing her mother away from her then the turned to Mary... when she lifted the whip this time, she didn''t stop.

    She flogged Mary so hard and made sure there was no way Mary would escape her.

    When it looked like her pleas were falling on deaf ears, Linda hurried to stand in between Mary and Mia and hugged Mary, hoping Mia would stop. But she had been wrong.

    Mia didn''t.

    Maybe it was time to throw her morals away and deal with this two piece of shit!

 Chapter 172 - Just die!

    Next morning, Jeremy looked around during the first class and still didn''t find Mia. He thought maybe she was running late and would come in before the class ends, but she didn''t.

    He grew worried and just before the second class began, he placed a call across to Mia again who still didn''t answer her calls after calling her four times.

    "You look worried." A lady said making him raise his head to look at her.

    She was also his classmate but he couldn''t remember ever speaking with her since they became classmates.

    "Your new buddy isn''t in class? Or is she your girlfriend?" The girl asked with her curious gaze on his face.

    "Something you want?" Jeremy asked her distractedly. He always kept his distance from his classmates so it was surprising she was suddenly talking to him when people stayed away because he was on scholarship and not from a wealthy family like most of them.

    "Yes. To be your friend." She said with a flirty smile before sitting down on the empty space beside him.

    "My friend?" He asked in surprise.

    "Yes. You seem like a pretty cool guy. Your presence is always known, seen how you always stand up for yourself and those around you." She said with a smile.

    He wouldn''t lie and say she wasn''t pretty. She definitely was. But to him, no woman was as pretty as Chloe. Even though this lady before him was wearing a shirt with the first buttons undone to reveal a bit of her cleavages, he still preferred Chloe''s style where she always completely buttoned her shirts completely. He looked at Chloe''s direction. She seemed very busy typing something on her phone. He could guess it had to do with work.

    "I''m not sure I''m interested in being your friend." He said casually.

    The girl looked a bit surprised but she laughed to hide it.

    "You don''t know who I am? I''m Katie. Katie Engels. My father owns��"

    "Engels sure ring a bell." Jeremy interrupted her.

    Most of the kids in the school were all kids from socialite families so he wasn''t surprised that they all had influential parents. Besides, he had been classmates with her for years, it was normal for him to know almost everyone in the same class with him.

    "Good. So I''ll be hosting a party this weekend to celebrate my birthday and I''d like you to be there. As my special guest" She said flirtatiously and touched his hair but he quickly held her hand and moved it away from his hair. He had never liked people touching his hair... just a few exceptions though.

    "I do not mean to be rude, but I''m not interested in any of it." He said flatly.

    He checked his phone immediately it beeped, expecting it was a message from Mia but he was surprised to see it was from Chloe who was sitting at a few seats away from him.

    She hadn''t looked at him since she arrived at school. Since they''ve been driving to school together, he had waited for her call in the morning so he would go pick her up and drive her to school but she had sent him a text to tell him she would drive herself to school, and since she arrived, she pretended like he wasn''t in the same class with her. She hadn''t looked at him once today. Not that she ever looked at him in class anyway, but it seemed this time, she was deliberately trying to avoid him.

    He knew it had to do with what he said last night about missing her. But he wasn''t sure he regretted saying it. He had been damn serious when he said he missed her and it felt like a huge weight was lifted off his chest when he said those words to her, but if it was going to make her distant and put a strain on their ''relationship'', then he would apologize to her after classes today.

    "Why is Mia not in school?" Chloe asked in her text.

    Jeremy turned to look at her and saw her flipping through the pages of a book indifferently.

    "I have no idea. She''s not taking my calls. Can I get your brother''s number?" He asked and looked up at Katie who was still seated there.

    "At least can I have your number?" She asked before handing him her phone. She didn''t seem too annoyed that he was ignoring her.

    "I made a bet with my friends that I was going to get your number. Please do not embarrass me." She said with a pout and batted her lashes at him.

    Jeremy sighed before taking her phone from her. He typed in his number and returned her phone while she smiled at him and took him by surprise when she suddenly kissed his cheek.

    As she returned to her group of friends, his eyes went to where Chloe was seated and this time, he saw her staring at him with an unreadable gaze before she returned her attention to her phone. In a second, a message came on his phone and it was a phone number.

    *******

    Leo watched Mia as she slept. She hadn''t slept at all the entire night so he let her sleep and made sure to silent her phone so she wouldn''t be disturbed.

    He felt really bad for her. He could not imagine what she was going through.

    Last night had been a war. Mia totally lost it to the point where Mary had to be taken to the hospital.

    Even when he tried to stop Mia, hearing all of her complaints while she cried and hit her sister, he was torn between letting her vent out her anger or pulling her away.

    But when it looked like Mia was never going to stop and Linda had left Mary''s side since Mia was also hitting her, Leo had to pull her away with force.

    "Die! Just die! That''s what you deserve." Mia spat angrily with tears in her eyes at Mary who was crying on the floor with bruises all over her body.

 Chapter 173 - Brother in-law

    Mary could not say a word. She had never in her life been whipped before and had never thought a day like this would come. Although she was bigger than Mia, she realised she couldn''t stand up to her right now.

    "You''ve ruined my life yet you act all c.o.c.ky and talk to me like you are something. Who the hell do you think you are? And you had an affair with Mr Bill? Haven''t you done enough? Why did you come back here? For years, I did a lot of jobs just to make sure I paid your f.u.c.k.i.n.g debt. Do you know I even considered selling my body because of you? But what were you doing? It would have been better to know you died somewhere than showing your ugly face in front of me."

    Mia said between tears and charged at Mary again but Leo dragged her back by her waist while Linda knelt down in front of Mia to beg her.

    "Please stop... you are going to kill her. Please Mia... hit me instead."

    "You think I can''t hit you? You think I won''t? Do you know how many times you hit me for a crime Mary committed? Do you know all I went through because of you? The depressions... the suicidal thoughts. I f.u.c.k.i.n.g loved you. But you are terrible and horrible and an ingrate and I hate you. So move away before I really take my anger out on you. Because right now, I am helping you discipline your little princess. Maybe I may end up beating some sense into her."

    Mia couldn''t stop the anger she felt. She thought by now, Leo would probably know the kind of person she was and the type of anger she had then he would stay away from her or even end up hating her.

    She wanted to stop, at least for Leo. But all the pent up anger, sadness and frustration for many years could not let her stop. Her hatred for Mary and the disgust she felt towards her mother now, could not let her stop.

    "Mia... please. You don''t have to do this." Linda begged as she hugged Mia''s leg and cried.

    Mary was wailing from so much pain and needed to be treated quickly. They could see some blood stains on her but didn''t know where exactly it came from.

    "Have you ever considered me your daughter? What did I ever do to you? Did you pick me up from the slums?" Mia asked Linda as she tried to kick her away.

    Leo remembered Mia had said she didn''t want to ever know that answer so he turned her around to look at him.

    "Mia.. I''m not sure you want to do this right now you aren''t in a good mood." He advised Mia who was beginning to cry uncontrollably seeing Leo still being gentle with her.

    "Those... people.." She said pointing her finger backwards.

    "They are bad people. They ruined my life" She said in between sobs.

    "I know." Leo cupped her cheeks to look at her face.

    "But if you continue like this, they are going to be badly injured and you would end up in prison. You have to control your temper okay?" Leo said quietly while she continued to cry.

    "Please?" He begged.

    As tears continued to roll down her cheeks, she nodded reluctantly while he smiled a bit.

    He tilted his head to the side and planted a soft kiss on her lips before pulling her into a hug. She melted in his arms and cried uncontrollably while he gently patted her head.

    He had called for an ambulance to take Mary to the hospital even though Mia hadn''t wanted that and Linda had followed to watch over her daughter while he returned with Mia to the house when it was past midnight already. She hadn''t gone to bed until it was past 6 in the morning after crying for a long time. He knew going to school wasn''t an option for her today.

    His phone soon began to ring and he quickly reached for it so it wouldn''t wake Mia up. His eyes were heavy and he needed to sleep but he couldn''t leave her there.

    It was from an unknown number so he left the room to go answer the call while he head towards the kitchen for a bottle of water.

    "You are Chloe''s brother with the messy hair right?" Jeremy''s curious voice asked immediately the call connected.

    Leo didn''t need anyone to tell him who that was. It was the weird guy who liked his sister and was jealous of him for being closer to his sister than he was.

    "Chloe''s brother with the messy hair?" He asked raising a brow.

    "I guess it''s you then. The other one would have said no. Where is Mia? Is she okay?  Why isn''t she in class?" He asked. "Answer quickly the lecturer is already in the class." He urged Leo impatiently.

    Leo couldn''t get angry at his rudeness because Jeremy obviously cared about Mia.

    "She is sick. You don''t have to worry too much."

    "How can I not worry too much when she is sick!?" Jeremy snapped at him which caused Leo to frown deeply. Firstly, he was older than Jeremy. Secondly, Jeremy liked his sister so he was supposed to be respectful to him, yea?

    "Do you like my sister or you like Mia?" Leo asked quietly. "I could just tell Chloe you have a thing for Mia��"

    "What are you talking about? Mia is just a friend��"

    "And Chloe?" Leo asked patiently. It was suddenly fun riling this guy up, he thought to himself as he reached a bottle of water to have a gulp.

    "Well... she is... the girl I want to marry�C"

    *Pffffftt...*

    Leo almost choked and spat out the water he had been planning to drink.

    There was no way he was ever looking forward to being a brother in-law to this weird guy.

    But he thought he shouldn''t be worried. He was sure Chloe would never fall for someone like him.

    "What are you doing here when you are supposed to be inside the class?"

    Leo suddenly heard his sister''s familiar voice at the background talking to Jeremy and frowned. Maybe he had to be worried?

 Chapter 174 - I dont want to see you again

    James tapped lightly on his room''s door where Mira had been locked in since morning.

    After that party night, he became very cautious amd didn''t just want to barge inside the room or bathroom even though it was his room.

    "Someone is here to see you." He snuck his head inside to tell Mira who was lying down on the bed and had only muttered dryly for him to come in.

    She sat up and looked at the door, hoping it was neither her mother nor father at the door. As the door widened, surprisingly, it was Mia who was standing there.

    If Mira thought she looked awful, Mia looked even worse than her. Her face and eyes were swollen and red. She had shadows under her eyes and her eyes looked tired and lifeless.

    "Mia.." Mira called in a weak voice as she quickly got down from the bed.

    They both met halfway inside the room and hugged each other tightly while James excused the ladies. Even though he was their close friend, this was something but ladies needed to talk about since it concerned them directly.

    "I am so�� sorry.." Mia said in between tears.

    Mira was one person who loved her unconditionally and she hated herself now because of the pain her family was making her go through.

    "Stop it.. it''s not your fault. Don''t say that." Mira scolded her as she cried also. "I do not blame you for it. I don''t blame you at all so don''t say that."

    Mia buried her face in Mira''s neck and sobbed quietly.

    A little while later, both were cuddling on the bed. Although Mira was the youngest, she liked to act like the boss so she cuddled Mia from behind while they both shared a pillow.

    "You didn''t go to school?" Mira asked her.

    "I didn''t." Mia answered dryly.

    "You shouldn''t skip classes. You are going to graduate soon." Mira chided her.

    "I didn''t have a choice." Mia replied. Going to school had been the last thing on her mind after all that happened during the last twenty four hours.

    "What happened to her? How long has she been around?" Mira asked curiously.

    The ''her'' she was referring to was Mary but because of how angry the name made her feel, she chose to settle for that instead.

    "A long time. She only went into hiding the first few months before she reached her mother. They''ve been keeping in touch all this while." She said in a choked voice. "Now that I think about it, it makes sense since her mother suddenly stopped worrying too much about Mary''s whereabout and her late night cries stopped." Mia hissed.

    "But why did she do that? It doesn''t make any sense. Why would she run away and still keep in touch with her mother while they kept it away from you? And why does it hurt you so much when you''ve never really liked her?" Mira asked curiously.

    She couldn''t seem to shake off the fact that there was more to it than Mia was letting on. She knew Mia had never liked Mary and had mentioned a couple of times that she was happy Mary disappeared but only prayed she was safe somewhere. So she didn''t understand why Mia was so broken now.

    "Are you disappointed she is still alive?" Mira asked with a tone filled with sacarsm.

    "This time, I would have preferred it if she had died for real." Mia muttered.

    "She left me with nothing but misery and debts."

    "Debts? What debt?" Mira asked in confusion.

    For the past years, Mia didn''t mention the debt Mira had thrown them in because she didn''t want them to pity her or see her differently. They had only assumed she was taking different jobs to take care of herself and her mother.

    "She borrowed a lot, gambled with it and couldn''t pay back so she ran away. It spanned to hundreds of thousand and we had to pay it on her behalf or else, I would be married off to the creditor''s son, who is sick by the way." She said with a dry laugh making Mira sit up immediately.

    "I don''t believe you." Mira shook her head in disbelief. She couldn''t believe Mia had been going through all of that for years yet she hadn''t mentioned it to her and she was sure James also didn''t know about this.

    "I''m sorry. I couldn''t tell you both." Mia also sat up and looked at her apologetically.

    Mira''s eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

    "You.. have been in debt�� for years? And��"

    "I just.. I didn''t want to tell you both." Mia said, her eyes glistening with tears, she could tell Mira was definitely mad at her. It was obvious.

    "You didn''t want to tell us?" She asked in anger before standing up,

    "I am your friend! The three of us have been together for years and you kept something like that from us? Those many part time jobs, why you couldn''t hang out with us, it was all because of the debt? Was that why you asked me for a thousand bucks the other day?" Mira asked in disbelief.

    "I''m sorry." Mia said calmly.

    James who heard Mira''s raised voice from downstairs quickly ran up stairs and opened the door, hoping they weren''t fighting.

    Mira was standing and looking at Mia coldly while Mia was still sitting on the bed giving Mira and an apologetic look.

    "So have you paid it?" Mira asked in a quiet but harsh voice. Both ladies ignored James who was wondering what was happening between them.

    "I have. Leo paid it." Mia confessed with her head down. She had expected Mira to get angry so she wasn''t surprised.

    "You trusted Leo more than us? We have been your friends for fifteen years yet you kept this from us and told Leo about it instead?"

    "That''s not it. Mia said defensively. He found out by chance."

    "You are silly! Mira scoffed at her before reaching for her bag. "I don''t want to ever see you again." She said angrily and began to head towards the door.

    "Mira.." James held her hand to stop her from leaving but she shook him off and left the room.

    James was torn between going with Mira or staying with Mia. His friends were both broken and he would have preferred they stayed together to make things easier but now he didn''t know what to do.

    As if Mia could read his thought, she said,

    "I was the wrong one. You should go after her." Mia told him quietly, making it easy for him to make a decision so he went after Mira while Mia tried to control her emotion.

    **********

    "What did Leo say about Mia?" Chloe asked Jeremy as he drove them away from school.

    Jeremy turned to briefly glance at her, obviously surprised she was speaking with him.

    Although she had agreed to let him drive when he sent her a text after the last class to ask her if he was welcomed to drive her, which surprised him that she had actually agreed. But since the drive started, it had been quiet and awkward and he didn''t know what to say until she spoke just now.

    "She''s sick. He said he was going to ask her to call me when she wakes up. " he said with a deflated sigh.

    "Oh��." Chloe said and looked like she was lost in thought.

    "Are you going straight to the meeting or to the office first?" Jeremy asked when he didn''t know what else to say.

    "Why are you asking me that when you are already on your way to the office?" Chloe asked with a raised brow. Although she could guess he had asked her that because he had nothing else to say.

    "That''s right��" He answered awkwardly and looked ahead. When he became very uncomfortable with the silence, he turned to speak to her but she spoke first.

    "I didn''t know you had a lot of friends in school." She said indifferently.

    "Friends? What are you talking about?" He asked, sounding and looking confused.

    "Just keep making tons of friends." She said with a stiff smile before looking out the window, leaving Jeremy totally confused and clueless.

    "Look, I know you are mad at me for what I said yesterday and I am going to apologize for it if you feel offended. I really do not like you being so cold to me like this and saying things I do not understand. So I take back my words. I went overboard and said some things I wasn''t supposed to say to you�� as my boss, and also thought too highly of myself when I already know it is impossible for you to ever like someone like me so... I sincerely apologize. I won''t ever cross my limit again and if you want me to stay away, I promise I would." He said in a serious voice that actually took Chloe by surprise.

    Jeremy faced the road and continued driving while waiting for her to respond but she remained quiet.

    She was speechless.

 Chapter 175 - We arent dating

    Mira arrived home feeling very grumpy. Everything had taken a toll on her and she just wanted to disappear. She wished someone was taking her side right now. Didn''t she have any right to be mad at Mia for ignoring them? Of course she did! She was angry because Mia had been working her ass off for years to pay up a debt she didn''t owe and she hadn''t told them about it. If they had known, herself and James would have helped her out. But that was what Mia had said she didn''t want. She didn''t want her friends to help her, she didn''t want to be a burden to them so she wanted to handle things herself even though it had broken her completely.

    If she had known Mary had done so, she wouldn''t have stopped with only a few slaps and punches. She would have beaten the hell out of her until she was unconscious.

    "Mira wait!" James had called after her immediately she left his room and was heading outside to where her car was parked.

    "Just wait!" He hurried to stand beside her and held her hand when she didn''t turn back to look at him.

    "Do not tell me that I am overreacting!" She stopped to warn him.

    "What''s wrong? Why are you both quarreling? You both are going through a lot and shouldn''t be doing this to each other." He said sadly.

    "You think I want to do this? No! I don''t want to do it. But to think that Mary borrowed so much money and couldn''t pay back and Mia had to slave away to pay it back for years is making me so angry. And if it had only been that, I wouldn''t be this pissed but there was even a stupid condition saying Mia would be married off to the creditor''s sick son if she couldn''t pay it up. It makes me so sick and angry! Imagine us oblivious to the whole thing and one day we hear Mia is married to some guy. Why couldn''t she trust us?" Mira asked angrily as she tried to pull her hand away from his grasp.

    James looked very surprised. This was the first time he was hearing about this. He could see why Mira was mad at Mia because he was also beginning to get angry but three people getting angry at the same time wasn''t going to solve anything.

    "Let''s just talk this out okay? You can''t leave just like this. Where are you going to?"

    "You don''t have to worry. I''ll go somewhere." Mira said dismissively.

    "Look Mira, you need to understand that even though we are angry, we have to understand Mia. She has always been like that, you know that, we both know that. Everyone has things they do not want to talk about��"

    "Well, I don''t!" Mira snapped.

    "So does she know about your parents'' divorce?" James asked her as he raised a brow.

    When Mira remained quiet, he spoke again.. "Everyone has something they do not want to talk about. I know we are all friends, and it hurts me also that we all keep things from each other. But it''s also normal."

    "So you''re saying I''m wrong?" Mira asked with a disappointed look on her face.

    "I''m saying you are both wrong and right at the same time and need to make up. Imagine what she is going through. You are also going through a lot and this is the least important thing at the moment."

    Regardless of all he had said, she still left him and drove down to her house. It was the only place she had now anyway.

    James had returned to the room to meet Mia who was lying down on the bed and sobbing softly.

    He went to lie down close to her and turned to face her so he was looking into her teary eyes.

    "You are going to fall sick at this rate." He warned softly.

    "She left didn''t she?" Mia asked and he nodded slowly.

    He reached for her hair and began to smoothen it while also patting her on the head gently.

    "You''ve suffered a lot. And I''m proud of you for being able to last this long." He said with a small proud smile which made her eyes water even more.

    She tried to stay something, but she feared she may burst into tears if she said anything. Those words of his touched her deeply.

    "Do not worry, she''ll come around. Her emotions are all over the place at the moment. Give her until tomorrow." He assured her.

    "Thank.... you." She managed to say in a choked voice.

    "We are friends. This is what we do for each other." He said with a broad smile which quickly transformed into a frown.

    "I''m really mad at you Mia.."

    "I know.. I''m sorry.. I messed up...."

    "Yea, why didn''t you mention you were both dating? My heart stopped when he introduced himself as your boyfriend at the police station yesterday." He said as he narrowed his eyes into a slit.

    Mia was a bit startled that that was what he was talking about.

    "We... aren''t dating..."

    "One more lie from you and I''ll throw you out through the window." He said before sitting up.

    Mia had stopped sobbing and was now a bit embarrassed to talk about this.

    This was also what James wanted, to make her stop wallowing in sadness for a while.

    "I''m serious... we are both just...."

    "I saw the hickeys on your neck last night" He said with a boyish grin.

    Mia blushed and became self conscious so she touched her neck which was now covered with a turtleneck.

    She had ran out of the house when she heard Mira was in the police station and had forgotten to cover it up. It was until this morning that she remembered she had left the house last night without covering it up and she had prayed and hoped no one had taken note of it last night even though the mark had been glaring.

    She had found it difficult coming here today because she only had the pink turtleneck dress to cover up her neck and she couldn''t wear it while coming here.

    Fortunately, Leo had ordered some clothes for her and she had been surprised to see different kinds and colors of highneck and turtleneck tops and gowns arrive in the house for her.

    Leo was so observant and considerate.

    "We... didn''t have s.e.x." Mia said with flushed cheeks when she saw the look James was giving her.

    James only smirked at her before climbing down from the bed.

    "Would you like some Pizza? We need to eat and discuss. There are some things your big brother need to talk to you about."

    Mia frowned before throwing a pillow at him. "I am older than you, you bastard."

    He caught the pillow and began to laugh. "I am far bigger than you!" He reminded her with a sly wink.

    *******

    Chloe checked the time and noticed it was almost time for her meeting with the investor who wanted to stop investing in the mall so she quickly picked up her things and left her office.

    The mall was crowded as usual with people moving about. Even though she didn''t like crowds too much, she liked this type of crowd, knowing it brought more money into her bank account.

    She saw a male staff in the mall''s uniform directing someone on where to find a certain item and she began to look around for someone else who usually wore that dress but had a longer hair.

    She took out her phone to text him to meet her at the parking lot but kept hesitating. She couldn''t believe he was actually snubbing her. Since they arrived there, he just left the car without another word, he didn''t come inside her office and neither did he bring her any snacks to eat.

    "What a drama king!" She hissed and was about to walk away when she was suddenly pushed to the side roughly.

    "Move away. Don''t just stand there if you are not buying anything." A lady''s angry voice said.

    It was one of the staff but she looked new and obviously didn''t know who Chloe was since she rarely came down here and she liked to live lowkey, so a lot of people didn''t know who she really was except some few gossips or some staff which had worked in the mall for a long time.

    The staff who pushed her was leading two ladies who were dressed to the nines and looked really rich. It was obvious she was trying to suck up to them.

    Chloe quickly checked her nametag to get her name. She was about to say something but noticed Jeremy around the corner so she decided to let it slide for now.

    He was too soft and was probably going to start begging her to not fire the lady. She would just have to do it secretly later.

    She sighed at how stressful she had to live now because of this long�Chaired homo sapien who was snubbing her.

    They both locked eyes and he quickly looked away as if he hadn''t just seen her.

    "What the hell is wrong with him?" Chloe asked herself angrily as she stomped out of the mall.

 Chapter 176 - Relationship experts

    Mia returned to Leo''s apartment when she was done speaking with James but she didn''t see Leo at home.

    She was a bit disappointed but returned to her room anyway while passing by Tara who was giving her sad puppy eyes. Tara enjoyed those days when Mia was always running from her while they raced around the apartment since it had been fun. But now, Mia was no longer playing with her.

    Mia slumped on her bed in exhaustion.

    James had questioned her like she was a little girl and had spent hours explaining to her what to do and not do in a relationship. He had taken it upon himself to teach her about boys since it was her first relationship.

    He almost blew up at her when she confessed she had told Leo she liked him first. According to him, she never should have done that.

    "He obviously likes you and I think he is holding back because of something. It''s not a bad thing that you told him you liked him, but he may want to jump into having something with you even if he''s not cleared up whatever is going on with him." James had advised her.

    "So... what am I going to do?" Mia asked helplessly.

    This had been James way of distracting her from all she was going through but she wasn''t sure she liked this method and all he was telling her.

    Although she knew this wasn''t a conversation they were both supposed to be having right now considering all that had happened, she just couldn''t push this topic aside. It was very important to her.

    "Speak with him. Ask him to tell you whatever is going on with him. If he confessed to you that he liked you, then you deserve to know.... it''s the least he owes you." James explained.

    "And what if he doesn''t say a word to me? What if he says there''s nothing to talk about?" She asked, already sounding hopeless.

    "If he truly loves you, he is going to tell you something for sure, just to make sure you understand and do not leave him later. This is the truth Mia." James assured her.

    Mia rolled over and went to stand by the window to stare into space.

    How come her life was suddenly so full of drama?

    And lately, she was beginning to feel she had bad luck. Things never went smoothly for her. Once one thing ends, another comes.

    "You should purge yourself of bad luck,  more may come your way."

    She suddenly heard a clear voice speak to her and turned around immediately but no one was there.

    Those words... she remembered those words correctly.

    The fortune-teller she had met at the park had said those words to her.

    Had he been right?

    ***********

    Leo sat inside a private hospital room where Mary was admitted while her mother sat by her bedside.

    He wouldn''t have bothered giving them such comfort in the hospital if he didn''t want to have a private time with them. He had made sure not to send them to his parents'' hospital. He didn''t want anything that would make them start asking him questions.

    "If Mia agrees to it, we are going to press charges against you both." Leo said while looking at Mary who looked like she was going to collapse again at any moment. Her face was an eyesore and she had bandages wrapping some parts of her body that had been seriously bruised from the first fight with Rachel and Mira then the beating Mia gave her later.

    "Please, it was never my intention to do all I did." Mary cried. "I didn''t have any choice."

    "You did have a choice!" He snapped at her quickly when he noticed Linda was about to say something.

    "As her older sister, you should have been smarter. You should have been responsible! But you left all of that to your little sister. She slaved away her teenage years while you lived happily. She worked her ass off just to make sure you graduate from university yet, you dropped out and ran away. Now you also want her to slave away her youth for you?  You had to do that to her and sell her off?" He asked harshly with his eyes red from anger.

    "I didn''t mean to sell her off! I have been sending money to my mother. She''s here to bear me witness. I just had to run away at that point because Mr Timothy was looking for me to pay up the debt." Mary cried defensively.

    "But I kept sending money home every month."

    "Stop repeating it like you were doing Mia a favor by sending money home. It was your f.u.c.k.i.n.g debt for chrissake. A debt you were supposed to pay on your own. But she worked herself to breaking point just to do this for you and I hate the fact that you still sound like you did nothing wrong."

    "Mr King��"

    "Stay out of this Linda." Leo snapped at Linda who was about to speak.

    "This is all your fault. And it makes me so angry that I just want to throw you both in prison, but I''ll have to speak with Mia first before I decide what to do about it. And I want you both to know that no matter what she decides to do to you two, I am going to take her side and also make sure you both pay her every penny she had worked her ass off just to make sure the debt was paid. And I''ll warn you never to leave this room. It won''t be too difficult searching for either of you." He warned before standing up.

    "Thank you... Mr King... for being beside Mia." Linda said suddenly in a choked voice when he got to the door.

    Leo stopped and turned around to look at her face, then he snorted.

    "You really do not deserve to tell me that." He said coldly before leaving the room.

    ***********

    Jeremy''s mood turned foul after Chloe left.

    "I thought you said this was going to work and she would speak with me first?" He texted with an angry face emoticon to a certain person.

    "Of course, it read it online that it always works. What''s wrong?" Ellie texted back.

    "She looked at me like I wasn''t even there before walking away.  Look, I''m tired of this whole thing. I''m not even sure she ate anything. Her eyes looked so tired." He complained.

    "You are such a softie." Ellie replied with a laughing emoticon.

    "Trust me, maybe not now, but eventually, it is going to work."

    "Eventually?" Jeremy texted with a shocked-face emoticon.

    "What do you mean by eventually? So you aren''t even sure it''s going to work now? Wow! I''m so silly to have listened to you."

    "Yea, maybe you are. Who listens to their eight years old sister for relationship advise anyway?" She asked and sent a grinning emoticon.

    "But this is going to work. A lot of people online said so." She sent again but he sighed and exited the chat.

    "What''s with the look? Missing the boss?" A young male staff asked with an amused smile.

    "No" He answered dryly.

    "You both had a lover''s quarrel?" He asked as he c.o.c.ked his head to the side to observe Jeremy.

    "We aren''t dating." Jeremy corrected immediately.

    Chloe had asked him not to get any ideas and even when she had asked him to pretend like he was her boyfriend in front of David, she hadn''t gone through with it.

    Now that he thought about it, he didn''t know whether he was to blame Chloe for playing with his feelings or blame himself for keeping his hopes up.

    ********

    Chloe cussed under her breath as she drove towards the location of the meeting.

    Her assistants were very busy and since the man had said he wanted to have the meeting with her, she had gone alone instead.

    What did he think he was doing snubbing her?

    Because of him she hadn''t eaten anything since  she had expected he was going to bring her something. How could he ignore her and pretend like he hadn''t seen her?

    "He should act all he wants. I don''t even care." She hissed and decided to not think about it.

    She remembered she was yet to call Louis concerning David''s sister so she called him and placed it on loudspeaker.

    "Little sister!" He greeted.

    "Stop calling me that. I''m surprised you are available to take my call."

    He chuckled lightly before asking.. "Why did you call?"

    "There is a friend of mine whose sister is sick. Please can you help me run checks on her and let me know what is wrong?"

    "Does this friend have a long hair?" Louis asked in a suspicious tone.

    "Jeremy? No! That''s not him. How do you know him?" She asked in surprise.

    "Let''s talk about it later. You can ask your friend to meet me at the hospital by 2 o''clock tomorrow��"

    "Why does he have to meet you?" She asked in alarm and heard him sigh wearily.

    "I wasn''t referring to the Jeremy guy. Why are you so nervous?"

    Chloe heaved a deep sigh of relief as she realised he was talking about David and his sister instead.

    "And we are both going to talk about this Jeremy guy soon." He said before disconnecting the call.

    What was it with everyone knowing about Jeremy? She had dated David for four years yet no one knew but barely a few weeks with Jeremy and the whole world knew about him.

    This wasn''t looking good for her at all. What if her parents found out about it? She was going to be in deep trouble.

    She was so lost in thought that she didn''t see another car coming and collided into it.

 Chapter 177 - He is annoying

    Mia smiled when she saw a message she had missed earlier. It was from Jeremy who had sent her an audio record of the lectures she had missed. He had also taken shots of his notes and sent them to her so she would see the things the lecturer had written or diagrams he drew on the white board since she wouldn''t understand it by merely listening to the record.

    She was glad to have agreed to be his friend. He was a really sweet guy and she hoped things worked out well for himself and Chloe.

    There was something she had always stopped herself from doing but deicded it was best to just do it now even though she knew she may likely get hurt from it.

    She opened her browser and after hesitating for a while, she searched for ''Cherry Anderson'' and held her breath as it loaded for a second before her images appeared on the screen.

    There were some images of Cherry dancing in fancy looking studios which Mia envied as she looked at it. There were also videos of her being interviewed.

    Cherry was an only child, her parents were divorced and had married different spouses and naturally, those personal informations of her were on the internet because she was famous.

    She wrote scripts for movies and was a dance choreographer especially for movies which centered more on dancing.

    Her eyes went to her birthdate and her heart sank. It wasn''t because Cherry was three years older, it was because of her birthdate.

    15th of August.

    "1508" She said quietly.

    That had been the passcode for the apartment before Leo changed it to their ages.

    She began to imagine the number of times he had opened that door over the years and thought about Cherry.

    The front door opened and her heart began to race as she heard Leo come inside.

    James was right. She needed to talk about it. She had told Leo she wanted nothing from him but only wanted him to know she liked him, but she had been wrong. She wanted him to like her also and like only her. Although it sounded childish, she wanted him to use her birthdate as the passcode of the apartment so that whenever he opened the door, he would think of her alone.

    She could tell Leo was playing with Tara who was welcoming him in the sitting room so she waited patiently until he knocked on her door.

    "Hey!" He said with a little smile. He had gone to see her mother and sister without letting her know about it. He could only pray and hope she wouldn''t ask where he had gone to.

    "Can we talk?" He asked her quietly. He had to know what she was planning to do with her mother and sister.

    Mia''s heart literally stopped from anxiety.

    "Alright, sure. I also need to talk to you about something."

    It was Leo''s turn to feel nervous but he maintained a cool composure.

    "I just have to change out of these clothes and I''ll meet you here then..." He would have said he would meet her in the kitchen, but he didn''t like sitting at the kitchen with her because then, he would have to sit across from her and it always made them feel distant.

    But in here, there was every possibility she may let him cuddle her and that was what he wanted.

    "Alright." Mia agreed. She also wanted the same thing.

    ***********

    "What were you thinking colliding into someone''s car? If I hadn''t called you, no one  would have known you were involved in an accident!" Amara, Chloe''s friend, who was Benjamin''s older sister, scolded her.

    "Come on, it''s not a big deal. It is only��"

    "What do you mean by it''s not a big deal? You even fainted! Do you know how scared I was when a man picked up your phone to say you were in the hospital? And how could you lock your phone? What if someone hadn''t called you earlier?" Amara continued to scold her.

    "I only fainted from the shock. I had never been involved in an accident before and besides, they were in a hurry to take me to the hospital, they could have still been able to reach someone if they searched for my ID." Chloe said with a dismissive wave like it was nothing.

    "You really need to go to your parents'' hospital and get properly checked. I didn''t even know hospitals like this existed." Amara said as she looked around the congested room with a wrinkled face.

    "Do you think everyone is able to afford coming to our hospital? At least, this kind of place helps a majority of people and I believe more people than the elites who are able to afford the King''s Hospital. This may sound strange, but I kind of like this place." Chloe said with a grin as she lay back on the bed and looked at the elderly patient lying on the bed beside her. It was a woman who looked around her 70''s, the woman was smiling at her.

    "How can you like here? Sometimes when you open your mouth to speak, I doubt you are even from the King''s family.."

    While Amara kept berating her, Chloe looked at the elderly woman in confusion who was still smiling at her.

    "You are a very pretty girl." The woman suddenly said to Chloe which surprised the two girls.

    "Oh.... Th�Canks.." Chloe said with an awkward smile.

    "You remind me of myself in the younger days. I was just like you."

    Amara scoffed in disbelief as she looked at the woman who looked nothing like ''pretty'' and she could swear she had looked even worse when she was younger.

    But Chloe smiled at the woman and nodded. "It''s obvious. You still look pretty." Chloe said which made the woman grin happily.

    "And my dear... this isn''t a place you should like or be comfortable in. Everyone who is here always wants to leave, but some of us aren''t very lucky. You shouldn''t wish to be like those people." She advised with a sad look on her face. "So if you have the opportunity to leave, you have to leave immediately and pray never to come here again."

    "How long have you been here?" Chloe asked her curiously.

    "I''ve been stuck here for the past three months." She said with a sad smile.

    Chloe sat up and looked at her sadly.

    Amara knew what she was about to do and touched Chloe''s shoulder, hoping that would make her return to her senses but Chloe ignored her.

    "What''s wrong with your health?" Chloe asked the woman.

    Before the doctor came back with the last report and discharged her, Chloe had already promised to help the woman and transfer her to a better hospital to help her.

    "She''s a complete stranger. You shouldn''t always help everyone you see..."

    "I pay for it Amara... not you. So I would appreciate it if you stopped telling me what to do or scolding me like I''m a kid."

    Amara sighed and stopped walking to ask her..

    "You aren''t doing all of this because of that incident right?" Amara asked curiously making Chloe stop in her tracks and turn to look at her.

    "All lives are precious. I don''t need to have a reason to be nice to people." She said and was about to walk away when she saw a familiar figure run inside the hospital.

    "Where is she? Is she okay? Where is Chloe?" Jeremy asked a nurse desperately and he looked like he was at the verge of breaking down in tears.

    "Oh wow! Who''s this guy?" Amara asked in surprise while Chloe watched in confusion. How did he know she was here?

    Besides, hadn''t he been snubbing her earlier? Because of him she had gotten into an accident and if her insurance hadn''t covered the cost, she would have spent a lot of money trying to fix her car and the other person''s car since she had been the wrong one.

    "Calm down sir, you have to meet the nurse at the counter to check the records and direct you to wherever Chloe is." The nurse said patiently.

    "There''s no time. She was involved in an accident. Is any patient undergoing surgery right now?" He asked as he grasped her hands in desperation. "She didn''t even eat." He said before sniffing loudly.

    "Aww... he''s so cute." Amara said with a light chuckle and tried to raise her hand to get Jeremy''s attention but Chloe stopped her.

    "Let him be." Chloe said as she continued to look at him with a straight face.

    "Why? Who is he? He obviously likes you. How adorable." Amara said with wide grin.

    "He is annoying." Chloe said with an eye roll.

    "The look in your face says you didn''t mean that. Was he the reason you broke up with David? I''d break up with my boyfriend if he liked me."

    Amara spoke again with her eyes never leaving Jeremy.

    "Stop saying things like that. It''s annoying." Chloe snapped at her.

    "Why? Jealous? Can I have him if you don''t want him then?" Amara asked Chloe as the nurse who was attending to Jeremy pointed at their direction.

    Jeremy was surprised when he saw Chloe standing there looking hale and hearty.

    "If you go near him, I''ll get mad. He is a student and needs to focus." Chloe warned Amara with a cold voice  while she looked at Jeremy who was now walking really fast to where she was standing.

    "Ha! I knew it. You like��" Amara stopped her whispers when Jeremy suddenly appeared in front of them and grabbed Chloe in a big hug with his face buried in the crook of her neck.

    "I thought it was serious." He said in a choked voice.

    Chloe stood there like a statue with her eyes very wide opened while Amara looked at them in shock. She hadn''t thought they had gotten to the hugging stage.

    "You should have let me drive. Why did you have to go like that? Even if you disliked me, you could have still asked me to drive... isn''t that what you pay me for?" He scolded lightly while still hugging her.

    "I''m... just... going to... go check my blood pressure." Amara said awkwardly and quickly excused them.

 Chapter 178 - Questions?

    Leo and Mia sat far apart on the bed while Leo looked at the space between them with a disappointed look on his face. Maybe he had been expecting too much since Mia had actually but a whole lot of boundary between them and shifted far.

    "How is Mira?" Leo asked her. He had thought about giving Mira a call but he felt it would be considered as him going a bit too far since he wasn''t really close friends with Mira.

    "Great." Mia lied but Leo quickly saw through her.

    Mia was always direct and usually looked directly into the other person''s eyes when talking except it was something she didn''t want to talk about. But just now, she looked down and avoided his gaze.

    "It''s going to be fine. It''s not your fault." He assured her.

    "She isn''t mad about that." Mia shook her head to correct Leo. He thought Mira was mad at her because Mary had an affair with her father.

    "Oh... then what''s wrong?" He asked sounding concerned. He wouldn''t like the girls'' friendship to get broken for anything since Mida and James were the only ones Mia had. He didn''t want to include Jeremy to the list.

    Mia looked down once again. "She found out about the debt and got mad that I never mentioned it."

    Leo looked at her in surprise. "You didn''t mention it at all to them?"

    He had been asking himself why neither Mira nor James helped Mia at all since they were from rich families. It wasn''t like he thought they were both entitled to help Mia, but since they were all friends, he thought they could have helped her with it at least. But now he knew Mia hadn''t even told them about it.

    "I couldn''t... I didn''t want them to start seeing me as a....."

    "Mia..." Leo took the opportunity to move closer to her so he could touch her hand which was resting on the bed.

    "Your friends care about you a lot. Mira, James, they do. I don''t think they would have seen you anything less than their best friend."

    "I don''t... I don''t just know..." Mia sniffed sadly.

    "And you need to understand Mira. Let''s assume you also didn''t mention it to me and maybe, I found out about it by next year or even the year after, I am going to get really mad."

    He squeezed her hand gently. "You should apologize to her okay? I know you are also going through a lot, but you know Mira loves you a lot and that is why she feels hurt and betrayed."

    He used a finger to lift her chin so he could see her face which had been down the whole time.

    She had a little tears in her eyes and it made him feel sad.

    "I''m sorry you are going through all this at the same time."

    "Thanks." She said with a little smile. "My life has been easier with you in it."

    "Life becomes easy when you meet a King." He said sarcastically and laughed when she began to laugh.

    Seeing her laugh now, he wasn''t sure how to raise the topic about her mother and sister. He didn''t want anything that would make her feel sad again.

    So he thought it was best to leave that for later.

    "You said you wanted to talk about something?"

    He reminded her.

    Mia also remembered he had mentioned he wanted to talk to her about something. Now that he reminded her, she didn''t know where to start from and didn''t know how he was going to react to her questions.

    "Uhmm.... I..." She pulled her ear nervously and this time, she didn''t look down but looked into his eyes instead. James had told her to make sure to maintain eye contact with him. That way, she would be able to see all of his emotion on his face.

    He waited for her to speak with bated breath as he wondered what she had to say. Hopefully, she wasn''t planning to leave his house now right?

    "I have a few questions but I don''t know how it may sound and even though you do not feel like talking about it, I would appreciate it if you try to answer them." Mia said slowly.

    There was nothing like ''If you can''t talk about it then you don''t have to.'' No! She needed answers or else, she wasn''t sure she would be able to sleep well at nights.

    "Questions?" He asked in surprise and confusion before nodding. "Alright. What.. is it?"

    After a little pause, she spoke..

    "It''s all about Cherry."

    Leo''s forehead wrinkled. He remembered he had said they were going to talk about this topic later but he hadn''t expected her to still be thinking about it.

    "I am... just curious about everything." She confessed.

    "Mia.. there''s really nothing going on between us anymore."

    "I know..." She nodded. "But.... I want to know that thing you aren''t telling me about. That thing that makes you draw back. I am curious about it."

    "Is it something you cannot tell me about?" She asked, sounding slightly hurt. She thought they talked to each other about everything?

    Leo sighed before moving away from her to stand up.

    Mia looked hurt thinking he was about to leave the room but he just stood there with his back to her.

    "I was hurt Mia." He confessed without looking at her.

    "And I was really stupid. I thought she was perfect. We went to the same college,  it was like a love at first sight. I was coming out of the Chemistry lab, she was returning from her class and we bumped into each other."

    "I have always fantasized about meeting the love of my life that way so I assumed that was God answering my prayers."

    He narrated.

    "I thought she loved me too. Cherry is so ambitious. She would do anything to achieve her goals. She is the type of lady who would go any length just to get what she wanted. And she did just that."

    "She cheated."

    "She had always complained about how work was giving her so much stress and wished she was in a higher position. If she got promoted, then naturally the work load was going to reduce drastically since she would have an assistant. She really wanted to become a big shot choreographer. I told her I was going to look for any way at all to help her."

    He laughed dryly.

    "I swore she would never cheat on me since she was really possessive and jealous. But to think it was with a man who could even pass for my father." He laughed again.

    "He was one of the top directors in the company she worked for and he was even married with kids. He was f.u.c.k.i.n.g married Mia! He was nothing close to being good looking. He was everything opposite of me,  the only difference was that he was a director in her company and filthy rich while I was still trying to build my career since my father wasn''t willing to sponsor it."

    "It made me begin to wonder the number of times she had s.e.x with him and returned to me while I treated her like a princess."

    "It made me imagine how she would have returned from the hotel and I would cuddle her to sleep."

    "It made me wonder just how many people she had cheated on me with."

    He laughed again painfully.

    "I felt so disgusted, irritated, pissed. Compared to what I''m guessing you think Mia, I wanted to kill her. Thinking about it everytime makes me want to throw up. Seeing her makes me so angry."

    "I had to meet a Therapist for it because I feared I was losing it. Since then, the thought of love repulsed me. Cause every girl looked like Cherry to me."

    "I had to do and think about other things because I didn''t want to remember that name ''Cherry''. So I began to have flings. I know that''s stupid and it''s not an excuse to be irresponsible, but I just needed something to help me take my mind off that."

    He turned around to look at Mia for the first time.

    Mia was still sitting on the bed, looking at him attentively while hugging a pillow.

    He smiled a bit at her.

    "I thought girls usually cried when a guy talks about this?" He asked to lighten the mood.

    "I was supposed to cry?" She asked back before covering her face with her hands and pretended to cry..

    "Wooo wooo eeeee"

    Leo began to chuckle and she also laughed even though she felt his pain deeply in her heart.

    She climbed down from the bed and spread her arms wide to offer him a comforting hug.

    Leo smiled at her again before accepting the hug. He moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her.

    "Thank you for listening Mia. It''s the first time I ever told anyone except my Therapist about this." He said before placing a kiss at the top of her head.

    "I hope you deal with whatever is wrong with you soon. You can''t keep such hate in your heart for too long." Mia advised.

    "I know." He nodded gently.

    "And Mia..." He called softly.

    "Hmmm?"

    "You never looked like Cherry to me just like other girls did."

    Mia was touched but she giggled lightly.

    "What about the first day you saw me? What did I look like?"

    "A gangster." He answered immediately with a short laugh.

 Chapter 179 - Office romance

    "I''ll drive." Jeremy said before he snatched the car keys from Amara.

    Amara handed it over to him freely before looking at Chloe in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    Since they left the hospital, Chloe hadn''t said a word. She was obviously still in shock from the unexpected hug earlier.

    After unlocking the car, he opened the back seat''s door for the girls to get in before going over to the driver''s seat.

    "Where am I driving to?" He asked while looking at the both of them though the rearview mirror.

    Chloe was looking out the window while Amara gave him her full attention.

    "Do you want to go home?" Amara turned to ask Chloe who quickly shook her head.

    "Let''s go over to my place then." Amara told Jeremy before giving him her address.

    Without another word, he began to drive.

    "Your heart is beating so fast. I can hear it." Amara said with a light giggle which made Chloe frown at her.

    "It''s Jeremy right?" Amara turned her attention to him.

    "Yea."

    "I''m Amara Stark."

    "Pleased to meet you Amara." Jeremy said as he met her eyes through the rearview mirror.

    "Sorry but could you please turn up the music a bit?" Amara asked with a polite smile.

    Jeremy locked eyes with her through the rearview mirror and nodded before he did so. A hiphop music suddenly filled the car.

    "What''s wrong with you? You look so uncomfortable." Amara asked Chloe. She was certain Jeremy wouldn''t he able to hear them because of the music.

    "I''m fine."

    "No, you''re not. Who is he? He said something about you paying him and I just noticed he is wearing the shirt from your mall. I''m not sure I believe you are having something to do with your employee. Your parents are going to kill you if they found out about��"

    "He''s also my classmate." Chloe quickly cut in. She knew Amara wasn''t going to drop this topic anytime soon and she was beginning to get tired already.

    "He has some nerves falling for someone like you... and it''s sooooo romantic. It''s like one of those office romance novels I read." Amara said excitedly.

    "There is no romance here!"

    "Of course there is... look at him... he''s in love with you while he thinks you dislike him which is very far from the truth and look at your face still very red from the hug earlier while your heartbeat is louder than the music... I am glad you''ve finally seen someone that can tame you. To be frank, I never really liked David."

    "No one is taming me, now stop talking nonsense before I throw you out of this car." Chloe snapped at her angrily.

    "It''s my car darling... and we are going to my house. You need to rest and tell me everything about this handsome rockstar before I ask him myself."

    Amara said before she resumed watching Jeremy who was quietly driving like the girls hadn''t just been talking about him.

    Chloe took out her phone and looked at Amara. "Ask him to turn down the music."

    "Ask him yourself." Amara said before she began to dance to the music.

    "Amara!" Chloe called in annoyance.

    "Chloe!" Amara imitated her.

    Chloe sighed, feeling very frustrated. "Jeremy..." She called him softly.

    "Your voice is so quiet that even I didn''t hear you." Amara whispered to her followed by a light chuckle.

    "Jeremy!" Chloe called loudly this time and startled Jeremy who quickly stepped on the brake pedal and the force sent their bodies jolting forward.

    "What''s wrong? Are you feeling sick?" He turned to ask her after turning off the music.

    "You are really handsome." Amara said to him with a smile as she looked at his face which was filled with concern.

    Jeremy was slightly taken aback by the compliment and blinked at her in confusion before turning to Chloe who was gripping her phone tightly.

    "I need to make a call. Try not to turn on the music until I am done." Chloe instructed him and watched in confusion as Jeremy continued to look at her.

    "That''s all?" He asked with a slight frown on his face.

    "What? Were you expecting something else?" Chloe asked still looking confused.

    "F.u.c.k! You scared me. We almost got into an accident. I thought you wanted to say something important!" He said sounding annoyed at how she had called out his name loudly.

    Chloe''s eyes slowly widened.

    "Are you... swearing and raising your voice at me right now?" She asked in surprise.

    Meanwhile, Amara was busy giggling as she watched them banter back and forth.

    "You know what? Just get out! Amara will drive."

    "No, I won''t." Amara quickly shook her head and received a glare from Chloe.

    Jeremy gave Chloe the ''You just lost this round'' smirk before turning to resume his driving, this time, without the music.

    "Haha! I love him already." Amara said loud enough for Jeremy to hear.

    Chloe was very annoyed so instead of continuing her banter with either Jeremy or Amara, she took out her phone and called her personal assistant at work.

    "Miss Palmer."

    "Miss King, I hope you are feeling better?" Her PA asked immediately.

    "Yes. Have you placed a call to Mr Mark to let him know the reason I couldn''t make it to the meeting on time?"

    "Yes. I did explain the situation to him and thankfully, he didn''t seem to mind that you missed it. He asked for you to take good care of your health. And welcomed the idea of the meeting being rescheduled."

    Chloe closed her eyes as relief washed over her.

    "Alright. That''s a relief. Thanks for your hard work." She was about to hang up when Miss Palmer called reluctantly.

    "Miss King?"

    "Yes? What is it?" Chloe asked when she noticed the reluctance in her voice.

    "The part timer... did he meet you?" She asked.

    Chloe looked at the front seat. She had been wondering how Jeremy knew to find her there and had deliberately not asked Miss Palmer about it right now since Jeremy could hear her.

    "Yes. How did...." She let the words trail off and hoped Miss Palmer would understand that she didn''t want to be obvious with it in front of Jeremy.

    Miss Palmer recalled how she had been returning to her office after an inspection then she received a call to inform her that her boss wasn''t at the venue for the meeting yet.

    She had called Chloe and was surprised when another female took the call to tell her Miss King was involved in an accident.

    Being the ever dramatic Amara, she had unintentionally made it sound like it was a fatal accident and told her Chloe was unconscious and asked for her not to mention it to anyone at work or even her parents for now, since the doctor had told Amara that Chloe would wake up soon.

    Miss Palmer had panicked at the news and had mistakenly blurted it out not knowing Jeremy and another staff was behind her.

    "What do you mean by the boss was involved in an accident?" Jeremy asked in shock as the empty crate he was carrying fell from his hand.

    Miss Palmer was even more shocked when she turned around to see two people behind her and  was reluctant to talk about it.

    Jeremy reached for her phone and noticed the call was still on so he asked in fear..

    "Where is the hospital?"

    ~~~

    "You told him where I was?"

    Chloe turned to whisper to Amara who looked at her innocently.

    She couldn''t believe that all this while, Amara had been acting innocent.

    "He sounded so desperate. I figured he liked you and wanted to see the guy and surprise you also but I couldn''t tell you cause I figured you may kill me." Amara confessed with an apologetic smile.

    **********

    "What are you doing in here? I asked you to leave!" Mira said in anger as her mother used a spare key to open her room''s door and entered inside.

    Her mother had been knocking for a while but she had refused to let her in. The mistake she had made was removing her key from the door''s key hole if she hadn''t, her mother wouldn''t have been able to insert another key in.

    "Honey, we need to talk. Please." Susan said as she approached Mira''s bed.

    "There is nothing to talk about. You both want to get a divorce, then fine! Don''t start acting like you care about me when you both do not."

    "Mira��"

    "Please... just leave me be." She yelled before using the duvet to cover her body completely.

    "Honey these things happen. A lot of couples who get married divorce eventually. It doesn''t mean we all won''t hang out together as a family. We would. And we love you dearly."

    Mira sat up immediately.

    "Do not give me that crap! We''ve been together all these years yet we barely spend time together. And you expect me to believe we are going to after you both get a divorce? Couples are supposed to love each other. They are supposed to be there for each other and love themselves and also their kids."

    "Sweethea��"

    "Just do whatever you both want to do. I''m sure you''d be happy to see dad marrying a girl who is young enough to be your daughter? Maybe you also have a man who knows?"

    "Mira!" Her mother called in a stern voice.

    "I just have a question mum." Mira said in a pleading voice.

    "Are you breaking up with dad because he is cheating on you or because you also want this?"

 Chapter 180 - I like someone else

    Mia checked her reflection on the mirror as she prepared to leave for school. She had decided to put away everything that had happened the past day behind her. This was a gift Leo had given to her, to leave freely. And she was going to do just that.

    She smiled a bit, looking at her reflection. The bags under her eyes had been covered with powder but her eyes still looked tired. She wore a white turtle neck which was tucked neatly inside a grey pencil skirt which ended by her knees, with a slit at the back, and a pair of black loafers. Since she was bad at using make up, she only wore a lipstick and packed her hair neatly at the centre of her head.

    "Mia Lucas... never look back." She said to her reflection before picking up her bag.

    When she opened the door, she saw Leo coming out of his room with a phone in his ear. They both paused when they saw each other.

    He smiled at her a bit and returned his attention to the phone call.

    "Yes. I''ll think about it." He said before disconnecting the call.

    Mia narrowed her eyes to look at him as he raised his phone slightly. "My grandmother." He informed her.

    "Oh..."

    Leo looked at her for a bit, he didn''t know how to break the news to her but he did eventually.

    "She is inviting us to her home this weekend."

    "Oh.... what!?" Mia''s eyes slowly widened when her brain registered he had said ''US''.

    "Like... me and you?" She asked with wide eyes.

    "Yea." He nodded.

    "W..hy?" She stammered in surprise.

    "She wants to meet you and asked if you could come over this weekend." He explained.

    Mia opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out so she simply bit her lower lip.

    "Do... I have to?" She asked hesitantly.

    The mere thought of it was making her feel very nervous. She had never met a boyfriend''s parents before, since she had never had a boyfriend and didn''t know how she was supposed to act.

    But now she was going to meet his grandparents?

    "It all depends on you Mia. If you do not want to go there, It''s also find." He said quietly as he looked at her. He could see how nervous she was.

    "Are... your parents going to be there?" She asked as her hand gripped her bag tightly.

    She wasn''t sure she wanted to meet his mother especially after their clash that day at the park.

    If only she had known...

    She used her hands to cover her face as she remembered the words "Your temper will drag you down if you do not control it."

    Maybe the Shaman had been right. And he had also mentioned that more bad luck may come her way if she didn''tpurge herself of it. There was always one problem after another.

    Now, all she could pray for was for Mrs King to never recognize her. But there was a huge possibility of that happening.

    "The whole family is going to be there." He replied.

    He would have kept it away from her but he wanted her to know what she was getting into.

    "Can.. I think about this?" Mia asked nervously.

    Leo thought she was probably only nervous because she was meeting his family.

    "Yea.. sure." He nodded.

    After Mia left, Leo sat down and began to think deeply. It was probably the time to ask her to become his girlfriend right?

    But he had to travel soon. Did it make sense that he could just ask her to be his girlfriend and travel for two years, leaving her here?

    Since he knew how his job was and what he was getting himself into, he was certain there would be a lot of days where he wouldn''t be free to give her a call especially with the time difference.

    Could he do it? What about her, would she want something like this?

    This was something else they both needed to talk about.

    He began to feel very nervous merely thinking about leaving Mia here.

    He remembered how he had been in the same country, the same city, the same town with Cherry, yet she had cheated. Could he take this risk?

    ''''Mia isn''t Cherry."  He reminded himself and felt a little bit relaxed but for some reason, something still bothered him deep down but he tried not to think about it.

    *******

    Mia arrived at school early and on her way to class, she bumped into Benjamin.

    She had been avoiding him, his calls, ignoring his texts, trying not to bump into him but here she was, standing right in front of him.

    It wasn''t like she thought this day was never going to come but this was the last thing she needed at the moment.

    He wore a dark blue shirt, completely buttoned, a black trousers with his hair styled to the back.

    He looked handsome. Really handsome. But something kept telling her to stay away from him.

    She would have to speak with Mr B again. She wasn''t sure she could dance with him.

    "Hi!'' He said with a small smile. He held some of his campaign fliers in his hand and Mia was a bit surprised to see him alone without his usual campaign entourage.

    "Hi!" She greeted back awkwardly.

    His eyes moved from her head down to her feet and he smiled.

    "You look beautiful."

    "I need to go to class now. I don''t want to be late." She said and was hurrying past him when he called her name gently.

    "I figured you have a two hours break before the next class..  can we meet later?" He asked politely.

    "Aren''t you busy with your campaigns?" She asked.

    "Yea, but a five minutes talk wouldn''t hurt... right?" He asked and flashed her another smile.

    "Uh.. okay." She agreed with a curt nod. She couldn''t keep avoiding him anyway. She would just hear what he had to say and tell her what she had to say also.

    "Alright. See you later. Enjoy your class."

    Mia nodded again before she hurried away from him and into her class.

    As usual, she went to where Jeremy was seated and sat beside him.

    Jeremy kept smiling at her from the moment she entered until she sat beside him.

    "I''m happy you are in school. I was really worried yesterday."

    "I''m sorry. Something came up. How are��"

    The presence of the lecturer interrupted her and she took her book out of her bag.

    She looked at Chloe''s direction and as usual, she focused on her book.

    "There is something I need to tell you after this class." Jeremy whispered to Mia.

    "Really? What''s it about?" Mia asked curiously when she noted the urgency in his voice.

    "It''s about Ben��"

    "Mr Williams you do not want to cause trouble again, do you?" The lecturer asked.

    "I''m sorry Mrs��"

    "Then keep it low and pay attention." She interrupted harshly before facing the board.

    Immediately they were done with the class, her phone rang with a call from Benjamin and she stood up immediately.

    "Uhm.. I have to take this, I''ll meet you later." She told Jeremy and began to head out with her bag.

    "But I haven''t told you...."

    "I''ll be back soon." Mia said and hurried out.

    Jeremy sat back down on his seat with a heavy sigh and was again surprised when Katie approached him.

    ********

    "I''m glad I get to finally meet you like this." Benjamin said when Mia entered the classroom he had asked them to meet at.

    The class was rarely used so it was empty and the hallway was quiet.

    Mia seemed very uncomfortable as she stood by the door, waiting for him to say what he wanted to say.

    "I wanted to apologize. I guess what I said during the party made you uncomfortable..." He started and stood up since Mia was also standing.

    "We just became friends. I wouldn''t want anything to ruin our friendship."

    "Yea." She answered dryly.

    Benjamin looked at her with interest before asking a question that had been eating him up "I thought you liked me?"

    Mia was caught offguard and almost gasped but kept her mouth closed.

    Seeing that he was waiting for her to say something, she cleared her throat and spoke. "I like those I do not hate. And I do not have any reason to hate you." She answered logically.

    "I guess you did like me more than that. Mia, I meant it when I said I liked you." Benjamin confessed as he walked closer to her.

    "I like someone else." She answered immediately which made him stop walking.

    "Leo right?"

    "Yes.".She didn''t see any reason in delaying when she knew it was best to put him in his place.

    "I noticed." He nodded before taking out his phone which was vibrating inside his pocket.

    "I need to leave now."  He informed her when he saw who the caller was before placing his phone back inside his pocket.

    Mia wanted to leave as she saw him approaching the door beside her, but there was still one question she wanted to ask him.

    "Did you come to the dance studio on purpose?" She asked curiously.

    There was something really weird and creepy about him that she couldn''t seem to place her hand on.

    He stood in front of her with a straight face and just stared at her while she stared back.

    She looked at his face in confusion and wondered what he was thinking just staring at her like that but to her utmost shock, she felt him grab her by the waist.

    Before she could push him away, he used a hand to hold the back of her neck and lowered his lips until it met hers. At that very moment, the door opened.

 Chapter 181 - Just answer all

    Everything had happened so fast that Mia hadn''t had the chance to react before the door was pushed open. When she returned to her senses and fiercely pushed Benjamin away, she heard Jeremy''s angry voice as he charged at Benjamin and punched him hard on his jaw.

    "You dirty son of a bitch!" Jeremy said as he grasped Benjamin by the collar and pulled him up to deliver another punch.

    Benjamin didn''t fight back, or maybe there was no time for him to fight back because Jeremy didn''t leave any chance for him.

    "Stop!" Mia said in a shaky voice.

    It was very difficult to make sense of what had just happened and the fact that he had harrassed her like that�� and in the school premises!

    Jeremy''s fist which was about delivering a solid blow to Benjamin''s jaw hung midair as Mia approached them.

    Jeremy angrily released his collar while Mia appeared in front of Benjamin with a very cold look, one Benjamin had never seen.

    It was Mia''s turn to react and she slapped him really hard on his face which surprised Benjamin who looked at her with wide, shocked eyes.

    "How dare you?" She asked while trying her best not to hit him again but she couldn''t hold it back and slapped him hard again on the same cheek.

    She felt really disgusted. She couldn''t believe she had spent years crushing on someone like him. If she hadn''t already told him that she liked someone else, that was slightly different. But to think she had told him she liked someone and he still went on to harass her like that, she felt very angry but reminded herself that she had to keep her emotion under control because she would get in trouble with the school since she was there on a scholarship. She didn''t need anyone to tell her that Benjamin would get away with it while she would be blamed for it.

    Benjamin touched his cheek which was now flaming red as he straightened his back. There was a little blood at the corner of his lips which he licked out.

    He looked at Mia and also at Jeremy. They both seemed to have the same expression on their faces as if they were trying to control their tempers.

    "I like you Mia." He said in a soft voice. "I meant it when I said it that night."

    "You have a girlfriend dude! What the hell is wrong with you!?" Jeremy barked and began to move towards him again but Mia raised a hand to stop him.

    They were both in the same position. He was also on a scholarship and she didn''t want anything that would give them trouble just a month before their graduation.

    Benjamin looked at Jeremy in surprise but his expression quickly went back to normal.

    "I do not have a girlfriend." He said while looking at Mia.

    *******

    "What were you thinking agreeing to meet him in that kind of place?" Jeremy scolded Mia on their way back to their classroom.

    Things would have probably worsened had a lecturer not come in there after hearing their voices.

    He had looked at the three of them suspiciously and noticed how strained the atmosphere was, and the little cut on Benjamin''s lip.

    "What is going on here?" He had asked while looking at Benjamin.

    Benjamin''s family was well known. His parents also knew a lot of notable families like the Kings, Bills, Blacks, Hank, Stuart and a lot more. While Benjamin was also friends with Kelvin whose aunt owned the school, so naturally, the lecturer would believe him more than the other two unknown students inside the room with him.

    Benjamin gave Mia a crestfallen look before turning to look at the lecturer.

    "We.. were just talking." He said before walking past the man and out of the classroom.

    The man looked at Benjamin who was leaving and the other two inside the class before walking away.

    "I also wanted to talk to him. But I guess I made a mistake." She said with a deflated sigh as she used her hand to clean her lips for the hundredth time.

    Jeremy had offered her his handkie to wipe her lips clean and even though she had done that, she still felt very disgusted and irritated and she felt like throwing up. Everything she was feeling at the same time made her so angry that she wanted to cry.

    "How did you know I was there?" She stopped walking to ask him. Maybe talking about something was going to distract her.

    "Or rather..  how did you know he has a girlfriend?"

    Mia shook her head again. She had a lot of questions to ask him but didn''t know the one she was more interested in knowing.

    "Why did you believe he was forced me, and hit him?" Mia asked curiously.

    There was a possiblity that she had been making out with Benjamin willingly right? But Jeremy hadn''t seemed to think about that possibility. He had simply concluded that he had forced her.

    "Wow! Which question am I supposed to answer first?"

    "Just answer all." She said impatiently.

    "Well, I heard from someone that Benjamin was in this complex and seeing how you were in a hurry after a phone call, something told me he was the one you were speaking with on the phone and I decided to look around. Thankfully, I found you." He said before cringing at the memory.

    Mia sighed deflatedly. "I really should have stayed away from him from the first time."

    "It''s not your fault. Do not blame yourself." He comforted her with a hand on her shoulder.

    Mia smiled a bit at him.

    "You are a good friend Jeremy. I am glad you didn''t assume there was truly something going on between us in there."

    "Of course!" He chuckled.

    "Besides, why would I think there''s something going on between you two when it''s obvious you are in love with the guy from the King family who has a messy hair."

    "His name is Leo." She said with a displeased frown.

    "I know,  but I prefer calling him that. And can''t you see now that you aren''t even bothering to deny the fact that you are in love with him?" He asked her with a cheeky grin that made her slap his arm.

    "Stop trying to tease me. I''m not in the mood for it." She began to stomp towards her classroom while he hurried to stand in front of her.

    "Thought you were curious about how I knew he had a girlfriend?"

    Mia suddenly remembered that and looked at him curiously.

    "How did you know that?" She asked.

    She had been a bit surprised when Jeremy said that in there but that hadn''t been her priority which was the reason she hadn''t dwelled on it. But she was curious now.

    "You know Benjamin''s sister is Chloe''s friend right?"

    "I think you mentioned it before." Mia answered with a nod.

    "I met her yesterday with Chloe. I think Chloe wanted me to know about it and warn you."

    "What do you mean?" Mia asked in confusion.

    Jeremy recalled the drive to Amara''s family house.

    Both girls had been whispering behind until one time when he looked at the rearview mirror and locked eyes with Chloe.

    She gave him her usual nasty look especially since they had both had a little quarrel, before she looked away and asked Amara in a more audible voice this time.

    "What about Benjamin? He must be really stressed out from running around."

    "The guy is tough. I don''t know what the hell he is thinking going into school politics. Anyways, that''s his business." Amara answered with an indifferent shrug.

    "What about his girlfriend? The one I saw the last time I paid you a visit?"

    Amara looked at her in amus.e.m.e.nt before bursting into laughter while Chloe wondered what was funny about her question.

    "Honey, he''s been done with that girl a really long time ago. I''m sure he''s had a dozen more girls after her."

    Jeremy''s eyes went dark while his fingers around the steering wheel tightened.

    "Really? But that was like two months ago..." Chloe said in astonishment.

    "You know how boys are these days. Girls are all over him. I don''t even know what is wrong with him that he keeps moving between ladies."

    "Then you should speak with him as his big sister, no?" Chloe asked.

    "Big sister? You think he is going to listen to me? I''ve tried, but there is nothing I can do. He is rich, handsome, young and running for the school''s council president, he feels he was born to have everything,  including the ladies. There''s nothing I can do about it."

    "And yet he looks so innocent..." Chloe hissed.

    "That''s how he deceives the ladies�� oh my!" Amara suddenly stopped talking and looked at the front.

    "I''m sorry you had to hear all that. I don''t usually bad talk my younger brother." She said with a sheepish smile to Jeremy.

    Jeremy looked at the rearview mirror and locked eyes with Chloe again. It was as if she was silently communicating with him to warn Mia about him.

    Maybe she had done so because she cared about Mia or because her brother liked Mia or because he was friends with Mia, he didn''t know which it was but he was grateful to her.

    "I wasn''t paying attention." He lied to Amara before facing the road.

 Chapter 182 - A....boy?

    "Hey!"

    Mia heard someone call for her attention as she was on her way out of school. She would have ignored the person and assumed he was probably calling someone else if the voice hadn''t sounded so familiar.

    She turned around immediately and came face to face with Leo who was smiling at her.

    She looked a bit surprised to see him standing there and also began to feel guilty.  She wasn''t sure there was any way she could pretend like nothing had happened in school and it made her very angry because there was nothing she could do about it. Report him to the school authorities for harassment? Report him to the police?

    No one had to tell her before she knew she was going to be wasting her time.

    Her lips suddenly began to itch her as she slowly approached Leo. She felt the urge to cut off her lips because it was beginning to disgust her. She just couldn''t handle it anymore.

    Leo just watched her as she approached him. His hair looked messy but it wasn''t as messy as she remembered. He wore a simple shirt and trousers with his hands deep inside his pocket while he placed his back on a car she hadn''t seen him drive before.

    "What are you doing��"

    She was almost asking while approaching him but stopped just before she got really close to him.

    "Are... you... insane?" She asked him with angry eyes.

    "What? Why?" He asked calmly with his head tilted to the side.

    "Were you trying to deceive me just now? What''s with your hairstyle?" She asked as she took more steps backwards.

    Her dream suddenly flashed before her eyes and she remembered how she had kissed Louis thinking it was Leo and how that had scared the hell out of her.

    "It''s surprising how you always seem to tell who it is no matter what. It''s good to see you again." Louis said as he looked her up and down.

    Mia snorted. "What''s happening today? Is this some kind of test?" She asked herself quietly.

    "You better brush your hair backwards and not try to act like you did just now another day... I will get angry." She warned before turning to leave while he looked at her with interest.

    Mia hated the fact that even though he was Louis, merely looking at him gave her almost the same effect she felt whenever she looked at Leo because they both looked exactly the same. She was sure she wouldn''t have known it was Leo just now had she not took note of the cologne Louis wore.

    She had been around Leo too much and had gotten accustomed to his scent.

    Why did he have to make his hair look like Leo''s? What exactly was he thinking? It had scared the hell out of her when the realization set in that he wasn''t Leo.

    She really had to go home. She was already tired from everything.

    "Are you going to leave just like that?" Louis asked her carefully.

    "What? I am supposed to hug you and tell you I missed you?" She turned around to ask dryly but he chuckled lightly.

    "I wouldn''t mind that."

    "You are sick!" She spat out before walking away and this time, she walked really faster. Seeing ''Leo''s face'' was getting to her and a voice in her head was trying to tell her that he could be Leo and she should be nicer to him. But she knew that was a lie so she quickly ran away while Louis snickered.

    "She''s cute." He muttered to himself.

    "And what do you think you are doing right now?" Chloe asked in annoyance as she approached Louis.

    One way or the other, her parents found out about the accident and had asked for Leo to take her to school and bring her to the hospital after her classes, which by the way, was really embarrassing for her.

    At 23, everyone still treated her like she was a kid which was very annoying but there was nothing she could do about it.

    "What do you mean?" He asked indifferently as he opened the front seat for her to get in while he turned to hop in the driver''s seat.

    Chloe didn''t enter even though he had started the car. She looked at him suspiciously until he gestured for her to hop in before she reluctantly joined him inside.

    "What was that for?" She asked him again.

    "What was what for?" He asked innocently with his gaze on the road.

    "Your hair, the look, everything. What were you trying to do?" She asked and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

    "How long were you watching?" He asked.

    "Long enough to know that Leo is going to kill you when he finds out about it." Chloe said before taking out her earphone.

    "Don''t say I didn''t warn you." She told him before plugging her earphone in her ear and closed her eyes.

    ***************

    When Mia got home, Leo wasn''t in. Tara approached her carefully as if not sure Mia would be willing to pet her.

    Mia stood in a spot and looked at the dog for a while. She realised that if Tara wanted to hurt her, she would have done so a long time ago.

    "Hi!" Mia greeted while Tara began to wag her tail faster.

    "God, I don''t want to regret this." She prayed quietly before crouching down. She could swear she saw a flicker of surprise in Tara''s eyes before she hopped towards her happily.

    Mia''s heart stopped as Tara''s furs came in contact with her knees. But Tara didn''t bite.

    She smiled and began to pet the dog who looked really happy.

    "Nice to meet you again, I am Mia Lucas." Mia said with a smile before she stood up and head to her room to go freshen up.

    ***********

    "You should have been more careful." Mrs King said as she led Chloe out of a room after her medical examination.

    "I''m sorry. It won''t happen again."

    Mrs King stopped walking and sighed. "I can''t believe you kept it away from us��"

    "I didn''t want to worry any of you. Besides, I was told that I was fine so I didn''t see any point----"

    "There is! You are our only princess. You should be good. And oh!" Mrs King suddenly smiled and took her hand in hers.

    "There is a boy we would like to introduce to you. You already know him though, but your father and I think it''s best you both get to know each other before you graduate."

    "A... boy?" Chloe asked in surprise. This was the first time they were both having this kind of conversation. "And I know him? How?"

    "It''s a secret. We are looking to organize a blind date. I''ll let you know the date and time."

    "But��"

    "I''m so proud of you Chloe.." Her mother said with a smile before pulling her into a hug, not giving her a chance to protest.

    "You are always so obedient and makes us proud. And I am so blessed to be your mother. I can''t believe you are finally growing up." She said with a sniff.

    Chloe just stood there awkwardly while chewing her lips. She locked eyes with Louis who was walking closer to them and merely looking at the ladies, Louis could guess his mother was telling her to do something she wasn''t interested in doing.

    "I''ll lead her out." Louis said before Mrs King left Chloe and took out her hankie to clean her eyes.

    "Is everything okay?" Louis asked her as he led her towards his office.

    "Yea." Chloe said dryly even though her heart was beating very fast from anxiety. She really didn''t like any of this.

    "Your friend came with his younger sister for the check up and��"

    Chloe''s ringing phone distracted the two of them.

    When she took it out and saw it was Ellie calling, she sighed before excusing herself.

    What was Jeremy planning this time? She really wasn''t in the mood for games right now.

    "Hello? Is this Chloe?" Ellie asked impatiently when the call connected.

    "Yea. It''s me."

    "Are you busy? Can you come over? I don''t know what is wrong with Jeremy, he seems to be in pain." Ellie said desperately and it sounded like she was crying.

    "Such a great actress." Chloe said in her head. She could tell this was another of his plan to get her to come over.

    "Look Ellie, I am really busy now. I am not in the mood for this. You can tell him to stop playing pranks like this. It''s annoying." Chloe said before disconnecting the call, then she turned off her phone.

    Since her parents had made sure she took a day off from work, she knew her PA was going to handle everything efficiently without bothering her.

    She placed her back on the wall and slowly slid down until she was squatting.

    "You are always so obedient and makes us proud"

    That word kept ringing in her ear.  Maybe she would have been a rebel just like Leo?

    How was she supposed to live now?

 Chapter 183 - What came up?

    Leo was aware that even though Mia was a good cook, she didn''t really like to cook much so while on his way back home after meeting some business clients, he dropped by an expensive restaurant to buy dinner for himself and Mia.

    He had wanted to make it special, make a candlelight dinner and officially ask her to be his girlfriend before they went to meet his family this weekend (that''s if she agreed) but he remembered he also had to remind her he would be traveling and he had to know whether Mia would be willing to wait for him.

    Mia was an attractive lady. He had seen the way most men looked at her whenever he was out with her and nowadays, most men didn''t bother to hide the fact that they were checking out a lady under the obvious eyes of a man who could possibly be her boyfriend. So there was every possiblity that there were already men who liked her and she wasn''t telling him about. He had to be sure Mia would be willing to wait for him regardless of all those flies around her.

    As he approached his door, he became even more nervous and tightened his grip around the bag he held.

    He was just about to type in the passcode when he heard the soft sound of heels tapping the tiles. The sound became more audible with every passing second.

    He turned to check who was behind him and it was none other than Cherry Anderson.

    "Hi!" She greeted with a nervous smile.

    He didn''t have the time to check out whatever she was wearing. Knowing her style, he already knew it was a revealing gown with a coat dr.a.p.ed over her shoulders and heels.

    "What are you doing here?" He asked coldly. He was tired of having this same conversation over and over again.

    He could have just opened the door and go in, totally ignoring her, but he knew Cherry. She wouldn''t leave. She may end up knocking or ringing the doorbell until he came back out or worse, Mia may be the one to come check.  And also, he wanted to clear up whatever she was thinking about the both of them so she would stop coming around since it was obvious all his warning wasn''t working.

    "Leo, I know you do not want to see me or talk to me, but please. I have tried reaching you every way I can..."

    "Stop it." He interrupted harshly.

    "I don''t get why you are being so clingy right now. It''s irritating. And you should leave now. If you keep lurking around, I''ll call the cops. It''s a promise."

    "Leo wait! Please!" She cried when he turned to type in the passcode.

    Leo stopped but he didn''t turn around to look at her.

    "I was wrong! I was! And I regret it. That was the first and last time, I promise. It was the only option I had back then. But I never stopped loving you, I loved you and I still do. The past two years without you felt like hell and I can''t continue living like this with you hating me��"

    She stopped talking when they both heard a sound, letting them know the door had been opened from inside.

    Leo stood on the spot as he came face to face with Mia who had pulled the door open. There was a flash of surprise in her eyes as she looked at him and then at Cherry.

    Mia was heading out, Leo noted as he looked at her outfit.

    The weather was slightly cold so Mia was properly covered, wearing a fitted jean trousers, a red turtle neck and a leather jacket. Those were from the things he bought her the previous day.

    They looked really great on her. Her face was bare and her hair was brushed and left to flow down freely.

    She looked at the both of them again and bit her lower lip. These were one of those times Leo wished he could read her thought.

    "Leo?" Cherry called behind him to get his attention since he had been looking at Mia the whole time. Cherry totally ignored Mia like she hadn''t seen her at all and continued to fix her gaze on Leo.

    "I meant it when I said I would call the cops on you." Leo turned to tell Cherry before facing Mia again.

    "Going out?"

    "Hmm. I may return late." Mia said before flashing him a smile then she walked past the both of them and left.

    Leo realised when he went inside the house that he had made a mistake listening to Cherry in the first place. He would have just left her there and went inside. All his plans tonight were shattered and most of all, he didn''t know what Mia was thinking.

    He could only hope she wasn''t thinking there was still something between himself and Cherry.

    After waiting for a long time for her to return, she didn''t come home. She had said she would return late so he didn''t call.

    He waited for a really long time until he dozed off on the couch in the living room. Tara''s barks and the sound of the door opening woke him up so he sat up to look at her and noticed she looked stressed out.

    "Hey!" She said with a rather forced smile.

    He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

    Something told him all of these was related to what she had seen when she opened the door earlier.

    "I''m sorry you had to see her there, I really didn''t know she��"

    "I know." Mia interrupted with a nod.

    "Today has been a really long day.. let''s talk tomorrow?" She asked quietly.

    He scratched the back of his head again before nodding reluctantly. "Alright." He said and watched her walk into her room.

    **********

    The next morning, Mia had an early class so she left early which left Leo even more frustrated since they hadn''t talked after Cherry''s visit the previous evening.

    A few minutes after she arrived at class and took her seat, Chloe entered.

    Mia remembered she hadn''t thanked her for indirectly letting Jeremy know the kind of person Benjamin was.

    Speaking about Jeremy, he wasn''t seated beside her and Chloe looked at his empty space in confusion before looking at Mia.

    Chloe thought that if there was one thing Jeremy was good at aside from frustrating her, it was the fact that he was always early to class. Maybe because he was a scholarship student and wouldn''t want a bad review on his file or strikes from the lecturers.

    The entire lecture, Chloe''s eyes kept darting towards his seat. He didn''t show up at all until the class ended.

    Was something wrong with him? She wondered.

    She remembered the phone conversation with Ellie and shook her head. That had definitely been a prank.

    She waited until the lecturer left the class before taking out her phone.

    He hadn''t called her the previous evening, neither had she called because she had spent most of the night thinking about her life and family.

    She dialed his number but it was switched off. This made her begin to feel a bit troubled. She called his home phone which Ellie had used to call her but it didn''t connect. She guessed Ellie was probably in school. So what about Jeremy?

    "Where''s your friend?" She suddenly heard Katie''s voice ask Mia.

    Katie Engels was the same girl who had asked for Jeremy''s number and kissed his cheek the other day, how could she forget that?

    Mia looked at Katie in confusion. Was the girl talking to her right now? The girls in her class always felt they were better than everyone and funnily enough, they thought same about her.

    Mia didn''t know when this Katie girl became friends with Jeremy. Strange, she thought.

    "Something came up so he couldn''t come to school." Mia answered dismissively.

    "Tell him to give me a call once his phone comes on." Katie said before walking away to join her group of friends.

    ''Something came up? What could have probably come up?''

    Chloe stood up when she could no longer hold in her curiosity and went to sit beside Mia, surprising her.

    "What came up?" Chloe asked without bothering to beat around the bush

    "What?" Mia looked at her in confusion. She didn''t understand what Chloe was talking about.

    "Jeremy, why isn''t he in class?" She asked.

    Mia looked at her before replying hesitantly. "He... is in the hospital."

    Chloe couldn''t help the light gasp that escaped her lips while her eyes shone.

    Hospital? He had really been sick and she had thought it was a prank and turned off her phone when his sister called?

    Her eyes blinked rapidly as she tried to remain calm..

    "What... is wrong with him? Have you seen him?"

    "Hmm... I was with him last night at the hospital."

    Just then, the next lecturer came in. Chloe looked between Mia and the man before standing up with her bag.

    "Text me the hospital''s address." She said and left the class with everyone''s curious gaze on her.

 Chapter 184 - ...there was no one else...

    Chloe stepped inside the hospital, looking very nervous.

    She thought she was crazy coming here when she was supposed to be in class. If word about this got to her parents, she would be done for. She also had to make sure she returned to the school premises before Louis arrived to take her back home.

    She had used a taxi and on getting to the hospital now, she was beginning to have a second thought.

    It wasn''t like she was having second thoughts about seeing him, but what if he didn''t want to see her? What if he yelled at her and asked her to go away?

    "Hello Miss? How may I help you?" A young nurse by the receptionist''s desk asked with a smile as she looked at Chole who had just approached her.

    "Hello! I''m looking for someone." She replied as her eyes scanned around. In less than 24 hours, she had been in three different hospitals and compared to the one she had been admitted in yesterday, this one didn''t look bad at all.

    "Who are you looking for?"

    "His name is Jeremy. Jeremy Williams. He had a long hair." She used a hand to touch her hair as she talked about his hair. That was a distinctive feature of his so she believed the nurse would know him and the nurse nodded immediately.

    "Oh, yes. Jeremy? I remember him. And who are you?" She asked again politely.

    "His Bos�� I''m.. his..."

    "Girlfriend?" The nurse asked with a curious smile.

    "Friend!" Chloe corrected immediately. She hadn''t really thought they were friends but she was willing to settle for that instead of saying she was his girlfriend.

    "Oh.. O�Ckay... Take the door by the left and walk down the hallway..."  The nurse gave her the direction of the room he was so she thanked her and was about leaving but paused.

    "But, how is he?" She asked hesitantly.

    "He is recovering."

    Chloe thanked her one more time before following the nurse''s direction until she stopped in front of the room with the number ''128''.

    Chloe stood in front of the door, she couldn''t bring herself to knock on it or just open it and go inside.

    She felt very awful for what she had done to him. On the drive here, she had replayed the way she had hung up on Ellie and switched off her phone, over and over again in her head.

    She heard different faint voices inside the room but couldn''t tell who was inside the room with him. Maybe a relative? But he had said he didn''t have anyone else except Ellie so she assumed it was probably a doctor or a friend of his.

    She heard footsteps approaching the door from inside and turned immediately but it was impossible to escape when the door opened almost immediately.

    "Chloe?"

    She heard Ellie''s familiar tiny voice call her and she turned slowly to look at her. Beside her was a woman who was dressed in a doctor''s robe with a stethoscope around her neck.

    Chloe gave a curt nod to acknowledge the doctor before returning her gaze to Ellie.

    Ellie looked at her with a straight face. Chloe could tell Ellie was mad at her. It was always difficult for kids to hide how they truly felt about something or someone.

    "Hello dear? You must be Jeremy''s friend?" The doctor asked her in a friendly tone. The woman was probably in her forties, Chloe noted. And she looked nice. Before Chloe could answer her, Ellie spoke up.

    "She is not his friend." Ellie said before looking away from Chloe to face the doctor. "Can we go get the sweets now?"

    "Ellie..."

    "Do not call my name." Ellie said in a quiet voice when Chloe said her name apologetically.

    "You...*sniffs* hung up on me." She used her small hands to clean off the tears that were already leaving her eyes.

    "I was so scared... there was no one else." Ellie burst into tears while the doctor hugged her small body.

    It had been a really traumatic experience for her seeing her older brother in pain, clutching his stomach while throwing up everywhere yet, she couldn''t do anything to help him and the only person she thought of ended the call rudely.

    Chloe felt really terrible as she looked at Ellie guiltily. She bit her lower lip painfully, not knowing what to say or do. There was really no excuse for her action.

    Just as Jeremy had tried to convince her that David''s sister could have been really sick and had pleaded for her to listen to David and help his sister, she would have also done same and tried to believe Ellie.

    "You even turned off your phone... I thought he was going to die." Ellie said between sobs while the doctor kept trying to stop her from crying.

    "Oh dear.. it''s okay. You should stop crying now. Your brother is better, his health may get worse if you keep crying." The doctor said softly.

    "I''m sorry Ellie, I truly am." Chloe said with every sincerity she could muster.

    She could not remember the last time she apologized to someone, and with so much sincerity.

    "Let''s go get the sweets?" Ellie raised her teary eyes to look at the doctor.

    She couldn''t send Chloe away. Even though she was mad at her, she was happy she had come for her brother and couldn''t just send her away since Jeremy liked her a lot and would be mad at her if he found out about it.

    "He is resting inside right now. Try not to disturb him too much." The Doctor told Chloe before leaving with Ellie.

    Chloe watched their backs until they were out of sight before looking at the door again, she could not bring herself to go in. After a little hesitation, she slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

    His bed came into view immediately. He was sleeping peacefully with his back on the bed, wearing ahospital pyjamas and a large head warmer that did a good job in covering his entire hair.

    Her whole body was tensed as she approached his bed slowly and with her lips pursed.

    She was glad to see he was okay at least. She didn''t mind that she had skipped a class for the first time for something which was not directly affecting her.

 Chapter 185 - She went to see him?

    Chloe stood beside his bed and looked down at his sleeping face. It looked like he had gotten thinner in one night.

    Ellie''s accusation began to ring in her ears and she felt tears stinging her eyes so she quickly looked away from him and at the door instead.

    "Do not let her words get to you." Jeremy suddenly spoke in a weary which startled her.

    She slowly turned her head to look at him and saw he was still in the same position with nothing out of place. She would have doubted he had said a word just now because he still looked like he was sleeping peacefully.

    "I''m... sorry... I..."

    "It isn''t your fault." He said before opening his eyes lazily. "You didn''t make me sick Chloe, being sick is inevitable."

    Chloe looked into his dull eyes and felt even worse.

    "Ellie, she called me yesterday and��"

    "I know. She told me about it." He said before flashing her a weak smile.

    "She told me about it. I''m sorry I couldn''t tell her not to get mad at you."

    "How are you? What happened to you?" She said, ignoring what he said just now.

    "I feel better." He smiled at her.

    "I suddenly started feeling this severe pain in my stomach, I thought I had been poisoned or something but thankfully, it wasn''t. Gaby, mentioned a few things which I have no idea about but I think I''ll be okay by tomorrow... she said so." He said weakly like he was struggling with every word before he asked her..

    "What about you? You look pale. How are you? Did you eat something?"

    "Is that even importa��" She was almost snapping at him but she kept her voice down and stopped talking altogether.

    "It... would have gotten worse had someone not helped you to the hospital right?" She asked sadly.

    He looked at her eyes and could see she was pleading with him to tell her it wouldn''t have.

    She wasn''t sure she would be able to forgive herself if something worse had happened to him because of her carelessness, when he had always been nice to her.

    "It wouldn''t have." He assured her with a sweet smile before asking...

    "Aren''t you supposed to be in class?" He asked as he looked at the wall clock hanging on the wall in front of him.

    **********

    Mia was deeply relieved that Benjamin hadn''t approached her at all today as she returned home. She wasn''t sure how she would have reacted had he appeared in front of her now.

    "Goodness!" Leo said in shock when he came out of his room to see Mia ruffling Tara''s body. That was the last thing he had expected to see. Ever!

    She smiled at his reaction before standing up.

    "You probably should close your mouth before you invite a fly." She warned him which reminded him to snap his mouth.

    "I.. wasn''t expecting that." Leo said, still in disbelief.

    "Things happen." She said with a casual shrug.

    Leo was happy to see Mia was in a light mood now. Maybe she wasn''t mad at him anymore?

    He smiled at the thought. No matter what, they were going to conclude all pending conversation today. He didn''t want something pulling him away or pulling her away.

    "Did something happen? You seem to be happy." He said as he observed her.

    "Well... I am happy for a friend." She said with a smile as she began to head towards the kitchen to fetch a bottle of water.

    "A friend?" He asked, following closely behind her.

    Mia turned to look at him. "This is between us okay?"

    "O�CKAY?"

    "You remember Jeremy right?"

    "Your long�Chaired friend?" He asked.

    "Yea. You are a guy like him so I''m sure you must have suspected he likes Chloe?"

    Leo watched her quietly as he waited for what she was about to say.

    "He was admitted at the hospital last night��"

    "Why? What happened to him?" Leo interrupted. He wouldn''t have cared that much but since he was Chloe and Mia''s friend, he just had to care.

    "Some gastric problems."

    "How is he now?" Leo asked curiously.

    "He sounded really fine when I called him this morning compared to how he looked last night."

    "You saw him last night?" Leo asked, remembering she had looked tired and asked them to talk today instead. Had she really not been mad at him?

    "Yea, I was at the hospital. I had to help look after his younger sister and give her everything she needed to stop her from crying so much."

    Leo sighed in relief.

    "You should have told me about it. You were making me have ideas." He said unhappily. He couldn''t believe he had been awake for most of the night, standing outside her door, not knowing the reason she looked tired was because she had been looking after another man and his sister. How silly of him!

    "Ideas? What kind of ideas?" She asked in confusion.

    "Well..." Leo pulled his ear nervously.

    "I thought you were mad at me because you saw Cherry outside..."

    Mia looked at him, the confusion never leaving her face. "Why would I get mad because of that? You already told me there was nothing between you two and I believe you."

    Leo could not help but smile when he heard her. "I guess I''m lucky to have a very understanding lady." He said with a smile which she returned and quickly looked away when she remembered she was yet to tell him about Benjamin. She still wasn''t sure it was wise to mention it to him.

    "Oh.. what were you saying about Jeremy having a thing for Chloe?" He remembered to ask.

    "Oh yea, when I went to see him last night,  he told me he had a feeling the sudden sickness was from God to help pull him and Chloe together. I''m sure he is putting up an act right now." Mia said with a grin, oblivious to Leo''s sudden change in expression.

    "She went to see him?" He asked in surprise.

    "Hmm... He must be very happy. " Mia said with a genuine smile as she gulped down her water from the bottle.

    ''Oh no! This is not happening!'' Leo thought to himself at the possiblity of Chloe really liking Jeremy.

 Chapter 186 - No longer mad at me?

    Mia went to freshen up while Leo returned to his room and began to think deeply.

    What was he to do about Jeremy and his sister?

    Even though he really didn''t know how he felt about the boy because he was very weird and always made him speechless because of how forward he was, Chloe was taking a big risk getting closer to him with each passing day because he knew his parents quite well. They were never going to allow it.

    He was sure their parents had already chosen a partner for her from the moment she was born. He didn''t understand why they had to keep living like they were in the 18th century.

    He was also going to face similar opposition just like they had opposed to his relationship with Cherry back then but because he was too stubborn and made it known to them that he had already chosen his path but in his career and love life, they had let him be rather reluctantly but still tried to pry.

    That was another reason he hated Cherry because since then, his parents didn''t let go of any opportunity to remind him that they had told him so. According to them, everyone would want to get married into the King family so they had to help them look around for the right partner who would love them for who they truly are and  also, they must be from notable families. Absurd isn''t it?

    Most times, he did wonder whether his parents were educated because of how small minded they were.

    He made a mental note to talk to Mia about that part also. If she agreed to date him, then she would have to know what she was up against.

    His family was happy for him because he had ''found love'', but that wasn''t it. They were only happy at the possibility that he was able to fall in love again. Which meant, they could start searching around for potential brides for him.

    His phone began to ring and he saw it was a call from his twin brother.

    "What''s up?" Leo asked when he answered the call.

    "Do you by chance know where Chloe is? I''ve been waiting in front of her school for a long time yet, she isn''t out yet and she isn''t answering her calls."

    "Why are you waiting in front of her school?" Leo asked firstly.

    "To pick her up from school." Louis answered casually.

    "Why would you be picking up a grown woman from school?" Leo asked again, feeling annoyed. Had they taken it to a different level now?

    "Oh, her car got a bit damaged. She was involved in a minor accident but thankfully, nothing happened to her."

    "Really?" Leo asked in surprise. How come no one told him about it?

    "If she is fine, there are other cars she could use right? I remember you have three and you rarely use two. The older doctors have a plethora of them so��"

    "She got into an accident Leo��"

    "And she''d keep getting into accidents from now?" Leo asked in a tone which showed how irritated he was.

    "I am just doing what I was asked to do. So have you seen her or we have to call the police and report her missing?" Louis asked, equally sounding upset.

    "I asked her to run an errand for me. Just return to the hospital. Bye bro."

    Leo ended the call without giving him a chance to ask any other questions.

    He began to dial Chloe''s number, just like Louis had said, she didn''t answer the call.

    "Just nice!" He hissed before throwing his phone on the bed.

    Meanwhile, Chloe''s phone kept ringing inside her bag but no one heard it because she had placed it on silent mode while in class.

    Since she went to the hospital directly from class, she had forgotten to change it.

    She sat down close to Jeremy''s bed and kept looking at his sleeping face apologetically without saying a word, while Ellie sat on another chair at the end of the room as she watched the both of them but her gaze still showed she wasn''t happy with Chloe anytime she looked at her.

    The door was suddenly opened and Doctor Gaby, who Jeremy had told her had been his mother''s friend entered inside the room.

    "He is stil asleep? The sedative should have wore off now." She said as she went to check Jeremy.

    She had come in with two big nylons with flasks inside and placed one beside his bed, while Chloe stood up and moved over to where Ellie was.

    "When he wakes up, he should have this soup." Gaby said to the both of them with a polite smile.

    Both Chloe and Ellie nodded while she handed the second nylon bag to Ellie.

    "I got you something to eat also." Ellie accepted it with a smile and placed it on the small table in front of her.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t think you''d still be here so I didn''t get you anything." Gaby smiled apologetically at Chloe.

    "It''s fine. Thank you." Chloe returned her smile even though she looked tired and was really hungry. She hadn''t had anything to eat since morning.

    "Do not tell anyone a doctor bought you that." Doctor Gaby said to Ellie with a cheeky smile while the little girl bobbed her head up and down.

    Immediately the Doctor left, Ellie reached for the nylon and took out the heavy flask which had three parts.

    She removed the lid and her eyes shone when she saw the differently shaped cookies inside. There were about 10 or more pieces of large and round baked cookies with sugar sprinkled on top.

    She opened the next part and found fried chicken wings and on the last, was a really beautifully colored salad.

    "Wow!" Ellie said with a smile. It was the first smile Chloe had seen on her face since she arrived there.

    There was a bottle of juice inside the nylon so she took it out and set everything down on the table, ready to eat.

    Chloe looked away from her and turned to face Jeremy instead. She was starving and feared the little girl may see her salivating for her food.

    When Ellie was done setting the table, she slowly went to Jeremy''s bed and checked inside his nylon for something.

    She returned with a spoon and stood in front of Chloe.

    "We should eat. You could use this for the salad." She handed the spoon to Chloe who looked at the girl''s face and down at the spoon.

    "You are no longer mad at me?" Chloe asked her quietly.

    "At least you came to see him. And you''ve been here for hours. I can''t get mad at you even if I want to. Besides, Jeremy is going to kill me if he finds out you still haven''t had anything to eat. I think he wants you to get plump" She said with a childish giggle which made Chloe laugh.

    "Thank you." Chloe said as she accepted the spoon.

    ***********

    "You are going out?" Leo asked when he saw Mia coming out of the room, properly dressed.

    "Yea, I need to go pay Jeremy a visit." She answered. She had wanted to go pay Mira a visit the previous day but because Jeremy was at the hospital, she couldn''t go there and she also had to go there now to know how Ellie was doing.

    It was funny how she hadn''t even thought about paying Mary a visit at the hospital. Maybe it was because she may grow angrier and also beat her up right there on the hospital bed. Until she was certain the anger and hatred she felt had reduced, she wasn''t going to ask Leo the name of the hospital she had been taken to.

    "I think my sister is still there with him." Leo informed her.

    "Really?" Mia asked in surprise. But unlike Leo''s facial expression, she looked happy.

    "Come here, Mia." He said as he sat down on the couch and tapped the space beside him for her to join him.

    "Is everything okay?" She asked as she went to sit beside him.

    "You shouldn''t be too happy about this." He warned her.

    "Really? But why?" She asked in confusion.

    "Because it may not work out for them. Unless she wants to get into trouble. So please, try not to get too excited or tell anyone else about this."

    Mia looked at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion. "But why? What if she likes him too?"

    "My parents are going to... get really mad."

    "Oh..." She sighed sadly. She didn''t need much explanation to understand what Leo was talking about.

    "You don''t have to look so sad. I''m sure your friend''s feelings aren''t that deep for Chloe." He scooted closer and dr.a.p.ed a hand around her shoulder as he spoke.

    "It��" Mia was about to protest but as she turned her head, her lips brushed his.

    Her eyes widened and she immediately pulled away and stood up.

    Leo had been about to smile at the accidental kiss but when he saw her reaction, he frowned in confusion. It wasn''t like it was the first time they had both kissed right? So why was she reacting that way?

    "Is something wrong?" He asked as he stood up to go stand in front of her.

    "Did I... by chance do something wrong?" He asked her again with uncertainty and this time, he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her face since she kept looking away from him.

    She maintained eye contact with him and bit her lower lip really hard.

    "Uh... I was just a bit startled.." She stammered.

    "Startled?" He kept looking at her, knowing that wasn''t the only reason she had reacted that way.

    "Yes-ter-day... Uhm..." She swallowed.

    "I... the thing is.." She closed her eyes and blurted out. "Benjamin kissed me!"

 Chapter 187 - I hate boys!

    James hadn''t heard from Mira throughout that day and was about going to her house when his phone began to ring with a call from Mia.

    He answered it immediately and heard her frantic voice say over the phone. "James... there is trouble." She said as she paced around the sitting room while also biting her fingernail.

    "Hey! Calm down. What is it?" James asked as he stood in a spot. His heart was beginning to race and he hoped she wasn''t in trouble and neither was Mira.

    Rachel who just returned from school watched, looked at her brother quietly without heading towards her room upstairs.

    "I told Leo Benjamin kissed me and��"

    "What the hell!? Benjamin kissed you?" James asked in surprise without giving her a chance to complete her sentence. "When? Why? Was it consensual?" James asked immediately.

    That was probably all James cared about. Whenever he heard something happened between the girls and a guy, he always asked to know if it was consensual. He only reacted when it wasn''t.

    "It wasn''t but that''s not��"

    "It wasn''t?" He asked, interrupting her for the second time. "He forced you? Please tell me you hit him or something?"

    "Can you just stop talking and listen to me? I didn''t know who else to call so I called you. So please.. try to make things easy for me."

    "Someone forced Mia? Are we going to fight the person?" His younger sister, Rachel asked with interest as she tried to listen in on their conversation.

    James glared at her. It was very typical of her to always like trouble and he couldn''t believe that letting her sit at the police station for hours hadn''t taught her a lesson.

    Just then, the door opened again and Peter came in with his friend Noah. Rachel and James knew the boys were obviously going to remain inside Peter''s room for the next couple of hours, playing video games. Rachel had heard Noah had a private room with a whole lot of games in his house. She always wondered why he liked coming here to play instead and it was worse because they treated her like she was some kind of errand girl so she scowled at his presence.

    James could not deal with the crowd so he head outside to go continue his conversation with Mia.

    "What''s wrong? He doesn''t look okay." Peter asked Rachel.

    "I think someone tried to force Mia to have s.e.x with him." Rachel said rather exaggeratedly while the boys looked on in surprise.

    "There''s always one trouble after another." Noah said and began to head upstairs but not without ruffling Rachel''s hair first.

    "What the hell is wrong with you?" Rachel yelled at his back angrily but he didn''t turn around to look at her at all while Peter didn''t care about whatever was going on with the two, he simply head upstairs.

    "I hate boys!" Rachel declared loudly before stomping her feet angrily as she took the stairs to her room.

    ~~~~

    "So tell me what happened." James told Mia as he got into his car and connected the call to his airpod so he could comfortably drive and speak with Mia at the same time.

    Mia began to narrate how everything had happened the previous day but she made it snappy.

    "I just couldn''t keep it from him so I told him about the kiss." Mia said in a high pitched voice which showed she was nervous.

    "What did Leo do? What happened?" James asked curiously.

    Mia recalled how Leo had reacted and why she was feeling this way right now.

    She told Leo Benjamin kissed her. She had been really careful with her words. She didn''t say they had both kissed or she kissed him. She had let him know he was the one who kissed her.

    Leo looked at her quietly and searched her eyes, trying to figure out whether she was joking or serious. But seeing how serious she looked, he dropped his hands from her shoulders and took a few steps backwards.

    "I... I swear I don''t even know what happened. He said he wanted to talk and... it all happened so fast. He held me and before I could react, he kissed me but Jeremy came and punched him and��" She stopped rambling to catch her breath and also look at him to know if he truly believed her.

    "He... kissed you?" He asked in a very quiet voice as if he hadn''t heard all she had been saying for the past minutes. His head was spinning simply at the thought of it.

    Mia sighed in response. Admitting it with her lips irked her.

    Leo laughed. It was the kind of laugh that could be interpreted as ''I can''t believe this right now.''

    "I really didn''t��"

    "He knows I f.u.c.k.i.n.g love you! Everyone knows that!" He yelled suddenly in rage that made her jump from fear. She had never seen him that angry.

    "I. Am. Going. To. Kill. That. Son. Of. A. Bitch!" He said in a really quiet and serious voice that took her aback.

    Next thing she knew, he had reached for his car keys, placed a kiss on her head and disappeared, leaving her stunned and speechless.

    Firstly, he had said he loved her. He loved her? He had never said that to her before. It took her a long while before she remembered he had said he was going to kill the ''son of a bitch'' and by the time she ran outside, his car was out of sight. She called but he didn''t pick up.

    She didn''t know where he was going to but she had a bad feeling about all this and didn''t know what to do. Since she hadn''t officially apologized to Mira, she couldn''t call her and so she called James instead.

    "He''s probably gone to look for him. I didn''t know Leo had such a temper." James said as he sped up.

    "I didn''t know so either but�C"

    "He doesn''t have any right to react that way, you know?" James suddenly said.

    "You aren''t even officially dating. Even if he loves you, his love wouldn''t stop other guys from making advances. He is a smart guy, he should know that." James said thoughtfully.

    Mia who usually didn''t have to worry about anything related to guys was suddenly having a really busy life with guys everywhere around her.

    There was Leo, there was Benjamin, she had James, Jeremy and also one who made her uncomfortable, Louis.

    "I''m almost at your place. You should come out now. We need to search for wherever Leo is before he does something stupid." James said before disconnecting the call.

    Meanwhile, over at the hospital where Jeremy was, Chloe and Ellie was at the middle of eating while Ellie talked nonstop about Jeremy.

    Chloe listened to her attentively. Both siblings loved each other dearly and she could understand why Ellie didn''t like her much since she didn''t treat her brother well. But what was she supposed to do? Treating Jeremy right was kind of risky because he may think she was giving him a greenlight to pursue her and at the end, he was going to get heartbroken.

    They both stopped whatever they were doing when Jeremy stirred on the bed.

    "He is finally awake." Ellie said and hurried to stand beside his bed when he turned again.

    "I thought you were going to sleep for many days." Ellie said excitedly as she jumped on the bed and sat down beside him.

    He groaned sleepily before opening his eyes slowly.

    He smiled at his sister but frowned when he didn''t see the other person close to him.

    "She left already?" He asked groggily.

    "N... who?" Ellie had bee about to say ''No'' but she decided to play a little prank on him.

    "Chloe. When did she leave?" He asked, sounding disappointed. Even though he knew there was no way Chloe would have stayed there for hours just because of him, he had hoped to at least see her when he woke up.

    Chloe just shook her head at him. If he turned his head just a little bit, he would definitely see her behind.

    "What a dummy!" She mouthed only for herself to hear.  But she noticed he sounded better than how he had sounded that morning when she saw him. She guessed whatever the doctor injected him earlier must have really worked and she was happy for it.

    "Oh. That was yesterday. You''ve been sleeping for a full day." Ellie said making him gasp before he forced himself to sit up. "Yesterday!!!!!?"

    Ellie began to giggle while Jeremy turned his head to the side when he heard someone laugh lightly. His eyes slowly widened when he saw Chloe was still in the room, watching him with an amused glint in her eyes.

    He looked away from her and fell back on the bed before covering his face with his hands.

    "That was so embarrassing. I can''t believe I fell for it." He said with his hands still covering his face while Ellie kept laughing.

    "How do you feel?" Chloe asked as she approached his bed.

    He opened his face and turned his head to the side to look at her. "Better." He looked at the clock and back at her. "Can''t believe you are still here." He said with a smile.

    Chloe just nodded and ignored him. "You must be hungry. The doctor brought you something to eat earlier."

    Jeremy nodded immediately. He was starving!

    "Have you eaten anything?"

    "Yea, we already ate something."

    Ellie took out the cooler from the bag and handed it to Chloe who gently placed it beside him before opening the soup which was still hot.

    "You should eat. I have to go home now." Chloe said when it suddenly dawned on her that it was far past school hours and she was in trouble!

    She hurried to fetch her back and almost gasped when she saw the number of missed calls.

    "You are going home?" Jeremy asked sadly but before Chloe could answer, Ellie spoke up.

    "Aren''t you supposed to feed him? He can''t feed himself right now."

 Chapter 188 - Where is he?

    "Arrgh! Why can''t they keep it down?" Rachel asked, pulling her hair in frustration. She was pissed and hearing the noises that came from the next room made her even more angry.

    She quickly got off her bed and began to stomp towards her brother''s room in just a tank top and boxer brief which she had taken from Peter on the day he bought it. Her hair was in a mess but that was the least of her concern as she marched towards his room and pushed the door open.

    "Can you two keep it down? I''m trying to fix my assignment!" She said, glaring at the two until her eyes landed on the box of pizza on the floor beside where them.

    "You ordered pizza?" She asked them both accusingly as she went further inside the room to pick up the two last pieces.

    Peter hadn''t been willing to pause the game to acknowledge her presence so he had continued playing until Noah paused it.

    "What the hell dude!" Peter glared at Noah.

    "She would have done it anyway." Noah said with a shrug.

    "Thank you! I''m afraid my eardrum is going to get damaged one day." She said with an eyeroll as she took a big bite of Pizza.

    Noah chuckled as he watched her. "You look like a savage." He commented as he looked at her messy hair and the way she was eating with her mouth stained.

    "What are you still doing at home? Thought you mentioned going out on a date with that Flinn guy today?" Peter asked his younger sister who was eating the last piece now.

    "That bastard! He suddenly cancelled on me." She hissed. Although it was embarrassing to say it, she knew they would find out one way or the other so she simply told them.

    "That''s good then. You should focus on your studies instead of going out on dates." Noah chipped in casually as he opened the bottle of water beside him to take a gulp.

    "Why can''t I go out on dates when everyone else does so?" She asked him in annoyance. She really didn''t like the fact that he was stricter than her brothers towards her.

    "You are 16 Chel, you don''t want me to keep reminding you of that." Noah said as he looked her up and down quickly.

    "I am going to be 17 soon and in less than 18 months from now, I''ll be 18!"

    "Just wait until you are 18 before you go out on a date then. Now go away! We need to play." Peter said impatiently while waving her away but she didn''t move.

    Rachel''s eyes narrowed at Noah who was giving her a smug smile.

    "You didn''t do anything right?" She asked Noah suspiciously. She had been able to find out from a guy who had a crush on her one time that Noah had asked him to steer clear of her.

    "What do you mean? Was I supposed to do something?" He asked in confusion.

    Rachel looked at him one more time but decided to just believe him.

    "Whatever. I won''t be going out on dates anymore anyway. Boys are annoying." She said while Noah nodded. "Yea, boys are assholes. You shouldn''t let anyone deceive you."

    "That includes youz I guess. You''re a bigger asshole and make sure not to call me to come clean up any mess you both make here, even if you try to bribe me with a thousand bucks, I won''t fall for it." She said first to Noah before leaving the room.

    Noah chuckled lightly but as he turned his head, he noticed Peter was staring at him intensely.

    "What?" He asked Peter.

    "You really didn''t have anything to do with it?" Peter asked suspiciously. Even though he usually didn''t pay much attention to their banters, he had heard the last time when Rachel accused him of scaring her admirers away.

    "I don''t get you, why would I do something like that?" He asked with a confused frown.

    "I saw you with Flinn just before we left school." Peter remembered.

    "We were talking about the game." Noah answered with a casual shrug while Peter sighed in relief.

    "Would have reminded you that I''d kill you if you had a thing for my sister but..." He began to laugh.

    "Which guy in his normal senses would fall for her? She even scares me." Peter said with a laugh while Noah joined in.

    Hearing the door open again, both quickly composed themselves.

    Rachel snuck her head in and looked at them suspiciously before she entered inside.

    "I do have a feeling you guys were talking about me. But I won''t mind it for now. Just remembered I had a question for you..." She moved closer to sit on the bed.

    "What?" Noah asked quietly,  seeing she was looking at him.

    "Mary Lucas,  the girl who... you remember?" She let her words trail off, not wanting to describe her as the girl who was caught having an affair with Mira''s father.

    "Yea. What happened to her?"

    "You called her Kylie or something? How do you know her?" She asked curiously. As much as she was Mira''s friend, she was also Mia''s friend but she was closer to Mira since the girl pratically saw their house as hers.

    "She is a friend''s girlfriend. I met her once at a party where she barged in uninvited. I actually took note of her because she had caused a scene by fighting with her boyfriend''s main girlfriend and had almost fought with her boyfriend for cheating on her."

    "Wow!" Rachel''s jaws dropped in surprise.

    "What''s wrong with people these days? It means they''ve both been cheating on each other then?" She asked, still sounding surprised.

    "That practically sums it up, dummy." Peter said before pushing her head.

    "Which friend are you talking about? And did you tell him about this...?" Rachel asked, ignoring Peter.

    "A friend I made recently. He''s in college. And no, I didn''t mention it to him."

    She shook her head before standing up to leave the room.

    "A.d.u.l.ts are so complicated and vulgar." She murmured to herself as she left the room.

    ***********

    Chloe looked between Jeremy and Ellie in surprise and confusion. Jeremy also had the same surprised look on his face. None of them had seen that coming.

    "He.. can feed himself I believe?" Chloe said before looking at Jeremy, expecting him to agree to what she had just said but he took the opportunity to shake his head.

    "I can''t."

    "He can''t." Ellie echoed.

    Chloe looked at the both of them, stunned. "He has you to feed him�C"

    "I can''t." Ellie shook her head immediately while still looking at Chloe innocently. "My hands are tiny. Besides, I have been in here since yesterday so I want to go get some fresh air outside." She stretched and yawned.

    They seriously weren''t expecting her to feed Jeremy right? She had never fed someone before!

    Chloe looked at her phone. The last missed call was from Leo but she also noticed a couple of messages and quickly clicked on Louis'' message first since she could guess he had been waiting for her at school.

    How had she forgotten to do the right thing and call him? No, the right thing had been, returning to school before the end of her classes.

    When Ellie saw Chloe''s relunctance, she sighed. "I''ll just feed my brother then. I am the only one he has anyway." Ellie said as she began to gather the things.

    Was Ellie trying to guilt�Ctrip her right now? Chloe wondered as she watched how exaggeratedly Ellie moved even the spoon like it was some kind of heavy weapon.

    "Be careful Ellie, do not hurt your hand." Jeremy told his sister, also exaggerately which made Chloe scoff as she opened the text message which was from Leo.

    Louis'' text had been asking her where she was and why she wasn''t taking her calls while Leo''s message read, "Where are you? You left Louis worried. I told him you were out running an errand for me. Make sure you are safe and not get into trouble. And call me as soon as you see this text."

    Chloe sighed in relief and began dialing his number, ignoring the siblings who were doing everything they could to get her attention.

    After calling a second time, it still didn''t go through so she ignored it and walked towards Jeremy''s bed. With a harsh glare at Jeremy, she took the spoon from Ellie who grinned before jumping down from the bed.

    "I''ll go get some fresh air now." Ellie said before winking at Jeremy who was trying so hard not to grin.

    ***********

    Leo''s car pulled up in the Stark''s residence. Since he was well known as a friend of the family, the security men at the gate had let him in with pleasant smiles, not knowing he wasn''t there for a pleasant visit.

    Once he got to the door, he rung the bell impatiently and angrily.

    Leo had wanted to ignore everything earlier including the fact that Benjamin was Mia''s dancing partner and assume it was all a coincidence, but now he didn''t think so anymore.

    Even though Mia had liked him before which he hates to remember, he knew now that Mia liked him and not Benjamin. But not only had he molested her, he had also disrespected Leo by going after the woman he liked which was against the universal bro code. He didn''t even need to say it, the looks he had sent to Benjamin during the party had been enough for him to know Mia was his woman.

    A maid came out first and right behind her was Amara who was surprisingly at home since she worked and also lived in an apartment a bit far from here.

    "Leo? What is wrong?" She asked in surprise.

    She had come to yell at the idiot who was disturbing the peace of the house but was surprised to see it was Leo.

    "Where is your brother?" He asked in a quiet but angry voice.

    "Ben?" She asked while still looking at him in confusion, wondering why he looked so angry.

    "He... isn''t at home..  why are you..."

    "Where is he? And I hope you give me an address I would definitely find him." He warned.

 Chapter 189 - I cant promise that

    Amara was a bit lost. She had no idea about what to do. Seeing how angry Leo was, she didn''t know whether it was best to just go on and tell him where her brother probably was.

    "Leo... you have to calm down and talk to me. Did Ben get into trouble? You seem really pissed."

    "He sure did get into trouble." Leo said, not wanting to disclose further than that.

    Maybe he was overreacting, but the thought of what Benjamin had done made him really angry.

    And he was angrier because of how Mia had flinched when their lips brushed. It showed how much that must have startled her and it was all because of Benjamin!

    He wasn''t even out of the country yet and this was already happening. He had to put him in his place before traveling out.

    "What did he do?" Amara asked in panic.

    She had known Leo for a long time and knew one major difference between the King twins was that unlike Louis who was usually calm and collected even when pissed, Leo always showed it when he was angry and right now, he was. But that hadn''t stopped her from having a crush on him for years until he told her he wasn''t interested in her.

    "He isn''t in and.. I don''t know where he is currently. But I''ll let him know to give you a call immediately he gets home." She said when Leo still didn''t answer her.

    "That won''t do. Call him now" Leo said, shaking his head.

    He didn''t have Benjamin''s number, neither had he taken it from Mia''s phone because he wanted to meet him directly.

    Amara took out her phone with shaky hands and immediately she dialed his number, Leo took the phone from her.

    "What''s up sis?" Benjamin asked when he answered the call.

    "Where are you?" Leo asked, trying to sound calm but the anger he felt betrayed him.

    "Who is this? Why are you with my sister''s phone?" Leo heard the alarm in Benjamin''s voice when he asked.

    "I was just wondering how you''d react if you heard I forced myself on your sister right here?" Leo said, trying not to give Benjamin any hint that it was him since he couldn''t recognize his voice.

    "Who the hell are you? If you touch my sister, I am going to kill you!" Benjamin yelled into the phone while Amara looked at Leo in both confusion and fear since she didn''t understand what was happening.

    "Then I hope to see you at your residence in less than five minutes." Leo said before disconnecting the call.

    "What did Ben do to annoy you?" Amara asked carefully as she retrieved her phone from him.

    "You don''t have to worry too much about it." He said, flashing her a smile which was really fake.

    "He is my brother. And you are scaring me." She said.

    "...." Leo still didn''t say a word. He didn''t want to let Amara know that her beloved brother had molested his woman. It was best to not say anything about it.

    "Promise me you aren''t going to hurt him?"

    "I can''t promise you that." He shook his head again before dipping his hands inside his jean pockets.

    Seeing how her eyes kept darting, Leo warned. "I know you must be planning how to call or text him not to come here but do not do that. If I meet him outside this place, I''m going to do worse. But since I''m in your residence, I''d be able to control myself, that''s why I''m here." He informed her quietly.

    Amara was really curious about what her brother had done. She had to return to work since she only came here to get something but knew it was impossible to just leave now. It was just her and the maids at home so she had to stay back until Benjamin came back home but for now, she knew she couldn''t handle things herself so she quickly hurried back inside the house and closed the door before dialing Chloe''s number.

    **********

    James kept his eyes on the road as he drove while also looking at Mia''s phone from time to time.

    Mia had been surprised when he  took her phone from her and when she asked to know what he was searching for, he told her he was trying to track Leo''s location and he found it.

    It was the same residence where she had gone to for Benjamin''s party the other time.  Leo had gone to Benjamin''s house after all.

    "So.. are you going to date him if he asked?" James asked her curiously.

    "I don''t know." Mia answered honestly.

    "I like him, but I don''t know about dating. It never crossed my mind that I''d be dating anytime soon. Do you think he is going to do something bad to Benjamin?" She quickly asked, changing the topic.

    "If he doesn''t, I would." James answered with a casual shrug. "It''s kind of cool Leo is fighting for you even though you both aren''t dating yet. So I think he really has the plans to date you. You both talked about... you know... whatever that''s holding him back?" He asked, looking at her briefly.

    "Hmm." She said in reply while he smiled and didn''t ask further.

    "Cool."

    "You think I probably should call Benjamin right? Since Leo isn''t picking up?"

    Mia was still tensed. Everyone around her were all from elite families except Jeremy and she didn''t want to be caught up in the middle of any disagreement or fight. She wanted peace... for herself. She had to at least live quietly until she was out of the university.

    Without waiting for James'' response, she began to dial Benjamin''s number but he also didn''t answer which made her even more tensed.

    "Hold tight, we are almost there." James informed her as he took a bend.

    Mia took in a really deep breath.

    "Relax. It''s all going to be okay. Leo doesn''t seem like the irrational type."

    "I think so too." She said, trying to hold unto that hope.

    "How is Mira?" She changed the topic quickly. She hoped it was going to get her mind away from the whole thing,at least for now.

    "Was about going to her place before your call came in. Haven''t heard from her today." James said quickly as he took another turn.

    Hearing her sigh, he turned to look at her.

    "You both should resolve this thing between you two soon. I don''t want to be caught up in the middle."

    "I know." She said with a sad smile. "I can''t stand quarreling with her."

    James wanted to ask her about Mary, but he decided against it.

    Mia tensed up when Benjamin''s place came into view.

 Chapter 190 - Am I really not your type?

    Meanwhile, with everything going on in the world, there was someone who was really happy. It was none other than Jeremy who was being fed by Chloe.

    Chloe sat beside him on the bed with a really awkward expression as she raised a spoon of soup to his mouth. He opened it and let her feed him while trying to act like he was totally not excited about the attention she was giving him. She had even dabbed the side of his mouth with her handkerchief when soup escaped his lips.

    Ellie had left the room a long time ago so it was just the both of them.

    "Thank you for helping me out." He finally said when the silence was becoming too unbearable.

    "Open up." Chloe ordered as she fed him again, not bothering to answer him.

    "And thanks again for the other day." He added.

    "What other day?" She asked without looking at his face.

    "For letting me know the kind of person Benjamin is." He said with a small smile.

    Chloe shrugged as she stirred the soup. "I really don''t know what you are talking about." She said dryly.

    Jeremy knew she was pretending but he didn''t push further. It was one thing he had learnt about Chloe, watching her all these years. She always did nice things but never took the credit for it.

    Jeremy didn''t like how distant she sounded so when she tried to feed him again, he didn''t open his mouth.

    "Now you are going to act like a baby?" She asked with an unpleasant frown as she waited for him to open his mouth and when he still didn''t, she placed the spoon on the bowl and sighed. What was she going to do with him?

    "Are you still mad at me?" He asked her quietly.

    This time, he got her attention and she looked at his face with a raised brow.  "Mad at you? For?"

    He watched her face for a moment before answering.

    "Saying I missed you the other night." He said, startling her. "I noticed you''ve been distant since that day."

    She quickly looked away from his gaze and looked down at the soup while he continued to look intensely at her.

    Chloe decided to just ignore him and continue feeding him so she raised the spoon again and when she raised her head, their gaze met surprising her once more and the spoon fell back on the bowl which made a few drops splatter about, including on her shirt and skirt and on the bed.

    "What the hell!" She hissed and was about to leave the bed but he held her hand, startling her again!

    He didn''t look like the playful Jeremy she knew. His eyes were different. He looked serious and his gaze were almost begging her for something.

    "Am I... really not your type?" He asked her quietly.

    Chloe''s lips formed a straight line and she tried to pull her hand away from his grip but he held on tightly to her, but not too tight to hurt her.

    "You are going to get heartbroken. You should stop now." She said sternly but her voice wasn''t as harsh as she had hoped.

    "Why?" He asked softly.

    "Because you are going to get heartbroken, okay? My family��"

    "Is this about your family or you?" He interrupted, leaving her tongue tied.

    "You tried it with David who doesn''t look like your type. Can''t you also..."

    "Jeremy..." She called, stopping him from speaking further.

    He became quiet, she also was. Silence filled the room for close to a minute before she spoke,

    "I''ll be going on a blind date soon." She informed him. This time, when she tried to pull her hand back, he didn''t hold onto her.

    He saw a hint of disappointment flash through her face but he thought he was probably assuming things. Why would she be disappointed that he had let go of her when it was what she wanted?

    "Blind date?" He asked in mild surprise.

    "Yea. I don''t know how my brothers got to know about you but you have to stay away from them and also my parents if you ever bump into them... I am begging you." She added with pleading eyes.

    "Who are you going on a blind date with?" He asked, still surprised by that.

    Chloe shrugged. "I don''t know. Some random guy my parents want me to meet." She said in an indifferent tone without meeting his eyes. "So you have to... you know... stop hoping for anything." She said in a very low voice before biting her lower lip.

    Jeremy didn''t say a word for a long time.  She also couldn''t look up at him, afraid he was probably giving her that sad look of his that always made her feel guilty.

    Thankfully, the silence dissipated when her phone began to ring.

    It was a call from Amara so she answered it immediately.

    "Chloe?"

    "What is it? Why do you sound that way?" Chloe asked with a frown.

    "Did Ben do something to Leo? Leo is here and he''s really mad." Amara said quickly.

    Chloe quickly looked at Jeremy who was watching her intensely.

    "He''s at your place? How long has he been there?" Chloe asked. Was that the reason Leo hadn''t answered her call?

    "For a few minutes now. He seems really pissed and asked Ben to come home immediately. I don''t know what to do. It''s just me at home." Amara said in a rush. Her heart skipped when she heard a car pull over outside.

    "I''ll keep trying his number. I''m on my way to your place now." Chloe said and hung up immediately.

    "Did Ben do something to Mia?" Chloe asked Jeremy curiously.

    Seeing how Jeremy was pulling his ear, she knew something had happened and immediately picked up her bag to leave.

    "I''m coming with you." Jeremy said as he pulled off the IV cannula from his hand and climbed down the bed.

 Chapter 191 - I promise

    Leo saw a car approach them and squinted to see who it was. There was an unfamiliar guy in the driver''s seat but at the passenger''s seat, Benjamin was seated there. It seemed he was very impatient because he didn''t wait for the car to be properly parked or turned off before he opened the door and jumped out.

    Amara also came out of the house at the same time, after speaking with Chloe and panicked when she saw Benjamin heading towards them. It seemed like he had not gone very far because he arrived in less than 5 minutes.

    The look on Benjamin''s face turned to one of surprise when he saw the man beside his sister was actually Leo. Why was he...

    He received his answer immediately Leo approached him and threw a punch which landed at his jaw, making him fall to the ground.

    There was no reason for Leo to do this to him unless it involved Mia. So he instantly understood what was going on.

    Amara gasped loudly and used her hands to cover her mouth as she watched the scene unfold.

    "What is the meaning of this?" Kelvin who had left the car approached quickly and tried to intervene but Leo picked Ben up by the collar and looked him squarely in the eyes.

    "Seeing how you aren''t confused or asking questions about this, I''m sure you must know the reason I''m doing this already."

    Benjamin looked at him with a dour expression.  He made no attempt to fight back with Leo.

    "What the hell were you thinking doing that?" Leo asked in a calm voice, still grappling his shirt''s collar.

    "It was just a kiss. Why are you making a big deal out of it? She isn''t even your girlfriend. I''m sure you''ve also kissed her before. Did anyone fight you? Why can''t I kiss a girl I like?" Benjamin asked without remorse as he looked at Leo''s angry eyes.

    It seemed like Benjamin''s words added fuel to Leo''s burning rage.

    Maybe Mia wasn''t his girlfriend yet, but saying ''it was just a kiss'' like it didn''t matter, made Leo a lot angrier.

    He was bigger and older than Benjamin so it wasn''t much of a hassle throwing him to the floor. He had chosen to come here instead, hoping it would make him control his temper since this was the Stark''s residence, but it wasn''t working.

    Amara was already beside him, almost at the verge of tears, begging him to stop while Leo punched Benjamin a couple of times more.

    Kelvin also tried to stop Leo but he didn''t stop until he was sure he had given Benjamin the kind of beating he would never forget in his life.

    By the time Leo left Benjamin, there was blood on his mouth and bruises on his face.

    "Maybe she can decide to let this go, but I won''t. The next time you do this to her or to anyone else who isn''t willing and I find out about it, I am going to find you and make sure I throw you in prison. And when I mean to do that, even your family would not be able to save you. It''s a promise." Leo said to Benjamin who hissed in pain and spat out blood from his mouth.

    He wasn''t the young and quiet Benjamin Leo knew back then. He wondered who must have corrupted him this much. He didn''t even look remorseful at all. It was as if it was a normal thing for him to do.

    Amara hurried to help her brother up while glaring at Leo. "What is wrong with you? How could you do this to him?" She asked angrily. "Do you know I could call the cops on you?" She threatened.

    Kelvin had been quiet as he watched the scene unfold. He had only tried to pull Leo away from Benjamin. He recognized Leo as Chloe''s brother and didn''t want to get into a fight with him since he was still envisaging a future to be a part of the King''s family by marrying Chloe.

    "You are stooping so low to fight Benjamin?" Amara continued. Benjamin wasn''t only younger, but he was a college student and still a but immature unlike Leo. So she was mad at Leo for doing this.

    "I wasn''t fighting him, Amara. I was teaching him a lesson. If you love your brother, you should talk to him because I won''t be this nice the next time."

    Leo locked eyes with Benjamin who smirked at him before cleaning his lips with the back of his hands. "I''m okay, stop whining." Benjamin told Amara who looked very worried.

    As Leo turned to leave, they saw another car come into view.

    As the car got nearer and nearer, Leo was able to make out Mia''s face inside.

    Her eyes slowly widened when their eyes locked and immediately James stopped the car, she opened the door and ran towards them.

    Amara looked slightly confused seeing a girl running towards them but soon recognized her as the girl Louis had kissed at Benjamin''s party since she had watched the whole thing with Chloe. She could guess this was the girl her brother had kissed.

    Mia looked shocked when she saw Benjamin''s bruised face and bloody lips.

    "Maybe not to rational but that''s not bad." James said from behind remembering he had said something about Leo being rational and wouldn''t hurt Benjamin.

    "What are you doing here?" Leo asked in surprise, moving closer to Mia so she wouldn''t see Ben''s face even though it was already too late for that.

    Kelvin was surprised to see Mia there. She was his smart classmate and Jeremy''s friend, he remembered. Was she probably the reason Leo had beaten Ben up? But he had no idea Benjamin had a thing with her. She was...

    (Kelvin looked her up and down) pretty, but way out of their league.

    Benjamin''s gaze turned a bit soft when he saw Mia looking past Leo to see his face.

    She didn''t know how to react at all but it was already too late for her to say or do anything, Leo had already done all he wanted to do to him, it seemed.

    "Mia... are you pissed?" Leo asked her softly. She looked away from Benjamin and looked at his face.

    His facial expression had turned soft and his eyes looked sad. Maybe he had overreacted? Was that why she wasn''t saying anything? He wondered.

    "...." Mia said nothing.

    "I''m sorry. Don''t be mad." Leo said again.

    James could understand how Mia felt. He also didn''t know how to react he moved closer to Leo and touched his shoulder.

    "Thank you for doing this. I really would have killed him if I met him first." James said to Leo before looking at Benjamin with a dark glare.

    Mia began to blink as she felt tears gather in her eyes. Her phone began to ring, she had wanted to just ignore it but she checked to see it was a call from Jeremy. Remembering he was sick and still at the hospital, she answered the call immediately, hoping he was okay.

    "Mia? Where are you? How are you?" He asked with worry evident in his voice.

    Mia tried to talk but she couldn''t. Different emotions flooded her as she just stood there with her eyes going round and round.

    "Mia? Are you there? Have you heard from Leo? I''m on my way to Benjamin''s house right now. You don''t have to��" Mia hung up abruptly as tears began to drop from her eyes. She then turned around and ran away. No one could tell what she was thinking, no one knew what was wrong with her, only her knew.

    James and Leo called after her at the same time while Benjamin just watched her back sadly.

    Leo ran after her immediately. Was she mad because he had beaten Benjamin up? He had no idea so he ran after her until he caught up with her and saw her face which was already filled with tears.

    "Mia please..  I am sorry. I do not know what came over me." He held her hand as he apologized.

    Mia tried to hide her face from him while she shook her head, but he didn''t know what she was shaking her head for.

    "Please talk to me..." He said with a pleading voice before pulling her into a hug while she began to sob really loudly in his embrace.

    "This whole thing... it''s new to me." She confessed between sobs.

    "I''ve never had so many people worried about me or trying to fight for me." She sniffled. Even her family hadn''t.

    "I... have been handling every--thing on my own ...and when I know I can''t win, I... just let it go and cry myself to sleep hoping I would be okay..." She cried even more as she spoke.

    "It makes me feel so scared that all of this love and care is going to stop one day and I''d have to face the world all by myself again. It''s so scary to imagine." She sobbed even louder while he hugged her tightly and rubbed her back to comfort her.

    Although her words broke his heart, he was a bit happy and relieved that she wasn''t actually sad because of what he had done to Benjamin but because she was overwhelmed by the kindness she was receiving from everyone at the same time.

    "You don''t have to face the world alone Mia Lucas. I... will always be here for you. I promise." He assured her softly before pulling away from the hug to cup her face. Her face was wet with tears while her eyes were red and still very teary.

    "I''ll be here for you, I promise." He repeated.

    "I love you, Mia Lucas."

 Chapter 192 - Yes

    Mia gripped the seatbelt tightly and looked out the window as Leo drove them back to his apartment.

    How did everything turn out this way? The day suddenly felt very long as she tried to recall the incidents of the day up to when Leo had said those three words to her before saying her name.

    "I love you, Mia Lucas."

    Those words had been echoing in her ears repeatedly for the past few minutes.

    Love? Was it the kind of love she was thinking about? How? How did it happen? A month ago, if someone had told her that one of the sons from the King''s family would tell her he was in love with her, she would have called the person crazy and wouldn''t even laugh it off as a joke because it wouldn''t have been funny.

    What did he like about her? She spent more minutes trying to think about what he probably liked about her to the point where he wanted to date her, but she found nothing. She was nothing but rude to him from the moment their eyes locked. He had been the one helping her since then even when she fainted twice. So what did he like about her?

    Leo glanced at her once in a while as he drove. She had been quiet. After his confession, she had looked at him with wide eyes that made him wonder if she hadn''t ever thought that he was going to say those words to her one day. It had been obvious right?

    He was sure she hadn''t heard anything else he said after his confession. She had followed him in a daze when he led her to his car and since then, they both hadn''t said a word. Those words he had said, he couldn''t take it back now. He didn''t regret saying them.

    He didn''t know whether he was going to regret it later or maybe love would teach him a bitter lesson again, but he wanted to take the risk. She was a risk he was willing to take.

    He believed he loved her a lot. He liked to see her every single time. His heart raced whenever he heard her room''s door open and whenever he realised she had returned from school.

    He liked to see her smile, he felt heartbroken and wanted to protect her whenever she cried, he wanted to be with her every single time and beat up every ''Benjamin'' who made her sad.

    If it wasn''t love that he felt for her, then what was it?

    "You didn''t say anything." Leo suddenly broke the silence and spoke.

    He was nervous and really curious. He wanted to know what she had to say about his confession. He knew Mia liked him, but he didn''t know if it was love. She had already mentioned it a couple of times that she didn''t want anything from him nor did she want to go into a relationship with him. Could he change her mind? Maybe he could!

    Mia''s heart raced wildly when Leo finally spoke.

    After a few seconds passed, she opened her mouth to speak.

    "I..." She tried to say something but nothing came out of her mouth. She didn''t know what to say. She needed to really think about this before saying anything because whatever she said now was going to change her life whether for the better or worse.

    Leo waited with bated breath for her to say soemthing. He kept asking himself what if she refused him? He was probably going to feel worse than he felt when Cherry cheated on him.

    "I... don''t know what to say." She said honestly while still looking out the window.

    This was better than turning him down right?

    "How about... you consider being my girlfriend?" He asked and saw her shift uncomfortably.

    "There''s no rush." He quickly added. "You don''t have to give me an answer right now. You can give me your answer tomorrow."

    "Are you serious?" She finally turned to ask him with a serious face.

    "Yea, sure. You can give me your answer tomo��"

    "That wasn''t what I was asking." She corrected immediately.

    "Are you serious about wanting me to be your girlfriend?" She asked while looking at his face intensely, checking for any sign to show he was joking.

    He turned to glance at her quickly before facing the road again.

    "Yea. You think it''s a joke?" He asked back with a frown. He didn''t want his confession to be treated lightly. It had taken a whole lot in him to be able to say those words out.

    "I don''t..." She exhaled sharply before she continued.

    "Are you sure what you feel for me is love? What if you are�C�C"

    "I know what I feel Mia Lucas." He quickly interrupted.

    "I meant every word I said and I cannot take it back because I meant every bit of it."

    He still noticed her hesitation. She seemed a bit scared. He pulled over by the side of the road and turned to face her.

    "Do not tell me you are beginning to think about my family status right now?" He asked in a pleading voice.

    The last thing he needed was that bullshit that happened in the movies or novels where the lady starts saying those cliche words like: ''We are worlds apart, we cannot be together, look at my family and look at yours'' blah, blah and blah.

    He didn''t want to deal with that right now. He wanted to know how she truly felt about him.

    "That is a reality we both cannot deny." She said, looking at him in the eye without breaking contact.

    Leo sighed and cupped her cheeks when she was about to look away.

    "I own my life. I do not let people dictate my life for me. So... I am just going to ask you one question." He looked deeply into her eyes while she stared right back at him, waiting for him to ask what he wanted to ask her.

    "Do you... love me also?" He asked with uncertainty as he searched her eye for the answers.

    Mia was taken aback by the question. Her heart began to pound so fast she felt she would have a heart attack and not make it to the hospital before she died.

    She gulped nervously and tried to move away but he didn''t let go. He just kept looking into her eyes. He had been wrong thinking he would find an answer in her eyes, her eyes even looked more confused than she looked.

    "Mia?"

    "I don''t know." She answered.

    "I... really do not know if what I feel for you is love but I know I like you a lot." That was the truth. She had never been in love before. The farthest she had gone was having a crush on Benjamin so she didn''t know if what she felt for Leo was love or simply attraction, although she suspected that it was more than just attraction right now. She liked him. Seeing him made her happy. Seeing his smile made her want to smile no matter what she was going through. She enjoyed his presence, they didn''t even need to communicate but just being there beside her made her felt safe and bubbly inside. She liked him a lot and that was why she had been jealous of Cherry. Seeing Cherry the previous evening had made the jealousy return but she chose to trust Leo. She trusted him more than she trusted anyone and she didn''t know why.  She had heard he was a playboy. She had seen it with her eyes, but she still chose to believe him.

    Was this what it meant when they said ''Love is blind''?

    If she was blinded by it all, it meant she probably loved him, right? But she couldn''t just jump into it right now. She wasn''t sure she could do this right now and she also wasn''t sure she was ready for commitments. She still had a long way to go, she still had her life ahead of her... but he wasn''t stopping her from doing any of those right?

    The debate in her head was beginning to make her head spin so she touched her forehead.

    She noticed he had already let go of her face but was still staring at her seriously.

    "Do you still feel something for Benjamin?" He asked with dim eyes.

    Mia shook her head immediately. "I don''t."

    "Do you like anyone else apart from me?" He asked again with narrowed eyes.

    "No." She shook her head slowly again.

    He released a long sigh of relief.

    "I''ll be traveling soon." He said.

    "I thought I would stay a bit longer, but no. In probably two weeks or less, I would be out of this country for a long time."

    He had wanted to take her out on a real date where they would then have all these conversations but it seemed like nature kept bringing distractions. So now that he had the chance, he wanted to say it all to her at once.

    Mia suddenly remembered he was going to travel and frowned sadly. Not like she forgot actually, but she had thought a miracle would happen to make him stay back but reality was really harsh. This was his dream and she was genuinely happy for him.

    "I know it''s selfish of me to ask, but I want to leave this country knowing that you already are my girlfriend. I don''t think I''d be able to live with the knowledge of you being with another man." He confessed in a gently voice that made her feel butterflies in her stomach.

    "So I am asking because I am curious.... would you still like me as much as you do now if we were apart for two years?"

    Mia looked into his eyes. It was as if he was pleading with her to say yes. But she was still sad. The thought of him traveling made her sad. How had she come to like him this much and depend on him in such a short time?

    Mia moved closer and dropped a light kiss on his lips, taking him aback.

    "Yes."

    That was her answer.

 Chapter 193 - White and a touch of aquamarine

    The ''party'' was over by the time Chloe and Jeremy got to the Stark''s residence. Leo, Mia and James had already left while Kelvin, Benjamin and Amara were inside the house.

    Fortunately, Ellie had come inside the hospital room just when Jeremy was about to go look for her and he promised her he was going to return soon and with that, he left the hospital with Chloe. He had literally ran out of there before any doctor or the nurses suspected he was about to leave the hospital.

    Chloe got down from the back of the taxi and stopped walking to wonder why he wasn''t following behind her.

    She turned to see a funny scene of Jeremy in a tug of war with the hem of his shirt which got stuck when he jammed the door close.

    Chloe sighed wearily as she watched him. "Can he ever do something the right way for once?" How did that even manage to happen?

    She asked herself and looked at him like he was stupid before simply opening the door to release the shirt.

    "Oh... that also works fine." He said with an embarrassed smile while she rolled her eyes and reminded the driver to wait for them, before she began to head towards the entrance.

    After ringing the doorbell once, Amara hurried to open the door and hugged Chloe tightly when she saw her.

    "What happened? Where is Leo?" Chloe asked as she tried to look inside the house.

    "He already left but not without hurting Benjamin. What was he thinking?" Amara asked as she moved away from the door to usher them inside.

    "I am so sorry. Was it serious?" Chloe asked.

    Jeremy had told her during the drive about what Benjamin did to Mia and so even though she supported her brother''s action, she had to show care since Amara was her friend.

    Jeremy feigned indifference even though he was pleased about what Leo had done. If he could, he would have done worse to Benjamin back then.

    As they went further inside the house, Jeremy looked around the place and nodded in approval before his eyes landed on Benjamin who was sitting on the couch with an open first aid box on a glass stool in front of him.

    "I''m sorry about Leo, I hope you wouldn''t make an issue out of this." Chloe said, looking at Benjamin whose wounds were being treated by Amara.

    "Of course, he wouldn''t." Jeremy said as he looked pointedly at Benjamin, challenging him to say otherwise. Benjamin was the one who had s.e.x.u.a.lly harassed a lady, if he was smart, he would shut up and not make an issue out of being beaten since they were all letting him go.

    Benjamin simply looked at him without saying a word but his eyes went up to the stairs.

    He wasn''t surprised to see Jeremy there beside Chloe, he had noticed that they had both been hanging out with each other for a while now.

    "You were ill?" Amara asked when she finally took note of how Jeremy was dressed.

    "Nothing serious." Jeremy answered with a shrug.

    "We should return to the hospital now." Chloe said before turning to look at Jeremy. They had come to stop Leo from doing something really bad to Benjamin, but it seemed like they were late.

    Just then, they heard someone taking the stairs down and when they looked up, Jeremy frowned when he saw the last person he ever wanted to see, Kelvin Hank.

    Kelvin''s steps slowed when he saw the two people standing there beside Benjamin and Amara. His eyes dimmed when it settled on Jeremy.

    He looked like a complete patient in his hospital pyjamas and head warmer.

    The others noticed how both guys glared at each other until Chloe coughed once.

    "Let''s leave." She turned to tell Jeremy.

    She didn''t bother to give Kelvin her attention at all. Everyone who had eyes knew she disliked him. She always made it obvious whenever he came close to her.

    "My stomach hurts." Jeremy said in a whisper to Chloe, who looked at him in alarm.

    "Is it serious? We should leave now." She said in a hurry while he nodded and dr.a.p.ed his hand around her shoulders. Chloe didn''t push him away, in fact, she placed a hand around his waist to help him walk faster.

    Jeremy took the opportunity to lean even closer before he looked up at Kelvin. Seeing how angry Kelvin looked, he smirked at him and turned to leave with Chloe.

    ********

    There was a smile on Leo''s face when they arrived home. On Mia''s face however, she had an embarrassed blush.

    As usual, they both waved at each other before going into their different rooms. Mia hadn''t said a ''yes'' to being his girlfriend. She had said a ''yes'' that she would still like him as much even after two years, but that just made him conclude they were dating. Whether Mia liked it or not, they were already in a relationship.

    Tara followed him inside the room with her tiny legs and jumped on the bed beside him.

    "You know, you contributed in making this happen." Leo said to Tara before ruffling her hair.

    He remembered he was yet to call his grandmother so he dialed her number. Now that Mia was officially his girlfriend, even if she was uncomfortable with it, she had agreed to meet his family this weekend. He had seen how tensed and nervous she was and had told her he could cancel if she still felt very uncomfortable about it but she assured him that she was going to be fine.

    His eyes went to the picture on the wall of his mystery dancing girl.

    He stood up and went to where the picture was hanging. "Are you jealous?" He spoke to the picture like it could hear him.

    "I''m sorry.." He said before running his hand over it. "You were the only person I had a genuine feeling for these past two years, but now... there is someone else." He said with a small smile.

    "I have always wanted to meet you at least once to thank you for making me a bit happy. I also wanted to see your face one time... but I guess that wouldn''t work. Besides, I have a girlfriend now and she is also a dancer." He said with a proud smile before removing the picture from the wall.

    He was a bit sad to remove it since it had been there for the past two years even though he hadn''t really stayed much in his house, but now that he had Mia, he didn''t think it was wise making another girl his muse when he had a girlfriend. He was going to replace the now empty space with a photo of Mia.

    Now that he thought about it, he had never taken any good photo of her. How silly of him!

    He suddenly remembered something and ran back to his bed to pick up his phone. He had totally forgotten he dialed his grandmother''s number. Why was he suddenly acting so recklessly?

    The call had already ended but he noticed the call had been going on for quite a while until his grandmother decided to end it when he said nothing.

    He hissed before dialing her number again.

    "I was beginning to think you had gone crazy." His grandmother said when she answered the call, making him chuckle. He was glad that, the wall where the picture was hung was from the bed so his grandmother had obviously not heard anything he said.

    "I''m sorry, I was a bit distracted."

    "That''s what happens when one falls in love. I am always distracted by your grandfather."

    "Eww! I didn''t call to hear about your love story right now."

    "And he is also distracted by me... a lot." She continued as if he hadn''t just told her he wasn''t interested.

    "Grandma, I understand. You are both distracted by each other." He said with an eye roll.

    "Is your lady also distracted by you�C"

    "Jeez! What''s it with you and distractions all of a sudden!" Leo blew up in frustration making her giggle.

    "Such a foul temper you have. I hope you called for a good reason." She asked.

    "I called to let you know we''d be coming home this weekend. I mean, with my girlfriend." He added that part with a smile.

    "Of course! Did you have any choice? The preparation is almost completed. Oh! You both have to make sure you dress in a complete white outfit."

    "What?" Leo asked in confusion.

    "The dress code is white and a touch of aquamarine. Since you are both the protagonist of the day, you both are to be dressed in complete white outfits." She said in an excited tone making Leo sigh.

    "What the�� that''s not going to happen. What are we? Angels? There is no way I am doing that with you and just so you know, I''m going to be wearing black. You all can go ahead and wear your aquaman or something,  I love you grandma, goodbye." He ended the call before she could say anything else.

    How troublesome!

 Chapter 194 - Someones been naughty

    Mia stood in front of Mira''s house, not sure whether to ring the doorbell or not. Although she had been prepared while coming here, standing at the door, she realised she had lost all her confidence to meet her friend who was most likely still mad at her.

    Mira was one very important person in her life that she would never joke with. She had been 8 years old when she met first met Mira who was a class below hers. Unlike her, Mira was always bubbly and whenever Mia saw her around, she was always jealous of how free spirited she was. It was Mira who first approached her to ask why she was always quiet.

    Mia always kept to herself because all the other kids didn''t like to associate themselves with her. She was always quiet, didn''t like to meddle in people''s affairs and even when she got bullied, she remained quiet. Mira became clingy. She said she didn''t like seeing other people quiet and began to follow Mia around, calling her ''sister''. When Mia could no longer hide from her, they became friends. She was glad for their friendship. She didn''t want to imagine how she would have lived had Mira and James not come into her life. Although she had her Mary''s love back then and also her father''s love even though her father didn''t really show it that he cared about her, things changed when her father disappeared.

    Mary''s attitude changed towards her. Even Linda got pissed at everything she did. No matter how hard she tried to impress her.

    She took in a deep breath and was just about to ring the doorbell when the door opened from inside which made her jump back in surprise.

    She had hoped her parents wouldn''t be in because she didn''t know how she was going to react if she came face to face with the man who was dating her sister, or his wife whose home was about to be wrecked because of her sister.

    Thankfully, it was neither of Mira''s parents who came out of the house. It was a middle aged woman who Mia assumed was a maid. Mia rarely came here so the woman didn''t look familiar, and she also looked at Mia with curiousity.

    "Who might you be?" She asked politely as she looked Mia up and down.

    "I''m Mira''s friend. Mia." She answered nervously. "Is she in?"

    "Oh! Miss Mira''s friend? Come in, I''ve heard the name around here before." She ushered Mia in quickly before closing the door.

    "She has refused to leave her room so I''m not sure she would come out." The woman explained.

    "I''ll meet her in her room instead. Thank you." Mia thanked her before taking the stairs to where she remembered as Mira''s room.

    She noticed the maid was following but didn''t turn around.

    Once in front of the door, she knocked once but there was no response so she knocked twice.

    "Go away!" Mira said from inside.

    Mia looked at the maid who gave her a ''I told you so look'' before Mia knocked again.

    "I said go away!" Mira repeated in irritation.

    Mia thought she was angry because she had caught her father cheating and felt somewhat guilty even though it hadn''t been her fault.

    "It''s Mia." Mia said loud enough for Mira to hear her.

    There was a moment of quietness before they heard shufflings, then door opened only a bit and Mira came into view.

    Mia was taken aback when she saw Mira. Mira always liked to look pretty but now, the girl before her looked like she had been conjured out of an horror movie. She had really obvious dark circles, disheveled hair, swollen eyes, chapped lips and the tshirt she was wearing was smudged with a brown-like substance, and was also rumpled.

    "Miss.. would you love to have dinner now?" The maid used the opportunity to ask Mira since she had been locked inside and had refused to eat anything.

    Mira ignored her and stepped away from the door to give Mia a chance to enter before closing the door and using the lock.

    Both girls stared at each other for a long time until Mira made a move and took a step closer. Mia smiled sadly before hugging Mira.

    "I am so sorry..." Mia apologized sincerely as she tightened her hold around Mira who returned the hug.

    Mira didn''t say anything. She began to sob quietly in Mia''s embrace while Mia began to pat her back gently.

    "I''m so sorry Mira. I''d never do anything to hurt you."

    "I know. Thanks for coming." Mira said in a crooked voice before pulling away from the hug to clean her eyes with the back of her hands.

    "You look thin, and pale. You should eat something." Mia suggested but Mira shook her head and returned to lie down on her messy bed.

    "I don''t want to eat anything."

    "I''m starving." Mia said, trying to bait her into eating. She knew Mira wouldn''t let her starve since she was the one who always complained about her not eating properly.

    "That''s not going to work on me." Mira rolled her eyes, obviously seeing through her plan while Mia pouted sadly. "I''m starving."

    "How annoying." Mira hissed but eventually relented and used the intercom to ask the maid to bring in her food.

    "Did James come over? He mentioned he was coming." Mia asked as she joined her on the bed.

    "He couldn''t. He said something came up." She said with a dour expression as she placed her head on a pillow.

    Mia didn''t know what else to say so they were both quiet. Mira stared at the ceiling while Mia looked at nothing in particular.

    "I heard you are leaving soon" Mia finally said.

    Mira was leaving, James was leaving, Leo was also leaving. How was she going to cope? She didn''t want to start imagining.

    "My parents are getting a divorce." Mira blurted out suddenly, making Mia''s eyes widen.

    Just then, a knock came on the door and Mira left the bed to go open the door for the maid who was there to served them the meal.

    After the woman placed the tray in the middle of the bed, she left while Mira locked the door again and looked at Mia who had a guilty look on her face.

    "It isn''t your fault. Apparently, they''ve both been planning to do this for a while now. I''m not sure it has anything to do with Mary."

    "So what are you going to do?" Mia asked, still feeling very sad about it.

    Mira shrugged as she joined her on the bed.

    "What can I do? I can''t force them to love each other again. They can go ahead and do whatever they like. I''m an a.d.u.l.t and would live on my own for now. Once I graduate in a few months, I won''t be returning to this house. We are going to live together right?"

    Mia nodded. The two of them plus James had always talked about getting a big apartment after graduation where they would all stay. They had been waiting patiently for this year since they were all going to be graduating this year but at different times.

    "Good. Let''s just drop the topic. You should eat up before it gets cold." Mira said before her eyes went to Mia''s neck. She pulled down the turtleneck a bit and gave a short laugh

    "Someone''s been naughty." She said in amus.e.m.e.nt before pulling it back up.

    An embarassed blush spread across Mia''s face as she touched her neck self consciously.

    "You had s.e.x with him?"

    "Mira!" Mia gasped. "No, how can you ask me that?"

    "You have an hickey on your neck. I noticed it at the police station since it was really obvious, and Leo called himself your boyfriend."

    "We didn''t... do that." Mia said in embarassment and glared at Mira when she giggled.

    "You are both dating now?"

    "He asked me to date him today." Mia said honestly.

    Mira didn''t look surprised. "He already introduced yourself as your boyfriend days ago and officially asked you out today? I like him! So you have a boyfriend now?" Mira asked lightly as she picked up a slice of apple from the tray to munch on.

    "My answer was vague." Mia said before going on to narrate everything that had happened but she was only interested in one part...

    "What? Benjamin kissed you? What an animal!" She said angrily, standing up from the bed.

    "I always knew that boy was up to no good. I shouldn''t have asked you to invite him over to James'' party. I mean, I noticed how he looked at you at his party, then he suddenly turned out to be your dance partner and then he said he liked you at James'' party, you told him you loved someone else and he forced a kiss on you? What the hell is wrong with him? I should teach him a lesson." She said, pounding a fist on her palm angrily.

    "So what are you going to do now?" Mira turned to ask her, sounding worried.

    "The only thing I can do now is to speak with Mr B again. It''s either me or Benjamin. I cannot dance with him."

    "I''ll come with you." Mira offered but Mia shook her head.

    "I''ll be fine. I need to start handling things myself before you all travel back." Mia said with a sad smile.

 Chapter 195 - What if he did?

    Throughout that day, things were still a bit awkward for the new couple, Leo and Mia. It wasn''t until Friday morning when she was about to leave for school that he decided to do something about it and ask her out on a date.

    "A date?" She asked in surprise, standing in front of her door and not giving him a chance to go inside. He had noticed it. Whenever he went to her door, she opened it only a little, not giving him a chance to look in talk more of going inside.

    Why was she being so distant? He wondered.

    Mira had made Mia a bit worried after their discussion. She had told her that now that she was dating Leo and also lived in the same house, something was bound to happen eventually and had warned her to be careful if she didn''t want it to happen just yet. Mia wasn''t sure she was ready to cross that bridge for now so the best thing was not to let him inside.

    Things had happened between them a couple of times inside her room. She couldn''t take any chances now.

    "Yes and... I have a surprise for you." He said with a mischievous smile that made her curious.

    "Surprise? I''m not sure I like surprises. Tell me about it."

    "If I tell you about it, then it is no longer a surprise. This evening, are you in?"

    Mia chewed her lips as she contemplated it. "She had to meet with Mr B this evening since they had rehearsals, but she wanted to speak with him before the time of rehearsals."

    "What? You already have plans?" He asked with a disappointed frown.

    "No, it''s fine. Let''s do it." She said with a smile which he returned.

    "Great! I may not be in when you return so just get ready and wait for me."

    Mia bobbed her head up and down obediently. ''She''s adorable.'' He said in his head and was about to go plant a kiss on her head, it was just then that Mia''s pen fell on the floor and she bent down immediately. Leo''s lips was left puckered, kissing the air while Mia who was getting up mistakenly jammed her head into his stomach causing him to jump back and whimper from the impact.

    Mia raised her head to look at him, oblivious to what had just happened. "Did I hurt you?" She asked, wondering when the distance between them reduced.

    "N--o" He said with an awkward smile and Mia nodded. He moved closer again but Mia smiled sheepishly at him before returning inside her room and closing the door in his face. She believed they were done with their conversation and remembered she had left a textbook inside her room so she went to retrieve it.

    Leo watched her door in disbelief and raised his fist to punch the air out of frustration.

    She opened the door again and saw him behaving weirdly so he cleared his throat and returned to his room with flushed cheeks, feeling very embarrassed.

    Mia suppressed a laugh as she head for the door and left the house but not without calling Mr B to reschedule the time for their meeting.

    *********

    "You look better." Mia said with a smile when she met Jeremy in class and sat beside him.

    "I regret it." He hissed.

    "Why?" She asked in confusion. Why would he regret getting better?

    Jeremy moved closer to whisper into her ears. "You won''t believe this, but Chloe gave me all of her attention. She even fed me and helped me brush my hair." He said and moved away so she could see the smug smile on his face, but Mia could see how sad his eyes looked.

    "Really?" Mia asked in surprise and was about to turn to look at Chloe when he stopped her immediately.

    "Don''t look at her. She''s going to know I''m talking about her."

    "So...are you both almost at the stage of dating?" Mia asked curiously making Jeremy sigh.

    He remembered how Chloe had told him he was going to get heartbroken, and had warned him a several times to stop liking her like it was something he could do on his own.

    "I think her family controls everything she does. Apparently, she cannot date someone like... me." He said with a sad smile which made Mia''s countenance change. Firstly, she was sad for Jeremy, secondly, they were talking about the same family whose son she was dating.

    "I mean, Leo still tried for you right? You guys are dating now right?"

    Mia nodded slowly and saw his eyes widen slightly in surprise.

    "She''s not even giving any chance to get to know me, to like me. She''s always so... prim." He hissed before taking out a printed material from inside his backpack.

    "What are you doing?" Mia asked in surprise when she saw him flipping through the pages like he was studying.

    "Studying. Obviously!"

    Seeing him study, Mia could tell he really wasn''t in a good mood.

    After classes ended for the day, Mia stood up to leave when Jeremy pulled her back.

    "Hold on, let me get my things. I am going with you." He said as he stood up and began to place his writing materials inside his backpack.

    "Going with me? Why?" She suddenly thought of something and asked him. "You think Benjamin is going to approach me?"

    "He wouldn''t dare seeing all the people around you, but let''s not take chances. I''ll go with you. We live in the same neighbourhood anyway."

    "What about her?" Mia asked, looking at Chloe''s direction.

    Jeremy looked at Chloe who was placing her things inside her handbag before she stood up. She looked at the direction and immediately her eyes locked with Jeremy''s,  she looked away and looked at Mia instead. She nodded briefly as a form of acknowledgment before walking away.

    "Did you both quarrel?" Mia asked him curiously. She couldn''t understand why they usually hang out outside of school but pretend not to know each other in school.

    Jeremy had already accepted that their relationship was going to remain like this so he didn''t say anything. He gathered his things and left the class together with Mia.

    Since the neighbourhood wasn''t far from the school and the weather was fair, they both walked and talked about random things.

    Once Mia showed him where she lived with Leo, they waved at each other and he left for his apartment while Mia went to freshen up and get dressed. Just as Leo had said in the morning, he wasn''t in.

    She looked at his door with a smile on her face when she came out of her room, this whole relationship stuff was a bit awkward and new to her, but she was going to have to open her mind to it. It wasn''t like she had anything to lose.

    Mia placed a call across to Mr B to remind him that it was almost time for their meeting and he promised to meet her in the next thirty, so she went to the cafe they had planned to meet and waited until he arrived.

    "Whatever you have to say must be really important right?" Mr B asked Mia immediately he sat down across Mia.

    "Yes." She answered with a quick nod.

    He narrowed his eyes to look at her. He hoped whatever she wanted to say wasn''t going to affect the team. That was the most important thing to him.

    "The new dancer, Benjamin...."

    "What about him?" Mr B asked her curiously.

    "Where did you meet him? How did he suddenly join the team?"

    Mr B raised a confused brow at her, wondering why she was suddenly asking.

    "I really want to know." She said in a eager tone.

    "Paul introduced him to me."

    Paul was the lead dancer Mia had always danced with, but he could not participate in this competition because according to him, something came up at his home.

    "Paul mentioned he couldn''t dance because.. you already know, his sister is sick. It got me really worried until he showed me a video of a guy dancing, saying the guy was looking for a team to join for fun, not really interested in the money to be won, so I asked for him and that''s it!" He explained quickly.

    Mia began to think deeply. Was it possible it was all just a coincidence? She doubted it.

    "Is something wrong?" Mr B asked out of concern.

    "I can''t dance with Benjamin." Mia blurted out, making him sigh and run a hand around his hair roughly.

    "We already talked about this before, Mia. You can''t just pull out now. The competition is just about to start!" He said in a stern voice while trying to keep his temper in check.

    "I am not comfortable with Benjamin."

    "This is not about your comfort!" He snapped. "This is thousands of dollars we are talking about right now and also our future. It''s just for a few nights goddamnit!" He hit the table angrily, drawing the attention of most of the diners.

    "I even lent you my last cash just to keep you. Can''t you see how desperate I am? This is for all of us. Are you willing to shatter all our plans just because of your comfort?"

    "Mr B��"

    "Mia Lucas... you already promised me." He said tenderly.

    "Why aren''t you even asking me why I am not comfortable with him!?" It was Mia''s turn to snap at him angrily.

    "And why the hell can''t you dance with him?" He asked in a raised voice showing how pissed he was.

    "He... he kiss-ed me... against my wish" Mia said in a quiet voice, swallowing hard. It was embarrassing saying it, but if it was going to get Mr B to send Benjamin away, then she had to tell him the truth so it wouldn''t seem like she was being unreasonable.

    Mr B snorted.

    "So? What if he did?" He asked, startling Mia who looked at him in disbelief. "We are talking about thousands of dollars, why are you bothered about a stupid kiss?"

 Chapter 196 - That was... totally unexpected.

    "For real? Like, you are both dating?" Richard asked in surprise, in shock rather. That was the last thing he had expected to hear from Leo''s lips.

    "Hmmm. I won''t really say we are dating now but we''re kind of playing around it."

    "Wow! When... how did it happen? You met a lot of girls for over two years and blew them off but you just met this one and in a month, you are already dating? She probably is your soul mate." He said with a broad smile on his face. "I am genuinely happy for you."

    Leo smiled a bit before sipping his wine. He remembered he hadn''t met Richard for a while and decided to stop by his place on his way back home. He was at Richard''s penthouse at one of his father''s hotel.

    "Did you find out anything from Elijah?" Leo sat up and asked him seriously. Richard''s mood changed immediately.

    "I''m sorry. You really have to do this alongside Cherry."

    Leo sighed deeply. "Why does she keep appearing everywhere?"

    "Now that I think about it, you are going to be traveling soon and Cherry is going to be there. Have you told Mia about it?"

    Leo shook his head and this time, he didn''t just sip from the glass but gulped down everything on the glass.

    "I probably should tell her about Cherry right?" He asked in uncertainty.

    "Of course! She has to know about it.  You are going to be away for two years and your ex girlfriend is going to be there. She needs to know about it." Richard advised. Although he had never been in a real relationship before, he knew how these things happened merely watching movies.

    "How are you? Still into Mira?" Leo asked, changing the topic.

    It was Richard''s turn to sigh. "Well yea, she is a sweet girl. We haven''t gone out once though. Our date was canceled the other day and we''ve not been keeping in touch."

    "Remember I told you if you aren''t sincere about her, stay away from her. You are my friend and I do not want the girls to take out their anger on me when you offend Mira." He deliberately didn''t mention anything about Mira''s situation to him since he didn''t have the right to.

    Richard snickered. "If someone heard you, they would think you are a righteous person."

    "Of course, I am." Leo said with a smug smile while Richard shook his head, "Nah, you are a bastard."

    *********

    It was always one trouble after the other for Mia.

    She lay down on her bed inside the room with her eyes on the ceiling.

    She could not believe Mr B had said that. Why do most people always like to treat other people poorly because of money?

    "I just said he harassed me!" She had yelled at him in disbelief, almost creating a scene at the cafe.

    "Look Mia..." He said, drawing closer to her.

    "You are a pretty girl. It is normal for guys to be attracted to you and want to kiss you but since he forced you, we are going to talk about this seriously after the competition. For now, you both should put aside your differences and just do this for all of us. Hmm?" He said, trying to convince her.

    Mia stood up immediately and walked away from him. She was so tired of the whole thing.

    She heard a knock on her door which startled her. Leo was back? How come she hadn''t heard the front door open or Tara''s welcoming whimpers?

    She must have been really lost in thought.

    She climbed down from the bed and went to open the door. Leo was standing there. His face formed a frown when he saw how she looked.

    "You aren''t ready?" He asked seeing she wore a short and tee shirt.

    "Ready?" She asked distractedly and remembered they were supposed to go out on a date.

    "Oh! I''m so sorry... I was just..."

    "What''s wrong?" He asked curiously. "You don''t look fine. Did something happen?" He asked again when she simply raised both hands to smoothen her hair weakly.

    "It''s.. just a really f.u.c.k.i.e.d up stuff.." She hissed.

    "And I believe it''s something you are going to share with me?" He asked in a voice which clearly showed he wasn''t expecting any answer other than a yes.

    Mia hadn''t wanted to bother anyone with it, but now she didn''t have any choice. She wanted to know if she was being inconsiderate and unreasonable with her demands.

    He offered her his hand which she took and followed him to the sitting room. He led her to the couch to sit down before sitting down beside her.

    His eyes trailed down a bit to her exposed legs but he quickly looked up at her face. This wasn''t a time to get distracted.

    Mia began to narrate it all to him and by the time she concluded, she was almost at the verge of tears because she was facing a really serious dilemma.

    She didn''t want their team to fail and if they failed, it wouldn''t just affect her but every member of the team as well as Mr B. On the other hand, she didn''t want to dance with Benjamin but now, it seemed dancing with him was her only option especially since Mr B had lent her money when she needed it.

    Now, she believed the saying, ''The debtor was a slave to the creditor.'' Had Mr B not given her that money, she could have easily pulled out.

    Leo saw how devastated she was, so let her lie down on the couch and placed her head on his laps while he slowly ran his hand over her hair.

    "You don''t have to worry too much about it. Even though there wasn''t a written agreement between you and that asshole after he gave you the money, it''s still a matter of your integrity and you keeping to your promise, so I can understand how you feel. And that Benjamin guy seems really fishy."

    "I thought the same." Mia agreed with a small nod.

    "If he doesn''t want you to leave, fine. Benjamin just have to leave then."

    "How do you intend to do that?" She asked, turning her head in his laps to look at his face curiously.

    "You don''t have to know. Just trust me." He said with a smile.

    Mia smiled at him and nodded obediently. It felt really nice having someone to rely on. Now, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she felt a lot relaxed.

    Leo thought it was probably the best time to tell her about Cherry but he just couldn''t bring himself to talk about it. Their relationship hadn''t properly started yet and he didn''t want anything that would make Mia uncomfortable and change her mind. ''Just a little while.'' He said in his head.

    "My grandmother wants us to dress like angels tomorrow." He said with a short laugh that left Mia confused.

    "What''s that?" She asked in confusion.

    "It means, she wants us both to dress in completely white outfits from head to toe."

    "What? Why? I have to dye my hair also?" Mia asked, sitting up to look at him while he laughed.

    "I''m not sure she would mind if you decide to go that far though. Grandma is really a weird woman."

    Mia was quiet and he could see her mood had changed.

    "I''m really nervous." Mia said, chewing her lips.

    "You don''t have to be. Remember what I said? I''m going to be right beside you." He gave her a reassuring smile that made her relax.

    "Thank you." She said before kissing his cheek, taking him aback.

    "That was... totally unexpected." He said with a smile which looked like he was shy but Mia doubted it. Leo didn''t look like the type to get shy by a mere peck.

    "Really?" She asked with a glint in her eyes and rushed to kiss his other cheek which made him grin.

    "One more here." He said pointing at his other cheek which Mia wilingly placed a kiss on while he turned the other one.

    "Another here..."

    Mia giggled and was about to kiss his other cheek when he turned his head so their lips would meet instead. She almost jumped back involuntarily but his hand circled her waist and pulled her closer before taking her lower lip in his mouth to suck on it gently.

    His eyes opened briefly to see Mia staring at his face with wide eyes. He almost chuckled. He still didn''t know why she was always shocked whenever they kissed.

    He used his free hand to cover her eyes and pulled away when he was sure she had closed her eyes. Slowly, she began to relax and parted her lips to let him in.

    As he deepened the kiss, his free hand balled beside him. He was tempted to touch her but kept his hand to himself. He didn''t want to freak her out by groping her.

    Mia reciprocated his kiss and to his surprise, her two hands came to his neck. She wrapped her hands around him and pulled closer until she was sitting on his laps.

    It was his turn to open his eyes wide in surprise. As if sensing he was watching her, she opened her eyes. When she saw how wide his eyes were, she slowly pulled away and tried to suppress a laugh but she could not.

    He couldn''t fathom how she had gone from being shocked to almost taking the lead.

 Chapter 197 - Cottage

    Chloe just left the shower, her hair wrapped with a towel, another towel around her chest which ended just after her butt. She was surprised when she found her mother inside her room. When she arrived home earlier, her parents hadn''t been at home as usual. She could not remember seeing her mother the previous day at all. It was even more difficult seeing their father since the hospital appeared to be his second home, or first home rather, since he placed the hospital first before his real family.

    "You''re home?" She asked rhetorically as she looked at her mother who was sitting on her bed. "What about dad?"

    Mrs King wore a long straight gown and her hair tied neatly at the back of her head. Her face was bare and she looked really relaxed which made Chloe realise she had been inside the house for a while.

    Mrs King smiled at her while Chloe held the towel around her chest firmly. "Hmm.. Your father is still at the hospital though."

    "How was school? You must be glad it''s Friday." Mrs King said before standing up.

    "Come sit here. I''ll help you dry your hair." She offered as she held out the dressing chair for her. Chloe walked there nervously and gently sat down. She could tell this was just small talks until her mother said what she was there to really say.

    "School''s been great." Chloe finally answered as she unwrapped her hair.

    "It must be difficult working and schooling at the same time. You also keep record of both your brothers business. I''m surprised you still look really pretty and healthy despite it all." She said with a warm smile that made Chloe blush as she looked at her through the mirror.

    "I just like to keep myself busy." She admitted honestly. She didn''t know whether it was abnormal for her to always want to be busy. She couldn''t imagine herself lazying about for even an hour. She was either going through doc.u.ments or school work or reading other kind of books online. That was the kind of life she led and she liked it.

    "You are just like me. I also like to keep myself busy. Although sometimes I feel like breaking down, but I have to be strong. But it makes me sad sometimes. I feel like I am not there for my kids. For my little princess." She looked pointedly at Chloe through the mirror.

    "I wouldn''t ask for a better mother. Seriously." Chloe assured her.

    Mrs King sighed in relief and began to help her blow dry her hair.

    "Your hair is quite long. I think you are going to look even prettier with a short Bob." Mrs King said in a suggestive tone.

    "I... like my hair long." Chloe swallowed.

    "Oh dear, I''m just saying. You would look pretty whichever way you choose." She said with warm smile that made Chloe relax. The last thing she needed was for her parents to dictate her looks for her.

    "You want to tell me somehing right?" Chloe asked when she could no longer bear the tension.

    "I wanted to have a little mother�Cdaughter moment with you first but since you noticed..." She let go of her hair and went to rest her butt on the vanity table so she was looking at Chloe''s face directly.

    "You are going out tomorrow." She announced.

    "Aren''t we all going out to grandpa''s house together?" Chloe asked as confusion flashed in her face.

    "Of course we are. But I am talking about you. Just you. For the blind date." She said with a grin.

    "This is your ever first date and I''m going to specially make you look pretty. I am so excited and proud of you!" She said before hugging her gently while Chloe sat stiffly on the spot.

    Firstly, she was really going on the blind date. Secondly, her mother thought this was her first time dating. If they found out about David, they were going to be heartbroken.

    "Let''s go shopping in the morning, okay?"

    "Mum..." Chloe called softly so her mother pulled away to look at her face. "What is it? Do you feel unwell?"

    "Can I..." Chloe swallowed hard as she tried to find the courage to tell her mother what she truly wanted.

    "Can I... not go?"

    "Oh honey! I know you are nervous and it''s normal for you to be. Just sleep on it. You''ll be fine by tomorrow okay? I love you baby." She placed a kiss on her head and touched her shoulder gently before leaving the room.

    ***********

    "Do not open your eyes." Leo instructed Mia.

    "Your hands are over my eyes so yes, I don''t think I can open them" Mia responded dryly.

    They were both out on their ''date''. She wore a free blue gown which didn''t cling to any part of her body and ended just before her knees, with a pair of black ankle boot on her feet.

    Since she couldn''t use the make up products, she wore powder and lip gloss and left her hair to flow about. On her ears, she wore a pair of silver teardrop earrings.

    Leo wore a red shirt and tucked it in his black pants. Guys were always simple.

    His hair was styled neatly to the back compared to the messy way he usually left it. Mia had been a bit uncomfortable when she saw his hair since it reminded her of Louis but she quickly pushed the thought away from her head.

    They had driven for almost half an hour until he stopped by a beach side. Immediately she got down, he had covered her eyes.

    Mia walked carefully as Leo led her from behind with his hands still covering her eyes. She was really eager to see the surprise he had talked about.

    "Do not open!" He said again as he removed his hands away from her eyes.

    She stood there and heard him fiddle with some keys before she heard a door open.

    They were in the front of a house, she noted. Whose house?

    He took her hand this time and led her inside before gently closing the door.

    "You can open it now." He instructed.

    Mia took in a deep breath before she slowly opened her eyes to meet darkness. She wanted to ask why the place was dark when she suddenly heard him flick the light switch and the whole place lit up.

    Her mouth hung low in awe as she looked around the place.

    It was a small cottage, the wooden wall was painted in pure white. The yellowish white curtains where pulled to the sides, revealing the glass windows which enabled them looked out at the beach. At one end, there was a large counter with cupboards and a sink which showed the place served as a kitchen, she could also see a gas cooker there. There was a fancy wooden table and chairs which served as the dining table and on top on the table, she noticed some dishes were arranged and covered.

    There was a small bed covered with a pure white bedsheet at the other end on the room. The place looked small but homely.

    A big smile appeared on her face. ''I could live here forever.'' She said in her head.

    "I am glad you like this place." Leo said with a smile, seeing how happy she looked.

    "Where is this?" She asked him curiously as her eyes kept going round.

    "My place." He informed her, taking her by surprise.

    "I have always wanted a house by the beach side but wasn''t always around so I couldn''t build one. Last year, Richard told me about this place. The owner was putting it up for sale and relocating abroad so I bought it. The renovation was completed last week."

    "How come I didn''t know about this?" She asked in amazement as she went to the window to look at the sea waves.

    "I''m glad I didn''t tell you about this before now. I would have missed this look on your face." He said as he watched her move about.

    "What are those?" She asked, pointing at some stuff she could not identify beside the bed.

    "Wait! Is this a camera?" She asked as she took it out of a bag. "It looks expensive."

    He had never seen this side of Mia before. She looked really happy and was talking nonstop with a smile on her face as she admired everywhere.

    "The food must have gotten cold. I thought we would come here immediately I was done preparing it but we delayed a lot. When we are done eating, I am going to be using that on you." He said, pointing at the camera in her hand.

    "On me? You... want to hit me with it?" She asked in confusion and saw him laugh before stepping closer to her to take it from her.

    "You, my darling, are going to be my model tonight." He concluded with a kiss on her cheek that made her blush.

    He looked deeply into her eyes before pulling away from her reluctantly.

 Chapter 198 - Dance with me

    Mia looked at all the dishes spread across the table and marvelled. The last time she ate on a table this full was many years ago when her father was still with them and they lived without worries.

    "You made all these?" She asked, looking from the steak to fried chicken to salad to sausage to rice to the beef and vegetable sauce. There were more on the table. Merely the sight of it made her full.

    "I did. Although it was very tricky since the last time I cooked something nice was a really long time. I had to watch a lot of YouTube videos." He admitted as he pulled a chair out for her to sit on.

    He was treating her like a princess. Was she Cinderella? Because she liked this feeling.

    "What are you thinking?" He asked, looking at her face which looked like she was lost in thought.

    "I think I can understand a bit of how Cinderella felt." She said while still looking around the table and at the expensive bottle of wine which she wasn''t sure she would ever be able to afford.

    Leo chuckled. "I thought about calling you Miara before since you and Tara behaved alike, but I can just call you Miaderella then." He went to sit across her and gave her a smile.

    Mia wasn''t even listening to him. "Isn''t this... expensive? Why did you have to go an extra mile just to do this?" She asked, still in awe.

    Never would she have imagined that there would come a time where she would be seated in a table like this and being served by a man who liked her.

    "We are celebrating. So of course, it''s very necessary." He answered with a shrug.

    "And... what exactly are we celebrating?" She asked curiously.

    Leo poured wine only to a quarter of her glass before pouring himself wine then he raised his glass in a toast.

    "To Mia, may your life be filled with sweetness from now on."

    A forced laugh which almost sounded like she was about to cry left her lips.

    She raised her glass high also "And to Leo, may all your dreams come true."

    "I already have one right in front of me." He said as his eyes locked with hers over their wine glasses, making her almost choke on her wine while he sipped his like he didn''t notice how startled he just made her.

    She grimaced a bit at the sour taste of the wine but gulped a bit of it before dropping it back on the table.

    "Let''s eat. We don''t want it getting cold again." He ushered and they began to eat while making small talks in between.

    "I realized you haven''t really asked much about my family." Leo said. Other girls who recognized him as one of the twins from the King''s family usually didn''t waste time before badgering him with questions about his family.

    "I think I already know a bit from all you''ve told me. But yea, I would like to know more since I would be meeting them tomorrow." She said and tensed up. She didn''t like remembering this.

    "Well, there''s nothing really much actually. My parents run the hospital together. It was only a small hospital back then which belonged to my grandfather, but when my parents got married, my mother''s family contributed greatly in making the King''s hospital what it is today."

    "They don''t own just the hospital right?" Owning only a hospital wouldn''t make their family so well known in the country.

    "Yea. They also have other businesses they run side by side but people handle it for them."

    "Oh.. just like your brother partners with you to run that beauty house, when he is also a doctor while you''re a photographer?"

    "Exactly! And even if Chloe wants to become a doctor, which is never going to happen by the way, she would still run the mall but then, she would have a director who would handle it all on her behalf." He explained.

    Mia would have been jealous had she not already heard from Leo about how his family dictated what they were suppsoed to do and not do. A lot of people were envying them, not knowing they would give anything to live freely just like them without their parents telling them what they were supposed to do.

    "What about your extended family?" She asked.

    "Ah! They are much. I have a lot of uncles, aunts and cousins both maternal and paternal but we aren''t really close to each other. My parents like to keep to themselves so naturally, we also kept to ourselves and didn''t associate much with the others. But there''s this person you should know... Aunt Debby. She''s my father''s older sister. She''s sick kind of sick..." He touched his temple with his index finger so she would know he was talking about her head.

    "I dislike her!" He exclaimed with a loud sigh, remembering all she had said to him at the festival, thinking he was Louis and how she had asked him to save ''Mickey mouse'' who turned out to be Mia. Well, he wouldn''t hold that against her now.

    By the time they finished talking about his family, they were done eating so he cleared the table, without letting Mia lift a finger and went to do the dishes by himself.

    "What about you?" He suddenly asked without turning his back to look at her.

    "Your father... what happened?" He had been really curious but didn''t know how to ask her so now that they were talking about families, he thought it was the best time to ask.

    Mia was still sitting at the dining chair which wasn''t far from where he was standing.

    "Well, I don''t know much and my moth.... Linda refused to say anything to me."

    "But I just know that my father was a good businessman and politician even though he led a quiet life. I do not know what happened but his business collapsed. He was always moving around, always getting angry and throwing things everywhere while he quarrelled with Linda often. Then one day, he left home."

    "And he didn''t return." She concluded in a tight voice.

    "We were all so worried. We searched everywhere, asked everyone. When I checked the net, I didn''t see anything important. Even the police was serious with the search at first but no longer took it seriously after a while. I don''t know what my father did for everything to just turn against him. We realised he had used all the money he had to help the dying company. He also used everything Linda had saved up, hoping things would work out but nothing happened and he disappeared. We had to leave our big house for a tiny apartment, we had to sell our properties to pay up debts...."

    Debts again! Was her family bound to remain in debt forever? Leo wondered sadly.

    "It wasn''t easy at all. Suddenly living in the slums after living in the palace... it was hard. Everyone of us was depressed, especially Linda. Those days were terrible." Mia concluded with a deep sigh.

    "You are going to find your father okay?" Leo returned to her side and squatted beside her.

    Mia turned to look at his face and smiled.

    "I have this feeling that... I can always believe everything you say." She confessed.

    "Then believe me again." He returned her smile.

    "This one is also going to happen." He took her hand in his and kissed the back of her hand making goosebumps rise on her skin.

    "Are you ready to be my model Miss Lucas?" He asked as he stood up, still holding her hand in his.

    Mia stood up and looked at him with uncertainty.

    "What do I have to do?" She asked.

    Leo led her towards the couch before going to get his camera and other equipments he would be needing for the shoot.

    "Just be yourself. You can give me something... wild and... s.e.xy" He said with a wink which made her cheeks colour but surprisingly, she didn''t protest.

    A few minutes later, Leo looked at Mia in horror. "What are you doing?" He asked, putting down the camera.

    "Giving you... something wild...?" She said and looked at him in confusion.

    Leo looked at her again. She actually looked like a cat about descending on its prey. Even the look in her eyes was scary.

    "This won''t do!" He said, trying his best not to laugh.

    "You know what? I think I have an even better idea." He said with bright eyes that made Mia wary. Whenever he had that look in his eyes, she knew it wasn''t something she would like.

    Before she knew it, a soft music began to play which filled the room.

    "Dance for me." He said to her with a grin. He believed with dance, she would do wonders!

    "Just dance, and I''ll take your photos." He said before picking up his camera.

    "No!" She protested with her hands covering her face.

    "Why?" He asked. He didn''t sound compelling or disappointed. He wanted her to do this willingly. He wanted her to be happy and relaxed.

    "I''m... I''m shy." She said biting her lips.

    He put down his camera and moved over to where she was then he wrapped his hands around her waist, making her head shoot up to look at his face.

    "It''s cute that you''re still shy around me, ya know." He grinned at her while she looked away from him but he quickly used a hand to hold her chin and bring her eyes back to his.

    "If you want me to dance with you, I can, and we can video this whole thing. But..." He paused to look deeply into her eyes.

    "It''s dangerous." He said in a deep but quiet voice.

    They were alone in a cottage, with wine, soft music, a bed and no interruption. Of course, Mia understood what he was saying.

    But.....

    "Dance with me." She said boldly.

 Chapter 199 - Stuck with you

    "Dance with me." Leo heard Mia said and raised a brow at her, looking really surprised. He had thought she understood what he had been implying so why was she still asking him to dance with her?

    "Are you sure you understood what I was trying to say earlier?" He asked in a dangerously quiet voice but audible enough for her to hear.

    "I got it." She answered, her gaze locked with his. She wasn''t breaking eye contact. She was saying it with determination.

    Leo wished he could enter inside her head to know what she was thinking. He was really curious.

    He closed his eyes, trying to calm his raging hormones.

    The wine he drank earlier was getting to him. He concluded. He had taken several gulps while making sure Mia didn''t take much. The soft music was doing things to his body and Mia standing right there in front of him, looking deeply into his eyes and letting him know she was prepared for whatever was to come, made him almost lose his mind.

    "It''s going to be better if we do it together. Don''t you think?" She asked, eyes filled with innocence that made him look away and draw back from her.

    "You realise I held myself back the other time because you weren''t�� never mind." He stopped talking and simply went to set his equipments.

    He carried his camera bag, tripod and lighting to the middle of the room and began to set it up.

    "This is going to be a video, but I can make out really good pictures from it so you have to be relaxed and just do whatever you feel like doing." He instructed her.

    Mia watched quietly as he got busy with his camera which was now placed on the tripod.

    She suddenly felt cold as she watched him quietly with her hands lying limply beside her.

    ''I liked him.'' She liked him a lot. But she was scared. She didn''t know what she was scared of, maybe because this was her first time and she had always heard tales about how first loves never worked out. She was scared because she wanted this one to work out but she feared it may not.

    She had never liked anyone as much as she liked him. She was the type who loved with her body, heart and soul. She was scared she was probably going to fall in too deeply.

    ''What am I going to do then?'' She asked herself.

    Leo suddenly raised his head to look at her and they locked eyes. They both stared at each other for close to a minute before his eyes went back to his camera.

    He couldn''t understand how it happened that he suddenly liked her so much. It was weird. It felt like their souls were intertwined. He had never wanted so much to care for someone like je cared for Mia. All he wanted was for her to be happy. Even if she didn''t like him, he would have still done all he had done for her. He liked to see her smile, he liked that innocent look of hers. Even her crazy temper, he didn''t mind it. She had suffered a lot, it wasn''t her fault that she turned out that way.

    He had seen how different emotions passed through her face, but he couldn''t tell what it was that she was seriously thinking about while watching him. He wished she could tell him.

    He wished he could hear those three words from her mouth.

    "Give me a smile, Mia." He said softly.

    Mia broke out of her reverie and smiled at the camera. It was a very faint smile, almost invisible but he didn''t complain. She heard the shutter and saw a smile spread across his face.

    "You are beautiful." He complimented with his eyes on the camera, looking at the picture of her he had just taken.

    That compliment hadn''t been a lie, neither had he said so to flatter her. She was pretty, even a monk would turn to stare if she walked past them. If he was asked to make a list of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, then it would be his mother, Chloe and Mia. He was happy that he was surrounded by these three beauties. Cherry would have been on the list but right now, she was ugly to him.

    Mia flushed at his compliment. "Thank you." She said shyly.

    Seeing him approach her, she knew it was time for them to dance. She took in a deep breath and sat on the couch so she could take off her shoes.

    "Dancing barefooted, I think I like it." He said with a grin before sitting beside her to also take off his shoes.

    "Which song are you picking?" She asked him as she stood up. She seemed to be in the mood now.

    "I''ll just go through my playlist while you go say hello to the camera over there and say whatever it is you feel like saying."

    While he got busy searching for the perfect song, he watched Mia who looked very focused on the camera as she said some words he couldn''t hear.

    When he found the perfect song for the night, he hit the play button and Mia turned around immediately the lyrics started.

    ????[Verse 1: Ariana Grande]

    I''m not one to stick around

    One strike and?you''re?out, baby

    Don''t care?if I sound crazy

    But you never?let me down, no, no

    That''s why when the sun''s up, I''m stayin''

    Still layin'' in your bed, singin''????

    Leo offered his hand to Mia who took it willingly.

    "I haven''t heard this song before." She informed him.

    "It''s new. ''Stuck with you'' by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. I want you to pay attention to the lyrics. I think it perfectly conveys my heart." He said before slipping his hands around her waist to pull her closer to his body. He saw her suck in air as their bodies pressed together, and bent to whisper into her ears.

    "Relax babe, take a deep breath."

    "That''s not helping." She whispered back.

    "I actually wasn''t planning to help." He said with a boyish grin before taking one of her hand to place it on his shoulder then, he intertwined their fingers together and began to move his body slowly.

    With Leo''s instruction to listen to every lyric of the song, she paid close attention while also moving her body with him.

    ????[Chorus: Ariana Grande]

    So, lock the door and throw out the key

    Can''t fight this no more, it''s just you and me

    And there''s nothin'' I, nothin'' I, I can do

    I''m stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you

    So, go ahead and drive me insane

    Baby, run your mouth, I still wouldn''t change

    Being stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you

    I''m stuck with you, stuck with you, stuck with you, baby ????

    A warm and contended smile tugged her lips. She pushed away from his body, spun around twice before falling back on him while he caught her swiftly with his hands on her waist.

    This was the second time he was dancing with her like this. He wished they could keep doing this everyday. Forever.

    She turned around until her back was pressed to his chest while his hands were on her belly.

    Her waist began to slowly move under his hands. Left, right, left, right, her body, rubbing his seductively.

    She turned again and looked deeply into his eyes. She looked anything but shy.

    She always felt free and different whenever she was dancing. This was the reason he was not going to let her dance with Benjamin. He would rather die than let it happen.

    The song continued. He had placed it on repeat earlier so he wasn''t bothered about the song suddenly ending and breaking this heavenly moment they were both sharing.

    Her two hands came to his neck and she wrapped her hands around it just like she had done earlier that evening when they kissed.

    Her hands slowly moved away from his neck and began to go down slowly. She caressed his chest with both hands, sending shivers down his spine. She wasn''t looking at him. She seemed very focused in what she was doing, as if she was trying to achieve something.

    "Mia.." He whispered and left her waist to touch her hand which was sliding down to his stomach. It was the first time he spoke since they started dancing.

    "Don''t do that." He warned in a throaty whisper. She looked up at him and blinked.

    "What?" She asked with an innocent look on her face. He couldn''t tell whether she knew what she was doing and feigning ignorance or whether she didn''t know at all.

    "Stop touching me like that. It''s... dangerous." He said as his he used his thumb to graze the corner of her lips.

    Mia smiled mischievously before looking at the camera. She waved at it and turned to place a kiss on his forehead, standing on her toes and cupping his cheeks.

    "Thank you for doing all this for me. For us." She said when she pulled away from him while Leo continued to stare at her in surprise.

    The kiss on his forehead hadn''t been expected. He had never had anyone kiss him like that before except family members and he always felt like pushing them away. Maybe Cherry did that, he couldn''t remember but Mia''s own was filled with love and made his heart almost burst from excitement.

    Still in shock, she said the words that made his heart stop beating altogether.

    "I love you."

    With his eyes still wide opened, she moved closer and planted a kiss on his lips this time.

    ????Oh, oh, oh, oh (Ooh)

    Got all this time in my hands

    Might as well cancel our plans (Yeah, yeah)

    I could stay here forever????

 Chapter 200 - Say it again

    If not for the soft music which he could still hear, his vision which allowed him watch every of the girl''s movement, and his body which still felt warm under her soft touches, Leo would have thought he had died from sheer excitement.

    He had thought the kiss on the forehead could not be measured with anything else, but he had been wrong. She had said those words, those three words he yearned to hear. She had said it, and she meant it. He couldn''t describe how he had felt at the moment those words left her soft lips. He hadn''t expected it, he had expected it at all. He had been willing to give her time to know how she truly felt about him. But tonight, he heard the words. And if he had thought that was all, then the next thing that came was even better and more surprising. She kissed him.

    It wasn''t just a peck that she pulled away from quickly, she had kissed him. A long lingering kiss with her hands wrapped around his neck. His eyes were wide as he stared at her face. Her cheeks were flushed, she was shy, he noticed. But he could tell his cheeks were equally flushed. He could feel his face burning as he stared wide-eyed at her face. How can such a small girl have such power over him?

    She nibbled on his lower lip before releasing it to pay equal attention to his upper lip. He didn''t react immediately. Of course, how could he react immediately when his brain decided to be extra slow tonight?

    Mia stopped the kiss.

    Noting he was unresponsive to her kiss, she drew back with her eyes still close before she slowly opened them.

    Her eyes looked different. Love, passion, desire. He couldn''t find the right words for it. Maybe it was a mixture of them all. But there was something he identified from the way she looked at him�C innocence.

    They stared at each other for a while, the song playing at the background.

    Both had totally forgotten about the video camera which was supposed to capture them dancing. This was far from dancing right now.

    "Did I... hurt you?" She managed to ask in a stutter as her cheeks coloured even more. She hadn''t been the one to dominate a kiss before. The first time she tried it with Leo, he had quickly took charge, so she didn''t understand why Leo had been unresponsive to her kiss. Maybe she did something?

    With her lips no longer on his, his lips felt empty and cried for her attention, so he ran his wet tongue over it while Mia watched attentively.

    "Say it again." He whispered and she heard it despite the music playing at the background.

    His gaze bore into hers. He was begging her. He wanted to be sure his mind hadn''t played a trick on him. He wanted to be sure she had really said those words to him.

    Mia looked at him in confusion before she said the words she believed he was asking her to repeat.

    "Did I hurt...."

    "Not that." He shook his head, more amused than frustrated. He took a step closer to her and looked down into her eyes.

    "Before that.. those words you said, I want to hear it again." He said in a soft but cohesive tone.

    Mia finally understood what he was saying and chewed her lip shyly.

    "I... said I love you..." She repeated.

    His face lit up and a smile sprang up suddenly.

    "You... really mean it?"

    "Hmm." She nodded.

    "Sure it''s not because you are overwhelmed by all of this?" He asked again as his eyes went around the room.

    "I know what I am saying Leo King." She said firmly, making his smile widen.

    He took both of her hands and wrapped it around his waist, then he pulled her close and hugged her, placing his chin on top of her head.

    A small smile tugged on Mia''s lips as she held him close with her head resting on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat which she enjoyed more than the song which filled the entire room.

    "I do not regret ever meeting you Mia Lucas." He said as their bodies swayed from one side to the other.

    She removed her head from his chest to look up at him while he looked down at her.

    "It''s been a blessing meeting you." She said, sounding very emotional as a tear slid down the corner of her eye.

    Leo caught it in his fingers and wiped it off like it never existed.

    "Same here." He dropped his lips down and claimed hers. Mia was a bit surprised but quickly recovered and her eyes closed as she kissed him back.

    His kiss was gentle, warm and soft. One hand on the back of her neck, the other holding her waist firmly to his body while she stood on her toes with her hands around his neck.

    His tongue slid inside her mouth and found hers while she m.o.a.ned in response to the meeting.

    He liked to hear that sound from her. It was more pleasant that any other sound in the world to him.

    The music made it more romantic and arousing for the both of them and soon, they were both lost in the kiss until he felt she could no longer stand on her toes so he lifted her off the floor and held her tightly to his body with her legs wrapped around his waist for support while he slowly moved away from the camera''s eye. He was definitely going to do a lot of editing.

    Slowly, they got to the little bed and he carefully placed her down on it while he hovered above her. He took a moment to admire how pretty she looked, how red her face was and how her chest heaved up and down as she panted for air with her slightly swollen lips, parted.

    He lowered himself down, careful not to crush her with his weight, and claimed her mouth once more. Mia''s legs found his waist again and wrapped around him, bringing him down on her.

    His weight pressed down on her but she didn''t seem to mind at all. She had always wondered how women were able to breathe under men in situations like this but well... she didn''t really have to wonder about it anymore since that was the least of her problems at the monent.

    Their position made his bulge press down on her feminine core and she shamelessly enjoyed the feeling. Her gown had ridden up to her waist but thankfully, it was less embarrassing since she was sure her panties weren''t fully exposed to his eyes even though his erection was pressing down on her lady part and making her crave for his touch.

    A low growl escaped Leo''s lips when she ground him. He didn''t think she had done it intentionally, probably unconsciously, but she did it again and he hissed in pleasure.

    He had been skeptical about touching her but now, he let it all go and his hands went to her bare thigh. He ran his hand on it gently and felt goosebumps on her skin. His kiss moved down from her lips to her cheek and then her chin before he went to her neck. His favorite spot where he liked to tease her. As expected, she arched her back and further pressed into his hard-on. Both m.o.a.ned at the same time from the sensation.

    He realised he was always so gentle and patient with Mia. He didn''t waste his time trying to pleasure other girls. Everything he did with them were always for his own pleasure. But here he was... loving her.

    He knew if they continued like this, they were going to end up having s.e.x and he didn''t think Mia was ready for that just yet, but he couldn''t stop himself. He had done so a couple of times in the past but now, it was so difficult to stop. Maybe because Mia wasn''t drunk this time and there was no voice in his head trying to cuss at him for taking advantage of a drunk and vulnerable woman. It was obvious she wanted it. She wouldn''t regret this later right?

    His hand stopped midway on her thigh and he raised his head from the crook of her neck to look at her face. He needed to be sure she wanted this as much as he did.

    Mia''s eyes was closed. She was biting down on her lips, holding the m.o.a.ns that had been trying to escape. The sounds somehow embarrassed her. No longer feeling the pleasure only Leo could give her, she opened her eyes to peek and saw him looking at her with a gaze she couldn''t read. But the look in his eyes made her blush the more.

    "I do not want to part from you." He confessed when her eyes settled on his face. His breathing was laboured just like hers and the words came out a bit husky.

    "If you tell me not to leave this country, tell me you want me to stay with you..."

    "..I will." He said as determination shone in his eyes.

    Mia looked at him, stunned. She didn''t believe he would actually do that for her. He had been really happy when this job offer came. She still remembered how happy and nervous he had been then. She didn''t believe he would give that all up just for her.

    "You are joking." She said in a hoarse whisper.

    "I''m not."

    "I... want this to work. I feel I may never get this chance again�C" He said.

    "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity you have before you Leo. But I am always here. I''ll always be here, rooting for you, praying for you, waiting for you." She raised a hand to touch his face gently.

    "This is your dream."

    "It doesn''t matter..."

    "It does." She cut in again

    "I haven''t even found my dream yet, I can''t let you give up yours... for me. I won''t let you do that." She shook her head at that making him sigh before he rolled off her and lied down beside her.

    He pulled her closer to himself and spooned her without saying another word.

 Chapter 201 - A (Not so) Peaceful evening

    Leo and Mia cuddled on the small bed, none said a word but they were both wide awake and their hearts thumped wildly.

    Both were lost in their thoughts while also trying to control the way they were currently feeling with the other so close to them.

    Mia didn''t want to be selfish. She was going to miss him when he travelled out and if she was true to herself and what she wanted deep down, she didn''t want him to leave. She had never felt such happiness like she felt since she met him. But she couldn''t him do that. This was something really important to him and she was going to support him. People always supported those they loved even though it made them sad right?

    "What are you going to be doing after graduation?" He asked her in a quiet voice.

    He was spooning her with her back against his chest while his hand rested on her belly. Mia could feel his hot breath on her neck and she closed her eyes, hoping it would reduce the tension she felt.

    Her smell was intoxicating him. They were in a very suggestive position and it was driving him crazy that he was only holding her in his arms, but for now, that was the least of his problems.

    "Hmm... I''ll.. be looking... for a job." She stammered with her eyes still closed as she enjoyed the warmth of his body pressed to hers.

    "You still aren''t sure about what you would like to do after graduation?" He asked her.

    "If I end up being the best graduating student, I would have a lot of opportunities. I wouldn''t need to search for a job because there would be a lot of companies wanting to hire me. Also, if I wish to pursue a postgraduate program, they would grant me a scholarship to any school of my choice." Mia said with a sigh.

    "That''s great. You can do it right?" He had heard from Chloe that she was among the best students so he believed she would be able to do it. So why was she sighing?

    "It''s not so easy." She said, remembering Kelvin and what Jeremy had said about him.

    "You know Kelvin? He''s Benjamin''s friend. He was there at his place...."

    "I remember him. What about him?" He asked immediately, not liking the mention of Benjamin.

    "He currently has the highest grade point. I heard from someone that his aunt owns the school and so every lecturer favours him. It''s been hard to surpass him since the first year." She said with another sigh of defeat.

    "Oh... those kind of things still happen?" He asked as his hand began to draw circle on her belly, which made her bite her lip and shift closer to him involuntarily.

    "You are so sensitive to my touch." He whispered into her ear. The action made his body press even closer hers and he kissed her earlobe.

    "Leo!" She gasped. Weren''t they talking about school just now?

    He didn''t move for a while, enjoying the feeling of his erection pressed to her butt. His hands continued to draw circles around her belly, moving slowly.

    "Are you... just going to leave your camera like that?" Mia asked in a strangled voice.

    His hand stopped abruptly and he looked up at his pitiful camera that had been taking videos of an empty space, then he looked at his watch which he was still wearing. It was two hours to midnight.

    "You don''t mind spending the night here with me, right?" He whispered again.

    Mia didn''t know whether she liked to hear him whisper or hear him speak clearly because his whispers gave her goosebumps and made her heart stop beating.

    As much as she was scared to do ''the deed'' with him, her mind was being clouded now and for the past 2 hours, she couldn''t think of anything else but the fact that she wanted him. Leo wasn''t rushing anything with her, neither was he forcing her to do anything with him. It seemed he was still reluctant just like she was. There was a 50/50 battle going on inside her head where a part of her wanted this while another part was tryig to caution her against it.

    Now, he was talking about spending the night?

    She looked at the small bed they were lying on.

    She remembered the times she had spent the night on the same bed with him, even if the beds had been big enough, he had ''sleep�Cgroped'' her.  There was every probability that the same touchy incident was going to happen.

    She took a deep breath as she considered it before nodding her head slowly.

    "Alright. It''s late anyway."

    Who was she kidding? There could still drive back and arrive home before midnight.

    Leo tried to hide a smile when she agreed. "Alright. Do you want to shower first or should I go first?�� You don''t have to shower if you do not want to... I just assumed you would like to��"

    "There''s nothing else for me to wear." She said, cutting off his nervous rambles.

    Leo sighed in relief. He didn''t want her to think he was making any suggestive remarks to have s.e.x with her when he simply wanted her to be comfortable. He tried to believe so himself.

    "There are a few of my clothes inside the closet you could wear."

    "I''ll shower first then. You should go do something about your camera."

    Leo chuckled lightly. "You don''t mind the music remaining on right?" He liked the effects the music was causing. It made the atmosphere more romantic.

    "It''s fine." She stood up and quickly left the bed while he reluctantly let her go.

    ********

    Chloe jogged down the streets of the city, wearing a joggers, sports shoe, a bodyfitted shirt with an earphone on her ears while her ponytail danced behind her as she jogged. Her mind was occupied to the point where it was difficult for her to breathe. She felt like she was suffocating and had to leave the house or else she may really suffocate.

    She kept running for a long time and when she stopped, she realised she was standing in front of her mall. It made sense that her legs had taken her there. This place made her feel more relaxed compared to her house.

    She looked down at herself, she looked nothing like the boss they all knew. She was panting, covered in sweat and looked exhausted. She wasn''t even wearing make up but she didn''t care about that.

    She was parched, hungry and tired. The jogging had helped her ease her mind and she was thankful she had also used the opportunity to burn some fat. It had been quite a long time since she last worked out.

    She walked into the mall which was still very busy even though it was already past 10pm. No one minded her, she didn''t look too bad anyway, but she took off her earphone and used her hands to smoothen her hair.

    She would have stopped by one of the restaurants inside the building to buy something to eat but she didn''t have any money with her. Only thing she had carried was her phone and earphone since she hadn''t planned to jog for hours.

    She took out her phone and dialled her assistant''s number, hoping the lady was still inside. After a brief call with her PA to meet her inside her office, she hung up and continued to stroll inside.

    Her eyes went around as she looked at the staff wearing a particular teeshirt but she didn''t see a particular face.

    She was stopped a couple of times by some security men and women for trying to pass through a restricted area, but after a closer look, they recognized her and let her in.

    "We weren''t expecting you here until Monday." Her PA said as she followed her inside her office.

    "Hmm.. just wanted to stop by and see how things were." She lied.

    "I forgot my wallet so I''ll trouble you to help me buy dinner from Queen''s eatery downstairs."

    The eatery didn''t belong to her, just like most of the stores inside the mall so she couldn''t just go anywhere and pick something since the owners paid her hundreds of thousands yearly for rent. She only owned the building and a couple of stores inside which included the store Jeremy worked in.

    Her PA could tell something was wrong with her boss but it wasn''t in her place to ask so she left after getting Chloe''s orders.

    Chloe took a quick shower and even after waiting a couple of minutes more for her dinner, she still didn''t return until much later.

    "I''m so sorry boss." She apologized when she saw the displeased look on Chloe''s face.

    "Something needed my attention urgently, I wanted to call you but I forgot my phone on my desk." She explained as she dropped a fancy nylon bag on top of the desk.

    "What is it?" Chloe asked disinterestedly.

    "While sorting some of the items, one of the part timers broke an expensive bottle of wine."

    "A part timer?" Chloe asked and began to massage her temple.

    Can she just have a peaceful evening?

    "Yes, it was a mistake. He promised to continue working without a pay until the debt is paid off."

    "What wine?" Chloe asked with a sigh.

    "Switz"

    "Switz!?" Chloe asked in surprise. "What was he doing in that section? How long does he think he is going to work before he would be able to pay it off? And.. why are you telling me about this anyway? Just fire him!" Chloe said as she waved her hand dismissively. It was going to be at her loss, but she didn''t like having clumsy and inefficient people around.

    The lady didn''t leave instead, she stood there and continued to look at Chloe.

    "Anything else?" Chloe asked with a raised brow. She just wanted to eat for goodness sake!

    "Actually... it was the part timer Jeremy Williams."

    "Jeremy?" Chloe sat up. "He''s in the building?"

    "Yes. He is with the manager."

    Chloe closed her eyes and massaged her temples.

    "Tell him to come here." She said with a casual wave of hand.

    A smile formed on the lady''s lips as she turned and left the office.

 Chapter 202 - Good Night

    When Mia came out of the bathroom, she was a bit surprised to see that the bright lights inside the room had been turned off and it was just a small lamp that was on,  which didn''t do much to brighten the room. For some reason, it made the cottage look even more beautiful. It made her begin to imagine living in a small and homely place like this. It felt like she was away from the world and all its troubles. How much she loved this feeling!

    The music was still on but the volume was reduced and it wasn''t the same song that was still playing. She was sure she could perfectly sing the previous song now. That song was going to be really special to her.

    She looked at Leo''s direction. He hadn''t seen her since she left the bathroom.  He was at the end of the room with his camera in hand while he looked at something inside with a broad smile on his face. She really wanted to see the video and the pictures he would make out of it.

    "Ahem." She cleared her throat to get his attention and his head came up immediately.

    She saw the look in his eyes flicker as he looked her up and down. She was wearing his shirt. It was a tee shirt and it was big enough to cover half of her thigh. She was always comfortable dressing like this at home and didn''t see anything wrong with it even when Leo complained about it, but now she was self conscious as he stared at her. She didn''t think she was going to comfortably sleep beside him without any underwear so she wore her old ones again.

    Leo watched her quietly. She looked small, innocent, simple and pretty. If it was possible, he wanted to he just hold her and merge their bodies into one so he would know she was always right there with him.

    "What a temptress!" He muttered under his breath before looking one more time at his camera.

    "Let''s take some photos by the beach tomorrow. You are going to love them." He assured her before he stood up to go shower.

    He noticed her hair wasn''t wet and nodded in approval. She was smart to not have washed her hair. Since they were by the beach, it was going to be really cold at night and even now, it was cold already which was why he hadn''t opened the windows and had built a fire to keep them warm.

    "It''s going to be my first time doing that. I hope I do not disappoint you." She said with mock modesty that made him chortle.

    "I don''t think ye would mi lady." He said before taking her hand to place a kiss on the back of her hand with his eyes never leaving her face.

    Mia''s face flushed instantly. Just tonight, she had been embarrassed enough to last for an entire year.

    "You must be exhausted?" He asked, releasing her hand and standing upright.

    "Yea, I am." She really was tired, but she was also happy!

    "You should rest then. I''ll go shower."

    Mia nodded and walked to the bed to lie down while he fetched something to wear from the closet before heading to the bathroom.

    Mia gently placed her head on the pillow as she looked at the door to the bathroom where he had disappeared into. A smile tugged on her lips and she closed her eyes.

    Leo took his time to take his bath and when he was done, he checked himself again in the mirror to be sure he was looking good. When he was certain he still had the charms ladies would fall for, he trodded out of the bathroom but when he got to the room, he realised Mia was already asleep.

    She was curled in a fetal position and breathing evenly while some loose strands of her hair which had been tied in a ponytail, covered her face.

    Even though he was a bit disappointed to see she was already aleep with the duvet covering her, he smiled as he watched her sleeping peacefully before approaching the bed.

    "Good night Mia Lucas." He said and placed a kiss on her forehead before adjusting the duvet to cover her properly.

    As he moved away from her, her hand reached out to hold him.

    He was a bit surprised, wondering if she had been awake but when her eyes opened, he noticed she looked sleepy so he guessed he had woken her up.

    "Where are you sleeping?" She asked him groggily.

    He looked over his shoulders at the couch. "The couch."

    Mia shook her head slowly. "Sleep with me."

    "I mean.. on this bed.. that.. is.. you should sleep here." She quickly corrected when she saw his eyes widen and color rush to his cheeks.

    "Uhm... Mia.." He scratched the back of his neck nervously and looked away from her.

    "Stay with me. I don''t want to be alone. It''s cold." She said when it looked like he was about to protest.

    He noticed she was about dozing off and nodded to her request before climbing on the bed behind her and tucking himself under the duvet.

    Even though the bed was small, it was wide enough to contain the both of them but he snuggled closer to her and cuddled her from behind.

    ''Such warmth!'' He hissed in pleasure.

    "Good night Lion King..." And she slept off.

    Lion King? He smiled before also closing his eyes.

    ********

    Chloe''s PA hadn''t bothered to follow Jeremy inside since she already knew how he always went in and came out like he owned the place.

    So after one knock, he peep inside to see Chloe pretending to go through a doc.u.ment when what she needed the most at that moment was to eat and sleep.

    "You know, I''m not surprised that the part timer who broke the bottle of wine is you. Why did you touch it?" She asked without raising her head.

    After waiting for an answer and nothing came, she raised her head to look at his face and noticed something was wrong.

    "What''s wrong with you?" She asked him but because she didn''t want it to seem like she was worried about him, she changed her question.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything?"

    "...."

    She thought he would at least be happy to see her but why was he looking at her blankly. He looked really dull and so unlike himself.

    She sat up and rubbed her hands together. "At least give me an excuse or something." She said impatiently. "Unless you really want to get fired or work for years without getting paid."

    He tried to say something but kept stuttering and touching his hair. Jeremy was a bad liar and she knew he only behaved like that when he wanted to tell a lie.

    "It wasn''t you, was it?" She asked with a raised brow.

    "It was!" He said a bit forcefully making her confirm her guess. He really wasn''t a good liar. She wondered why the others didn''t notice.

    "Who broke it and why did you have to take the fall for that person?"

    "..."

    "So now you let people walk all over you?"

    "No." He said softly.

    She gave him a stern look, "So...? And I need the truth."

    "He... needs money to take care of his family. If he gets fired��"

    "Oh! So you are taking the fall because he needed the money? Is there anyone who doesn''t need money? Isn''t that why you work here?" She stopped talking and stood up with her hands folded across her chest.

    "I think I understand what is going on. Did they by chance brainwash you into thinking that I won''t fire you?"

    He looked at her quietly before he slowly bobbed his head up and down, making her feel very frustrated.

    "You are even nodding? I can''t believe you nodded right now. You think I can''t fire you? Just wow!" She exclaimed in frustration as both her hands went to her hair to smoothen it. "I am Chloe King. I don''t think twice before laying workers off."

    "You look sad...  and hungry. Did someone annoy you?" He asked in a quiet voice which made her stop talking to look at him.

    He seemed really different tonight. He wasn''t talking much, neither did he look happy. She didn''t want to ask him about it. Asking him meant showing care. And if she showed care, he would think she was giving him greenlight to pursue her and that was going to hurt him on a long run.

    "Is that important right now?" She snapped at him. "We are talking about a bottle of wine which costs over fifty thousand bucks here!"

    "You could use my salary for being your bodyguard and working here and maybe lend me some money also." He said thoughtfully which earned him a look of disbelief from her. She really couldn''t believe it!

    Arguing with him like this was pointless. "Why are you letting people walk all over you? Do you think that is healthy?"

    "Then why do you let people tell you what to do? Is that healthy?" He asked back with the same dour expression on his face, taking her aback.

    Chloe was left tongue tied for a moment before she turned around to return to her seat.

    "You... should leave." She said before looking down at a doc.u.ment.

    "Am I being fired?"

    "You would be if you do not leave here right now." She threatened.

    "Should I get you something to eat?" He asked in a soft whisper, afraid that she may blow up at him.

    Chloe looked at him and then at the nylon on her desk to let him know she had dinner so he nodded.

    "Good night boss." He said formally before leaving her office.

    Chloe''s fists balled and she didn''t raise her head even after he left.

    She was angry, but she didn''t know why exactly she was angry or who she was mad at.

    Was it her family, was it Jeremy, was it herself or was it the part timer who was making Jeremy take the fall for him?

    "Stupid!" She muttered.

 Chapter 203 - Beautiful dream

    Mia had a dream. She looked beautiful, she smiled beautifully and danced with a beautiful man in a beautiful cottage, to a beautiful song. A smile was on her face as she remembered the dream, but she didn''t open her eyes immediately. She enjoyed the song being sang by the birds, she enjoyed the cold mixed with warmth she felt, she enjoyed hearing the sea waves. Sea...!

    Her eyes slowly opened and the first thing she saw was Leo''s sleeping face.

    It hadn''t been a dream! It was real. She had really danced with a beautiful man inside a beautiful cottage to a beautiful song, and it hadn''t been a dream!

    Tears stung her eyes at the realization. There were tears of joy. She was so happy she wanted to burst into tears.

    The light in the room wasn''t on and with the window blinds down, it looked a bit dark inside. The song which she remembered he had left on the previous night had been turned off also.

    Leo looked so peaceful as he slept. She remembered she had been a bit tensed last night with the thought of Leo groping her in his sleep, but she had slept peacefully without him groping her, or maybe he did but she couldn''t remember. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered how they had made out on this same bed last night and the look in his eyes when she came out of the bathroom.

    He loved her, that she believed!

    She remembered she had slept with her back to him but now, they were both facing each other, her head was resting on his outstretched arm and one of her thigh was dr.a.p.ed over his. She knew if the duvet was pulled away, he was going to see she was n.a.k.e.d from the waist down because her shirt had ridden high up, past her waist. Thankfully, she wore panties.

    A smile curved her lips as she continued to look at his face. Everyday, she would continue to thank God for bringing him into her life.. well, she had been the one who forced her way into his house and his life. Remembering those days were they bantered and called each other names almost made her giggle but she didn''t want to wake him up so she was quiet and brought her hand to his face.

    She touched him very gently. She started with his brows, then moved to touch his lashes gently, and then to his nose before she stopped at his lips. She used her thumb to graze it gently, very cautious not to wake him up.

    ''I wish you weren''t a twin.''  She said in her head.

    She would never like the fact that someone else was sharing the same features with him.

    She shifted closer, enjoying the warmth of their bodies rubbing together since the room was a but cold with the fire out already.

    "You''ve become a pervert Mia Lucas." She scolded herself.

    Her eyes remained fixed on his lips and she closed her eyes before moving her head closer to kiss him. She had wanted it to be a short peck, but when their lips touched, she couldn''t pull away. Her body unconsciously moved even closer and she sucked on his lower lip. She was too lost in it that she didn''t realise in time that he was kissing her back.

    Before she realised and opened her eyes, his hand was already on her waist, pulling her even closer to his body.

    Leo swore if he opened his eyes, he would see Mia staring at him with wide eyes and he wasn''t surprised when he saw her just like that.

    He broke the kiss and smiled at her. "Good Morning Baby."

    Mia blinked and quickly look away from him with flushed cheeks.

    "What? You are shy? You kissed me first!" He protested in amus.e.m.e.nt before planting a smacking kiss on her lips.

    "I thought I was going to wait forever for you to do it. I love a perverted girlfriend." He said with a cheeky grin that made her eyes widen.

    "You... were awake? How long have you been awake?"

    "I can''t remember. I was too lost watching you sleep that I couldn''t fall asleep. This all feels surreal."

    Mia blushed again and used her hands to cover her face which made him chuckle.

    Now that she thought about it, it made sense he had been awake because she remembered from the times she slept on the same bed with him back then that he usually had a morning erection but she hadn''t felt it. Until now...

    "It poked me!" She gasped and tried to shift back unconsciously.

    Leo couldn''t help himself. Hilarity claimed him and he burst into laughter.

    "What were you expecting? I''m on a bed with a hot woman who kissed me and is nearly half n.a.k.e.d." He said but didn''t pull away from her and she also didn''t make any effort to move away from him.

    "If we really want to achieve a lot today, we have to get up now. Firstly, we need to make breakfast, then remember you are going to be my model and then we need to return home before Tara officially hates me, and tonight, we''d be going to my grandparents'' residence." He listed.

    They both had a lot to do that day but still, none of them moved. Mia had already pulled her hand away from her face so they were looking at each other.

    "I didn''t know I had so much self control in me." He confessed in a throaty whisper.

    "I... thought I had a lot." She confessed back in an equally quiet voice.

    They didn''t know who initiated it but they found themselves in each other''s arms, with their lips locked together in a passion�\filled kiss.

    "We have a lot of things to do today." Mia reminded him as she gasped for air.

    "We do." He agreed with a nod and went back for the kiss.

    His hands began to move sensually from her back where he had kept his hands for fear that he may do something she may not like, it went down until he stopped at her bare h.i.p.s.

    His hand was cold so the impact made her suck in air and break the kiss momentarily before they continued again.

    Taking that as consent, his hand cupped one of her butt cheek and squeezed the soft flesh.

    Mia could feel herself getting more aroused with his gentle touches. Her panties was becoming quite socked and uncomfortable for her and she knew what that meant. Wasn''t it too early for this? Literally.

    With her leg dr.a.p.ed over his, one little move from him and his hard�Con was pressing directly on her core area. The action made a low growl escaped both of their lips. There was only a tiny panty and a boxer brief as a barrier but they could feel the heat and wetness from both of their arousal.

    They both began to slowly ground against each other and their breathing hitched up.

    Her hand mirrored his and also touched him slowly. Even though he was clothed, he felt the impact of her soft caress.

    He bit her lip lightly and heard her m.o.a.n faintly against his mouth before he broke the kiss to trail it down to her neck. When she arched her back from the impact, it made their genitals press into each other and she gasped.

    ''Is she going to touch me?'' He wondered as he felt her hand moving lower past his belly button.

    Just when he thought she was going to touch him right there, her hand stopped very close to his erection and she withdrew her hand shyly which caused him to groan but this time, it was from frustation.

    They broke the kiss and looked into each other''s eyes deeply, both panting.

    "I''m... not.. sure I... want to do.. this." She stuttered as she tried to catch her breath.

    His breathing was also laboured but as she spoke, his hand worked its way inside the shirt and he touched her bra covered b.r.e.a.s.t. It was the first time he was touching her so intimately and the whole thing was almost making him go crazy especially since it had been quite a while since he last had an intimate contact with a lady.

    "I know." He answered, his gaze never leaving her face.

    Mia bit her lower lip when he touched her b.r.e.a.s.t. It hadn''t been a direct contact but she could feel it.

    "I won''t force you. Besides, I don''t have a condom and I''m pretty sure you''re not on the pill. Except you are interested in carrying my baby." He said with a playful grin. "I don''t mind."

    His hand drew circles on her bra as he spoke.

    "Don''t be silly! How can you talk about a baby." She said with a flushed face before turning away from him but he didn''t let her leave the bed. And her action gave him enough opportunity to cup her b.r.e.a.s.t well.

    "I... could still pleasure you through other means babe." He whispered in her ear before nibbling her earlobe with his teeth.

    "Leo.. stop it." She said softly but closed her eyes.

    "My self control is slowly slipping away." She pleaded in an almost inaudible voice.

    He smiled at her innocent confession before turning her face so she would look at him. She thought he was going to kiss her on her lips but he kissed her cheek instead.

    "I love you." He muttered.

    Mia felt like a basket of butterfly had just been released in her stomach.

    He sat up on the bed and she noticed how he was deliberately trying to hide his erection from her.

    "I''ll check to be sure the water is warm so you can shower."

    "Leo.." She called when he was about to stand up.

    "Hmm?"

    "I love you too." Mia said shyly before using the duvet to cover her head.

 Chapter 204 - She is mean

    "Coming..." Chloe said weakly as she went to open the door after a knock.

    She saw Louis standing there and let him inside. "Not going to the hospital today?" She asked him as she returned to the vanity table to touch up her make up. It had been a battle convincing her mother that she could do the make up herself so she wouldn''t help her do it. They had both gone shopping that morning and now she was getting ready to leave for the blind date.

    "You all make it seem like my life revolves around the hospital."

    "Well, doesn''t it?" Chloe asked sarcastically.

    He chuckled lightly before going to stand behind her. Then he picked up her hair brush and gently began to help her brush her hair.

    "How are you?" He asked.

    "I''m good. How are you?"

    "You know what I''m talking about. I heard you''re leaving for a blind date and if we are both sincere, we both know you do not want this. So why are you still going along with it?"

    She locked eyes with his briefly on the mirror before she continued to touch up her make up. "You make it seem like you do not know the kind of parents we have. Let''s be truthful, if they set you up on a blind date, you would also have no choice but to go there."

    "I may not."

    "That''s what Leo would do. You are not Leo, and neither I am. The hospital means everything to you and you are going to take over from dad one day. That''s your dream right? So can you really live without it because you want to disobey them? And what about me? if they mean to take the mall away from me, it wouldn''t be much of a hassle for them."

    "You make them sound like dictators." He cut in dryly.

    "They are dictators. We have to keep doing what they want. Fortunately for Leo, he found his path much earlier and does his own thing now. We all saw how he struggled and if we are both sincere, we do not want to live like that."

    Louis smiled wryly. "Maybe you are right. I am not Leo. But you know I can become a worse rebel if I want."

    "I''ve always known you were worse than Leo, you just do not show it." Chloe agreed with a smile making him laugh before he left her hair.

    "What about Doctor Lily?" She asked him.

    "She should be fine wherever she is." He answered passively which made Chloe narrow her eyes at him.

    "You know the parents are soon going to find you a spouse right? Doctor Lily is from a good family. She may be the woman for you."

    "That''s not going to happen." He shook his head immediately.

    "Okay, we''ll see." She challenged before picking her brush to brush her hair.

    "But I already did that!" He complained.

    "You think? Wait until you have a girlfriend and brush her hair like this then watch what she''s going to do to you." She said with a short laugh. She was happy for his presence. At least, this was distracting her a bit before she faced life.

    "Mia, how''s she?" He asked quietly.

    "Don''t do that." Chloe turned to eye him warily.

    "Don''t do what?" He asked innocently.

    "You shouldn''t be asking about her. She''s not your business."

    "You take things seriously too much, don''t you think? What''s wrong in asking about a friend?"

    "She''s your brother''s girl and you''ll be going to a party tonight which had been organized for the both of them. Besides, if she''s your friend, you should have her number."

    "I do have her number." He admitted, startling Chloe.

    "Why? You asked her for her number? What are you up to"

    "She called me first and trust me, I haven''t called her." He confessed honestly. She had called to ask for them to meet up so she would apologize after kissing him, then she called when Tara was sick.

    Seeing the smile on his face, she sighed and warned him,

    "Stay away from her. You know Leo''s temper. I won''t take your side if this becomes a fight between you two."

    "You should be more worried about yourself and that Jeremy guy. Is he the guy you like?"

    "No!" She gasped.

    There was a knock on the door before their mother opened it.

    "Oh, you''re in here." She said to Louis before turning to look at Chloe who looked really nervous, praying her mother hadn''t heard Jeremy''s name.

    "I''ll drop you off." Mrs King offered making her yes slightly widen. She had thought she would go there herself and use the opportunity to catch some fresh air. She didn''t want her mother to go with her.

    "You don''t have to. She''ll be taking my car." Louis spoke up first when he saw how Chloe looked.

    "Of course not! I should drop her off myself. She shouldn''t��"

    "She''ll go on her own. You can right?" He turned to ask Chloe who quickly nodded.

    Mrs King was a bit fl.u.s.tered and nodded weakly. "O�Ckay then. Call me.. when you get there." She said awkwardly before leaving the room.

    Louis smiled at his sister before handing her his car keys. "Make sure you have fun."

    She accepted the keys and nodded. "I hope."

    *********

    The drive back to Leo''s place was quiet. He had a smile on his face as he looked ahead while Mia also had a big smile on her face as she looked out the window. Everything she saw was suddenly so beautiful to her.

    He had made them both a delicious breakfast, then they had moved to the water side where he took photos of her wearing just his shirt. He had set a timer and joined her to take photos with her when she called him to join her and then they had also made videos. She hadn''t wanted the day to end. But sadly, they had to return to their lives. That was the best date she had ever had.

    She didn''t know sharing her life with someone else would be this wonderful.

    "Thank you" He suddenly said, breaking into her thoughts.

    Thank you? Why was he thanking her? Wasn''t she supposed to be thanking him?

    "For what?" She asked.

    "Everything. Loving me, letting me love you, going out with me, making me happy, trusting me... just everything." He said and glanced at her briefly before facing the road.

    She smiled at him and turned to face the window again. "I should be saying all of that."

    "No, seriously. You have no idea what this means to me." He cut in.

    Mia was overwhelmed by his love for her. Isn''t it funny, she was his girlfriend, they had both gone to a secluded place the previous evening to spend time together, yet he hadn''t even thought about having s.e.x with her which was why he hadn''t gone with a condom but just one party she had invited Benjamin to and he had gone with one?

    She wanted to say something but sat up when she saw a familiar figure around Leo''s apartment.

    "Isn''t that your friend?" Leo asked.

    "Yes, that''s Jeremy." She nodded. Leo stopped the car when he noticed she was already pulling off the seatbelt.

    Jeremy was walking dejectedly. He wore a black hooded sweater which covered his loose hair and a blue ripped Jeans with sneakers. His hands were buried inside his sweater''s pockets and he had a grim look on his face.

    "Jeremy!" Mia called for him as she opened the car and jumped out.

    He didn''t turn to look at her until she called him a second time and walked closer to him.

    His eyes flickered when he saw her and they finally settled on her figure.

    "Why do you look so... like this?" Mia asked but to her surprise, he walked closer to her and hugged her, placing his chin on her shoulder.

    "I''m glad I saw you." He said in a weak voice.

    Leo''s eyes widened when he saw the scene. He had also come out of the car but didn''t approach until he saw the scene before him.

    "Hey!" He called as he hurried towards them and pulled Mia away from his grip.

    "What do you think you are doing to my girlfriend?" He asked angrily.

    Jeremy simply looked at him sadly before he stepped closer to hug Leo instead, taking the other two people aback.

    "You feel even more comfortable." He said and held tightly to Leo when he tried to pull away.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Leo asked in both surprise and embarrassment.

    Mia didn''t know whether to laugh or cry as she watched the scene. Leo was still holding her hand so she quickly withdrew her hand and stepped aside.

    "Chloe went on a blind date. She is mean." He sniffed.

    "You... want me to console you because my sister went on a blind date?" Leo asked in disbelief.

 Chapter 205 - Long鈥揾aired boyfriend

    Chloe stopped in front of a grand restaurant and handed the car keys to the valet who offered his hand.

    "Thank you." She said politely but didn''t move to enter inside the restaurant. She looked at the place and tried to relax. Breathe in, breathe out. She coached herself and tightened her hold on her designer''s handbag before taking a step and another and another until she was inside.

    She was directed to a table which had been reserved for them and frowned unpleasantly when she realised her date hadn''t arrived.

    She looked at the time and her frown deepened. They were supposed to meet by 12pm but it was already 7 minutes past 12. he had deliberately driven slowly, hoping she would arrive late and whoever her date was would have a bad impression of her because as far as she was concerned, she wasn''t going to do anything to make her date think she was interested in any of this. But even after everything, he still hadn''t arrived?

    If he didn''t get there in the next 5 minutes, she was going to leave. She concluded. She would tell her mother she had been there even before it was 12pm and he didn''t arrive after she waited for over 10 minutes. Nice excuse!

    "God please, let him not come here." She prayed silently as her eyes looked around her. It was the kind of classic restaurant that was only visited by those who didn''t mind spending thousands on just a plate of food and ten thousand on a bottle of wine.

    A wrinkle formed in her forehead when she saw a familiar figure not sitting too far away from her, looking at her intensely.

    Kelvin Hank. Why does she have to meet him everywhere? Before she looked away, he flashed her a smile that made her hate him more. She just didn''t like seeing any emotion or reaction on his face at all.

    From the corner of her eyes, she noticed he pushed away from his chair and stood up. She didn''t pay him any mind and just looked at her wristwatch as she counted the seconds.

    But he did what she hadn''t been expecting, or maybe she should have expected it since he liked to piss her off. He stopped in front of her and grinned.

    "You look as beautiful as always Chloe."

    She closed her eyes and took in a really deep breath before looking up at him.

    "Can I help you with something?"

    Kelvin was a handsome young man, no doubt. But when you dislike someone, even if the person looked like an angel, it didn''t matter. She had heard and seen how girls threw themselves at him in school. He was also very proud and arrogant. She had noticed it.

    Looking at him now, he also had a great body built and looked really fine in a suit. He was as tall as Jeremy but looked quite young. She could swear she was older than him with at least 2 years.

    He rudely sat on the sit across her, making her flash her angry eyes at him.

    "What are you doing? Get up!"

    "Why?" He asked in amus.e.m.e.nt even though he was looking at her with an innocent expression.

    "I don''t want to make a scene here Kelvin so leave."

    "Why do you hate me so much?" He asked, sounding really serious now.

    "Leave!" She said sternly. She didn''t want her date to come see her sitting with a man and probably tell it to her parents because these days, men were even worse gossips than women.

    "I''m sure you''ll like me soon though. We have enough time to get to know each other. That''s why we are here in the first place." He said with a small smile.

    His words didn''t register in her brain until a few seconds passed.

    "What does that mean?" She asked and watched him call for a waiter.

    "We still have years Chloe. You''ll come to like me." He said with an assuring smile..

    "You... are my date?" She asked in utter disbelief.

    "My pleasure."

    Chloe''s eyes would have widened to the brim if she didn''t hate showing emotion to people. This guy? How did it happen? What were they thinking?

    "Was this your idea?"

    "No... not at all. The mother''s talked about it and I agreed to the idea." He said immediately. "I just didn''t want you to get too surprised at first which was why I sat at the other table."

    "What would you like to have, ma''am, sir?" The waiter asked the both of them but none was looking at him. Chloe was staring fiercely at Kelvin while he was looking back at her.

    "We''d let you know when we are ready." He said to the waiter without taking his eyes off her.

    Chloe finally broke eye contact with him when the waiter left, and looked down with a palm on her forehead. She could feel a headache coming already.

    She didn''t only hate him, Jeremy also hated him. Why did it have to be him of all people? When she raised her head to look at him again, she was a bit taken aback when she thought for a moment that she had seen Jeremy''s deep brown eyes staring at her. Her mind was beginning to play tricks on her, she thought.

    She sighed deeply. "I am going to be as polite as possible for our mothers'' sakes." She started. "I do not like you, never have, never will. And I am not a party to this courting or betrothal or whatever anyone wants to call it. I don''t know the game you are playing, but stay away from me!" She was almost standing up to leave but didn''t move when he asked,

    "Is this because of Jeremy? You aren''t dating him, are you?" His voice was tight, making it obvious that the idea repulsed him.

    "I am not entitled to answer any of your questions." She said hotly.

    Kevin''s fists balled under the table but he tried to keep a straight face as he looked at her.

    ''She likes Jeremy.'' He said the words to himself.

    He had known and watched Chloe for a long time to know there was something between her and Jeremy.

    "He isn''t fit for you." He said quietly.

    "And who are you to decide what or who I want?" She asked in an irritated voice.

    "Jeremy is hiding a lot from you. You don''t want to be with someone like that. Besides, don''t you think he is after you because of your family and money?"

    "Do you think it is by mere coincidence that he began to work in the mall where you own? You are a smart lady Chloe, you should be able to see these things. The guy is trying to get to you. He wants to use you" He said convincingly making Chloe''s eyes twitch.

    "He... is not that type of person." She said in a less confident voice, wondering why she was still sitting there and having a conversation with him.

    Jeremy was the most innocent and kind person she has met. She would never believe he was after her because of her money. Ever since they knew each other, Jeremy had never asked her for anything except to follow him home, to dry his hair and feed him when he was sick. He had been the one wanting to do everything for her and he always bought her snacks and made sure she ate. Even when he had been sick at the hospital, he had cared more about her and her health more than himself. He had even asked her to go home with him so he would cook for her, and just the previous day, even when she had sent him out of her office, he had also wanted to get her something to eat. He was one of the first persons who genuinely cared about her without wanting anything in return. He had even blew his chance to kiss her when she asked hm to.

    Jeremy was nice to not just her but to everyone else. Which was why he always pleaded with her on behalf of some of the staff, on behalf of David, to help his sister, and also taking the blame for something he didn''t do. She also remembered his reaction when he heard she had an accident.

    "He isn''t that kind of person." She said now with more resolve that made Kelvin frown.

    "Wouldn''t you have said the same thing about your ex boyfriend, David?" He asked with his piercing gaze on her shocked face.

    "Are you... stalking me?" She stuttered.

    Before he could answer, her phone beeped with a text from Leo and she quickly opened it. Her eyes widened when she saw the short message.

    ''Your long�Chaired boyfriend is at my place.            He''s kinda depressed.''

    Jeremy? What was he doing in Leo''s house? That boy was really going to kill her one day!

    She stood up immediately and reached for her bag.

    "Chloe�C" Kelvin stood up after her and called quietly when he noticed she was about leaving.

    "We just got here." He reminded her sadly.

    She eyed him once before walking out on him. It was bad enough that she hated him, why did he have to badmouth Jeremy? What an idiot!

    She hurried to her car and turned on the ignition, driving straight to Leo''s house where Jeremy was lying on the couch with his head on the armrest as he stared blankly.

    "Do you think your sister is going to come here?" Mia whispered to Leo as they both watched him from the Kitchen''s door.

    "She will." Leo assured her. He guessed Chloe had a soft spot for Jeremy and he was sure his guess wasn''t wrong. Jeremy was so strange that even he was beginning to like him. Sighs!

 Chapter 206 - I am your fan

    Chloe took a deep breath before she rang Leo''s doorbell.

    It wasn''t long before Mia opened the door.

    "Hey!" Chloe greeted awkwardly as she stepped inside.

    "Hey." Mia greeted back as she tried to hide her smile. She had come after all.

    Chloe immediately looked over Mia''s shoulder at the form lying on the couch.

    "He dozed off." Mia whispered.

    "Where is Leo?" Chloe whispered back nervously. She didn''t know what Leo thought about this whole thing. Why did Jeremy have to come here?

    "He''s preparing to leave for a meeting." She informed her. Leo had wanted to leave the house a long time ago but he said he didn''t want to leave Jeremy and Mia together because Jeremy could make her fall in love with him without even realizing it. How hilarious!

    Just then, Leo came out of his room with Tara behind him who greeted Chloe happily.

    "You''re here." Leo said before looking at the sleeping boy. He didn''t know what else to say and he didn''t think it was in his place to say anything.

    "I''m going out now, let''s talk later." He said to Chloe before signaling for Mia to follow him out.

    Once they passed the door, he quickly placed a kiss on her lips which startled Mia and made her blush. "In case Jeremy tries to do anything inappropriate, make sure you interrupt. Do not leave them by themselves." He instructed Mia who looked at him in amus.e.m.e.nt and nodded. Immediately he left, she went straight to lock herself inside her room but she glanced back at Chloe who was just standing there and looking at the sleeping boy. Mia could not read her gaze.

    ***********

    "Mr Edward, someone is here to see you." A young nurse said to a young man who was sitting down beside an hospital bed where a woman lay unconscious.

    He looked at the nurse in confusion. "Who is it?"

    "A young man. He is out here. Do you want him inside?"

    "Uhm... yes.." He said uncertainly before standing up.

    The nurse let Leo inside and he looked at the young man who was looking at him in confusion. "You must be Paul?" Leo asked while looking at the boy intensely. For some reason,  the boy looked really familiar.

    "Yes, who are you?" Paul asked. Merely looking at Leo, he could tell he was rich and older. He looked familiar but he wasn''t sure he had met him before.

    "My name is Leo. I''m sorry for troubling you. I wanted to meet you for something."

    "I... didn''t get into any trouble right?" He asked timidly making Leo smile before shaking his head. His eyes went to the form on the bed who wasn''t moving at all and had different tubes connected to her body and an oxygen mask to help her respire.

    "How is she?" He asked.

    Paul Edwards looked at his sister on the bed and his face fell. "As always. Are you her friend, perhaps?" He asked curiously.

    "No, I came to see you. Free to talk?"

    "Uhm... well.. I guess." He said while touching the back of his neck. He wondered what a man like him wanted to do with him as he gestured for Leo to sit while he sat beside him.

    "Heard you are a dancer." Leo started making him sit up.

    "Yea...?"

    "And I heard you won''t be dancing this year for the street dancing competition."

    "Yea." He said sadly which didn''t miss Leo.

    "And why is that?" Leo asked curiously.

    "I''m sorry but I do not know who you are so it''s kind of awkward just speaking with you."

    Well, this was the point where he had to use his family''s name if he wanted things to go smoothly.

    "I''m Leo from the King''s family. Leo King."

    Only a second passed and Paul''s eyes widened.

    "King? Like... the King I think you are talking about?" He asked with bulging eyes.

    "Yes, that King." Leo nodded and Paul gasped before standing up.

    He quickly took out his phone from his pocket and google searched for the King''s family. Immediately, different images popped up and he saw one of Louis in an interview, dressed like a doctor. They were identical.

    "Oh my God! It''s really you. No wonder you looked familiar. How did you know me? Why... are you here?" He asked quickly making Leo almost chuckle.

    Were young people this open and straightforward nowadays?

    "Please, I would appreciate it if we hurried with this conversation, I have to leave soon." He said politely. Paul nodded before sitting back down.

    "So tell me, you know Benjamin Stark right?" Leo asked, going straight to the point now.

    "I do." Paul nodded immediately.

    "How did he suddenly end up taking your place at the dance?" Leo asked. He had promised Mia he was going to do something and this was the beginning. His instincts was never wrong so he knew that Benjamin must have done something.

    "Uhm... the thing is... my sister was involved in a really terrible accident two years ago, since then, her health had been on and off. She just suddenly losses consciousnes and stuff."

    "So it also happened recently." He said and glanced at his comatose older sister on the bed. We needed money for her drugs which were a lot expensive and I hoped I would have a lot when we win but luckily, Benjamin came like an angel and told me he was going to help me out. He said he was doing it out of kindness."

    Leo frowned. "Wait a minute." He interrupted Paul. "Can you go from the beginning? How did you meet Benjamin and why did he help you out?" Leo asked curiously.

    "Well..." Paul began to narrate how it happened.

    "After rehearsals one day, I uploaded the video online and had a lot of people liked it. A particular friend of mine shared it also and then texted me a few days later that there was a friend of his who wanted to he my friend because he liked how I danced."

    "And this friend is Benjamin?"

    "Yes," He nodded. "I didn''t really mind. He told me the dude was from a rich family and since he kinda admired how I danced, I was flattered and soon, he texted me. We got along pretty well and that period, my sister fell ill again. I couldn''t meet up with practice and was pretty devastated with everything so he offered to help me. He told me dancing was his passion and he really wanted to do it but his family was against it and you know how it goes... well, I felt really bad for him. And then he offered to pay up my sister''s medical bills which my family is really grateful for. We became really close and that was when he brought up the suggestion. Since I was always at the hospital with my sister and couldn''t meet with rehearsals, he wanted to dance in my place and also promised to give me his share of the money if we won since you know, his folks are pretty rich."

    Leo listened attentively.

    "I really wanted to dance but right now, I have to look after my sister here and also my two younger siblings at home so it was very challenging and you know, he helped pay my sister''s bills and knew this was the least I could do for him. I bought the idea, sent a mindblowing video of him to Mr B and told him about Benjamin. Mr B needed a dancer as soon as possible so he agreed almost immediately." He concluded.

    Leo was deep in thought. It wasn''t possible that Benjamin was that nice.

    "By chance, do you think he actually went there for something else?" Leo asked. "For example... does it have to do with a girl in your crew?"

    Paul looked like he was deep in thought before he exclaimed. "Oh!"

    Hearing him exclaim, Leo sat up.

    "He asked me about the girl in the crew sometimes. And it looked like he was showing interest but I''m not sure and I didn''t really pay attention. He just asked if we were dating and I said no."

    That was it! Benjamin had gone there on purpose. Leo thought as his hands balled beside him but he tried to keep a straight face.

    Benjamin Stark...

    "Is something wrong? Why are you asking about all this?" He asked Leo curiously.

    Leo looked at him seriously before asking "Would you still like to continue dancing with them?"

    "Of course I would love that. But the circ.u.mstances..."

    "What if there are all taken care of? For example, someone to look after your sister at the hospital and someone to help look after your siblings at home?" Leo offered making him look at him warily.

    "Why?" He asked suspiciously. He wasn''t a dull person. With the way Leo had questioned him, putting two and two together, he could guess Benjamin had gone there probably because of Mia. So how did it all concern a King?

    "Because... I am your fan. And I would love to see you dance on that night."

    ''Sadly, I may not be around'' He said in his head regretfully. He would have really loved to see Mia dance.

    "Really?" He asked with a smile. "I have a rich fan?"

    Leo chuckled at how happy he looked. "So let me know if we have a deal."

    "But Benjam..."

    "We''ll handle that." Leo said.

    ''I trust you more beside my girlfriend than that boy.''

    Paul nodded happily. He didn''t have anything to lose anyway. Besides, this guy was also rich and had promised to take care of his family so what else?

    "Good." Leo smiled.

    "Can we take a picture together?" He asked hopefully.

    The least he could do was agree to the young man''s request so he did.

 Chapter 207 - Broken

    Chloe had been watching Jeremy sleep for many minutes. She couldn''t tell what she was thinking as she looked at him. Her brain was always blank whenever she watched him but she noticed he looked really pale and tired. What was wrong with him? How did he end up here? She was curious but couldn''t ask until he was awake. She didn''t want to trouble his sleep because he had been working a lot and probably haven''t had enough time to sleep.

    After she sent him away from her office the previous night, she no longer had an appetite for food so she had gone to sleep on her couch without eating. Watching him sleep now reminded her of how she had imagined he was sleeping on the couch opposite her last night.

    If he was sick, why didn''t he just call her or text her? Why did he come here? She asked herself but remembered this morning. Although she had been pissed last night, she had called first to tell him to take the weekend off and spend time with his sister even though she would have had the manager do that.

    He didn''t say a word after she told him that, much to her annoyance and when she was about to hang up, he asked, "I heard from the manager, he said you were letting me off?" He spoke quietly.

    Yeah, she was. She had offered to pay for the broke bottle of wine instead. He was a good employee and it would be a sad thing to just fire him like that. She thought but wondered why her PA or manager hadn''t been surprised when she offered to pay for it herself.

    "I told you I wasn''t going to fire you." She reminded him.

    "And you aren''t giving me the weekend off because you are pissed?" He asked again just to be sure.

    Chloe had noticed Jeremy was a bit distant and she didn''t like it even though that was what she had always wanted. She had also noticed Katie Engels from their class was calling his phone often lately.

    "I''m going on a date." She blurted out before she could stop herself. She didn''t know why she had said that.

    Her hand gripped her phone tightly as she waited for him to say something.

    "Okay. I''ll see you on Monday then." That was all he said after a long pause before he hung up on her.

    She knew it didn''t make sense that she got annoyed because he had hung up like that, but she had been very annoyed.

    Jeremy shifted. The couch seemed really uncomfortable for him. She said no word and watched him shift again until he opened his eyes.

    His sleepy eyes settled on her for only a few seconds long before he closed his eyes again to sleep. Almost 5 seconds later, his brain Chloe was sitting right there and his eyes popped wide open as he stared at her.

    "Chloe?" He asked uncertainly. Maybe his brain was conjuring images of her?

    "If you are done sleeping, can we leave now?" She asked him quietly. She couldn''t just sit there and speak with him. What if Leo returned now? It was going to he really uncomfortable. Thankfully, Jeremy''s place wasn''t far so they could go there instead.

    When it occured to Jeremy that that was truly Chloe, he sat up.

    "What are you doing here?" He asked groggily.

    "This is my brother''s place... I should be asking you." She said reasonably.

    He looked at the wall clock, "Aren''t you supposed to be somewhere?" He asked as he looked at her with glazed eyes.

    ''I wonder what he''s going to say when he finds out my date was Kelvin.'' She thought to herself before standing up.

    "We should leave before my brother arrives."

    "I am not going anywhere with you." He said stubbornly before lying back down on the couch.

    Chloe looked down at him in disbelief. "This is my brother''s house. Unless you want me to get into trouble, let''s leave."

    "I don''t want to." He continued stubbornly making her sigh.

    Why was he always behaving like a baby and throwing tantrums?

    "Did I... do something wrong by chance?" She asked softly but he ignored her. She couldn''t believe she was actually encouraging his tantrum right now.

    "Look, let''s leave for your place. We can continue this when we get there." She pleaded.

    He remained quiet for a while before he sat up with his hands buried inside his hood''s pockets.

    Chloe sighed in relief before heading to Mia''s room''s door to knock.

    Mia opened the door immediately she knocked and noticed Jeremy was awake when she stepped out.

    "You''re awake. How do you feel now?" She asked.

    Jeremy smiled a bit at her as he assured her that he was fine, much to Chloe''s annoyance. He was smiling at Mia yet giving her the attitude?

    "We''re leaving now." Chloe informed Mia who nodded. "Yea, sure."

    Mia walked ahead of them and opened the door. Chloe thanked her and stepped out first while Jeremy walked slowly behind.

    Mia looked at him with a smile on her face as she whispered. "She must have left her date for you."

    Jeremy snorted in disbelief, "Don''t give me such hope. Chloe would never do that." He whispered back before stepping closer to give Mia a hug.

    "Thank you for accommodating me. Help me tell your messy-haired boyfriend that I appreciate his hospitality, and I give my blessings for this relationship."

    Mia giggled. What was with both guys and addressing each other that silly way?

    "I don''t think your blessings was actually needed." She said as she pat his back comfortingly. She could tell he was still in a bad mood.

    Chloe, who was wondering why Jeremy was not following behind turned to see the scene behind her. She frowned as she watched them before she turned to head for the car.

    "Call me when you feel like talking." Mia said as he pulled away from the hug.

    It was surprising to Mia how she wasn''t really uncomfortable or repulsed by Jeremy''s hugs.

    "I will." He gave her a small smile before leaving to join Chloe in the car.

    "Leo is going to get mad." Mia said in amus.e.m.e.nt as she watched them leave together.

    ***********

    The drive to Jeremy''s house was so short that it wouldn''t have taken up to 5 minutes if they had walked there.

    "So?" Chloe turned to ask him when she pulled up in front of his apartment.

    "So...?" He asked in confusion.

    "Are you ready to tell me what''s wrong with you and why you look this way?"

    "I just... have a lot on my mind." He confessed without looking at her.

    She said no word but waited patiently for him to continue so he did.

    "I was preparing myself for an inevitable heartbreak." He said honestly.

    "What does that mean?" She asked, slightly confused.

    "I... don''t know Chloe. I think I''m forcing it too much. I know I should have listened to you from the beginning. But... I just couldn''t help it." He sighed sadly.

    "What are you..."

    He looked up at her and interrupted,

    "I like you Chloe. I like you a whole lot. Seeing you makes me happy. And I''m not saying I like you because you are pretty and rich, but I like you for you." His eyes began to turn misty so he blinked and looked down.

    Chloe strangely felt cold and goosebumps all over her skin. She said no words because she didn''t know what to say.

    "I just... don''t know what to do now or how to stop. It''s... my first time feeling this way for anyone at all." He sniffled again and turned to look out the window

    "I actually wish I was like every other guy out there who can easy hide the way they feel or what they are thinking but I can''t. It''s not working!" He said in a slightly raised voice before turning to look at her with teary eyes.

    "What I feel for you is unconditional. I love you, and my selfish desires wants you to love me back even if I know that is never going to happen. If you end up dating someone else, I would still care for you as much as I do now, that is certain. And as much as I hate being this way, I can''t help it and I do not regret that I feel this way about you."

    "I wouldn''t want you to get into trouble with your family because of me, I won''t be able to forgive myself. And as much as I want to stop working for you, I can''t bring myself to do that."

    "I can''t even say I want to fight for your affection because I have nothing. I only have myself. You are even my employer!" He added with a dry chuckle.

    "Ah! This is so f.u.c.k.i.e.d up!" He said with his hands covering his face in both frustration and embarrassment.

    After breathing deeply, he turned to look at her. "I know this is really selfish of me to ask of you... but please... I can''t... take it anymore. At least for now. Please fire me." He begged. "Because I cannot bring myself to resign."

    Chloe''s eyes slowly widened.

    "I''m going in now." He said softly and opened the door. He didn''t give her any chance to say a word. He had thought he would feel better once he told her how he felt, but he felt even worse now.

    He felt a tear escape each of his eyes so he increased his pace and hurried inside his apartment.

    Chloe sat there staring blankly at the passenger''s seat. She remained like that until her phone began to ring. It was a call from Amara.

    She reluctantly took the call and heard Amara''s voice asking her where she was.

    Chloe tried to speak but she realised she couldn''t. What came out from her mouth was a broken sob which took her by surprise since she didn''t know why she was crying.

    "Chloe? Are you okay?" Amara asked worriedly.

    Chloe sniffed and tried to clean her tears but she found more leaving her eyes.

    "What the hell is wrong with me?" She asked between her gales of sobs.

    "Oh my God! Are you okay? Where are you? I''m coming there now!" Amara said hurriedly before the phone dropped from Chloe''s hand.

 Chapter 208 - Party (1)

    Mia looked at her reflection in the mirror in awe. She had thought she looked pretty the last time she visited this beauty parlor with Leo, but now, she could hardly recognize herself on the white flowing gown she wore.

    "I look... like I''m getting... married." She told Alicia who giggled. "You are definitely going to make a beautiful bride. Leo is one lucky young man." She said with a wink.

    ''I am the lucky one.'' Mia thought to herself with a smile on her face. Until this moment, everthing still feels surreal.

    She wore a white flowing gown. It was simple but looked really elegant and expensive. It was so long that it completely covered the white heel she was wearing and she feared she may step on her gown and trip if she took a step forward. Her hair was styled in a neat bun and she wore a fancy hair ornament which looked like a tiara while her face was nicely made up. She looked so pretty, so bridal.

    Leo''s grandmother had asked them to both dress in completely white outfits. It was a very odd request. As much as she didn''t like wearing white, she had to try but this was just too much. She couldn''t handle it.

    "What do you think about the dress?" Alicia asked her.

    "It''s pretty. I like it. But..."

    "I knew there was a ''but''." Alicia interrupted with a smile that made Mia slightly relieved that she wasn''t pissed after wasting her time picking out the dress for her.

    "Something simple would do. This is all too much." Mia said honestly.

    "I perfectly understand my dear, let''s get you something else." Alicia said before she led Mia to the changing room again to go take off the dress.

    A few minutes later, Mia was looking at her reflection again.

    The more the hours passed, the more nervous she got. When she saw the time was already past 6, her breathing hitched up and became unsteady. She was very nervous and scared. A lot of ''what ifs'' occupied her mind but Leo had assured her that everything would turn out well, he would be there beside her throughout. She believed him, but it didn''t stop her anxiety.

    "I... really do look like an Angel." Mia said as she looked at herself. She remembered Leo had joked about his grandmother wanting them to look like angels.

    "Yes, you look so beautiful, anyone with eyes would think you fell from the sky." Alicia said proudly as she admired the gown on her.

    Mia blushed at her compliment but looked at her to correct, "I meant literally." She said with a smile before reaching for the hair ornament to take it off. She didn''t want that.

    She looked so formal, like one of those brides or daughters from really strict royal families.

    Her white lace gown was almost sparkling with a lot of diamond studs which she hoped were fake. Unlike the first gowm, this one stopped only an inch or two below her knees. It was also a simple gown with high neck and long sleeves but it also looked really elegant and modest. She wore ankle boots which she preferred to sandals, they were also pure white with no blemish.

    A gown, make up, hair tied in bun and a boot. She was more comfortable in this even though she was a bit not into the all white outfit.

    "You like?" Alicia asked with a kind smile.

    "I like." Mia affirmed with a nod which made Alicia really excited.

    "Great then. Just an earring and you''ll be perfect!" Alicia said as she reached for a small box with a little earring. Since her dress had a high neck, wearing a necklace wasn''t really necessary.

    Mia wore the earring and smiled at her reflection.

    "I am pretty."

    "You are darling." Alicia agreed with a smile as she led her out to join Leo who had been waiting for over to an hour.

    Leo''s eyes lit up immediately he saw her and it took a while before he could utter a word.

    "You... look... stunning." He managed to say.

    She blushed at the way he was staring at her in the presence of so many people who worked at the beauty house. She couldn''t wait to leave there.

    "Uhm.. thanks?" She said nervously as she kept clenching and unclenching her fists.

    "You look... amazing!" She smiled as her eyes went from his head to his feet. "We really do look like angels." She added with a laugh. He was wearing a white shirt tucked inside a white trousers and a white shoe. She had a mixed feeling seeing how his usually messy hair was neatly styled to the back but she didn''t let it bother her. He looked amazing.

    Leo smiled before moving closer to her.

    "Tu es magnifique Mi amor" He said in a quiet voice before cupping her cheeks then he placed a kiss on her forehead.

    "Aw..."

    "Oh my!"

    "Wow!"

    The others in the dressing room echoed which made Mia blush even more.

    Until now, she had no idea mixing two different languages together could be so romantic and make her feel butterflies dancing in her stomach.

    Leo winked at her before thanking them then he left with Mia.

    **********

    "Goodness Chloe! Where have you been?" Her mother asked immediately she got home.

    "We have been trying to reach you, how could you be so careless?" Her father asked, mildly irritated.

    "I wasn''t feeling too well." Chloe said as she began to walk towards her room.

    "You should get dressed and hurry down immediately. We do not have all night and we have to be there as soon as possible. And you have to explain why you left your date." Her mother said but didn''t sound really annoyed. She was only impatient.

    "If you feel too sick, we can stop by the hospital quickly before we leave so we can run a quick test." Her father offered, making Chloe stop walking to look at them.

    This was the thing about her parents. Although they were quite dictatorial and liked to compare them with their cousins, they loved their kids. They loved her a lot. It was one reason she couldn''t bring herself to disobey them.

    "I''m fine. I''ll just go get dressed. Sorry for making you all worried." As she began to take the stairs, but met Louis coming down. "Hey! What happened to you? Are you okay? You got us all worried. We couldn''t reach you and Amara didn''t know where you were but she mentioned you didn''t sound okay." He said with concern evident in his voice as he looked at her eyes which looked dull and lifeless.

    "You cried? What happened to you?" He asked in a whisper so their parents wouldn''t hear.

    "She doesn''t have all evening. Let her be." Their father when he noticed they were both talking.

    "You both can leave together. Since we know she''s fine, we''ll go there together." Louis offered as Chloe continued towards her room without looking back.

    "Yes, I think we should leave now." Mrs King nodded in agreement to that. "Please, make sure you both arrive there early. Your cousins are probably already there by now. You don''t want to give them the wrong impression, do you?"

    Louis rolled his eyes before walking back up the stairs to his own room.

    When Chloe entered inside her room, she slumped on the bed first and covered her face with her hands.

    She felt awful. Terribly awful and it was worse because she didn''t know what was wrong with her.

    She didn''t meet Amara after their call but drove away from Jeremy''s house until she got to a secluded spot where she buried her face on her steering wheel and cried her eyes out. She didn''t know what was wrong with her so what was she supposed to say to anyone?

    Amara''s family were also invited to the party so she was certain Amara would be there tonight since she had said she wouldn''t miss it.

    She could only hope the girl doesn''t badger her with questions she didn''t have the answer to.

    A knock on the door reminded her that she was supposed to get ready for a party so she stood up immediately.

    "I''m coming in." Louis announced before he entered inside the room.

    "Sorry, I''ll get ready now." She apologized.

    "What''s wrong with you?" He asked with his hands deep inside his pocket.

    "Was your date a douchebag?"

    Kelvin was.

    "No. I know him. I don''t like him." She answered honestly.

    Louis nodded in understanding. "It''s fine if you do not like him. I think it''s best you tell the elders what you really want. It wouldn''t hurt to try."

    "But..."

    "This is your life Chloe King. You don''t want to do something you''ll regret." He interrupted before she would start reminding him how their parents truly were.

    "Get dressed let''s leave and try to smile unless you want grandma to see through you and begin to ask questions." He said lightly making her smile a bit but then she frowned when she noticed how he was dressed.

    "Why are you dressed like that? Didn''t grandma mention that the couple alone should dress in completely white outfit?"

    Louis wore a white shirt, white trousers, a white shoe and his hair was styled perfectly to the back as always.

    "Does it matter?" He asked with a shrug but laughed when he saw her frown again.

    "I''ll be wearing a jacket, and it isn''t white. Why are you always so suspicious of me?" He asked lightly.

    "I don''t know." She waved it off even though deep down she felt like Louis was trying to play some kind of game which was common between himself and Leo back then. They usually made girls confused and mistake one for the other then make jokes about it later.

    "Be ready in five. We have to leave soon." He reminded her before leaving her room.

 Chapter 209 - Party (2)

    Mia held her breath when Leo drove inside his grandparents residence.

    "Trust me, you''ll like my grandparents." He assured her. "And they''ll like you too."

    "I hope." She said with uncertainty.  She had never really been one to care about people''s impression of her but now, she was really nervous. She wanted them to like her. To look past her family background and accept her.

    "Yea and I''m certain it won''t be a big party. Just a few family members." ''I hope''. He added in his head.

    As much as he tried to hide it, he was nervous. Very nervous!

    He wanted them to like Mia and accept her. It wouldn''t affect his relationship with her if they didn''t like her, but he just hoped and wished they would accept her and love her. And he also hoped there were only a few invited guests.

    But his hope was dashed when he saw different cars almost everywhere as he drove further inside.

    What.

    The.

    Hell!

    This wasn''t what either of them had expected.

    Although it was surprising, he found it amusing when he saw almost everyone outside dressed in white.

    "Oh my God!" Mia gasped.

    "Are these... are these cars here for us? Oh no! I can''t. I can''t do it!" She said nervously as he parked the car.

    Leo perfectly understood how she felt now so he wasn''t angry or anything.

    "Just wait here, I''ll go speak with grandma and see if there''s anyway we can correct this."

    He knew it was impossible. Were they supposed to send all of the guests back to their houses? Who were the people anyway?

    Oh! He just remembered his grandma had said she would only be inviting a ''small crowd'' of 200 people. He should have believed her.

    Mia grabbed his hand as he was about to open the door.

    He could closely see the anxiety on her face.

    "You... aren''t leaving me here. I... I can''t." She shook her head.

    Her heart was beating really fast. She liked people to admire her since it boosted her self esteem, but she didn''t like being at the centre of attention.

    "I''ll be back soo�� shit!" He cussed loudly when he saw his grandparents approaching where his car was parked.

    Someone must have told them they had arrived.

    "My little Lion!" His grandmother said happily and she hurried towards them.

    "I think we have to get down now." Leo shot Mia an apologetic look before he got down from the car.

    His grandmother got to where he was quickly and hugged him tightly.

    "You have no idea how happy you''ve made me." She said happily.

    His grandfather only gave him a smile which he returned stiffly.

    When grandmother pulled away from the hug, she looked at Mia''s direction, wondering why she wasn''t getting down.

    "She''s nervous." Leo explained to his grandparents who nodded in understanding before he went to open the door for her and helped her out. She was literally shaking.

    Mia received his offered hand. He was the only person she could trust and count on.

    "Oh my dear!" Grandmother gasped. "You look so pretty. I am so sorry for making you shy." She said before going to give Mia a hug.

    Mia thought she was nice. She had expected to see a scary looking grandma with her hair in a strict bun and eyes which were stern, but his grandmother looked lively.

    She wore a white flowing gown with gold jewelries, her hair which were now completely grey was left flowing down her shoulders, she even wore make up. Leo had said she was in her 70s but Mia was beginning to doubt that because she looked like she was in her 50s.

    Now, she knew where they had gotten their looks from. His grandmother was a beautiful woman and she reminded her of Chloe. Just the older version.

    His grandfather on the other hand looked a bit tired. He held a walking stick and also wore a white shirt but he was probably a rebel because he wore black pants. His hair was also completely grey. Late 70s also, he did look it.

    Mia became a bit relaxed as the older woman pulled away from the hug to look at her face.

    "Do not be nervous my dear, we do not eat people. I saw your picture and you looked really pretty but not as pretty as you look right now." His grandfather spoke to her for the first time.

    Mia blushed to the tip of her ears but she managed to smile at them.

    Seeing her smile which didn''t look very forced, Leo relaxed a bit.

    "Come with me you two, the guests are waiting." Grandmother said joyfully before taking Mia''s hand to lead her inside.

    When she turned to look at Leo who was walking behind, he gave her an apologetic smile. There was no way he would be able to snatch her away from his grandmother.

    Mia was a bit confused when they entered inside the house since she couldn''t see any party or a lot of people. Grandmother sensed it and spoke up.

    "We have a private room where parties are held in here."

    "My wife always liked to organise parties so when we moved here, we made sure to have a special room for parties." Grandfather added.

    Mai didn''t know what else to say other than a "Oh.."

    She hadn''t even had any chance to look around the mansion they just entered because grandmother just continued leading her upstairs. It seemed she was very eager to introduce her to the crowd.

    "Are you ready my dear?" Grandmother asked when they got to the front of a large door where two men stood and served as the doormen.

    ''I''m not ready.''

    ''I''m never ready.''

    ''I do not think I''ll be ready even if you give me 365 days.''

    But she managed to give a nervous smile.

    "Yes, I am."

    "Great then! Let''s go in."

    Before the doormen could open the door, they heard a voice behind, greet.

    "Mother, Father."

    They all turned around and this was where Leo''s countenance changed as he came face to face with his parents.

    He didn''t need anyone to tell him before he realized that they were never going to accept Mia as their daughter in-law.

    "Oh! You''re both here. Just in time." Grandmother said with a warm smile.

    She liked to smile a lot. Mia noted. Maybe it was the reason she still looked young and healthy.

    "Where is Louis and Chloe?" Grandfather asked.

    The couple kept staring at the girl grandmother was holding.

    "They are on their way." Leo''s father spoke up.

    "I know you." Mrs King said as she continued to look at Mia''s face.

    Mia''s body turned stiff and grandmother noticed it immediately since she was holding Mia.

    Mia remembered that day at the Park. She had directly confronted Mrs King because they had indirectly called her a liar and slashed her pay when they had all seen how she had collapsed from illness and exhaustion. She had torn the paycheck and walked out on them including Mrs King. Mia remembered clearly.

    If only she hadn''t taken that job that day.

    From Mia''s reaction, Leo could tell she had met his mother before. Why didn''t she mention it?

    "Of course you should have met her, isn''t she your son''s lady?" Grandfather asked logically.

    Leo went to take Mia''s hand and pulled her closer to him, separating her from his grandmother. "This is Mia Lucas, my girlfriend. Mia, meet my parents." Leo did a quick introduction.

    "My pleasure to meet you. Mr King, Mrs King." Mia managed to say even though her heart was beating really fast.

    "Where did we meet? I am certain I have seen her before but I''m not sure she looked like this then."

    Mrs King wasn''t harsh, she only sounded curious. It made Mia realise she probably didn''t recognise her and relaxed a little.

    "I visited your hospital once. Maybe it was then." Mia said with a tight smile.

    The couple kept looking at her which made her uncomfortable. She could see it clearly, they didn''t like her.

    "Enough of all this, let''s go in." Grandmother urged them all before they entered but not without Mr and Mrs King exchanging a long look.

    The party was even grander than Mia and Leo had expected. Oh! And the cake... it was so big. The biggest cake she had seen up close.

    "Where did you meet my mother?" Leo asked in a whisper.

    Mia was really embarrassed. She bit her lip and looked at his face. "Long story. I promise to tell you when we get home."

    He searched her eyes for a moment before nodding.

    All eyes were on the both of them. People literally stopped whatever they were doing to look at them while grandmother led them both to where they had set up as the stage with the cake by the side.

    "This is awkward." Leo muttered as he tried to keep a smile on his face.

    "That''s an understatement." Mia murmured as she tried to not look around.

    Grandmother began to give a long speech about love and how Leo found it. It was a very weird and awkward moment for him and he wished the ground would open up and swallow him especially when she began to talk about his younger days, when he usually came to spend the holidays with her and how he fought with a girl who ended up beating him up.

    Mia giggled when she heard that part and it made him even more embarrassed.

    "Cheers to love!" She said with her wineglass raised high.

    The others echoed and they all took a gulp.

    "Come on, do not just stand there. Do something romantic for us." The crowd cheered.

    Leo smiled in embarrassment before placing a kiss on her cheek.

    As the crowd clapped, Mia looked down in embarrassment but caught sight of something so she looked up and locked eyes with Louis who was staring at her intensely.

    Her heart skipped several beats especially since it looked like it was Leo standing right there. Unconsciously, she gripped Leo''s hand and moved closer to him.

    Louis'' eyes didn''t leave her as he lifted his glass to his lips.

 Chapter 210 - Creepy twin

    Mia remained in one of the toilet cubicle where she had gone to relieve her bowel, wishing she could remain there throughout the night. Leo''s family was so large and she could remember the nasty glares she received from a lot of the young ladies present there. She guessed they were either his cousins who didn''t approve of her, or ladies he had had a thing with in the past or ladies who were crushing on him.

    So far, the only nice people had been his grandparents. Grandmother had told that after the party, the family was going to gather together and get to know her properly. This was just a ''of love'' as grandmother had put it. Mia thought it was weird. Weren''t they supposed to know her first before a party? What if they didn''t approve of her afterwards? But Leo had said it was because his grandmother was so excited about her that she had done it without thinking logically, and naturally, every member of the King family was to obey since she was like the Empress.

    Breathe in, Breathe out.

    She repeated for a while. The anxiety was eating her up and she felt like throwing up.

    She hoped his grandparents wouldn''t ask her too many questions. She was sure Chloe wouldn''t since she rarely spoke and already knew about her, and Louis...

    Remembering Louis, suddenly gave her shivers. Those piercing eyes of his. She could still remember how he had been looking at her like he was a Vampire. She had been a bit scared and kept moving closer to Leo until he asked,

    "Still very nervous?" Leo assumed as he felt Mia coming really close until it seemed like she was about to merge their bodies together to form one.

    When Mia looked away from Louis and snapped and looked up at her boyfriend, she then realised how close they both really where at the moment.

    "I would have kissed you right now to make you feel better but a lot of people are watching." He said in a flirty tone which made her hit his arm playfully, and a bit relieved.

    "Stop saying things like that." She said with a flushed face before looking away from him while he chuckled at how adorable she looked.

    He had just let her hit him in front of hundreds of people yet, thought she was adorable.

    "Can you... ruffle your hair a little bit?" She had asked. She didn''t like the fact that they were all looking almost like the same person except for Louis'' blazer which made them look different.

    "Really? Why?"

    Mia looked at Louis'' direction. He was no longer standing in that position but had taken a few steps away from there and was currently engrossed in a conversation with an elderly man, with a smile on his face.

    Leo followed her eyes and noticed where she was looking at.

    "Are you worried you would get confused?" He asked with an amused smile but she didn''t smile back. Her face looked serious so he looked at her seriously also.

    "He is creepy. I don''t like him." She confessed. If Louis was in talking terms with her while also giving her those creepy stares, she would have only thought him annoying. But since he usually didn''t speak with her and gave her those stares, it made her uncomfortable because she didn''t know what he was thinking.

    "Wow! This is the first time someone prefers me to him and I am happy it is you." He said in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "I''ll always prefer you to anyone else." She said seriously.

    He led his hand to his hair and ran his hand through it until he looked a bit like his usual self.

    "Happy now?" He asked her with a warm smile which Mia returned.

    "Happy now!" She said with a nod but Leo noticed she was still a but tensed.

    "Maybe we should sneak out and go get some fresh air?" He offered but she quickly shook her head. "Everyone is going to notice. I''ll just go use the restroom and be right back."

    After more than 5 minutes, she still remained inside the restroom. She was at least thankful to grandmother for making it possible that the guests didn''t say more than a ''Hi'' to them. How would she have coped?

    *******

    "There you are!" Amara said when she saw Chloe sitting in a hidden corner and not bothering to socialise like the rest.

    "You came." Chloe said dourly as she looked at her.

    "Yea, traffic was terrible. Been searching around for you since I got. Why are you alone here?" She asked as she took the seat beside Chloe and dr.a.p.ed her hand around her shoulder.

    "Wanted to be alone. Where is your brother?" Chloe asked curiously.

    "You weren''t really expecting him to come here right? After everything." Amara asked as her eyes strayed towards Leo''s direction. Mia wasn''t beside him but he was speaking with Richard and had a really big smile on his face.

    "Leo seem really happy." She noted.

    Chloe looked at his direction and nodded in agreement. He did look really happy. So happy that she was jealous.

    "What happened to you earlier today?" Amara asked, turning very serious now.

    Chloe knew Amara was definitely going to ask so she sighed. "It''s nothing."

    "Dont give me that. You didn''t sound okay earlier and why did you turn off your phone when I was so damn worried about you?" She complained with obvious displeasure and worry on her face.

    "I just... wanted to be alon��"

    "Your parents did something?" Amara whispered. She couldn''t imagine anything else that was capable of making Chloe cry except that.

    "I really do not know what happened to me." Chloe confessed, looking really serious. "It just... happened."

    Amara was quietly for a while as she simply looked at Chloe''s face, waiting for her to say something.

    "I had a little chat with Jeremy today, he wanted me to fire him." She confessed, without looking at her friend.

    "What? Why?" Amara asked immediately. "He doesn''t like his job? You aren''t paying him well?" Amara asked as she tried to make sense of everything. She knew Jeremy liked Chloe, it was as obvious as day so why did he want her to fire him?

    "He wasn''t happy I went on a date and..."

    "Aww... poor boy." Amara interrupted with a sad sigh.

    "Bet he couldn''t handle that." She said thoughtfully before covering Chloe''s hand which was on the table with hers.

    Chloe had been expecting Amara to ask her why she was sad because of that since she had been asking herself that question also. But surprisingly, Amara wasn''t asking.

    "So what are you going to do? Fire him?"

    "I can''t do that."

    "Why can''t you?" Amara asked with her curious eyes on Chloe.

    "I can''t. I.. don''t want to." Chloe said in a tight voice. "I like seeing him around." She confessed with her head down.

    "I know. He''s an adorable kid."

    "He isn''t a kid." Choke snapped immediately.

    "Sorry," Amara chuckled a bit. "But he''s too adorable, he reminds me of a cute little puppy."

    "So seriously, you have to make up your mind." Amara suddenly turned serious.

    "Dude loves you. You can''t keep him around you if you are never going to reciprocate. It would break him and although I do not really know much about him, I think it won''t be good to see him looking depressed."

    "What would you have me do?" Chloe asked with a ''there''s nothing I can do about it'' voice.

    "You either date him or fire him. He''s smart, I tell you." Amara said with a smile. This wasn''t the time to start teasing her friend since Chloe wasn''t in a good mood, else she would have had fun doing so.

    "I can''t do either of them. I can''t date him, goodness!"

    "Why can''t you? You dated David before so why can''t you risk it this time? And you obviously do like Jeremy."

    "When I dated David, my mother wasn''t already thinking of setting me up on a bind date, I was younger back then!�� And why are you smiling?" Chloe asked in annoyance when Amara suddenly smiled impishly.

    "You know you didn''t deny not liking Jeremy. And I won''t blame you for it. If you didn''t fall for his charms then I would have concluded you were possessed and required exorcism."

    Chloe was a bit taken aback and fl.u.s.tered. "I... do not like him. That''s absurd!"

    "Then tell me what you hate about him. His smile?"

    Chloe shook her head. He had a really pretty smile.

    "His hair?"

    She shook her head again. She liked his hair, a lot.

    "His body built?"

    Of course not! Jeremy had a great body even though she hadn''t seen him topless before. She hopes he never takes off his shirt  in front of her because she was a sucker for abs.

    "His naivety?"

    "It''s cute." Chloe answered with a smile before she could stop herself.

    Seeing a broad teasing smile on Amara''s face, she realised her slip and her cheeks flushed.

    She quickly stood up and hurried away from her while Amara giggled.

    It was after Chloe ran away that Amara remembered she wanted to confirm if her blind date had really been Kelvin, when she called in the morning. Because she had seen a photo of the two of them sitting down in a fancy restaurant and heard from Benjamin that the picture was sent to one of their school''s entertainment group chat.

 Chapter 211 - Stuck

    "My precious Princess. How are you?" Chloe''s grandmother asked her as she pulled her into a hug. She had been so busy and hadn''t had the time to say hello to her other grandkids.

    "I am okay. This is a nice party." Chloe said with a smile as she pulled away from the hug.

    "You look... unlike you. Are you okay? Sick perhaps?" Grandmother asked, looking very worried.

    Grandmother was a very observant woman. It was the reason Louis had told her she may badger her with questions if she so much as suspected something was wrong with her.

    "I am fine." Chloe managed a convincing smile which didn''t really work.

    "At your age, ladies like to hide things and keep to themselves so I won''t push you hard. Just be good okay? And if you need anything, do not forget to ask me for it."

    Seeing her warm smile, Chloe smiled back. "Thank you grandma."

    "It''s nothing sweetheart. Have you seen Mrs Wesley? She''s been asking about you."

    Chloe turned pale at the mention of that name.

    "Relax child, she miss seeing you. You should find her and say hello to her before the party is over." She told Chole before excusing herself.

    Chloe reminded in that spot before her eyes began to roam around, looking for a certain woman. From where she stood, she saw Louis first speaking with a lady. A man who was trying to pass through the little space beside Louis and the lady, missed his step and when he tripped, the wineglass in his hand tipped over and the drink poured on Louis'' blazer.

    Chloe gasped. That was going to be a real mess. Louis looked frustrated as he looked down at his clothes while the man and the lady he had been talking to apologised to him but he managed a smile and waved them off before turning to walk away.

    "Poor him." Chloe said sadly.

    "Chloe?"

    She heard a woman''s voice call behind her and froze. She didn''t need anyone to tell her that that was Mrs Wesley behind her.

    ********

    Mia was stuck inside the Men''s restroom. Tonight was going to be the worse night of her life, she swore it. Whenever she was sure there was no one inside the restroom and tried to leave, someone suddenly enters. They were probably going to think she was a pervert when they saw her coming out of the men''s bathroom. How was she going to explain the situation to the people if this blows up?

    Back when she was still hiding inside the women''s restroom, Leo had texted her.

    "Are you okay in there?" He had asked since Mia had left a while ago and still wasn''t back yet.

    "I am fine. Just a little moment and I''ll be out." She assured him immediately.

    "Are you sure? I could make an excuse for us to leave here." He offered.

    "Really? But isn''t it going to be weird? This party was organised for us."

    "If you aren''t okay, there''s no reason for this party to go on. I''m coming to you now. My battery is running out. Also need to look for a place to power it a little." He texted.

    "No need to come here. I''m coming out now." When she opened the door, there was no lady inside so she fixed her appearance and continued to breathe in and out until she was sure she felt better once again.

    "You can do this Mia." She said to her reflection before stepping inside the hallway. She took a few steps forward and stopped in her track when she saw Mrs King heading towards her direction with her phone in her ear. Mia panicked. She didn''t want to meet her privately. What if Mrs King remembered where they met first? Just beside her was the men''s restroom.

    If she decides to return to the women''s room and go hide there, Mrs King was definitely going to see her because it was going to take her at least 7 steps to get to the door. And there was no way Mrs King wouln''t recognise her back when she was dressed differently from the others.

    Without thinking much, she ran inside the Men''s room and began to regret it when she realised they may be people inside. Thankfully, there was no one inside.

    When she was sure Mrs King had walked past and wanted to leave, she heard several male voices and stupidly ran inside one of the toilet cubicles to hide inside. Why hadn''t she just left and apologized to them, pretending like she hadn''t seen the sign that said ''Men''?

    Now, she was stuck in here. Whenever someone knocked on the door, she knocked back to let them know someone was inside. It was the only thing she could do.

    Quickly, she began to text Leo again. She prayed his phone was still on.

    Her hand was shaking so much that her phone fell on the floor.

    "Shit!" She cussed loudly but quickly used her hands to cover her mouth when she realised she had just said a word and someone was out there.

    The tap which had been running suddenly stopped and she knew she was in trouble. Her heartbeat accelerated when she heard a knock on her door. She knocked back, hoping the person would go away but the person knocked again and asked..

    "What are you doing in there?"

    Mia wanted to die at that moment. She had just been caught. But no, she was relieved instead. It was Leo''s voice.

    "I''m stuck in here. Is it just you out there?" She asked in a soft whisper.

    "Mia?" He called out in surprise.

    "Hmm."

    She heard his distant footsteps like he walked out of there which made her panic slightly as she wondered why he was leaving but he knocked on the other doors and after a while,  returned. "It''s just me in here. I''ve locked the main door, you can come out now."

    Mia sighed in relief before opening the door and smiled at him but she noticed he was a bit disheveled. His white shirt had some dotted red stains here and there, his hair was slightly ruffled and his hands were deep inside his pockets as he looked at her with an unreadable gaze.

    "What happened to your��"

    She suddenly stopped talking and looked at him carefully.

    He was staring at her differently. His shoes weren''t the same white she remembered he had worn. Her brows furrowed when she caught a whiff of his perfume and then she looked behind to see a blazer which she recognized Louis had worn there.

    Her eyes slowly widened but his expression didn''t change.

    "What are you doing in a man''s restroom? Are you a pervert?" He asked her quietly.

 Chapter 212 - Tell you what?

    Mia looked at Louis quietly. The shock in her face finally faded until she settled for a frown.

    "What?" He asked her, his voice was still soft.

    "I don''t like you." She said honestly, taking him by surprise. He really hadn''t expected that.

    "Why?" He asked in amus.e.m.e.nt. "I already figured that out though." He shrugged.

    "I''m glad you know that already." She answered and moved away from him very slowly so their bodies wouldn''t brush.

    He didn''t make any move. He simply watched her quietly.

    "Aren''t you supposed to thank me for saving you?" He asked when she began to reach for the door.

    "You didn''t save me from anything." She snapped.

    "Ungrateful?"

    "Call me whatever you want." She was about to open the door but stopped to look at him. She wanted to settle this once and for all.

    "What is up with you? Why do you always look at me like this?" She asked, seeing how he was still staring at her.

    "How?" He asked innocently.

    "The way you are looking at me right now. Look at the mirror and see how your eyes are. That''s what I''m saying."

    He chuckled but looked at the mirror when she pointed at it.

    "Ah! You''re talking about this look?" He turned back to look at her. That is how I look at people who interest me." He explained with a smile.

    Mia raised a questioning brow at him. "I... interest you? Are you crazy?" She asked in annoyance.

    "You do. It''s fun watching you squirm under my gaze. You always act like you did something wrong." He crossed his hands in front of his chest.

    "Are you by chance guilty of something?"

    Mia eyed him. It was obvious she was talking to a crazy person. "You should stay away from me if you do not want trouble." She warned. She wanted to tell him all she had to say and hoped he would listen to her and stop those creepy ways of his.

    "I know what is wrong with you." He suddenly said.

    "What... do you mean?"

    "Why you feel the way you do about me."

    "I feel nothing for you."

    "You do." He said confidently. "It''s not the first time. I''ve had one of my previous girlfriends act the same way you do whenever she saw Leo. There''s this way you feel when you look at me because I seem to remind you of him. And because you like him a lot, you hate me for being identical to him because in one part of your mind, something keeps trying to tell you that the man beside you may not be your boyfriend but his twin and they are probably messing with you...."

    "You''re saying nonsense!" She interrupted. "Just stay away from me. Or else... I am going to get you arrested."

    "For? You know, you always act tough when we''re having a conversation but I noticed how nervous and politely you''ve been acting in there. It would be nice if you behaved the way you behave with me to everyone else, or better still, treat me nicely like you do others."

    "Mia...?"

    They both heard Leo''s voice call outside the door. She guessed he must have heard her voice. So she reached for the door.

    "What are you doing?" Louis asked when she began to open the door.

    "Going out, of course."

    "You aren''t bothered he may misunderstand? You are locked in here with me. I''ll distract him while you make your escape.."

    "Don''t be silly. I don''t need any favours from you."

    She scowled at him before opening the door.

    Leo had heard a voice which sounded like Mia''s inside but hadn''t been sure until he saw her when the door opened.

    "What are you doing in there? What if someone sees you?" He asked before taking her hand to pull her away from there and into the hallway.

    "I don''t know how to explain all of this to you right now, but I saw your mother and I ran into the nearest room I could find." She said quickly before pointing at the restroom.

    "That wasn''t a very smart move." He said with a small laugh.

    "Who were you speaking with in there��"

    "Hey!" Louis suddenly came out with his ruined blazer dr.a.p.ed on his arm while looking completely like Leo.

    "Him.." Mia said awkwardly.

    Leo only narrowed his eyes at his brother before nodding.

    "Let''s go." He held Mia''s hand tightly and led her away from there.

    "I thought you said you didn''t like Louis?" He asked quietly as they kept walking.

    "I don''t. But I was stuck in there and when I heard his voice, I thought he was you." She sighed.

    "He didn''t try anything funny with you, did he?"

    "Of course not. He was explaining some theories about why I dislike him and like you. He''s really weird."

    "You told him you didn''t like him?" He asked in surprise.

    "I told him. But it seems he knew that already." She shrugged.

    "If he annoys you, let me know immediately. I''ll put him in his place." He said seriously.

    "I will. Thank you." She replied with a smile as he led her inside a room upstairs and went towards the socket on the wall to plug his phone.

    "What were you doing all day that you couldn''t power it?" She suddenly asked.

    "Oh.. since it''s usually not possible moving about with my laptop, I most times use my phone to edit some photos and videos. The App has been running since morning. Whenever I get a little opportunity, I use it to edit and also, while waiting for you to get dressed, I also got busy editing our video and totally forgot about powering it until the drive here. So you see?"

    "Our pictures? Can I see them now?" She asked hopefully but he shook his head.

    "That won''t happen. I won''t show you until I am done. So be patient." He pat her head gently while she pouted sadly.

    "Are you going to tell me now?" He asked as he looked around the empty room. "It''s just us both in here."

    "Tell you what?" She asked in confusion.

    "The deal with my mother. I noticed you seem to be hiding from her."

    Mia bit her lower lip before confessing.

    "Honestly, I''ve never been this nervous in my entire life."

    "And I wish there is a way I can escape meeting your family to talk about myself tonight. Especially your mother, we didn''t meet in a nice situation."

    "I''m listening." He said patiently before sitting down on the bed then gestured for her to sit down beside him.

    "It was on the day I went to the Park. The Park I collapsed, remember?"

    He nodded.

    "Well, I was a little pissed off with everything. I worked for hours and was also sick but because I didn''t work for the complete hours, my pay was cut. It was frustrating. I needed money badly. But your mother... she... she called me a liar." Mia bit her lip again before looking down.

    "My mother did?" He asked in surprise.

    "And.. I tore the paycheck and was kind of rude to her." She continued without answering his question.

    "When I saw her earlier, I thought she was finally going to want to have a chat with me to know where she first saw me cause I am pretty sure she didn''t buy my explanation earlier, so I panicked when I saw her and had to hide. I.. don''t want to mess things up for you Leo." She said sadly.

    "If this has to do with just me, I promise you I would have been very nonchalant about it but this is your family. One of the top families in the country. I don''t want bad rumours to spread about you because of me or people to look down on you, or for your mother to compare me with Cherry and look down on all the girls you''ll ever choose for yourse...."

    "Mia..." He suddenly interrupted her with a hug.

    "It''s okay. Let me worry about all that. Hmm?"

    "Are you sure?" She asked in a choked voice. Struggling not to cry.

    "You should know by now how capable your boyfriend is." He said in a light voice that made her smile and nod. "I believe you."

 Chapter 213 - Adrian

    "Where is she taking her?" Mrs King asked in alarm when she caught sight of her daughter and a middle aged woman who was leading her away from the crowd. She was just about to take a step to walk over to them, when her mother in-law held her back.

    "You should let her be. She cannot run away from this. None of them can." Grandmother said gently.

    Mrs King didn''t think so. She looked at her husband for his backing but he simply nodded to what his mother had said. "Chloe can take care of herself."

    "But��" Mrs King was about to protest but Grandmother gave her no chance to.

    "Just let her be. I already spoke with Maria a few days ago. Everything is going to be fine. Now, over to you two��"

    "What do you think about Leo''s woman?" She asked, looking pointedly at her son and daughter in law.

    "We do not know much about her. The guests all have to leave first before we make a decision." Mr King said calmly while his wife nodded in agreement.

    "Make a decision? She is a nice girl. Sweet and shy. If Leo likes her, we should let them be. You know all he has been through��"

    "Mother... we cannot just let anyone into our family just like that. There are a lot of ladies who would kill to have an opportunity like this and we wouldn''t want that to happen or for a gold digger to approach him and leave him broken just like that witch did. And I won''t lie to you and tell you I am pleased with what you did by organising this party before you told us about it." Mrs King said with a displeased look while her husband touched her hand to keep her from speaking further.

    "This is my family. This is my home and he is my grandson. If I want to throw a party for my grandson, I''ll do just that because I am happy for him and I''ll support my family no matter what." She placed a hand on her daughter in-law''s shoulder gently.

    "My grandkids share the same DNA with me so they are closer to me than you are to me. So do not expect me to take permission from you before I do things." She gave her a smile before walking away from their presence.

    Mrs King''s hands balled as she stood there and stared blankly.

    "It''s fine." Her husband said softly.

    "Nothing is fine! Your mother keeps treating me that way! She has no regard for me at all��"

    "My sister is coming this way." He warned quickly.

    Automatically, a smile formed on Mrs King''s face.

    "Hello Tracy!" She said with a smile which perfectly concealed how pissed she was.

    *******

    "When was the last time I saw you? Seven years? You have grown to be a beauty." Mrs Wesley said to Chloe with a gentle smile.

    Chloe couldn''t smile back no matter how hard she tried to. At this point, she wished she had her mother''s talent to always fake a smile no matter what was wrong with her.

    "Mrs Wesley." She managed to greet with a curt bow.

    "It''s fine. You can call me Maria. How have you been child?" She asked sweetly. Chloe couldn''t tell whether she was genuinely asking her or just faking it.

    "I''m... sorry Mrs�� Maria." Chloe looked down guiltily.

    Maria smiled. "Enough of that dear. I saw you from across the room and almost didn''t recognize you. You look so pretty. I have always imagined you were going to be pretty when you grew older but this.... blew me away." She complimented.

    "I... really do... not know what... to... say." She sniffed. She could feel tears already stinging her eyes.

    Maria was quiet for a while before she spoke..

    "I wanted to apologize to you Chloe." She took Chloe''s hand and squeezed it gently.

    Chloe''s head shot up and she gave her a confused look. Apologize? Why?

    "I treated you badly. I shouldn''t have. You were such a fragile girl and I should have considered your feelings but I was blinded and treated you the way I did. I was wrong."

    Chloe could tell she meant it. Her eyes were glistening with tears and she looked so sincere which broke Chloe''s heart. Maria''s hand went to Chloe''s face to clean off the tears which had escaped Chloe''s eyes without her knowing.

    "I am sorry dear. I''m sure Adrian must have been pissed at me for the way I treated you."

    Chloe shook her head stubbornly. "It was my fault. It had nothing to do with you. I caused everythi��"

    "Shhhh... accidents do happen Chloe. You didn''t give him foot cramps when he was swimming."

    Chloe finally burst into tears as she remembered that day.

    "I... shouldn''t have... asked him to go... with me."

    Seeing how Chloe could no longer stop her tears, Maria hugged her.

    Adrian, an only child, had been the nicest person Chloe knew. Her childhood friend who always followed her about and promised her he would marry her. It had gotten to a point where she really believed they would both get married in the future. He was really soft, just like Jeremy was. Jeremy reminded her of him.

    Adrian always cared for people. Whenever he saw anyone who was sick, he always led them to her family''s hospital and asked his parents to pay the bills. It was the same with animals. His dream had been to own an animal shelter one day. Chloe had thought he was silly for being the way he was.

    When his father died, he had been so devastated. He cried for long and she had been there to console him but when she could no longer handle his gloominess, she had invited him to swim with her in their pool since she knew how much he loved swimming even though he wasn''t a very good swimmer.

    He had flatly refused but she forced him to her house. When he was still reluctant to swim because he was very tired and hungry, she pushed him into the pool and laughed when she frowned at her. It didn''t take long for him to relax and begin to swim.

    She had told him she was going to go make him something to eat and had refused to stay with him when he begged her to. She thought after swimming and eating, he was going to be fine.

    But by the time she returned....

    The CCTV had showed how he was struggling in the water and they found out he had a foot cramp after she left.

    In two weeks, Maria lost her husband and her son. Her only family.

    She had taken her anger out on Chloe and forbade her from coming to his funeral or anywhere close to her.

    In school, Chloe heard a lot of whispers around talking about how she killed a boy. It had been too much for her that her parents had to move her to another school.

    She had been carrying that guilt with her for seven full years. She tried to do the things Adrian liked, out of guilt. She didn''t care about people but she had to start caring for the weak and sick people and even animals because she believed Adrian would have done it had he been alive. She didn''t celebrate her birthdays because Adrain was not alive to celebrate his. It was also difficult being close to people because she feared something bad may also happen to them because of her.

    Even when she dated David, the guilt had still been there with her. When his family went bankrupt and his father died, something told her it was probably her bad luck. It was another reason she had continued to help David out.

    Her life was a mess. But she was thankful for her family and Amara. Amara never left her and continued to be her friend despite everything.

    "At a young age, you got to see your best friend that way and instead of living like other teenagers and having fun, you got to blame yourself for it. That was unfair." Maria said with a sad sigh.

    "Adrian''s supposed to turn 24 next week. I was thinking about doing a little remembrance for him and invite his friends. And.. I would like you to come." She pulled away from the hug to look at Chloe''s teary face. Maria also had tears in her eyes.

    "I always thought you were going to be my daughter in-law. I hope you still see me as a mother despite all I did and said to you?"

    Chloe nodded.

    "Thank you. And thank you for forgiving me Chloe. I hope from now, you no longer bear the burden and blame yourself for it. Accidents do happen."

    Chloe wished she could think that way. But she couldn''t. She still dreamt about that day and she knew it was her fault no matter what anyone said. She was going to carry this burden for the rest of her life. It was her punishment.

 Chapter 214 - Interrogation.

    They watched the guests leave one after the other and Mia knew the hour was drawing nigh.

    "Remember what I told you?" Leo asked her and she nodded. She seemed to feel better and less nervous as she greeted the guests who were leaving.

    Her phone began to ring so she quickly took it out of her purse to check who was calling. It was Mr B.

    Mia frowned. She really hoped they wouldn''t start having an argument right now. She really wasn''t ready for that at the moment.

    "Is everything alright?" Leo asked when he saw the frown on her face when she looked at her phone''s screen.

    "It''s Mr B." She informed him, raising her phone to show him the caller''s ID.

    "You should answer the call. It''s probably important."

    She nodded and went to a corner but took the call before it stopped ringing.

    "Hello?" He greeted first.

    Mia couldn''t pretend like she wasn''t mad at him for what he said to her during their last conversation. "Yes?" She asked bluntly.

    He sighed before speaking. "I considered what you said. You are a very important dancer and I wouldn''t let you off for someone who just came. I sounded really rude and unreasonable earlier and I hope you forgive me."

    "What.. is it you are trying to say?" She asked carefully.

    "I am letting Benjamin off."

    "Really?" Mia asked in surprise and uncertainty.

    "Really." He answered. She could hear the hint of a smile in his voice.

    "Then... so who is going to..."

    "Paul. He is going to dance beside you."

    "What about his... family..?"

    "You don''t have to worry about any of it. All you have to do is dance. You know you are important to us, important to me."

    Mia smiled. The feeling of being needed, of being important, she loved it. She was really done rehearsing with Benjamin? She really hoped she wouldn''t get to see him again.

    "Thank you."

    "You are welcome dear. See you tomorrow. Good night Mia."

    "Good night Mr B." She said with a happy smile before hanging up.

    "What is it?" Leo asked when Mia came closer.

    "Mr B. He dropped Benjamin for me!" She said happily.

    Leo frowned but seeing how happy Mia was, he managed a smile. It was official, he didn''t like that Mr B whoever he was. He knew what the man had done.

    Leo had made sure Paul confronted Benjamin about the real reason he had joined the team and swore he was going to tell Mia and the rest of the team about Benjamin''s reason for joining them. Paul had really been angry that Benjamin had actually approached him and was friendly because he had an ulterior motive. Seeing how nothing was no longer working in his favour, Benjamin promised he was going to drop in exchange that Paul didn''t mention it to Mia or anyone at all. Leo hadn''t wanted Mia to know about it anyway. If Mia knew Benjamin had been into her for a long time, it would make her really uncomfortable and creeped out. Benjamin must have dropped on his own while Mr B was trying to make it seem like he had dropped him in favor of Mia. Whichever way, since Mia was happy, he was happy.

    Mia suddenly looked at him seriously, making him raise a brow.

    "What is it?"

    "Why do I have a feeling you have a hand in all this?" She asked thoughtfully. He had promised her he was going to take care of it and suddenly, everything was fine again. Leo was that capable. He meant what he said and said what he meant.

    "No.. no.. haha!" He laughed nervously. "You are a wonderful dancer so of course, Mr B wouldn''t want to let go of you."

    "You really do have a hand in this." She said with a small smile. Surprisingly, she wasn''t disappointed that Mr B hadn''t really dropped Benjamin for her.

    "It''s nice to know there is someone I can rely on and he''d always come through for me. I wish I can be that person for you also." Mia added before Leo could say anything else.

    Leo looked at her face intensely before smiling a bit. He was at a loss for words.

    "It''s nice to know you rely on me."

    "Not bothersome?" She asked curiously.

    "Not bothersome at all." He answered. He had wished for years that Cherry relied on him, that she believed him. But she hadn''t. It was nice to have someone depending and trusting him.

    "Leo, darling. Join us at the dining." Grandmother called after them.

    "No matter what happens, just be yourself." Leo reminded her.

    She nodded before slipping her hand into his.

    She trusted him.

    Leo''s grandparents, parents and Louis were already seated around the dining when he joined. Chloe was the only one missing.

    He noticed how his mother especially looked at Mia as she walked beside him with her hand in his until Leo pulled out a chair for her while he sat down beside her.

    Mia tried to keep her gaze up but avoided looking at Louis''s direction. She could guess he was probably looking at her with that gaze she despised.

    "What family are you from?" Mr King asked first when it seemed like the others weren''t ready to begin the interrogation. He didn''t have all night to sit around and watch their faces.

    "Lucas. Joe Lucas was my father." She said calmly.

    "Joe Lucas... Doesn''t ring a bell." Mrs King said but she didn''t sound rude, simply uninterested.

    "Joe Lucas? He was a Politician?" Mr King asked calmly.

    Mia smiled a bit. At least, someone knew who her father was. "Yes sir, he was."

    "The man that suddenly disappeared?" Grandmother asked again just to be sure.

    "Yes." She answered again politely.

    "Really? That was your father? Have you heard from him all these years?" Grandfather King asked with interest.

    "I haven''t. We do hope that a day would come when we would see him again. Alive and well" She answered with a sad smile.

    "How old are you and what do you do? What about your mother, other siblings? Where do you live?" Mrs King asked as she continued to watch Mia with interest.

    "I am 23 years old, A student. Chloe''s classmate. My mother is still alive and runs a small bakery while my older sister... she''s also around." There was really nothing much she could say about Mary. "I live��"

    "Same class with Chloe huh? Heard you are really smart." Louis interrupted before she could complete her sentence.

    Mia finally looked at his direction. He was watching her so intensely. Why did he interrupt her from talking about where she lived? And he seemed to be acting like he didn''t know her.

    "Yes, I am smart." She said boldly. At least it was one thing she could boast off.

    Her smugness seemed to take them all aback and the grandparents smiled while the parents still kept a cautious look.

    "How did  you afford university if your mother runs a small bakery?" Mrs King asked.

    "A scholarship."

    "It means your family lacks money? Did you approach Leo on purpose?" Mr King asked.

    He was always the blunt one. So blunt, he reminded Mia of herself.

    "Dad!" Leo called in a calm but annoyed tone.

    "I didn''t." Mia answered calmly.

    If she was annoyed, she didn''t show it. She looked really calm but only Leo knew how tensed she was since he held her hand under the table.

    "Do not get him wrong..." Mrs King spoke up on behalf of her husband. "We are just saying there are a lot of gold diggers and everyone would love to have a share of the King family''s cake. Everyone likes cakes after all." Mrs King added a bit accusingly and laughed dryly.

    "I don''t like cakes." Mia said quietly. "And I do not think they are gold diggers who would admit they are gold diggers. And I like Leo more than the title he bears." She said and flashed them all a warm and polite smile.

 Chapter 215 - Leos path

    Louis knocked once and got Chloe''s attention. She had been inside his car for a while with her eyes closed and her head resting on the headrest. She turned to look at him with dull eyes, he could tell she had cried a lot. Maybe she even dozed off in the middle of her sobs and had been awoken by his knock.

    She weakly reached for the lock and opened the door.

    "Hey!" She said in a cracked voice while trying to hide her face from him.

    "Time to go home." He said without asking or saying anything regarding how she looked.

    She nodded and handed him his car keys before turning around to hop in the passenger''s seat.

    "How did it go in there?" She asked, trying to make small talks as he drove out of the residence.

    "Tough." Came his answer immediately.

    "It was really obvious the parents didn''t like Leo''s choice but Mia was really strong headed and took them head-on. Grandparents took her side, mom got angry first and walked out while dad naturally followed. I have no idea where they both are." He summarized briskly.

    "It''s not like they have a choice anyway. Leo would stubbornly do what he wishes to do."

    "To you, is that a good thing or bad thing?" He asked, sparing her a quick glance.

    "It depends." She shrugged. ''I wish I can have my own apartment too and stop being monitored to even my bank account.'' She said a silent wish. She envied Leo.

    "Oh.. did you know Leo was traveling out soon?"

    "Traveling out? No. Really?" She asked curiously. "To where?"

    "Guess you also didn''t know. He dropped the bomb earlier. Told everyone he would be traveling for a long time, he has a big movie to shoot."

    "Wow! That''s big! And I guess mom and dad weren''t too happy about it?"

    "You can count on that. Especially dad. But they''ll eventually come around. This isn''t the first time Leo is dating who they didn''t approve of, or traveling to another country." He said casually.

    "How do you feel?" Chloe suddenly asked out of the blue.  She wanted to keep the conversation going to stop her brother from asking her any personal questions.

    "Feel? Fine. Why?" He gave her a confused look before looking ahead.

    "Seeing Leo and Mia together." She said before her lips formed a straight line.

    "Oh.." He laughed. "Mia is adorable. She told me to my face she doesn''t like me."

    Chloe couldn''t read him. There was still a smile on his face which left her confused.

    "I''m not sure I like her the way you are thinking. I just kind of like it when she is riled up and behaves the way she does. Plus she is pretty, no one would blame me for being attracted. Leo is. And we are like peas from the same pod... literally."

    Chloe sighed. She didn''t know what to say. She didn''t even know why she was so passionate about fighting for Leo''s love when she had too many problems to deal with.

    "I saw you with Maria earlier." Louis finally said. It seemed he was tired of pretending like everything was okay with Chloe.

    Chloe went silent and turned to face the window.

    "She.. didn''t harass you, right?"

    "She didn''t. We just... talked."

    "I hope all is fine with you?"

    "Yes... I guess..." Sadness once again enveloped her as she remembered Maria. Poor woman. It must have taken a lot for her to finally forgive her.

    Before Louis could ask God knows what, Chloe''s phone began to ring. The ringtone was so sharp that it startled Chloe back to reality.

    It was almost midnight and she wasn''t in the mood to talk to whoever it was. She wanted to end it when she saw the caller''s ID. It was the number she had saved as Ellie''s.

    She couldn''t end the call. Not after the last time. She remembered how scared she had been when she didn''t see Jeremy inside the classroom and Mia had said he was at the hospital. It was as if history had been repeating itself again. Abandoning her friends when they needed her the most.

    Was he sick again? She wondered in alarm as she answered the call and pressed the phone to her ear, waiting for the news.

    "Hel�Clo?" She asked with a cracked voice while Louis turned to look at her briefly, wondering why she sounded scared.

    "Why''s your voice sounding this way? Have you been crying?" Ellie''s worried voice asked.

    "I... I am fine.. is... something wrong with Jeremy?"

    "You don''t sound fine." Ellie noted. "I was calling to call you out for making my brother sad but it seems you''re also in a bad mood. Are you crying because you both got into a fight?" She asked innocently.

    Chloe was relieved that Jeremy was fine and was able to release a short, amused laugh.

    "No.. I just... *sighs* have a lot going on."

    "Do you want to talk about it?" Ellie asked softly.

    Wasn''t this someone who was planning to yell at her for making her brother sad? Now, she was offering a listening ear?

    "How is he?" Chloe asked instead. She felt guilty for how she had left him this morning. He had looked so sad, so broken.

    "He is asleep. He skipped lunch and dinner no matter how much I begged him. He didn''t tell me what was wrong but I guessed it had to do with you." She said, sounding a bit accusingly now.

    Chloe wished she knew what to say to this little guardian angel of his, but she didn''t.

    "Jeremy is a strong guy. He''s never dejected, at least, he doesn''t let me see him that way. He is also a really good fighter.."

    Chloe wondered why Ellie was telling her all this but she didn''t interrupt her.

    "Since you showed up in his life, he''s been really happy, but sad at the same time. It''s sad."

    She heard Ellie sniff and really hoped Ellie wasn''t crying. She couldn''t deal with it.

    "I''m sorry." Chloe said seriously even though she knew the one who deserved it more was Jeremy. He had been nothing but good to her while she treated him like he was some insignificant thing.

    "Is there a chance, any chance that things would work out between you two in the future?"

    Chloe could hear the unspoken words in her voice. She was begging her to say a YES.

    The silence dragged for a while before Chloe gave her a answer, "I... don''t know how to answer that."

    But to her surprise, Ellie sighed in relief.

    "That''s good then. I guess there is a chance."

    "I.. didn''t say so."

    "If there was no chance and you didn''t like Jeremy at all, you would have said a no. I don''t believe you didn''t say a no because you didn''t want to hurt my feelings. You do not look like the type to care so much about people''s feelings... no offence."

    Chloe was left tongue tied. How come a young girl like her could think very smartly and intelligently?

    "Ask him to eat... please. He isn''t too strong yet." Chloe said instead.

    "I''ll let him know. Good night." Ellie said before she hung up abruptly while Chloe sighed as she put her phone down.

    "I have a feeling you are going to follow Leo''s path soon." Louis said with his gaze still on the road. For a moment, Chloe had totally forgotten about him.

    "What.. do you mean by that?" She asked even though she could guess what he was talking about.

    "Being the family''s rebel. I guess we''re all destined to not follow the parents'' path. Poor them."

    Chloe sat up and turned to look at him.

    "What advise can you give to me?" She asked desperately.

 Chapter 216 - Alone

    "Hi camera, erm... he asked me to say something." Pause.

    "Uhm... let''s see... so I am here, in this very beautiful cot, wishing time would stop forever. I feel very happy tonight. Maybe it''s because of the wine I drank? (giggles nervously)" Another pause.

    "You... are the most important person to me and I.... (face flushes) just want to tell you that I... (clears throat)" Another pause.

    "Need to go drink some more wine! Haha! (Laughs nervously) so.. that''s it. Bye!" (Stands up and runs away)

    Leo was laughing like an idiot as he watched the video of Mia inside his room later that night. He had been really mad after the meeting with his family because of the way everything turned out. His parents didn''t like Mia and they had made it obvious, very obvious. Thankfully, she was able composed herself and answer all of their questions but the way everything turned out, although he had expected it, he was still disappointed at his parents. Mia had said she was okay and headed straight to her room when they got home but he knew deep down, she wasn''t okay but there was nothing he could do about it since he could guess she wanted to be alone after an exhausting evening.

    It was already past midnight but since he couldn''t sleep, he decided to continue editing the videos and pictures they had taken the other night and early the previous day and he was glad he watched it because he felt a lot happy seeing how shy she looked even though she had been talking to the camera and not directly to him.

    She had made this speech when he was choosing a song and had asked her to go say hello to the camera before they began dancing.

    "She wanted to say she loves me, I can swear it." Leo said to Tara who was lying on the floor beside his feet with her tiny head on her paws. Tara simply looked at him uninterestedly and closed her eyes to sleep.

    *********

    The weekend passed by in a flash. It was Sunday night and as Mia sat on her bed, she thought about this new week and all that was coming with it.

    A lot was going to be happening this week for her. Not just her many tests that she had to write in preparation for exams, Mira was traveling on Tuesday while James was leaving on Wednesday. And Sunday evening was the street dancing competition and also the day scheduled for Leo to leave the country. A lot right?

    A lot of plans changed. Mia had hoped her friends would come watch her perform that day but unfortunately, Mira, James and even Leo were not going to be there.

    During breakfast this morning,  Leo informed her he was leaving this coming Sunday. She had noticed how sad he looked. She also didn''t want him to go but this was important to him.

    "I really wanted to hang out with you longer. I even got tickets for us to go watch a street dance battle together for that same Sunday. But I have to report to work next Monday which means I have to leave either on Saturday or Sunday morning so I can meet up with them on Monday."

    "I understand." She said in a tight voice with her head down.

    "Sure?" He asked quietly. It was obvious how much his words just now was hurting her.

    "Yea. I would have loved for you to watch me dance. But well..." She raised her head to smile at him. "I''ll send you clips."

    They were both quiet for a while before Leo asked, "Would it be possible... for you to come over after your graduation?" He looked at her for a moment before avoiding her gaze.

    "I can."

    Leo''s head shot up immediately to look at her. That was easier than he had thought. "Really? You can come over?"

    "I have nothing here anyway... for now. And you are inviting me abroad. I''ve never left this country before and always wanted to, at least once."

    Leo could not stop his excitement. A very broad smile appeared on his face. Even though he knew he was going to be very busy both at mornings and nights,  the thought of returning to see Mia waiting for him was thrilling.

    "I''ll get everything ready before Sunday." He assured her.

    Silence lingered between them for a while before Mia asked,

    "Which dance battle were you going to invite me to?" She asked curiously. She didn''t know about any since the major one was the one she would be dancing at.

    "CMT." He answered.

    "CMT? Creativity Meets Talent? That''s where I am dancing!" Mia announced,  making him raise a brow. Funny how all this while, he hadn''t bothered to ask her where the competition was taking place or who was hosting it until now.

    "Really?"

    Mia''s ringing phone interrupted the conversation. It was a call from Mira asking to meet up and so, she found herself sitting inside a cafe with Mira and James, while Mira handed her her phone to show her a picture.

    Mia looked at the picture, surprise evident in her face.

    It was of Chloe and Kelvin who both looked like they were out on a date.

    "Where did you get this?" She asked, raising her head to look at Mira.

    "Long story. But who is this son of a bitch and why is he on a date with Chloe? And what about Jeremy?"

    "Give her space to think." James said to Mira before facing Mia.

    "He is Kelvin Hanks. The Students'' Council President, his aunt owns our university. He is also Benjamin''s friend. You should remember him from the party��"

    "I saw him at Benjamin''s house." James nodded.

    "Oh yea, no wonder he looked so familiar. He was the guy who wanted to kiss Chloe at Benjamin''s party right?"

    Mia nodded. "Where did you get this?"

    "I heard the picture is going around in most of your school''s group chats with a caption saying ''The power couple'' lame." Mira sipped her lemonade and shook her head.

    "Is the picture on the internet?" Mia asked. This wouldn''t have concerned her at all if Jeremy wasn''t involved. She wondered how he was feeling at the moment.

    "I don''t think so." James spoke up, "I heard Peter and Noah talking about it earlier.. "

    "Peter and Noah? How did they get this picture?" They were both in high school which wasn''t in the same neighborhood of the university. Unless the picture was on the net.

    "Peter is friends with Kelvin." James said, looking deeply into Mia''s eyes.

    "Oh..." Mia nodded before taking out her phone. "I should call Jeremy to know how he is doing."

    It was already bad that Chloe had gone out with someone. She had seen how dejected Jeremy looked when he came over the previous morning and hugged her. Knowing that the man she had gone on the date with was Kelvin, who he obviously hated a lot, made it worse.

    "There''s something else." James said before looking at Mira, subtly communicating to her with his eyes to tell Mia about it but Mira was reluctant.

    "What is it?" She asked, looking from one to the other suspiciously

    "Well..." Mira started.

    "Kelvin dated Mary."

    Mia''s eyes widened. "Mary? My sister?" She asked in disbelief.

    "Yes. Just a few weeks ago, she made a scene and fought with Kelvin''s other girlfriend and��"

    "Wait a minute... Kelvin has another girlfriend?" And now he was going after Chloe also?

 Chapter 217 - Long week

    On Monday morning, Mia quickly prepared for school with a heavy heart. She looked very down, praying and hoping this week would not move forward but that was impossible.

    Tuesdays would come, Wednesday would, Thursday until Sunday would come and she would be all alone.

    Leo had asked her to stay in his house until whenever she was tired of staying here. She had liked the idea of staying alone when James first offered for her to stay here but now she no longer fancied it.

    When she got to school, she noticed everywhere was unusually rowdy and remembered it was the D-Day for the school''s election.

    Thankfully, it was an E-voting system which didn''t require them to stay in long lines and stress themselves. So while they continued with classes, they could simply vote via the school website with their phones.

    The roudiness was as a result of the contestants still soliciting for votes. This reminded her of Benjamin. She didn''t know how she truly felt about him but she knew she didn''t hate him.  She was just disappointed and hoped they didn''t get to bump into each other and have any awkward moment.

    Thankfully, she didn''t bump into him and she got to class without any drama.

    She knew there was something wrong when she first stepped feet inside the class, and got her answer when she looked around and realised that Jeremy wasn''t in class. Neither was Chloe in class.

    Was Jeremy still sad about Saturday? She wondered. She had tried to reach Jeremy repeatedly but hadn''t been able to until Ellie called to let her know her brother was studying and didn''t feel like speaking with anyone.

    She really hoped he wasn''t going to miss class today. They had a test. So she took out her phone to dial his number.

    She could hear various conversations going on inside the classroom, especially about the election and who they were voting for. But a particular conversation piqued her interest.

    She heard Chloe''s name. Mia would have asked herself why she was so interested in Chloe all of a sudden but she already knew the answer. She was Leo''s sister.

    "I can''t believe they ended up together. What does Kelvin even see in her?" A lady asked derisively. She wasn''t making any effort to keep her voice down.

    "She''s pretty, from the King''s family which means she is loaded with cash and is being treated like a princess, duh? She''s cool!" Another lady said.

    "Don''t be silly! There are a lot of pretty girls in this school whose parents are loaded. Truthfully, I don''t see anything special about her. She''s just a snob who thinks she is better than everyone else. How disgusting!" Another one said with a snort.

    "Can you three just shut up already?" Mia turned her head to the back to look at them as she said in annoyance while the noise in the classroom slowly went down as the students turned their attention towards them.

    "Oh! Look who''s this... Chloe''s new friend. I''m so scared." The one with blond hair said with mock fear making her friends snicker. This group of friends are the most annoying group in class. The one with Blond hair seemed to be the Queen Bee while the other two had black and brown hair.

    "If you have nothing better to say, shut the hell up!" Mia hissed.

    "I should remind you that we pay our fees while you don''t. You are nothing but a leech who reap the benefits of our fees, so you should show some respect." The one with brown hair said with a dark glare.

    Mia laughed dryly. "Since your mummy and daddy spends hundreds of thousands for your fees, how do you show for it? Aren''t you on probation?" Mia said tauntingly.

    "I am not on probation you bitch!" The girl replied, fuming with anger.

    "Then shut the hell up and go study before you become one!" Mia retorted.

    Mia had just said that to be petty. She didn''t even remember the girl''s name talk more of knowing about her result but she knew this girl was obviously not a very bright student. She was the type to gloat about her parents wealth.

    The classroom became quiet from the outburst. This was the reason it was difficult bullying Mia even though she wasn''t from an elite family like majority of them. She never gave them a chance to bully her. She promised herself while entering the university that she wouldn''t give them a chance to.

    "You and Chloe can go to hell! You are both birds of same feathers anyway." The girl with Black hair said.

    "Let''s remember Mia is poor. She''s still below Chloe anyway." The blond said with a mocking laugh.

    "Come on! It''s enough." A boy chipped in from the back.

    Mia sighed in frustration. Some girls were so annoying and childish! She was already in a bad mood and they were making it worse.

    "Just try not to piss me off again." The blond threatened Mia.

    "Or what?" Someone else spoke before Mia could.

    It was Chloe who was by the door. Mia didn''t know how long she had been there.

    The three ladies looked at each other, obviously tongue tied. Chloe''s presence was intimidating. Mia had noticed it a long time ago.

    Chloe took more steps inside the classroom with her gaze fixed on the girls. She looked really simple today in a black trouser and yellow shirt with a low heeled shoe and hair in a ponytail.

    "Maybe she can''t do anything to you girls..." Chloe looked at the girls from one to the other,

    "But I can." She said in a warning tone.

    "It''s either you''re going to go take your seats or leave the class for those ready to learn."

    Mia and the rest of the class watched as the ladies glared at Chloe until the blond huffed and went to her seat while the other two followed.

    "Hehe! The queen always wins." Another girl at one end of the class said with a smile. It was Katie Engels, the same girl who has been showing interest in Jeremy, Chloe noted.

    They didn''t know whether she was being sarcastic or serious but Chloe obviously didn''t care. She went to her usual sit and exchanged a friendly glance with Mia before looking at the empty seat where Jeremy usually sat down beside her.

    When her eyes met Mia''s again, Mia saw the question in her eyes and shook her head to let her know she also didn''t know why he wasn''t in class since Jeremy always came to class early.

    As Mia resumed dialing his number, the front door opened and he entered.

    To others, there was nothing wrong with him, he looked like his usual self. Dressed neatly with his hair in a ponytail and a smile on his face as he approached where Mia was seated. He didn''t make any effort to look anywhere else but at her.

    "Hey!" He greeted with a smile as he sat down beside her.

    Mia had a frown on her face as she watched him. "What''s wrong with you?"

    "Me? Nothing. Come on, let''s study!" He said enthusiastically before taking out a textbook from his backpack.

    Mia looked at Chloe''s direction. She caught Chloe staring before Chloe quickly turned away.

    "Jeremy? What''s wrong?" Mia asked. She sounded really worried this time.

    He looked up at her and smiled a little. "I have decided to move on." He informed her.

    This week was definitely going to be a long week. Mia thought.

 Chapter 218 - More than a pretty face

    Mia looked at Jeremy and then at Chloe before sighing deeply. Even while the first class was ongoing, she had caught Chloe a couple of times staring at their direction but Jeremy hadn''t turned his head since he sat down there. Before, it was Jeremy doing all the staring while Chloe looked ahead. She couldn''t just let things continue like this when she knew something was wrong.

    Jeremy had become her friend and even though herself and Chloe rarely spoke, they were both in friendly terms also.

    So after the first class, she decided to speak with Jeremy.

    "You want to give up on her?" She suddenly asked.

    He raised his head from his textbook to look at her. She waited for an answer but he didn''t give her one. He just kept staring.

    "I don''t mean to meddle, but if you are hurting, you should talk about it...."

    "Mia, there is nothing to talk about." He said in a really calm and pretty voice. Yes, his voice was pretty. Everything about him was. Why was Chloe not falling?!

    "Look," He sat up and scooted closer to her and began to speak quietly.

    "I''m not stupid Mia. Maybe Chloe feels something for me, maybe she doesn''t, I don''t know, I''m not sure. But I''ve already accepted the fact that nothing can work between us. I''ve noticed she likes to act like a perfect daughter, and I do not want her to hate me for trying to make her act otherwise."

    "Are you sure? This isn''t about her going on a date with Kelvin?" She asked with her curious gaze on him.

    Jeremy looked at the direction Kelvin usually sat on. The seat has been empty since morning. Since he was the present Students'' Council President, everyone knew he was probably running around now especially to get people to vote for his buddy, Benjamin.

    "Look, I was pissed when I saw the picture, I admit. Even though I fo not like him.. Kelvin..  he�� is better than me��"

    "Do not say that!" Mia snapped at him. "You are better than him, everyone knows so."

    Jeremy raised a brow at her,

    "Let''s assume there was no Leo in your life. Would you have considered me? At all?"

    "Of course!" She answered without hesitation. She couldn''t find any fault in him. She had noticed he had a temper but he was good at controlling it except the time when David had come to the school to harrass Chloe and when he saw Benjamin kissing her.

    "That''s not ture!" He said in disbelief before facing his book which was on the desk.

    "There are a lot of girls who likes me. Maybe if I give them my attention the way I gave Chloe, I would like them too and be happy. I deserve to be happy Mia." He said with a sad look.

    "You can''t just undo this. You''ve been in love with her for four years! Four good years Jeremy. I do understand what you are saying, but I want you to know it''s going to be difficult and you are going to be sadder."

    He looked at her quietly before he grinned. "You really want us to become in-laws so badly don''t you?"

    "Stop being silly!"

    He chuckled before remembering, "Still participating in the school''s talent hunt?"

    She knew he was running away from that topic o she didn''t push it.

    "I''m not sure. I have a lot to do now. Besides, I need to focus on passing my tests. We have exams coming up soon."

    "Typical of the bookworm, Mia Lucas." He said with a short laugh that made her hit his arm.

    "I am not a bookworm!"

    "Yes, you are!" He said with a teasing smile.

    From where Chloe was seated, she could see how they bantered happily even though she couldn''t hear a word they were saying to each other.

    He hadn''t looked towards her direction once since he entered the class. The last time they both spoke to each other, was on Saturday and that day had been crazy for the both of them.

    The day after hadn''t been any better because her mother came into her room for them to have the conversation which was still pending.

    "What happened? Why did you leave your date just like that?" Her mother had asked her with hands folded across her chest and her back resting on her door while Chloe sat up on the bed to face her mother.

    "He reported me to you?"

    "That''s not important now. What happened? Don''t you like him? He is young, handsome, smart. Everything about him is okay. Or are you worried because you are older? No one can tell. Age doesn''t matter these days."

    "I don''t like him." Chloe said, looking very serious. "Not about the age or anything. I don''t like him."

    "You still have time. At least get to know each other and court. We aren''t saying you should get married now, not even next year or in two years. You have time to fall in love."

    "I. Said. I. Am. Not. Interested!" Chloe said pointedly, taking her mother aback.

    It was the first time she was acting this rebellious. Something suddenly dawned on her and she looked at Chloe with sharp eyes.

    "There is someone?" She asked with an accusing voice.

    "There is no one." Chloe said firmly and looked away from her mother.

    "Who is he? You have been dating behind our backs? Who is the boy!?"

    "Can you just let me be!?" Chloe raised her voice and stood up.

    "I need a break,  I need to breathe and you are not helping. None of you are. All you know is try to control me. I need to f.u.c.k.i.n.g breathe!" She looked at her mother''s stunned face and knew she had made a mistake reacting that way because now, she couldn''t take it back. She picked up her bag from the bed and left her room, walking past her mother whose face was as pale as a sheet.

    She had spent the night at the office and only returned this morning to the house to get her books and to change. When she got home, none of them were inside, which she had been thankful for. She knew soon, her parents were going to have a long talk with her. Truthfully, she didn''t know what came over her to make her speak to her mother that way. She guessed it had to do with Louis'' advise to not let their parents intimidate her. She had noticed that even though Louis was also very obedient, he was always firm so their parents didn''t push him around like they did with her.

    She looked down at her phone when she received a text notification and opened it.

    It was from an unsaved number. It read,

    "Wednesday by 5pm at my residence. In case you aren''t going to be comfortable, you can come with a friend. Maria Wesley."

    Chloe read the text over and over again and sighed sadly before raising her head. A frown formed on her face when she saw Jeremy seated in between two ladies. One was Mia, the other was Katie who had just approached him. They both seemed to be seriously talking about something.

    "How do you feel about the news spreading around?" Katie asked Jeremy.

    "What news?" He asked indifferently.

    "Kelvin and Chloe. Everyone seems to think they are perfect for each other. What do you think?" She asked with twinkling eyes.

    He shrugged, "I don''t know. I don''t care."

    "You do." She giggled. "Everyone who has eyes knows you like Chloe. I''m a very observant lady." She winked at him.

    "Look, I''m not interested in this conversation. I don''t know why you keep approaching me when we aren''t even friends. What is it that you want?" He asked seriously.

    "You." She said with a grin. "I''m curious to know what you really are that''s making Chloe interested."

    "You are going to be wasting your time because I am nothing and she isn''t interested."

    "I doubt it." She said confidently before standing up. "I''m sure you are more than just a pretty face and a nice body."

    Katie looked at Mia who had an earphone plugged in her ear with her eyes on her phone. Sensing  Katie''s stare, she looked up at her and they both exchanged a glance which made it obvious they didn''t like each other. Katie forced a smile before leaving their desk then, she looked at Chloe''s direction and both ladies continued to look at each other for a long time until Katie walked past.

    Chloe exited Mrs Wesley''s text and sent a short text to Jeremy which read "Let''s meet outside."

    She looked at him and saw him take out his phone. She saw a flicker of surprise in his face as he read the text and soon, he began to type.

    She checked her phone immediately a message notification came in and her heart stopped when she opened the message. It was also simple and short. He said,

    "Sorry, I''m studying."

    He just turned her down.

 Chapter 219 - Test time

    "Ready for the test?" Leo texted.

    Mia smiled when she saw the message and replied immediately. "Yes. Wish me luck."

    "You already have all the luck in the world baby, just do your thing. Fighting!"

    "Hehe! Thank you." She replied with an embarrassed smile. It was weird how Leo always made her blush whether they were seeing each other face to face, texting or calling.

    "How''s your friend, Jeremy? Is he better now?" Leo asked.

    Mia spared Jeremy a glance. He had been busy studying. It was an unusual sight since Jeremy rarely studied but it seemed he wanted to be focused now and do other things instead of being idle because that would make him fix his gaze on a particular person.

    "I don''t know. I think something must have happened between the two of them the other day. They both do not look good." She replied.

    "Oh... Tell him to cheer up. He needs to write his test with a clear mind unless he wants to fail."

    "What about Chloe?"

    "She''s already smart. She can handle herself. Hehe!"

    Mia could not help but giggle at his message. Another message popped up immediately. "I''ll handle her. "Write well and make me proud honey."

    She smiled again before dropping her phone.

    When she raised her head, she saw Jeremy looking at her. "You''re acting so girly. It''s creepy." He said before turning to his book again, leaving her frowning at him.

    She looked at Chloe''s direction and saw her take out her phone to answer a call. She could guess it was Leo calling her.

    "How are you?" Leo asked Chloe.

    Chloe tried to keep her voice down since she was inside the classroom.

    "I... am good. Why?"

    "Did you quarrel with him?" He asked.

    Chloe was quiet. She knew the ''him'' he was talking about was definitely Jeremy. She didn''t know why are brothers were so concerned about the both of them. It was as if they wanted her to stay away from him and at the same time, not stay away from him.

    "No." "Not really." She said quietly.

    "You have a test. This is important for you so make sure you put everything aside and focus. You don''t want the parents to get mad at you." He reminded her.

    Chloe sniffed. "I... am trying." She placed her head on the desk when she felt her eyes turning misty. She couldn''t understand all of her emotions. She just wanted to cry.

    "It''s going to be okay."

    "Nothing is going to be okay." She replied. Everything was messing her head up. And worse of all, Jeremy had refused her request to meet outside. It was the first time he was saying a no to her and it was hurting her really badly for some reasons she didn''t know about. It wasn''t as if no one had ever said a no to her before. But this one was different.

    "Calm down Chloe.. you are in class." Leo reminded her. He knew how much she liked to keep a good image in public. He wouldn''t want a case where she would lose it.

    "I''ll talk to you after your classes today. Just be calm and do well in your test. You know you can trust me right?"

    She sniffled, "Yea." She said weakly.

    "Good! Be good."

    "Thanks." She looked up and saw the lecturer enter with several large envelopes in his hand.

    "It''s time students!" His voice made the students hurry back to their seats while Chloe dropped her phone after turning it off.

    The door opened again and this time, Kelvin entered. His steps were arrogant just like he was and he had a smug smile on his face.

    Chloe locked eyes with him and he sent her a smile before looking at Jeremy''s direction. Jeremy''s head was still down as he tried to organize his desk. But in reality, he was burning inside with his hand tightly clutching his bag.

    "Let''s begin. Everyone get seated." The lecturer said and soon, the room was quiet with everyone seated obediently while the papers went around.

    Once it was officially time to start, they all began circling the correct answers on the question paper.

    Jeremy tried to push out every other thought out of his head and just focus on this which was more important at the moment. No Chloe, no Kelvin. Just himself and this paper before him. He had to pass, he had to do well.

    Twenty minutes later, their attention was piqued when they heard a pencil slammed down on the desk.

    They all looked at Chloe''s direction as she stood up, picked up her bag and began to walk out of the class with an unreadable look.

    "Miss King? Is something wrong?" The lecturer asked while the students began to murmur. Some took the distraction as an opportunity to cheat and ask their friends questions.

    Chloe didn''t spare anyone a glacne, neither did she answer the lecturer. She just walked out of the class with only one thing on her mind�� to leave the school premises.

    Out of impulse, Jeremy stood up but Mia held his hand to keep him from going after her.

    Rich people could afford to leave like that, but they couldn''t. He was on a scholarship and also needed a good result to secure a good job but Chloe on the other hand wasn''t only a bright student, she already had her own business. Her parents could pull some strings for the school to give her a make-up test, but Jeremy would be left to his fate.

    Jeremy seemed to get why Mia held him back so he looked at the door with regret before sitting down slowly.

    If he wasn''t already in a bad mood, his mood worsened when Kelvin stood up and followed Chloe, also ignoring the lecturer.

    Jeremy could hear how some students were awwing and oohing and calling Kelvin a gentleman for leaving his test for his girlfriend.

    "Do not let it get to you." Mia advised him. His claim about moving on, it was obvious he was only saying that to make himself feel better.

    She felt really sad for him. She couldn''t imagine what he was going through. She could see he was at the verge of crying and was trying his best to not let his emotions win. She didn''t know whether being soft was a good thing or bad thing because it was really f.u.c.k.i.n.g him up and he couldn''t hide it.

    He sniffed and turned to face his paper when the Lecturer yelled for all of them to be quiet.

    As Mia looked at him, she saw a tear fall on his paper.

    That moment where he knew Kelvin was winning and there was nothing he could do about it.

    ******

    "Chloe!" Kelvin called when he finally spotted her in the hallway, walking out of the Faculty.

    She stopped and turned around to look at him.

    Kelvin clearly saw the disappointment in her eyes when their gaze locked. Had she been expecting someone else?

    Passersby watched them with interest while some made small gossips.

    "Can we talk? Privately." He asked in a calm voice.

    She continued to look at his face quietly before walking closer to him.

    "That picture was your idea wasn''t it?" She asked pointedly when she stopped in front of him.

    "What picture? I don''t know what you are talking about."

    "''What picture?'' Pretending not to know what I''m talking about shows it had been your idea. What do you think you are trying to do? Piss me off?"

    "Chloe." He looked around nervously at the other students passing by and prayed they weren''t listening.

    "Let''s go somewhere..  please?"

    "Stay away from me. This is a warning Kelvin. And make sure that picture stops circulating unless you really want to get in my bad book."

    "It won''t be you. And it will never be you."

    Having told him what she had in mind, she turned around and walked away. She hurried to her car and drove out of the school premises.

 Chapter 220 - Because of him?

    Mia didn''t partake in any strenuous exercise that day but she found herself really stressed as she walked back home from school. When she got home, she realised Leo was inside his room and sighed in relief. She always liked meeting him at home whenever she returned from school.

    "You are back. Why didn''t you call to let me know you were done for the day? Would have come pick you up." He said when he came out of his room to find her taking off her shoes.

    "It''s not far. Besides, I haven''t been working out lately and walking helps me." She said weakly before changing into a house slipper and walking towards the couch to drop down on one of them.

    "How was your test? You look exhausted." He said before moving behind her to massage her shoulder.

    "It was good. I think it''s going to be an A plus." She said and raised her head so he could see the smile on her face. He smiled back and ruffled her hair which made her push his hand away quickly.

    "You are doing well." He complimented. "What about him? Do you think he did well?"

    Once again, she knew he was talking about Jeremy.

    "You seem to care about him so much." She noted.

    "I don''t."

    "You do."

    Leo sighed and shrugged, "I don''t know. He seems... to like Chloe a lot. I can''t dislike someone who likes my sister." He said before going over to sit down beside her.

    "Chloe has been through a lot. I want her to be happy, really. But.... I don''t know. I guess she''s going through a lot right now and is in a dilemma." He said sadly.

    Mia didn''t know whether she was supposed to tell him about how Chloe left the hall during their test. She guessed she didn''t have any right to do that, so she didn''t mention it to him. It was Chloe''s private affair.

    "He did well. He seemed to know what he was doing." She answered with a faint smile and yawned.

    "You skipped breakfast this morning. We should go out to eat. There''s somewhere I''d like you to go with me after that."

    "Where?" She asked with a cautious look.

    "Just somewhere. So freshen up quickly, I''ll be waiting for you here." He said and began to nudge her towards her room.

    Two hours later, the car stopped in front of a really big hospital. This wasn''t the King''s hospital so she had no idea why they were both here.

    "What are we doing here?" She asked curiously when he opened the door for her to step down.

    He looked at her quietly before he cupped her cheeks, not minding the fact that they were in public.

    "Do you trust me?"

    "Okay, this is creeping me out now." She said as she searched his eyes, hoping to get the reason they were both here.

    "You... don''t want to ask for an IVF to be performed on me since you''re traveling right?"

    Seeing how serious and wary she looked as she asked made him laugh and shake his head. "Why would they be need for an IVF when we can directly... you know.." He winked at her which made her face blush and forcefully pulled away from him.

    "Just come with me. Hmm?" He offered her his hand and after looking at it for a while, she placed her hand on his and they both walked inside the hospital until they stopped in front of a door.

    VIP WARD ROOM 034

    PATIENT: MARY LUCAS

    Seeing the frown on Mia''s face as she read the words on the door, Leo braced himself.

    "What are we doing here?" She asked with a deep frown.

    "We cannot keep pretending that you do not have a family. You need to have a chat with them."

    "I do not need to do that!" She turned to walk away but he held her hand to stop her.

    "Mia, I know you are mad but..." He licked his dry lips before he continued. "Just one chat with them and you can decide what you want to do. Whether you want to still remain with them as a part of their family or not, you have to make that decision today and let them know about it, then we can move on. Please?"

    "Leo..."

    "Please... for me." He cut in but she still shook her head. She wasn''t sure about it. She wasn''t sure she was ready to meet them. She was going to remember how she had spend the past years trying to help them while they paid her with nothing but wickedness. She may lose it and do something she might regret. She didn''t want to go.

    But Leo wanted her to. She had to talk with them and get some closure on the whole issue. He wanted that for her. He couldn''t just up and leave the country, knowing Mia still hadn''t decided what she wanted for herself.

    "Please." He pleaded again.

    She wasn''t pleased with the idea but she sighed in resignation and took in a really deep breath before she nodded very slowly.

    "Thank you!" With a pleased smile on his face, he held her hand and opened the door gently.

    Once she took the first two steps inside, she heard two women giggling inside the room.

    "You should eat if you want to leave here soon." The older one said to the younger one. Mia could hear the love in her voice. She sounded really worried for the health of the one on the hospital bed.

    "I''ll eat later. Check this out... what do you think? It''s going to look good on me." The younger one said and turned her phone''s screen for the older to see.

    Mia''s hands balled into tight fists beside her as she watched the scene. The mother-daughter moment which she had come to ruin.

    "Oh... Mis--ter.." Linda stood up from the bed when she saw Leo and Mia standing by the door.

    Mary dropped her phone and looked at the both of them in surprise.

    Mia could see Mary looked a lot better now. She had lost it when she got into a fight with Mary or rather... when she whipped Mary like a little criminal that she was, and she had sustained a lot of injury, thankfully or not, Mary seemed a lot better now.

    A few minutes later, it was just Mary and Mia left inside the room while Leo and Linda excused them despite Linda''s reluctance to leave Mary alone with Mia.

    Mia stood beside Mary''s bed with her hands beside her while Mary looked at anywhere else but at her younger sister.

    "I believe there is something you have to say to me." Mia said patiently.

    "..."

    Mary still didn''t look at her. She kept her eyes fixed on the bouquet of flower on the couch which someone had sent to her.

    As Mia looked at her sister, she felt a strong urge to cry. There had been a time where Mary cared about her. Where they had been like real sisters. What happened?

    "What happened?" She asked out.

    "I couldn''t." Mary said and looked up. "I couldn''t live like a rat..."

    "Not that." Mia shook her head. "What happened to you? To us? To the Lucas'' family."

    "Why did you become so... so hateful?"

    The question seemed to also hit Mary. She looked at her sister quietly, not knowing what to say. Her eyes  began to sting with tears.

    Mary shrugged. "I guess I owe you an apology for the loan. I wasn''t sane when I signed that contract." She said, choosing to ignore Mia''s question.

    "You weren''t sane? You weren''t sane when it was drafted, wasn''t sane when you signed it, wasn''t sane when mother followed you there to sign it, wasn''t sane when you ran away?" Mia asked in incredulity.

    "...." Mary remained quiet. Nothing seemed to annoy Mia the more than the fact that she wasn''t remorseful at all. It was as if she wanted to be remorseful but something was stopping her from doing that.

    "This is where we end. I believe you both know that you no longer have me as a part of your family. I don''t need anything from you two except leaving me alone."

    "Because of him? He asked you to leave your family for him?" Mary scoffed. "You choose him over us?"

 Chapter 221 - Revelation

    It was difficult for Mia to believe that Mary had just asked her that question. Did she say family? Did she accuse her of choosing Leo over them? Who were they?

    "We lived together for many years. We ate from the same bowl. I f.u.c.k.i.e.d up, I admit. And I was ready to pay up the debt, I just needed more time. But you cannot do this." Mary said, obviously trying to guilt trip Mia.

    Mia continued to stare at her in disbelief. It was simply too hard for her to believe this.

    "Are you... insane?" Mia finally asked when she found her voice. "I deserve an apology! I f.u.c.k.i.n.g deserve it!"

    "You and mother almost ruined my life and this is what you say!?" At this point, Mia had tears in her eyes. It was tears of regret for staying in the same house with them and hoping a day would come where things would turn out well but she had been hoping for the impossible.

    "And I apologize for it! But how can you say you are going to leave us for a man you just met when? A month ago or two months back? Mia... you are our family." Mary tried to kneel on the bed while tears began to drop from her eyes.

    "What did I do to deserve this?" Mia yelled. She almost slapped Mary but had to hold back.

    "Why are you both treating me like this? Is this how you treat your family? Put yourself in my shoes and tell me how you would have felt had you been treated the way you and mother treated me."

    "And whose fault was it?" Mary asked. "What were you expecting? To be treated like a princess?"

    Mia would have been worried about Mary''s mental health because one minute she looked guilty and the next, she looked like she was ready for a fight. But she had more things to worry about. Why was Mary blaming her?

    "Fault? It is my fault you both treated me like an animal?" Mia asked with a scoff.

    "All you ever did was bring bad luck to the family while you progressed. Didn''t you notice? Whenever something good happened to you, something bad always happened at home. Do you think it was easy keeping you around despite all that? But no, we didn''t throw you out because you are our family."

    The door suddenly opened and Linda ran inside.

    "Stop it Mary! Enough you two!!"

    Behind her, Mia could see Leo talking to two nurses outside the room before Leo also entered inside and sent her an apologetic look. Maybe it had been a bad idea bringing her here in the first place.

    "No mum, she has to know that this whole thing is her fault. Think about every bad thing that''s been happening in our family until the moment  dad''s business crashed and he disappeared. It always happened when good things happened to you."

    "Enough!" Linda yelled at Mary and covered her daughter''s mouth with her hand but Mary pushed her hand away immediately.

    "Despite everything, we still saw you as our family."

    "What good thing has ever happened to me?" Mia asked in a quiet voice filled with disbelief.

    "Mia.." Leo called her from the side softly but she didn''t turn around.

    Mia suddenly remembered the period Mary first disappeared. Linda had accused her that it was her fault. Had she also thought that Mary''s  disappearance was because she received a scholarship?

    "Mia... you don''t have to listen to her and all the gibberish she is saying. You are our family no matter what."

    Mia looked at the mother-daughter duo with tears in her eyes before a dry humourless laugh left her lips. She kept on laughing until tears streamed down her face.

    "You make it sound like you are doing me a favor by being a member of this family. Tell me, what have you both done for me? What have you done for the past 23 years for me? Tell me!!!" She raised her voice, startling them.

    "Leo has done more for me than you both have ever done in this past 23 years and you try to make it seem like you are doing me a favour?"

    "Yes! We are doing you a favor! Had father not cheated on mother with his s.l.u.t of a secretary to have you, our life would have been perfect��"

    "Mary!" Linda gasped and her eyes went very wide.

    Now, that was it. Maybe Leo was supposed to be surprised, but he wasn''t. Any normal person would have guessed that this people weren''t her real family. He could hear the distant voices of doctors and nurses approaching the room so he went outside reluctantly to speak with them. The noise from the room was probably making them worried.

    "How... who... who told you that..?" The pale faced Linda asked Mary.

    "I heard it. You and dad quarreled a lot and one time, it came out of your mouth." Mary said without remorse before removing the IV from her hand to leave the bed.

    She stood in front of Mia who was staring blankly with her face as white as a sheet. The color had drained from her whole body completely.

    "Now you know we are doing you a favour. If your mother hadn''t died when she gave birth to you, you would have been with her now but mum took you in and treated you like her own despite what the priest told her about you being born with badluck. I know everything!"

    She jabbed a finger at Mia''s shoulder and said in a quiet voice just for the both of them to hear, "So now you have a rich boyfriend and want to leave just like that? That won''t happen." She shook her head. "You have to pay us back."

    "Stop it. Mia, do not listen to her. She is saying nonsense. You are my daughter." She hit her chest and said with passion. "Do not listen to her!"

    "Enough with the pretence mum! It was you who told me to stay away from her if I didn''t want my life to get ruined.." Mary confessed as she began to scratch her arm and neck with her fingernails violently.

    "There is no need covering things up, she has to know. But what is she going to do about it? Beat me up again or ask her rich boyfriend to get us arrested? Oh! We also received a lot of your admission and scholarship letters on your behalf and burned it. Too bad I couldn''t lay my hand on the last one. Where the hell is this stuff?" Mary asked as she began to search her mother''s bag for something.

    When Leo returned inside, he met Mia still standing in the same spot while staring blankly into space.

    He was about to go pull her when she suddenly snapped to her senses and turned to look at Linda.

    "Is it true?"

 Chapter 222 - Boss

    Mia remained huddled at the back seat of the car as Leo drove away from the hospital. Her feet were on the chair with her knees raised while she placed her head on her knees and wrapped her hands around her legs. Her eyes were closed and her face still looked pale. Leo could see her though the rearview mirror. He wished there was something he could do to stop whatever pain she was feeling.

    Not only had she heard such a harsh truth in a cruel way, she also found out that her real mother died when she gave birth to her. He had actually hoped it was all a lie and Mary was only saying that because she was obviously crazy, but Linda had confirmed it amidst tears while swearing to Mia that she always saw her as her real daughter.

    Linda''s confirmation was all Mia needed. To their surprise, Mia nodded and turned around, then she left the room while he followed her quickly. She hadn''t said a word, neither did she shed a tear. She was just quiet, still and pale.

    Once they stopped at home, she excused herself and walked ahead of him, not turning back until she was inside her room,. It wasn''t until her head hit the pillow that she burst into tears.

    ********

    "Why do you look like you are tired of living?" A part timer asked Jeremy as they looked around for products which had expired or close to their expiry date to separate from the others.

    Jeremy didn''t answer. His mind was occupied. He had hope coming to work would clear his mind, but it even made things worse because this was Chloe''s territory. He missed going upstairs to her office but now, he had to stop himself. He didn''t want to get hurt.

    "Come on, you look awful. What is wrong with you? You can''t go on like this. When last did you have something to eat?" He pressed. Now, he stood in front of Jeremy and carried the crate he was holding from his hand.

    "What is wrong? Family problems? Love?"

    "I am fine. Just stressed." Jeremy said with a bored look.

    He nodded in understanding before offering, "Want to have beer with me when our shift ends? I was planning to drink a little, I''ve been stressed a lot lately also."

    Jeremy smiled at him but shook his head, "I don''t drink."

    Aside from the fact that he had a low tolerance for alcohol,  Ellie was going to get mad if he went home drunk and he also didn''t want to be an irresponsible brother. Besides, he wasn''t looking forward to the hangover and the pills he would have to take afterwards. Everything pointed to the fact that he won''t be drinking, not now, not later.

    "You don''t?" He looked at him up and down as if sizing him up.

    "You have the looks, body and charm yet you don''t? What a waste, tsk tsk." He shook his head pitifully. "What about pot? Do you smoke?"

    "Never!" He didn''t take normal cigarette, talk more of Marijuana.

    "Wow!!!" He said in awe which made Jeremy laugh. "You are a role model to the younger generation."

    "You can be that." Jeremy said indifferently as he moved away to the side to let some customers pass through.

    "Hehehe. It''s funny how they are attracted to you yet, you do not see it."

    "Who is attracted?" Jeremy asked and followed his gaze to see the two ladies that had just passed them still looking at him and giggling.

    "Thank you for the other day." The young part timer said seriously when Jeremy turned back to look at him. Apparently, he wasn''t interested in anyone who was checking him out.

    Jeremy took back his crate from him and began to walk towards the room where the expired products are kept to be disposed of. "That''s in the past."

    "No, you would have lost your job." He said and hurried after Jeremy with his trolley which was full.

    "If you keep saying that, someone may hear you and finally, you''ll get fired."

    "But... did she really agree to pay it up?" He asked curiously, ignoring Jeremy.

    "Where did you hear that from?" Jeremy stopped to ask in surprise.

    "It was going around before you came to work. I thought you got fired since I didn''t see you at work yesterday but I heard the boss already agreed to pay it up. Be truthful..." He moved closer to whisper.

    "You two really aren''t in a relationship?"

    "We are in nothing of that sort." Jeremy said as he tried to get away from him and the conversation.

    "Then.. are you both in a purely s.e.x.u.a.l relationship?"

    "Michael!"

    "Sorry, I just can''t help but wonder why she is so nice to you. She must like you a lot." He said with a smile that made Jeremy shake his head.

    "I don''t want to talk about it."

    "I am cheering for you Jere. A whole lot of people here are cheering for you." He touched Jeremy''s shoulder while Jeremy continued to look at him in confusion.

    "The boss has been kinder since you became closer to her. We hope if you started dating for real, she would be even nicer, then you can help us tell her to increase our salaries." He said with a grin which made Jeremy laugh even though he knew that was silly.

    "Just get out of here!" Jeremy said and pushed him away. He dropped his crate and fixed his key inside the door''s keyhole and was met with a resistance. He frowned before turning the doorknob, the door was opened.

    "Who is inside?" Michael asked and went inside first. Tonight, they were the only ones permitted inside the room so they were both curious.

    Michael gasped when he caught sight of a figure inside and quickly grabbed Jeremy''s hand before closing the door slowly.

    "What is it? You act like you''ve seen a thief." Jeremy said with a curious frown.

    "It''s.... the boss." Michael said and cleaned the sweat that had suddenly appeared on his forehead.

    "Do you... think she heard what I said just now?" He asked in fear.

    "The boss? Miss King is inside?" Jeremy asked, also in a whisper.

    Michael nodded and quickly stepped away from the trolley. "Please... take mine inside.  I... need to use the restroom." He said and ran away before Jeremy could stop him.

    Jeremy also didn''t want to go in there. Okay, maybe a part of him wanted to see her, but the other part wanted to leave. He looked at the trolley and crate on the floor, he couldn''t just leave them there.

    After closing his eyes, he took several deep breaths before he opened the door.

 Chapter 223 - Guilt

    Jeremy entered inside the store room almost silently and dropped the crate on the floor before pushing the trolley inside quietly, when there was nothing else to carry inside, he closed the door gently. Anyone who saw him would agree that he was acting like a thief who was afraid of getting caught.

    It wasn''t until he was inside that he raise his head to look around. The room was really big and wide with variety of products on the front shelves and counters so he didn''t see Chloe. A frown appeared on his face as he wondered whether Michael had lied to him. But the door had been unlocked when they arrived there and Michael had looked obviously frightened so he knew Chloe was inside and he wasn''t seeing her because she was hidden behind some stacked product, he guessed. What was she doing here anyway? He asked himself.

    He felt it was best to pretend like she wasn''t inside so he carried the crate first and began to move towards the area where expired candies and chocolate bars were kept. He cussed himself silently when he continued to walk stealthily.

    After taking a few steps, he saw her. His heart began to beat really fast just by the mere sight of her. She wore a jean trousers, a white long sleeved shirt which she didn''t tuck inside her trousers and a pair of low office shoes. Her hair wasn''t tied in a ponytail like she liked to leave it. She looked different, but he knew that was her. He could smell her from where he was standing.

    He was looking directly at her back so she didn''t see him. She was trying to get something from the top of one of a shelf so he looked up and noticed it was a bottle of soap that she was trying to reach.

    He was rooted on the spot and he watched how she stretched trying to reach for the soap.

    With a bit of hesitation, he dropped the crate and walked towards her.

    "I''ll help you with it." He said in a quiet voice but she didn''t turn around. He sighed before going to stand behind her. He stretched his hand over her head to pick it up for her but she stiffened and turned around immediately. The space was too small for the both of them so she ended up being trapped between the shelf and Jeremy''s body.

    She looked up in alarm and tried to get away  but her facial expression softened when she realised it was Jeremy. His hand was still stretched to reach the soap but he was looking down at her face which had changed from shock to surprise at seeing him so close to her. Their faces were only a few inches apart.

    Jeremy noticed the earphone in her ear and understood why she had no idea he had been inside for a while.  The last time their faces was this close was that night at James'' party where she had asked him to kiss her. He quickly shook the thought out of his head and moved away from her with the soap in his hand. He avoided her gaze and handed the soap to her.

    Chloe snapped back to her senses and cleared her throat before taking off the earphone. Seeing he had stepped back to a reasonable distance,  she received the soap from him.

    They stared at each other for one full minute before he turned around and returned to carry the crate.

    Chloe watched him walk away from her to one end of the room to arrange the things he had carried with him. He didn''t smile at her, didn''t turn back, didn''t ask her anything. He just walked away. He had also ignored her during school hours. Were they going to continue like this?

    Jeremy focused on what he was doing. He wanted to quickly finish it and leave the room but he found himself doing things really slowly. A bigger part of him wanted him to remain inside. Sharing a space with her was the least he could ask for now.

    It was taking everything in him to not turn back to ask her what was wrong with her and why she left the class like that. He should just ask her right? It wasn''t as if they were both quarreling. He was about to ask when he heard her footsteps behind him, then she stopped walking.

    "I won''t fire you." She suddenly said.

    It was very surprising that Chloe was initiating the conversation because judging by her personality, he had expected her to walk away. So he stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.

    "You asked me to fire you." She reminded him. "I won''t. Our private lives shouldn''t affect our different businesses. They are two different things."

    "What about you?" He suddenly asked. "Do you go by that principle?"

    When she looked at him in confusion, he continued,

    "You''ve been letting me off when you would have fired me a long time ago. You even offered to pay for the broken bottle of wine. Is that you being your professional self?" He asked calmly. "Let''s not deceive ourselves. Our private and business lives are intertwined now."

    "I don''t care what you say now, I won''t fire you from here unless you give me a good reason to. If you do not want to continue being my bodyguard, it''s fine. I''ll pay you for the past weeks but working here is different." She said stubbornly.

    They both looked at each other again with none of them saying a word.

    "Why do you want to keep me here?" He suddenly asked.

    "..."

    "Look, I am trying to stay away for myself. For my mental health. Why are you so hellbent on making me stay? That is... punishment."

    "If you really wanted to leave, you would have resigned yourself." She said thoughtfully.

    "You cannot put me in the position to fire you when you do not want to leave. I... won''t do that."

    "Why? Do you like me?" He suddenly asked seriously with his hands folded in front of his chest.

    Chloe was taken aback by the sudden question. Something didn''t feel right. She was always the tough one while he was the one always at the edge but it seemed now, they have swapped roles.

    "Because I do not get why you want me to keep staying unless you just want me around which isn''t fair to me." His heart began to pound really fast in expectation. Everyone kept hinting to him that Chloe liked him but why couldn''t he see it? Or maybe he believed it a little but needed a confirmation from her? He had no idea.

    Chloe closed her eyes and touched her forehead before opening them again. "Let''s not argue. I''m not in the mood for this... please." She said weakly.

    Jeremy didn''t want to stress her since he could see she was already stressed so he nodded and went back to work.

    "Hey!" She called back and threw something at him which hit the back of his neck before falling on the floor.

    He looked down at what she threw and saw it was a lollipop.

    He chuckled lightly, "You are throwing tantrums now?" He raised his head to look at her before bending down to pick it up.

    He moved closer to her to give it back but she didn''t take it.

    "I bought it. It''s yours." She said while looking at everywhere else but at him.

    "Really?" He asked in surprise and looked down at the lollipop in his hand.

    "..."

    "It''s the first time you are giving me a gift. Thank you." He said with a smile as he looked at it like it was a very precious treasure.

    Chloe felt her throat tighten at his words. That was right. He had done a lot for her but this was the first thing she was giving him. Something so small and worthless. Seeing how much he liked it made her feel even more guilty.

 Chapter 224 - Im scared

    Leo could not allow Mia continue sulking so he went to her room the next morning. He had called Chloe to know when their classes was to begin and Chloe had said it was by 8am. The time was already a few minutes to 8 yet she hadn''t opened her door since last night. He had thought letting her have the time for herself was best, but he wasn''t sure anymore. He wanted her to be completely okay.

    The door was locked when he tried to open it so he went to fetch the spare key from his room. He had made a quick breakfast earlier�� sandwich, omelet and coffee for her so he carried the tray with him inside her room.

    Just as he had expected, she was lying on the bed in a fetal position with her back to him. Her head was on the pillow and a duvet covered her body. He walked almost silently and took his time dropping the tray on the vanity table so he wouldn''t make any noise that would rouse her from sleep. But on a second thought, why didn''t he want to wake her up when he had come here to wake her up in the first place?

    He stood there wondering whether to wake her up or not when he heard her voice, "You know you can stop acting like a thief now." She said in a very quiet voice that he almost missed she said something.

    "You were awake?" He asked in surprise and moved closer to the bed to the side where her head was. He stood there and looked at her sadly. Her eyes were still tightly closed but he could see how broken and lifeless she looked. She must have cried all through the night. He was at least happy he had taken her to eat before they went to the hospital.

    "You shouldn''t keep it in Mia. Talk to me. If there is something you want me to help you with, I''ll do it. Don''t just look like this.... please."

    Through the duvet, he could see her body begin to shake. She slightly parted her mouth and while he was waiting to hear a word, what came out were broken sobs.

    He sat down beside her immediately and began to pat her back. "Shh. It''s okay. It''s going to be fine, trust me." He said and continued to pat her gently.

    Mia cried so much that she feared she had exhausted a lifetime of tears in just a few hours.

    "I''m s-car-ed." She said in between sobs.

    Leo lied down beside her and practically hugged her on the bed while he continued to pat her back.

    "I''m so scared Leo." She continued.

    "You don''t have to be. I''ll protect you." But he remembered in a few days time, he would be on a plane going far away. How was he going to protect her from many miles away when it seemed like she was always getting in one  trouble or the other every week?

    "What if they are correct? What if... I really have a bad luck?"

    "Come on, now you believe in those stupid superstition? You are smarter than that."

    Mia shook her head stubbornly. "There is a huge possiblity that it is true. Someone told me that a few weeks back. I have bad luck. I am so scared!"

    "Mia.. stop it. Do not let their words get to you. You have done nothing wrong. You did nothing wrong. From the beginning, nothing was your fault. Just like Linda blamed you at first when Mary was missing, but at the end, didn''t we all see that Mary ran away and nothing bad happened to her?"

    "There is no reason for my father to run away." Mia countered.

    "He was in debt. You mentioned it. And you all had to sell off your properties to pay off his debt."

    "He has a wife and children. My father isn''t that kind of person!" She cried.

    "You also wouldn''t have believed he was the type to cheat right?"

    "I... am so sorry Mia." He quickly apologized when she stiffened at his words. It seemed that for a little moment, she had forgotten about the fact that her biological mother was all bones in the grave while she kept trying everyday to please Linda.

    Mia sniffed. Tears was flowing down her eyes like a waterfall. Leo wasn''t sure he had seen so much tears from one person before.

    "I really didn''t want to have that conversation with them earlier. If wasn''t difficult to guess that I''m probably not Linda''s child. Why did... Mary do that to... me?"

    "Mia please.. you are going to fall sick at this rate. You have lot to do this week and you shouldn''t let this whole thing ruin your happiness."

    "Happiness? I can never be happy! This is probably a punishment from the heavens because my mother tried to ruin Linda''s marriage."

    "You are becoming unreasonable." Leo said, trying not to get annoyed at her conclusion.

    Mia shook her head stubbornly. "I''m scared, I''m scared! I don''t want to have bad luck.  I don''t want it. Please I don''t want it." She continued to shake her head vigorously and cry loudly. "I... don''t want... it... please..."

    "You don''t have it." He hugged her head to his chest and rubbed her back soothingly. He was so heartbroken for her. If there was a way all her pain could be transferred to him, he wouldn''t think twice before accepting it. She was always hurting. He just hoped she wouldn''t end up being depressed and try to push everyone away because of her silly superstition.

    "Go away from me please... I don''t want your life to become a mess because of me."

    Now, that was what he was talking about.

    "Mia..."

    "I am scared of being alone but it''s very frightening to imagine what would happen to you if you continued ��"

    "You are going to piss me off." He said in a deep, threatening voice, cutting her off.

    He reached for her phone when it started to ring and she shook her head. She didn''t want to take the call. She didn''t want to take any calls. She wanted to be alone until she could convince herself that she wasn''t what everyone was saying she was.

    "It''s Mira." Leo informed her.

    Mira was probably getting ready to leave for the airport but still, she couldn''t bring herself to answer the call. Her friend was in so much because of her family once again. Did she also indirectly make that happen? It was silly to think so, but now, if she could believe in superstition, why wouldn''t she believe everything else?

    ~~~

    "She still isn''t taking her calls?" James asked Mira.  They were already at the airport with Mira''s plane almost ready to board.

    "She isn''t. Do you think she is okay?"

    "Give Leo a call." James suggested. Mira nodded and dailed his number but he also didn''t answer the call.

    "They are probably busy." James said when he saw the worry in her face. "I''ll drop by his apartment to know what''s up and text you the details."

    When the call came for the boarding passengers to join the plane, she looked at her phone with regret before smiling up at James.

    "I''ll call you when I arrive."

    "Of course, you don''t have much of a choice." He said with a smile.

    They looked at each other for a few seconds before they found themselves suddenly hugging. None of them could remember who initiated the hug.

    "I''ll miss you." He whispered.

    "I know." She replied cheekily and laughed when she pulled away from the hug to see him frowning at her.

    He touched her face lightly and helped move the hair which escaped her ponytail, behind her ear.

    "I''ll miss you." She suddenly said seriously.

    "I know."

    The tension between them became unbearable so she quickly stepped back.

    "Take care!" She waved and turned around.

 Chapter 225 - I dont like him

    When Jeremy didn''t see Mia in class that morning, he knew something was wrong. Even though he hadn''t been her friend for a very long time, he knew Mia wasn''t the type to skip classes unless something had happened and he wasn''t sure it was something good.

    Since he was early to class most of the times just like right now, there was still time before the first class commenced so he went outside the class to give Mia a call. It rang, which was a good thing, but she didn''t answer the call. He called her a second time and pleaded silently for her to answer her calls but she still didn''t.

    Aside from the fact that he didn''t want her missing classes this period when they were preparing for tests and exams, he was used to her presence and didn''t want to be alone. Being alone means there was no much distraction so Katie Engels would probably come sit beside him and say those nonsense things she said about wanting to know him blah blah. Being alone also meant he would be very tempted to stare at Chloe. That was a temptation he wasn''t sure he would be able to overcome. If Mia was seated beside him, at least she would block his view of Chloe so whenever the urge came to look at Chloe, he would simply speak with Mia instead and she seemed to have caught on it but didn''t say a word about it.

    Thankfully, he had Leo''s number so he called Leo who also didn''t pick his call. This made him worried. How could Leo and Mia not answer their phones and Mia was also not in school? Did something happen to Mia? Or did something happen to Leo? That had to be it. He called Leo again but he still didn''t pick up. He sighed in resignation before turning around to head back to class for now.

    He was utterly surprised when he saw Chloe approaching. She was just coming to school now. Lately, she seemed to look very dull and uninterested in anything. She wore a blue formal gown with a low shoe. Very simple. Her make up was almost invisible but he had studied her face for long to know she wore it. Her hair was tied to the back of her head and surprisingly, she wasn''t carrying one of those fancy designer''s bag of hers but she carried a small backpack instead, which she wore on her back.

    Chloe sensed she was being watched so she looked ahead attentively and saw Jeremy. There was a flicker of surprise on her face before she went back to normal. He looked the same. Hair in a ponytail, a white shirt tucked in grey pants and black shoe.

    The previous day, they didn''t settle whatever was between them. After she gave him the sweet and watched his reaction, she left in a hurry, feeling extremely guilty but Jeremy didn''t understand why she was reacting that way. He had thought he understood women since he had been really close with his mother and then Ellie, but he had been wrong. He didn''t understand Chloe one bit.

    He moved closer to her and stopped when he was standing in front of her, "Mia isn''t picking her calls. Neither is your brother. I think something happened."

    Chloe tried to hide her disappointment. She had thought he was approaching her for a different reason but this was also a serious issue so she took out her phone and dialed her brother''s number. He didn''t pick up.

    "Try dialing Mia''s number again." She told him. He did that also but she still didn''t answer.

    Chloe also became worried. Was her brother sick? Or was Mia?

    "After the first class, I''ll drive down to his place to confirm."

    "I''ll go with you." He included himself immediately.

    "Not necessary."

    "Necessary! Mia is my friend and Leo is my.... well..." He scratched the back of his neck as he thought about what to say, "Your brother....?"

    "Someone needs to stay in case any important announcement would be made."

    "That is why we have group chats." He waved his phone in front of her eyes. "Everything about the department is sent here."

    The look on his face turned to a sad one and Chloe seemed to catch on immediately.

    "I don''t like him."

    "What? Who?" He asked in confusion.

    She bit her lower lip before answering, "Kelvin. There is nothing between the two of us." She explained. "You saw the picture on the group chat, I guess?"

    Jeremy nodded sadly. "I did." He knew Chloe didn''t like Kelvin. She had made it obvious from the onset but he couldn''t help the jealousy he felt. He had never been with Chloe that way before�� In a fancy restaurant and proper outfit. Either they were in school or at work, except when he followed her home and to James'' party.

    "He... was your blind date right?"

    There was something Chloe realised recently, and that was the fact that she didn''t like seeing Jeremy look sad. Maybe because she was used to seeing him smile, laugh, tease her and look shy. She didn''t like the way he looked and it made her feel extremely guilty thinking it was her fault.

    "Yes. But I left. Almost immediately. And I put him in his place." She watched his face curiously and saw how much he was trying to hide the smile that was spreading on his face.

    "I''ll... just go... wash my hand." He said and hurried away from her immediately.

    Chloe could imagine the broad smile on his face and she chuckled. It was actually the first time she was laughing in forever.

    Since the past week, things hadn''t been easy for her. And she wasn''t talking about business, she was talking about her family. She could see how displeased her mother looked whenever they bumped into each other at home. It seemed she hadn''t mentioned about her tantrum to her father because he hadn''t said anything about it.

    This morning especially, she had realised something. Something which made her tensed.

    While getting ready for school, she had recieved a call from the least person she had expected, her ex boyfriend, David.

 Chapter 226 - Good luck

    David had used another number to call her and when she realised it was him, she was about to hang up but he pleaded with her not to.

    "I called to apologize." He said, taking her by surprise but she hoped this wasn''t another tactic of his to ask her for more money.

    "And to thank you." He added. "My sister is better now and would be discharged later today. She told me your doctor brother was always nice to her." His voice grew lower and she heard him sniffled as if trying to suppress his sobs.

    "I thought I was going to lose her. A doctor said her condition would have been worse had she not been attended to in time."

    ''I''m not the one you should be thanking'' She thought. It was Jeremy. He had been the one to plead with her to help out, saying she may regret it if she didn''t, and something bad happened to the girl.  He had been right. She would have regretted it because it would have felt like she had allowed another person die. She would have gone crazy. A tear slid down her face as she heard all David was saying to her.

    "I''m really sorry for everything I did to you. And if I made you uncomfortable anytime, I sincerely apologize. I... really loved you Chloe." This time, she heard him sob.

    "And I was pissed because you didn''t seem to like me as much as I did you. I think a part of my conscience died with that realization and I did all I did out of anger and greed."

    "...."

    "I hope you are happy with that guy. He seems to like you a lot and you seem to like him back."

    As he kept talking, Chloe had a lot of flashbacks and she remembered the moment this whole thing with Jeremy started.

    She remembered how he always stared at her, how he fought with David in school, how he blushed when they met at the mall the first time and he had also asked for her number. She remembered how he had saved her from the psycho girl who attacked her at the parking lot, also when he offered to be her bodyguard, how he always btought things for her in her office and asked her to eat, the day she slept at his house, the night of James'' party when she had asked him to kiss her and he didn''t, the way he always smiled at her, she remembere him asking her to help him dry his hair, she remembered how he threw up after taking the pills for his hangover. The day he had ran into that hospital and cried as he asked where she was after her accident.

    She remembered everything to the moment he pleaded with her to fire him and how he had snubbed her afterwards and the smile on his face when she gave him the sweet.

    She cried.

    "Why did he have to like a bitch like me?" She had asked herself.

    She hadn''t planned to give him any sort of greenlight but she realised she had encouraged him a lot. She had told him she wouldn''t date him, but she got to like his presence and the attention he gave to her. She promised herself while leaving the house that morning that she was going to stop doing anything that would encourage him, but here she was. She had told him with her own mouth that there was nothing between herself and Kelvin.

    She told him she didn''t like Kelvin and had left the date almost immediately. If he was smart, he would know she had left there just to meet him at Leo''s house. She even said she put Kelvin in his place. Once again, she had encouraged him. And instead of feeling bad about it, she was smiling because he looked happy again.

    She had never been this confused in her life. She didn''t know what she wanted aside from the fact that she wanted to succeed and wanted Jeremy to be happy all the time. Making him happy all the time meant doing and giving him the things he liked. With the way things were going now, she guessed they would come a day where she would eventually give him what he actually wanted. That was a really big and scary decision because it was going to be her family against him. And something told her her family was definitely going to win.

    *******

    Mia muted her phone a long time ago. She had done so when Mira''s call kept coming in. With Leo''s help, the phone was placed inside the drawer beside the bed. She wasn''t sure she would be able to speak on the phone and she didn''t want to try. She was broke, devastated, in pain. She had felt a lot of pain but she hadn''t felt this kind. Her heart was literally breaking. She could feel an excruciating pain in her heart which was almost making her lose consciousness.

    Thankfully, there was Leo on the bed with her. All effort to push him away proved futile. He hugged her tightly and kept assuring her that things would turn out well eventually. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe everything he was saying but she couldn''t.  Nothing was going to turn out well. This was the last straw that broke the camel''s back. She wasn''t sure she could take anything again.

    "Mia, listen to me." Leo said with a firm voice.

    "It doesn''t matter who brought you into this world. What matters is you. I know this is a really insensitive thing to say right now, but I wish you would be happy that Linda isn''t directly related to you. I don''t even want to talk about Mary right now."

    "This time, you have to live for yourself. I will have to put some legal measures in place to make sure Linda and Mary never comes close to you again since it affects your mental health."

    "Now, you just have to live happily. Forget about them. You have a wonderful future ahead of you. You have a competition which you have been looking forward to. You also have exams. These are the things you have been looking forward to. All you need do is push this whole thing away and pretend like it never happened. Trust me, you are going to have a great life from now on."

    "Leo..."

    "If you really think you have a bad luck, I have enough good luck in me to cover for the both of us." He assured her.

 Chapter 227 - What happened to you?

    Leo wasn''t sure this was a good thing. He looked at Jeremy and his sister who were standing outside his door, obviously waiting for him to let them inside, and answer their questions.

    "Where is Mia and why isn''t she answering her phone?" Jeremy asked again and tried to peek over Leo''s shoulder. He was getting really impatient with Leo''s silence.

    "He insisted on coming." Chloe explained when Leo''s eyes moved from Jeremy to her.

    Leo seemed uninterested in whatever was happening with the two. That was the least of his problems. He had to handle Mia first before facing Jeremy and give him a proper scolding for making his sister look sad and uncool. She was looking too simple for ''Chloe'' in the outfit she was wearing.

    "She isn''t feeling too well and I''m not sure she would appreciate the company." He said and moved away from the door to give them a chance to walk inside.

    "And why weren''t you answering your phone? Where is she? I''d like to see her."

    Leo noticed there was something about the way Jeremy was sounding so he crossed his hand in front of his chest before looking at him intensely.

    For a boy in his early 20s, Jeremy was as tall as he was and under his clothes, Leo could guess he was really fit. But since Leo was older and had spent quite some time in the gym, he knew he could easily intimidate Jeremy. Even though Jeremy wouldn''t have been intimidated by Leo''s physique, Leo still had an upper hand since he was Chloe''s older brother and Jeremy would naturally want to be in his good grace.

    "Why... are you looking at me like that?" Jeremy asked and moved a bit closer to Chloe.

    ''It''s working.'' Leo thought excitedly.

    "What is wrong?" Chloe asked Leo, sensing how uncomfortable Jeremy was with the way Leo was staring at him.

    "Why do I feel like you are hinting at something with the way you are asking about Mia?" Leo asked Jeremy.

    "Why do I feel like you are hiding something by not telling us where she is?" Jeremy asked back but he kept moving closer to Chloe who seemed confused with both men''s conversation.

    "You think I did something to Mia?" Leo asked calmly.

    "I don''t know. She''s suddenly not taking her calls, she''s not in school, Mira''s number isn''t going through, you didn''t answer your calls either and you are not telling us where she is. Maybe you did something to her. Are you.... a serial killer?"

    Chloe immediately turned to look at him in shock. Where did he draw such conclusion from?

    "What? Se--rial killer?" Leo asked in disbelief. He had only thought Jeremy''s only problem was the fact that he was troublesome, he didn''t think the boy had a weird way of reasoning.

    This was all thanks to the crime movie a part timer told Jeremy about yesterday.

    "What are you saying... how could you call him that?" Chloe scolded in a whisper before standing in between both men.

    "He... didn''t mean that." She said apologetically to Leo.

    "I meant it. It''s suspicio�C" Jeremy was talking from behind her but one glare from Chloe made him shut up.

    Leo touched his forehead. "How do you cope with him?" He asked Chloe, sounding really worried for his sister and her mental health.

    "At least do a proper search before you accuse people." They heard a weak feminine voice from one end and turned to see Mia standing by the door to her room. They didn''t know when she came out or how long she had been standing there since Jeremy had been ''entertaining'' them with his absurd accusation.

    "Mia... what''s wrong with you?" Jeremy asked in surprise and hurried over to where she was standing.

    She was wearing a white Pajamas with yellow roses designed on the loose shirt and pant. She had freshened up but she still looked awful. Her eyes were swollen, plus she also had eye bags to show she didn''t sleep last night. Her hair was messy even thought it was tied in a ponytail.

    "What happened to you?" He held her shoulders and turned her both sides to have a good look at her face.

    "Did he... break up with you?" He asked in a voice he believed was a whisper but everyone in the room clearly heard him.

    Leo scoffed, "Are you sure everything is okay with you? Do you need to go see a doctor or something?" Leo asked Jeremy who completley ignored him. His focus was on Mia.

    Mia shook her head and smiled a little. At least it wasn''t forced. Jeremy''s concern and Leo''s reactions were both amusing to her.

    "I am fine. You should be in school. Why are you here?" Mia asked Jeremy. He couldn''t afford to miss classes, especially now.

    "He was worried about you. We had to come over after the first class." Chloe answered first.

    Leo looked at his sister curiously. She wasn''t the type to really involve herself in other people''s lives. She had stopped meddling in people''s lives a long time ago unless they were sick. Maybe that was why she had come look for Mia with Jeremy. But one thing he observed was the less pleasant way she was staring at the two of them and how Jeremy was fawning over Mia like he was her mother.

    "You didn''t have to come over. I just wasn''t feeling too well and couldn''t receive calls. I''m sorry for troubling you two." Mia said sincerely to Jeremy and Chloe before looking at Jeremy.

    "You have to hurry back to school before the next class. You can''t afford to miss classes again, you know for people like us, missing classes comes with consequences. You have to leave now."

    "What''s wrong?" Jeremy asked, looking at her seriously.

    "What?" Mia asked back.

    "You sound like you desperately want me to get away from you? Do you have a flu? Or a contagious disease?"

    "That''s not it." She said but avoided looking at him.

    She looked towards Leo''s direction instead and noticed he was going inside his room with his sister behind him.

    "If something is wrong, do not hesitate to tell me about it. I may look less tough, but trust me, I''m actually tough." He said smugly while showing off his biceps.

    Mia could not help rolling her eyes. "Tell that to Chloe. Oh! You both made up?" Mia remembered to ask.

    As expected, Jeremy blushed and touched the back of his neck. "Well, I had to take pity on her and remain friends with her." He said with a grin that made Mia scoff.

 Chapter 228 - Treason

    "How are you?" Leo asked Chloe when they got to his room.

    "Me?" She asked and sat down on the seat he gestured to her to sit on.

    "I''m... fine.. I guess." She said in confusion, not knowing why exactly he was asking her that question.

    "You look awful." He noted bluntly which made her self conscious. She touched her face before looking down.

    "I''m trying to survive."

    "Trying? You are always trying to survive. Why can''t you just survive?" He asked seriously with his gaze never leaving her.

    She laughed a bit. It was a dry laugh with no iota of happiness on it. "It''s difficult."

    "Talk to me. What is wrong?" Leo asked.

    It was always easy to open up to Leo. She didn''t know how it happened. Maybe he had hypnotised her once upon a time? She didn''t know.

    An unexpected tear slid down her face. Truthfully, she could not really tell what was wrong with her. She was depressed. But she had to settle those things eating her up.

    "I feel like I do not have my own life. Everything is being controlled." She confessed.

    Leo didn''t interrupt. He only nodded to encourage her to trust him and open up.

    "I do not know why I feel like I owe mum and dad my life. Maybe because of how they''ve always stood by me and how they helped and encouraged me after the incident with Adrian. I just... feel like I cannot disobey them." She used both hands to cover her face and sobbed quietly.

    Everyone had a problem.

    Everyone did.

    Leo wished he could take away the pain of these women he loved dearly. But he could only try to understand their pain and make them realise he understood them. He couldn''t completely take it away. But he would try.

    "What would you rather do? How would you rather live?"

    "I don''t know!" She said amidst tears. "That''s the problem. Even having such thoughts feels like treason to me."

    "I feel like I''m in bondage and I cannot breathe. I want to breathe Leo. I really want to."

    Leo sat up on the bed and looked at her quietly. Now, she was looking at him with her teary eyes which seemed like they were pleading with him to give her a solution.

    "Now... let''s commit treason. I am in the same team with you and whatever befalls you, befalls me. But I promise you, I will protect you and won''t let the emperor slay you. So... let''s talk about that thing you really want to do." He said with an encouraging smile.

    ***********

    Chloe drove back to school, with Jeremy sitting on the passenger''s seat. She was awfully quiet and he didn''t like it. Even though she hadn''t been really chatty on the drive to Leo''s place, she had at least said a thing or two to him unlike now where she wasn''t saying a thing at all.

    This would have been less awkward had Mia agreed to go with them to school but she didn''t look like she was in her right mind to go to school besides, she had said she caught a flu and didn''t want to spread it.

    "Are you ignoring me because I hinted that your brother may or may not be a serial killer?" He asked cautiously.

    Chloe turned to look at him before shaking her head in amus.e.m.e.nt. "That''s not it."

    There was another round of silence before he spoke again. "I would have asked you why you cried and suddenly look sad, but I''m not sure you may want to tell me about it. But I hope it''s nothing serious."

    "You are very observant, aren''t you?" She asked and smirked at him.

    "Not with everybody." He said in a quiet voice.

    She looked at her reflection on the rearview mirror just before her car got closer to the school''s gate, and stopped the car.

    "How many minutes more before the next class?" She asked him.

    "19" He raised his head from his wristwatch to answer.

    "Why?" He asked quickly and held his seatbelt tightly when she suddenly reversed the car.

    "I need to get rid of this look. This isn''t my style." She said and winked at Jeremy.

    Jeremy blinked a few times in disbelief. He didn''t even know when she drove away from the school premises.

    "Did you... just wink at me?" He asked slowly. "What happened to you in your brother''s house!?"

    She laughed loudly at his reaction and turned up the music instead of giving an answer. It was a nice blues playing on the radio.

    She drove quietly with a little smile on her face.

    Jeremy watched her with confused eyes. First, she had laughed so freely and happily. It was the first time he was seeing and hearing her laugh that way. And now, she was driving with a smile on her face.

    The car didn''t go far before it stopped. "What are we doing here?" Jeremy asked as he looked at the shopping centre through the window.

    "Everyone''s been looking at me strangely today. I need to get a new dress." She said before turning off the ignition.

    "Coming?" She asked when he made no effort to take off his seatbelt.

    "I... don''t know. I''ve never followed a girl shopping before." He said shyly.

    "Today''s your lucky day then." She c.o.c.ked her head at the direction of the building before stepping down from the car.

    "I just want to be free. Be different for one day." She had said to Leo back then at his apartment.

    "To laugh more, smile more, make last minute plans, go shopping out of the blue without anyone beside me, picking out the clothes they believed suited me more." She didn''t have to mention a name,  Leo knew she was talking about their mother.

    "You are sure we are going to arrive early for the next class?" Jeremy asked before checking his phone for the time. They had only 13 minutes.

    "The more reason we should be hurrying." She reminded him. "And do not worry, I do not like to miss classes either." She said with a smile before walking ahead.

    Jeremy would have been happy she was smiling at him and was free with him, but for some reason, he was having a bad vibe about this whole thing. It was as if she had been possessed by something. If whatever had possessed her left her, she was definitely going to return to being her normal self.

    "I guess I have to enjoy this while it lasts." He said to himself before following her.

 Chapter 229 - Drama Queen

    Leo kept his eyes on Mia as she ate slowly. It was almost as if she was forcing herself to eat which was actually the case. She had said she didn''t have an appetite but he knew she was still going to starve if she didn''t eat so he had gone to a nice restaurant to get her her favourite. It was spaghetti. He had thought the sight alone would make her crave to devour it but really, she wasn''t interested.

    "You are going to school tomorrow." He said.

    It wasn''t a question. He was telling her. He was not going to leave her like that.

    "Hmm. I know." She nodded slowly. "I can''t keep staying indoors." She admitted which made him sigh in relief. At least, she was thinking reasonably now.

    "Great! I thought I would have to force you to go to school."

    "I''d do with seeing a few faces and Jeremy''s company is always very pleasant so I''ll be good. You should eat�� why are you looking at me like that?" She asked when she noticed how his facial expression suddenly changed.  It looked like he was angry about something.

    "Nothing." He said before lifting his glass of juice to his lips.

    "There is something. What is wrong?" She pressed.

    "I just think... well.. you both seem really close." He said with a shrug before packing a lot of spag and shoved it inside his mouth.

    "Who?" She asked in confusion.

    "Jeremy. You even think his presence his pleasant. Pfft.  There''s nothing pleasant about him."

    "Anyways, it''s nothing. Do not mind me." He forced a smile and continued eating.

    If Chloe continued to reject Jeremy''s advances and by chance he fell out of love with her, what if he faced Mia instead? Especially now that he was traveling far away?

    It was Mia''s turn to look at him as he ate. "You are jealous, aren''t you?" She asked with a smile.

    "Scoffs! Jealous? Of who? Give me a reason why I should be jealous of him?"

    "You are." Mia said and giggled excitedly at the thought. "If he hears this, he is so going to be over the moon." She teased.

    "Do not even think about saying this to him or anyone." He said immediately and glared at her before looking down at his plate of food.

    "I''m jealous? Pfft, what a joke!" He muttered to himself and continued to stab his fork on his meal making Mia giggle even more.

    The excitement soon died down and she looked at him with mixed emotion.

    She couldn''t stop thinking about how much worry she had brought him since they met. How much had he spent because of her?  He was probably fed up right? Or maybe not.

    She shook the thought out of her head.

    ''Smile Mia. You only have to smile.'' She reminded herself.

    "I''ve been thinking." She started, getting his attention.

    "About what?" He asked in alarm. He had a feeling that whatever she had thought about wasn''t good but she smiled at him and her smile seemed to make him relax.

    "You were right. I don''t have to think about any unnecessary thing. I will be happy."

    "Really?" He asked in surprise. That was fast, unexpected and nice!

    "Hmm. I just have to focus on the competition, focus on my exams and future. Nothing else."

    "What do you mean by nothing else?" He asked with a frown. "What about me? Won''t you focus on me?" He whined.

    Mia grinned. Why was he suddenly acting like a baby?

    "Of course, including you." She corrected quickly.

    He gave her one of his best and prettiest smiles and picked up a table napkin  to clean his mouth before sitting up to look at her.

    "Mia Lucas?"  He called her.

    "Hmm?" She looked at him curiously, wondering what he wanted to say that he looked so serious.

    "I f.u.c.k.i.n.g love you."

    That was quite unexpected and out of the blue so she looked surprised. "Whenever you are happy, I am happy. And..." He blinked a couple of times and sighed. "I was scared since last night."

    "Why?" She asked quietly. She had also dropped her fork and cleaned her mouth.

    "I don''t know. I thought you were going to leave me. You know those kind of Nobel idiocy in Korean dramas." He shrugged before looking straight at her eyes seriously.

    "Please... no matter what... do not leave me. Do not even think about making decisions for the both of us. Hmm?"

    Mia''s eyes began to blink so much. She used a hand to cover her mouth and closed her eyes really tightly. She wouldn''t lie and say she hadn''t thought about it. It had been in her mind. She had planned to cut all ties with him once he travelled out.

    "I don''t want to leave you either." She said amidst tears. "I would die."

    "Then don''t. Or else I would shave my head and turn into a monk." He said lightly before leaving his seat to where she was seated and crouched down beside her.

    She looked down at him with her teary eyes. "And whenever you are going through a lot, do not try to push me away. I won''t let you lock yourself in again like that. If it means whipping or spanking you to make you stop falling into a depressed state, I''ll do so." He threatened before he took her hands and kissed the back of her hand tenderly.

    "I''ll always do my best." She promised him.

    "I am glad you finally see things the correct way. I am proud of you sweetheart." He said with a smile.

    His smile was contagious. So she couldn''t help but smile back at him.

    "I would have kissed you, but I have spaghetti in every corner of my mouth." He said with a grin.

    Mia laughed before dropping an unexpected kiss on his lips.

    "Uh. You''re being sneaky lately." He said while faking an angry frown.

    " Let''s just eat." Mia said dismissively and tried to hide her blush.

    "No. You stole a kiss from me, I have to take it back." He shook his head stubbornly and tried to kiss her but she kept moving her face away. Soon, they were both laughing and the kitchen was lively once again.

    *******

    "What happened today? You look happy." Ellie asked Jeremy and did a double take when she noticed his outfit.  "You went shopping?"

    "Hmm.." He said with a smile and began to head towards his room while she followed closely behind.

    "With whose money?" Ellie asked with a frown. "I hope they aren''t expensive else you are going to return them. We need to pay the utility bill." She nagged.

    "I already told you I would take care of that."

    Ellie kept giving him a suspicious look as she followed him inside his room. "What''s that bag in your hand?"

    She asked in a ''I hope that''s something for me'' tone.

    He turned around and winked before throwing the bag at her. "I thought you''d never ask."

    She caught it swiftly and checked inside. There was a box inside so she took it out and opened it to find different chocolates.

    "This is mine?" She gasped.

    "Hmm... courtesy of lady boss."

    "What? Chloe? You let her take you shopping?" She asked, sounding obviously displeased.

    "Hey! Hold on, that isn''t what happened."

    "Then what happened? If you let her do this, she may look down on you. Do you want that?" She lectured.

    "We went shopping for her during school hours, she saw a lot of things she liked so we returned after classes. She forced this on me." He said defensively and at the new leather jacket he wore.

    When Ellie still didn''t look convinced, he explained.

    "I didn''t want her to but she insisted. You know how she is like and it''s difficult ever winning against her. But I promised her I was going to pay back."

    She scoffed. "With whose money?"

    "Don''t worry. I won''t ever do anything to make her look down on me."

    "Are you sure?" She asked and looked at the chocolates with desire.

    "I promise.  So enjoy your chocolates. And make sure to call her to say thanks."

    "Alright. I''ll keep some in the fridge for you. She really didn''t have to get me this." Ellie said before leaving the room.

    Jeremy clearly heard her excited squeals and jumps once she exited the room and laughed.

    "Such a drama queen." He said to himself before entering the bathroom.

 Chapter 230 - Wish you luck

    Next day, Mia went to school. She kept a smile on her face, hoping from this moment, her life would be better.

    When she stepped into the school premises, she was first welcomed by a large banner which was congratulating Benjamin as the new Student''s Council President. She looked at the banner not longer than necessary before she continued her journey to the class.

    The only thing that kept ringing in her head was "Dance, Exam, Leo, Dance, Exam, Leo." Those were the most important things in her life at the moment and she didn''t want anything to ruin it.

    Did she want Mary and Linda far away from her? The answer was yes. After much thought, she realised those people weren''t good at all for her mental health. She didn''t want them around her. Something told her she would do well without them in her life. Something also told her to stay away from them so they wouldn''t keep blaming her for whatever was happening to them. Maybe if she stayed away from the Lucas, her father would return then they can live happily ever after without her.

    Once she entered the class, a bright smile from Jeremy greeted her and she smiled back. She was glad he looked okay now and better than the way he looked earlier this week.

    "You look great." He complimented. He wasn''t necessarily talking about the corporate pants and shirt she was wearing but the fact that she looked brighter than she looked yesterday.

    "So you''re no longer sick? What a weird illness." He said with an hint of ''I hope whatever was troubling you has been sorted out?'' in his voice.

    "I''m okay. You look really happy."  She noted and looked at Chloe''s direction. Chloe wore her earphone with her usual straight face as she flipped through a note book.

    Jeremy sighed. "I don''t know what is wrong with her. One moment she is like this, next, she is entirely different. I think she would need to see a psychologist or therapist or whatever people who have problems sees."

    "Any idea about what is wrong with her?" Mia asked in concern.

    "I have no idea." He shook his head. "She seem like someone who has been locked in a cage for a really long time. So even if she comes out, being free seems weird so she runs back inside the cage."

    "She would need help." Mia noted. "You can help her. Can''t she talk to you?"

    "Chloe doesn''t talk to people. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT." He reminded her.

    Everyone has a problem. Mia noted with a sad sigh.

    "What about you? What is your problem?" She asked curiously. He always seemed cheerful but there was no one human who was without a problem right? Doesn''t that make the world balanced?

    "Me? Nothing... I''m good." He said and opened his bag to take out his textbook and another material.

    "Who owns this?" Mia asked, and picked up the printed material to look at it.

    "Chloe gave this to me. It''s a summary of all our courses. I''ve been studying it with the one you gave to me. At this rate, I think I may beat the both of you and get better grades." He said with a smug smile.

    "Haha! In your dreams." Mia said and rolled her eyes.

    "I miss yesterday." Jeremy suddenly said with a far look in his eyes.

    "When we left your place, Chloe and I went shopping. I remember how people looked at us when we got back to campus. I could hear them saying we looked so good together. And Chloe didn''t seem to mind the gossips but after classes, her mood changed again. Hiss! Women are so difficult."

    Mia looked at Chloe''s direction again. Something was definitely wrong with her and it was bigger than it seemed. Or was it a personality disorder like Schizoid for example?

    "Just try what you can to help her. Sometimes, we tend to push people away from helping us but we really do need help and would really appreciate it if someone helped us." She said, remembering all the times Leo had helped her out and sometimes, without her knowledge.

    Jeremy thought about it for a while before nodding. "I will do something."

    "I wish you luck." Mia said with a genuine smile which he returned.

    "Have you decided to sign up for the school''s talent show?" Jeremy remembered to ask Mia.

    She shook her head. "I won''t be doing it."

    "What? Why? The benefits are mad! You stand to gain a lot especially if you are among the top 5."

    She shook her head again. "I have never really watched a competition from up close. All shows I''ve been to, I go there to participate, not to watch. Before I leave school, I want to know how it feels like to watch without almost dying of anxiety because your group may be next to perform, and you are a nervous wreck. I want to sit among the crowd and cheer for people." She turned to look at him with a smile. "That''s what I want."

    Jeremy looked at her sadly. He really knew nothing about Mia. It was a simple thing, yet, she said it like it was among her bucket list. Why hadn''t she watched a competition before?

    Of course she couldn''t watch it because at first, Linda had stopped her from going to shows especially when she realised Mia had a thing for dance. She didn''t want Mia to settle for something as ''mediocre'' as dancing. Then eventually, Mia couldn''t go out to watch because she had to work. She had too many part time jobs that watching a competition was the least of her problems. And when she saw an opportunity to make money from dancing, she grabbed it. The first time she stood on the stage, she had almost had an panic attack. Thankfully, she hadn''t gone there with her bare face since her face was painted with colors and she also wore a mask. It had been so because she told Mr B about how her family didn''t want her to dance and could easily identify her if they saw a video of her dancing, so he had suggested that heavy make ups be used on her face. Seeing how hiding her identity also gave her confidence, she stuck to that pattern.

    Maybe one day, she would reveal her face to the world? But she wasn''t sure dancing was the career she was going to pursue.

 Chapter 231 - Conflicted

    "Let''s talk outside." Kelvin walked up to Jeremy and said to him just after their first class ended.

    "You must be kidding me." Jeremy hissed. He didn''t bother to stand up. He just took out his earphone and plugged it in his ears, hoping Kelvin would see he wasn''t interested and go away.

    Annoyed, Kelvin pulled his earphone rudely and dropped it on the desk. "I SAID, LET''S TALK." He said, laying emphasis on each word.

    Most of the students in the class watched both boys curiously.  The look on their faces was almost identical. It was obvious Kelvin disliked Jeremy and would rather be talking to someone else, from the look on Jeremy''s face, the feeling was mutual. Why were they always at disagreement from the beginning? They wondered.

    Jeremy tried not to blow up at him. He could be a sweet puppy when he wanted to, but he had a temper.  He tried to keep a smile on his face when though he was deeply annoyed by Kelvin''s attitude.

    "Get. Lost." He said to Kelvin with an unfriendly smile before picking up his earphone.

    "You are causing a scene." Mia eyed Kelvin when he stepped closer towards their desk.

    "He doesn''t want to talk to you so let him be." She pointed out.

    "Stay out of this." Kelvin said to Mia while looking at her like she wasn''t worth a second of his time.

    "You may regret it if you do not follow me." Kelvin said to Jeremy who shrugged nonchalantly.

    "I don''t care."

    "Alright. Your wish then." Kelvin fixed the collar of his shirt arrogantly before walking away but not without eyeing Jeremy and Mia with disdain.

    "What''s wrong with him?" Mia asked Jeremy immediately he left.

    He shrugged, "I don''t know."

    "There''s something going on between you two right? Something deeper than just mere dislike for each other."

    "Do not worry yourself about it." He said with a smile before looking at a particular seat where his eyes always drifted to. He had seen her leave the class a few minutes back.

    Where did she go to?

    Chloe was inside the restroom. She locked herself inside a cubicle and sat on one of the toilet''s seats with her face buried in her palms.

    "It''s fine if you do not like Kelvin Hanks, we can always choose another partner for you." Her mother had said that morning with a reassuring smile.

    Chloe had simply given her a disappointed look before leaving the house for school. What was wrong with them? Wasn''t her mother listening to her words at all?

    She was beyond frustrated and wished she could disappear. All boldness and confidence she had the previous day suddenly vanished into thin air.

    She heard a message notification on her phone and looked at it. She had been waiting for a message from her friend, Amara.

    "I''m sorry honey but I won''t be able to make it. It''s crazy at work. PS: It took me great courage to send this."

    Chloe sighed deeply when she read the text. Just great! Would today get any worse? She wondered.

    "It''s fine. I''ll go there myself." Chloe replied.

    Almost immediately, Amara''s message came in.

    "Yourself? No, can''t do. What about Jeremy? You shouldn''t go there alone. Someone has to keep their eyes on you and he''s the only other friend you have."

    "That''s absurd! Chat later." Chloe texted with a frown before standing up.

    She was just about to exit the cubicle when she heard several footsteps enter the restroom at the same time.

    She didn''t know why she didn''t just leave at that point. Maybe because she feared she may be their next gossip topic once she left the restroom immediately.

    "Well, I voted for him so that''s a plus for me." Chloe heard one girl say  before giggling childishly.  She didn''t need anyone to tell her the girl was a freshman. They were all probably freshmen.

    "It suits him. But there would be no hotter president to me like Kelvin." Another girl said.

    "Pfft! That Ninny!  The only good thing about him is his looks and family background. Otherwise, he''s a total simp when it comes to that snob from the King''s family." Another one said.

    Chloe''s facial expression didn''t change. It wasn''t the first time she was hearing people talk about her like this and using such derogatory terms. She wasn''t surprised.

    "Chloe right? I wonder what he sees in her. She''s so cold and have an unattractive personality. Even I am disgusted by her attitude."

    Their voice had mixed up in Chloe''s head so she no longer cared about who was speaking, she simply listened.

    "I heard she''s really smart. I''ve seen her around a couple of times,  she also looks smart."

    "Smart? It''s obvious her parents have been pulling some strings behind closed doors. Smart my foot. I can swear she''s nothing but a bimbo who knows nothing but thinks she''s better than everyone."

    Chloe frowned. This was an accusation she hated the most in her entire life. How could they just assume such? She was about to turn the knob but stopped when one of them said something.

    "Oh! But don''t you all think she is secretly dating someone?"

    "Where did you hear that?"

    "Remember that really handsome stud with the ponytail I mentioned was my type?"

    "The guy you said was in the same class with Kelvin and had his eyes?"

    "Exaclty! That''s him. There''s a rumour that he''s her boyfriend. They are both always seen together. I even heard that someone saw them making out in a classroom." She said in a whisper.

    "Oh my!"

    "Really? Why does she always have the good looking guys?" A girl whined.

    Chloe didn''t know whether she was supposed to laugh or cry. She was tired of listening so she opened the door.

    There were actually four girls standing there with lipsticks and powders in their hands.  The girls gasped aloud when they came face to face with her.

    Speak of the devil.

    Chloe totally ignored them and went to the sink to wash her hands while they continued to look at her guiltily.

    Once she was done, she locked eyes with each of them through the mirror before walking out of the restroom.

    "Oh my God! I almost died!" One gasped with her hand on her chest.

    "I really thought I died!" Another said.

    "She''s scary. I... wasn''t here." Another one said before running out of the restroom.

    Pondering on what those ladies had said inside the restroom was the least of Chloe''s problems. Today was the late Adrian''s birthday and Mrs Wesley had said she was going to hold a little birthday party for him and also invite some of his friends. It seemed she had finally accepted his death and wanted to let go through this means. Chloe had heard that for the past few years, Mrs Wesley had forbade everyone from calling her son''s name.

    Chloe had to be there. She had to say goodbye to him since she didn''t have the opportunity to do so back then. She couldn''t even send him off at his funeral because his mother hadn''t wanted her to be there.

    But she couldn''t go there alone today. She knew she was going to be really heartbroken and as much as she hated to admit, she needed someone beside her today. Mrs Wesley must have also thought about this which was probably the reason why she had asked her to come with someone. Was it wise to ask Jeremy to go there with her?

    Would it by chance make Mrs Wesley angry that she was with another boy?

    As she entered inside the class, she looked at Jeremy''s direction and locked eyes with Mia.

    Mia. They weren''t so close, but could she ask her to go there with her?

    Should she ask Mia or go ahead and just ask Jeremy?

 Chapter 232 - Patience

    Both guys looked at each other. One wondering why the other had called him out while the other wondered if it had been a wise decision calling him.

    The younger one looked at his wristwatch. He was running out of time and had to return to school for his last class. He was tired of this staring contest already.

    "Ahem!" The older guy cleared his throat. "I called you here because I wanted to ask you for a favour." Leo said.

    Jeremy''s interest was piqued and he shifted his butt on the seat before he sat up. A favour? What could Leo possible need from him?

    "I... am listening." He said, urging him to go on.

    "I will be traveling soon."Leo paused.

    "Oh-kay?" When Leo didn''t say anything else, Jeremy said, "I like strawberry cakes."

    Leo looked at him in confusion. "And how is that supposed to concern me?"

    "Weren''t... you going to get all of us something we liked on your way back? I thought that was why you were telling me." He said with a pout.

    Leo sighed in resignation. "This can''t do." He muttered to himself. If he spent a longer time with Jeremy, he feared he may go insane.

    "Oh.. I guess that isn''t it then. What is it?" Jeremy asked.

    Leo looked at him for a moment before answering honestly. "I wanted to ask you to look after my sister, but I think that is a bad idea now." He said before standing up.

    "Wait!  Wait a minute!" Jeremy said desperately and also stood up. He held Leo''s arm, stopping him from taking another step.

    When Leo looked down at their hands and frowned, Jeremy let go of him quickly.

    "You.. want me to look after... Chloe? Really?" He asked in disbelief.

    "I almost asked you." Leo corrected with a frown and saw how Jeremy''s face lit up.

    "So you now trust me with your sister huh?" Jeremy asked with a smug smile before pointing at the seat for Leo to sit down. He liked this conversation. He no longer cared about his class. It could wait for all he cared.

    Leo still had an annoyed look on his face but he sat down anyway. He knew if he didn''t,  this boy may just bug him to the point of entering inside his dream.

    Jeremy quickly sat down across him with the smile still on his face.

    "How long are you traveling?" He asked.

    "I''m going abroad. For two years."

    "Ooooh... Wait what? Two years?" Jeremy asked with wide eyes and sat up again.

    "That long? Why?"

    "Last I checked, it was none of your business." Leo said with an unkind smile.

    "Of course it is! I am Mia''s friend and deserve to know. Did you...." He inched closer, dragging his body on the table. "Really break up with Mia?"

    "CAN YOU stop asking annoying questions?" Leo raised his voice and quickly lowered it when people around the cafe turned towards them.

    Jeremy was beyond shocked at his outburst and had even jumped. "You are scary." He said to Leo as he sat back down on his seat.

    "I''m glad you know that. I hope this makes you realise I can deal with you if you mess with my sister." Leo raised a c.o.c.ky brow at him.

    "I can also deal with you if you mess with Mia. I''m like a brother to her." Jeremy pointed out with raised shoulders.

    "Who do you even think you are? Mia doesn''t see you that way."

    "Says who?" Jeremy asked defensively.

    "She''s even older than you. Even Chloe is older than you."

    That got Jeremy to shut up and look at him sadly. "You know you didn''t have to mention the age thing right? Age is just a number."

    "So I probably should introduce you to one of my 27 years old lady friends right?"

    "Eww. No! What am I to do with a grandma?" Jeremy asked in disbelief.

    "What? Are you trying to say I am a grandpa?" Leo asked in anger before he raised a finger.

    "Wait a minute! How did we get here?" He asked rhetorically.

    He had come to talk about his sister with this boy so how did they suddenly start bantering in a cafe?

    "I will take care of Chloe. You don''t have to tell me to. I will look after her." Jeremy said, returning to the main topic.

    "I''m no longer sure I trust you with her." Leo said while shaking his head.

    "Actually, you should be more unsure about leaving Mia in my care. She may fall in love with me while you are away." He said and winked at Leo.

    Leo cringed when he saw the weirdest wink in his entire life but then he remembered what Jeremy had just said and laughed.

    "You really think Mia would prefer you to me?" He asked with a tone of disbelief at the sheer absurdity of that statement.

    "Look, you have no idea how important I am to Mia. Should we test it?" He asked with a smile.

    "How?" Leo found himself asking Jeremy before he could stop. Why did he keep entertaining this persistent little psycho?

    Jeremy took out his phone and placed it on the table.

    "Take yours out. You call Mia first and hang up before she answers. I''ll call her immediately and also hang up. Let''s see who she calls back first."

    Leo couldn''t help laughing at that. "Alright. Let''s do it." He said before calling Mia. After 2 rings, he ended the call and Jeremy did same.

    Both boys placed their phones on the table and waited for the first one to ring while looking at each other with a smirk.

    One phone finally rang after a few seconds and Leo smiled before picking up the phone to show Leo it was Mia who was calling him. Leo could literally see Jeremy''s heartbreak on his face.

    "Ah! How... how could she be like that? My contact is the first in her call log and she can see I''m not in school, isn''t she supposed to be worried that I''m probably sick or something?" He whined.

    Leo smiled before picking the call. "I wanted to tell you I love you. Take care baby." He said to Mia before disconnecting the call without giving her a chance to say something.

    "So... what were you saying?" Leo asked mockingly and laughed when Jeremy''s phone began to ring with a call from Mia.  Jeremy ended the call out of annoyance and hissed.

    "She''s annoying." He muttered.

    "You should know your limits. Same thing would have happened had it been Chloe." Leo suddenly had an idea and smiled even more. "You want to try?"

    "Whatever! Anyway...  let''s do it." Jeremy said.

    "I like your spirit boy. Be prepared for another heartbreak. So you call first, and I''ll call."

    Just like the first time, both boys called her and ended the call, then waited for her to call one of them first.

    When a phone began to ring, Jeremy sighed in defeat but frowned in confusion when he recognized the ringtone was his.

    With wide eyes, he grabbed his phone and checked the caller ID. It was Chloe.

    "Oh my God! Oh my God!! Oh my God!!! She called me first. She called me first!!!" He said loud enough for the people at the next street to hear him.

    "What?" Leo frowned and tried to take his phone from him to check but Jeremy didn''t let him but he turned the phone''s screen towards Leo so he could see it.

    "She called me first! Yes!!!! I am going to screenshot this and frame it." He stood up and began to laugh while Leo couldn''t help but laugh at his reaction.

    Jeremy finally answered the call when it was about to stop ringing.

    "Hey!" He said excitedly.

    "You sound... fine. Why are you calling me and why aren''t you in class?" Chloe asked in her usual cold voice.

    Jeremy used his hand to cover the speaker and looked at Leo to whisper. "She even knows I am not in class hehehe!"

    "Tch! Whatever." Leo said and shook his head while Jeremy continued his call.

    "I... just wanted to tell you... you are very beautiful." Jeremy said when he couldn''t make up any excuse for why he had called.

    Chloe was quiet for a few seconds before scoffing. "How annoying! Get back to class before the lecturer comes in." She said before hanging up on him.

    Jeremy wasn''t angry. In fact, nothing was going to make him angry for the next 1000 years.

    "She called me first." He bragged again to Leo before taking his seat.

    Just like the first time, Chloe called Leo next. He looked at his screen with displeasure before silencing it.

    "So... as I was saying earlier... I''ll be gone for two years so...."

    "Heheheh." Jeremy suddenly started laughing again, making Leo wonder what was wrong with him.

    "She called me first." Jeremy said with a grin.

    Leo closed his eyes. He couldn''t remember the last time he prayed, but now, he prayed to God for patience.

 Chapter 233 - Game

    "I will miss you." Mia said into the phone. She almost felt like crying but she stopped herself.

    "I will miss you a lot also. And please, make sure you do not scare us like that anymore. Whenever we call, please answer. If you cannot answer, send a text." James scolded but it sounded more like a plea.

    "I sent you a text yesterday." Mia reminded him.

    "When Mira already left and after making us worried? Yea. That wasn''t good. Besides, why did you have to go stay with Mary at the hospital? That''s some crazy shit. She''s never treated you like a sister." He hissed.

    Mia had lied to him. She was uncomfortable with telling lies, but she felt it was better telling him something else than saying, "I didn''t want to talk to any of you on the phone because I just realised my real mother is dead and they said I was born with a bad luck and so, I want to stay away from all of you."

    "I just... had to." Mia said.

    James sighed, "So aren''t you going to see me before I leave? We didn''t get to hang out a lot this time. I hate the fact that you have a boyfriend" He whined playfully. At last, Mia laughed. He was right though. They were always  buddies and hanging out together until Leo showed up.

    "Of course I will see you. After my next class, I''ll drop by your place."

    "Nah. Peter is driving me to the airport, so we''ll stop by your school. We''ll be there in an hour and thirty minutes tops. You''ll be free then?"

    "Yea.  I''ll be done for the day in an hour. I''ll wait outside the school gate."

    "I can''t wait to see you dude."

    "You are an idiot." Mia said.

    Before she ended the call, she could hear how James was having fun laughing at her insult.

    When she returned to the class, Jeremy wasn''t still back. Where was he and why had he called her earlier? She had called him back but he didn''t answer. She dialed his number again and just like before, he also didn''t answer.

    "Is he in trouble?" She wondered before looking at where Chloe was seated. Maybe it was best to ask her instead.

    Chloe saw Mia approaching her and tensed up. Maybe this was her chance to finally ask Mia to go with her. She had wanted to ask earlier when Jeremy was still in the class but had been procrastinating until Jeremy suddenly left the class. When she finally made up her mind to go meet Mia, Mia received a call and left the class also. Now, Mia was back. Since Jeremy wasn''t in yet, maybe she could just ask her now.

    "Hi." Mia said before sitting down beside her.

    "Have you heard from Jeremy? Do you by chance know where he went to?" Mia asked before Chloe could say hello. "He suddenly received a text and left the class. He called me earlier and the call ended immediately, when I called back later, he didn''t answer the call." Mia explained.

    Chloe looked at Mia with interest. She seemed to be really close with Jeremy and was obviously worried about him.

    "He is fine." Chloe answered indifferently. "I called him a while ago. He didn''t seem like��" Chloe paused and looked at Mia intensely.

    "He called you and hung up? Like.. was it immediately?" Chloe asked.

    Mia had a questioning look on her face. "I think it only rang for like two seconds. I was about to answer it when the call ended."

    Chloe began to think deeply but she wasn''t getting anything that made sense. "He also called me. It didn''t ring for long and the call ended. Maybe... his phone is faulty?"

    "Faulty? I... don''t think so... or maybe it''s the signal? It also happened when Leo... called me."

    "Really? It happened with me too."  Chloe said in surprise.

    Both ladies remained quiet and began to do the calculations in their  heads.

    "When did the call come in?"

    "What time did they call?"

    Chloe and Mia asked at the same time respectively.

    They both checked their phones and showed each other. The calls had happened at the same time.

    "Are they by chance together?" Mia asked.

    "I don''t know. But why would they call us at the same time? When I called Jeremy back, he didn''t say anything serious."

    "Same here. Leo also didn''t say anything... well..." Mia blushed. He had said he loved her and called her baby.

    "Hey! I think they are together." Mia suddenly said.

    "Really? Why?" Chloe asked in confusion.

    "I played a game like this with James before when we called Mira." Mia went on to explain how the game worked.

    "That little..." Chloe bit her lower lip as she thought about Jeremy. "Shit! I shouldn''t have called him." She muttered to herself.

    "That''s why he''s probably refusing to answer my calls. What a drama queen. Tsk!" Mia said but remembered and asked, "But he still answered your call even after you called Leo first, right? He''s so partial."

    Chloe''s lips formed a thin line as she looked at Mia. Mia looked at her in confusion for a moment before her eyes widened slightly.

    "You called Jeremy first!" Mia said with a smile.

    "It was a mistake." Chloe answered defensively even though it hadn''t been a question.

    Mia couldn''t stop her smile. This was a good news, especially to Jeremy. She couldn''t wait to see the smile on his face when he returned.

    "But what are they doing together?" Chloe asked, feeling tensed. What if Leo said something to make Jeremy angry? Or what if Leo was going to bully him for calling him a serial killer the previous day?

    "Why does he keep bothering me?" She asked herself in frustration before taking out her phone. She was about to call Leo but then, she remembered she was to ask Mia something since the next class would start soon.

    "Are you going to be free after classes today?" She asked and waited with bated breath for her answer.

    "Me? Why?" Mia asked. Their whole conversation just now surprised Mia. One would think they have been friends for long.

    "I''d like to know if you are going to be free." Chloe answered.

    She wanted to know first before she mentioned anything about it.

    "Uhm... not really. I''m seeing James off to the airport."

    "Oh..." Chloe said in disappointment before nodding. "Okay."

    "I am always free."

    They both suddenly heard an excited male voice behind them amd turned to see Jeremy standing there with the expected smile on his face.

 Chapter 234 - Empty

    As usual, Jeremy found his way into Chloe''s car at the end of their classes for that day.

    "You don''t have to go with me." Chloe reminded him. She didn''t know why he was always so stubborn. Another thing which had been annoying her, was the smile that was never leaving his face. He had been smiling all day and giggling to himself like he won a jackpot.

    She had thought he hadn''t been paying attention in class when the lecturer took note of his unusual behaviour and asked him a question. Surprisingly, he answered it well with only a minor mistake which could be overlooked.

    Seeing him in a cheerful mood, was a nice sight to behold. ''Well, he doesn''t have a bad smile.'' She thought to herself and shrugged.

    "I reckon it must have taken you quite a lot to ask Mia to go out with you. Why didn''t you just ask me? I''ve been going with you everywhere."

    "I didn''t ask her to go out with me."

    "But you were about to."

    "Look Jeremy, this is different. It''s not a place I think you''d be welcomed. And I can go by myself."

    "Then you wouldn''t have asked Mia if you could go by yourself. I''m coming with you. I can wait in the car if you want me to."

    "Jeremy..." She started.

    "Tell me you do not want me to go with you and I''ll let you be." He challenged. "I promise."

    Chloe kept shut and simply looked at him before she sighed. She looked out her window in resignation. "He always have his way. How annoying!" She muttered to herself.

    "Whatever. I don''t know when we''ll be getting back."  She turned back to tell him.

    Seeing she had given up on pushing him away, Jeremy smiled and fastened his seatbelt. He would have preferred to drive but she was already behind the wheel.

    "It''s fine. I can skip work. My boss would understand."

    "Tch! What is your boss supposed to understand? That you are slacking off?" She asked as she began to drive.

    "That I am being nice to people and helping those who needs my help." He answered with a shrug.

    "Not like I asked you." She grumbled quietly. "What about Ellie?" She asked.

    "She''s good. I''ll leave a message for her."

    "You always leave that girl by herself." Chloe said with a disapproving tone.

    "I do? It was her who always complained that I was always at home with her and said I should go make friends. Besides, she''s now always at her piano and ballet class. She''s happy." He said with a smile before taking out his phone to leave a text for her.

    "Did she call to say thanks for the chocolates?" He remembered to ask.

    A faint smile appeared on Chloe''s lips as she remembered her conversation with Ellie. The girl always had her ways of cheering her up.

    "She called." She replied Jeremy.

    *********

    "Did you wait for a long time?" James asked as he opened the back door of the car for Mia to get in.

    "Not really. Hey, hi!" Mia greeted when she saw Peter and Rachel. Peter was driving while Rachel was at the passenger''s seat.

    The siblings also greeted her while James joined her at the backseat.

    "You both didn''t go to school today?" Mia asked.

    "I was supposed to be the only one skipping school but Rachel is as stubborn as a bull." Peter said.

    "Hey! Do not call me a bull." Rachel frowned before looking at Mia behind.

    "I didn''t want to miss seeing James off. Only God knows when he''ll return." She told Mia.

    Mia nodded before turning to look at one of her best friends, while the siblings at the front kept bickering.

    "It''s a good thing you don''t look too happy with my leaving. At least, I know you still have a special place in your heart for me." He said with a smile.

    "Stop joking around! When are you coming back?"

    "I don''t know for now. But seriously, I do not want anymore holidays. I just want the school to run smoothly and to graduate already."

    "Truthfully, you do not look like a doctor." Mia said, making him laugh.

    "You always say that, so I know. And I''m glad. Everyone expects doctors to always look serious and boring. I can''t be that."

    "Can I ask you a question?" Mia suddenly asked, making James sit up.

    "Okay... that''s weird. You never ask for permission before asking me a question."

    "I''m just curious about something." Mia said lightly, making him relax.

    "And what is that?" James asked.

    Mia inched closer before asking, "Do you have a special kind of feeling for Mira?"

    James eyes widened a bit while the car suddenly turned very quiet making Mia realise the siblings had heard her question.

    "What the hell! No!" James said immediately.

    "I''ve been wondering same. Especially lately. There''s this kind of weird tension between you two." Rachel turned to say and quickly looked ahead when James glared at her.

    "That''s weird. Mira is my friend, just like you are to me."

    "I don''t think he likes Mira that way. He treats her like he treats Rachel." Peter said with a shrug but kept his gaze on the road.

    "He treats her better than he treats me!" Rachel corrected.

    "What prompted you to ask that question?" James asked Mia, deciding to ignore his siblings.

    "I don''t know. Maybe I''ve always thought something would go on between you two, or was even going on between you two already but you''re keeping it from me."

    James observed her for a moment before whispering inside her ear, "She told you about what happened that night right?"

    Mia nodded. She was about to say she also knew it wasn''t his fault he had barged in on her inside the bathroom but he continued,

    "Look, I was drunk. She was drunk also. I would never take advantage of Mira, and I swear, I didn''t touch her." He said in a whisper for only her to hear.

    When Mia looked at him in confusion, he mistook it for suspicion and confessed, "Maybe I was tempted, but I didn''t touch her. I even left the room immediately she fell asleep."

    "What the..." Mia gasped. "Something else happened that night aside from the bathroom incident?" She whispered in surprise.

    Realizing his mistake, he sighed and covered his face with his hands. He just shot his own foot.

    **********

    Chloe turned to look at the boy who was beside her. He had slept off on the drive there. "Tsk!" She shook her head before blowing the horn to wake him up. It worked, and he woke up.

    ''Finally!'' He thought. She had been driving for a really long time.

    "Sorry." He apologized sheepishly as he tried to swallow a yawn.  She had refused to indulge him in a conversation and out of boredom, he dozed off. He observed her expression and wondered why she looked so... sad, worried? Something about her had changed.

    "We''re here." She said softly.

    When he looked ahead, he saw a large house painted in White. There were flowers everywhere and even a water fountain with a statue of a young boy at the Centre of the compound.  "It''s beautiful." He said.

    "And empty." Chloe added sadly before facing him.

    "Just wait here. I don''t know how much time I would spend inside."

    "Are they having some kind of party inside?" He asked when she reached for a gift box at the back seat, and began to wonder why he didn''t want her to go with him. Maybe he embarrassed her? Or maybe his presence would put her in some kind of trouble?

    "I''ll wait. I suggested it anyway." He said with a shrug, trying to make himself feel better.

    Chloe didn''t know how to explain the reason she didn''t want him to go inside with her, so she took out one of her books from her bag and gave it to him. "You should study. I''ll try not to spend much time inside." She said before leaving the car. She was about to close the door but stopped midway.

    "There''s a little bag at the backseat, there are some cookies inside and some things you may like... well, I don''t know." She paused. "Just do your thing." She suddenly closed the door and began to head towards the entrance while Jeremy looked at her retreating figure with a smile. "She''s adorable." He said to himself.

    Chloe had carefully selected her outfit this morning. A black trousers and white shirt with a low heel. She took in a deep breath once she got to the door before ringing the doorbell.

 Chapter 235 - Shell be fine

    Chloe felt the atmosphere change when the door opened and she stepped inside. There were a couple of people in the sitting room. She didn''t need to look around to know they were Adrian''s cousins, friends and classmates back then. They all wore white in honour of him. Once again, she had been the one to do something entirely different. She wore black trousers.

    "Oh my! Chloe... right?" The old maid asked.

    Chloe recognized her. The woman gave her a feeling of nostalgia just like she had felt when her car drove into the residence.

    Chloe smiled at the woman. The woman had always been kind to her back then whenever she came to see Adrian.

    "Long time, Mrs Rivers."

    "Oh! It''s really you." She smiled warmly, revealing the crow''s feet at the corners of her eyes.

    "You grew pretty. I almost didn''t recognize you, please come in. Pardon my manners." She said before stepping completely away from the door to let her in.

    Nothing changed at all. Chloe thought to herself as her eyes went round. It was as if Mrs Wesley didn''t want to move on. The whole environment and even the interior of the house was exactly the same. Unlike her family who redecorated their house every year.

    When her eyes crossed some familiar figures, she could see the disapproving gaze they sent her. They didn''t want her there which was quite understandable.

    But she wasn''t there for them. Her eyes landed on Adrian.  His picture was on a table with gift boxes of different sizes surrounding it. He was smiling so beautifully. He was full of life and youth.

    And she had taken it away from him.

    Her throat tightened as she continued to look at his picture. He was staring at her also.

    "She''s so clingy and annoying. Can''t she just stay away already?" She heard Adrian''s voice in her ears and closed her eyes.

    "She likes you, obviously. And she hates me." Chloe heard her own voice answer and was immediately teleported to the past.

    "I don''t like her, geez! Why is it so difficult for her to understand. I mean, why would I like her when I have you right here?" He asked seriously, prompting her to lift her head from the book she was reading to look at him.

    "And how do I come in?" She asked, even though she perfectly knew the answer.

    He grinned at her before leaving the couch he was sitting on to sit beside her, then he threw his hand around her shoulder, "You know we are a match made in heaven." He said with a big, goofy grin.

    "Get lost. I''m not interested in you." She removed his hand from her shoulder but he stubbornly returned it there. "You cannot run from it. We are... destiny!" He said dramatically.

    Chloe forced a smile and dropped her book on the couch to give him her attention. "Really?"

    She inched closer, and closer, and closer, and dropped her eyes down to his lips.

    "What? What... are you.... do-ing?" He stammered and scooted away from her, but she followed him.

    "Aren''t we a match made in heaven?" She asked slowly and kept scooting closer. When he got to the end of the couch and had nowhere else to shift to, he jumped up, cheeks as red as a tomato.

    "Stop... being naughty." He snorted and ran away from the living room while she laughed and wondered why he always fell for that when he was aware she was only teasing him so he would stop troubling her.

    "Chloe?" Mrs Rivers called but Chloe''s eyes were glued to the couch.

    "Chloe?" She touched the girl''s arm, bringing her back to reality.

    "Are you... okay?" Mrs Rivers asked kindly while giving the girl a sympathetic look.

    Chloe managed to give her a nod.

    "Mrs Wesley knows you are here. She''ll be down soon."

    "Thank you."

    Mrs Rivers looked at her with worry.

    Chloe was also surprised at how broken her voice sounded. She wasn''t sure she had even completed the words.

    "Just be careful okay?" Mrs Rivers said before leaving the sitting room for the kitchen.

    "How dare her come here? She has some guts." A girl said. She was Adrian''s cousin.

    Chloe still heard loud whispers of other people there including from young men.

    Majority of the ladies there had had a big crush on Adrian, but he chose her over them all.

    And she had been the one to bring him doom.

    "She''s really shameless. What a nasty wench! I would have killed myself if I were her."

    Chloe ignored them. She tried to block all they were saying but it didn''t work. She could still hear them, but she kept her gaze ahead and walked closer to Adrian. Without taking her eyes off his face, she placed the gift gently on the table.

    "Please Chloe. Please..." She closed her eyes and silently pleaded with herself to compose herself. "Do not cry. Please."

    The memories they had shared in this house flooded her brain, the mean words the guests were saying also echoed in her head.

    "I''ll always be here for you." She remembered telling Adrian.

    "Come on, stop sulking." She remembered the splash of the water as she pushed him into the pool.

    Her whole body began to shake. It shook uncontrollably, so she could no longer keep her composure and tears began to flow down her eyes.

    "I wonder if Mrs Wesley is aware she is here."

    "I hope she throws her out."

    "Who would believe she has been living well all these years after what she did? She really has no conscience."

    "I feel even angrier now than I felt all those years back."

    The words kept coming. But the words didn''t hurt. Standing here after many years and finally getting to see Adrian, she couldn''t help it.

    After his death, her parents had taken everything that would remind her of Adrian away from her, when they noticed she was wallowing in guilt. She had nothing of him including a picture. So it was the first time she was seeing him in years.

    "You should leave. You are making this place uncomfortable." A boy said to her. "For all of us." He added.

    He was Mrs Wesley''s nephew. Two years older than Chloe.

    Chloe sniffed. It was already too late. Tears was pouring down her eyes and she didn''t want any of them to see. She wasn''t used to people seeing her like this.

    "Give me a minute." She said in a choked voice as she tried to clean her tears.

    "Right now!" He demanded in an even more commanding voice, letting her know she had no choice but to leave immediately.

    "A moment.." Chloe said again before adding, "Please." She looked at Adrian''s picture, wanting to have a moment to say all the things she hadn''t been able to say in years, but it seemed impossible at the moment because her presence wasn''t wanted there.

    "Leave now!" He said and held her wrist, trying to pull her away.

    "She. Said. A. Moment!" Emphasis was laid on each word as it left the stranger''s lips.

    Chloe shut her eyes. Jeremy. She had told him not to come in.

    "And who the hell are you?" The boy asked Jeremy disdainfully.

    Seeing how angry Jeremy looked as he looked at the violent way the boy held Chloe''s arm, he let go and turned to look at him.

    "None of your business." Jeremy replied.

    "Oh! I see what is going on here." The boy suddenly said with a c.o.c.ky smirk.

    "You are her boyfriend? She brought are boyfriend here?" He asked, eyes gleaming with anger.

    "Is she insane?"

    "How dare her?"

    "She really has no shame!"

    Another round of abuse began to fly around. It was at that point that Jeremy realised that this was far more than a simple birthday party, and seeing how everyone was looking at him, accusing him of being her boyfriend when neither he nor Chloe had acknowledged it, he knew now why Chloe hadn''t wanted him inside with her.

    "You''ve been having fun, I see." The boy said to Chloe.

    "Get away from her." Jeremy demanded.

    "Or what?" He challenged.

    "Michael!"

    Everyone became quiet when they heard Mrs Wesley''s voice. "You will treat her with respect!" She scolded her Nephew angrily.

    While all the exchange was going on, Chole didn''t turn around. Her gaze was fixed on Adrian''s smiling face.

    She tried to suppress her sobs but it didn''t work. She no longer cared that a lot of people were there and watching her, she began to cry. Her whole body shook so much as she cried and she slowly lowered to the floor until her knees touched the floor.

    "I''m... so.... sorry." She said in between sobs.

    Jeremy watched her back with interest and confusion. He began to walk towards her but felt a hand hold his arm. When he turned, he saw the woman who had scolded the rude boy earlier.

    "Let her be." She said softly.

    "But��"

    "She''ll be fine." Mrs Wesley assured him.

 Chapter 236 - Listening ear

    "This is... not the usual kind of birthday party, right?" Jeremy asked carefully when they both got to the balcony.

    Mrs Wesley smiled painfully before shaking her head and pointing at a chair for him to sit down. Seeing the commotion in the sitting room earlier, Mrs Wesley had ended the party. She didn''t want her precious son''s day to be turned into something else. Also, she didn''t think Adrian would like the fact that Chloe was being treated that way because of him.

    The others apologized and left while Chloe continued kneeling there. She noticed how uncomfortable Jeremy was watching Chloe, so she invited him upstairs.

    Jeremy still didn''t understand all that was happening or all that he had witnessed but he tried to guess.

    Earlier, he was trying to study the material Chloe had given to him when he heard a phone begin to ring. He had thought it was his at first but remembered that wasn''t his ringtone. He later realised it was Chloe''s phone which was at the floor of the driver''s seat.

    When he reached for it, he saw it was her mother who was calling. It began to ring again so he considered the option of answering the call or going to give the phone to Chloe. He decided against answering the call. He didn''t think that was a good idea. When the call ended, a message popped up on the screen,

    "Call me soon, it''s urgent. Mom."

    Jeremy became worried, so he decided to just go give her the phone since Chloe also didn''t know when she would return to the car. And that was when he saw the unpleasant scene of people talking bad about Chloe and asking her to leave.

    He realised then, that whatever her mother said was ''urgent'', wasn''t so urgent anymore. Chloe had more to deal with.

    "He was your son?" He asked as he sat down gently on the chair Mrs Wesley offered while she sat down beside him.

    "He is." She answered.

    ''Is'' Jeremy noticed. She was still holding on.

    "Are you Chloe''s boyfriend?" She asked, looking at his face curiously.

    "No!" He answered immediately.

    "But you like her?" She asked again.

    "Yes. I mean.. no.. I.... We are just classmates." He blurted out. She smiled.

    "A ''classmate'' wouldn''t just agree to accompany on a 2-hour plus drive." She pointed out.

    Jeremy bit his lips. He wasn''t sure he was welcomed in this environment so he wanted to he careful with his answers so he doesn''t get Chloe in trouble.

    "Well.. I... had a lot of free time to spare so...." He let his words trail off, hoping she would stop asking.

    She nodded. "Thought as much. You don''t look like the kind of guy Chloe would date."

    "Why is everyone saying that!?" He asked in mortification. "What is wrong with me?" He sat up to ask her.

    "Well, I would have told you what was wrong with you, but you said you didn''t like her so..."

    "But you can tell me just in case... you know... in case I know someone who likes her." She said with an embarrassed smile.

    Maria laughed. Her laughter stopped abruptly before she turned to look over the railing.

    Jeremy observed her properly. She should be in her forties, a very pretty woman but she had sad eyes. Even when she was smiling, her eyes were still sad. Just like everyone else he had seen inside the house, she wore a white dress and her black hair which was tied in a bun was sprinkled with a hint of grey.

    "I know how it feels to lose someone you love." He suddenly said.

    Although he was curious about what Chloe had done and why they didn''t want her there, he had to settle one thing at a time.

    Mrs Wesley turned to look at him. She didn''t say a word.

    "I lost my mother." He continued, looking squarely into her eyes. The thought of his mother brought him immense sadness.

    "I lost my husband." She opened up to him and looked at her ring finger where she still wore her ring despite all the years which had passed.

    "He... was the love of my life." She said with a sad smile as she reminisced the past.

    "My first love. People always say first love do not always work out, but ours did. We had a son, Adrian."

    "The most adorable kid in the world. As harmless as a dove." She smiled at Jeremy, "He always wanted to grow his hair like yours but I forbade him from doing so. I always made sure to trim his hair for him."

    Jeremy listened attentively. It seemed the woman wanted to talk to someone and he was willing to be the listening ear.

    "When his father died, Adrian promised me he was going to be there for me." She smiled.

    "I was broken, torn, devastated. I really wanted to end my life, but I had to live for my son. I knew he was suffering, but he always acted like he was okay and always tried to console me. He was my best boy." She closed her eyes as if she was in real pain while tears left her eyes.

    "But he died. A few days after his father died."

    Jeremy was beyond shocked as he heard her.

    She laughed dryly. "I wanted to die. I couldn''t bear the pain. It was so... so painful." She sniffed.

    She slowly opened her eyes and looked down when she felt his hand cover hers.

    She looked at his face, he was looking at her with misty eyes.

    "I... am so sorry." He said in a choked voice. "It must have been hard."

    She nodded slowly. "It was."

    "But I''m certain your husband and son would be happy if you stopped living in pain because of them." He used his other hand to hold her two hands firmly then he looked deeply into her eyes. The woman reminded him of his mother.

    "If I were your son, I would want you to be happy. Death can happen to anyone, at anytime. Please... do not spend so many years in agony. My mum said the same thing to me before she passed."

    "How.. did you... cope?" She asked in a broken voice.

    "I have a sister. We helped each other."

    Mrs Wesley began to cry so she put her head down. "I wish I had someone." She said with painful regret. "I wish therr was someone."

    "You have... me... I can help you."  He offered, surprising himself.

    He didn''t know her. This was the first time he was meeting her. He didn''t even know her name yet, he was offering to be there for her and help her. How? Why did he always say things out before thinking?

    "And how do you intend to do that?" She asked, looking at him with her tearstreaked face.

    When he couldn''t think of anything to say, she said,

    "Marry me?" She asked, making him release her hands immediately. "No!" He rejected, making her chuckle despite her mood.

    "I was joking." She said with a warm smile.

    "I... am trying to let go."  She confessed.

    "I think holding unto the past would make them not rest in peace. I want to give them peace." She explained.

    "That is nice." He smiled. "You are a very brave woman."

    She smiled back before cleaning her face with her hands. "I don''t know why I feel so free around you. Thanks for listening to me."

    "Everyone is always free around me." He said with a grin.

    "I would like to meet your sister one day."

    "I''m sure she''d be happy to meet you too. She likes pretty women a lot."

    "Haha! I doubt she''ll like me then."

    "Of course, she''ll like you. You are the fourth prettiest woman we have seen."

    "Fourth? I''m hurt! Who is the first?"

    "Our mum, obviously." He said with a short laugh.

    "I see.. so who is the second?"

    "Just... someone.." He answered with an embarrassed smile.

    "Chloe?" She teased.

    Jeremy smiled but ignored her question. "It''s just someone. But the third is my friend, Mia. She''s really smart."

    "I think I''m more interested in who the second person is." She pressed.

 Chapter 237 - First Love

    "Have a safe trip back. Call me if you need anything." Mrs Wesley said to Jeremy and handed him her card.

    "Thank you." He smiled as he looked down at the card and looked back at her. "I''ll sure keep in touch with you. Need to make sure you''re okay."

    "Haha! I''ll be fine, I hope. You could come pay a visit with your sister when you are free. Just let me know in advance though."

    "Sure thing." He smiled again. She was a really nice woman, he noted. It was a sad for a misfortune of that sort to happen to her.

    Mrs Wesley looked at Chloe''s car and saw her sitting at the passenger''s seat with her eyes closed, probably asleep.

    "Do not forget what I told you. You have to look after her."

    Everyone was suddenly putting Chloe under his care. He definitely would look after her and make sure she was fine. Not for anyone else, not for himself, but for herself.

    "I will. Take care of yourself. Good night." He said with a polite bow before heading to where the car was parked.

    When he fastened his seatbelt, he turned to look at Chloe who was still asleep. If only she could share her burden with him. But unfortunately, she liked to keep to herself.

    He sighed in frustration and began to drive, taking a moment to wave at Mrs Wesley.

    It was past 7 in the evening. Before they would get to town, it would be around 9 or more. Thankfully, Ellie was with the neighbors. He really didn''t like living her by herself, but sometimes, he didn''t have any choice especially as he also needed to work in order to earn for the both of them.

    "You are sighing too much, I can''t even sleep." Chloe whined before opening her eyes slowly.

    "You are awake..?" He asked, looking at her quickly before facing the road. The day was already getting very dark, he couldn''t afford not keeping his eyes on the road.

    "I''m a light sleeper." She informed him.

    "Sorry I woke you up." He apologized quickly.

    "What''s wrong with you? You seem... worried." She said, looking at him intensely.

    Jeremy didn''t think she would be worried about him. He had thought she would be mad he had disturbed her sleep so he was a bit surprised.

    "Well.. nothing."

    "You are not a good liar." She reminded him.

    He looked at her briefly before pulling over by the side of the road, surprising her.

    "What''s wrong? Is the car bad?" She asked in near panic. She couldn''t afford being stranded by the side of the road at night.

    He turned the car off and turned to face her.

    "I can''t pretend like nothing happened in there." He started.

    Chloe began to shake her head, not liking the topic he was about to raise.

    "What happened. Why was everyone turning against you?" He asked regardless.

    "Jeremy. Please... I don''t want to talk about this." She said before turning to look out the window.

    "But I want to. You keep to yourself everytime and it''s not good for you. Neither is it good for me. Neither is it good for Ellie."

    She turned to look at him in confusion. "How does it all relate?" She wondered.

    "Because if you are sad, I am sad. It makes me worried. And when I''m sad, Ellie is also sad and worried. So please talk to me. I can help you."

    "You can''t help me. No one can!" She said, sounding harsher than she had intended.

    "How do you know so if you haven''t even tried? If God wanted us to always keep to ourselves, he wouldn''t have created Eve after he made Adam. I''m not sure you understand what I''m talking about, but I do. And I want you to talk to me because you cannot continue keeping to yourself every single time!"

    "You... do realise you are yelling at me... right?" Chloe asked him softly.

    He realised he had actually been raising his voice so he spoke softly, "Sorry, I.. well... don''t girls usually like guys who are tough?" He asked with a short laugh.

    Chloe was in a bad mood. In fact, she had expected herself to be sulking and crying and cursing herself, but she found herself almost laughing right now.

    Maybe Jeremy was a gift from God to her to always help lighten her mood.

    "So please Chloe. I am really curious. I want to know what happened. I''m sure this must have been eating you up for quite a while. I can still remember how your countenance changed during James'' party when you mentioned losing a friend. It was Adrian right?"

    Chloe was facing the window. She blinked and sniffed before using her hand to clean the tears that were escaping her eyes.

    "I don''t want to talk about it."

    "WHY? Why are you being so stubborn?" He asked in annoyance.

    "Because you may also look at me the way everyone else looks at me!" She turned to face him and raised her voice as she spoke.

    "It''s better if you do not know anything."

    "You know that''s not true. I won''t look at you in a different way for whatever reason." He promised her, looking confused.

    Chloe began to cry so she used her hands to cover her face and sobbed into it while she continued to shake her head.

    "You don''t understand."

    "Try me."

    "You think it''s something simple? I''m sure that is why you think you wouldn''t change your perception of me. You want to know what happened? I''ll tell you."

    She cleaned her eyes and looked him squarely in the eyes. "I killed someone!"

    The curious look on Jeremy''s face turned to one of confusion.

    "I... killed him..." Tears began to stream down her face.

    "You can be anything else, but a murderer? No." Jeremy said confidently.

    "I am. I am.. I pushed him into the pool. He drowned... he died." Chloe''s whole body began to shake.  She closed her eyes, trying so hard to push the memory away.

    "I should have left him that day at his house. I shouldn''t have convinced him to leave the house. I should have died instead. I shouldn''t have left him after pushing him into the pool"

    "Hey!" He held her shoulders and shook it with force to bring her back to her senses.

    She looked into his eyes, seeing how worried he looked, she began to cry again. "It was all my fault. It... it was... my... fault. Everyone began to hate me. They all called me names... they... they called me a murderer. I couldn''t say goodbye to him on his funeral. He was my best friend, my first love."

 Chapter 238 - Everyone makes mistakes

    Jeremy could hear the pain in her voice. Chloe was always strong, or at least, she liked to appear strong. But now, she let go of her ego and cried in front of him while telling him the words he believed she hadn''t told anyone before. First love? He wouldn''t deny that thpse words didn''t make him feel a pang of jealousy. But he tried to imagine how he would live if Chloe died and worse of all, if she died because of him. He probably would go insane. So he understood her. Only those who could love genuinely, could understand her predicament.

    "I understand. I understand you perfectly."

    "No you don''t! You will never understand this. Have you ever made a mistake that made you want to kill yourself? A mistake that didn''t only bring pain to you but also to others?" She asked in between tears.

    "Maybe I haven''t made that kind of mistake before," He started after considering her question for a moment.  "But I know someone who has." He looked deeply into her eyes with his hands still holding her shoulders.

    "Everyone makes mistakes Chloe. How do I put this... it makes the world balanced."

    "I killed someone Jeremy! His mother is living in misery. You can''t understand that. What it means to live with that guilt, what it means to be bullied and also looked down on because whenever I have something working for me, they all think ''it''s because of her parents''. Everyone has been looking down on me from the very beginning. Including my parents. I''m not sure you understand any of that!"

    Jeremy realised this was more than just guilt now. She was opening up to him. Everything that had been bottled up inside of her for a long time. She was finally releasing it.

    When she finally stopped to catch her breath, he sighed and began to speak again.

    "My mother wasn''t the best woman in the world." His smile was sad, but he was also trying to encourage her.

    "She was... what people would call morally..." He shook his head, trying to find the correct word. "Corrupt. I think?"

    Chloe listened to him attentively. This was the first time he was telling her more about his mother other than the fact that she had cancer and died.

    He let go of her shoulders, sighed again, before looking ahead as he narrated.

    "She fell in love with a married man and had me." He confessed, surprising Chloe.

    "A lot of people called her out for being shameless, called me names and said all sort of hurtful words."

    "She cried a lot. Apologizing to me every night for bringing me pain. But you know what she told me? She said she didn''t regret having me. She only regretted the abusive words said to me."

    "She said she was ready to accept more insults, a thousand times more than what she received, but she was happy to have me." He smiled painfully.

    "Because of that, I could bear everything done to me. I tried to ignore everything even though it was difficult. I didn''t have it easy Chloe. Growing up wasn''t easy at all."  He turned to look at her.

    "Must... have been hard." Chloe managed to say.

    He laughed. It was a short laugh which didn''t reach his eyes.

    "Actually, the worse part began when my mum fell for another married man. Then she had Ellie."

    This time, Chloe''s eyes shone.

    "I know right? One would think she learnt her lessons the first time."

    "He also abandoned by mother. She cried everyday, every night. She hated herself. For falling for the wrong guys, for making mistakes, for bringing us pain."

    "But people make mistakes Chloe." He held her shoulder again.

    "There are some mistakes we have made that brought us good luck, why do we have to kill ourselves because of the ones which weren''t good?"

    "I couldn''t hate her for it." He shook his head, releasing her shoulders. "I never did blame her. She was still the best to me. And I loved her more because I knew she needed me more."

    Chloe wanted to ask him questions, but she didn''t even know where to start from or what to ask. She never thought his family had been like that. Besides, he was so close with Ellie that people would think they were made out of the same pod. She wouldn''t have guessed they didn''t share the same father. "Williams?" Chloe asked, referring to their surname.

    "It''s my mother''s maiden name." He informed her. "She was called Susanna Williams."

    "What about... your fathers?" She asked, remembering he hadn''t mentioned anything about an older male figure ever since they met.

    "Both are with their real families." He said with a smile.

    "Can you stop smiling even when you are really down?" She asked quietly.

    Jeremy laughed. "I don''t like people seeing me sad."

    Chloe decided to ignore that. "Did your fathers try to reach out?" She asked.

    He noticed she no longer looked as awful as she looked earlier, she was simply curious.

    "Well, at least mine did. At first." He said, remembering the past.

    "I got into the university, thanks to him, even though I wasn''t interested in accepting favours from him. It was my mother''s wish before she died. She wanted me to."

    "Then I guess you have a rich father? Just anyone cannot pull the strings he pulled to get you into our school."

    "Well," Jeremy stopped talking and started the car. It became clear to Chloe that she didn''t want to talk about him.

    "Since your mother died... did your father try to... I don''t know..." She shrugged. "It''s fine if you do not want to talk about it." She added immediately.

    "Be there for me?" Jeremy asked, completing her question.

    "Let''s say, he wanted to be a good father at one point, wanted me to move into his house. But... he wanted just me. My mother made us promise her before she died that we would follow if our father''s came for us. Apparently, she wasn''t thinking about anything else but our future. She didn''t think about what it would mean for Ellie and I. So when the man she had me with said he wanted just me, I knew then that not all dying wishes were meant to be respected."

    "You are a good brother." Chloe said. "And a good person in general." She added.

    They both stared at each other for a while before she slowly spread her arms wide.

    "What?" He asked in confusion.

    "I guess you need a hug? Hurry up before I change me mind." She said sternly.

    He looked at her in surprise before skeptically joining the embrace.

    "Wow!" He whispered with his eyes close.

    "It''s so nice hugging you. I can''t believe I hugged your brother before you." He complained.

    "What?"

    "Nothing." He said with a sheepish smile and held her tightly to his body.

    "It''s going to be fine Chloe, I promise I''ll protect you."

    Maybe it hadn''t been a bad idea bringing him along after all. Chloe thought as her lips curved slightly.

    "Thank you Jeremy." She said for the first time, sincerely.

    "And I always knew you weren''t smart enough to get a scholarship to study in our school." She said lightly, making him chuckle. His contagious laughter made her begin to laugh as well. And just like that...

    She had hope that just maybe, everything would be okay eventually.

 Chapter 239 - Adorable

    It was really painful for Mia to admit the reality that she was going to be alone very soon.

    As she spoke with her two friends on video call that night, she realised just how much she was missing their presence already.

    "I think Mia is going to get married before the both of us even dreams about it." Mira teased.

    "That''s out of it. I''m not interested in getting married just yet." Mia said dismissively.

    It was until this moment that she began to think about marriage and spending the rest of her life with Leo. It felt like it was too much to ask for and she couldn''t even dream it.

    "I have to go out now. You both take care." She said to her friends before exiting the video chat.

    She quickly got dressed and carried her backpack before leaving the room. Because of her and her exams, Mr B had kept rescheduling the time for practice to when suited her best which she felt was unfair to the others but unfortunately, she couldn''t do a thing about it.

    "The princess is ready to go out?"

    Leo asked as he stood up from the couch where he was busy with his laptop and picked up his car keys.

    "You don''t have to��"

    "I''m dropping you off." He said in a tone of finality, giving her no room to object.

    "Whatever the King says." She rolled her eyes and began to walk ahead of him but he pulled her back by pulling the back of her shirt, making her stumble back.

    "What?" She asked in confusion as she turned to look at him.

    "I heard you earlier..." He started.

    "Heard me where?" She asked, obviously still in confusion.

    "Just now. Your call with James. He seems to be calling you a lot of adorable names." He said with a suspicious look on his face.

    "Adorable names?" She asked in disbelief. "You call ''Idiot, Dude, Bro'' adorable?" She asked, not believing they were talking about this right now.

    "He calls you those names with love." He complained making Mia giggle.

    "That''s the weirdest thing I''ve ever heard. But it''s fine, since it''s coming from you. We better hurry now." She said and was about walking away when he pulled her and wrapped a hand around her waist.

    "Mr Lion King, I am almost late for practice." She reminded him.

    He ignored her and pulled her closer to him before using his free hand to brush some loose strands of hair away from her face.

    "So baby... I was thinking... would you like to take a day off, let''s hang out before weekend?" He asked with uncertainty because he already knew what the answer would be.

    Mia wouldn''t lie, she was actually tempted. Spending a whole day with him sounded rather appealing but...

    "School... practice, tests." She reminded him with regret.

    "I thought so too." He sighed regretfully before kissing her on her lips, taking her by surprise.

    "Uh? What was that for?" She asked with a surprised smile.

    "I don''t know. You look really adorable tonight." He said with a grin and lowered his head to give her another kiss.

    She giggled and pulled her lips away. "You seem  to enjoy using the word ''adorable'' tonight. But seriously, I really have to go��"

    He didn''t stop and took the opportunity to kiss her properly this time, making her to swallow back her words. He knew it was only a matter of time before Mia gave in and she did.

    She kissed him back and soon forgot she had been in a hurry to go out. It wasn''t until after a few minutes when he slowly pulled away that came back to her senses.

    "You!" She glared at him. Her face was flushed, her lips slightly swollen and moist and she looked a bit confused.

    He smiled smugly and walked ahead of her outside. She tried to keep up the angry facade but she just couldn''t. She found herself smiling like an idiot as she ran after him.

    Once they got inside the car, he was just about to drive off when a call came in on his phone and he took it almost immediately.

    "Mom?" He called.

    "Have you heard from Chloe? Is she by chance with you?" His mother asked immediately.

    Leo sat up in alarm, "What''s wrong? She isn''t with me. Why?"

    "I haven''t been able to reach her since she left for Maria''s place. I called but she didn''t answer. A little while ago, she sent me a text that she was okay and would come home tomorrow, then she turned off her phone. She isn''t with Amara either. Maybe Maria did something or said something to her?" Mrs King asked anxiously.

    "If Chloe sent you a message, then I guess she is fine."

    "She isn''t! She isn''t at the office either. She didn''t check in on any hotel. Unless she paid cash or with any of your cards since it wasn''t Louis''."

    Leo found it interesting that it didn''t seem to cross her mind that she was probably with a young man. They trusted her that much.

    "Mom.. she is a big girl. Stop acting like she is a child. She can take care of herself. Good night, I love you." He said before disconnecting the call.

    Leo turned to look at Mia who was also looking at him seriously, "Do you by chance know where Jeremy would be by now?" He asked. Jeremy was the only person who would definitely know where Chloe was.

    "Actually... they went out together earlier today." Mia confessed.

    **********

    Jeremy pulled up in front of his apartment where Ellie was already waiting since he had called a few minutes back to let the neighbor know he was on his way home, and could walk Ellie home for him.

    "Are you sure about this?" He turned to ask Chloe again.

    "I don''t want to go home. Neither do I want to go to the office. Somewhere no one would find me." Chloe answered before looking at his apartment then, she opened the door.

    Jeremy didn''t have any other choice but to also come down.

    A little smile tugged on his lips as he recalled how much their ''relationship'' had improved tonight.

    "Chloe!" Ellie gasped in surprise when the door opened and she saw her standing there.

    "Hi!" Chloe  greeted with an awkward smile.

    "Hi! I didn''t think you were coming with him tonight." She said before looking at Jeremy who looked really exhausted.

    "I didn''t think so either." Chloe answered stressfully.

    "Mrs Kent made some chicken pie and gave me some for you. I''m sure it would be enough for two." Ellie said to Jeremy with a girlish grin before running inside her room, leaving the young a.d.u.l.ts standing beside each other.

    "You... want to eat first... or shower first?" Jeremy asked awkwardly when Chloe simply stood there, looking at his face intensely like there was something on her mind.

 Chapter 240 - Admirers?

    Jeremy had never been so uncomfortable in his entire life,  and he wasn''t kidding or exaggerating right now. There was this particular way Chloe was staring at him that made him wonder what she was thinking but he couldn''t guess it.

    Chloe naturally wasn''t the type to stare at people even when she was curious. Whenever their eyes locked, it doesn''t even take up to a second before she looked away, but now, she was overtly staring at him.

    He pushed a plate of 2 Chicken pies to her before heading towards the fridge to take out a juice.

    "Water would do." She said.

    Once again, he realised her eyes had followed him down to the fridge.

    He said nothing and took out two bottles of water for the two of them. After he dropped them carefully, he returned to get two glasses before heading back to the table to sit down opposite her, which was probably a bad idea considering how she had been staring at him. But thankfully,  she said her thanks and focused on he food, making him relax. But he definitely would have appreciated Ellie''s presence had the little devil not left them both alone.

    They both ate silently until his phone rang, penetrating the silence which filled the room.

    He looked at his phone on the table and choked when he saw the name ''Katie Engels'' on the screen. He quickly reached for the phone and looked at Chloe, hoping she hadn''t seen who the caller was. Thankfully, she seemed to be more interested in her meal.

    Excusing himself to go answer the call would seem a bit suspicious and ignoring it would even seem more suspicious so he answered the call.

    "Hey big boy!" Katie greeted cheerfully.

    "Hey!" He greeted less cheerfully.

    "I thought you were ignoring me. You read my messages but didn''t reply." He could imagine a pout on her cute face as she spoke.

    "Sorry. Been busy. Can I call you lat��"

    "No worries. I was thinking if you''d be interested in hanging out with me tomorrow. Come on, do not say no."

    "Tomorrow?" His gaze went back to Chloe who was still looking down and eating slowly.

    "Uhm... I have work."

    "I''ll pay you." She said.

    She seemed really desperate. She had said she wanted to know who he truly was, and she had been living up to her words. She always texted, called, and looked for ways to invite him out.

    "Jeremy, are you done eating? I''ll do the dishes." Chloe said and stood up from her seat.

    He choked and coughed a couple of times.

    The way she had even called him ''Jeremy'' sounded strange.

    "You''re with a lady?" Katie asked over the phone. She sounded displeased.

    He looked at Chloe who was waiting for him to answer, and had never been more confused in his life.

    "I''ll... talk to you tomorrow." He said into the phone before hanging up.

    "Uhm... I''ll do the dishes myself." He answered, feeling a bit fl.u.s.tered.

    Chloe didn''t want to just sit there so she offered to do the dishes instead and insisted on it.

    He watched her leave and almost smiled as he noticed how small she looked inside her clothes. It reminded him that he was far bigger than her, yet, he was easily intimidated by her. Even his short fell past her knee like it was a three quater length. He could only imagine how she had tied it around her waist which was probably very tiny.

    He blushed and quickly shook his head. "Alright! No silly thoughts!" He said to himself.

    "Where is she?" Ellie asked in a whisper.

    Jeremy was surprised to find her there since she hadn''t appeared since she ran inside her room earlier.

    "She''s in the kitchen. Why are you here?" He whispered back and began to wonder why they were both whispering.

    "What? You are letting her do the dishes?" She asked in mortification. "You could have won her over by insisting to do it. Or do it with her and hold hands under the soapy water!" She giggled.

    "Hehe! Too many dramas. But that''s cute." Jeremy said with a grin.

    "Oh! You''re still awake." Chloe said with a little smile when she joined the dining and found Ellie there.

    "Yes. Where are you sleeping?" Ellie asked suddenly.

    Chloe was a bit confused by the question. She was the guest so she really didn''t have a choice.

    "Uhm... the couch?" She said with uncertainty. She remembered the last time she slept over, she had slept in Jeremy''s room while he slept on the couch which was obviously smaller than his built. She didn''t want him to be inconvenienced again.

    "No! You''ll sleep in my room. I''ll just change the sheets and��"

    "Then where are you going to sleep? On the couch?" She interrupted him.

    "Well, yea."

    "No." Chloe said coldly.

    "Why ''No''?" He asked in confusion.

    "You''ll sleep in your room."

    "Fine! I can sleep on the floor while you take the bed." He said and bit back a smile at the thought of sharing a room with her.

    "Well... O�Ckay?" Chloe agreed, though a bit fl.u.s.tered.

    Ellie watched the two as they exchanged words before she spoke her piece.

    "Jeremy shouldn''t sleep on the floor. His back may hurt in the morning."

    ''Is she trying to suggest�C'' Jeremy looked at her with wide eyes.

    The thought of sharing a bed with Chloe was too much but... he wouldn''t lie and say that wasn''t nice. His heart began to pound very fast and he obviously heard it shatter into pieces when Ellie completed her sentence.

    "You can sleep with me instead." Ellie said with a big smile as she looked at Chloe.

    ~~~

    A few minutes later, they were all settled in their beds. Jeremy couldn''t sleep. Not that he wasn''t feeling sleepy, but because he kept cussing Ellie over and over again.

    Ellie, who was oblivious to what her brother was going through in his room, or probably knew but didn''t care, plopped up her head with a hand and looked at Chloe who was trying to find a comfortable position on the bed.

    Chloe looked at the little girl and wondered why she was staring at her with so much interest.

    "I didn''t tell Jeremy." Ellie said.

    When Chloe looked confused, she explained. "That you like him. I didn''t tell him you liked him."

    "What?" Chloe asked in shock. Where was this coming from?

    "I... never said I liked him." Chloe said, looking flushed.

    "You are still unsure. It means you do. I always talk about this with my friends. We all concluded on this. And they are eager to meet you by the way."

    Chloe also plopped up her head and looked at the girl.

    "They all think you are lucky." Ellie continued.

    "Lucky? How?" She asked curiously.

    "Everyone knows Jeremy is the most good looking guy in this city, maybe the country even. He has a lot of admirers. And you know... naturally, they all want to get to him through me so I know a lot of them." She said smugly.

    "A lot of admirers?"

    "Yes. Even our neighbors." She bobbed her head passionately before she continued,  "No offense, some are actually a lot prettier than you."

    Chloe frowned while Ellie giggled.

    "I have a lot of his love letters. He stopped me from receiving them a long time ago but I can''t help it. It''s fun reading them. You want to see some?"

    When Chloe nodded, Ellie jumped out of the bed and went to where she had kept it.

 Chapter 241 - ASFPN

    Chloe knew from last night that staying up late wasn''t going to do her any good the next morning. And she was suffering from the consequences now. Her eyes were heavy and she felt really drowsy. All she wanted to do was to sleep. Even when the lecturer was in class, she found it difficult concentrating especially since some certain things she had read last night refused to leave her head.

    Last night, when Ellie offered to show her the letters, common sense told her to ignore it and go to sleep. She had had a busy day�� From class to Mrs Wesley''s place to Jeremy''s place. She needed to rest but curiousity got the best of her and she stayed awake instead.

    Ellie hadn''t been exaggerating. The letters had been much that she had gasped loudly when Ellie overturned a bag and the contents fell on the bed. If anyone had told her people still sent out love letters, she would have thought the person was probably still stuck in the nineties. But she saw it with her two eyes. Letter after letter. She had thought she would be amused by the contents, but she had been annoyed instead.

    Some of his admirers had even made it obvious that they wouldn''t mind just being in a s.e.x.u.a.l relationship with him if he wasn''t interested in being committed just yet. There were also some letters from men also!

    "You read all the letters?" She had asked Ellie with a frown. She couldn''t imagine the girl''s reaction reading all these letters about a lot of girls wanting to sleep with her brother.

    "Yes." Ellie nodded before looking at the letter in Chloe''s hand which she was frowning at.

    "That was Stella. I dislike her. She''s always touching Jeremy whenever she sees him. I knew she was up to something and got my answear when I read her letter."

    Chloe was embarrassed talking about this with Ellie. "So... you understood what she wrote on this letter?"

    "Of course! Can''t you see it? She said she wants them to be friends with benefit. How could she even ask that? Everyone knows Stella doesn''t have a lot of money. She would be the only one benefiting from Jeremy.  She is expecting him to work and give her all the money because they are friends?" Ellie fumed angrily.

    Okay..  Chloe was confused. "You mean?"

    "Isn''t that what Friends with Benefit means? Giving gifts and money to your friend? Jeremy earns more than Stella. She is trying to trick him since Jeremy would give her more than she would give him. I''m glad Jeremy doesn''t like her. She is a thief!"

    Chloe laughed so loudly she feared the neighbours heard her.  At times like this, she remembered Ellie was only a child.

    "I''m so sorry dear." She quickly kept her voice down and apologized to the little girl who was wondering why she was laughing so hard.

    "Why do they send him letters when he has a phone?"

    "He doesn''t like to give out his number to people. And he told me not to give them either because they always call him. So they send letters instead. Some do send it with chocolates though." Ellie said with a smile.

    "Let me guess, you eat them?" Chloe raised a brow at her and Ellie gave a girly laugh.

    "He stopped me from receiving letters a long time ago. But because they are fun to read and some sends gifts with it, I always accept them and read them with my friends during our Friday meetings."

    "What meeting?" Chloe asked in confusion.

    "ASFPN."

    "ASFPN?"

    "Association of the siblings of the Finest People in the Neighborhood. I am the President." She said with a grin.

    Chloe facepalmed inwardly. Their conversation continued into midnight until Ellie slept off while she continued to go through the letters. The more she read, the more uncomfortable she became. She was glad that at least, Jeremy no longer read the letters. Not because she was jealous, of course, what was her business with his private affair? But because he needed to focus and didn''t need distractions like these.

    No one was more grateful than her when they had an hour break before the next class.

    Her eyes subconsciously moved to where a certain boy was seated, and just then, she noticed a girl approach where Jeremy was seated alone.

    Katie again! Chloe frowned. She didn''t like that girl. Why was she always bothering him!?

    Katie smiled at Jeremy and whispered something to him.

    "What a flirt!" Chloe hissed.

    She saw the look on Jeremy''s face turn to panic after she whispered something inside his ear. He said something to her also and quickly looked at Chloe''s direction who quickly turned away.

    Ellie had said Jeremy didn''t give out his number to people, how come Katie had it? She had even called him last night!

    "Who cares anyway?" She asked herself but her eyes went to the two again.

    Katie gave him a coquettish smile and leaned forward as if to whisper something to him, but she kissed him on the cheek instead, an action which seemed to draw out a reaction from both Jeremy and Chloe. While Jeremy jumped in surprise, Katie turned to look at Chloe who was staring at her with wide, angry eyes.

    Katie winked at Chloe and blew Jeremy a kiss before walking away, swaying her h.i.p.s seductively.

    "What was she doing here again?" Mia asked when she returned from the Dean''s office to find Katie leaving Jeremy.

    "She..." Jeremy tried not to look at Chloe''s direction. He sighed. "It''s a long story."

    "Well.. we have time." Mia reminded him before taking her seat beside him.

    "You were with Chloe last night right?" She suddenly asked Jeremy.

    "Yea. How did you know?" He asked, turning to give her his full attention.

    "No one could reach her yesterday. We guessed you knew where she was."

    Jeremy moved closer to her and whispered. "She slept in my place."

    "Oh!"

    "Do not give me that look. Nothing happened! But... Katie seemed to know we were together last night." Jeremy explained how Katie had called and had heard Chloe''s voice in the background. "She mentioned seeing us come to school together and said she noticed Chloe wore the same dress she wore yesterday."

    "So?" Mia asked, raising a brow.

    "She''s trying to say we are secretly dating and spending the night together. Chloe won''t be happy if the news spread."

    "Did Katie tell you she wanted anything?"

    "She only said she wanted to let me know that she knew we were dating. She said nothing else. Makes me even more worried."

    "She won''t do anything. Relax. If she tries any silly thing, let me know. I''ll handle her."

    "Woooow! You sound... fierce!" He said with a grin.

    Mia raised her hand to show off her ''biceps'' and smiled smugly, "I am."

    They both laughed and once the laughter died down, she asked,

    "Are you going to ask Chloe to go with you to the talent hunt tomorrow?"

    He finally remembered and turned to look at Chloe, only for him to meet her eyes which were glaring angrily at him.

 Chapter 242 - A handshake?

    Thursday was unusually stressful for the students. Since they were preparing for their finals, they had to cover the entire outline before the next month so they had classes until it was three in the afternoon. No one was more thankful for this than Chloe who wanted so badly to sleep. Also, she wanted to leave the school premises as soon as possible. There were some things that were beginning to annoy her. For example, Katie Engels. She didn''t like seeing her. Until now, she had never had any problems with any of her classmates because naturally, she didn''t care about any of them nor the awful things they said about her.  Why was she suddenly hating on Katie?

    She had received a message from her mother asking her to make sure to return home immediately after her classes because they had to talk about something. Normally, she would have been freaking out by now, but she seemed very relaxed. She was no longer worried about anything. Once classes was over, she picked up her bag and left the class.

    "Hey! Wait up!" Jeremy called after her and hurried to meet her halfway down the hallway which led to the exit of the building.

    Chloe didn''t stop walking so he guessed she probably didn''t hear him and called after her again but she didn''t stop even though he could guess she heard him.

    "Hey, hey!" He appeared in front of her and tried to catch his breath while he also spoke.

    "I... was trying to... get your attention." He panted.

    She gave him a bored look before standing with her hands crossed over her chest. "So what is it?" She snapped at him.

    Jeremy noticed the students taking the hallway were staring at the two of them and whispered among themselves but it didn''t seem like Chloe was bothered about it.

    "Uhm..." Right now, he wasn''t so sure he was bold enough to ask her to come watch the school''s talent show with him. He had thought their relationship was progressing smoothly especially after last night. She had even hugged him! But now, he wasn''t so sure anymore. He couldn''t understand why she was suddenly giving him the cold shoulder.

    "Did... I do somthing wrong?" He decided to ask first, remembering the stink eye she had been sending him inside the classroom.

    Chloe pursed her lips like someone ready for trouble. "Were you supposed to do something wrong?"

    "No... I... don''t know. You seem quite... Did Ellie tell you anything last night?" He suddenly asked.

    Chloe''s sudden change of attitude didn''t just start in the classroom. Last night, she stared at him intently which made him uncomfortable, but he liked the fact that she had been paying attention to him. But this morning, her stares were quite different. She gave him some kind of accusing glares which he ignored but once they got to the classroom, it turned to angry glares. He didn''t think Ellie would tell her anything that would make her change her attitude towards him. Or maybe Ellie confronted her about the way she treated him?

    "She didn''t... say anything did she?"

    ''Oh yes she did! She even showed me a lot of letters from your admirers'' She answered in her head before speaking out,  "Was she supposed to tell me something?" She asked back, frustrating him even more. Now, he knew he had probably done something wrong.

    He tried to think hard about what he might have done. "I don''t know. Is it because you didn''t like the breakfast I made this morning? Or because I skipped work last night?" He wondered. What if she had snapped back to her professional senses and remembered he had skipped work the previous day to accompany her to go see Mrs Wesley, which was probably why she was mad? Surprisingly, the manager didn''t call him to ask why he wasn''t at work, even when Jeremy had called to apologize, he had been very nice to Jeremy and told him to take his time and take care of whatever he needed to take care of. ''That was strange though.'' He said to himself.

    "Breakfast was nice." Chloe said too quickly for her liking and sighed. Maybe it was because he was beginning to look very confused and frustrated and she didn''t want to make things difficult for him.

    "I am fine. You did nothing wrong." She said before walking past him but he followed quickly.

    "Then would you like to come with me to the talent hunt tomorrow?"

    She continued walking and didn''t stop to look at him. "Who goes to lame things like that?" She asked indifferently.

    "Me." He quickly answered, "And you." He added as he tried to keep up with her fast pace. She almost laughed but thankfully,  he was following behind her so he didn''t see her face.

    She finally stopped walking and turned to look at him. Her eyes drifted behind him but before he could turn to look at what she was staring at, she asked,

    "Do you like Katie?"

    Jeremy was taken aback. "What? Me? No. Why?"

    "You seem really close with her." Chloe said with a straight face like she was not at all interested in the conversation.

    "Not at all. It''s... all a misunderstanding." He quickly explained. And wondered why she was asking him that.

    "Well, whatever. I guess it wouldn''t hurt to watch whatever boring things people are going to be doing tomorrow." She said passively with a shrug. It took him a moment to understand what she said and a smile spilt across his face.

    "You''ll come with me?" He asked again. He really wanted to be sure he wasn''t assuming things on his own.

    "Do you have anyone else you''d rather go with?"

    If his smile wasn''t wide already, it grew wider. She was really going with him!

    "Can I... hug you?" He asked excitedly, making her look at him in horror. Did he realise they were still in school? Although people do hugged and kissed in the school premises, but not her. And certainly not Jeremy either.

    Seeing how horrified she looked at his question, he coughed awkwardly.

    "Uhm... what about...maybe a... hand-shake?"

    Okay, that was funny. If she wasn''t feeling so sleepy and tired , she would have really laughed loudly. She offered her small hand to him and he gripped it gently. It was the first time he was holding her hand like this even though it was just an handshake. Her hand was really soft and warm, and really tiny compared to his. No one would be able to guess Chloe was older than him by a year.

    Chloe looked at his happy face for a moment before clearing her throat, then she pulled her hand away slowly.

    He watched how different thoughts flood her face but he couldn''t guess what she was thinking.

    "Leaving school now?" She asked him.

    "Uhm.. Not yet."

    "Why? You should leave now. Let''s go. I''ll drop you off before I head home."

    "What?" He asked in surprise. She had never offered to drop him off before.

    "Let''s go." She c.o.c.ked her head towards the exit, not giving him a chance to object.

    "Why are you hesitating? Do you have plans with Mia? Or maybe.... someone else?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

    "I do not have any plans. And Mia left in a hurry earlier."

    "Good! So let''s leave." He didn''t know why she was suddenly so nice, but he agreed. He suddenly remembered she had been looking behind him a couple of times while they were talking and looked back. When he did, he locked eyes with Katie who was standing not too far away with two other ladies.

    He didn''t know how long she had been there but once their eyes locked, she winked at him.

 Chapter 243 - Surprise?

    Mia looked around the apartment when she returned from school and  wondered where Leo was. He had called her to come home immediately after classes, and because of that, she practically ran back here immediately the last class ended. But Leo wasn''t  in. She only saw Tara whose presence she had gotten used to. She could not explain how fast she was able to get over her fear of dogs. Scratch that! Fear of Tara. She was probably still going to flee for her life when she sees another dog.

    After knocking on his room''s door to confirm he truly wasn''t in, she went to the kitchen to take out a bottle of water. The day had been a very exhausting one.

    A long sigh escaped her lips after she gulped down the last drop. "Tomorrow is Friday." She said to herself sadly. A day closer to Leo''s departure.

    She shook every sad thought out of her head. She was just going to ask Leo to go with her to watch the school''s talent hunt.

    She was just about to call Leo when she heard the front door open.

    "Remain wherever you are! Where are you?" She heard Leo''s voice call out to her from the front door and frowned in confusion.

    "In the kitchen. Why? Are you okay?" She asked and unconsciously took a step towards the door but he quickly asked her to remain there.

    "Just stay there for a minute, I''ll be with you shortly. Please?"

    "Uhm... okay? I guess." She said with uncertainty and sat down while waiting impatiently for him to join her.

    Was he trying to surprise her? Maybe he sprayed his hair or something?

    She wasn''t sure she liked surprises.

    "Sugar?"

    "Sugar? You... want some sugar?" She asked as she stood up from her seat to go get the jar of sugar.

    She heard him laugh from the sitting room. It was the kind of laugh he usually laughed when he thought she was being silly.

    "I was referring to you. Aren''t you my sugar, baby?" He said in a flirty tone that made her cough and blush instantly. She wasn''t sure she was ever going to get used to all of this.

    "Oh....I... Uhm.." She seriously didn''t know what to say. Whenever she watched movies, she always thought the protagonists were being silly. Well now...

    She could hear him snicker outside the door. He was really fond of making her feel fl.u.s.tered.

    "I''m coming in now." Gently, he pushed the door and saw her inside the kitchen.

    "Oh! You are just returning from school?" He asked when he noticed how stressed she looked and what she was still wearing.

    "Yeah.." She answered. She was glad he wasn''t teasing her right now.

    "You look tired. What have you been up to?" She asked, moving the topic away from her. If he called her baby one more time, she may have a heart attack from over excitement.

    He gave her a mischievous smile before taking out a blindfold from his pocket.

    "O��kay... this doesn''t feel alright." She said and looked at it suspiciously.

    "Come on, you don''t have to be suspicious about everything. Just be calm and let me do this, kay?"

    She didn''t have a choice anyway. With a shrug, she surrendered and let him do whatever he wished to do.

    "Good girl." He rewarded her with a small pinch on her nose and a smile, before he tied the blindfold around her eyes and began to lead her away from the kitchen.

    "I hope the surprise is worth it. I''ll kill you if it isn''t." She warned, earning a chuckle from him. He must confess he missed hearing her talk like this. The past few days hasn''t really been the best for her, but he liked how strong she still appeared and how focused she was on her education.

    "I give you permission to kill me if you do not like it." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/surprise_50550504601734561">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/surprise_50550504601734561</a> for visiting.

    "Pfft! You know I won''t." She huffed.

    Honestly, she was really excited and nervous. No one had ever surprised her before. In fact, it was rare for her to receive gifts especially when it wasn''t her birthday, and the gifts were usually from her friends. Her father did give her a few when he was still around but the highest Linda always did was baking nice breads for the family as a form of ''celebration''.

    ''No sad thoughts right now. Focus!'' She scolded herself. The last thing she needed was ruining this moment.

    She heard the faint sound of the door opening before they both entered inside. She instantly knew they were inside his room. It smelled like Leo.

    "You aren''t planning to give me a strip tease, are you?"

    Leo gasped. "When did you become so perverted, Mia Lucas? Oh! I forgot, you have always been a pervert." He said with a laugh and moved away when she tried to hit him.

    "You better stay still if you want to see the surprise now."

    She took a deep breath and remained still. She was curious anyways.

    "Here we go." He went behind her and untied it gently. He was too slow that Mia was almost tempted to do it herself but eventually, he took it off.

    It took her a few seconds before she opened her eyes but frowned when she saw that the room was dark.

    "What is..."

    Leo flicked the light switch, stopping her from saying anything else. And her jaw dropped.

    "Guess you really won''t kill me after all." He said with a smug smile before moving behind her to give her a back hug.

    "When... did you..." She looked around the room, face as red as a tomato.

    The room was decorated with balloons which had different letters written on it. The several balloons placed together spelt ''I LOVE YOU'' and it was in almost every corner of the room. That wasn''t all, different pictures of her was hanging on the wall. She almost didn''t recognize herself until she looked properly at it. She would have thought it was a model.

    There were the photos he had taken of her in the cottage by the beach and the one they had taken together on the beach.

    "I... look so happy." She said in a very low voice that sounded like she was at the verge of tears. She moved away from Leo''s hug to touch the photoframe.

    She was in the beach, her hair flying behind her. She wore Leo''s shirt which was covering only some part of her thigh. The wind made it cling to her body and ride up a bit but she looked like she didn''t care about it. She couldn''t remember what Leo told her at that moment that made her laugh so much.

    She had no idea she was capable of looking this happy.

 Chapter 244 - I liked it

    She looked at one of the pictures she took with Leo. They were also laughing and her hands was around his waist. She remembered this particular moment.

    He had set his camera on the tripod and joined her in the water but tried to run away when he realised how cold it was. There was another picture where he was scolding her for remaining inside the water when she could have just told him it was cold and left there.

    There were pictures of the both of them dancing inside the cottage that night, there were also some which he took of her inside the cottage.

    She had no idea of the exact moment he took some them.

    The last picture on the wall was the first photo they took together. The one they had taken inside his car before he mistakenly sent it to his family''s group chat. Altogether, the pictures were about 15. It was her first time seeing a picture of herself hanging on a wall. It was her first time seeing such beautiful photos of herself. It was her first time taking photos with a man who was holding her very intimately and she liked every moment of it!

    Leo held her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

    "Maybe it''s cringeworthy... I don''t know. I have never done this for anyone before. And I thought the photos were probably too much, but it looks really pretty here."

    Mia didn''t know what to say. She just continued to stare at the wall filled with their photos.

    "Hey." He held her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

    "You are the best thing that has happened to me, Mia Lucas." He saw the flicker of doubt in her eyes and continued, "You may be rude, sometimes loud,  you bang doors and even throw me out of my own house... oh! you only cook pasta��""Haha! Sorry." He quickly apologized when he saw the look on her face changing to a frown.

    "Look.." He turned her around to look at the photos again.

    "I want you to always look at this photos and remember that you are capable of smiling like this."

    "Even when I''m not here, you should always smile beautifully. You must remember you are a good dancer. You must remember you are a good student. You must remember ��"

    "Stop it!" She said coldly with her eyes down. "Just... stop" She took in a deep breath before stepping away from him then she left the room in a hurry and returned to hers, leaving Leo utterly confused. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/i-liked-it_51001862698098713">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/i-liked-it_51001862698098713</a> for visiting.

    ~~~~

    "Mia? Is something wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Leo asked as he kept knocking on her door.

    "You know I won''t take silence for an answer.. I''m coming inside." He warned before opening the door.

    Cherry was really fond of throwing tantrums. She always locked him out of the room whenever she was angry. He felt it was better to ignore her and only approach her when it looked like she was calm.

    But he realised it wasn''t the case for Mia. In fact, he always barged inside the room even when they weren''t friends. And be did so again now.

    She was sleeping on the bed in a fetal position, the duvet was covering her. But he could still see she was still fully dressed.

    "Please tell me I didn''t do anything wrong." He said before sitting down on the bed. He touched her arm but she shook his hand off and said in a quiet voice, "Don''t touch me."

    "Wait what? You are really mad at me?" He asked in surprise. He stood up from where he was sitting and walked to the other side so he could see her face clearly but she turned her face to the other side so he wouldn''t look at her.

    With a confused frown, he dove under the duvet and cuddled her from behind.

    She didn''t push him away this time but he realised she was sobbing quietly.

    "Please talk to me. Didn''t you like the surprise?"

    She shook her head. She liked it.

    "You didn''t like the fact that I printed the photos we took together? I really wanted to ask you first but I thought I would ruin the surprise and the pictures looked pretty so I��"

    "I liked it." She answered. "I liked them a lot." She said before sniffing again.

    His hand was around her waist so he gently pulled her towards him so the back of her head was now touching his chest.

    "So talk to me. I need to know. You looked happy but suddenly got angry and I can''t guess what exactly is wrong with��"

    "I am scared okay!?" She suddenly sat up and said in a raised voice.

    "No one has ever been this nice to me. You showed me those beautiful things and began to sound like I will never see you again or you are planning to break up. You... (sniffs) didn''t have to... sound like that." She began to cry so she used her hands to cover her face.

    Leo didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. But amus.e.m.e.nt danced in his eyes.

    "I''m sorry. I wanted to be romantic and passionate. I didn''t know it would turn out like this."

    "It isn''t funny!" She said in between sobs and picked a pillow to hit him with it. Without looking at his face, she could tell he was finding the whole thing amusing.

    "Come on. Stop being a baby. You must have seen a lot of horrible movies to think so." He hugged her forcefully, bringing her head to his chest.

    "And don''t ever scare me like that again. I thought I did something wrong." He said with a sigh.

    She only sniffed but didn''t answer.

    "Now, open your left drawer and check inside."

    "What? Why?" She raised her tear streaked face to look at him.

    "Just do it. You ask too many questions." He used a finger to poke her forehead and pointed his chin towards the drawer.

    Mia slowly climbed down from the bed and went to the drawer. She opened it and was surprised to find a small wrapped gift inside. Another surprise?

    She picked it and looked at him to see he was smiling at her. "Go on, open it." He urged her excitedly.

    She slowly began to unwrap it until a small jewelry box came into view, making her eyes widen.

    "Don''t... t..ell me you want... to ask me to marry... you?" She stuttered and blinked at him.

    Marriage, was she ready? She didn''t think she was. But did she not want to marry him? That wasn''t a bad idea. But she wasn''t sure she was ready.

    "Aish! I''m so confused." She cried.

    Leo watched in amus.e.m.e.nt and began to laugh. "Just open the box already, silly!"

 Chapter 245 - Gangster

    Mia was glad she had dance practice that evening. How would she have faced Leo after such embarrassment?

    How did she even just assume that Leo wanted to propose to her? She was so embarrassed she wasn''t sure she would get over it even after a year.

    She looked out the bus window and touched the necklace Leo had bought her. It was a tiny gold necklace with a star pendant. Even though she had been embarrassed, it didn''t stop her from rejecting it once she saw it inside the box. It looked too expensive. If she took it to a pawn shop, she was definitely going to receive a lot of money.

    "It''s yours baby." Leo said and refused to hear her reject his gift to her. He stood up from the bed and moved to where she was before taking the necklace and wearing it on her. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/gangster_51030889982910490">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/gangster_51030889982910490</a> for visiting.

    "Let''s not argue about this, hmm?" He used a finger to raise her chin so she can look into his eyes.

    "I don''t... know. I just..." He stopped her from talking with a quick kiss, making her eyes widen.

    "I will never understand why you''re still always so surprised after every kiss we share. You should get used to it." He used his thumb to graze the corner of her lips. "This lip, is practically mine" He said with a wink.

    As usual, she was tongue tied. He smiled smugly before going to sit down on the bed and crossed his legs while looking at her intently. "Should we talk now about how you thought I was about to propose or should I let you eat first?" He teased.

    She prayed at that moment for the ground to open and swallow her up.

    Once her bus stopped moving, she got down and scrolled towards the studio. It was almost time for the street dancing competition which meant, it was time to get serious!

    ***********

    When Chloe returned to the house after school, her parents were unsurprisingly not available so she took a quick shower and slept off. She wasn''t sure how much time passed before she heard a knock on her door.

    "Chloe? Your parents are waiting for you downstairs." The chief maid informed her.

    She was still so tired but she managed to sit up while yawning, "I''ll be down shortly."

    She wondered what they wanted to tell her this time. Surprisingly, she wasn''t nervous like she usually was whenever they said they wanted to speak with her.

    She sat in front of her dressing table and brushed her hair. Once she was done, she tied it in a pigtail and left her room for downstairs.

    The atmosphere seemed tensed so she continued standing after greeting her parents.

    "What have you been up to lately?" Her father asked first.

    His voice was unusually cold which alerted her that something was really up. She looked at her mother who was looking ahead, she seemed to be deliberately avoiding to look at her daughter.

    "The usual. Class, work��"

    "And hanging out with boys?" Her father asked in an accusing tone, taking her aback.

    Boys?

    "I...." Chloe tried to defend herself but she realised she couldn''t say anything. Not until she understood the basis for the accusation.

    "Is that why you''ve been rebellious lately? Cos'' you follow gangsters now!?" Her father bellowed angrily at her making her flinch.

    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Chloe finally said seriously. She wasn''t following boys.  She also wasn''t following gangsters. Where did they get such information from?

    "Do not lie to us Chloe.  You... you used to be very obedient. How... how could you?" Her mother asked in between a sob.

    "I knew you would never deliberately disobey us. Who led you astray? Who is that boy? Did he threaten you?" She stood up and walked towards Chloe to take her hand while looking at her daughter with pleading eyes.

    Chloe''s heart was beating so fast. She had never been in a situation like this before. Her father was angry, her mother was shedding tears. They were accusing her of hanging out with a boy which had never happened before. And the boy according to them, was a gangster. Who was that? The only boy close to her at the moment was Jeremy. And he was anything but a gangster.

    "WHY AREN''T YOU SAYING ANYTHING?" Her father yelled at her when she remained quiet. "If we heard from someone that you''ve been hanging around with that gangster, do you know how many more people must have seen you and are talking behind our backs?"

    "I do not hang around with any gangster!" Chloe raised her voice in annoyance earning her a slap from her mother.

    "How dare you raise your voice at your father? Is this how we raised you? Call that boy here this instant!"

    Chloe looked at her mother in shock. That was the first time she was being hit by her mother.

    "We gave you everything you ever wanted. Do you know how many people wish to be like you? To have the things you own?" Her father asked in a disappointed tone.

    Mrs King quickly added, "Those late nights at the office, the tantrums you''ve been throwing, even walking out on your date, was all because of him? That boy who looks uncultured? Who keeps their hair like that if not gangsters? Do you know how he was born? His mother was a mistress! She...."

    "Stop it." Chloe pleaded with her eyes closed and hands fisted beside her.

    "Just please... stop it.." She said in a broken voice when her mother continued to rant.

    "...you want to ruin your future because of that��"

    "I SAID STOP IT!" Chloe yelled at the top of her lungs as tears slid down her face.

    Her parents looked at her like they had just seen a ghost.

    She turned and began to head to her room but stopped when her father spoke, "This is your last chance, Chloe King. Whatever you have with that boy has to end. Unless you want us to approach him directly. And it wouldn''t end well."

    "Honey... did you... see how she yelled and walked out on us?" Mrs King stuttered, obviously still in shock.

    Chloe took in a deep breath and began to climb the stairs. With each step she took, she heard the anger rise in her mother''s voice, "She should go ahead and meet him! Maybe she doesn''t want him to graduate cos'' I''ll make sure of it!"

    Once she got inside her room, she banged the door and pressed her back to the door.

    The image of Jeremy shaking hands with her and smiling happily a few hours ago after she agreed to go to the school talent hunt with him, flashed before her eyes and she immediately began to cry.

 Chapter 246 - Ditched

    Jeremy stood outside and kept waiting for Chloe. She had said she would go with him, by chance, did she change her mind? He wondered sadly.

    He had thought he did something wrong to her when she kept walking away while he called her after class the previous day, or maybe Ellie told her something which was making her a bit distant but when he asked Ellie whether she told her anything the previous evening, Ellie assured him she said nothing even though he suspected she had.

    When he went to the mall in the evening, Chloe didn''t show up at work and neither did she answer his calls or texts.

    Now, he wasn''t worried about her not going with him, he was worried about her well being. Perhaps she was sick? He remembered how dull she looked yesterday.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/ditched_51067404167471619">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/ditched_51067404167471619</a> for visiting.

    "What''s making the loverboy look sad?" He heard a familiar voice beside him and turned to see Katie with her group of 3 friends.

    He shot her a warning glance but she pretended not to notice it and stood in front of him with her hands folded in front of her chest.

    "Let me guess, you are waiting for a certain someone who isn''t going to show up? You want to come with me instead and sit together?" She asked with a wink.

    He looked distracted. Katie was the least of his problems. But he still gave her his attention and noticed how her friends were looking at him curiously. One looked like she was flirting with him with her eyes. Merely looking at her, he could tell she wasn''t from their school.

    "I''ll pass." He rejected politely.

    "Who''s the girl?" The girl who had been eyeing him asked curiously.

    "None of your business." Katie said, shooting her a look of disapproval before smiling at Jeremy.

    "In case she stands you up, give me a call. We''ll sit together." She touched his shoulder before walking away with her friends walking behind her.

    He sighed in relief when they left. Girls were too troublesome!

    "Maybe I should call Leo?" He wondered. Although, Leo was probably still mad at him for the other time when they played the calling game and Chloe called him first before calling her brother. But this was important and he believed Leo would give him an answer.... right?

    He was still uncertain but he took out his phone. He was just about to dial his number when he noticed two people among the crowd heading towards his direction.

    Mia looked different from the way he always saw her. She looked pretty, as if she had gone to a ''change my look'' kind of show where they transformed her into a real beauty.

    She wore make up, a simple rainbow gown and low-heeled shoe with her hair in a pigtail. She looked completely innocent.

    Leo was beside her. He kept trying to hold her hand but Mia seemed uncomfortable and continued to pull away while Leo kept trying to hold her with a naughty grin on his face.

    Jeremy frowned. Leo can happily hang out and display affection with Mia while he doesn''t want any guy to play with his sister like this?

    ''Just you wait, Leo King!'' He said to himself with determination.

    "Oh! Jeremy..." Mia called and took the opportunity to increase her pace to meet him. "What are you doing standing here?"

    Jeremy locked eyes with Leo. Rather, he was practically glaring at Leo who gave him the "What are you looking at?" stare.

    "I''m waiting for someone." Jeremy said, ignoring Leo. ''Stingy!'' He cussed him in his head. How can someone be stingy with his sister but wants someone else''s sister?

    "What did I do to you this time?" Leo asked Jeremy with his hands inside his pocket and his head c.o.c.ked to the side..

    "Did I say you did something wrong?" Jeremy asked with his chin raised.

    "You don''t have to say it out. It''s easy reading you.... Just like a book." He added smugly.

    "Alright... let''s not start right now." Mia said, standing in between them even though she knew they weren''t going to fight. They always bantered whenever they met and she wasn''t up for it now.

    "What is he even doing here? He''s not even a student." Jeremy grumbled in a low voice. Leo''s presence was probably going to make Chloe uncomfortable if she knew her brother was there.

    "I can hear you." Leo reminded him.

    "Alright! Let''s go in now." Mia held Leo''s hand and pulled him along with her. He took the opportunity to lock their fingers together. When Mia frowned at his slyness, he winked at her causing Jeremy to scoff.

    Leo looked at Jeremy and stuck his tongue out in a mocking gesture before saying,

    "You are just being jealous." It was Jeremy''s time to scoff.

    "So childish!" Jeremy murmured. He made sure not to say it out because even though he was mad at Leo, he was still Chloe''s older brother.

    "Aren''t you coming in? Where is Chloe?" Mia turned to ask him, remembering he had mentioned she agreed to come here with him.

    "I haven''t been able to reach her since last night. Have you heard from her?" He asked Leo, looking concerned now.

    Leo''s brows furrowed. He also hadn''t heard from her. It wasn''t like they spoke every single day.

    "I... am worried." Jeremy said. He looked really sincere and worried that Leo began to worry also even though he thought she probably just needed time to herself.

    Leo sighed before taking out his phone to call Chloe. He couldn''t believe he was doing this right now.

    Chloe didn''t pick up so he called Louis instead who assured him that Chloe was at home and has been in her room all day.

    "Did something happen?" Leo asked his twin.

    "I''m not sure. I only got home this morning and she''s been inside since last night. I don''t know whether something happened last night."

    Leo didn''t want to look worried so when ended the call and tried to look like all was good

    "You shouldn''t worry too much. She is okay. Just stressed out so she''s resting today."

    Jeremy looked relieved and disappointed at the same time. He was relieved she was okay but disappointed because she wasn''t going with him.

    He nodded and followed them inside, but he didn''t sit close to them. He had taken tickets for the very last seat at the back since he knew Chloe would have preferred sitting there. Also, he didn''t want Leo and Mia to blind him with their public display of affection so he was glad he got to sit far away.

    Nothing was interesting to him. He watched people sing, dance, try to be funny and all, but he wasn''t interested.

    When he felt the presence of someone who sat down on the empty seat beside him, he was about to tell the person the seat was taken but he ignored it. There were a lot of people standing and Chloe wasn''t coming so it didn''t matter.

    But the person''s scent....

    He turned to look at the person and was surprised to see it was Chloe. She continued looking ahead but when Jeremy continued to look at her in surprise and happiness, she turned to look at him.

 Chapter 247 - A wish

    Jeremy didn''t look away when Chloe turned to look at him. They both stared at each other for a while until Jeremy reached to touch her face with his hand.

    Chloe''s gaze moved away from his face to look at the hand which was about to touch her. She watched his hand with furrowed brows. It was as if he was trying to make up his mind whether to touch her or not.

    Just before his hand got to her face, he stopped and withdrew his hand sharply and cleared his throat.

    "Are you... sick?" He asked in a gentle voice.

    For a few seconds, she didn''t answer. Her gaze moved back to his face before she sat comfortably to watch the events on the stage. There was a couple dancing on stage which a lot of people seemed to be cheering for.

    "They are quite talented." She said, deliberately ignoring the question Jeremy asked her.

    "Would you like to talk about it? I mean, whatever is making you sad?" He moved closer to ask when the cheers and claps of the crowd grew louder.

    She turned to look at him with the same gaze he found difficult to read. "How do you know?"

    "What?" He asked in confusion.

    "Guessing I am angry or sad... How do you do it?" She asked with obvious curiosity.

    She thought she had been able to master the art of keeping her emotions hidden. Her face was always straight so no one knew whether she was happy or sad. But one look at her and he always knew something was wrong with her.

    "Uhm.." He touched the bridge of his nose as he thought about how to answer her question.

    "I guess it''s obvious. Anyone can tell. Right?"

    ''That''s not true.'' She wanted to tell him. ''Even my parents do not understand how I feel.''

    But she didn''t say it. Instead, she asked.

    "Do you really want to know why I''m like this right now?" She asked calmly.

    "Yes."

    The corner of her lips curved slightly, "Once you know... you may... regret knowing. It''s best you just forget about it and enjoy this show."

    She smiled at him before looking ahead.

    She tried not to think about anything else but what was going on in the stage, but her mind kept wandering. Her throat tightened as she remembered her conversation with her parents the previous evening. Maybe they were nice and loved her dearly, they were also really strict and would not hesitate to take out whatever was going to be an hindrance to their only daughter. Especially since they already have a black sheep in the family�� Leo.

    Jeremy has been nothing but good to her. He was the nicest person she had ever met minus Adrian. How can her parents simply assume he was a gangster? Who put that thought in their heads? If only they knew he couldn''t hurt a fly... but no, they weren''t interested in knowing anything about him. They believed he was a bad person leading their daughter astray.

    Talking about his mother had been so uncalled for. So what if he was the son of a mistress? He was very cultured and respected people unlike most offspring of their social circle.

    She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She wouldn''t have come here. She shouldn''t have. Why did she come? It didn''t matter if her parents were wrong to assume those things about him. If they really wanted to teach her a lesson through him, then there was nothing she would be able to do about it.

    Her heart almost stopped when a hand touched her hand and held it.

    She still didn''t open her eyes but she made an effort to withdraw her hand from his grip. When he didn''t let go, she also stopped resisting.

    "We can get out of here if you want." He offered.

    Almost immediately he said it, she nodded. She hated noisy places and this place was far too noisy for her.

    When they both stood up, Chloe looked at their hands which was still connected so he quickly let go with a quick apology.

    He didn''t know what got into him to suddenly hold her but he felt she needed some kind of assurance so she would know he was there beside her. He noticed she wasn''t really herself and could guess something must have happened at home which she didn''t want to talk about. And he wasn''t going to force her to tell him.

    He led the way and she followed behind him. They walked down to their classroom without saying a word to each other. They simply walked slowly and side by side.

    Since everyone was having fun in the school hall, the classroom was empty.

    Chloe began to feel very nervous. She reached for her bottle of water inside her bag and realised it was almost empty.

    "I''ll get you one." Jeremy offered and began to leave the classroom but stopped when he heard Chloe''s soft voice call,

    "Jeremy."

    He turned around to look at her. When their gazes locked, she gulped and looked at the side guiltily.

    He waited patiently for what she had to say without saying a word. Only thing he did was to move closer to her.

    She suddenly turned to look at him and smiled cheerfully.

    "So... I''m going to make your wish come true."

    "My... wish?" He asked with confusion.

    "Yes. So I figured you''ve been really good to me and deserve a reward. So hurry and tell me what you want." She said, trying to look like she was excited but it made Jeremy frown even more. He could tell she was faking it all.

    "Why would you want to give me a reward for being nice to you?"

    "I don''t... understand." He shook his head. He really didn''t know what she was talking about or why they were having this conversation.

    "It''s rare for people to just be nice to others without expecting anything in return ��"

    "Not me." He said, slightly offended by her words.

    "Including you." She cut in. "You are nice to me because you like me and want me to date you. Wrong?"

    Jeremy didn''t know what to say at this point. Did he by chance do something to warrant this? Where was this conversation coming from? Where was it heading to?

    "I will give you anything you ask me right now except dating you."

    "I don''t want anyth��"

    "Money?"

    His face turned stone cold.

    "A kiss?"

    "..."

    "Or... s.e.x?"

    "Just stop it!" He raised his voice angrily.

    Chloe was a but startled since that was the first time he looked obviously mad at her. His face was burning red but she couldn''t tell whether it was from anger or the embarrassment he felt by her words.

    "I don''t care if people have been nice to you because they expected something in return, but I am not like that." He stopped to take in a deep breath to control his temper so it wouldn''t seem like he was yelling at her.

    "I told you before. Even if we never end up together, I will still care for you as much as I do now."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/a-wish_51117884277060343">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/a-wish_51117884277060343</a> for visiting.

    "I don''t want you to! Just stop it already!" She yelled at the top of her lungs and raised her head to blink back whatever tears that was threatening to fall.

    "Did I..." He paused and gulped. "Did I do something wrong?"

    "Yes!" She snapped at him. "You did everything wrong. You should have always ignored me. You shouldn''t have liked me. You shouldn''t have been my employee. You shouldn''t have come into my life at all!"

    He looked at her with a mixture of shock, hurt and disbelief.

    "I was doing a lot fine until you came into my life. And now I have to start worrying a lot." She paused to catch her breath. She didn''t bother to clean off the tears that had slid down her face.

    "I did a perfect job hiding David from everyone but I am not even dating you and yet everyone is trying to make my life difficult because of you."

    ''And I don''t know how to protect you from them.'' She said in her head as more tears slid down her face. If anything happened to him because of her, he was never going to forgive her. She knew it.

    "So please... stay away from me. I will recommend you to nice mall so you can quit working for me and also��"

    He didn''t wait for her to finish. His shaky hands formed fists and after another sad look at her, he turned and walked away.

 Chapter 248 - Stranger.

    Mia had a contented smile on her face by the time the talent show ended. A freshman from the science department had been the one to win the first place. She was really excited to have seen this beside Leo who held her hand throughout while they watched and took time to whisper to each other about what they thought of the contestant.

    She realised that even though she hadn''t been among the contestants, she felt nervous during the whole show. Maybe her mind had been conditioned to react that way during competitions since all the ones she went to, she was always competing with others. Or maybe because it reminded her of the fact that CMT was this Sunday night and she was going to be doing her best to so they would all win the first place.

    "You are still nervous." Leo noted. He held her hand while they walked side by side to his apartment. Since it wasn''t so far, they both decided to walk instead of taking the car.

    "I guess I am." She sighed.

    "You are going to win." He assured her with a smile.

    "What if..."

    "You will win. I believe in you Mia Lucas." He squeezed her hand gently when he noticed the doubt in her face, so she looked up at him and smiled a little. The smile soon turned into a sad one.

    "I know what you are thinking."

    "What am I thinking?" She asked curiously as they stopped to stare at each other.

    "You are thinking, ''I will miss him so much. How can I survive the next few years without seeing him in flesh?'' That''s what you are thinking." He smiled. The smile looked almost sad like hers. He too was thinking the same thing.

    Although he was correct, she snorted, "There is Louis. I can at least pretend he is you." She teased.

    "WHAT?" His eyes flashed dangerously. "I forbid you from going close to Louis."

    She shrugged and began to walk away.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything? Why aren''t you telling me you were only joking?" He asked in surprise as he increased his pace to catch up with her.

    "What do you want me to say?" She asked while she kept walking ahead, hiding her smile from him.

    "That you won''t ever meet with Louis because you miss me too much. What if you get confused for a moment?" He held her hand and stopped her from taking another step before looking at her with a pout.

    Mia looked at him, enjoying how riled up he was. "Say please..."

    "What? Why?" He raised a confused brow.

    "You are becoming very bossy with your demands lately, Mr. Lion King." She touched the tip of his nose with a finger. "You have to ask me nicely before I listen." She smirked and went ahead of him while hopping.

    "Come on babe, why are you doing this to me?" He asked as he continued to follow her but she didn''t stop.

    "Alright! Please....." He called desperately.

    "I just said please why are you still leaving?" He complained before he began to jog towards her.

    ********

    After Chloe left the school, she went to the only place that she drowned her sorrows in�� WORK.

    She kept reading through files, taking notes, monitoring charts and doing anything that would take her mind off whatever she was feeling.

    Her grumbling stomach reminded her she hadn''t eaten anything since the afternoon of the previous day and it was already evening.

    Food was the least of her problems. Who would have appetite after everything?

    Her eyes involuntarily went to a note that was stuck to her table calendar. It had Jeremy''s handwriting and read: Always take a break, Miss King.

    She remembered the day he left that note. She had been working for hours and didn''t even give him any attention when he came to see her so he got angry and started complaining about how she was working too much.

    "You should always take a break. I can bet you haven''t eaten since you came here. So... I''ll give you one little secret that''ll make you feel better." Jeremy had said.

    She hadn''t wanted to answer him then but she did even though she was still looking at her computer, "And what''s that?"

    "Sitting for hours is not good for the health. Especially with how you are bent over like that while using your computer. So always try to stand up and do some stretches or even better, take a stroll downstairs to one of the restaurants and get something nice to eat. It would even be better if you used the stairs instead of the elevator."

    "That... is... your secret?" She finally raised her head to look at him with a frown.

    "Of course! Surprised?"

    She sighed. She had totally forgotten who she was dealing with. "You always bring me something to eat so that won''t be necessary."

    "This is about your health. It''s not good to always sit here like this. Besides, I won''t be here forever."

    "Whatever!" She said with disinterest before she continued with her computer. He moved closer to her desk to pick up a note and pen and wrote something down.

    "I''ll just stick this note here. Whenever you look at it after long hours of working, go down and eat."

    She ignored him and just let him do what he was doing. Once he was done and left her office, she looked at the note and her lips curved upwards slightly.

    In the present, she looked at it and felt goosebumps on her skin. The kind of goosebumps that came whenever she felt like crying. She quickly stood up and picked up her purse. She didn''t have the time to feel pity for herself. She believed she did the right thing. Maybe she had been a bit harsh, but that was the only way to push him away.

    She was already standing in front of the elevator before she remembered he had told her to take the stairs. Although she felt very weak and was starving, she turned towards the direction of the stairs.

    It took her quite a while before she got downstairs. She panted heavily from the exertion of climbing the stairs and felt like collapsing, also from hunger.

    She didn''t take many steps before she saw the familiar figure with the long hair speaking with some people including the manager. He carried a big backpack which looked really heavy and he wore casual clothes and not the clothes the employees wore.

    "Thank you all for having me here these past few months. I am deeply grateful." Jeremy said with a smile.

    The others didn''t look happy with the news. "Why are you suddenly quitting? Did something happen?" A girl asked.

    "Do you need a raise?" The manager asked. He looked like he was ready to do anything that Jeremy asked him to. Aside from the fact that he was good at his job, several times, they all knew how he had saved their asses from getting fired.

    "Did you... quarrel with the boss by chance?" A boy dared to ask.

    Another boy amongst them suddenly saw Chloe and alerted the others nervously.

    Chloe remained standing there. She locked gaze with Jeremy whose facial expression didn''t change at all except the hurt she saw in his eyes.

    Whenever they met like this at work, he always sent her a smile. But now, he looked at her like he didn''t even recognize her.

    "I''ll be leaving now. Take care all of you. And do not skip your meals." Jeremy bowed his head slightly at the manager, turned and walked away. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/stranger._51134983867256827">/book/my-crazy-housemate_13183959906038805/stranger._51134983867256827</a> for visiting.

 Chapter 249 - It hurts

    "Is she in?" Leo asked Chloe''s assistant while pointing at her office door.

    From the look in the assistant''s eyes, Leo could tell it was the first time she was seeing either of the King''s twin, or maybe she had seen Louis before and was only surprised to see how similar and yet different they both seemed. This was actually the first time he was coming to see Chloe at work. He hadn''t thought there was a reason to meet her when they could always talk on phone. But seeing how she was going through a lot at the moment, he knew he had to meet her in person.

    "Uhm.. yes but..."

    He didn''t wait for her to finish before he began to head towards her office. After knocking twice, he opened the door and entered inside without waiting for permission.

    She wasn''t sitting at her desk so his eyes went to the other corner of the room where her couch was. She was lying down on one of them. He began to approach but stopped when he heard her hostile and harsh voice, "Get out!"

    He didn''t move at all. Was she crying? It definitely sounded like she was.

    "I said get out! Didn''t I tell you not to come in?" She said when she didn''t hear any sound like the intruder was leaving the office.

    A sniffle followed the end of her words.

    "It''s me." He said in a quiet voice.

    He saw her tense up a bit but she didn''t say anything else, neither did she make any effort to look at him.

    "Are you okay?" He knew that was a stupid question. She wasn''t okay at all and it was obvious. But he had some doubts whether Chloe would be able to open up to him. She liked to keep to herself and had only managed to tell him a few things lately.

    She sat up. Her back was still to him and he noticed she was deliberately trying to hide her face from him.

    "I''ll just use the restroom and join you." She said and shuffled to the bathroom before he could even say anything.

    By the time she returned, he was sitting on the couch with a bottle of water in hand and handed it over to her when she sat opposite him on the other couch where she had been lying down on.

    She accepted it and said a weak "Thanks" before opening it to take big gulps from it.

    Her face and eyes were still very red and a bit swollen. Just what must have made her cry so much? Leo wondered. He looked really worried about her.

    Taking so much water made her almost throw up. She had been starving for a long time and taking this much water made her belly began to feel funny.

    "Tell me what is wrong." Leo said in a demanding voice. If he wanted to be soft with her, she was probably going to just blow off his concern. He couldn''t travel with a peaceful mind if his younget sister was going through a lot and no one was helping her.

    She looked away from him to look at her side.

    "I''m fine." She managed to say. She wasn''t fine. And she knew Leo didn''t believe her. No one in their right senses would anyway. But what reason could she give him? Did she even know the reason?

    Leo sighed. He relaxed back on the couch and crossed his legs before folding his arms, his scrutinizing gaze never leaving her.

    "This is about Jeremy, isn''t it?"

    She opened her mouth immediately to deny it, but she couldn''t. She shut her mouth in resignation and looked away from her brother, slightly embarrassed.

    "I saw him outside the mall." He informed her, finally getting her attention. She turned to look at him.

    "It looked like he had been sitting out there for a long time. He was deep in thought. I wanted to approach him but I wasn''t sure what to say to him. He also stood up and left."

    Chloe began to have those goosebumps again and knew it wouldn''t be long before she started crying. She pressed her lips together and tried to blink back whatever tears that was threatening to fall. ''Do not cry Chloe.'' She warned herself.

    "He... used to work here." She finally told him.

    "Really?" Leo looked a bit surprised since he hadn''t heard that before. He only knew Jeremy was her classmate who liked her. He suddenly remembered she had said ''was''.

    "I asked him to quit." She swallowed hard and sniffled, "He... did." The first sob escaped her lips and stopped almost immediately while beads of tears slid down from her eyes. She also quickly wiped them off with her hands.

    "Why did you ask him to?" He asked, trying to choose his questions carefully. He didn''t want to say or do anything that would stop her from talking.

    "It''s definitely not because you do not like him. Is it because he isn''t from a rich family?" He asked even though he knew his sister didn''t have such prejudice against people. And just as he expected, she shook her head immediately,

    "That''s not it."

    "Then?" It suddenly occured to him and he sat up to ask, "The parents found out?" He wasn''t surprised when she nodded slowly.

    "They called him... a gangster. (sniffs) They said he was a bad influence and promised to approach him themselves if I didn''t stay away. Mum threatened to make sure he doesn''t graduate." More tears slid down her eyes, but she wiped them immediately they fell.

    "I''m really not surprised." He said with a sigh. He had gone through it firsthand to know how Chloe felt. The difference between them was that, Chloe was a weak girl. No matter how much she tried to act like she was strong and that people''s opinion about her didn''t matter, she was the complete opposite. She wasn''t strong, and people''s opinion about her mattered to her. That was why she spent a long time trying to please their parents. Also why she felt like she didn''t deserve to be happy after Adrian''s death because people would think she was living happily after taking away someone else''s happiness. It was also why she worked hard both in school and at work so that people would see how much she was succeeding not because of her family, but because she deserved it.

    "So you had to let him go?" He finally asked her. It was really a weird sight seeing her cry so much because of a boy who annoyed him most times.

    "I had to." She admitted. "I know him. I know Jeremy." She said in between sobs. "He was still going to stay. He won''t want to run away because of the threats. But he needs to graduate the University in order to get a good job to take care of himself and his sister."

    He had to graduate for his mother. She didn''t want him to be a disappointment to his father whoever the man was. And if he continued to hang out with her, the worse was going to happen. She would hate herself.

    "But it hurts..." She finally allowed herself cry. "I don''t know why it hurts so much. I... I can''t even breathe."

    Why was it hurting her so much? Was it because she knew she had hurt him? Or because she hated this choice she had made but didn''t have any other way out?

    Leo watched her cry. He didn''t say any words to stop her from crying or try to sooth her. After a while, he sat up again.

    "Let me give you an advise... as the black sheep of the family.." Leo started with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 Chapter 250 - Fed up

    Chloe stood in front of the door to her parents'' bedroom. She had been standing there for a while, taking really deep breaths and preparing herself for what she was about to do. So far, her parents hadn''t said much to each other, just a few talks about the hospital. When she was about to knock on the door, she stopped when she heard something that caught her attention.

    "What are we going to do about Chloe? She is making me seriously worried." Her mother said with a sigh.

    "She is a smart girl. I''m sure she understands the gravity of what she is doing now that we halve mentioned it to her." Her father said. He sounded really disappointed.

    "But how did she meet a boy like that? I mean.. there are a lot of great guys out there. Even Kevin Hank was a good match for her."

    "We should be grateful to him for bringing this to our knowledge. Who would have thought Chloe was beginning to hang out with boys like that? I am so repulsed by the idea and disappointed in her."

    Chloe''s hands balled beside her. Kelvin. It was him. His stupid jealousy had led him to badmouth Jeremy to her parents. What right did he have?

    "We need to settle the present issue first. I already spoke with the Vice chancellor. He assured me that even though Chloe left her test halfway, the lecturer said she did really well. Oh! That girl is going to be the death of me."

    Chloe''s eyes widened in shock. It wasn''t because her mother sounded like she was crying, but because of what she had just heard. She had called the Vice chancellor to talk about her grades? Why? Since when did this start?

    "You should fix a meeting with him this coming week. Chloe''s exams are coming up. I''m sure this distraction must have gotten in the way of her study. She needs our help the most this period or else, this family is going to be a laughingstock among the extended family. We also need to stop her from going to the mall and seeing that silly boy." Her father spat out.

    Chloe had never felt so heartbroken before. She didn''t know when tears began to fall from her eyes. She was a smart girl. She was intelligent. She didn''t need her parents to do this. Just how long have they been doing this? Was this the first time? Was it the second? Just how long!?

    She wasn''t angry because she had overheard them talking about stopping her from going to the mall, she hadn''t even been this angry when she was told to cut ties with Jeremy.

    She stood there, face burning with anger and tears flowing down her eyes while her hands fisted tightly beside ber.

    The door was suddenly opened and her mother immediately looked pale when she saw her daughter standing there,

    "Chl...oe.. when...? Louis.. when did... you both get here?" Mrs King stammered.

    "What... was that about?" Chloe asked very quietly when she recovered from the shock.

    Mr King also came out of the room and stood beside his wife.

    "When did you two get here?" He asked.

    If her father was surprised to see her standing there looking angry with tears all over her face, he didn''t show it. He kept a straight face.

    "How long have you been doing this?" Chloe asked. She felt a hand on her shoulder and knew it was Louis but she didn''t turn to look at him. She had no idea how long he had been standing behind her, but she knew he must have overheard some part of their parents conversation with her.

    "Chloe... you should come..."

    "HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?" Chloe bellowed angrily at them.

    "How long have you been going behind my back to speak with my teachers about my grades? How long have you been doing that?" She asked with more tears flowing down her eyes.

    All the taunting remarks from classmates began to echo in her head. There were many times she heard people saying she had good grades because her family was behind it, but she never cared about talks like that because she believed she was smart and deserved the grades so whatever anyone said didn''t matter. If her parents were actually speaking with teachers about her grades, she would have been at the top of her class right? But she was still fourth place. Maybe she overheard or misinterpreted? She desperately wanted to believe that.

    It was another reason she hadn''t really taken it seriously when Jeremy tried to talk her into believing Kelvin''s family was involved in his grades. Even though she had the hunch that Kelvin wasn''t so smart, she tried to give him the benefit of the doubt because just like herself, a lot of people were doubting her. It wasn''t a crime being smart, pretty and from a rich family.

    So it really wasn''t true that her parents have been involved in it right?

    "Chloe! Do not yell at your mother." Her father said angrily.

    "I AM YELLING AT THE TWO OF YOU RIGHT NOW! HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON?"

    "Stop it!" Mrs King shouted.

    "So what if it''s been going on for a while? Isn''t it for you? We have done nothing but try to mould you into the perfect daughter that we want but what did you do in return?"

    The weight of the truth sank deeply and if not for Louis who held Chloe, she would have fallen to the floor. She stared at them with eyes filled with disbelief.

    "To become the black sheep of the family, you need to be ready to lose everything. So ask yourself, is it worth it?" Leo had asked her a few hours ago.

    "What about you? Do you regret it?" She had asked him instead of answering his question.

    He gave her a smile and relaxed on the couch, "Do I look like I regret it?" He had asked. "I will pick being the black sheep of the family over and over again than allowing the parents push me around."

    "I''m sure you''d like to live in your own place, go out to wherever you wish to, do whatever you like, spend your own money as much as you like and hang out with that long haired guy until you get bored and break up with him."

    "So dear sister, you need to choose. Your happiness, or your loyalty to your parents who are going to die someday and leave you in this world while you begin to regret why you spent those many years trying to please them instead of doing what actually makes you happy? It''s a difficult choice to make, but it''s a choice you have to make. Eitherways, you can trust me to support you."

    "I... can''t do this anymore." Chloe shook her head slowly as she looked at her parents.

    "I am fed up. I am fed up. I am fed up!"

    "W-hat?" Mrs King asked Chloe before turning to look at her husband. Maybe he understood what their daughter was talking about?

    Chloe pushed herself away from Louis'' hold and used her hands to clean her face.

    "I am done with this family. I feel suffocated here that it makes me want to die. I. Am. Done!"

    "Chloe... what are you saying? You are done with what? What do you mean by you feel suffocated here?" Her mother asked frantically as she tried to touch her daughter''s hand but Chloe slapped it away, shocking all of them.

    "I choose freedom. I am leaving this house."

    "Chl��"

    "And if any of you think about hurting Jeremy because of me, I will personally spread the word to the press and let then know the kind of people you both really are. I am serious about this." She said in a warning tone that further surprised them.

    "Chloe." Louis, Mr King and his wife called her at the same time but she was already heading towards her room.

    "Chloe! How can you say that to your family?" Her father asked furiously.

    Chloe stopped and turned to look at them, "I''m sure you are going to threaten me with the mall next. You can keep it. It was yours to begin with. You can keep the debit cards. You can keep the cars, you can keep all of it!" She hollered before turning to look at Louis,

    "I am choosing this." She said with a sad smile before turning to leave. She was certain he remembered the conversation they both had the other night.

    She was going to be the black sheep number two of the King''s family even if it meant she was going to lose everything.

    She was done!

 Chapter 251 - Sunday

    Ellie knew something was wrong when she entered inside her brother''s room and saw him studying on the bed with an earphone on his ears. She had been knocking for a while and decided to enter when he didn''t give her any answer.

    When he saw her, he pulled off the earphone, "Hey! Do you need something?"

    Instead of answering, she hopped on his bed and sat down beside him before looking at all the books sprawled on his bed. Her brother didn''t like to study, so whenever he did like this, she knew it was because he wanted to get his mind off something.

    "You aren''t going to work today too?" She asked, taking his hand with two of hers to massage it gently.

    "No."

    "Something happened right?" She asked, looking worried.

    "Nothing happened." He gave her his best convincing smile. "Finals is coming up soon and I really need to do well. You know... I need to have good grades so I can get a good job and��"

    "You know you don''t have to try so hard... right?" She asked softly.

    "...." Jeremy didn''t answer.

    "You are working too hard Jeremy." Ellie''s eyes glistened with tears. "You can just accept your dad''s help and��"

    "Stop it, Ellie!"

    "WHY!?" She raised her voice as tears began to ran down her eyes.

    "You are doing too much. You are always working and stressing yourself out because of me��"

    "That is not correct!" He snapped, snatching his hand away from her.

    "You are my sister and my responsibility. I will take care of you. That is final!" He said harshly.

    "Do you think this is going to make me happy?" She jumped down from the bed to glare at him.

    "You have a father rich enough to care for you yet��"

    "You really want to part ways with me?" He asked, cutting her off angrily.

    "Are you going to be okay living apart from me? Are you?" His tone was still harsh, making her scared.

    He noticed she looked scared and closed his eyes after sighing.

    He opened his eyes slowly, his gaze now soft, and saw her crying quietly while looking at him, "I can''t live without you Ellie. I..." He choked and looked away from her when he began to feel like crying too,

    "You are the only one I have."

    "Jer��"

    "I''ve been going through a lot lately and the last thing I want to do is quarrel with you. Please?"

    Ellie used the back of her hand to clean off her tears before climbing beside him on the bed.

    "I''m sorry." She knelt on the bed and wrapped her hands around his neck while she placed her head on his shoulder. "I''m sorry." She repeated with a broken voice.

    Jeremy hugged her back. Maybe this was all he needed. He felt himself begin to cry. It was all too much for him to handle lately.

    "I''m sorry." Ellie repeated again.

    "It''s fine. I''m sorry for yelling at you. I was wrong." He said in between sobs.

    When they broke the hug, he smiled at her and asked, "Do you want to go out with me tonight?"

    "Really? Where?" She asked eagerly.

    "A street dancing competition. Mia is dancing."

    "Really?" She asked with wide eyes. When he nodded, she became excited. "Sure! Let''s go together. It''s been long we went out."

    "Alright. So I''ll just wrap up and make lunch."

    "What about work?" She remembered to ask. "You no longer work at the mall? You returned early on Friday, you didn''t go yesterday and you are also skipping work today." She pointed out with a frown.

    "Do not lie to me. You quarrelled with Chloe right? Did she fire you?" Ellie asked, looking at him curiously.

    "..."

    "I''ve been trying to call her since two days ago but her number has been unreachable. Did something happen?"

    Jeremy was affected by what she said but he didn''t show it.

    "Well... I stopped working there. I wanted to focus on my final exams. I need enough time to read." He lied.

    "Are you sure everything is okay?" She asked, still looking worried.

    "You worry too much. All is fine. Go read your books or do something and stop being so nosy." He said and pushed her lightly.

    *********

    ''Do not cry Mia Lucas. I will hate you if you do.'' Mia said to herself over and over again as she left her room.

    Leo was ready to leave. Two boxes were on the floor beside him and his hands were inside his pockets.

    They locked gaze and just like her, he looked sad. Mia smiled at him and he managed to return it faintly.

    "You will do well tonight. I trust you." He said before moving closer to her.

    She nodded.

    "I will call you every hour."

    She nodded again and forced out a smile while some beads of tears escaped her eyes.

    "If there is anything you want at all, just let me know." He whispered and used his hands to clean off her tears.

    She forced out a smile again and stepped away from him to fix her face, "I will be fine." She said, surprised at how she was able to hide the sadness in her voice.

    "Mia Lucas?" He called gently and touched her face. "You should never forget my feelings for you. Nothing should ever make you doubt that."

    She touched the hand on her face and looked up at him, "I will never forget it."

    He smiled once more. Leo leaned closer but the doorbell rang, stopping him from doing anything.

    It was Louis who had come to say goodbye to his brother.

    Mia excused them and went inside the room. As much as she tried, she could not hold it in and began to cry silently.

    "The house has been crazy lately. With you leaving and Chloe missing, the parents aren''t in their best mood."

    "They''ve never been in their best mood." Leo countered.

    "What do you think is going to happen to Chloe? I have a feeling you know where she is hiding." Louis said suspiciously.

    "She will be fine. She just needs time." Leo said casually and stood up when the doorbell rang again. It was most likely Richard who had come to drop him off at the airport.

    "Take care of mum and dad. And Chloe too." He said to Louis earnestly.

    "And Mia?" Louis asked.

    Leo turned to glare at him, "I''ll kill you if you go close to her." He threatened and frowned when Louis smirked.

 Chapter 252 - PDA

    Mia was startled when Leo pulled her and locked lips with her right there in the airport with a lot of eyes watching them. She wasn''t a fan of public displays of affection. Right before she began to date Leo, she always made snide remarks whenever she saw couples being all mushy and lovey-dovey in public. Now, the tables had turned.

    She could imagine every eyes on them, hear all their silent snide comments, imagine them yelling at the both of them to get a room. What was worse was the fact that Richard and Louis were both standing just beside them. Leo didn''t care. It was one attitude she didn''t know whether she liked or hated. He seemed to not care at all about people''s opinion. He simply did whatever he felt like doing.

    Mia decided to let all the thoughts go. This was the last time she would he seeing him in a long time so she had to enjoy the moment. But she couldn''t. She was crying.

    Leo felt her tears on his face and stopped. He drew back and looked at her face with a sad look.

    "I really do not want to part with you." He whispered with one hand still around her waist and the other one trying to wipe her tears.

    Her eyes were still closed. She couldn''t bear to look at him.

    "Look at me, Mia."

    She shook her head. More tears left her eyes.

    "Please?"

    "I don''t want to." She shook her head stubbornly.

    "Please don''t do this to me." He begged, his tone dry and husky.

    He did feel sad about leaving, but seeing Mia crying like this made him want to cry too.

    She had always looked like she was fine with the whole idea and treated his trip with a bit of indifference that someone who didn''t know would think she was happy to have him gone.

    When he was about leaving the house earlier, he noticed Mia had cried when she returned to the living room. Through the drive to the airport, they both sat at the backseat of Richard''s car while Louis who decided to follow them, sat on the front seat.

    He had held her hand firmly and allowed her rest her head on his shoulder without either of them saying a word.

    When it was time to depart from them, he hugged Mia one more time and left. But he couldn''t just leave like that so he ran back and called for her. That was when he noticed she was sitting down in one of the waiting chairs, crying her eyes out while Louis and Richard looked at her helplessly.

    The first thing he did was to pull her up and kiss her. He didn''t want to stop until her felt her tears on his face.

    "You need to study hard. And once you graduate, you promised to pay me a visit right?"

    She slowly opened her eyes and nodded once.

    "Richard will help you with the preparation for getting your passport."

    She nodded. He had mentioned it before.

    "Eat well, sleep well, study hard and most importantly, do not look at any other man."

    She managed to smile and nodded again.

    When the announcement that involved Leo''s flight was made again, he looked frustrated as he let go of her and sighed.

    He forced out a smile before turning to walk away.

    "I LOVE YOU!"

    He stopped and turned to look at Mia who was looking very nervous. He would have doubted she had been the one to say those three words to him.

    "What... did you say?" He asked with eagerness in his voice. Mia wasn''t the type to always express her feelings so whenever she did it, it made him feel butterflies in his stomach.

    "I..." He noticed her lips were trembling and her hands were slightly shaking.

    "Do not get involved with any woman." She said instead.

    "That wasn''t it." He pouted. "You said something else. Come on, tell me." Leo pleaded desperately.

    "Can you just get going already? Don''t you think it''s going to be embarrassing if your flight takes off and you are stuck here?"

    Louis interjected with a frown. It wasn''t just him who looked tired with their entire display. Richard also had the same expression on his face.

    Leo glared at him. Such a spoilsport!

    "Most importantly," Leo began to tell Mia, "Stay away from him." He pointed at his brother, not bothering to hide the fact that he was referring to him. Louis snorted. He didn''t seem to mind at all.

    Leo looked at Mia one last time and turned to leave but stopped again when she repeated what she had said earlier,

    "I said I love you!"

    "Seriously now?" Louis asked, a bit frustrated. He had been sad about his brother leaving earlier, but at this moment, he wanted nothing more than for him to leave so they could stop displaying this in front of all of them.

    Leo was about to turn again when Richard hurried towards him and pushed him ahead so he would continue moving.

    "Wait! Stop it. Just hold on a minute.. huh? I said wait!" Leo snapped angrily and also pleaded with Richard who wasn''t having any of it and kept pushing him forward.

    "I love you too! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!" Leo shouted back at Mia who began to laugh despite the tears in her eyes.

    She continued to wave at him even when he wasn''t looking. By the time Richard stopped pushing him forward, he knew there was no point returning to the love of his life. He saw her waving and waved back at her with a smile.

    So much has changed from the moment he met her. They hadn''t known each other for a very long time, but they had a lot of wonderful memories.

    One thing that made him happy was the fact that he hadn''t taken advantage of her at any point, knowing the kind of person he was. There had been a lot of times when Mia got tensed and hyper and he knew something would definitely happen if he made a move. Sometimes, she had even initiated the first move. But he cared about her.

    At first, he wanted to be sure about his feelings for her before doing anything with her but when he was certain he loved her, he wanted to be sure about her feelings for him. After getting his answer, he still held back because he loved her. He wanted her to focus on herself and her education, plus he knew what came with having s.e.x with someone without experience. They always worried about getting pregnant no matter how much you try to assure them that they wouldn''t get pregnant even after taking the required pills or using a protection.

    He didn''t want her to have that scare and not focus on her education.

    He wasn''t even out of the country yet he was missing her so much. He remembered her words to not get involved with any woman. Of course, he won''t do such. There was no place in his heart for any other woman who wasn''t Mia Lucas.

 Chapter 253 - A girl?

    "Are you sure you are okay?" Mr B asked again. He didn''t want anything to go wrong especially when it was only a few minutes before the real battle. They have been practicing for a long time now and he prayed nothing would make this turn out wrongly.

    "I am." Mia said. She didn''t bother to force a smile to assure him she was okay. She was still pissed at him because of the whole issue with Benjamin and how he had reacted. But she was going to do her best. Not because of him, but because of herself.

    This was going to be her last time dancing on stage. After tonight, she would focus on her education, graduate, have a great job and begin to live in reality. Then, dancing can only be her hobby, not a career.

    "One more practice before we leave?" Mr B asked everyone. It wasn''t actually a question so they all stood up to run it one final time. Mia noticed every other person looked nervous, understandably, so she tried to look courageous. She hoped Leo would be proud of her. She hoped he would be able to watch her video.

    After the final rehearsals, she looked at her outfit with a sad smile and turned around when she felt someone else''s presence.

    It was a lady who assisted Mr B in the studio. She was also their make up artist. "Hey!" She said as she moved closer to hand Mia a bottle of water.

    "Thanks." Mia accepted it but didn''t drink from the bottle.

    "You look a bit lost. Sure all is good?" The girl asked. Her name was Allison, Ally for short. She was the kind of girl described as ''cute'' instead of pretty. She had a small stature, small round face, pouty lips and beautiful round eyes. Mia didn''t know whether she was older or Ally was. But since Ally was friendly, she was also friendly to her.

    "I am good." She smiled at Ally before taking a deep breath.

    "I noticed you''ve been a bit distracted lately. I won''t ask for details, but I hope you do your best to leave everything else behind when you are on stage tonight. We are all counting on you."

    Mia didn''t know how to answer so she nodded.

    "Are you sure you do not want to get your usual make up done? You used to worry about your people at home or in school finding out about this." She reminded her, sounding genuinely concerned.

    ''Home''. Mia didn''t have a home with Linda and Mary anymore. Mia''s home was Leo, and Leo loved her dancing so there was no point in hiding. Also in school, she didn''t think it was a big deal if the management found out about it. But just to be careful, she had inquired about it and told it was safe to go ahead. So far she wasn''t doing anything to tarnish the image of the school, it was fine.

    "I''ll reveal my face today." Mia said with resolve.

    Ally seemed to be pleased with the idea so she smiled. "Meet me in the ladies room in 5. I''ll touch up your make up before we leave.

    ********

    "Are you ready?" Jeremy knocked once more on Ellie''s door and pressed his ear to the door incase she was saying something. It was still quiet so he tried to open the door but it opened from inside first.

    "Ready!" She said with a grin and made a 360 degrees turn as she asked him how she looked.

    She wore a simple white polo with the image of Angelina Jolie from maleficent printed on it, a black leather trousers and black boot which he had gotten her for her eighth birthday. Her hair was left down just like his. No much difference between how she looked now and how she usually looked.

    "Wow! You look pretty. Are you hoping to find a boyfriend there?" Jeremy asked, narrowing his eyes to look at her.

    "Eww! No. I will never have a boyfriend." She said and began to walk ahead of him, not realizing how surprised her brother was by that statement. Why? She didn''t like boys? Did she like girls instead? He hadn''t taken time to talk about that with her before so he was indeed surprised.

    "Why?" He asked as he followed her outside. "You don''t like boys?" He asked with bated breath, hoping she would tell him she did. He wasn''t homophobic at all, but it was normal to be worried about issues like this especially when it was something most people in the world frowned against. Also, he thought it was probably going to be difficult for her to find a partner. What if she liked a girl who was straight, and got her heart broken?

    Thankfully, he realised his worries were unfounded when she answered,

    "Because I''ll take out my anger on boys and want to hurt them because Chloe hurt you." She said, turning to give him a piercing gaze.

    He was gobsmacked!

    "What are you saying? One has nothing to do with the other. You cannot hurt others because other people hurt��"

    "I will! So if you want me to be nice to boys, meet a girl who treats you like you''d want me to treat someone else''s son and brother."

    He let out a weak sigh. Why did she always have to sound so mature?

    "Alright. Fine! I will. But you must not think of having any boyfriend until you are in the university."

    "Yes sir." She said uninterestedly and kept walking ahead of him.

    "I am serious!"

    She giggled and repeated, "Yes sir."

    "Good girl." He smiled and took his sister''s hand as they walked side by side.

    "Oh! There''s someone who wants to meet you. Her name is Maria." He remembered to inform her.

    "A girl? You are already hanging out with another girl?" Ellie stopped walking to frown at him.

    He looked at her in confusion. He really couldn''t understand woman in general.

    "You''re mad I got over Chloe quickly?" He asked, raising a brow. Wasn''t she the same person who told him to find a woman who would treat him well?

    When she didn''t respond, he smiled and explained. "She is a middle aged woman. She is addressed as Mrs Wesley but she insists we call her Maria."

 Chapter 254 - Princess and Alaadin 1

    After almost an hour, the bus Mia''s team rode finally came to a halt in front of a large gate, with some big looking security men patrolling around. Their car was in a queue with other cars as they all tried to get in.

    One of the security man entered inside the bus to count the number of people who were inside and once he saw it was same as the number of tickets, he left the bus and let them go through the gate.

    They had driven to the outskirt of town where the competition was to be held. There was no way the government or any organization was going to allow the disruption of activities in the main city because some dancers wanted to make use of the street. So using smaller towns where they accepted events like this was the best. It wasn''t everytime they got to see different calibre of people and fleet of luxury cars.

    The place was like a parking lot. It was wide, clean, and had people almost everywhere. It gave a typical ''street dancing'' vibe because there were no other lightings other than the different colors of vehicle headlights. And the lights were not too bright.

    At the centre of the parking lot was a little stage which was elevated above the ground level, not a place where anyone can dance so it was obviously for the MC.

    "Wow! There are a lot of people this year." The main dancer, Paul said and shivered visibly.

    "Yes. CMT is going global soon. You know what that means? Here, you are going to find different kinds of people. Especially the kind of people that can change your lives forever. All you need to do, is to put in your best. This is you doing this for yourselves." Mr B said before urging them to follow him.

    They got to a door at the end of the parking lot and after he showed them his ID which was believed to he a form of ''pass'' for the coaches, they checked a list for his name before letting him inside.

    This was where they were to change their costumes and touch up their make ups one final time.

    "You can do this Mia Lucas." She took a really deep breath and relaxed.

    ******

    "Wow! I have never been to a place like this before." Ellie said as she looked around. Her brother smiled, glad that he had made the right decision by bringing Ellie instead of someone else. He knew how much his sister enjoyed things like this. So when Mia handed him two tickets and told him how Leo''s friend had gotten it for herself and Leo but since she was going to be performing, she already had her special ticket and Leo wouldn''t be around, so she had to give it out to her friends and currently, only one close to her was Jeremy.

    "You can come with Ellie or Chloe if she agrees." Mia had said.

    It had tempted him to invite Chloe, but on a second thought, he wanted to go with his sister. He had neglected her for so long. He wanted to repay her for her patience with him and his childish attitude lately.

    "If you get tired of standing, let me know, I''ll carry you on my shoulders." He offered but Ellie wasn''t paying attention.

    She was screaming excitedly and clapping just like almost everyone there was doing as they watched the dancers on stage. It wasn''t really Jeremy''s thing so even though it was a bit interesting, he got bored after the first four groups danced. But Ellie was far from bored. She had never seen this type of dance before up close and neither had Jeremy. In fact, he didn''t understand how their body freely moved from one point to another without them putting much effort. Talk about the robot style dance, it was something that always fascinated him but he didn''t have a talent for it either.

    "This people are talented. Are you sure Mia''s team will win?" Ellie asked skeptically. Because of the loud music and loud cheers, he didn''t hear what she said but he nodded and turned to look ahead. His hand never let go of Ellie''s. If Ellie missed there, it would take a while to find her in the crowd.

    Thankfully, the audience had formed a big circle and even better, they were standing in the front, so he didn''t have to start wondering for how Ellie was going to watch the show without getting obstructed by a bigger body.

    There were some few people sitting on some seats beside the podium which looked like VIP guests. This was a lot more bigger than Mia had made it sound. The show was even being televised!

    His attention went back to the stage when the screams increased and the group left. They called for another team and Jeremy held Ellie nervously. He didn''t know what Mia''s team was called so everytime he heard a new name, he got nervous on behalf of Mia.

    The lights in the park dimmed even more and they wondered why the next team wasn''t coming out. People began to murmur but stopped when they saw the silhouette of a young girl. She was standing in a dark spot with her hands holding both side of her princess gown. A slow music started and she began to move towards the stage, her shoulders drooped like she was dejected. Everyone was quiet as they watched. This was Creativity Meets Talent so they expected a lot of things. Nothing was surprising.

    She looked like the type princess who lived in a big castle. She wore their dress, their hairstyle, but what surprised them was the fact that she was barefooted and wore a mask. It looked like a facemask, plastered to her face but it was very colorful and maybe a little scary.

    She looked around like it was the first time seeing so many people and her dejected body posture began to seem normal until it looked like she had relaxed completely.

    All of a sudden, another person joined the stage. He dressed like an olden days aristocrat while another one who dressed haggardly with the signature ''Aladdin''s hat'' and a monkey doll in his shoulder stole something from the aristocrat.

    And that wasn''t just a simple ''steal and go''.

    People watched in awe as the two danced while they tussled with a small leather pouch which the aristocrat wasn''t willing to let go.

    "That''s Alaadin and princess Jasmine!" Ellie said excitedly while pointing at the stage.

    The princess Jasmine looked at the two men from the side, her head tilting to both sides curiously.

    Alaadin managed to steal the gold pouch but came face to face with the princess.

    She looked surprised to see him looking at her curiously. From her stance, all could tell that her character was used to being feared by people so it was strange that someone was looking at her with genuine curiosity. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/princess-and-alaadin-1_%!d(string=51532683091696213)">#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/princess-and-alaadin-1_%!d(string=51532683091696213)</a> for visiting.

    He lifted a hand and slowly reached to touch her face but she showed surprise and moved away. She moved effortlessly like a ballet, the tip of her toes touching the ground and her heels in the air.

    "He is so handsome!" Some young girls who looked like high schoolers squealed beside Jeremy as they looked at ''Alaadin'' who was following every step of the princess.

    It looked like it was the wind controlling their body movements. Soft and wonderful.

    Alaadin stole a shoe from someone beside them and gently wore the princess the pair of sneakers before smiling up at her.

    "Wow! They are talented. They aren''t even saying anything but I just want to keep watching this." Another person beside Jeremy said as he watched with his full attention.

    This was different. There were no much screams or shouts or claps. Everyone paid attention as they watched. They feared making a noise would ruin the ''play'' but there were still murmurs of people praising them while some ridiculed them for doing something childish.

    Jeremy prayed it was Mia. He wanted it to be Mia.

    This talented dancer has to be his best friend.

 Chapter 255 - Princess and Alaadin 2

    The dance progressed and so did the music which gradually changed from something soft to something a bit faster.

    And with everytime Aladdin bothered the princess, a part of her ugly mask fell off.

    Well, she practically did some nice dance moves and before she raised her face again, a part was off. Everyone knew it was her handiwork but well...

    Jeremy could hear a lot of excited and anxious pleas, begging for the Princess to show her face. He found out that a lot of people were curious to know who she really was since she was always hiding her face during competitions. Seeing how she wasn''t using heavy make up now and the mask was falling, they were excited to see who this person was. They called her Black before because she was always on black whenever she danced, but it was also surprising to see her dress as a princess, wearing a flowery dress and looking girly.

    It kind of sounded weird to Jeremy. Why would she hide her face when she was pretty? He had seen a part of her face to know it was definitely Mia, much to his excitement.

    The dance continued wonderfully. More dancers joined the stage and while the group began to dance in those kind of heel tapping dance and doing super cool moves like bboying and all sorts of flips that left the audience wowing, the Aladdin appeared again, looking different from usual.

    They guessed it was the part of the story where he met the genie who turned him into a prince.

    The princess''s back was to him and as he appeared, the music slowed again. He went to her and touched her upper arm. His hand slowly trailed down to her lower arm until they locked arms. He pulled her gently, she twirled and landed in his arms with his hand around her waist, and the last piece covering her face fell off.

    Almost everyone gasped. Finally, her face was in view and she was far from what everyone had expected. She was more than their expectation. Young, pretty, beautiful.

    The anxiety to see how she looked like made it more interesting to the audience. Alaadin flashed her a smile and she did too. They looked at each other like they were deeply in love. The rest of the crew danced beside them.

    For a moment there, the atmosphere changed and the audience watched curiously.

    It looked like they were having their own moment looking into each other''s eyes.

    Princess began to slowly unbutton Aladdin''s shirt with her eyes never leaving his while his hands went to her back to pull down her zip.

    The lights dimmed. They saw the silhouette of the couple stripping each other of their clothes while the rest scampered about for a few seconds, throwing things at each other in the dark but in an organised way.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/princess-and-alaadin-2_%!d(string=51532685776050790)">#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/princess-and-alaadin-2_%!d(string=51532685776050790)</a> for visiting.

    The lights came back on and to their surprise, they were all in similar outfit. They guessed they wore it under their previous outfit which was no where to be seen.

    The dance changed to a different kind entirely but people''s attention never left the girl. Not because she was pretty and the body fitted playsuit gave her a really s.e.xy look that made the imagination of perverts begin to run wild, but because she was talented and all her flows were natural. She was the only girl among the group of boys.

    There was a moment of ''indecent'' dancing between the main leads which made Jeremy cover Ellie''s eyes.

    The cheers and applauds resounded until their dance ended.

    Jeremy clapped and waved, hoping Mia would look at him. He had never seen Mia look so happy before. She smiled at the crowd while breathing heavily. Jeremy was happy when Mia finally looked at his direction but he noticed she wasn''t exactly looking at him. It seemed like she saw something behind him that made her look surprised for a minute before it changed to disappointment and anger.

    He looked behind him carefully and after a minute, he caught sight of someone familiar��Chloe''s brother.

    "He didn''t travel?" Jeremy wondered as he looked at him. He would have thought it was Louis but this one''s hair was just like Leo''s and he dressed casually.

    So why did Mia look disappointed and angry?

    When their eyes locked, Jeremy noticed the ''He looks familiar'' gaze he was sending him.

    ''Leo would never look at me like that.''

    Louis eyes lit up. He seemed to recognize him so even though he was a bit surprised, he smiled at him.

    Jeremy finally confirmed it wasn''t Leo.

    ''There is no way in hell that Leo would smile at me like that.''

    That was King Louis, or Louis King whichever way they seemed to call them.

    But why as he here? And why was he dressed like Leo?

    He had met Louis once and Louis looked far responsibly looking. Why did he change his look to look like his brother? Unless. ..

    He looked at the stage where Mia and her team already left and a new team occupied.

    Was he here to show support to Mia as ''Leo''?

    ''''That doesn''t make sense." He muttered to himself.

    If Louis had an ulterior motive, he wasn''t going to let it happen. He was going to protect Mia from him.

    Funny how Leo had asked him to look after his sister and not Mia, yet he was trying to protect Mia from his own brother when he didn''t know where Chloe was.

    But he remembered the text Leo had sent him in the morning.

    (Love comes easy to some, and difficult to others. Patience long-haired boy. Wish you success in your final exams and more.)

    That was the message. He didn''t even know what it meant or why Leo decided to try out his lame poetic lines on him since the only thing he understood was the ''success in your exams and more'' which probably meant in other aspect.

    But Mia was his friend and so he was going to protect her.

 Chapter 256 - Lady Black

    Mia looked ar her reflection when she returned to the changing room. She was still panting from the rigorous dancing just now and her face was flushed. She was really excited because they were able to pull the dance perfectly before a certain someone ruined her night for her.

    On the stage, she had been scared. Although they rehearsed countless times, the parts where she climbed the back of someone two was kneeling on someone else''s back and did a backflip down, or the part where they threw her up, twirled her on the air and caught her before she landed on the hard floor etc, those moments, although scared, she had been ecstatic. Hearing how silent the crowd was, had been quite uncomfortable for her and her teammates since it was unusual during street dancing competitions. But they received resounding cheers and claps after their performance which made them sigh in relief. And that was when her eyes met his.

    At first, she thought it was Leo. She prayed it was him. This can''t be a mistake right? Did he come back for her? Did he want to watch her badly that he ran here? But they had stopped selling tickets for a while, so how did he get another ticket?

    When she looked closely at him, he smiled at her and c.o.c.ked his head to the side.

    She saw that familiar creepy glint in his eyes and knew instantly that it wasn''t Leo. It was Louis! Leo would smile brightly at her, wave her, blow her a kiss or something, Louis expression had been odd and she didn''t need to go closer to him to know the difference between the two of them. From disappointment, it moved to anger. Why did he have to do this again? She thought they were over it. Why did he do this to her?

    "Mia, someone is here to meet you." She heard Ally''s voice behind her and turned in surprise. Who would come inside the changing room meant for the dancers?

    Ally stepped aside and Mia caught a glimpse of a young man behind her. She didn''t get to see his face clearly since he was wearing a hat, so it shocked her when the young man pulled her into a hug unexpectedly.

    "Oh my dear, you were excellent!" He complimented excitedly. "He knew all this while and didn''t tell me?" He asked.

    Mia would have already pushed him away roughly if not for where they currently were. Why couldn''t people understand that it wasn''t everyone who loved being touched and hugged by others?

    She was also calm because his voice sounded familiar and it was someone that didn''t mean any harm. So she freed herself from the hug and looked at Richard''s proud face.

    "Who know what?" She asked in confusion.

    "That you are Lady Black. That punk kept it from me." He huffed in displeasure.

    "I... am lost... here." Mia said. She looked genuinely lost which made Richard surprised. "You... didn''t tell him you were Lady Black? Or wait... you didn''t know about Lady Black?" He asked. Was this some kind of fate at work or were they destined to be together?

    He remembered how heartbroken his friend had been after the ordeal with Cherry. He had been the one to pull Leo with him because he enjoyed dances like this and was a sponsor but he preferred being there as part of the audience because he knew he wouldn''t feel the same vibes if he sat with the VIPs. So, he always knew about Lady Black even before Leo became entranced by her. No one knew what she looked like until this evening. He had really been stupefied to find out it was her. But judging from Mia''s reaction, she didn''t understand what he was saying which meant, Leo probably knew nothing too. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/lady-black_%!d(string=51555914301363139)">#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/lady-black_%!d(string=51555914301363139)</a> for visiting.

    "Oh my God!" He gasped. This meant Leo was going to be definitely shocked when he sees the video he had sent him.

    Immediately he realised that the dancer on stage was Lady Black and figured she wanted to reveal her identity when her mask began to peel off gradually, he sent a quick text to Leo and began to make a video. In the text, he wrote: Your mystery lady is going to reveal her identity. You are probably going to break up with Mia soon. I think she is very pretty!

    But that lady was his girlfriend?! He had been really stunned and immediately Mia''s face came into view, the video he was recording stopped and was sent to him automatically.

    "Leo is going to be so proud of you. Thank you." Richard hugged her again. He didn''t mind the eyes watching them or the fact that he was being very annoying to Mia now. She didn''t understand what he was saying and he was sorry he couldn''t explain further. It was best to let Leo speak with her so they would be shocked at the same time. Too bad Leo left. Too bad he was still on the flight now. Too too bad.

    "Why is Louis here?" Mia decided to ask him.

    He released her from the compulsory hug but a smile never left his face, "Oh! I bought two tickets initially, hoping your friend Mira would go with me. After giving you two, I had a spare left so I asked Louis if he was interested and told him you were dancing tonight. But I didn''t know you were Lady Black!" He exclaimed again.

    Mia nodded and sent him a smile. She still didn''t understand what he had been trying to say to her, but that was the least of her problems because she was nervous about their result.

    "You shouldn''t be here. How did you even get here?" She asked calmly while looking around her. Just then, a moderator came to announce to all the dancers that all groups were done dancing. It was going to take about 20 minutes before they would all be called on stage and the winner would be announced. They only had prizes for first and second place but they were 11 groups in total.

    They all began to feel very nervous. Their many weeks of rehearsals was going to take 20 minutes to be judged.

    "You will do well." Richard assured her with a smile before he left the room.

 Chapter 257 - Tantrums

    Mia stood on the stage with her teammates and the other groups that had performed that night. This was the moment where everyone held their breaths as they waited for the judges'' result. Although they had done well, the other teams also did really well. Everyone did well but unfortunately, there were only going to choose two groups. Some really good dancers who are lucky can catch the eye of a potential sponsor and be able to perform in a better platform. So for a lot of people on the stage, their lives depended on this moment. But not Mia.

    She wanted their team to win for the glory of it. She wanted Mr B to be proud and for every member of her crew to be recognized. She wanted this last dance of hers to be victorious.

    She no longer wanted to pursue this. She had to face reality now.

    "This is the moment we have all been waiting for." The moderator said when he returned to the stage with a little envelope in his hand. "The moment we crown the best dance team of this year''s CMT."

    Everywhere was completely quiet as they waited for him to announce the results. The only sound Mia could hear was her heartbeat and the heartbeat of dozens of people in the stage with her.

    "We are going to call the first position followed by the second best."

    The moderator continued. It seemed like he was really excited as he watched all the nervous expressions around him.

    "Come on, say it already!"

    "What are you waiting for?"

    "Just f.u.c.k.i.n.g say it already."

    The crowd began to lose their patience and murmur.

    "The first position is...." The silence almost stretched for an eternity before he announced, "P.X.YYYYYYYY!"

    YELLS, HOOTS, CLAPS, SCREAMS followed the announcement.

    But Mia was lost. Her body felt like they suddenly poured cold water all over her.

    PXY.

    That wasn''t her team. It wasn''t them. She began to think back and wonder if she had done something wrong. Maybe she didn''t dance her part well? Maybe she wasn''t passionate enough? For some reason, she blamed herself for it. Her eyes sought Mr B. in the audience. He looked pale and didn''t even pretend to be happy like the other coaches.

    All her efforts, all the rehearsals, all the sleepless nights, everything was a��.

    SCREAMS!!!

    Her thought was interrupted when she heard all her teammates screaming. Her hands were tightly held by other memebers of the group and they jumped excitedly, making her jump along with them.

    She was lost.

    "We came second! We came second!!!!!!" one of her teammates yelled as if sensing her confusion.

    "We came second?" She asked in surprise.

    The second place was also a big achievement. It came with cash prizes even though it was less than that of the first place. Coming second place also brought them great exposure and if they were lucky, they would get endors.e.m.e.nts.

    Mia was finally able to smile. The crowd kept cheering for them and it gave them confidence once again.

    She was surprised to see that a lot of people actually loved their team and thought they deserved the prize. Mia saw Jeremy in the crowd with his sister and beamed at them. She would have died of embarrassment had they not at least taken second place.

    ''Look at me Leo King. You must be proud of your girlfriend.'' She beamed.

    Mr B still wasn''t impressed but he kept a smile on his face when people congratulated him and when he joined them on the stage to receive the trophy. But he dropped the fa?ade when he returned to the dressing room with them.

    He pulled his jacket and threw it on the floor angrily before scoffing and placing his hands on his h.i.p.s.

    Normally, he would have kicked whatever he found on his way, but he couldn''t do that here.

    Everything here was expensive, unless he was ready to spend the prize money on repair cost.

    "I cannot believe this." He said in frustration.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/tantrums_%!d(string=51624344673118561)">#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/tantrums_%!d(string=51624344673118561)</a> for visiting.

    "You should control your mood. We are still here." Ally pleaded.

    "Control my mood? We came second Ally. Second! That trash team, PXY cannot be compared to us but they came first. FIRST! You know why? Because they were organized. They were bold. But you all disappointed me. You looked scared when you appeared on that stage. You were intimidated...."

    Mia frowned as she listened to him ramble on. That wasn''t true. They had done their best. How coul he just rubbish their efforts like that?

    "Mr B��" The lead dancer, Paul, called him. He wanted to tell him to calm down but Mr B raised his voice at him. They could understand his frustration since the first position was automatically going to put him in the spotlight and give him more opportunies, especailly at the international level. But they still thought he was overreacting. They all did their best despite their anxiety and got second place. He should cut them some slack, no? What about the other 13 teams that didn''t get anything?

    "I know you all must be thinking you did well because thirteen groups didn''t get anything. But that''s bullshit! PXY isn''t better than us. We should have taken that position!"

    "Enough!" Mia glowered at him.

    "We did our best." She continued gently.

    "But it wasn''t good enough, damn it!"

    "Do not raise your voice at us!" She snapped at him angrily.

    "If anyone should really be mad about this then it should be us. We dedicated our time, efforts and had sleepless nights because of this. Some of us work part time, some of us are students and some of us have huge responsibilities but we did this. We also wanted the money. We wanted the exposure. Many of us already made plans for how we were going to spend the money so we didn''t mind not going to our parttime jobs because we hoped we would win this and have enough. So do not take it out on us because we did our best. Be a good leader for goodness sake!" Mia threw the bottle of water in her hand on the ground before she walked away, leaving the stunned Mr B and the teammates who showed how displeased they were with their coach''s behaviour.

    Mia picked up her bag and left the dressing room. All she wanted to do now was go home and take her bath before reading her books and going to bed. She had an important test on Monday and couldn''t afford to be lazy.

    She hoped Leo would arrive soon and call her so she would have his new number.

    "That was a wonderful performance." She heard behind her and turned immediately.

    Benjamin?

    It was a bit dark there but she could see his face. And he wasn''t alone. A young man, dressed in a suit, who was probably in his mid or late thirties was standing beside him.

    "Uhmm... thanks." She said awkwardly. She wasn''t sure she would ever be in good terms with him ever again.

    "This is Mr Oliver. He wanted to meet you."

    He did a quick introduction while Mr Oliver extended a hand to her.

    She looked at him suspiciously and avoided the handshake.

    He smiled and withdrew his hand before introducing himself to her, "I heard you are called Mia. My name is Oliver Brown, the CEO of OX Entertainment company. I am one of the VIP guests here." He handed her a card. "I must admit you were really amazing tonight. And talented... I must add." He said with a smile.

    Mia looked at the card and then at him. Was this what she thought it was?

 Chapter 258 - Getting confused.

    It was already past 12am when Jeremy arrived home. But this time, he wasn''t with only Ellie. Mia was also with them.

    Mia didn''t want to spend the night alone. Thankfully, Jeremy asked if she wanted to sleep over when they got to the neighborhood and she agreed.

    She sat in the dining and waited patiently for Jeremy who insisted on making her something to eat when he noticed she looked hungry. She didn''t eat before going for the competition so she was starving. When he offered, she could not continue to act modest when she was really hungry so she agreed.

    "I haven''t gone grocery shopping to restock the fridge in a while so I couldn''t make you something really nice. You don''t mind having pancakes right?" He asked as he served her. The weather was a bit cold so he made her a warm tea to go with it.

    "Thank you." She said with a smile.

    Ellie had already gone to bed so it was just the two of them. He sat down across her and asked,

    "I''m just curious. Aren''t you supposed to be partying with your teammates since you guys came second place? You look unhappy and even left early."

    Mia sighed. "What''s the point? Besides, I need to read. We have an important test tomorrow. I can borrow your textbook right? I''ll just snap the pages with my phone camera and hand it back so you can study."

    "You can use my textbook. I don''t like reading at nights."

    "Do you even read at all?" She asked with a raised brow which made him chuckle.

    "Of course, I do."

    "I saw you with Benjamin earlier. He... didn''t try anything stupid right?"

    "He didn''t." She shook her head. She remembered the man who had been with Benjamin. Oliver Brown. He wanted to poach her so she would be a part of his industry. Did she want to do this? He had asked her to call him in case she was interested in his offer, but she was a bit skeptical especially after seeing him with Benjamin. What if this was planned by Benjamin? Even though he hadn''t approached her in a while, she still wasn''t sure what his purpose was and she didn''t wait to be poached because someone recommended her. She wanted them to see her talent and want her for what she had.

    "Are you okay?" Jeremy asked when he noticed how lost she looked.

    "I''m fine. I was just thinking. How are you? Have you heard from Chloe since Friday?"

    He nodded. "She came to the talent show and sat beside me." He said with a sad smile.

    "Really?" Mia asked with an excited tone but frowned when she noticed how Jeremy looked.

    "I resigned from my part time job in CONVENIENT. It was bound to happen sooner anyway." He shrugged.

    She noticed how downcast he looked with his head was down even though he tried to make it sound like it wasn''t a big deal.

    "I''m... sorry." Mia said before reaching to touch his shoulder.. "I know how much you like her."

    "I wish I didn''t."

    "You do not mean that." She said. "I know you. And I know you love the fact that you love her. Look Jeremy, I have been able to understand a few things about the King''s family."

    He raised his head to look at her and waited for her to continue.

    "The King couple are like those kind of rich couple we see in movies who wants to control their kids and also choose their partners for them. If they try to rebel against their parents, they have a lot to lose."

    He thought about what she just said with a frown. "So... Leo rebelled and that is why he is free to date you and live the way he chooses but his twin brother didn''t that is why he is a doctor and still lives with the King couple?"

    "Exactly." Mia nodded. "But there is more to that. Leo was practically cut off from the family. They expected him to run back home after facing the harsh world, but he was able to overcome it. So although he is free compared to his other siblings, he is still a King. His parents doesn''t approve of me."

    "So for Chloe..?"

    "I think she likes you. But she has a lot to lose if she decides to follow her heart. Maybe she isn''t ready for that?"

    He thought about it and sighed. "I was wrong to have wanted someone like her to like someone like me. What do I even have to give to her?" He sighed again in resignation.

    "I don''t want Chloe to be unhappy because of me."

    ''I''m not sure she''ll be happy without you either.'' Mia said in her head. She couldn''t assure Jeremy that Chloe liked him because she wasn''t sure about it either. Chloe was good at hiding her emotions really well.

    "I wanted to ask earlier... what was Louis doing there tonight? Does he like you?"

    "What? No!" She shook her head immediately. "He just... I don''t know. The other time, he said he liked the look on my face whenever I saw him."

    "That''s crazy. You should be wary of him." He warned.

    "Of course."

    "Do not let him confuse you."

    "Confuse me?" She asked, looking confused.

    "He is the identical twin of your boyfriend. Imagine missing Leo too much and then Louis comes to ask you to go out with him, you may want to convince yourself to hang out with Louis and pretend you are with Leo."

    "That''s.... absurd! I wouldn''t do that!" She rejected immediately.

    "I''m just saying."

    "Well thanks, but that is impossible!" She said confidently.

    The next morning, Mia left early to Leo''s apartment to dress up for school.

    Immediately she entered the house, she felt Leo''s absence. There was no Leo. There was no Tara. Tara was back to living with the King''s family.

    "Can I really live here alone?" She asked herself as she looked around the house.

    She was about to go to her room when she heard the doorbell. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/getting-confused._%!d(string=51693958828449421)">#%!d(string=13183959906038805)/getting-confused._%!d(string=51693958828449421)</a> for visiting.

    ''Who is that?'' She wondered. She wasn''t expecting anyone. Leo''s only friend was Richard and he knew Leo wasn''t around. So who?

    She walked to the door and checked the peephole. Her eyes widened when she saw who was outside and she opened the door immediately.

    Chloe looked haggard, like she hadn''t slept for days. She had obvious dark circles under her eyes and looked unkempt. There was a luggage bag beside her.

    "I''m sorry but... can I come in?" She asked weakly.

 Chapter 259 - Wanting to be cool

    Mia was a bit confused because she didn''t know the room Chloe was supposed to stay.

    Chloe was Leo''s sister while she was his girlfriend. Who would he prefer to stay inside his room? His sister right?

    So she led Chloe to his room.

    "You can use this room." She was curious about a lot of things but she couldn''t bring herself to ask Chloe what was wrong with her, where she had been or why she looked so haggard.

    "Leo''s room? This is..."

    "You can stay here." Mia interrupted when she realised Chloe was about to decline.

    "I''m guessing you haven''t eaten anything. Do you like pasta? I could make some before heading to school."

    Chloe shook her head. Shaking her head was a simple gesture but she had done so with all her energy. She was weak and lacked strength. She could not even remember the last time she had something to eat.

    Mia left Chloe and went to freshen up. There was still enough time before her first class but she got ready to leave anyway.

    She stopped by Leo''s room and knocked on the door. She could tell Chloe was listening so she spoke, "I''m heading to school now. And just In case, the passcode for the apartment is 2327."

    Having said that, she left. She was so worried about Chloe and as she walked down to school. Chloe filled her thought.

    She remembered Leo was yet to call her and sighed. He must have already arrived but maybe he was resting right?

    From the moment she stepped inside the school premises, she noticed a few eyes looking at her and she could guess they were talking about her. But she didn''t know why and couldn''t guess so she ignored it and head to her classroom.

    She got to school before Jeremy. When he came, he sat down beside her. She still looked out for Chloe but she didn''t come until they finished the first class. Mia was relieved to see her because in thirty minutes, they would be having a test.

    Chloe looked better than how she looked earlier.

    She dressed smartly in a grey pencil skirt slightly below her knee, a cream coloured shirt with buttons, a pair of platform shoes and her hair in a ponytail. Her face still looked pale but was covered with a bit of make up.

    The first thought that came to Mia''s mind was "People who leave home go with their cosmetics?"

    But she shook the thought out of her head. That was silly of her.

    Chloe didn''t spare anyone a glance. She simply walked down to the back where she usually sat and sat down there alone.

    Jeremy only looked at her when she came in but he looked away and began to go through his textbook even though he wasn''t checking or reading anything in particular.

    He kept wondering why she looked sick. Why she looked unhappy? She was even looking thinner than she was previously. ''She is probably starving.'' He could not stop worrying. He had been sincere when he told Chloe the other day that even if she dated someone else, he would still care about her because he loved her unconditionally. His love wasn''t tied to anything. He wasn''t expecting anything or reward from her. He only wanted her to be happy and comfortable. So that was why he was always hurt whenever she tried to hint that he was probably sticking around her because he wanted money or her body. Those thoughts never crossed his mind.

    Mia didn''t tell Jeremy about Chloe''s sudden appearance in Leo''s place. She guessed Chloe probably wouldn''t want anyone to know, at least for now. Also, she didn''t want Jeremy to become really worried. She could only hope the two of them worked things out quickly.

    "You."

    Katie suddenly appeared in front of Mia and Jeremy.

    Mia was really tired of this girl so she didn''t pay attention to her thinking she was referring to Jeremy but to her surprise, Katie snapped her fingers in front of her.

    "I''m talking to you."

    Mia looked at her in confusion. Why was this girl suddenly talking to her?

    Katie suddenly smiled at her. "I never expected someone like you to be such a great dancer."

    Mia wasn''t sure that was an insult or compliment. "Someone like me?" What was she implying?

    "Yes. You are a snooty person and also a bookworm. Seriously, seeing that video of you surprised me. Didn''t know you had such talent in you. Can you teach me? I''ll pay you."

    Mia was a bit surprised to hear Katie praise her and smile genuinely. She always thought someone like her ridiculed people.

    "Let''s talk about it later." Katie said before looking at Jeremy who was flipping through the pages of a textbook.

    "Let''s talk outside." Katie said.

    "No."

    "I''ll make a scene if you do not follow me." She threatened.

    Judging by her attitude, he knew she was going to do just that and that was the last thing he wanted.

    "What is it?" Jeremy asked Katie harshly when they got outside.

    "You do not look good. Neither do Chloe. Did you two fight?" Katie asked.

    Jeremy looked at her face. She looked really curious but he couldn''t guess why she was interested in their affair.

    "Why are you interested anyway?" He asked.

    "You really want to know?" She asked with a smile that Jeremy didn''t like.

    "Of course, I''m asking because I want to know."

    "Do not get me wrong. I really do not care about whoever Chloe is dating, neither would I care if you were dating someone other than her." She started. "But I enjoy getting her all riled up." She said excitedly.

    "What do you mean?" He asked in confusion.

    "I have always thought I was super cool. But on getting here, everyone thought Chloe was cooler while I was pushed to the sideline." She rolled her eyes.

    "Chloe didn''t reveal any emotion, didn''t smile or cry or get angry or swear loudly. She was just... Chloe." She shrugged.

    "I tried several times to get her to get angry or blow up. Wanted to draw out emotion from her, but she never fell for it." She suddenly grinned.

    "Until recently. Because of you, her emotion is suddenly all over the place. So darling... I am going to keep on riling her up with you until she blows up. Then, I will become the coolest person in our class."

    Jeremy looked at her with disbelief. He couldn''t believe how childish she was. So that was it? Trying to make Chloe jealous.

    "That''s silly. Because one, Chloe doesn''t even like me like that."

    "She does. And you should thank me because if not for me, she wouldn''t have opened up to you at all. I am seriously rooting for you two, but she doesn''t have to know. This is between you and��"

    They suddenly heard students screaming inside their classroom and hurried inside.

    Jeremy''s heart stopped when he realised what was happening.

    Chloe had fainted.

 Chapter 260 - Dont leave me

    Chloe had thought about skipping school. She wanted to say ''Screw it all'' and just leave everything behind because now, she wasn''t sure what was a lie and what was real anymore. She also wasn''t sure all her grades so far was what she truly deserved or she got them because her parents got involved. Nothing was as frustrating and embarrassing as this to her.

    She wanted to abandon it all, but she couldn''t leave school. She had spent four years studying hard. Just a few weeks left before graduation. She couldn''t let it all go to waste. She wanted to come to school, she also wanted to see.... well, her classmates. Yes, she wanted to see her classmates.

    When she entered inside the classroom, she saw that particular face through the corner of her eyes but she didn''t look at his direction.

    She also noticed he didn''t spare her another glance after he saw her enter. As much as she didn''t want to admit, that had hurt like hell.

    She bit her lip and walked quietly until she got to the back where she always sat like an outcast.

    "You can do this Chloe. You can do this." She kept chanting even though she felt like her heart was being stabbed repeatedly. She thought she was going to collapse from the pain at any moment. Thankfully, she was able to sit down before her legs could give her away.

    It took her a while to be able to steady her breathing again but when she looked up, she noticed Jeremy was following Katie outside the classroom.

    Katie again! Was he dating her now? Did they get closer while she kept pushing him away?

    Her vision began to blur and she felt dizzy. She tried to remain conscious but it wasn''t working.

    She reminded herself that she was Chloe King. She couldn''t let herself look sick and vulnerable. Picking up her pen, she stabbed her palm and bit her lip to drown the pain, also drawing blood from her lip in the process.

    Unfortunately, nothing seemed to keep her from falling unconscious and soon, everything turned black.

    When she regained consciousness, she heard the distinct sound of machines beeping. It took great effort before she was finally able to open her eyes.

    Hospital? She wondered as she slowly turned her head to the side and noticed she was connected to a drip. She hissed and tried to sit up but groaned and fell back on the bed.

    "You are awake!"

    Her head snapped to the other side when she realised someone else was inside the room with her.

    "Jer...emy?" She asked weakly. She was beyond surprised to find him there.

    He sat on the bed and felt her forehead with his hand. "How do you feel? Do you feel very sick?" He asked.

    She looked at his face, wondering whether she was actually dreaming. Why was he here? He had ignored her earlier so why was he here? She noticed he looked tired and worried and suddenly felt guilty. Why couldn''t he just give up on her?

    But did she really want that?

    When she said no word but simply stared at him, he panicked, "Do you know who I am? Do you recognize me?" He raised his hand and showed her three fingers, "How many fingers are up?"

    That made her giggle but it came out faintly. "Why are you here?" She asked curiously and saw him heave a deep sigh of relief.

    "You fainted earlier." He explained. "You have been unconscious for 3 and a half hours. I wasn''t expecting you to wake up anytime soon."

    "So you have been here all along?" She asked. She was really touched. Even if he hadn''t been there the whole time, at least he was the first face she saw when she woke up.

    "...." He didn''t answer.

    She noticed he was trying to be distant but she couldn''t blame him for it.

    "What about the test?" She asked.

    "It was pushed to Wednesday. Since you were sick, they didn''t want to��"

    She interrupted with a sigh. "Because I am a King, I guess."

    "No. It''s only normal for it to be postponed if a student is sick. I believe they would have done same had it been someone else."

    "You believe they would have done same had it been you?" She asked and quickly corrected nervously when she imagined he would get the wrong idea. "I''m trying to say... you know... since I''m from the King family��" She realised there was no way she was going to say it to make it sound better than she was intending.

    "I understand." He interjected. "And... I think they''ll do same...?" He didn''t sound sure so he quickly changed the topic. "Mia took your bag with her home. She said she''ll make something for you to eat when you wake up. I probably should give her a call now."

    "Don''t." She stopped him when he took out his phone from his pocket. "I don''t want to be a bother."

    "That''s not it. She cares about you��"

    "I''m fine."

    "YOU ARE?" He asked, raising his voice angrily. "You look like you haven''t eaten or slept for days. You fainted, had an injury in your hand and blood on your lips but you are okay? Do you know how scared I was?!" He berated her.

    For the first time since they started talking, he finally showed real emotion aside from relief.

    She was a bit surprised to hear him raise his voice at her. Maybe because he noticed how surprised she looked, he threw his head to the side and breathe in deeply.

    Silence hung in the air until Chloe cleared her throat and asked, "Where exactly are we?" She knew it wasn''t her family''s hospital. But this place was well equipped.

    He looked at her again, his facial expression changed back and now he looked indifferent.

    "We are in school. I also didn''t know we had such a nice clinic like this here."Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''t-leave-me_51863075313210314">#''t-leave-me_51863075313210314</a> for visiting.

    Chloe remembered Louis came here often to leave some supplies or simply to volunteer here sometimes. So this was the place? It really wasn''t surprising to her since this was an elite school. Having these things was one of the basic requirements. The students paid medical bills every session and it was quite an enormous amount so it was only normal the place was well equipped. Also, the school wouldn''t want any rumours spreading around that a student fainted or got injured so they had to treat them here, while for minor issues, they used the smaller clinic or sick bay.

    "How did they allow you in here with me?" She asked. He wasn''t family. Since they knew her family, they could have called them here. She was really glad she hadn''t woken up to see either of her parents.

    "Why didn''t you get yourself treated if you were sick? Your parents has a big hospital." He said instead, ignoring her question.

    She smiled sadly. He wasn''t the only one who didn''t want to talk about some things. She also didn''t want to talk about this so instead, she asked, "What is the time?"

    Noting she didn''t want to talk about it, he checked his phone and answered her, "It''s already past 3."

    Jeremy noticed she was trying to sit up. He considered helping her or asking her to lie down and not try to sit but before he could decide, she had already managed to sit up. Thankfully, she felt better.

    "I need to leave here now. I guess my parents may come at anytime if the school already informed them." She spoke as she pulled the needle from the back of her hand, disconnecting the drip.

    "Where do you wish to go to? Are you sure you don''t want to see the doctor first?" He sounded ready worried. What if she was still very sick? The doctors hadn''t told him anything so he didn''t know what was wrong with her. But he could see she really didn''t want to meet her parents.

    "No. I''m fine. I know I''m fine."

    He doubted that though.

    "So?"

    "I''ll go to my brother''s place."

    "I will take you there." He offered. He saw her frown in pain when she tried to stand up while using both her hands to help her up and remembered she had injured that hand earlier even though the doctors already treated the wound.

    He held her arm and helped her to stand. He looked at her face and found her staring right back at him. When their gaze met, he let go of her arm but was surprised when she grabbed his hand.

    He didn''t have the opportunity to ask her any question because she surprised him when she suddenly hugged him.

    He blinked a couple of times as his brain tried to process everything that was happening. He began alert when he heard what sounded like a sob escape her lips,

    "Please..." She began to speak between sobs. "Please don''t leave me."

    Again, he was really surprised. "I am not leaving you. We... are leaving together." He reminded her.

    She shook her head and sniffled repeatedly. "Don''t like Katie." She said in a pleading tone, not minding the fact that her ego was being bruised.

 Chapter 261 - Tempting lips

    It was a really awkward moment for Jeremy as he sat in the back of the taxi beside Chloe.

    Leo''s apartment was not far from their school but he couldn''t let her walk so he paid for a cab instead and followed her.

    He kept remembering the hug and her plea to not leave her or like Katie. What was that about? Was it true that Chloe liked him?

    As much as the thought excited him, he didn''t want to get his hopes up. She was a very unpredictable girl.

    Chloe was also quiet. She looked ahead and didn''t bother to spare him a glance. Chloe was too embarrassed she felt like the ground should open up and swallow her. Maybe it was because she wasn''t in the best mood and her brain wasn''t functioning properly that made her say something like that to him.

    "We are here." The taxi driver said when it looked like the two people were lost in their thoughts and were not going to step down.

    They snapped back to their senses and quickly got down. Chloe wanted to pay but remembered she wasn''t with her bag or purse. Meanwhile, Jeremy already handled the payment.

    They walked side by side quietly until they got to the door. Mia had told her the code so she inputted it and they went in. Jeremy already texted Mia to let her know they were on their way so they saw Mia setting the dining table when they entered.

    "How do you feel?" Mia approached them and asked Chloe.

    Chloe nodded. "I feel better. Thanks." She said genuinely. It felt weird that these people were helping her. She didn''t like to look or act vulnerable but she couldn''t help it now.

    "I saw the note to change rooms so I moved your things into my room and moved mine out." Mia explained.

    "Thanks." Chloe said with a small smile.

    When she returned from school, she saw Chloe''s luggage bag in the sitting room with a note on the table which read:

    (I think I''ll be more comfortable in the other room. You should stay here unless you want me to remove all the pictures hanging on the wall.)

    Mia blushed when she read the note earlier. She had forgotten about the pictures of herself and Leo all over his room. No wonder Chloe had been uncomfortable. She would have been had she been in Chloe''s shoes. She spent her time moving her things into Leo''s room and when she was done, she moved Chloe''s things inside the room that used to be hers. She felt a little sad to give up this room. She had a lot of memories in there, but what made her sadder was the fact that Leo hadn''t called her yet.

    "Have you heard from Leo?" Chloe asked, as if reading her mind.

    "I haven''t." Mia shook her head. "I made you some soup." She pointed at the table.

    "I''ll have it inside the room. Thanks."

    "I''ll get it for you. You can go freshen up." Mia said.

    Chloe thanked her again and went to the room without sparing Jeremy any glance. He just stood there the entire time.

    "Did something happen between you two again?" Mia asked in a low voice after Chloe locked the door.

    Jeremy didn''t know whether to tell her or not but after deliberating on it, he pulled her towards the dining and said in a low voice,

    "She hugged me��"

    "Wow!" Mia''s eyes widened.

    "She asked me not to leave her��"

    "Oh my!"

    "And also said I shouldn''t like Katie."

    Jeremy looked obviously confused while Mia''s hand was already covering her mouth. Maybe she was dumb in love issues when it concerned her, but since it concerned someone else, she could clearly understand it.

    "Hold on." Mia hurried to the kitchen, got a small tray and a bottle of water.

    She place the bowl of soup on the tray with the water and handed it to him. "You should take this to her. Feed her and ask her to tell you what she meant by that."

    "But..."

    "Just do it."

    "Ellie is alone at home now. I think I should go��"

    "I''ll bring Ellie here. I think Chloe needs you more than she needs anyone else. So just do it. Hmm?"

    Since Mia promised to bring Ellie, he relaxed a little and took the tray from her. "Okay."

    He watched Mia leave before he went to the bedroom. He tried to hold the tray with a hand and knocked once but there was no response. He couldn''t hold out for long because he feared the soup may spill so he used his two hands to hold the tray and managed to use his elbow to turn the doorknob until the door opened.

    He thought she was sleeping so he walked in as stealthily as possible and gently used his back to close the door.

    "Wow. This room is wonderful." He whispered as he moved towards the bed. Chloe wasn''t there. He carefully dropped the tray of food and was about to escape when he realised she was inside the bathroom, but just immediately he dropped it, the bathroom''s door opened and she came out.

    He turned around to face the opposite side and used his hands to cover his face. "I am not looking!"

    He heard a light chuckle behind him, "You can look." Chloe said.

    "I don''t want to!"

    "If you really don''t want to, you should have left the room already, don''t you agree?"

    Jeremy gulped. He really didn''t have any excuse for still standing there.

    He heard her move closer and could tell she just sat down on the bed.

    He slowly turned around to look at her and sighed in relief when he noticed she was wearing a plain straight gown. She had a grin on her face as she asked, "Not what you were expecting I guess?"

    He was stupified by the grin on her face because he wasn''t sure he had ever seen her smile like this ever.

    She noticed how he was staring dumbly at her and cleared her throat.

    "I thought you left already."

    He also returned to his senses and answered, "I didn''t. Mia went to bring Ellie here." He said before sitting beside her on the bed and placing the tray on his lap.

    "You hurt your hand so I''ll feed you." He turned his body so he was looking directly at her and inched even closer than he already was.

    "It was my left hand." She reminded him.

    He frowned when he noticed something was wrong with her. She sounded nervous and he could see her hand was shaking.

    "Are you okay?" He asked in panic. Maybe she was still sick? He shouldn''t have allowed her leave the hospital.

    "I... am fine." She answered and looked away from him.

    Her tone made him confirm she wasn''t okay. He put the tray on the ground and touched her forehead to feel her temperature.

    Chloe sat there stiffly and just stared at his face as he did what he did.

    "Your temperature seem fine. Do you feel pain anywhere?" He looked down at her face and noticed she was staring at him intensely.

    His brow raised slightly. They were so close that they could practically feel each other''s breaths on their faces.

    The atmosphere suddenly changed when his eyes trailed down to her parted lips. It looked like they were inviting him to kiss them.

    He wanted to move away from her. He really wanted to.

    But he slowly lowered his head, everything else blanked out from his brain as the only thing he thought about was kissing her. But he suddenly remembered she was sick and he was supposed to take care of her.

    He cussed himself and was about to stand up when he felt her hands on his neck. Before he could react, Chloe had already pulled him towards her and initiated their first kiss.

    His eyes widened in shock and his body went stiff.

 Chapter 262 - Photo Album

    Jeremy''s eyes almost fell out of their sockets. His whole body was stiff as his brain tried to process the fact that Chloe had just initiated a kiss. Their first kiss! His first kiss!!

    He was a very handsome guy and always got the attention of females and males alike, but he was really guarded especially because he was bullied a lot when he was younger. Also, he wasn''t really interested in anyone until he met Chloe. Unfortunately, the first girl he liked had a boyfriend, aside from that, she had erected a big wall around her that was impenetrable, so he had never thought that a day like this would come when she would let him inside and even kiss him willingly! He didn''t even have enough time to feel her soft lips before she drew back.

    Slowly, she pulled away to gauge his reaction. He had been unresponsive to her kiss so her face colored from embarrassment and she looked away from him.

    "I... am sorry... I shouldn''t have...."

    "What was that for?" He asked, going to stand opposite her. His gaze was soft but his tone wasn''t so she was thrown off guard as she thought about the best explanation to give him.

    "Uhm.. I... well.."

    "Do you like me?"

    "...."

    "Is it because you are not in your right state of mind?"

    "...."

    "Or because your emotions are all over the place and you are trying to vent it out somehow?"

    His tone began to turn accusatory so she eyed him while still looking very embarassed. "Why all these absurd assumptions?"

    "You call it absurd?" He asked with an annoyed scoff.

    "I don''t know what you see me as. One time you are happy around me, next time you try to accuse me of being with you for your money and body. You asked me to stop working for you, you wanted me to stay away from you but then you hugged me earlier, told me not to leave you and not to like Katie and now you''re kissing me? Am I a joke to you? Do you think I am easy because I like you?" He raised his voice angrily.

    Chloe was dumbfounded because she hadn''t expected him to react this way. He looked really angry. Yes, he was correct but it hurt her that he was making it look like she was messing with him. Now, she perfectly understood how he felt whenever she accused him of being around her because he had an ulterior motive.

    "I don''t think you are easy." She assured him.

    "Really? Then maybe I am stupid." He spat out. "Maybe I am, because even after everything you have done to me, after breaking my heart and making me feel like shit, I still care about you. I still worry about you and I still love you. Maybe I truly am stupid��"

    "Stop it!" Chloe said, tears dropping from her eyes.

    "Just... please... stop it." She pleaded desperately.

    He finally calmed down when he noticed the tears in her eyes.

    "I''m sorry, okay?" She started. "I don''t even know what to do or where to start from. I am a complete mess!"

    She buried her face in her hands and began to cry. "I wish I was bold enough to make some decisions for myself."

    "You moved out of your parent''s house right?" He asked softly. Even though no one told him, he was able to deduce it when Mia talked about changing rooms. He also remembered what Mia had said about how her family tried to control them.

    "That''s a major breakthrough for you."

    "But I''m scared. I feel like I won''t be as lucky as Leo. What if I regret this and run back home because I am a coward?"

    Jeremy sighed. He was angry with her only a moment ago but now he was worried about her again.

    "Just give me time okay? I need... to get used to all of this. Please?"

    Time? Time for what? Did she mean she was going to date him?

    He didn''t ask even though he was curious. He sat down beside her and pulled her into a hug, letting her cry on his shoulders.

    That evening, Mia and Jeremy made dinner for all of them including Chloe and Ellie. They talked about random things until it was late and Jeremy returned home with his sister. Ellie was excited about Chloe being closeby now and promised to see her everyday after school which Chloe agreed to since she was practically Ellie''s friend now.

    Mia and Chloe didn''t have much to say to each other so they went to their separate rooms.

    Being all by herself now, Mia began to feel lonely. It was already more than 24 hours yet, Leo hadn''t called her. She had even tried to call his local number but as expected, it didn''t go through. She began to worry too much that she couldn''t fall asleep so she decided to look around the room.

    She had been in here a couple of times but hadn''t really checked for anything so she first looked at their pictures on the wall again. When she was done, she went to his vanity table and opened the drawers.

    "I am invading his privacy right? This is wrong."

    She said and was about to closed the drawer when her eyes caught a small photo album. Out of curiosity, she took it out and opened the first page.

    It was a picture of two teenage twin boys. A broad grin appeared on her face when she realised it was Leo and Louis. She had never seen a picture of him when he was younger so she took the album with her to the bed and began to flip through it. She was quite excited until she got to a page and the smile quickly disappeared from her face. She recognized the girl in the picture, smiling while holding Leo''s hand. It looked like she had won a dancing competition and Leo was also smiling happily.

    She could literally feel the bitter taste of jealousy in her mouth and instantly flipped the pages until she got to the last page and stopped.

    The picture looked like it was taken in the dark. It was the back of a girl wearing an all-black outfit. The picture was taken at night and the surrounding looked crowded.

    She furrowed her brows as she observed the picture closely. "Why does this look familiar?" She wondered before taking the picture out.

    "This is not..." She paused and turned the back of the picture. On the back, the date, time and venue was written down with a little note: I will never forget you.

    Mia looked at the picture again, this time, she looked really surprised. "This is... "

    Just then, her phone rang. She still looked a bit distracted but once she saw it was an international number, she picked it up immediately.

    "Leo?" She asked first.

    "I have missed you, Mia Lucas." He replied weakly.

    She almost cried from relief when she heard his voice.

 Chapter 263 - Sit

    "What happened? Where have you been? How are you?" She asked frantically as she stood up and began to pace around while throwing the album down in the process.

    "Food poisoning." He still sounded weak as he replied. "The food here suck. I can''t believe I landed in the hospital immediately I stepped my feet here. I''m sorry for making you worry. Just woke up and wanted to call you first."

    "Oh goodness! How is it now? Do you feel better? It isn''t serious right?"

    "It isn''t serious, and I do feel better. How was the competition? I still feel like a jerk for not being there to support you."

    "We came second place. And you shouldn''t feel that way. You were not there because you are pursuing your dreams which is important."

    "Second place?" He sounded excited. "I am so proud of you! I knew you were going to make me proud." Truthfully, Mia wasn''t happy about coming second place, but his praise made her happy.

    "When are you leaving the hospital?" She asked.

    "Soon, I guess. I don''t even know how long I''ve been here. I borrowed a phone to talk to you. So I''ll call you later when I have my stuff ready. So go to bed. I know it''s late there already."

    "Are you sure you''ll be okay? Is anyone there with you?"

    "Yes. There is someone here. You shouldn''t worry so much. I will go now. Take care, I love you."

    "Please be safe. Call me anytime, I''ll take your calls."

    "You should sleep now babe."

    When the call got disconnected, Mia began to worry even more. She was so worried because she wasn''t there to see for herself and feared he was probably lying that he was okay to make her less worried.

    "I should just trust him." She decided. With that, she finally dozed off.

    The next time they spoke was in the evening, the next day. He called her with another number and told her it was the number he would be using while still there.

    He didn''t give her a chance to say a word before he said, "I went through my phone and saw a video from Richard." He paused. "That... was you?" He asked. He sounded excited and nervous at the same time.

    "Me what?" She asked in confusion. Maybe he was surprised because of the dress she wore, she had looked really pretty on it.

    "I have a quick question and I am hoping the answer is a yes. Please Mia..."

    "What is it?" She asked curiously. She didn''t understand why he was sounding so anxious.

    "Two years ago, you were also part of a street dancing competition?"

    "Y..yes..?"

    "You wore an all-black outfit and your face was hidden behind a heavy make up?"

    "How did you.... wait! That''s me?" She asked when she remembered the picture she had been looking at last night. "You took a picture of me?" She asked in surprise and began to look around for the album.

    "Oh my god! Oh my f.u.c.k.i.n.g god!!!" He exclaimed. "Why am I just realizing that now? It was you? Always been you? Like f.u.c.k! I so want to hug you right now." He babbled. "Sorry for my language right now. I''m just too excited to keep it down."

    "I... saw a picture��"

    "Yes, yes! I made a huge frame of you."

    Frame? She had only seen a small paper photograph.

    Leo was obviously overwhelmed. He was so excited, they talked about it for a long time. Mia was astonished to learn she had been a part of Leo''s life for a really long time and didn''t even know. Maybe this was fate?

    When he asked why her team hadn''t been present during the prize giving, she explained how the lead dancer, Paul Edwards received a call to inform him his sister had just been involved in a ghastly car accident. He wanted to leave and as a team, they followed him.

    Leo remembered Paul had told him when he approached him at the hospital, that his sister''s health hadn''t been good after getting involved in an accident two years ago. Benjamin had used that opportunity to take Paul''s position until Leo ruined Ben''s plan.

    When he remembered Benjamin, he frowned. "Stay away from boys. Especially Benjamin."

    ''I think you should be more worried about your creepy brother.'' She said in her head.

    "Yes sir, I will."

    They spoke for a long time until Mia began to doze off. Leo explained he would be working a lot from the next day and apologized in advance in case he wouldn''t be able to keep in touch. Mia understood how much his job demanded from him so she agreed.

    Just like he had said, they spoke less that week. Leo also spoke with Chloe once in a while so when Chloe asked Mia if she was able to speak with her brother lately, Mia realised he also wasn''t calling Chloe much.

    Living with Chloe wasn''t as bad as Mia had thought. Since they were both introverts, they spent their times inside their respective rooms, reading. Sometimes, Mia cooked for the both of them while Chloe ordered some other times. The most shocking part for Mia was when Chloe mentioned something about working part time online. She didn''t know what was going on with Chloe''s family but she could see that Chloe was more open to Jeremy lately. Jeremy and Ellie visited a couple of times and most times, Jeremy brought them homemade foods. His conversation with Chloe was casual but Mia could see the improvement in their relationship.

    The days rolled by normally until one Sunday evening, Mia heard a knock on the door. She expected it to be Jeremy and Ellie so she didn''t pay much attention until she opened the door and came face to face with Leo''s mother.

    Mrs King looked like the typical rich woman with short hair and a modest gown with a low heel. Mia couldn''t remember whether the woman''s hair had always been short because really, she was too nervous around the woman to care about what she looked like.

    Mrs King invited herself inside and went to sit on the couch.

    "I know Chloe is here." The woman said without beating around the bush.

    Since the woman was already aware, Mia couldn''t lie. "She is not in now." Mia informed her honestly.

    "I know." The woman said before pointing at the couch opposite her.

    "I am not here to see her today. I am here for you. Sit."

 Chapter 264 - A tempting offer

    The first time Mia met Mrs King, she was disrespectful to the woman. The second time, she was nervous and wanted to get away from the woman as soon as possible. But the third time, which was now, they were going to be speaking alone, sitting face to face. Mia couldn''t avoid this.

    If she had a tail, it would have been hiding between her legs as she went to sit down across the woman. What if she had recognized her as the girl from the park some months ago? Why else would she come find her? Unless....

    "This is my second time here." Mrs King started. "The first time was when he was dating that silly girl and I promised never to step my feet in here again. But here I am."

    Mia swallowed nervously as she waited for the woman to go straight to the point.

    "I understand how impulsive young love can be so I won''t fault you. Leo is a responsible young man who is very handsome and comes from an influential family. I would understand why you fell for him especially when you lived under the same roof with him.

    Mia wondered just how much the woman knows. She was becoming really uncomfortable but she managed to keep her composure.

    "You should relax. I am not here to throw you out, neither am I here to throw water on your face or hand you money to leave my son." She assured her. This made Mia even more curious. If she wasn''t here for that, what was she here for then?

    "I am not a bad person Mia Lucas. And I want my children to be happy, even if they choose to go astray. If you are Leo''s choice, I do not mind."

    "Really?" Mia asked in surprise.

    "Really." She smiled. "I don''t want to lose my Children even more because so the only thing I can do is to accept their choices so they won''t think about removing themselves from the family. A King is always a King."

    ''Wow! She is actually nice.'' Mia thought to herself. But she was still a bit weary. Why was she doing this?

    "Do not be offended, but I did a through background check on you and your family." She tsked. "Quite pitiful, but I must say you have led a tough life. And as a doctor who is also a certified psychologist, I can understand why you behave the way you do."

    "The way I do?" Mia asked curiously. What way?

    "Silly! Do you think I do not recognize you? Of course I remember you are the rude girl from the park."

    Mia became tensed and her eyes slightly widened from the shock of her statement. She had thought the woman didn''t recognize her. Just how long had she known? And why was she still being nice to her?

    "But I do not blame you. I am sorry for what happened that day because I realised you had been telling the truth and I was wrong. So I forgive you for being disrespectful to me."

    Mia was quiet for a while before asking... "Why are you doing all this?"

    "Why are you being nice to me?" Mia asked suspiciously. She knew quite well that Leo''s parents didn''t want her for him even though his grandparents liked her. She couldn''t shake off the feeling that this woman was up to something.

    "What? I am just being nice. My son likes you, you are my daughter''s friend and my in laws likes you. So I don''t have any choice right?"

    "...."

    "But...."

    Mia sat up. She always knew there was a ''but'' somewhere. And she was correct.

    "Now that Leo is away, this is the perfect time to groom you. To become a member of this family, you need to be worthy of my son. So I will ask... do you think you are worthy of Leo?"

    Mia clenched her fists which were on the chair. She wasn''t. She knew she wasn''t.

    But she gave the same answer she had given during Leo''s ''welcome back to love'' party,

    "I am." She answered.

    "Hahaha! You are not. It''s obvious. You are just a student with nothing." Mrs King taunted.

    "That is why, I am going to help you. Before Leo comes back, you should be worthy of him. Just do your part and graduate with a good result, I''ll recommend you to a good company where you''ll start working immediately. At least, make a name for yourself before he comes back. No one has to know about this. Not Leo, not Chloe. Even my husband doesn''t know about this."

    "...."

    "I am doing this for my son. If he marries a nobody, we are going to become a laughing stock and everyone will keep talking about him for the bad reasons. Even if he acts like he doesn''t care, I know my son. He cares a lot about people''s opinion especially that of the extended family. So if you love him, do this. You''re gaining more from it anyway. You''ll have a good job with a good salary. I think this is fair enough?"

    Although Mia felt insulted, she began to consider the offer. Honestly, she wasn''t worthy of Leo. He loved her and didn''t fail to remind her about it. It was only unfortunate that they weren''t communicating lately. He showered her with gifts and was always there to help handle every mess and glitches in her life. What does she have? What can she offer him?

    But with a good job and salary, she would be able to cater for his needs too right? But it also meant she won''t be seeing him at all during this two years because she would have to work. What was she going to tell him then?

    "Take your time to answer Mia. Your exams are coming up this week so from now until your graduation, give me your answer. But I expect you to agree to this terms." She said before standing up.

    "Do not let Chloe know I was here. I''ll see myself out now."

    Mia was still dazed.

    Should she agree?

    Should she not?

 Chapter 265 - Future mother in-law or not?

    Jeremy returned to his room and found Ellie laughing loudly while on a video call with someone. He peeked at the screen of his laptop and waved at the woman Ellie was speaking with, "Hello Mrs Wesley."

    "Maria." She corrected with an eye roll. "I keep reminding you every single time."

    He sat on the bed so Ellie shifted to the side to give him a chance to speak with her.

    "How are you doing? Ellie was just giving me some updates about you." She said with a sly wink that made him embarrassed.

    "Ignore whatever she says. You know how dramatic she can be."

    "Hey! I told her the truth." Ellie rushed to say.

    "So... you kissed Chloe?" Maria asked.

    "She kissed me!" He corrected out of impulse before shaking his head, "I mean... nothing like that happened. How did you even know about it?" He turned to ask Ellie.

    Maria shook her head. He was such a terrible liar. Just now, everything he said contradicted each other.

    "You think I wouldn''t know? I am smarter than you." Ellie said smugly.

    "I knew something good happened with you lately. So, are you two dating now?"

    "No. But so far, our relationship has been good."

    "I am happy for you. You two deserve happiness." The woman said sincerely.

    He could not help but smile at her. He spoke with Maria at least twice every week. He was sure Chole would be shocked if she heard of his friendship with her after they left her late son''s birthday party some weeks ago. Maria was a good woman who embraced them like she was their relative even though they were not related at all. After meeting Ellie for the first time two weeks ago, they literally became best of friends. Ellie liked pretty people who were rich so when Maria also treated her nicely, he began to suspect Ellie was beginning to see her as a mother since the girl always craved for one even though she never said it out.

    "I hope you are reading well for your final exams? You must do well." She said with a motherly tone that made him smile.

    "I will."

    The doorbell rang so they ended the call and Jeremy went to get the door. When he opened it, he saw a sophisticated looking woman standing there. She had short hair and kind eyes. He tried to remember where he had seen her before she introduced herself with a smile.

    "I am Chloe''s mother. Call me Mrs King." She said.

    Jeremy was beyond surprised. His instincts told him this meeting was not going to be good. Although the woman looked nice, he could tell this wasn''t a friendly visit.

    "Aren''t you going to invite me inside?" She asked, the smile never leaving her face.

    "Pardon me, please come in." He ushered her in and began to feel uncomfortable in the knicker and worn out tee shirt he wore. He was at least glad his hair was neatly tied in a ponytail. Ellie never failed to take care of his hair.

    "Hi, you must be Ellie!" She greeted Ellie who just came out of the room to see who it was.

    Hearing her call his sister by name didn''t surprised him. If she knew who he was and knew where he lived, then she must have done a thorough check to know all about him. the only thing she probably wouldn''t know is the identity of his real father since they made sure it was perfectly hidden from the world.

    Ellie looked at the woman with suspicion. "Who�� are you?" The little girl asked.

    "Me? I am the mother of your brother''s girlfriend."

    Ellie continued to look at her suspiciously. She turned to look at her brother who was trying to hide the fact that he was nervous and said, "My brother doesn''t have a girlfriend." Ellie had watched too many dramas to know that most rich people would go any miles to destroy others especially those they didn''t want for their kids. She didn''t want her brother to be a victim of it.

    "I would like to speak with you privately" Mrs King said to Jeremy, hinting that she wanted Ellie to leave.

    Ellie looked at her brother, hoping he wouldn''t send her away but he gave her an apologetic look and signalled with his eyes for her to go to her bedroom.

    She didn''t like that but she left.

    Mrs King looked around the sitting room once before finding herself a seat. "You should sit." She said to Jeremy.

    "Would you like me to offer you something? Anything?"

    "Aren''t you so sweet?" She said with a smile. But I''ll pass. I do not plan to stay here for long so just sit and listen to what I have to say."

    He complied and sat down on the couch opposite her.

    "I''ll go straight to the point because I am a very busy person." She started. "Be sincere with me, why are you with my daughter?" She asked.

    "With your daughter�� you mean?" He asked. He wasn''t dating Chloe if that was what she meant. So was she asking on a friendship basis?

    "You struggle hard to care for yourself and your sister, you got into the university through a scholarhip and you are always working part time. Seriously, I would also want a girl like Chloe who is from a rich family. Girls can be gold diggers, why can''t guys be?"

    "I do not like being accused wrongly, Mrs King." He said in a tone that wasn''t nice.

    "Well, am I?" She asked with an innocent look.

    "You cannot possibly tell me you like Chloe."

    "I do not like Chloe�C"

    "I knew i�C"

    "I love her." He interrupted, making the woman frown.

    It seemed like it was going to be a lot difficult dealing with him that with Mia. She was already tired of this. Why did her precious children choose to do this to her? Notwithstanding, she still prefereed Mia to this boy. He was the one who led her precious daughter astray and made her leave home. Chloe had even threatened her parents because of him! They didn''t want him for her.

    "Chloe is going to lose all she has now if you continue to hang out with her. Haven''t you wondered why she stopped going to the mall? Can''t you see how wretched she has been lately? Do you think you can take care of her? A King? With the meager salaries you get from washing dishes or mopping dirty floors?"

    ''How did this woman give birth to such nice Children?'' Jeremy thought to himself.

    He was already losing his temper but this was Chloe''s mother. There was a very slight possibility she was going to be his mother in laws in the future so it was only wise for him to answer without sounding too rude.

    "Actually Ma''am, I think Chloe looks happier since she stopped going to the mall. She always worked because her mind was always occupied and she had nowhere else to vent it out but at work. Now, she has friends who care about her. She has a lot of time to study also and she laughs more and also eats well lately. So I think you should probably ask her what she wants." Jeremy said.

    Mrs King gritted her teeth from anger. He was acting smart with her? She wanted to see how long he would last.

    "What do you need to stay away from her? Name it. I will give you anything."

    When she saw him thinking about it, she smirked. She knew it was definitely going to be money. Money had a way of dealing with people without speaking too much.

    "The only thing I want from you��"

    "Yes�� name it." She said impatiently.

    "The only thing I actually want from you is your Blessings so I can fully pursue Chloe and take care of her."

    A ugly frown formed on Mrs King''s face as she screamed in her head, ''SON OF A BITCH!''

 Chapter 266 - School fight

    It was already three weeks after the dancing competition but people were still talking about it even in school. Mia was really surprised when a few pwople approached her and asked to take a picture with her. She became like a celebrity and hell! She didn''t like it.

    Mr B kept trying to meet her but she made sure he understood she was going to be giving all her attention to her exams now. He told her about an offer which was coming for her but she was really skeptical about venturing into this path.

    She still had the contact details of the CEO of OX entertainment, Oliver Brown, who had approached her on thaat night after they were awarded their prize, but she never called. She still wanted to know where she stood. There was a time she thought of dancing as a career, but now, she wanted to do something different. She couldn''t think straight now that she was having a lot of offers which involved dancing, and a legit offer from Mrs King to work with her degree in a company.

    She went to shool with a heavy mind and didn''t pay much attention to people until she bumped into someone.. Benjamin.

    He had kept his distance from her ever since and she also guessed it had to do with his current responsibility as the Student''s President since Kelvin was leaving everything for him especially now that their exams was near.

    "Hi." He greted politely. He didn''t have anyone following him today which Mia was thankful for.

    "Hi" She greeted back.

    "Can we talk? Privately." He added as an afterthought when he remembered they were standing in the middle of a hallway with students almost everywhere. Mia also looked around before agreeing. They found themselves in the basketball court where a few students were training and sat down on the empty seats in the stadium. Mia preferred an environment like this with a few people than going to an empty class with him.

    "My first class is going to start soon." She said, hinting for him to hurry up with whatever he had to say.

    "First of all, I would like to apologize." He started.

    He had apologized before but she let him go on without interrupting him. "I was wrong to have done what I did the other time. Honestly, I just wanted to get closer to you because I liked you."

    "I am not trying to give any excuses for my actions. It is punishable and I deserved every punch your boyfriend gave me."

    ''You did.'' Mia thought in her head.

    "And I don''t think I''ll be able to live without the guilt if you didn''t forgive me for it."

    "It''s alright. Thank you for apologizing to me." Mia said sincerely.

    She wanted to ask if he knew her sister, Mary who was Kelvin''s ex girlfriend, was her sister? And also ask if he had done all her did on purpose, including coming to the dance studio to take over the lead role, but she didn''t ask. She didn''t want to have more things to think about so she would rather forget about it all and think about the issue on ground instead.

    "I forgive you."

    "For real? Like�� you are not joking right?" He asked hopefully. She saw the sincerity in his eyes and nodded. "I am serious."

    "Thank you so much!" He said with a relieved smile. At least now, he didn''t have to worry anymore about rumours of what he had done, spreading around later to ruin his reputation. His father would disown him if he ever heard he did that.

    Mia stood up to leave but stopped when he asked, "Have you considered Oliver Brown''s offer to work with OX Entertainment? You will make it big time there."

    She looked at him suspiciously before asking, "Do you have a hand in it?"

    "No! Of course not, I swear it. I told you it was a purely coincidental meeting that night. I do not know him in a personal level. I''m just giving you a friendly advise, but you can do whatever you want."

    She was still suspicious but she said a simple ''''Thank you" before walking away.

    ******

    Jeremy arrived at school 10 minutes before the start of his first class. He was about to enter inside the classroom when he felt a hand pull him back with force.

    "What do you think you are up to?" Kelvin asked, grabbing his collar roughly and glaring at Jeremy.

    Jeremy liked to stay neat and organised so having his dress rumpled made him angry.

    "Get your filthy hands off me!" He said hostily before pushing him away, causing Kelvin to stumble backwards.

    "Stay the hell away from Chloe. I won''t let you have her." Kelvin swore.

    Jeremy could not help but laugh. "You are fighting for a girl who doesn''t give a shit about you? Oh! I heard she walked away during your so called blind date! And guess who told me about it?" He paused to give him a mocking smile, "She told me herself." Jeremy said tauntingly. "So I guess we both know who is supposed to stay away from her, right?" The amus.e.m.e.nt in his face vanished and he looked at Kelvin like he was some piece of trash, "Do not ever touch me with that hands of yours next time." He entered inside the class while muttering, "What an asshole."

    He felt Kelvin was behind him but he didn''t react quickly, so he was taken aback when Kelvin pulled him once again and immediately he turned around, Kelvin''s fist connected with his jawbone. "You son of a bitch!" Kelvin growled as he punched him.

    Everyone inside the classroom gasped when they saw what was happening right in front of them.

    Jeremy was a bit muddleheaded. He could taste blood inside his mouth and on his lips. He didn''t hold back and punched Kelvin back when he tried to hit him again.

    "What are you two doing?!" Their lecturer who had just entered yelled at the top of his voice but they didn''t pay him any attention.

    Kelvin quickly recovered and was about to charge towards Jeremy again, when a girl suddenly stood in between them. The two boys halted at the same time, not wanting to hurt Chloe. She turned to look fully at Kelvin. He opened his mouth and was about to speak but everyone was shocked again when she raised her hand and slapped him hard on his face.

    "Oh my God!"

    "What is happening?"

    "Why did she just hit him?"

    "Js she out of her mind?"

    "Is she taking Jeremy''s side now? I thought she went on a date with Kelvin?"

    "Haven''t you been seeing her with Jeremy lately? I think they are dating."

    Everyone in the classroom began to whisper, but a girl at the back had a broad smile on her face as she watched the scene.

    "I knew this day would come when she''ll finally blow up." The girl said excitedly.

 Chapter 267 - Inviting a parent

    Jeremy was more than surprised when Chloe suddenly appeared in between then and slapped Kelvin. A lot of conversation was going on inside the classroom about them, but he heard nothing. His gaze was on Chloe. She suddenly looked like a shining star.

    Mia, who had taken the backdoor to get to class quickly before the lecturer got there, saw the scene in front of the class and was also surprised.

    "Haven''t you done enough already?" Chloe asked Kelvin who still had a dumbfounded look as he touched the cheek Chloe had just slapped.

    It seemed like it hurt more than the punch Jeremy had given him.

    He had done nothing but like Chloe for years. Chloe didn''t like people being in her space so he patiently waited until she was ready to accept him. He had even managed to convince his parents to matchmake Chloe with him. He had made sure to punish any student who spoke bad about Chloe in front of her and behind her back. Since he was the previous student''s president, he had enough leverage to do whatever he wanted. But what did he get in return? She was choosing this thing over him? He eyed Jeremy.

    Anger enveloped him as he looked back at her. He even heard she had ran away from home. Was it all because of Jeremy? What was so special about the bastard that she was always hanging around him? She even smiled at Jeremy!

    "I do not care why you''re so pissed with Jeremy, but you should stay away from him. And stay away from me too." Chloe said coldly.

    The whole class gasped.

    "They must be really dating."

    "I can''t believe this."

    "Why haven''t I been making a video?"

    The class continued.

    Kelvin stared at her with disbelief. What? She was openly taking his side right now and embarrassing him?

    Kelvin''s chest began to heave up and down. He was too blinded by anger that he didn''t know when he said, "You bitch!" and raised his hand to hit Chloe.

    Maybe Jeremy was too slow to realise when Kelvin hit him, but when he noticed Kelvin was going to hit Chloe, he got even angrier and before everyone knew it, he pushed Chloe to the side to avoid the slap and punched Kelvin again. This time, his punch was harder than the first because Jeremy was not only angry, he was disappointed.

    How can Kelvin think of hitting a girl, and in public for that matter?!

    Didn''t he say he liked Chloe? So how can he think of hitting the girl he claimed he liked? He had even called her a bitch. Like hell!!!

    A tough fight ensued between both boys until they found themselves standing in the Dean''s office a little while later. Both looked haggard, had several cuts on their faces, their shirts were dirty, rumpled and some parts were even torn.

    Luckily for Jeremy, he didn''t look as bad as Kelvin because he got the upperhand.

    Since Chloe had directly involved herself in the fight, she was standing inside the Dean''s office too but she looked unapologetic about hitting Kelvin.

    Another student was there and that was Katie, who volunteered as a witness. Katie Engel''s family was well known so they believed they could trust her words when compared to others from less wealthy families.

    Fighting was a big crime in their school. This wasn''t the type of issue the school would overlook and that was why it wasn''t only the representatives of the student''s union that was present, the school''s disciplinary committee was there, the Dean was there and a few other lecturers. It was only now that Chloe began to realise how much this was going to affect Jeremy especially since he was in the school on a scholarship.

    ".... so Kelvin tried to hit Chloe and Jeremy protected her and punched Kelvin instead." Katie finished narrating with a dramatic sigh.

    "Thank you Miss Engels. You can return to your classroom now. We will take it from here."

    Katie nodded and left after quietly wishing Jeremy goodluck.

    "You rascal! Do you think this school is a boxing ring? If you want to fight then you shouldn''t be here in the first place!" The Dean yelled at Jeremy after raising his head from his file to see there was nothing at all that was special about Jeremy. The file said his mother was late, nothing about his father. He was in the school on a scholarship, even his grades weren''t that great. Who else was better to take the fall and scolding? Definitely not Kelvin Hank nor Chloe King. So it was Jeremy Williams.

    Jeremy''s head was down. He knew it was stupid of him to fight because of course, he would be blamed for everything even though Kelvin started it all. But he didn''t regret what he did. It was about time he taught the guy a lesson.

    "You are going to regret fighting in this school, I assure you!" The Dean said to Jeremy before turning to Kelvin.

    "Mr Hanks, you should go to the clinic to get yourself treated. Miss King, you can return to your classroom now."

    Kelvin smirked at Jeremy and turned to leave but he stopped when Chloe began to speak.

    "For what reason?" Chloe asked with blazing eyes, surprising them all. "Why does Jeremy have to be the only one getting punished?"

    "Miss Ki-"

    "Kelvin hit him first. Didn''t you hear what the witness said? I was also there!"

    "Chloe..." Jeremy called her softly, he turned to look at her and shook his head. He didn''t want her to do this. He didn''t want her to get into trouble because of him. This was how corrupt the school was and there was nothing someone like him could do about it.

    "Miss King��"

    "Is it because he is on scholarship and doesn''t have a guardian to call? Fine! I am his guardian."

    "Miss King. That is impossible. You cannot be his guardian. This is a big issue."

    "He fought! Fighting involves more than one person! You cannot punish one and leave the others. Is that how you operate this school now? On the basis of favoritism? This is going to be a really interesting headline in the tabloids."

    "Miss King!" The Dean called her name in a harsh tone. A heavy silence fell on the room immediately.

    "If I called my guardian, would all of this end?" Jeremy asked, not wanting Chloe to say more because she was beginning to say things that would get her in trouble.

    "And who might that be?" The Head of the disciplinary committee asked.

    Although they were a.d.u.l.ts already, in this school, things were taken seriously. Fighting could lead to expulsion so involving their parents or guardians was only normal. But they didn''t bother asking for the guardians of Chloe and Kelvin because they couldn''t trouble those people with ''trival issues'' when they had more important things to do.

    "I still have a living parent." Jeremy announced.

    "What do you think you are doing?" Kelvin asked him, his eyes looking like he was about to charge at Jeremy again.

    Jeremy didn''t wait for their permission, he took out his phone and dialled the number he didn''t think he was ever going to call.

    It didn''t take long before the call connected. Without waiting for the man at the other end to speak, Jeremy began to speak,

    "I''m in school now. Got into a fight with Kelvin Hanks. We are both going to face expulsion if you do not come here now." He disconnected the call and smirked at Kelvin who looked very uncomfortable and angry.

    The Dean didn''t pay him much mind. Since a guardian was involved, they couldn''t just blow off the issue because it may be troublesome if the guardian decides to talk about it outside.

    The Dean asked all of them to wait outside until Jeremy''s father arrived so they all went to sit outside his office with a lecturer keeping watch over them.

    "You called your father?" Chloe whispered to Jeremy.

    "Yes." He paused before saying, "Thank you."

    "For what?"

    "No one except my mother and sister has ever stood up for me before."

    She only gave him a small smile and nodded.

    They sat down there until the Dean''s door suddenly opened and the man rushed out with the others who had been inside his office, following him.

    They all watched as they approached a middle aged but very handsome man who was walking down the hallway towards them, in his majestic form, with a younger man following him.

    "Mr Hanks, you didn''t have to come. This is a trival issue." The Dean said politely before turning to look at Kelvin. You didn''t have to invite your father here. He is a really busy man.

    Kelvin looked very uncomfortable as he managed to force a smile, "You don''t have to be here dad... it''s��"

    "We should talk about this inside. This issue involves my sons so it''s important for me to be here and also sincerely apologize for whatever trouble they caused."

    "Oh.. it really isn''t a big�� Sons?" The Dean suddenly asked when it clicked. The Dean looked at Mr Hanks who was staring at Jeremy.

    "Can we get this over with now since my father is here?" Jeremy asked with an indifferent tone, shocking everyone including Chloe.

 Chapter 268 - BIG NEWS!

    Mia was really worried about her friends. As much as she wanted to go there, she couldn''t just storm inside the Dean''s office. She had been waiting outside the office when a senior lecturer asked her to return to her classroom. She bit her fingernail nervously as she waited impatiently for then to return, hoping Jeremy doesn''t get into trouble. The conversations going on around the class didn''t make things any easy for her.

    "Do you think he is going to be okay? Poor Jeremy. Kelvin never misses a chance to bully him."

    "I am glad Jeremy fought back. Kelvin is too full of himself thinking he owns the world just because his aunt owns the school."

    "But Jeremy is here on a scholarship right? What if he loses it because of this?"

    "I''m still wondering what''s so great about Jeremy that made Chloe like him."

    "What do you mean what''s great about him? He is handsome, good looking, pretty, his hair is even more perfect than my life and we all know he''s a gentleman."

    Everyone around rolled their eyes. So much for a description.

    "Big news everybody!" One of Mia''s classmates ran inside the class, yelling. He didn''t have the chance to speak because everyone''s phone began to beep with message notifications.

    It took less than a minute before gasps filled the classroom and everyone began to speak at the same time.

    "Oh my God! Is this for real?"

    "This is unbelieveable!" Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#!_52175625452054963">#!_52175625452054963</a> for visiting.

    "I must be dreaming right now." They all looked at each other''s phones to be sure they were looking at the same thing. When they confirmed it, their voices grew even louder.

    Mia wasn''t a fan of gossip so she wasn''t in any of the group chats that they talked about other irrelevant things except class works.

    "Kelvin and Jeremy are brothers?!" One asked loudly as he looked at the picture of Mr Hank and the two boys, secretly taken in the hallway with a caption which said: Jeremy and Kelvin are brothers!!!!!!!

    What? Mia''s head whipped to her side instantly.

    "How... did this happen? Has anyone confirmed the news?" A boy asked.

    The boy who had ran in earlier to give them the news nodded.

    "I went to confirm if we''ll be having the next class soon, but Mr Willy wasn''t in his office so after waiting for a while, I turned to leave and stumbled upon the scene."

    He took on a dramatic stance and said,

    "I saw Mr Hank, LIKE the real Mr Hank, approach the Dean. He said he was there for his SONS and Jeremy even confirmed it by saying his father was here already!"

    "Oh my God! It must be true!"

    He students began to run out of the classroom one by one. They wanted to see for themselves and confirm it. It was too good to be true. Was this some kind of movie? The news soon spread like wildfire as they all began to share it to other groups and people.

    "Maybe they are stepbrothers?"

    "Is that why Kelvin hates him so much? Because they are stepbrother?"

    "I think Jeremy is older right? Kelvin probably doesn''t want Jeremy to have an inheritance."

    "Do you think Jeremy''s mother was a mistress or his father married her first or something?"

    "Oh my! What if Jeremy''s mother was a mistress? Maybe it''s the reason why they hid it?"

    **********

    The Dean had sweat all over his face as he tried to process all he just heard.

    After leading Mr Hank to his office, he led him to the softest couch and gestured for him to sit. Mr Hank sat down gently while the three kids stood beside them.

    "Uhm... Mr Hank... the thing is..."

    "I sincerely apologize for the trouble they have caused you and for breaking the law of this school. Personally, I know what it means fighting within the school premises. That is why I am going to take responsibility for it all and I hope you let them off. Their final exams is going to be starting soon, this is a really important moment in their lives."

    "Yes... yes.. it really is important." The Dean rambled causing Jeremy to snigger at his shamlessness.

    Chloe still could not believe any of this. She remembered Jeremy had told her about him having a father who was still out there, she had guessed his father was rich, but the last thing she had expected was for his father to be this rich! And for him to be Kelvin''s stepbrother.

    "The kids can return to their classes now. Children always fight so it isn''t a big deal." He laughed a bit too forcefully, "Even I fought a lot when I was younger." The Dean said shamelessly before turning to the kids.

    "Miss King, Mr Hank and Jer�� I mean.. Mr Will..iams?" He called a bit uncertainly since he was now enlightened about Jeremy''s relationship with Mr Hank.

    "You can return to your classroom and study hard. Success in your upcoming exams." He smiled brightly at them like he was their biggest fan and even went as far as seeing them to the door and also waved at them with a smile.

    Benjamin who had been present as the student''s union president, and also a few of the lecturers shook their hands at him. Even though they had all been shocked together, the Dean was obviously overdoing it.

    "Mr Hank, you do not need to worry about anything. I will treat them like my sons." He assured him with a big grin.

    "Thank you. I am counting on you."

    "Yes! Yes!! You can count on me."

    Kelvin, who was still standing by the door shook his head, "Disgusting." He said out loud for Jeremy and Chloe to hear.

    Jeremy wouldn''t have bothered doing this today. He knew how rumours would begin to spread about him being a mistress'' son. After getting bullied for it while growing up, he felt it was better if people didn''t ever know.

    But he had to now. The only way to survive the harsh world, was having a strong back up. If he hadn''t called his father, the Dean would have surely kicked him out of the school. He didn''t like schooling in the first place but he had spent 4 years studying hard to pass all his exams for his mother. It would be unfair to kick him out when it was only a few days to the start of their final exams. Also, he didn''t want Chloe to get into trouble because it seemed like she wouldnt let the issue go until they also punished her and Kelvin.

    So he didn''t regret inviting his father to school.

 Chapter 269 - Father鈥擲on moment

    "What was that for?" Kelvin asked his father, looking really angry.

    "What was what for?"

    "How could you show up here and admit to being that bastard''s father?"

    "Watch your language boy."

    "Did you even stop to think about what this would mean for MUM?" He yelled. "Did you think about how she is going to feel? What about me? Did you think about me and my feelings when you exposed that in public like that?!"

    "That is why you should have treated him better when you knew he was your older brother. If you had, I wouldn''t have been here in the first place."

    "I don''t f.u.c.k.i.n.g have any older brother!" Kelvin yelled. "Do you know how this is going to affect me if the other kids in school finds out? Do you know who is going to be talked about for the next couple of weeks before graduation? IT''S ME! ME! But you didn''t think about any of that because you wanted to play ''daddy'' to that stupid bastard?"

    "I won''t remind you for a third time to watch your language." He warned in a dark tone.

    "Whether you like it or not, he is your brother. I know I made a mistake in the past, but I am always ready to own up to it. The only reason everyone doesn''t know about him is because it was his wish. Since he took the initiative to call me, I couldn''t just let him be. That''s as far as I can explain to you. I owe you no more explanation so return to your class, sit your ass down, and study hard for your upcoming exams."

    Kelvin snorted derisively before walking away, kicking the wastebin on his way and walking past Jeremy who was standing there. They had no idea how much he had heard or how long he had been there.

    Mr Hank and Jeremy looked at each other. "You raised him well." Jeremy said sarcastically.

    "My bad." Mr Hank admitted as he moved closer to Jeremy.

    "I am glad you called." He said earnestly. "I never imagined a day would come when you would take the initiative to call me."

    "I didn''t have a choice. They were going to expel me." He shrugged. "Figured it wouldn''t be so bad to use you just like other kids use their parents to get off the hook."

    Mr Hank chuckled a bit. "Well, I am glad you used me." He said and looked at Jeremy tenderly. "You changed a lot."

    "How so? I have a better personality than Kelvin?"

    Mr Hank laughed again. Jeremy was surprised he was joking like this with this man when he didn''t like him very much or hadn''t seen him in years.

    "Taller, handsome and you have a nice hair."

    Jeremy was a bit surprised to have the man compliment him. To stop himself from blushing, he changed the topic instead,Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#%E2%80%94son-moment_52200439894047921">#%E2%80%94son-moment_52200439894047921</a> for visiting.

    "I didn''t think you would come. I was only trying my luck."

    "Of course I had to. It was the first time you called me in... I think ever?" He wasn''t sure either.

    Jeremy shrugged. "Well... thanks for coming." He turned to leave but Mr Hank called his name.

    "I''m sorry." He said softly.

    Jeremy slowly turned around. "For?" He asked.

    "Everything." The man sighed deeply, placing his hands inside his pockets.

    "About your mother, for not being there for her and for you."

    "You have a family."

    "I know. And I also know you hate me."

    "I don''t." Jeremy shook his head. "Maybe I''m just disappointed but I don''t hate you. I can''t possibly bring myself to hate the man my mother loved at some point." He said sincerely, making Mr Hank look sober.

    "I have always wanted to apologize for what happened the last time you came to my house��"

    "It''s fine." Jeremy said immediately, not wanting to remember that time years ago.

    "I think it''s normal for your wife to hate me and treat me the way she did. It''s unfortunate Kelvin had to hate me for his mother too and always looked for a way to make my life miserable. I really don''t mind anymore."

    The more he spoke, the more Mr Hank felt sad, guilty and pity towards him. He was so young yet he was so mature. He only wished his younger son had a bit of his personality.

    "I am glad you do not hate me." He said with a tiny smile. "Maybe you can consider coming to my birthday next week with your sister Mercy��"

    "Ellie. Her name''s Ellie." He corrected.

    "Sorry, Ellie." He said with an embarrassed smile.

    "I''m sorry but I''ll have to decline. I don''t want to intrude. So have fun with your family, and happy birthday to you in advance." He wanted to leave again when Mr Hank stopped him a second time. It seemed like the man didn''t want him to leave because he might not see him again after today and Jeremy might never call him again.

    "Look, I know I haven''t been a father to you and since you reached out first, I really want to try to be a good dad at least once. So after your graduation, you are welcome to join the company if you wish. There is always going to be a space reserved for you."

    Jeremy squinted to look at him. "Are you not worried about what people would say? A married man cheating on his wife and having his first child with a mistress. Now, he''s inviting his illegitimate son to his company?"

    "Look, what''s done is done. It doesn''t matter what people say. You should have a good life and I owe you that." He said sincerely.

    "Instead of that, I think your family shouldn''t mess with the grades this year and allow those who deserve it to be at the top instead of making Kelvin the Valedictorian which he obviously doesn''t deserve."

    "What?" Mr Hank asked in confusion.

    "Look," Jeremy started, "I am not very smart, but I can bet my life I am smarter than Kelvin so I think he doesn''t deserve the spot he is on. I have a friend who is supposed to be number one but Kelvin has stolen that spot from her. If you want to be a good man and father, you should fix that first."

    Mr Hank looked confused, "I really have no idea about what you are saying, but I promise I''ll look into it."

    Maybe he was pretending he didn''t know or maybe he genuinely didn''t know, Jeremy didn''t care. He only hoped he would do something about it so Mia would move to number 1, if Chloe did her best, she''ll be able to move to number 2 while for him, it was number 15 or something, he really didn''t mind.

    "If offering you a position in the company is too much for you, maybe if you need a reference or recommendation or something for a great job, I can always give you my signature." He offered again.

    "Just give me an opportunity to do something for you. Please?"

    Jeremy could see how hard he was trying and didn''t want to make it difficult for him.

    "I''ll consider it."

    Mr Hank finally smiled in relief. "Thank you." He said, feeling like many years worth of burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

 Chapter 270 - Jeremys story

    Mia wanted to return home as soon as possible for three reasons. One: She was hoping Leo would give her a call but if he didn''t, she was going to give him a call even though international charges were terribly high. Two: She wanted to leave the school premises as soon as possible because a lot of students kept flocking around her, asking her if she knew about Jeremy and Kelvin and wanted her to give them juicy gossips. Three: She wanted to directly hear from Jeremy about all of this. She hadn''t seen it coming at all. Jeremy was hardworking, humble and respectful, he was nothing like Kelvin. How come they were brothers? It was one shocking news.

    When Jeremy returned to class, everywhere became quiet. As much as people wanted to ask him questions, they couldn''t bring themselves to do so, especially after watching how he beat the hell out of Kelvin earlier.

    Jeremy didn''t mind the looks he was getting. He figured they already found out but at least, no one was asking him anything or pointing fingers at him, calling him a mistress'' son or a bastard and he was grateful for that.

    He looked at where Kelvin usually sat and didn''t see him on seat. The boy really wasn''t taking it well. But who cares? His eyes met Chloe''s.

    Surprisingly, she didn''t hurry to turn her eyes away just like he had caught her doing for a while now. She only gave him a questioning look, asking whether he was okay so he nodded a little to assure her he was before returning to his seat beside Mia.

    Jeremy sat down and noticed that just like everyone else, Mia was also looking at him.

    "We''ll talk about it at your place later." He assured her.

    She nodded and let it be. There was no use in pushing him.

    They had the last class for the day and Kelvin didn''t return to class. After classes, the three went straight to Leo''s apartment.

    Chloe ordered Pizza for all of them so after eating, Jeremy revealed everything to them. Chloe already knew part of the story since he told her some of it on the evening they were returning from Late Adrian''s birthday,

    "My mother hid a lot of stuff from me, but she told me a couple of things about my father. She told me how she met my father when she was dealing with her mother''s death who was her only family at that time."

    "According to her, my father was a very nice man and being in that kind of state, it didn''t take long for her to develop feelings for him. By the time she accidentally saw the wedding band he always hid inside his pocket, she was already deep in love with him and was already with a child�� me." He explained.

    "Long story short, they had me. It wasn''t easy for her. Dating a married man and trying to hide it wasn''t easy at all so it began to get to her. She wanted to get rid of me at some point but he begged her to leave the child and promised he would take full responsibility."

    "But his wife found out about us immediately I turned a year old. My mum refused to go into details about what the woman did to her but my mum had to relocate with me and moved to another city where we stayed until I grew up. I don''t think my dad ever tried to reach out."

    "I don''t know how the neighbours found out about us and soon rumours began to spread so I was bullied for it."

    "When I was 13, we came back to this city. Mum had a boyfriend who promised to marry her. He wasn''t that rich so mum got worried about it, especially when she realised she was pregnant for him. So she reached out to the Hanks. All she wanted was an assurance that dad would always send allowance for my schooling and well being."

    "Dad wanted me to come over. He hadn''t seen me since I was 1 and I''ve never seen him before except his picture."

    "My mother wasn''t shameless enough to go with me so I went alone when the Chauffeur came to pick me up."

    "I met Mrs Hanks and Kelvin for the first time. I remember being so excited about having a younger brother." Jeremy scoffed as he recalled it.

    "The house was magnificent. Everything looked beautiful and I was fascinated. Was also happy my father was richer than I thought."

    "Dad wasn''t in, so I was left with Mrs Hank and Kelvin. The woman was obviously not happy to see me when she realised who I was. She threw water on me." He smiled sadly as he remembered that day.Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#''s-story_52229179399259381">#''s-story_52229179399259381</a> for visiting.

    "She told me I was a disgrace and shouldn''t have stepped my feet into her apartment. I can''t remember everything she said at that time because I didn''t understand most of it especially when she began to say things about trying to steal her son''s place and inheritance. I was shocked because I had never been treated like that before. My mother always treated me like a precious gem. But there was another woman, throwing her glass of water at me and calling me names."

    "Kelvin watched at the side. He had the typical rich boy arrogant look and didn''t mind his mother treating me like that. He said it served me right because I wanted to take his rightful place, which also didn''t make much sense to me."

    "By the time Mr Hanks came, I was already shedding tears and shivering from cold and fear. The woman was so scary."

    "The couple had an heated argument for a while and it seemed like Mrs Hank won. I was sent back home that evening without my dad approaching me. I was so heartbroken because for once, I wanted to know how it felt like to have a dad who could protect you."

    "From that moment, I decided I didn''t want to have anything to do with them. I didn''t want his money either. My mother was furious when she found out but I pleaded with her to let it slide. Told her I didn''t want to associate myself with them anymore, but I guess she also recieved his help a couple of times behind my back."

    "Before my mother died, she asked us to promise her we''ll accept our fathers if they offered to assist us in anyway. I didn''t want to but she pleaded and told me my dad talked to her about my university. She said I needed it because she wasn''t going to live for long and wanted to be sure I''ll graduate from a good college at least and be able to take care of my sister."

    "After she died, dad came to her funeral and asked for me to come live with him. I didn''t want to even though my mother had made us promise that if our fathers reached out, we should accept."

    "I told him there was also Ellie. From the look on his face, I knew it was impossible having us both. And that had been my plan when I mentioned Ellie. I knew his family wouldn''t accept me but adding Ellie? Impossible. I sincerely told him I didn''t want to have anything to do with him. The scholarship was enough."

    "And I didn''t reach out until today." He concluded his story with a heavy sigh.

 Chapter 271 - I miss him.

    After Jeremy''s story, not minding the fact that Mia was there, Chloe pulled him up and embraced him. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click <a href="#._52229182083614061">#._52229182083614061</a> for visiting.

    Even though Jeremy acted like everything was fine while he told them all about it, they could see how much he had suffered. The action surprised Jeremy and Mia.

    Mia thought it was best to let them be so she returned to her room.

    It had become her ritual to always look at the pictures on the wall whenever she entered inside the room. Now, her favourite picture was the candid shot he had taken of her two years ago.

    To some people, they may consider it stalking�� finding a framed picture of you which had been taken years before you met each other. But to her, it brought her great joy. She was happy to have been a part of her life for a long time. So whenever she saw the picture, it made her happy.

    When her phone rang, she rushed to get it, hoping it was a call from Leo. When he said he was going to be really busy this week, she hadn''t thought it would be like this.

    But the call was from Mira which made her disappointed. Regardless, she was still happy to hear from her friend who was also preparing for her final exams.

    "How are you sweetheart?" Mira asked.

    "I am good."

    They talked for a while. Mia told Mira what happened today with Jeremy but she didn''t go into depth about the story Jeremy told them just now.

    "Wow! That is... I don''t know... is he okay?" Mira asked, concerned.

    "He is fine. We are glad he wasn''t expelled. But everyone in school is talking about it."

    "I don''t know whether to say poor him or lucky him. He has a rich family but lives like that. Chloe is lucky to have a boy like him."

    The conversation moved away from Jeremy to Mira.

    "How is it over there?"

    "Good. I met this boy..."

    "A boy again? I thought you still kept in touch with Richard?"

    "Long distance relationsh.i.p.s isn''t my thing. You should know by now. And it isn''t his too. But we are still friends."

    "What about James?"

    "What about him?"

    "I thought there was like a spark between you two?"

    "..." Mira was quiet.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything?"

    "It''s pretty awkward between the two of us. We have only spoken on phone once since we travelled back and I never want to experience such awkwardness again."

    Mia didn''t know what to say. She could tell her friends liked each other but both didn''t want to take the first step or maybe they were just scared it wouldn''t work out and eventually ruin their friendship.

    "I''ll tell you all about the new guy later. Tell me how you''ve been since Leo left. Are you okay?"

    She wasn''t okay. She missed him so much that she had even thought about leaving the house to another apartment because everything reminded her of him�� The sitting room, the dining, the kitchen especially, their bedrooms. Every single thing. She wished she had told him how she felt about his sooner. It wasn''t even up to a month since he left and she felt this empty.

    "Are you crying?" Mira asked in alarm.

    It was at this point that Mia realised she truly was crying. She wanted to say no but instead, she began to confess..

    "I miss him. I miss him so much." She said in between tears.

    "And I am scared because I know he won''t be returning any time soon. And I am also worried because I don''t know how he is faring over there. And I''m also insecure because I''m sure he''ll be seeing a lot of women who are better than me. I just... I don''t know. Everything is making me so worried and sick and not sure about myself. I just want to see him. Everywhere I look, I see him. His smell is everywhere and it''s driving me nuts��"

    "Hey! Take it easy."

    "I have never felt this way before so it''s really a scary thing for me. I can''t... I can''t live without him. I just want to see him and be sure we are still together but it''s so difficult reaching him these days." Mia''s quiet sobs graduated into full blown tears.

    She had never thought herself to be this weak. She had been treated like she was trash for many years at home and even during her part time jobs, she had been harassed several times including s.e.x.u.a.l harrassment, she had been beaten up by people and some were her sister''s friends. They were mad at her because the boy Mary liked liked her instead. Mary was good to her at one point until their mother began to fill her mind with hate towards her sister, plus when that incident occured and her friends began to suspect Mary was no longer happy with Mia, they beat Mia up while Mary watched at the side. All those times, Mia didn''t feel half of what she was feeling now. She didn''t feel her heart hurting as much as it was hurting now.

    "It''s going to be okay. Everyone knows Leo loves and adores you. He is just busy with work at the moment. Remember he''s helping with your international passport so you can come meet him over there? If he didn''t love you, he wouldn''t bother with any of it. He even put up with your nasty attitude, so cheer up girl. Leo is completely into you and nothing is going to change that. If you do not trust your instincts, at least believe me. I know the truth when I see it." She assured her.

    "Are you... sure?" Mia asked.

    "I am. Trust me! Look, I have to go now. I''ll talk to you later, okay? Promise me you will stop crying and you''ll eat well?"

    "I will try." Mia said weakly.

    When the call ended, she was about to go freshen up in the bathroom when another call came in. She grabbed the phone but was also disappointed when it wasn''t Leo''s number but an unnamed number she didn''t recognize.

    "Hello? Is this Mia Lucas?" A man asked.

    "Yes. Who is this?" She asked in a gentle voice as she cleaned the tears from her face with her hand.

    "Well, I don''t usually reveal who I am to people. But I work as a private investigator. A certain Leo King sought my service two months ago in regards to one Mr Joe Lucas who went missing eight years ago."

    Mia became alert. "JOE LUCAS? My father?" She asked in surprise.

    When did Leo employ him? Why was this man calling her right now? By chance...

    "Well, we finally found him."

    "REALLY?!" Mia asked, heart beating rapidly in her chest as she waited for him to continue.

    "The case has been reported to the police. I will leave it to them to break the news to your family. Have a good day." He hung up without giving her a chance to ask further questions.

    The Police?

    Why?

 Chapter 272 - Kiss

    For the next couple of days, Mia was uneasy as she kept trying to reach the strange man who had called her. She called his number at least 5 times every day but his number remained unreachable. She also wanted to ask Leo about it but her last message to him was still left as unread so she didn''t text him about it but patiently waited until he would reach out to her.

    As much as all of this worried her, she could not help but feel touched by the fact that Leo considered searching for her father. She could not remember any time when they had such conversation. Just how many things has he done for her?

    Maybe she really needed to stop worrying too much about his feelings for her because from everything, he showed just how much he loved her and cared about her. She promised herself not to ever doubt him no matter what.

    But that aside, her father''s case was still a mystery which left her uncomfortable. Why was the police involved? Where has he been for the past few years? How was he living? Was he well? Or was the police involved because he was in prison? That wasn''t possible. They would have reached them at it been the case.

    What if the police already called her mother but Linda was keeping it away from her? That was also possible. Maybe she should call Linda and ask her about it?

    "Hey! Is something wrong? You look lost." Jeremy asked quietly.

    The three of them had turned Leo''s dining table into their reading area. Everyday after school hours, they took an hour to freshen up before meeting here to study together. They were actually doing it for Jeremy since the girls liked to study by themselves while Jeremy was easily distracted and always dozed off after opening the textbook, unless he was angry about something and wanted to vent on his books. But they noticed this time, Jeremy was putting in enough effort to stay awake and study while Mia was looking very distracted.

    "You have been reading that page for the past one hour. I know I''m not very smart when compared to you, but I would have finished reading five pages already." He noted.

    "If you are tired, you could take a break." Chloe said. She thought Mia was probably like that because Leo hadn''t reached out. Leo had not called her too but she wasn''t very worried since she was used to him going AWOL and not reaching the family. But she knew it was a different case for Mia who had a special kind of feeling for him.

    "I''ll just... take a break." Mia said before she stood up.

    They thought she wanted to go to the bedroom but she left the apartment instead.

    "Have any idea about what''s wrong with her?" Jeremy asked Chloe.

    "No. What about you?"

    "I don''t know whats wrong with��"

    "That''s not what I''m asking. How are you? You know we all know that almost everyone in school has been talking about you lately."

    He shrugged like it wasn''t a big deal. "At least no one has tried to talk shit about me in front of me. I''m fine."

    "And you''ve suddenly made a lot of friends." She pointed out.

    "Friends?" He asked in confusion. "What friends?"

    "Nothing." She said with a nonchalant shrug and faced her book. A lot of golddiggers who weren''t from really great families have been hovering around him for a while now. She wasn''t blind. What was her business anyway? It wasn''t as if they were dating so he could be friends with whoever he wanted to be friends with for all she cared.

    She noticed from the corner of her eyes that Jeremy was staring at her so she turned to raise a questioning brow at him,

    "What?"

    "I like you." He confessed, taking her aback.

    "W...hat.. are you.. saying?" She stuttered with flushed cheeks before facing her book again. It was the safest thing to look at right now.

    "I thought I should tell you that." He started. "Now that the whole world knows about me and my pathetic life, I know you are aware they have been saying things about you too since they kinda know we hang out together. So thanks for still sticking around me. I.. really appreciate that."

    Chloe raised her head to look at him. "Think about the bright side, Jeremy. Your father is the same Mr Hank everyone knows. Why do you believe everyone who is talking about you is judging you or calling you names? If they really want to call someone name, it should be Mr Hank. Besides, don''t you see those girls who keeps flirting with you everyday?"

    "Girls flirt with me everyday?" He asked innocently.

    Chloe could only shake her head. "You are so dumb." With a tiny smile on her face, she turned her attention to her book. At least, he wasn''t noticing the girls so it was fine. Well... it didn''t concern her.

    Her body immediately froze when she felt something soft and warm on her cheek.

    He

    just

    kissed

    her

    cheek!

    With wide eyes, she slowly turned to look at him and gulped. He had an embarrassed blush on his face up to the tip of his ears, and was looking at his book even though he wasn''t exactly reading anything. The only thing he saw on the book was an image of Chloe blowing him kisses.

    "What... was that.. for?"

    He heard Chloe ask but didn''t look at her. They had kissed before, but she probably wasn''t in her right mind. He didn''t know whether she would be angry right now. He had simply done that out of impulse.

    It was his turn to freeze when he felt something similar on his cheek.

    ''She... just kissed me???????" His mind screamed.

    He slowly turned his head to look at her. She was also looking at him shyly but tried to keep a straight face even though it wasn''t working. She finally looked away and began to flip through her textbook.

    His heart was beating so fast he feared he may have an heart attack and die, leaving his poor sister behind.

    Chloe suddenly looked ten prettier than she ever looked especially with her flushed cheeks.

    There was a little battle going on inside his head deliberating, ''Should I? Should I not?''

    He eventually thought he should. Gathering his courage, he stood up from his seat. With a hand on the table in front of Chloe, he arched his back to almost meet her height and used his other hand to hold her chin, turning her to look at him.

    "What... are..."

    "I want to kiss you, Chloe King." He stated firmly, shocking her.

    Chloe stared at him with wide eyes as he claimed her lips.

 Chapter 273 - Babies

    "I want to kiss you, Chloe King." Jeremy stated firmly, shocking her.

    Chloe stared at him with wide eyes as he claimed her lips. He was suddenly nothing like the shy Jeremy she was familiar with. How bold!

    But... she liked it.

    The kiss was like nothing Jeremy had felt before. He wasn''t sure he was doing a good job at first, but when he heard a pleasant m.o.a.n escape Chloe''s lips, he figured she was enjoying it as much as he was and so he deepened the kiss, taking time to explore every corner of her mouth.

    What surprised him was the fact that she didn''t push him away or hit him. She kissed him back! It was as if thousands of butterflies kept fluttering their tiny feathers inside his stomach. He couldn''t express how he felt at that moment, but he just wanted to swallow her whole.

    He took a peek and noticed she had shut her eyes now. Earlier, he could tell she was watching him but now, it seemed like she was finally into it just like he was.

    Her hands went around his neck so he took the opportunity to lift her from the chair and into his arms, making a surprised squeal escape her lips. They broke the kiss when they suddenly felt breathless. That was when Chloe realised she was sitting on top of the table, her hands around his neck, while he had one hand around her waist and the other one holding the back of her neck.

    They were both panting as they looked deeply into each other''s eyes with their foreheads touching.

    "I..." Jeremy wanted to say something even though he didn''t know what to say but to his surprise, she stuck out her tongue and licked his lower lip while staring directly into his eyes. It was so damn e.r.o.t.i.c that he lost his reasoning for a moment and dove deeper to resume their kiss.

    The kiss wasn''t gentle, neither was it too rough but they both seemed impatient and it seemed like they were losing control. Their hearts kept beating faster as their tongues danced together, both fighting for dominance.

    "Mia *Kiss* may *Kiss* come *Kiss* in *Kiss* at *Kiss* any *Kiss* moment." Chloe tried to reason while she sucking between his upper and lower lips.

    Jeremy agreed. "We *Kiss* probably *Kiss* should *Kiss* stop *Kiss* right?" *Kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss*

    But they didn''t stop.

    Chloe took a hold of his hand and placed it on her left b.r.e.a.s.t. She wasn''t wearing a bra and her n.i.p.p.l.es were erect. Jeremy quickly broke the kiss and jumped away from her in shock, leaving her staring at him with confusion.

    His eyes were unstable, chest heaving up and down, lips moist and slightly swollen, face flushed. He looked identical to Chloe but the only difference was their gaze. While she was staring at him in confusion, he looked petrified.

    "Did... I do something wrong?" Chloe asked carefully.

    "You..." He pointed at her chest and his face coloured even more. "You made me touch your babies!" He shrieked.

    Chloe didn''t know whether to laugh or cry at his horrified look. Babies? Hilarious!

    "So...?" She asked.

    "It''s wrong!"

    "You didn''t like it?"

    "I.. well... I did. It was soft and felt nice... oh God! What am I saying?" He began to run his hand around his hair roughly.

    Chloe chuckled. The only word she had for him at that moment, was ''Adorable''.

    "But are you going to do about that?" She asked.

    He followed her gaze and immediately used his hands to cover his obvious erection.

    "Stop looking! You are being a pervert." He shrieked again as he turned to the side.

    The embarrassment Chloe felt earlier had completely dissipated and was replaced with amus.e.m.e.nt. She laughed so hard. Why did it feel like she was the man in the relationship and he was the woman?

    Wait! What relationship? They didn''t have a relationship... right?

    "I probably... should leave now. I.. need to pick Ellie up from her ballet class." He gave a vague excuse and returned to the table to pick up his things.

    "Ellie isn''t going to be done until the next..." She picked up her phone to check the time. "63 minutes." She pointed out. He gave another excuse about making her dinner so she got down from the table and narrowed her eyes to look at him.

    "You are avoiding me, aren''t you? Maybe I shouldn''t have been actively involved in the kiss just now." She began to guilt trip him and trust Jeremy, he fell for it.

    She returned to her seat without sparing him another glance, but instead, she focused on brushing her hair with her fingers.

    "I am not avoiding you." He said awkwardly. "I just... you know.. I have never...."

    "Touched a woman''s b.r.e.a.s.t?" She supplied when it seemed like he wasn''t going to stop stuttering. "You are a v.i.r.g.i.n, aren''t you?"

    "Don''t ask me such embarrassing question." He looked down and began to gather his books in a hurry. He was blushing to the tip of his ears.

    He thought Chloe had dropped it and was busy studying, until he heard a quiet, "Me too."

    "What?" He asked in confusion.

    "I also haven''t done it before. But I didn''t think we were going to do it... I mean.. we were just making out..." She said embarrassedly with her head still down.

    "But.. David...?"

    She finally raised her head when he mentioned her ex boyfriend.

    "We didn''t do it." She answered firmly.

    "Really?" He tried but failed miserably to hide his happy smile. Seeing him smile, she smiled back at him before looking away.

    He suddenly dumped all his books back on the table and knelt in front of her.

    "Look Chloe," He started and cleared his throat, to get her attention.

    "I know I''m not so great. I don''t have a lot of money, I work part time and my grades aren''t that great either, but I am a great cook, I can fight so I can protect you and I can also swear my fidelity to you."

    "....."

    "That is why... I want to ask you to officially be my girlfriend. Just like the popular quote, If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred plus one day, so I never have to live without you so��"

    "It''s actually a hundred minus one day." She corrected with a short laughter before pecking his lips. "Alright. But if I see you with other women, I will kill you." She warned. It took a full minute before he realised she had just actually agreed to be his girlfriend!!!

    His eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

    He looked around for something to give to her and cussed himself for not having something. But he actually didn''t plan to ask her today or anytime soon for that matter.

    "This is from my heart. Trust me." He said, offering her his pen with the sweetest of smiles on his face.

    ~~~

    Meanwhile, Mia finally recieved a text from Leo that evening it read,

    "Hey baby, I am so sorry, I am kneeling down right now as I type this. Work has been crazily busy with lots of shootings, editings and dinner meetings with investors and those stuff. I rarely get enough sleep and sometimes when I''m free, it''s already past midnight over there and here also. I hate that I left you hanging these past few days. But hey! I''m looking to ask for a break. Even if it''s just gonna be a week, I''ll fly down there just to meet you. I promise to make it up to you with lots of hugs and kisses. Gat to go now.

    Goodluck with your exams. I know you''ll make me proud. I love you plenty."

    Seeing the text from him and confirming he was okay, Mia broke down in tears of relief.

    Even though he probably wouldn''t see the text anytime soon, she sent him a text too.

    "I Love you too baby and I cannot wait to see you."

 Chapter 274 - After school plans

    "Congratulations." Katie said with a grin.

    "For?" Jeremy asked curiously. He was just coming out of the Dean''s office and met her in the hallway.

    The Dean had asked for him to come to his office after their exams for the day so he had gone there thinking the man had something important to say, instead, he wanted to bootlick and even asked if he found any course particularly difficult.

    "It''s pretty obvious that you and Chloe are a couple."

    "Really?" He asked in surprise and lowered his voice, "How... did you know? How did everyone know?"

    "Did you both plan to keep it hidden? Because you did a really terrible job. You two always look at each other, smile at each other and leave school together. I pity Mia who is the third wheel. I would have stopped being friends with you if I were her."

    Katie wasn''t lying. Since Chloe agreed to date him, it still felt surreal to him and his eyes rarely left her. He wanted to be sure she won''t give him the cold stare whenever their eyes met. Chloe instead smiled at him or simply mouthed for him to look ahead.

    Ellie had been the happiest when she heard the news. She had been so happy that she even cried because he brother was finally with the girl he liked.

    Mrs Wesley had also been happy for him which surprised him a little, considering Chloe''s relationship with her. He concluded the woman was an angel.

    Mia simply said she had seen it coming but she was happy for them anyway. They hadn''t planned to hide it, neither did they plan to make a public announcement to tell everyone they were dating, but it seemed everyone figured it out on their own.

    "You don''t have to be embarrassed. A lot of people are actually happy for you. You know, considering how you have been in a one sided relationship with her. After hearing about your history, some thought it wouldn''t be possible for Chloe to date you but well.." She shrugged. "I must tell you, some think Chloe agreed to date you because she realised your father is Mr Hank."

    "That''s absurd!"

    "People will always talk. You don''t have to worry about it." She assured him while patting his shoulder.

    "Why... are you so nice to me?" He asked. He felt it was more than just to taunt Chloe. Katie really cared about him.

    She smiled broadly. "I think you are adorable. It''s like helping out my little brother."

    "What?! I''m probably older than you!" He snapped.

    "Doesn''t matter. Oh! Lest I forget," She started when she remembered something important. "Tell your girlfriend to stop glaring at me everytime. I really am not interested in you. I have a boyfriend who I am completely into, you know?" She said with a wink before walking away.

    *******

    Their exams went by in a blur. It was surprising how confident Jeremy was after this exam. He had a feeling he would have better grades this time. Studying with Mia and Chloe had been a lot helpful. For the first time in years, he took a break from his part time jobs. He already had a lot saved up so feeding wasn''t a problem for him. His school wasn''t far from where he lived so he also saved a lot by walking to and fro. The neighbor helped to take Ellie to school and bring her back since she was a teacher in Ellie''s school. In general, everything was easy for him. He had peace of mind, had a girlfriend, and got to meet his father for the first time in years and the man seemed really nice.

    "What are you going to do now?" Mia asked him after she got off the phone with Leo. They were currently taking a walk around the neighbourhood and it had been Jeremy''s idea since he noticed Mia was always inside the apartment.

    This week was a lot better for Mia. She spoke with Leo at least once in every two days interval but the bad news was, they were still looking for the best time to fix in his one week leave. His position was very vital. Without him, they won''t be able to do anything at all and Mia understood that.

    "I''m waiting for our official graduation. Until then, it won''t feel real that I''m done with the University." He said with a dreamy look.

    He remembered when he entered the university�� He was broken, lost, weak, less confident. He had just lost his mother and was struggling to make ends meet to care for himself and his sister. Now, he was a lot better and had a feeling the future was a lot promising.

    Mrs Wesley who had been jealous when he told her about his father offering to sign on his r��sum�� as a reference for him, had asked him to also come for her signature or if he wanted, she could look for a good job for him or even employ him in her company.

    "What about you? Any plans?" He asked.

    Mia sighed. "I planned to meet Leo. But work is really busy and I think being there, I am either going to be a distraction, or we won''t even get to spend time together."

    "You sure you don''t want to give that up for now and look for a good job?"

    Maybe he could speak with his father or Mrs Wesley? Thankfully, Mia was smart and her result was going to be great.

    "I am still thinking about that. Getting a job can be quite difficult."

    "Not if you are the Valedictorian."

    "You know that is not going to happen. Kelvin has been topping since the first year."

    "Maybe a miracle could happen?" He shrugged indifferently. He wanted to believe his father would do the right thing. He had a very tiny faith in him.

    Mia finally realised that Jeremy knew what he had been saying all along about Kelvin. Maybe Kelvin really didn''t deserve it, but there was nothing she could do about it. Being second place wasn''t that bad after all.

    "What about Chloe? Do you know if she has any plan?" Mia asked.

    "It won''t be difficult for her to find a job. Although, I feel like she misses the mall. She''s even meeting with the lady who used to be her personal assistant now." He sighed. "But it won''t be difficult. She has the experience, she has the grades and has the family name."

    "Don''t know if I should envy her. She''s probably going through a lot." Mia said honestly. Those who didn''t know Chloe personally would envy her and think she was living like a princess, but they knew better.

    Jeremy wanted to ask a very important question he had always been curious about. He had never heard Mia mention her family. He didn''t ask earlier because he thought they weren''t that close but now, he wanted to ask but before he could, her phone rang.

    Mia looked at her phone''s screen and froze. Linda was calling. Why was Linda calling all of a sudden? Probably, it has to do with her dad?

 Chapter 275 - Depressed 1

    Mia stood outside the police station, trying and failing to keep her anxiety in check. What if her father was in there? Seeing him for the first time in 8 years, she wasn''t sure how she would react. But what if it was a bad news?

    She went inside and it didn''t take long before someone approached her. After telling her who she was here for, the policewoman led her to an office where she found her mother and Mary bawling their eyes out. There were two other officers inside the office��one was middle aged and sitting in the main office chair while the other one who looked ten years younger was standing beside him. It looked like they had just given them a bad news.

    "You must be Miss Mia?" The elderly police asked. When she nodded, he asked her to sit which she did albeit reluctantly as she looked at the other two who hadn''t bothered to look at her. They were busy crying.

    "I am Superintendent Clark." He introduced himself. "This is my assistant, Officer Gray." He gestured at the man beside him.

    "Is... my father okay?" Mia asked even though something already told her she would be getting a bad news.

    "I am sorry Miss Mia but unfortunately, your father died a long time ago." He broke the news sadly. Although he tried to break it to her in a way that wouldn''t seem too painful for her to take but apparently, there was no better or easier way of breaking such news to the victim''s loved one.

    Surprisingly, she didn''t begin to cry immediately just like her mother and sister. Her body was shaking and the news hit her hard, but she tried to keep her composure as she asked, "How? What happened to him?"

    "It is actually a big case that isn''t supposed to go into the public at the moment since thorough investigation is still going on, but we have to let the families of the victims know especially for those who filed a missing person report."

    "Victims?" She took note of that particular word and sat up.

    "We have a rough sketch of what happened. A few days ago, we received an intel about some illegal activities going on in a secluded house in the southern axis away from town. The police infiltrated the building and after a few digging into it, we realised it belonged to a loan shark."

    He stopped talking. Even though he had just broken the news to the other two women, it was still difficult talking about it.

    "My father has something to do with it?" Mia asked when it seemed like the man was not going to continue.

    "We took hold of a lot of journals which we spent days going through. It seemed like your father borrowed a lot of money from this man 9 years ago but could not pay up."

    "A whole lot of money." He added for emphasis.

    Mia deduced it was probably around the time when his business was going down and he was borrowing from everywhere to revive it. Unfortunately, everything crashed and he had a pile of debt to repay which he couldn''t.

    Mia nodded to let him know she was following so he continued.

    "We interrogated the few suspects we found in the premises so they gave us a report of how things worked there. Apparently, their boss was able to make a lot of money through human and organ trafficking."

    "What?" Mia almost jumped from her seat.

    The two women''s cries grew louder.

    "Naturally, people who borrow a lot of money find it difficult paying up. So according to one of our suspects, he mentioned that those people were given options. If they had daughters, then the debtor could give up the daughters for trafficking which more or less equals prostitution. If they had sons, their boss might consider having the son work for him until the debtor could pay up. But if they didn''t have children, or if they were not willing to give up their child, then he could give himself."

    "For organ trafficking." Mia said in a quiet voice. The policemen finally saw a tear escape her eyes.

    The policeman nodded. "And he isn''t supposed to tell anyone about it. There is a contract."

    "We are still searching all over for their boss. I am positive we are going to find him soon and bring him to justice." He swore.

    "Is this... for real?" Mia asked. She was finding it difficult to believe. She didn''t want to believe it.

    "We found his name in their journal. Name, date, time. It was all in there. We''ve been looking through the journals for the past few days."

    While they were searching all over for him all these years, he already signed his death for his organs to be sold off because he could not pay up his debt? Mia thought.

    "Ex...cuse me..." Mia stood up while clutching her stomach. She wanted to throw up.

    The second policeman was quick to lead her to the bathroom outside the office so she ran into one of the toilet cubicles and began to empty her bowel. She didn''t have the time to close the door. It was the least of her worries.

    The more she gagged, the more tears ran down her eyes.

    "Mia?" She heard Linda''s cracked voice before the woman appeared behind her and began to pat her back.

    Mia turned around immediately and slapped Linda''s hand away. "Don''t you dare touch me!" Mia said, her eyes brimming with tears.

    Linda looked shocked and could not utter a word.

    "You are a horrible person. Everytime I see you... I get... to confirm... what a Devil you... are." Mia said in between sobs while choking a few times.

    "Look at the sacrifice dad made. He had two daughters but didn''t think to offer us. Hell! He could have offered just me if he hated me so much. But he didn''t!"

    "But you..." Mia shook her head as more tears escaped her eyes.

    "Just to pay your stupid daughter''s debt, you sold me off without any remorse. You are a devil. And I will never forgive you even if I die!" Mia swore before pushing her out of her way and walking out.

 Chapter 276 - Depressed 2

    "She is still not out?" Jeremy asked when he stopped by Leo''s apartment the next evening with Ellie.

    "She isn''t. Shehas been inside this room for the past 24 hours. I don''t know what''s going to happen if she spends more hours inside." Chloe shook her head.

    The previous day, she got to know from Jeremy that Mia recieved a call from her mother and left in a hurry after saying something about a police station. They didn''t know when she returned because the two of them including Ellie had gone to the park to have fun. But Chloe later told him in the evening that Mia was inside the room but refused to come out and she suspected Mia was crying.

    "Do you know anything about Mia''s family? Anything at all? Maybe you heard from your brother?" Jeremy asked.

    "Nothing." She shook her head.

    Jeremy sighed deeply. It was already past 8 in the evening. She had been inside the room for probably more than 24 hours. No food, no water, and crying her eyes out.

    He had been there that morning to knock on the door and ask her to open up but she didn''t. That was when he realised Chloe was right about Mia crying inside the room.

    "How long is she going to remain like this? She is making me worried sick. At this rate, she may fall sick and probably collapse and that would be worse." Chloe said.

    "What about your brother? No calls yet?"

    "I haven''t been able to reach him for thr past two days. I think he is in an environment where the signal is bad."

    "What are we going to do? Maybe if your brother was here or even called her, she would open the door?"

    Chloe seemed to think about it seriously. "May-be?"

    ********

    Mia had felt this way before so she knew what was happening to her. She was slowly falling into depression. The last time, Leo had been available to pull her out from it. Now that he wasn''t present, she knew she had to start depending on antidepressants or else, she may kill herself soon.

    The worse part about it all was the fact that she really didn''t have anyone. Yes, there was Jeremy, there was also Chloe, but those weren''t the people she really needed. She wanted a close family, a loved one, someone dear to her heart, someone who loved her.

    She had been crying for quite a while until she felt she had exhausted all the tears left in her eyes. She didn''t know what time it was. The curtains were always down so it was dark inside the room, the lights were turned off and she had turned off her phone after leaving the police station because Linda kept calling her.

    So she didn''t know what time it was or what day it was. Everywhere was pitch black.

    What happened to her father was too much for her to bear. She couldn''t handle it.

    Remembering all the times she was putting up fliers in search of her father, those sleepless nights when she was worrying about his whereabout, and praying her returned. Linda didn''t want to believe he just disappeared back then. She believed he had gone to look for some money to pay up all their loans. Still, she cried herself to sleep every night. Linda had blamed Mia as the bad luck who caused her family to turn out the way they did. It got to the point where Mia believe she caused it. She prayed everyday for him to show up but a year passed and he didn''t return. Two passed, three passed until the eighth year. They still believed he would come one day, but this was the news they got.

    Why didn''t he just sacrifice her instead? Why didn''t he give her up since she was the bad luck and not a real part of their family?

    The Lucas family would have lived happily ever after. Joe Lucas wouldn''t have died, Mary wouldn''t have run away from home, then, they would all be happy while she helped paid off their debt through prostitution. Maybe that was why she was born right? To be the sacrificial lamb just like Linda and Mary had done to her.

    Tears began to form in her eyes again. She felt so weak, tired, her head was aching, all her body ached, her throat was dry, she was parched and seriously starving. If she continued at this rate, she would collapse. She knew that quite well, but she thought maybe collapsing would help her. It would help numb the pain she felt. It would help relieve her of the heartache.

    "I just... want to die..." She said in a broken sob. "I just want to die, Leo.."

    "Mia?".

    "I want to die." She continued.

    "Mia? Open the door."

    She heard Leo''s voice again and paused. She had thought it was her imagination.

    "Open the door!" He said again from outside the door.

    Mia sat up immediately. A wave of dizziness struck her and she almost collapsed back on the bed but she tried her best to stand.

    She blindly staggered to the door as her heart kept beating rapidly from anticipation. When she opened the door, she saw the familiar face and more tears dropped from her eyes as she pulled him into a hug and began to cry on his chest.

    "I missed you. I missed you so much. Why are you coming just now?" Her brain refused to register anything else except what she wanted to believe.

    The functioning part of her brain knew that hairstyle wasn''t Leo''s, knew Leo didn''t use this kind of cologne, knew he wasn''t a doctor so there was no need for him to wear doctors'' scrubs, she knew Leo would have hugged her back and not just stand there stiffly.

    But she wanted to believe it was him. She badly wanted to believe this was him and her brain bought that illusion.

    She looked up at his face with longing, trying to touch him but before her hand could reach his face, he held her hand. All the while, he kept looking at her with pity and worry.

    "You are coming with me to the hospital." He said in a voice which clearly showed there was no option for negotiation.

    It was only then that Mia slowly returned to her senses and noticed how worried Jeremy, Chloe and Ellie looked. They had been watching the whole time.

    She didn''t know what else happened, but at that moment, she fainted.

 Chapter 277 - Heartache

    Mia had a long dream. She dreamt about when she was younger. Joe Lucas had just returned from a business trip. Unfortunately or fortunately, she was the only one at home. Linda and Mary had gone shopping for Mary''s outfit to wear during her recital in school.

    "How is my little princess?" Joe asked as he lifted her from the floor into his arms and hugged her. She giggled and hugged his neck tighter.

    She had come to realise that he treated her better when the other two women were not around so she always tried her best to enjoy the attention to the fullest.

    "Welcome back daddy." She said.

    "I heard your mother and sister are not in."

    She nodded affirmatively.

    "I got you something. You must not show the others okay?" He whispered mischievously.

    She nodded again.

    She took note of the large envelope he dropped on the table when he entered. He picked it up and handed it over to her.

    She noticed it had the outline of a book. She excitedly took it out of the envelope and read the title: ''Politics in its simplest form.''

    "Wow!" She said in awe.

    "You always asked me about the details of my job and said you would like to be a Politician. So I believe you would be able to learn a few things. If you want, I can take you with me some times to see how some bills are passed. But we will have to sit separately. So you will be able to watch from a different side."

    "Really?" She asked, her eyes lighting up.

    He nodded. She was so happy she embraced him with her hands around his waist. "Thank you. I love it!"

    "You are welcome my little Politician princess." He said with a proud smile.

    "I will make sure not to let anyone else see this book. Whenever I say I want to be a Politician, people always frown at it saying all Politicians are corrupt."

    "But you won''t be." He said.

    "I know. Are you?" She asked, looking up at her father''s face.

    He only laughed but did not answer. "Oh my God! You are, aren''t you?"

    He laughed heartily again and shook his head.

    When they heard a car pull up in front of the house, Mia realised Linda was back and ran inside her room.

    "You are awake?" A voice asked.

    Mia turned her head slightly to the side and saw a blurred vision of a lady in white who was smiling at her.

    "Where... am I?" She tried to sit up but the nurse held her down.

    "My name is nurse Daisy. You are in King''s hospital. Please remain like that for a while until you are fully conscious before you consider sitting up again." She advised.

    "Ho-spi-t-al? Wh..y?" Mia asked weakly as her eyes kept opening and closing.

    "You fainted and was brought in here by Doctor Louis. Please remain calm and try to go back to sleep. I assure you, you''ll feel better when next you are awake."

    Mia managed to nod. She didn''t have the strength to say much or even sit up. Her eyes closed again and she slept off.

    The next time she woke up, she felt a little bit better.

    The door opened and Louis entered inside the room. His face lit up when he noticed her eyes were open.

    "You are awake? Good!" He said with a smile as he moved towards her bed, looking down at her face.

    "How are you?"

    She stared at the ceiling blankly without responding.

    "Please, I need to know how you are and if you feel pain or discomfort anywhere." He said.

    "My heart."

    "Hmm?"

    "It hurts." She said with a sniff. "Please take it out. Stop the pain." She pleaded. Her eyes were still on the ceiling while tears fell down from the corners of her eyes into the bed.

    "Well, we cannot take it out for you." He sat beside her on the bed after checking her stats and writing a few things down.

    "But with time, I promise you will feel better." He assured her. She finally turned to look at him. She looked so weak, so vulnerable, so broken. He wondered what must have happened to cause her such heartache.

    "Sure?" She asked uncertainly but hopefully. Looking at that face, she had the feeling she could believe him.

    "Sure." He said with an assuring smile. "Listen Mia, you are in a very dangerous condition. I do not know what happened and I won''t pressure you to tell me. But I would have to force you to take care of your health. Things aren''t looking too good for you. You need to be on medication and also need to feed well for at least a month."

    "Good thing you are done with school. You have to go through with this." He advised.

    She shook her head. "I don''t have the money. I will be fine."

    "You won''t be fine." He said firmly. "You are going to receive treatment for your physical body while we think about your emotional and psychological health. You were on anti-depressants for a while right?" He inquired. "Do not worry. I''m not writing it down. This is between the two of us."

    "How did you know?" She asked but not because she was surprised. She was only curious because she didn''t tell anyone except Leo. Did Louis call Leo to ask?

    "I am a doctor. Doctors have their ways of knowing about their patients." He stood up.

    "A nurse will bring you something to eat. Please eat and take the drugs exactly as she will prescribe them to you. I will come see you in the evening before I clock out." He was about to leave when she asked...

    "Why do you treat me nicely?"

    She had never treated him well before. She even told him to his face that she didn''t like him.

    "You are special to my Leo. That''s enough reason." He said with a shrug before leaving the room.

 Chapter 278 - Never forget that

    After Mia had something to eat and took her meds, she slept deeply. She was sure she wouldn''t have woken up had she not heard that particular voice call her name gently.

    "Mia?"

    She opened her eyes. It took her a moment to remember it wasn''t Leo but Louis.

    "Sorry for waking you up. I brought you something to eat." He said.

    Mia tried to sit up. Thankully, she felt a lot better than she was the previous day and two nights ago after returning from the police station.

    "How are you?" He asked.

    "I don''t know." She said honestly. She felt like an empty shell. She was just living through each day like an empty vessle which is going to break at any moment.

    "What about your physical health? Your vitals look better then they looked yesterday. You feel pain? Discomfort anywhere?"

    She shook her head in response.

    "Freshen up and have breakfast. I will come pay you a visit in an hour. Good?" He said while leaving her medicine beside the bowl of soup on the tray with a written instruction.

    "They smell badly. Can you give me a shot instead?" She said, eyeing the medicine warily.

    "No. You have to take them if you want to get better."

    Mia sighed. Why was he suddenly acting all professional?

    After he left, she went to the bathroom. Everything inside was neat and new. It was only now that she realised this was probably a VIP room. A thought came to her to run away but where was she running to? Leo''s house! They would find her there. But she hadn''t asked them to treat her or bring her to the hospital right? So she won''t be charged for it... right?

    She had stopped taking part time jobs a while ago, the money she first borrowed from her friends and Mr B had been used to pay up part of the debt before Leo paid everything in full. The money won from the dance was naturally meant to be used to repay Mr B so she didn''t have money to spare for hospital bills.

    While still thinking about it, she left the bathroom and realised she had visitors.

    "Hey!" Jeremy said.

    Mia smiled a little before returning to the bed wearing a new hospital robe. She looked better, smelled better and felt better.

    "How are you doing? I came twice yesterday but you were asleep."

    "I had no idea you came. I''m sorry."

    "It''s fine. Chloe said to say hi to you. She wanted to come here but you know... she didn''t want to bump into her parents."

    Mia nodded in understanding.

    "I brought you your phone. And Chloe wanted me to let you know that Leo has been trying to reach you and is worried about you."

    "Really?" She asked in surprise and quickly grabbed her phone before turning it on.

    "He called this morning. When your number didn''t go through, he called Chloe who told him you were in the hospital. She suggested he called Louis so you can speak with him but I think Louis'' line was unreachable."

    True to Jeremy''s word, Mia saw several text messages. She saw three messages from Leo, there was one from her mother, one from Mr B and one spam text. She didn''t think twice before dialing Leo''s number.

    "I see you already have something here to eat. But I brought you breakfast anyway. So I will leave you speak with him and return later. You should get well soon. Our official graduation is in two days. You must be there!"

    "Thank you."

    Before Jeremy walked out, she had already clicked open Leo''s messages.

    "Babe? Been trying to reach you but it''s been unavailable. Is everything okay?" That was the first one on the thread. The next one followed,

    "Please Mia. I am begging you. Whenever you turn your phone on, give me a call. Please. I love you."

    "You are making me worried sick. Please give me a call. I do not know what happened, but please call me let''s talk about it. I am going crazy here."

    Mia could literally hear his voice and the worry etched in it.

    As if he knew she had turned on her phone, his call came in.

    She answered immediately and heard the relief in his voice.

    "Please tell me you are okay?" He asked first.

    Hearing his voice broke something in her and she began to cry. This was the voice she had been yearning to hear. The person she wanted so badly to meet.

    Leo tried his best to make her calm. He was really beginning to regret this trip. After she was calm, she explained everything to him. That also led to another round of tears.

    "I''m so sorry Mia. I feel it''s my fault for causing you this heartache."

    "No. It''s not your fault. I guess it was time for us to know about his whereabout. If you didn''t ask the private investigator to search for him, we wouldn''t have known about it and those evil people would have continued using other people. I only pray the police apprehend their leader soon."

    Leo sighed. When he asked the private investigator, he knew it was going to be a fifty-fifty chance. In fact, the possiblity of him being dead looked greater. But for Mia''s sake, he prayed for otherwise. Too bad his prayers wasn''t answered.

    "I am sorry I am not there to comfort you. Please, take care of your health. I will not tell you to stop crying but please, take care, eat, take your meds and be happy. Please? You do not have to worry about the hospital bills. Everything has been sorted out already. As long as Louis wants you to stay in the hospital, stay there. You can trust him. He is good at his job."

    Mia agreed. She felt a lot better after speaking with him.

    "I love you Mia. Do not ever forget that."

    "I love you too. Do not forget that either."

    A few minutes after the call ended, Louis came in.

    "You look a mess." He said when he saw her teary face.

    "I''m sorry for coming just now. There was an emergen��" He paused and frowned when he noticed she hadn''t touched the food he brought in earlier, neither had she taken the meds.

    "What is the meaning of that? Do you know that missing a dose or taking it at the wrong time could make this whole treatment useless?"

    "I''m sorry. I was distracted." Distracted by Jeremy and Leo.

    "I''m going to sit here until you finish eating. I''ll give you 10 minutes to finish up." He said before going to sit on the couch opposite her bed.

    He picked up the entertainment magazine left for patients and began to flip through it.

    As Mia ate, she stole glances at him a couple of times. If only that was Leo.

 Chapter 279 - School award

    Mia made sure to eat well, take her meds and sleep. Since she was told that was all she needed to do in order to heal, she did that. But once in a while everyday, she suddenly fell into depression, staring blankly at nothing for hours. Her phone was on now. She got a missed call from James and two from Mira but she didn''t call back.

    She had just returned home and it was the day of her official graduation. This was a day she had been looking forward to but she wasn''t really up for it anymore. She had wanted to miss it but unfortunately, it was compulsory for every student and Leo had asked her to go there. She was never going to be having a univeristy graduation again so why not go for it now?

    The school environment did a good job in making her feel even more sad. Why? Because she had spent 4 years in this school and she was no longer going to return here. She hadn''t thought she would miss it until now, seeing the decorations everywhere, students everywhere in their graduation robes, all heading towards the sport complex where their graduation was to be held.

    "Hey! Come sit here." Jeremy waved Mia towards them. He was sitting beside Chloe and there was a free sit on his left. She joined him and forced out a smile.

    "I''m glad you could come." Chloe said.

    For the past few days, Chloe had been really open towards her and even smiled a few times. Mia didn''t know whether it was because she was Leo''s girlfriend or because Jeremy was able to change her.

    "Thank you. Congratulations!" Mia said to the both of them and looked up when the mic made a high pitched noice, causing almost all of them to wince and cover their ears.

    "Haha! Apologies to you all. My name is Mr Steel, a senior lecturer from the department of Philosophy. I have the privilege of being in charge of this occasion..."

    He began to say a lot of things that made the students sigh impatiently. Eventually, he gave the mic to the Vice chancellor who also gave a long speech. He spent his time talking about their attitude after school and blah blah blah.

    Another person took the mic, it was the Dean of students.

    It seemed the speech was endless which made the students begin to grumble. Some already had parties planned out, there was also a beach party which had been organised by the former student''s president, Kelvin Hank.

    As the former president, he was ushered to the podium to speak next.

    He didn''t waste anytime to show everyone how hypocritical he was through his speech. He talked about how much he served during his tenure and how perfect the administrative system of the school was. Almost every student rolled their eyes especially Jeremy because they all knew the system was corrupt.

    Chloe placed a hand on Jeremy''s hand and squeezed it gently. He turned to smile at her before looking ahead at Kelvin who wouldn''t stop talking.

    When he was done, Mr Steel took the mic.

    "We will be handing some awards to some students who have not only made their families proud, but this school proud and in turn, we believe they are going to make this country proud."

    An award was first given to Kelvin Hank as the most ''outstanding'' students'' president of his session.

    They called the overall best graduating student. It was a nerdy looking boy from the department of Medicine. His c.u.mulative grade point was a perfect 5.0 which awed everyone. He happily received the award paper and waved at his parents in the hall. His parents were not dressed shabbily, but they didn''t look like they were among the elite circle. It meant their son was on a scholarship in the school. Good thing he made his people proud.

    They started calling the departments in alphabetical order and the best students. They gave to the best male student, the best female, the overall best in class and the second best. So it was always four awards for each class.

    It wasn''t long before they got to Mia''s department because she was studying business administration.

    Naturally, everyone knew the best graduating student and best male student was going to be Kelvin so they were already cheering his name. He tried to act modest but there was a smug smile playing on his lips. Two awards was something to be proud of duh!

    "Second best graduating student from the department of Business Administration with an average grade point of 4.90 is..."

    Mia''s classmates waited for her name to be called but to their shock,

    "CHLO KING!"

    Mia froze on her seat. The others looked confused especially Chloe.

    "It''s you." Jeremy said, nudging Chloe to go while he turned to look at Mia. This wasn''t possible. At least that should be Mia right?

    If Chloe was the second best, then what about Mia?

    If Kelvin was the best, the second best was supposed to be Mia not Chloe since the second person was the one following the first. Did it mean Mia didn''t make it while Chloe would get both the second best and best female student? As Chloe''s boyfriend, he was happy for her. But he was Mia''s friend too.

    Chloe went up, looking very surprised. She hadn''t expected this.

    She accepted the award and looked into the crowd, she saw her parents who were smiling proudly at her. Even though they weren''t in good terms, she was glad they came so she smiled at them before stepping down.

    Mia already gave up. She shouldn''t have come. She didn''t need more heartbreaks than she already had. She wanted to be happy for Chloe but she could not help the sadness.

    "Best female student with an average grade point of 4.97...."

    "MIA LUCAS!"

    It was that point that everyone got confused. Did they know what they were saying?

    Mia who was almost breaking down stood up with shaky legs and walked towards the podium.

    How come? What was happening?

    She tried to keep a smile on her face as she approached the podium.

    She was sure she wouldn''t have put in enough effort in her looks had Mira not texted her, warning her to make sure she looked pretty. She wore one of the gowns Leo bought her under her robe and used a few of her cosmetics to touch up her face so she didn''t look too bad.

    She smiled as she accepted it, not bothering to look into the crowd because she knew her family wasn''t here. Leo wasn''t here. Neither Mira nor James were here.

    "Best graduating male student..."

    Kelvin already stood up because the others kept chanting his name. He only took two strides towards the podium before he heard another name

    "OLIVER DONOVAN!"

    There was also a look of surprise on Mr Steel''s face.

    Even the said Oliver looked beyond shocked. His average grade point was below Mia and Chloe''s but since he was surprisingly the best male student, they couldn''t just blow him off.

    Many eyes went to Kelvin. What happened?

    Oliver Donovan was also a smart kid in school but Jeremy knew nothing about him except the fact that he always had an annoying question to ask at the end or middle of every class. But in that moment, Jeremy felt like Oliver was his best friend. He stood up and clapped really hard while hooting. Meanwhile, Kelvin wanted the ground to open up and swallow him

    His face was completely red. He couldn''t even look at his mother''s direction. What suddenly happened?

    "You know what this means right?" Jeremy sat down and took Mia''s hand excitedly.

    "You are the best graduating student! It''s you Mia Lucas! I told you a miracle could happen. You only had to believe me." He said with a big smile on his face.

    Mia still didn''t believe it until she was called to the podium for her second award.

    She had tears in her eyes but she didn''t know whether they were tears of joy, or tears of sadness because she had no family here just like the others.

 Chapter 280 - Emptiness

    "Hey there!"

    Jeremy turned in surprise when he heard the family voice behind him. "You came!" He said with a smile. He was too happy today that he didn''t think before hugging her, startling the woman.

    When she was over the shock, she chuckled and patted his back with one hand. "Of course I had to. It''s your graduation after all." Mrs Wesley said with a smile, before they broke the hug. She handed him the flowers she was holding.

    "Come on, I''m a man." He whined. "Men do not need flowers."

    "Then I will take it." Ellie who had been standing idly beside Mrs Wesley accepted it happily and sniffed it.

    "You look very handsome." The woman noted.

    His hair was in a tight ponytail, he wore a blue shirt tucked in a black trousers with a really nice pair of shoes to go with his dressing.

    He blushed. "You also look very beautiful Maria." He smiled.

    The woman looked like she was in her thirties even though she was already in her mid forties. She wore a red pencil gown which ended just below her knees which a white stiletto and marching purse. Her hair was in a bun and her face was beautifully made up. He was sure a lot of younger men usually tried to hit on her.

    "So you are officially a graduate, big boy."

    "Yes. And I even had better grades than I expected. Came out as the number 10th student in my class. Big surprise!" He said with a proud smile.

    "Really? What about Kelvin?" The woman asked curiously. Jeremy had made sure to keep her updated with everything happening in his life so she about Kelvin.

    "Well, his GPA has always been high so I guess that saved him. He was number 5. A big hit to his ego. I don''t see him anywhere. Dude is probably brawling somewhere."

    "You are a devil, aren''t you? You should be feeling bad for him." She said even though she was smiling.

    "He has never been nice to me. Besides, Mia got to be the best student while Chloe was also given an award. I am excited."

    "Tch! You are not ashamed of yourself. Do they have two heads? How come you were not awarded for anything?" Ellie asked.

    "Hey! Don''t start that with me. You aren''t even the top of your class and I doubt you''ll ever top you class when you spend so much time with the neighbors gossiping about me and my relationship."

    "Haha! Enough with the banter already. I want to see this Mia girl you have always told me about."

    "Oh Mia! She should be around here somewhere. He said and began to look around. The whole place was crowded with students and their families.

    *****

    Mia had never thought that she would one day become a photographer like Leo. But right now, she had become one. If she charged a dollar for each picture she took, she was sure going to earn a lot to buy a box of Pizza and a lot of beer to drown herself in.

    "Here, thank you." Another graduate handed his phone to Mia, begging her to take a picture of him and his parents.

    She couldn''t reject them. They all looked so happy. If she had a family here, she wouldn''t have ended up as a photographer.

    The more she took photos of people, the sadder she got. Even the awards couldn''t stop the emptiness she felt. The scholarship for a master''s degree the school had promised to sponsor, to any univeristy of her choice within the country was not also able to stop her from feeling empty. The congratulatory messages did nothing either. She really felt like an empty vessel.

    "Thank you." The boy said and took the phone back from Mia.

    Mia guessed it was best she returned home. Her phone had been buzzing inside her bag but she didn''t make any move to take it out. She knew Leo wasn''t calling. He had sent a text last night to apologize in advance.

    She turned to leave and caught sight of someone who waved at her from afar. Her heart skipped for a moment but she reminded herself it was not Leo. It was Louis. She was glad he at least had stopped his deliberate act of looking like Leo. His hair was neatly styled to the back with a few stubborn strands falling towards his forehead. He wore a formal dress and trousers and held a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

    She smiled back faintly. Louis had made sure to call a couple of times to remind her to eat and take her meds. So for the past three days, they had spoken quite a lot even though he had been practically scolding her and doing much of the talking.

    "Congratulations Mia. You were exceptional." He said when he got to meet her halfway.

    "Thanks."

    "This is for you." He handed the flowers, which made her look surprised.

    "Me?"

    "Yes."

    "Not Chloe''s?"

    "She isn''t a fan of flowers. This is for you." He urged her to take it.

    "Ohhh."

    Mia had never received a flower before so it felt kind of weird. Even Leo hadn''t given her a flower before but she didn''t mind, really. They lived together after all.

    "Tha..nks. I guess." She said as she accepted it.

    He smiled when she finally received it. "How is your health? Feel better?"

    "Feel better. Thanks."

    "Why are you uncomfortable?" He asked. "You also do not look happy."

    "Well...."

    "Hey, there is something I have been meaning to discuss with you so if you do not have any plans later today��"

    "I''m sorry... I can''t." She shook her head. She didn''t know what he wanted to tell her, but she didn''t want to stay too close to Louis when he reminded her so much of Leo.

    "Do not tell me you are just going to lock yourself in today?"

    When she didn''t say anything, he realized he had guessed correctly.

    "Come on, that''s exactly what we need to talk about. You cannot keep locking yourself in. There are going to be a lot of celebrations tonight so just for you to feel comfortable, I''ll ask Chloe if there''s any particular place she is hanging out with Jeremy, and you are coming."

    "But..."

    "No buts Mia. Leo wouldn''t like to see you like this. You need to be happy. Have fun. Let loose. Hmm?"

    "...."

    "We will see tonight?" He asked.

    Mia sighed. She didn''t want to go but it was going to suck staying in her room all day. Maybe she really needed this. She need to clear her mind and let herself free even if it was just for a few hours.

    "Maybe?"

    "Good! See you then. And congratulations once again, Mia Lucas."

    Her heart skipped when she heard him call her like that. Leo usually called her Mia Lucas majority of the times.

    When he already walked to a distance away from her, he turned to wave at her again with a faint smile on his face.

    Leo usually waved at her like that too. In a moment of daze, she slowly raised her hand and waved back.

 Chapter 281 - Godmother

    "We are so proud of you Chloe." Chloe''s mother said as she looked at her daughter with a soft gaze. Chloe felt exhausted after speaking with her friend Amara on the phone and also her grandparents. Unfortunately, Amara wasn''t in town so she could not make it.

    Chloe could tell her mother was being genuine with her praises. Even her father who still looked like he was angry at her, looked at her with pride and it made her happy.

    "I just have one question..." Chloe said while looking at them with suspicion. "Did you have anything to do with my grade��"

    "Of course not!" Her mother said immediately. "I swear we had nothing to do with it. Everything you got is what you deserved and I am happy we didn''t try to mess with it. How would we have known you were such a smarty pant?"

    Chloe believed them. She studied really hard for this exam to know whatever grades she got was what she deserved. There were no distractions from work or home so she studied really hard. Her only distraction was Jeremy who she always nagged to read whenever he was about to doze off.

    "I am proud of you Chloe." Her father said which made her smile.

    "Thank you. At least you both know now that Jeremy isn''t a bad influence. He was the number 10th student in class." She said with pride that didn''t escape her parents.

    "We heard the rumour about him being Mr Hank''s illegitimate son. Correct?" His father asked with a frown.

    Chloe also frowned. "Yes. So?"

    Noting the challenge in Chloe''s voice, Mrs King rushed to assure her, "It''s nothing. Maybe one of these days you can invite him to the house for dinner so we can get to know him well?"

    "Really?" Chloe asked with suspicion. She didn''t understand why she was suddenly so receptive of him. Was it because of his father?

    "You do not have to be suspicious dear..." Her mother took her hands. "We believe you are old enough to take care of yourself and make your own decision. We will not stop you."

    "Really?" She asked, looking at her father to be sure he was on the same page as her mother. He looked impassive.

    "A driver will come pick you up with your luggages from that house. We should have dinner toge��"

    "Pick me up?" Chloe interrupted her father, her frown deepening.

    "Yes. You are coming home. Why?" Her mother asked in confusion.

    "I never said I was going home." Chloe reminded them.

    "What?" Her father''s frown also deepened as he asked, "You are not coming home?"

    "I am not. I will remain in Leo''s place. And I already have plans for tonight and my life after now."

    "What? What plans? We should celebrate together. We need to talk about your future��"

    "Thank you for coming. I really appreciate this." Chloe said instead and hugged her mother before hugging her father. When she was done, she turned around and walked away. She was not going to have that conversation with them. She hoped they would realise she wouldn''t be returning home anytime soon.

    She had never been so happy in a really really long while.

    She looked around for Jeremy and almost got the shock of her life seeing him hug a lady happily.

    She stood there until they broke the hug and was even more surprised when she recognized the person as Mrs Wesley who handed him a bouquet of flowers, which Ellie claimed instead. Since when did they become close? They all looked like one happy family.

    She didn''t know how long she stood there until she saw Jeremy begin to look around like he was searching for someone when he saw her and smiled while waving for her to come over.

    Although she was still uncomfortable facing the woman, she slowly approached them.

    "Congratulations Chloe." Ellie was the first to hug without letting go of the flowers so the hug was kind of awkward.

    When Jeremy noticed the confusion in Chloe''s eyes as she kept looking between Mrs Wesley and him, he began to explain.

    "Uhm.. we kept in touch since that day."

    "Real--ly?" Chloe was surprised while Mrs Wesley chuckled.

    "Do not look so surprised dear. Congratualtions on your graduation and new relationship." Mrs Wesley said with a smile which made Chloe freeze.

    The woman noticed and touched her shoulder,

    "Relax. I have been wondering when you will both be in a relationship since the first time I saw you two together. I am genuinely happy for you two. So do not think I am that petty to not want you to he happy."

    Chloe finally managed to smile even though it was shaky. She still felt uncomfortable and didn''t know what to say but thankfully, there was a distraction.

    "Hey!" Someone tapped Jeremy''s shoulder.

    He turned around and was surprised to see it was his father. He hadn''t thought his father would take the initiative to talk to him since his wife was present and there were a lot of eyes watching.

    "Hey.. hi.. I mean... Good day." Jeremy said awkwardly.

    Mr Hank smiled at him before turning to look at the others.

    "Mrs Wesley." He said as a form of greeting which surprised Jeremy.

    "You two know each other?" Jeremy asked when Maria equally responded to his greeting.

    Maria hadn''t told him they knew each other.

    "Of course, business people know other business people on business levels." The woman explained plainly.

    "You know Jeremy?" It was Mr Hank''s turn to ask Maria. Jeremy was definitely not a business person and he knew the woman wasn''t related to him.

    Maria nodded and pointed at Jeremy and Ellie, "Yes. I am their Godmother." She said, surprising not only Mr Hank but also Jeremy, Chloe and Ellie.

    "Oh.. I had no idea." Mr Hank said, the surprise not leaving his face or voice.

    "Small world." Maria said with a smile which wasn''t very genuine. Jeremy guessed Maria didn''t like his father very much.

    "You must be Ellie." Mr Hank moved his attention from Jeremy to the little girl who had been looking at him with curiosity. "It''s glad to finally meet you." He said.

    Ellie didn''t respond to his greeting. Noting how Ellie was looking at him, Jeremy guessed she was probably thinking he wanted to take him away, so he placed a hand on her shoulder to help her calm down.

    "And..." Mr Hank looked at Chloe, waiting for an introduction while also looking at her with a hint of recognition.

    "Chloe. She is my girlfriend. Chloe King."

    That also made him surprised. "Oh! I remember her." He said with a slight frown when he remembered something.

    "I bet you do. Your family tried to force her to go on a date with Kelvin." Jeremy said with a bitter tone that made Chloe almost elbow him to shut up.

    "Nice to meet you sir." Chloe said and shook hands with him.

    When he was done greeting all of them, he looked at Jeremy and asked, "Can I speak with you? Privately?"

    "Why?" Ellie asked in alarm.

    "It''s fine. I will meet you soon. Just speaking with him for a few minutes." Jeremy assured her.

    Ellie wasn''t convinced but she reluctantly agreed.

 Chapter 282 - Outburst

    When the two was alone, Mr Hank started, "First of all, Congratulations. I''m sure your mother is proud of you."

    "Yea." Jeremy smiled sadly. He wished his mother was here today.

    "Also, I wanted to thank you."

    "For?" Jeremy asked, surprised.

    "Well.. for bringing my attention to what was happening in the school."

    "You mean Kelvin? And you seriously didn''t have any idea about it?"

    "I didn''t." He said in a convincing tone.

    "Then it''s his mother?" That made sense. Kelvin wouldn''t have been able to do it all on his own even though his aunt owned the school.

    "...."

    "No worries. I''m glad you did the right thing. I would have told the press about it had Mia not graduated as the best student."

    Mr Hank chuckled. "I bet the Mia girl is your friend?"

    "Yes. A very close friend."

    His father frowned. "How many girlfriends do you have?"

    Jeremy was a bit confused at first but he cracked up. "Mia isn''t my girlfriend. She is only a close friend and she is dating Chloe''s brother."

    His father''s hypocrisy was almost making him laugh again. He was the one who had a son outside his marriage yet he was frowning at the thought of him having two girlfriends?

    "I can see you two are having fun." A middle aged woman approached then with a smile on her beautiful face.

    When Jeremy turned his head to look at her, he froze. He wasn''t sure he was ever going to forget this face, even if he did, the striking resemblance this face had with Kelvin would have told him who it was.

    "Jeremy Williams." She smiled again. "Nice to meet you after so many years passed."

    "...."

    She chuckled. "I know you are not happy to see me and trust me, I do not care. You have been giving my son a lot of trouble haven''t you?"

    "Honey...." Mr Hank started but was cut off by his wife.

    "I''m not here to make trouble, trust me." She looked at her husband before looking at Jeremy again, "I do not hate you boy. The one I hate is no more and I do not transfer hatred. But I only wish for my son to be happy. Maybe you can both make up somehow?" She offered.

    Jeremy raised a curious brow, "Why?" He didn''t believe this woman at all. She was suggesting making friends with Kelvin after everything? Plus, didn''t she know he had a hand in the reason why Jeremy was embarrassed right now?

    "Because you are brothers. Well, half brothers but brothers nonetheless." She shrugged.

    "It''s never good when two half brothers are not in good terms. Since you have graduated the university and is now friends with your father, I believe he would want you to work in the company. Kelvin is��"

    "I am not interested so you do not need to worry about it." Jeremy interrupted rudely without waiting for her to finish.

    "Kelvin''s inheritance has always been the most important thing to you and I have no intention of taking that away from him. Please, excuse me." With a polite bow, he walked away.

    "What was that?" Her husband glared at her.

    "I was genuinely being nice. It''s best they worked things out if he is going to join the company eventually. He is your son after all and I do not mind him working in the company but I will only get mad if you decide to play any tricks for him to take over the company. That is why, he has to work directly under me so I can monitor him."

    "And that is non negotiable. You should have a bit of decency in you and agree. After all, I''m being nice despite the fact that you cheated on me."

    ******

    "I must have gone mad." Mia said to herself when she realised she had a little faith that Linda and Mary were going to come today.

    "I don''t want them. I don''t want anyone. As far as I am concerned, I do not have a family." She said to herself as she walked around aimlessly.

    Honestly, she didn''t know why she was still in the school premises. She wasn''t happy here but she knew she was going to feel worse once she returned home.

    Making up her mind, she decided to go home. Maybe it was better staying there than seeing others with their families while she was walking around like a wanderer.

    "Mia Lucas?" Mia turned around immediately she heard her name.

    She wasn''t surprised when she came face to face with Mrs King who was smiling at her.

    "Congratulations. You did better than I even thought."

    "Thank you." Mia said uninterestedly.

    "Do you have a few seconds of your time to spare?" She asked, the smile never leaving her face.

    Mia looked around. They weren''t in a crowded area and yes, she had enough time to spare so she nodded. She could guess the woman wanted to talk about her previous offer.

    "Do you have an answer for me now?" The woman went straight to the point and asked her without beating around the bush.

    "With your grades, you can get an even higher position. I assure you that."

    Mia''s eyes were dull. She had been too busy with other things and didn''t think about the woman''s offer.

    "Now that you have graduated, you can start working immedia��"

    "I am not interested." Mia said, shocking the woman and also herself. She didn''t know when it left her mouth.

    "I beg your pardon?" The woman''s smile disappeared immediately and was replaced by a frown.

    Mia shook her head. "There is nothing like a free lunch, Mrs King. I have learnt that."

    "Do not try to lecture me. And this is no free lunch. I am trying to shape you to fit my son."

    "WHY?!" Mia raised her voice, startling the woman. "Why do you need to ''shape'' me to fit your son?" Mia scoffed and used a hand to wipe the tears that just escaped from her eyes. Her pent up anger, frustration, annoyance and loneliness was making her lose it.

    "I am tired of you all trying to tell me what to do. I am tired of people controlling my life or trying to control my life. I... want to do the things I want now. Hell! I need a break from all of this. And that includes you, Mrs King. So keep your job offer. I think I am good enough for your son and I will prove to you that I can be even better without anyone''s help."

    The woman was left tongue tied, and watched in surprise as Mia walked away.

    The surprise soon turned to an ugly frown. Why were these kids so stubborn? She had thought Mia would be easy unlike Jeremy. If she had liked Jeremy even a little bit, she would have given him the same offer like she had given to Mia and made sure the company transferred them to a different location faraway with a better and tempting offer so they wouldn''t be able to refuse it. That way, they would both stay away from her kids. What better way to separate them than this way?

    But not only did Jeremy''s own fail, Mia''s own failed too.

    She was waiting to see how Mia would prove herself.

    "Silly girl!" She hissed in annoyance.

 Chapter 283 - Beach party 1

    "Don''t you feel awful about it? Not celebrating with your family, I mean." Jeremy asked. He was inside Chloe''s room which used to be Mia''s room and once Leo''s ''unholy'' room.

    They assumed Mia was resting or probably still in a bad mood so they chose to stay inside the room instead of the sitting room so as not to disturb her with their voices.

    Jeremy sat on a chair while she moved around, trying to get her things inside her purse.

    "I don''t know." She answered before turning around to look at him.

    "You don''t have to lie to me." Jeremy said, pressing for real answers.

    "I am serious, Jeremy." She went to the bed and sat down, facing him.

    "I have always wondered how it would be like. My graduation I mean, but I imagined it would be boring. Having dinner with my family, them telling me how happy they were for finally graduating the univeristy, maybe later, I will go to the mall to work... nothing special." She shrugged.

    "But...?" He asked. He felt there was something she wasn''t telling him. Or maybe he was simply thinking too much about it.

    "Well... I think this is all kinda new and great. I mean, I graduated well, I have the freedom to do what I like..." She paused and looked him up and down with a little shy smile, "You are here."

    He blushed shyly and looked down to avoid her eyes contact.

    "We are going to have fun and well... I have to go job hunting later like most people. I think I prefer living like this. Makes me wonder why I didn''t rebel a long time ago."

    "I... am glad you are happy, at least."

    Chloe looked at him, sensing there was something wrong, she asked, "You think I may have been regretting my decision?" She waited for an answer but it didn''t come so she continued, "Leaving home, taking part time jobs online instead of walking at the mall, walking and taking taxis instead of driving my own car, and also agreeing to be your girlfriend. You think I regret it?"

    He shrugged. "I... I don''t know. You know... you are used to that life and I am not sure you are really happy living like this and I... well... I cannot give you all of that��"

    "Why would I want you to give me all of that?" She asked, cutting him off.

    "You.. are my girl--friend and you are used to getting all you want."

    "And I can get anything I want if I put my mind to it. I am not depending on you to provide for me Jer, so do not try to push yourself. I am happy, believe me." She stood up from the bed and planted a kiss on his forehead which surprised him.

    Ever since that evening before he officially asked her to be his girlfriend, they haven''t done anything quite intimate.

    "Louis should be here soon. Let''s go wait outside."

    He smiled and nodded. He wished she would continue to give him surprise kisses like this. It made this whole thing between them feel real. Just maybe, they day would come when she would also say the three magical words to him.

    ****

    Mia moved around her room like a zombie as she tried to find something to wear. It had been almost an hour since Louis called her, yet she was still finding it difficult getting dressed. Not because she didn''t know what to wear or because she wanted to look pretty, she simply wasn''t interested. She sighed as she remembered their conversation on the phone earlier.

    "Hey" Louis said when she picked the call.

    "Hey." She responded dourly.

    "You are still sulking? After everything you achieved? Come on." He complained.

    "Can you try to stop nagging at me?" She asked and heard him chuckle.

    "I cannot help it when I know you aren''t in a good mood. So in an hour, I''ll be in your place. Make sure you are ready by then."

    "My place? Like your brother''s place? Why?" She asked with a raised brow.

    "We are going out remember?"

    "Oh... going out." She remembered he mentioned it back in school.

    She heard him sigh before he answered, "I told you we are going together with Jeremy and Chloe. It''s just my little way of trying to be sure you won''t be gloomy all day. So see you in an hour. And make sure to cover up properly, it may get cold later." He ended the call.

    And since then, she had been trying to get herself together.

    Mia suddenly heard Jeremy''s voice in the sitting room and also a familiar voice which she knew was Louis'' and wondered when they both arrived. Reluctantly, she left her bed and opened the door slowly.

    "I still do not like you so if you hurt my sister, it''s going to be very easy for me to kick your ass."

    Louis was warning Jeremy. Chloe was nowhere to be found.

    "Wow! Didn''t know doctors also threaten people." Jeremy said, looking genuinely surprised which made Mia chuckle, getting their attention.

    A few minutes later, they were all inside Louis car. Chloe sat in the front seat beside her brother while the other two sat behind.

    "Where are we heading to?" Mia remembered to ask.

    "Beach party."

    "Beach party?" She asked Jeremy in surprise.

    "The beach party being organised by Kelvin?"

    "Yes." He answered with a shrug.

    "So why are we going there?" She asked again.

    "Because it''s a party for the graduates regardless of who organised it. I cannot let go of the opportunity to have fun and also taunt him with my presence." He grinned.

    Louis didn''t understand most of what they were saying so he simply focused on driving.

    "What about Ellie? Is she going to be okay alone?" Mia asked.

    "She is spening the night with Mrs Wesley. Ellie asked me to have fun so yes, I have her permission."

    "Mrs Wesley?" That was something that finally caught Louis attention. "Maria?"

    Jeremy wanted to ask how he knew her but remembered he was supposed to know her since Chloe knew her. "Yes."

    Mia was a bit lost. It seemed everyone knew who the woman was except for her but she didn''t take it to heart.

    "Long story." Chloe said to her brother who was still curious about how Jeremy knew her.

    "She wanted to meet you but you left the school premises quite early." Jeremy informed Mia.

    "I''ll have to apologize to Ellie later��"

    "Not Ellie." Jeremy interrupted. "Mrs Wesley."

    "Who is she?" Mia asked.

    "Well... we can just say she is our godmother." He said with a grin. "You see... I have a super rich godmother." He whispered to Mia even though they all could literally hear him.

    Chloe rolled her eyes in the front seat while Louis looked even more curious now.

    "...and she wants to meet my best friend." Jeremy continued.

    "You have a best friend?" Mia asked curiously.

    "It''s you dummy!"

    "Ahhh! Are you insane?" Mia blew up when he flicked her forehead.

    "They are a piece of work aren''t they?" Louis whispered to Chloe in the front seat. She eagerly nodded in agreement.

    All the while, Mia''s phone was in her hand and she kept checking the screen every minute.

    When she was not looking at the screen, she was looking at the face of the person driving through the rearview mirror and it was embarrassing because he caught her staring at him several times.

    ''I miss Leo.'' She said in her head before she sighed out.

 Chapter 284 - Awkward silence

    "I''m glad you are having fun." James said into the phone when he spoke with Mia that evening.

    "I never said I was having fun." She countered.

    "Well, I thought when I called, you''ll be in your room as usual, but it sounds like you went out to party, right?"

    "Well... not really but... yea." Mia shrugged as she looked around the beach. It was already 10pm, they were in the beach and just like Louis had said earlier, it was kind of cold but the crowd and also the bonfires kept the place a bit warm and lit. There was a loud music coming from some huge speakers, drinks everywhere, people laughing, playing games, people dancing, everyone was generally having fun.

    She had stepped to the side when James called to answer his call, leaving the people she had come here with.

    "Did Leo call to tell you to have fun? I''m guessing he is the only one that has that kind of power to pull you out of the house."

    Mia giggled, "It wasn''t him."

    "I doubt you left on your own."

    "Well...."

    "Well?"

    "It was his brother. Louis." She informed her friend.

    A second passed, two passed, three passed, but there was no sound from the other side.

    "James?" Mia asked before pulling her phone away from her ear to check if the call was still ongoing.

    "I''m still here." He said with a sigh.

    "You were silent."

    "Because I was thinking. Have you been hanging out with him lately?" James inquired.

    "Who?"

    "Your boyfriend''s twin brother."

    "I... can''t say we have been hanging out. Remember I told you I got sick a few days ago and he took me to the hospital. He has been keeping in touch since then."

    "I don''t like the sound of that." James said, his tone didn''t sound nice nor soft.

    "What do you mean?" She asked, genuinely curious.

    "Can''t you see? You miss your boyfriend like crazy and his brother who you do not like is suddenly becoming your best buddy, can''t ��"

    "Hey! I''m not his best buddy and neither is he mine. Besides, Jeremy and Chloe are here with us."

    "Swear to me that you haven''t been staring at him longer than usual, probably wishing that was your boyfriend right there?"

    Mia couldn''t lie to him that she hadn''t. Her silence told James that what he just guessed was correct.

    "You should stay away from him, Mia. And come to your senses. That isn''t Leo. It is never going to be Leo. Do not confuse yourself because you may end up hurting yourself and also your boyfriend."

    "You are thinking too far, I promise you."

    "I really hope I am. Look, I was speaking with my parents about you the other day��"

    "About me? What about me?"

    "You studied business administration, so you can literally fit in anywhere��"

    "James.."

    "Hey... no pressure. If you want to meet them, fine. If you do not want, it is also fine. You are my best friend and I believe you would have done same had you been in my shoes."

    She sighed, "Thanks anyway."

    "You are welcome. Now go have fun and make sure not to embarrass yourself and me bro."

    "You''re an idiot."

    James laughed good naturedly before saying, "You love this idiot and this idiot loves you too."

    "That just gave me goosebumps. Get lost." Mia said and hung up. After she did, she smiled. She always liked talking to James.

    When she returned to the crowded area, Jeremy raised a hand to get her attention so she moved towards them. They had found a space to sit down since majority of the people present had left their seats to go dance.

    Jeremy scooted towards Chloe to give Mia a space to sit down on the low plywood that had been used to form a round seat.

    "Hi!" Katie greeted, smiling at Mia.

    Katie was sitting directly opposite her and had her body resting on a guy sitting beside her. He looked a bit mature, around Leo''s age.

    "This is my boyfriend, Andrew." Katie introduced when she noticed how Mia was staring at him.

    Mia was obviously surprised to see she had a boyfriend since she was always around Jeremy.

    "Haha. I know what you are thinking. It''s never difficult reading you. I love this guy here." She said, placing a kiss on her boyfriend''s cheek.

    "He knows about Jeremy and how I tease him for fun." Katie explained.

    Andrew smiled and waved at Mia. "Congrats, I heard about you." He said nicely.

    "Thank you."

    Mia wasn''t very interested in whatever else was going on around them so she just sat there like a ghost while the others talked. The only people who weren''t contributing was Louis and Mia. Chloe did say one or two things to keep the conversation going. Jeremy must have influenced her because the former Chloe wouldn''t have come here in the first place, talk more of joining in on a conversation with other people.

    "We should dance." Katie suggested as she watched the dancers everywhere.

    Chloe looked around in horror. She was a terrible dancer but that wasn''t what was bothering her at the moment. The kind of dancing styles she was seeing made her face heat up.

    Katie stopped up and pulled her boyfriend with her while she managed to convince Jeremy to also dance with Chloe.

    Jeremy looked interested and because she couldn''t just deny him the fun he wished for, Chloe let him lead her towards the crowd of people dancing together.

    With everyone gone, it was only Louis and Mia left. Mia noticed how Louis was glaring at Jeremy and snorted. That caught Louis attention and he looked at her.

    The atmosphere became quite awkward since they didn''t know what to say to each other.

    "Did you... take your meds tonight?" Louis asked, going into doctor mode.

    "I did." Mia nodded.

    They lapsed into another round of silence, deciding to watch those who were having fun instead.

    Mia decided to distract herself with some drinks so she picked a cup and poured herself a wine from the one the group had been drinking.

    When she took the first sip, she stopped and wondered what it was. It smelled different like it was a mixture of different drinks and other things she probably didn''t know about. Why was it in a wine bottle then? Wasn''t it illegal?

    But it didn''t taste very badly so she just gulped down half the contentd of the cup.

    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Louis barked at her before snatching the cup from her, some liquids dropped on her shirt in the process.

    "You realize you are on meds?" He chided with a frown.

    "You are so annoying." She said before standing up to walk away.

 Chapter 285 - Hearing things...

    Mia felt drowsy and held onto whatever she could find to keep herself from falling. She kept walking further without any direction until she realised she was going far into the woods which was very close to the beach.

    "Stu--pid M-ia! Do n-ot ever get d--runk.!" Mia scolded herself. Leo had warned her or rather, he had pleaded with her not to ever get drunk because he knew what a glass could make her do.

    She had gulped down half a cup of something she didn''t know and was already lightheaded. She felt like throwing up and slowly, her vision began to get blur.

    She tried to reach for her phone to call someone but it was very difficult because all her actions were clumsy. Finally, she got a hold of her phone and after much struggle, she managed to dial Jeremy''s number. Unfortunately, he didn''t pick up. She tried same with Chloe and she also didn''t pick up.

    If only Leo was here.

    If only he was here.

    "Mia!" Suddenly, someone called her name and she turned around, almost falling in the process but the person was quick enough to catch her.

    "You are drunk and wandering into the woods? Do you want to get yourself in trouble?" Louis asked. He was scolding her and not trying to pretend like what she had just done pleased him but his eyes looked worried.

    Mia looked up at him drunkenly.

    The face... the eyes... the voice...

    "L..eo?" She called while looking up at him. She was still in his arms, his hands around her waist kept her from falling.

    "It... is you?" Mia asked, slowly raising her hand to reach for his face.

    He looked at her impassively and said something but she didn''t hear whatever he said.

    She was focused on staring at the face she longed for.

    "Thank you for coming." She suddenly hugged him, startling the doctor.

    "We should get you out of here. I''ll take you home." He offered and tried to pull away from the hug but she refused to let him go.

    "I''m scared." She said and he noticed she was crying now.

    "I am very scared Leo. I think I will die of depression if I don''t see you soon." She said in between her sobs. "But you are here now right?"

    She looked up at him, her teary eyes looked hopeful.

    He didn''t say a word and just stood there staring at her. They weren''t very far from the beach so they could still hear all the noises and music. There weren''t other people in this area, but it was a little bit lit up by the large bonfire which wasn''t very far from where they was. Still, this place wasn''t safe especially for a drunk and vulnerable young lady like her so he wanted to get her out of there immediately.

    "Come with me." He said, holding her hand to lead her away from there but her feet were wobbly and she almost fell down. He realised letting her walk was going to be futile especially because the longer she stayed here, the more whatever she drank earlier was taken a toll on her.

    He carried her in his arms like a bride and she quickly supported herself by wrapping her arms around his neck.

    When she continued to stare at him, he spoke gently, "I''m not Leo."

    "That... is a lie." She said, shaking her head stubbornly. "You are Leo. I know you are."

    "I am not." He continued to walk ahead without sparing her any glance but he could see from the corner of her eyes how she was staring at him.

    In parties like this, carrying someone like this wasn''t a big deal at all since they were people doing worse so no one paid them any mind as he carried her to his car.

    "Are... you really not Leo?" She asked in what sounded like a whisper.

    "I am not." He assured her, thinking she would let it go now but she shook her head.

    "You cannot lie to me. These eyes belongs to Leo. Louis never looks at me softly or look worried like this."

    "You are wrong. I was worried when you fainted some days ago."

    "Louis is always harsh to me. You are Leo. I know you are." She said and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

    The action made Louis to stand frozen on the spot just before he could get to his car.

    She kept trying to smell him but when her brain couldn''t process anything, she brought out her tongue and took a swipe.

    His eyes widened and she gripped his neck tightly when he began to walk very fast. Before she knew it, he dropped her on the bonnet of his car and glared at her.

    "Now... listen Mia Lucas." His voice was cold and the warmth in his eyes had vanished.

    Mia was a bit fl.u.s.tered but she tried to keep her eyes open and look at him.

    "I am not Leo! Why can''t you understand that?" He raised his voice, making her flinch in shock.

    "You really need to come back to your senses. I know you are going through a lot, but you won''t feel any better by trying to convince yourself that I am Leo. So you are going to go to bed now and tomorrow, we will talk about you seeing a therapist. I don''t want you to do something you are going to end up regretting." He concluded with a sigh.

    "You... really are not Leo?" She asked with tears in her eyes. His outburst just now brought her to her senses.

    "I am not." He said before he went to open the back door.

    He returned to where she was to help her down and led her to the backseat. "Get in and wait here. I''ll go look for Jeremy and Chloe and we''ll return home."

    Mia relunctantly climbed inside and lay there in a fetal position. He looked at her for a few seconds and sighed before closing the door.

    Tears began to roll down her eyes after he left and slowly, she began to sob.

    "What am I doing?" She asked, embarrassed at herself. Had she just thrown herself at Louis like that? What would she have done had he not stopped her?

    She suddenly sat up and took out her phone, ignoring the throbbing headache. She checked to make sure she had enough airtime before she dialled Leo''s number. She closed her eyes and kept praying for Leo to pick up but he didn''t. She threw down her phone in frustration and began to cry again but she suddenly remembered there was another way she could probably reach Leo. She remembered he had called her with a certain number the first time he landed there. With hope gleaming in her eyes, she scrolled through her call log, hoping for the number to be there and thankfully, it was the very last number in her call log.

    She dialled the number and immediately sat up when it connected.

    "Hello?" The person at the other end said.

    It was a young woman''s voice but Mia didn''t think much of it.

    "Hello! Sorry for the trouble..." Mia said, trying to keep her eyes open and her voice without slurring.

    "I am trying to get in touch with Leo King. Since he used this number to call me a while ago, I..."

    "Is this Mia?" The other person asked with a curious tone.

    "Y...yes?"

    "This is Cherry." She said, her voice sounded like she was smiling.

    "Ch..erry?" Mia asked uncertainly. Was she hearing the wrong things because she was drunk? She certainly hadn''t heard her say ''Cherry'' right?

    "Yes. Cherry Anderson. Long time no chat Mia Lucas."

 Chapter 286 - Drunk Jeremy

    "I told you not to drink!" Chloe grumbled. She knew Jeremy could not hold his drink. In fact, everyone knew so and she had tried to stop him from drinking but he promised he was only going to take a sip. A sip had turned into a gulp and before she knew it, it turned to a cup. She was glad she took note and snatched the cup from him before he drank more and got completely stoned.

    "I''m... fine. Be..li.eve me." He said with a smile, his cheeks completely flushed. "Wow... did.. you hear that?" He asked, he looked like he had just uncovered a mystery.

    "What?"

    "I.. didn''t know there was EVE in believe. I said... be Eve me. Hehehe." He giggled drunkenly.

    Chloe scoffed in disbelief.

    "Just tell me how I am supposed to carry you back to the car. We are far from it. How did we even get here!" She asked, looking around. They were in a rather deserted and dark area with some trees and seats made from bamboo sticks.

    "Come sit." Jeremy said, surprisingly, he had enough strength to lead her towards one of the seat and sar beside her after she sat down.

    "It''s dark here." She said in a hushed voice and kept looking around.

    "Are.. you s..cared?" He asked, a smile playing on his lips. She had to admit he looked very lovely whenever he was drunk.

    First time she noticed it was the day she went to James'' party with him. Although at that time, she wasn''t this close to Jeremy but because he had asked her to go to the party with him, she found herself wearing a very simple outfit to work that day. By the time she realised what she was doing, she was already fully dressed and on her way to work.

    She didn''t know what dream he was having the next morning when he kept giggling in his sleep and interrupting the meeting she was having with her assistant and secretary.

    She remembered from that day that he didn''t like taking pills which was another reason she hadn''t wanted him to drink tonight because he would probably have a headache and he didn''t like to take drugs.

    "Yo..u ar..e s..cared?" Jeremy asked again when she didn''t answer the first time but just kept staring at him.

    "I am not!" She denied vehemently. There was no way she was going to lose her cool and admit she was scared.

    He giggled drunkenly before hugging her but it was a bit awkward since they were both sitting down.

    "What are you doing?" She asked but he ignored her and buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled.

    "I love.. how you... smell."

    If he had looked at her face, he would notice how wide her eyes were and if he pulled away, he would notice how stiffly she sat there.

    "S..top it." Chloe said and tried to push him away but she didn''t add much force. Maybe she was enjoying it? Oh no! She is slowly turning into a pervert!

    "We... really... s..should leav�� What are you...!" She gasped when he began to drop light kisses on her neck while using his nose to nuzzle the crook.

    Thankfully, her phone began to vibrate inside her pocket. When Jeremy stopped abruptly, she took the chance to jump from her seat with flushed cheeks before reaching for her phone.

    She picked it immediately she saw it was a call from Louis.

    "Where are you?" He asked, trying to keep his voice loud enough for her to hear him since he was in a noisy area.

    "Uhm.. I don''t..." She looked around, trying to see if there was anything around she could use to describe the place except for trees and bamboo seats.

    She spared a glance at Jeremy to know how he was doing and her heart almost left her chest when she saw him watching her intensely. She wouldn''t have been bothered by his stare if he wasn''t looking at her right now like she was some kind of meal he wanted to eat.

    "Where are you?" Louis asked impatiently.

    "I don''t know of you can see some tall palm trees but I''ll turn on my location. Jeremy is drunk."

    He agreed and ended the call. She turned the location on and made sure to not sit down beside Jeremy who was still very much staring at her.

    It didn''t take long for her to hear Louis calling her name. She quickly answered to let him know where they were and he showed up in less than a minute.

    Louis shook his head when he saw Jeremy. Usually, the girls got drunk while the guys took them home. What a shameless guy this Jeremy was. He thought to himself as he helped him up and they left the area.

    In five minutes, they got to where the cars were parked and he unlocked his with the remote before peering at the backseat. Mia was still there but she wasn''t sleeping on the seat like he had expected to see. She sat down with her head resting on the other window. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was even so he guessed she was sleeping.

    He was supporting Jeremy with one hand and slowly opened the door with the other hand so as not to disturb Mia''s sleep.

    Jeremy looked like he was dozing off but thankfully, it wasn''t very difficult getting him inside the car.

    "I''m sorry for stressing you." Jeremy said to Louis groggily just before he locked the back door.

    Louis was a little pleased at him for being appreciative.

    Chloe sighed in relief when the car started and Louis drove them away from the beach. How would she have handled this had Louis not come with them?

    She looked at her reflection on the window beside her and slowly reached to touch her exposed neck where Jeremy had kissed earlier. Her face flushed and she quickly put down her hand.

    "Chloe?" Louis called quietly, making her body jump guiltily.

    "Wh..at is it?" She stuttered as she looked at him. He still kept his gaze on the road which was almost without any cars since it was already past 1 am.

    Louis made sure to keep his voice very low as he spoke,

    "I do not care how naughty you are going to get with your boyfriend, but as a doctor I''ll advise you.... make sure you use a good protection in case��"

    "LOUIS!" She gasped, her eyes wide.

 Chapter 287 - Chloe is a pervert

    When Louis pulled over in front of Leo''s apartment, he was surprised when Mia sat up and opened the door.

    Chloe and Louis exchanged a look. The entire ride, she kept her head on the window so they had no idea she had been awake the entire time.

    "Are you.. okay?" Louis turned to ask her.

    Mia nodded. She still looked a bit groggy from the drink but she was able to come down from the car on her own and began to head towards the apartment.

    Chloe bit her lower lip in embarrassment. So Mia had probably heard what Louis had said? She was so embarrassed thinking about it!

    As a doctor, he wanted her to use protection during her naughty times with Jeremy.

    But as a brother, he promised to kill Jeremy if she allowed him touch her.

    Brothers will always be brothers.

    Louis'' worried eyes followed Mia but he got down to help the already sleeping Jeremy inside.

    When they finally made it inside, Mia was nowhere to be found. As usual, she had locked herself inside her room. Louis sighed as he looked at her door. Why hadn''t his stupid brother called her yet?

    Chloe wanted to lead Louis to her room where he was supposed to drop Jeremy, but Louis dropped him on the couch in the living room.

    "Why? It is going to be uncomfortable." She whined.

    "It''s either here or the floor." Louis said in a tone which told Chloe he already made up his mind.

    "He won''t be able to sleep fine. He should sleep on the bed. In case you are bothered because of me, I''ll sleep here." Chloe tried to plead with him.

    The couch was big enough to contain him but she didn''t want Jeremy to sleep there. He needed all the comfort he could get.

    "Fine!" Louis reluctantly helped Jeremy up and led him to Chloe''s new room where he dropped him on the bed.

    "Thanks." Chloe thanked him while carefully placing Jeremy''s head on the pillow.

    When she was done helping him stay comfortable, she stood upright and noticed Louis was staring at her.

    "W..what?" She stammered.

    "You really like him."

    Chloe was taken aback. It didn''t sound like a question so he definitely wasn''t expecting an answer. He was simply telling her what he thought.

    "Why... do you think so?"

    "I have never seen you care so much about someone. I''m just curious, do you regret it?" He asked quietly.

    "Regret what?" She asked, still a bit uncomfortable talking about this with her brother.

    "Choosing him."

    "I didn''t choose him." She corrected.

    "I chose myself. My freedom. My happiness. He..." She looked at Jeremy who kept tossing on the bed.

    "He makes you happy?" Louis completed.

    "Not what I wanted to say, but that''s also correct." She admitted with a faint smile.

    "You sure you are going to be fine?" Louis asked. Now, he looked a little worried.

    Chloe nodded. "I am going to be fine."

    Louis nodded back before he left the room. His eyes lingered on Mia''s door for a while before he turned to look at Chloe who had followed him out.

    "If there''s any problem, do not hesitate to call me. I''ll be here in a jiffy."

    Before Chloe could answer, he looked at the door to the room where Jeremy was sleeping, "And make sure you sleep on the couch."

    "I already said I would!" Chloe said, feeling offended he was doubting her. Was she some kind of pervert who would sneak up on a drunk guy?

    "Good night." He greeted before leaving the house.

    Chloe checked the window to be sure he had driven off and when she confirmed, she tiptoed back towards her room and quietly opened the door.

    She kept her eyes on his sleeping form on the bed until she got there. He had already abandoned the pillow she had carefully placed his head on and his hair was all over his face.

    "He is such a baby." She hissed before sitting down beside him on the bed.

    She reached for his face and slowly brushed the hair away from his face.

    A faint smile remained on her face as she watched him sleep.

    Before she knew what she was doing, she found herself laying on the bed beside him, staring at his beautiful face. Yes, his face was beautiful. Sleeping peacefully like this, he looked really beautiful and she didn''t want anyone else to see him like this except for her. Not even his sister, Ellie was permitted.

    She began to slowly trail every part of his face. She touched his perfectly arched brow, his lashes, but stopped and withdrew her hand when his lashes fluttered.

    She waited until he was relaxed before she slowly touched the tip of his pointed nose.

    Then... she looked at his lips.

    When her eyes got there, every of her actions ceased and she just stared at it. It was rosy and glistening like he had licked it not quite long ago. As if she was just burnt, she immediately withdrew her hand and turned to look at the other side.

    ''What am I doing?''

    ''Since when did I become like this?''

    ''Taking advantage of a sleeping person is what you do now, Chloe?''

    ''What is suddenly happening to me?''

    ''All these started since I started staying in this room. Maybe this room needs cleansing?''

    She continued to ask herself while her heart kept beating very fast.

    ''Just leave now and go sleep in the couch, Chloe.'' A voice whispered in her ear.

    ''Leave? Why would you leave? What is wrong in admiring a sleeping beauty?'' Another voice asked.

    Both voices sounded like hers.

    ''You know how shy Jeremy is. He is going to feel scandalized if he wakes up and sees you doing what you are doing. What if he thinks you are a pervert and never wants to see you again?''

    ''Oh shut it! Jeremy is attracted to you. He is only shy to make a move. Didn''t you see how he reacted down there when you two kissed the other day? Haven''t you always wanted to see and touch that hot body of his? You are already a pervert. There is no point in denying who you truly are.'' The other voice tried to convince her.

    ''Who I truly am?'' Chloe wondered in horror. There is no way she was a pervert. She is a respectable young lady who is intelligent and industrious.

    ''Chloe is a pervert. Chloe is a pervert. Chloe is a perv��''

    ''SHUT UP!'' She screamed at the voice inside her head to stop singing.

    She wasn''t a pervert. She was just going to watch him quietly for a few seconds and return to the sitting room.

    She made up her mind and turned around but she almost fell off the bed when she locked gaze with Jeremy.

 Chapter 288 - The L word

    ''SHUT UP!'' She screamed at the voice inside her head to stop singing.

    She wasn''t a pervert. She was just going to watch him quietly for a few seconds and return to the sitting room.

    She made up her mind and turned around but she almost fell off the bed when she locked gaze with Jeremy. Jeremy was simply staring at her with an unsteady gaze but it looked like he was trying to keep his focus on her.

    She had thought she was going to fall to the floor since she was already at the edge before he startled her, and was prepared for the effect of the fall, but surprsingly she found herself being enveloped by a warm hand which pulled her closer to his chest. It wasn''t until she was literally hugging him with her face pressed to his chest that she registered what had just happened.

    For close to a minute, there was pure silence inside the room. It seemed like time stopped.

    "You are real." He said, his voice sounded deeper since she was pressed to his chest, it gave it some kind of vibrating feel.

    Real? Of course she was real. Had he thought it was a dream?

    They remained like that for a while until she thought he had fallen asleep again, and decided to move. She had been still the entire time and couldn''t remain there unless she wanted to get paralyzed.

    But she didn''t succeed in moving far away from him because he still kept his hand wrapped around her, keeping her in place.

    "Chloe." He called her in a calm voice which made her still again.

    "I... have always wanted to ask you this question... but never had the courage to." He started and paused for a while. "I think I can only have the boldness to ask you since I am drunk." He finally released her from his arms, so she rolled a few inches away from him and met his eyes which were still staring at hers.

    "Did you... agree to date me because you pitied me?" He asked. He made sure to watch every of her facial expression.

    Pity? Why did he think so? Chloe wondered.

    "Why do you think so?" She asked.

    "I... don''t know. I just feel maybe you were tired of me bugging you and just wanted to��"

    She shut him up with a quick kiss in his mouth, totally taking him by surprise.

    She moved back to look into his eyes. "It wasn''t out of pity." She informed him.

    His face was burning red and his eyes were a little big clearer and wider now.

    "Uhm... then why... haven''t you told me before?"

    "Told you what?" She asked curiously.

    "How... you feel."

    "Feel? Do I need to say it out?" She asked.

    He nodded. "I like to be assured with words and actions. I find words very important."

    Chloe brushed some strands of hair away from his face and looked deeply into his eyes. "I am not a romantic person so I don''t know what to do to convince you. But since you also want me to be vocal, then I will try." She said and thought it had ended there, but she noticed how patiently he was waiting for her to say something.

    "What?" She asked when he kept giving her an hopeful look.

    Seeing how she wasn''t going to tell him anything, he pouted and shook his head, "Nothing. Good night." He grumbled and turned around with his back to her.

    Chloe almost laughed at him, "What a drama king." She muttered under her breath before clearing her throat to get his attention,

    "I... like you Jer."

    He didn''t turn around. He didn''t move or make any effort to look at her. He simply remained there.

    "I hope you understand that. And... you make me happy." She confessed.

    He finally turned and looked at her. His eyes was searching all over her face for any form of insincerity. They had been dating for a while now but she had never told him she liked him before, he just assumed she did and he was getting tired of assuming on her behalf. Sometimes, he feared she wasn''t happy with him. He didn''t have the money or resources to take care of her. Only thing he had was the house he lived in with his sister and it had been bought by his mother. The house could not be compared to her parents house either.

    Hearing her say she liked him despite everything made his heart surge with joy.

    "You are telling me the truth?" He asked quietly.

    Chloe nodded.

    "I make you happy?" He wondered. How?

    She nodded again. "And I like it when you cook for me."

    He remained quiet for a while before saying,

    "I won''t ever let you change your mind about us or try to break up with me." He said resolutely. "I really won''t."

    Chloe actually didn''t mind. She wasn''t interested in anyone else or think she was going to be interested in anyone else. She could not even imagine meeting someone new and trying to sort things out. Jeremy was okay for her.

    "I love you." Jeremy confessed, surprising her greatly.

    He had always told her he liked her, but using the different ''L'' word was very surprising.

    He threw his hand over her waist to pull her closer to him, a gasp escaping from Chloe''s lips.

    First, he kissed her forehead, and then her nose before saying, "Good night girlfriend."

    Chloe managed to smile at him even though her heart was beating very fast.

    She wasn''t sure if she wanted him to let her go at that moment or just keep holding her like that in his arms.

    He dropped a light kiss on her lips and raised his head to look up at her. When she didn''t resist, he went in again for an even deeper kiss.

    The shock didn''t last this time. Chloe threw her hands around his neck when he moved slightly on top of her, and returned his kiss fervently. He tasted a lot of alcohol but she ignored it.

    That was all the encouragement he needed from her, he moved on top of her without breaking the kiss, while wondering what he was supposed to do with his hands which were lying awkwardly beside his now, but helping to prop himself up without completely crushing his weight on Chloe.

    As if sensing his thought, Chole broke the kiss and spoke breathlessly,

    "Touch... my b.o.o.b.s and... do not run away this time." Chloe warned him.

 Chapter 289 - Seeking a massage (1)

    "Touch... my b.o.o.b.s and... do not run away this time." Chloe warned him.

    She last time she placed his hand on her b.r.e.a.s.t, he had freaked out. That had made her really embarrassed. She had always thought guys liked to take the lead but it seemed like when it involved Jeremy, she would have to swallow her pride and take the lead. She wasn''t sure of most of the things she was doing, but she knew she was eventually going to succeed. She hadn''t secretly read a lot of e.r.o.t.i.c novels for nothing.

    Despite the permission, Jeremy still found it difficult to do anything. He looked deeply into her eyes, his hands still resting beside her, helping to prop himself up so he wouldn''t completely be sleeping on top of her.

    "You..." He tried to catch his breath as he spoke.

    She looked very beautiful right now. She was nothing like the organised, prim and proper lady he used to know. She was lying beneath him, face flushed, hair scattered, lips moist, slightly parted and a bit puffy, her chest continued to heave up and down which eventually kept pressing her b.r.e.a.s.t to his chest. And in the corner of her neck, he could see a faint mark there. Something told him he had been the one to leave the mark there but his brain was still a little bit foggy.

    She kept looking at him, waiting for him to continue.

    "You... seem different." He said.

    Chloe blushed deeply before turning her face to the side to avoid his gaze. She was embarrassed.

    "Wild you mean? You''re disappointed?" She asked, trying to hide her embarrassment. Maybe he wanted someone who behaved innocently like him?

    "No." He shook his head and used a hand to hold her chin, turning her to face him.

    "I am not disappointed." He said before placing a kiss on her lips but he pulled back quickly, "I like every of your personality and everything you do." He dropped another kiss and pulled back. "Because I love you."

    This time, the kiss was longer. When she tried to gasp for air, he slid his tongue inside her mouth and began to explore every corner his tongue could reach.

    He finally took the boldness to leave a hand on her left b.r.e.a.s.t but he didn''t do anything. He just left it there for a while and pulled his hand away.

    Realizing how much she was trying to breathe, he broke the kiss and slid down to kiss under her jaw and then he moved to her neck. He dropped several light kisses before he began to suck it.

    Chloe wanted to say something but she found it difficult to because instead of a word, sounds came out from her lips and she bit down on her lips to stop them from coming out. She didn''t want to embarrass herself further.

    "Stop!" She finally said and he stopped abruptly before pulling up to look at her face, his own face was filled with concern.

    "Did I hurt you? I''m... sorry. I... lost it and��"

    "You... di-dn''t." She said in a breathless tone.

    "I... am dirty. I haven''t showered. You... shouldn''t..." She stopped talking and bit her lip again.

    She wanted to tell him to stop because she was dirty and he would probably be tasting her sweat and that was gross.

    "I... won''t do anything you do not want me to do." He said sincerely before rolling away from her despite the great temptation to remain there.

    Chloe frowned when he moved away from her to the other end of the bed. She noticed how he was trying to cover the lower body part of his body with the duvet on the bed.

    She was already too worked up and didn''t want to be left like this. She hadn''t even had the chance to explore his body yet! Okay, maybe she was a pervert after all.

    Was Jeremy obsessed with being a gentleman? How could he stop so abruptly? At least he would have suggested for them to shower together even though she would have turned him down? Or he should have just continued.

    But she also knew how important consent was especially in things like this.

    She sat up, doing her best not to show her disappointment. She was just going to get him more worked up and see if his gentleman nature was going to last.

    With that plan in mind, she stood up from the bed and adjusted her clothes.

    Jeremy was already sleeping on the bed with his back to her.

    ''Poor boy.'' She thought to herself.

    "I''ll shower before going to bed." She announced before switching the light in the room off, and leaving only the dim bedside lamp on.

    She slowly began to strip out of her clothes. First, her shirt, to reveal a white lacy bra. Then she took off her trousers very slowly. She knew he was watching. She could swear he was.

    When she was left in only a matching bra and panty, she turned around and heard shuffling in the bed. She almost snickered at him. He was trying not to get caught staring eh?

    "Do you feel better? Still drunk? Headache? Sleepy?" She asked.

    Jeremy could not believe she was standing there in her lingerie, having a conversation with him right now. He made sure to keep looking at the other side as he answered.

    "A little big drowsy, no headache. Not sleepy." He answered. Who would be sleepy after everything they did especially after ending abruptly like that?

    "So can you help me with a massage after I''m done showering? My shoulder and back feel sore."

    What? She wanted him to touch her body? Like for real?

    He guessed she was going to be dressed so he didn''t have to panic. So he agreed.

    "Cool. When I''m done showering, I''ll get ready while you go shower."

    He also agreed. He tried not to think much of it. It was only a massage, nothing more.

 Chapter 290 - Seeking a massage (2)

    Chloe came out of the bathroom, tying a towel around her chest and another one was used to wrap her hair.

    "You can go shower now. You''ll feel better when you are done." She said nonchalantly to Jeremy who gulped immediately he saw her.

    He guessed she was probably going to get dressed before he returned from the bathroom. How he was going to give her a massage with her clothes on? He didn''t know for now.

    He stood up from the bed and tried not to look at her as he walked towards the bathroom.

    Before he could enter inside the bathroom, she stopped him by calling his name and went to open the wardrobe to take out a short and tee shirt. I got this the other day since I figured you are usually uncomfortable when you sleep with your complete outfit on." She said.

    He had spent the night here with Ellie before. While Ellie slept with her inside this room, Jeremy slept on the couch in the living room. When she woke up at night to go get a bottle of water, she realised how uncomfortable he looked sleeping on the couch with his clothes on. She had also noticed from the times she left over at his place that he liked to dress less when going to bed.

    "Thank you." He said with a smile as he accepted it. He appreciated the gesture.

    "Then I will change into this." He said and she nodded.

    "You do not need to wash your hair tonight. Just try to shower without wetting your hair. I''ll help you wash it in the morning." She said like a doting girlfriend.

    Jeremy felt there was something wrong with her tonight but he couldn''t place it. He eagerly agreed since he wasn''t looking forward to having a long shower, washing his hair and also blow drying it before returning to bed.

    It took him less than ten minutes to finish showering then he changed into the outfit she had given him, he felt a lot better. The headache had reduced and the tension he felt earlier had also reduced.

    After tying his hair in a high bun, he left the bathroom, feeling refreshed.

    When he entered inside the room, he noticed the bedside lamp looked even dimmer than it was before.

    Chloe was sleeping on the bed with the duvet covering her body. She still had the towel wrapped around her hair.

    He was a bit disappointed that she had fallen asleep when she had asked him to give her a massage. But on a second thought, he was relieved because he didn''t know how he would have handled the situation.

    He decided it was best to go sleep in the living room. In a few hours, it was going to be dawn. Although he doubted he would be able to get any sleep after their intense kiss earlier, he wanted to get away from her before he did something that would make her hate him.

    "Where are you going to?"

    He froze after taking a few silent steps towards the door. He turned around swiftly and saw her staring at him.

    "I... was... I was just..."

    "Massage. Help me?" She reminded him.

    He swallowed hard before nodding. "Massage. Help you." He repeated like an idiot. It took everything in her to keep herself from laughing at his fl.u.s.tered reaction.

    She lifted a small bottle on the bedside shelf and stretched her hand to give it to him. "Only a little would do. Thanks"

    He took it from her and stood there awkwardly while looking down at her body which was still covered with a duvet. He didn''t know what else he was supposed to do.

    "Straddle me." She instructed.

    "WHAT?" Horrified, he asked.

    "You can climb on the bed and place your knees astride me. That''s the only way you''ll be comfortable."

    Jeremy shook his head. He couldn''t do that. He was literally going to be on top of her. Only her instruction was making him get hard. How was he going to survive staying on top of her?

    "Just a five minutes massage." She said as mischief flashed through her eyes. She was going to seduce him. It was her duty as his girlfriend.

    His body was literally shaking as he climbed on the bed, placing his knees on both sides of her body.

    "You can pull the duvet down now." She instructed again.

    He did just that and got the scare of his life when her bare back came into view.

    ''Is she....''

    "N.A.K.E.D!!" His eyes widened as he yelled that part out.

    "You weren''t expecting me to dress in a suit and tie for a massage session, were you?" She asked in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "I... I was... I thought...."

    "It''s okay. It''s just a back." She assured him.

    She didn''t know where she suddenly got this courage from, but seeing how much he was reacting already, she didn''t want to stop.

    Her attitude right now scared her a little since she didn''t know she had such wildness in her. Her ex boyfriend David, she couldn''t even remember what she saw in him. But maybe she did like him at one point but she was never s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to him. But Jeremy''s case was different.

    She liked him, she loved him, and she just realised she was s.e.x.u.a.lly attracted to him. And she knew if she didn''t make a move, he would never do so.

    She was a bit scared and nervous, but she was ready to see this until the end.

    She heard Jeremy silently chanting, "I can do this." to himself and almost laughed out but she kept it in. She had to keep acting nonchalant or else, he may run away.

    "Maybe a little music would make you feel more relaxed?" She asked as she reached for her phone and immediately, a soft music began to play.

    He was a bit thankful for the music because the silence had been becoming quite awkward. But he didn''t know which he preferred now because the music, dim lights and the atmosphere in general was giving it some kind of vibe he wasn''t sure he liked very much.

 Chapter 291 - The Seduction

    Jeremy dropped some oil in his palm and after carefully keeping the bottle by the bedside shelf, he adjusted and took a deep breath.

    ''This is it. You are going to do this. Professionally.'' He said to himself. He wasn''t a professional masseur, but he was going to do this professionally today and make his girlfriend proud of him. He didn''t want to take advantage of his innocent girlfriend who trusted him. If Chloe ended up hating him, he wasn''t sure what he was going to do.

    He led his hand to her shoulders first and came in contact with her bare skin. He didn''t need to have learnt it to know what to do. He worked on her shoulders, trying to be gentle while also applying pressure. He noticed her shoulder muscles were a bit stiff so he put in more pressure to help release the tense muscles.

    A long hiss escaped Chloe''s lips, "That feels nice." She encouraged in a voice filled with pleasure.

    He smiled a little and continued. Since she liked it, he was just going to keep up with that pressure.

    He continued and began to feel slightly uncomfortable whenever she m.o.a.ned from the pleasure she was getting. He warned himself not to think much of it. She was just innocently enjoying his massage.

    "You shouldn''t just stay in my shoulders. Take your hands down." She instructed. Her hands had been laying beside her the entire time, so she raised her hands and used them as a pillow for her head.

    It was only now that Jeremy saw the corner of her b.o.o.b.s which her hands had been hiding the entire time.

    He shook his head and warned himself to just give her a good massage without looking at the sides, but he kept finding himself staring and it was not helping that there was a soft music playing at the background, a dim light, his hands on her body and the sounds escaping her lips as he ran his hands around her back.

    Only a Eunuch wouldn''t have reacted to this. He found it difficult keeping himself under control.

    As he looked at the lower part of his body, he almost cried as he silently prayed for it to go down. Her butt was directly under him and a slight movement downwards would surely make her feel him to know he was aroused.

    "Are you okay?" She asked. "You''ve stopped for a while. It was helping a lot." She said innocently.

    He snapped back to his senses and continued massaging her waist region while being rewarded or punished with soft m.o.a.ns to show she was enjoying it.

    He had to admit she had a very beautiful body. It was spotless and had a nice hourglass shape with everything in proportion. Her waist was thin and he could see the curve of her hip but he couldn''t see much since the duvet was covering the bottom part.

    "Do... you feel better?" He croaked.

    His voice was low and hoarse. Chloe smiled in victory before answering.

    "Hmm... a lot better. You are really good at this. If you need a massage too, let me know. I''ll hel��"

    "NO!" He cut in immediately. "I... am.. fine.." He could not let her see how aroused he was for her.

    "I am always up for it whenever you need it." She offered.

    Jeremy continued what he was doing without saying anything else. He was tempted to lean forward and kiss her neck and then her back. He also wanted to touch her books which were peeking out. But he could not. And the more he tried to control himself, the harder it was for him�� literally and metaphorically.

    "You don''t mind helping me with my front also right?" She asked in the same innocent voice.

    "W.. h.. a..t ?" He asked in disbelief.

    "I feel some kind of pain around my rib. Just a little massage would help me greatly."

    "But... you.. aren''t wearing any thing." He said reasonably while stuttering.

    "If it makes you uncomfortable, I will switch the light off." She said and used her hand to locate the bedside lamp, then she switched it off, plunging the room into darkness. Since the blinds were down, there was no light filtering inside from outside.

    "Better now?" She asked.

    He pouted sadly because he wouldn''t get to see her back anymore but he thought this was better.

    "You don''t need to use more oils. Just rub your hands around my ribcage." She said and began to turn around.

    He watched in horror as she twisted her body under him until she was facing him directly now.

    He couldn''t see her, but he could imagine all of her actions.

    "I''m ready now." She said.

    He tried not to imagine that her n.a.k.e.d body was right before him and he was expected to touch it. With a big gulp, he tried to locate her ribcage so he started from feeling her flat belly.

    He moved slowly until he got to where he was searching for. His eyes widened in the darkness when he could literally feel the under of her b.o.o.b.s in his hand.

    "It''s just a massage. Relax." She encouraged.

    "It''s just a massage." He repeated and began to run his hands around her body. It seemed like his hands had a mind of it''s own because they kept trying to go higher while he battled to leave them where they were supposed to be.

    It didn''t help that she was squirming from his touch and m.o.a.ning softly.

    He guessed she had a sensitive skin or maybe she had a high s.e.x.u.a.l drive? Sometimes, the people involved didn''t even know it.

    While his mind was occupied, she grabbed his hands and placed them directly on her b.o.o.b.s.

    He sucked in air when he felt his hands on the soft twin and a hard n.i.p.p.l.e.

    He didn''t know what to do at that point because her hands were still holding his in place.

    As much as he wanted to remove his hands, he could not. He liked how they felt under his hands. It was the first time he was touching her b.r.e.a.s.t directly.

    They remained like that for a while or rather, he remained like that for a while because when he returned to his senses, he realised she wasn''t holding his hands anymore.

 Chapter 292 - Seduction + Consent= A happy couple!

    When Jeremy noticed where his hands had been, his eyes widened for the umpteenth time that night. He gulped and tried to pull his hand away but it was as if they were stuck there. What is he doing? What is Chloe doing? What are they doing? His mind began to panic.

    "Ch...loe..."

    "Hmm?" Her answer came out as a low m.o.a.n. Involuntarily, he squeezed her b.o.o.b.s gently and was blessed with another awesome sound from her parted lips.

    By now, he was rock hard. For the first time tonight, he was glad the lights were all out. It would have been really embarrassing if they could see each other.

    "I... I.. don''t..."

    "Just.. keep up with the massage..." Her voice came out in tiny whimpers. Once again, she squirmed under him, clearly enjoying his hands on her b.r.e.a.s.t. It was only now he noticed how heavily he was breathing.

    "I... don''t.. think I can.. *gulp* go... further with this..."

    Chloe didn''t want to hear about it. She was worked up already and didn''t want him to leave her hanging. Besides, she could tell he was too.

    She had never felt this way before and it was becoming more uncomfortable and unbearable for her. Besides, it felt like she was on fire. And this wasn''t the kind of fire she could quench with water. It could only be him.

    "Jer?" She called in a whisper.

    "Hmm?" He asked, his hands were still glued to her b.r.e.a.s.ts. They were so soft, he didn''t want to pull his hands away. What if he didn''t get to touch them again?

    "Don''t... you find me attractive?" She asked uncertainly.

    Two months ago, if someone had told her she would be asking a guy this question, she would have pulled the person''s hair, looked into their eyes and called them stupid!

    But now... she was here, Chloe King, asking a boy if he didn''t find her attractive.

    All she had done was enough to seduce him but he seemed to be holding unto a tiny thread of self control. She didn''t like that at all.

    "You are... the most attractive... woman I... I.. have ever met." He confessed before gulping again.

    She sighed in relief. At least he did find her attractive. Maybe he was just very shy.

    "Then... are you... scared?" She asked.

    They were both talking in whispers and it was kind of s.e.xy to Chloe.

    His breathing hitched up even higher. "I... want you but... I... don''t... want to do something that would make you hate me.. I... love you." He confessed.

    Okay, that was sweet. She wished he could see her face right now to see how proud she was of him.

    "I won''t ever hate you Jer. So you can go on and kiss me if you wan��"

    She wasn''t done speaking before she felt his lips aggressively smashed on hers. It seemed like he had been waiting for those words.

    Chloe deduced he respected consent so maybe instead of seducing him, she probably should just tell him to go ahead and do whatever he wanted. Or maybe, she could seduce him sometimes to spice things up for them.

    This kiss was hot and heated and impatient. Maybe he feared she would change her mind so he was probably trying to get his fill.

    She finally felt him lower his body down on hers and the first thing she felt which poke the inside of her thigh, was something hard. She almost lost it, but she kept herself under control.

    "Let me know if I am too heavy." He broke the kiss and spoke out in a raspy voice.

    Instead of answering, she wrapped her hands around his waist and began to explore his body through his shirt. He didn''t do anything as she continued to explore until she raised his shirt and began to touch his skin directly.

    "Oh my!" She exclaimed. His body was hard and firm and warm. She knew it that even though he acted like a baby, his body said otherwise. They told her what a s.e.xy man he was.

    Although it was dark, she could make out a smile on his face.

    He kissed the tip of her nose gently. She wasn''t sure if he had meant to kiss her lips but had missed because of the darkness, or if that had been his intention, but it was sweet.

    He lowered himself to her neck and began to kiss her there again. She was sure there would be a lot of marks by morning and tried to remember whether she had a turtleneck or scarf to cover it but she was brought back to reality when she felt a sharp pain in the corner of her neck.

    "Ahhh!" She m.o.a.ned aloud with a mixture of pain and pleasure in her voice. And she arched her back from the bed.

    "What.. was that for? You bit me." Chloe said quietly.

    "I am marking you. No one else is going to touch you except for me." He said.

    Chloe shivered at how dark his voice sounded. It felt so f.u.c.k.i.n.g e.r.o.t.i.c to hear him stake his claim like that. It was so powerful.

    "You are a werewolf now?" She asked in amus.e.m.e.nt.

    "I am a Jerwolf."

    "How cheesy." She said with a short laugh.

    Instead of answering, he lowered himself even more.

    "I... like your b.o.o.b.s. They fit into my hands perfectly. They are also warm and very soft." He said quietly.

    Chloe was glad the lights were turned off because she was blushing profusely. She couldn''t just say ''thanks'' that was weird.

    "Can... I..."

    "Go ahead." She said impatiently. She had been feeling his breath right there and couldn''t help it.

    He stuck out his tongue and flicked the protruded bud. Then he did it again and again until he engulfed it with his warm mouth.

    Her roaming hands on his body stopped for a moment when he began to suck on it.

    The more she m.o.a.ned out from the pleasure she was receiving, the more pressure he added. He made sure to treat both equally. While he sucked one, his hand was caressing the other. Fondling, squeezing, groping.

    When Chloe remembered there was someone else in the house with them, she bit her lip to keep her voice down..

    He stopped abruptly and lifted himself up to look at her, "Anything else you like?"

    Chloe blushed again. Yes. She wanted to try out a lot of things but she couldn''t tell him. He had agreed to come this far with her, she didn''t want to scare him away with her demands. Besides, if they went too far, it may end up in s.e.x and they both hadn''t been prepared for it.

    "What about you?" She asked.

    "Me? I''m fine." She could tell he was blushing too.

    "You are not. You can hump on me with your shorts on. I think it''ll make you feel better."

    "But..."

    "I won''t let you go to bed like that." She said sternly.

    It was a very tempting offer so he didn''t argue much. He settled himself between her parted legs but before he could start, she pulled the duvet which had been covering her lower part, away.

    He was shocked to stupor when he lowered himself and was met with something wet. He only just realised now that she was completely n.a.k.e.d. His short was made from a thin material so his stiff part felt ''her''.

    The contact made them both m.o.a.n. He lost control and kept humping on her repeatedly.

    Their m.o.a.ns grew louder until he jumped up from the bed and ran to the bathroom, bumping into a few things on the way.

    Chloe knew what was happening so she left out a soft chuckle. Female orgasm was usually rare. So it didn''t matter that she didn''t receive hers, at least he was happy. She thought to herself as she heard the shower in the bathroom come on.

 Chapter 293 - A delivery

    Mia wasn''t sure when she fell asleep last night. She had been awake for a few hours and when she closed her eyes a little and opened it again, it was morning.

    The first thing she did was to check her phone for any missed calls and surprsingly, she had two missed calls. She looked at Leo''s name on the screen with mixed feelings. How come he was suddenly calling her now? Was it by chance because Cherry had spoken with her and he was aware?

    She wasn''t so eager to call back. She also noticed a text message and was reluctant to open it. One part of her mind told her she wouldn''t like content of the message.

    Instead, she went to the bathroom to brush her teeth as well as to shower. When she was done, she left her room and went to the kitchen to get a bottle of water and found Chloe making some french toast.

    "Good morning!" Chloe greeted over her shoulder before returning her gaze to the pan on the fire. "How do you feel now?"

    "Good. Thanks." Mia assured her before going to take a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

    "Where is Jeremy?" Mia asked.

    Chloe turned the stove off and when she turned around, Mia swore she could make out a faint blush from her cheeks as she answered, "He left early. He went to pick up Ellie from Mrs Wesley''s place."

    Mia didn''t think much of it. She wanted to leave the kitchen but Chloe stopped her.

    "I made breakfast for two. Let''s eat together."

    Mia gave her a strange look. It was weird to see Chloe being all friendly when she knew how the girl normally was.

    Her stomach took that moment to grumble so she didn''t fight it and sat down while watching Chloe serve them.

    Chloe sat beside her and ate slowly without saying a word but Mia could tell she had something she wanted to say to her.

    "You can say whatever you want to say." Mia permitted her.

    Chloe wanted to deny she didn''t have anything to say to her, but she didn''t.

    "Look, I am not the best person to console a person, neither do I usually care about what is going on in other people''s lives, but I worry about you.... a lot." She added. Mia raised her head and the two girls locked eyes.

    "And it''s not because you studied with me during the exams and made my grades go up, but because I have taken you as a friend. You are Jeremy''s friend, and also my brother''s girlfriend and I have never seen him care about anyone else like he cares about you."

    ''Not even Cherry?'' Mia wanted to ask.

    How come he hadn''t told her Cherry was with him? How come he didn''t mention it had been her phone he called her with the first time?

    How long have they been together? Was she the reason he called her less lately?

    "You also make Jeremy worry about you."

    "I am sorry." She said while looking down at her plate.

    "I just... have been going through a lot lately." It has been back to back heartache for her.

    From realizing her mother and sister sold her off to marry their creditor''s sick son, to finding out her sister hadn''t been missing all along but she had been bearing all the trouble, to realizing she wasn''t their biological family, to finding out her real mother was dead and her father sold himself off and was also dead. And now, her boyfriend was in the same space with his ex girlfriend. It was a miracle she hadn''t committed suicide from everything already.

    "I know you have been going through a lot. I noticed it." Chloe assured her. "I overheard Louis talking to a therapist and I guess it''s for you. I think you should consider it." Chloe suggested.

    "We are graduates now. We need to start our lives for real. You cannot keep hiding yourself inside. If it''s about the money ��"

    "I can afford a therapist." Mia cut in. She didn''t have much money left but she didn''t want to worry anyone with her affairs, especially one from the King''s family. She had rejected their mother''s offer and swore she was going to rise on her own. She couldn''t ask for their help now.

    "It may be expensive, but I think it''s worth it." Chloe said with a small smile. Since she had never had a younger one, she felt like a big sister.

    "Thanks."

    The two left the kitchen when they finished breakfast. Just as Mia was about to enter her room, the doorbell rang.

    "Are you expecting anyone?" Chloe asked Mia since she didn''t think it was Jeremy.

    When Mia shook her head, Chloe went to check who was at the door and opened it.

    It was a delivery man who mentioned he was looking for Miss Mia Lucas.

    Mia frowned in confusion. She hadn''t ordered for anything.

    She approached the man who gave her a small box and after she signed, she took it with her inside her room, ignoring Chloe''s curious eyes.

    When she unwrapped the parcel, she saw a CD plate. She wouldn''t get any answer if she continued to look at it while wondering what it was unless she played it. So she reached for her laptop and slot the disc in.

    She placed the laptop on her bed and sat down there as she waited for it to play.

    When it started, the first thing she saw was a video of herself. It was of the night she had stayed in the cottage by the beach with Leo. He had asked her to say hello to the camera.

    She looked at herself. She remembered how happy she was then.

    When she disappeared from the screen, a song started to play in the background. It was Justin Bieber''s "Anyone".

    Leo appeared on the screen. He was smiling at her as he spoke, "Hey babe! I''m sure you''re watching this without me. I really wanted to make sure this video was properly edited before letting you watch it..." He looked like he didn''t know what else to say and burst into laughter.

 Chapter 294 - Confession

    Mia laughed. Tears was also dropping from her eyes.

    "Have fun watching how amazing my girlfriend is! I love you. I hope you''ll never forget that." He smiled broadly and waved at the screen before he disappeared from the screen.

    She looked at the pictures all over the wall which had been captured from the video. Now, she was watching the real video.

    She saw herself trying to pose for the photos. Leo said something that made her laugh.

    With every lyrics of the song, a similar image appeared on the screen.

    (????Dance with me under the diamonds???? ) An image of the two of them dancing in the cottage appeared on the screen.

    (See me like breath in the cold)

    (Sleep with me here in the silence) The picture of the two of them lying down on the bed inside the cottage appeared on the screen.

    (Come kiss me, silver and gold) A picture of them kissing during their dance popped up.

    (????You say that I won''t lose you

    But you can''t predict the future

    So, just hold on like you will never let go????) A video of her laughing while pulling him into the cold water with Leo screaming surfaced on the screen. A chuckle escaped her lips when she remembered that day.

    ????Yeah, if you ever move on without me

    I need to make sure you know

    That you are the only one I''ll ever love

    (I gotta tell ya, gotta tell ya)

    Yeah, you, if it''s not you, it''s not anyone

    (I gotta tell ya, gotta tell ya)

    Looking back on my life, you''re the only good I''ve ever done (ever done)

    Yeah, you, if it''s not you, it''s not anyone (anyone)

    Not anyone...????

    ????Forever''s not enough time to (no)

    Love you the way that I want (love you the way that I want)

    ''Cause every morning I find you (no)

    I fear the day that I don''t

    You say that I won''t��????

    Tears filled her eyes as she watched it for the next 30 minutes. This video came at the right time when she was beginning to doubt his feelings for her.

    He was the only good thing in her life and she wasn''t sure she could let him go because of this. He had always been there from the beginning. Treating her when she was sick, taking her to the hospital, feeding her, paying off her debts, buying her things, helping her find her father.

    What was she thinking trying to doubt his feelings?

    "You are the only one I''ll ever love."

    She picked up her phone and dialed his number. She didn''t mind the international charges, she just wanted to hear his voice.

    The call disconnected after a ring. She was about to dial it again when his call came.

    Immediately, she answered the call.

    "Babe? Sorry I hung up earlier, I wanted to call you instead since I knew the international charges were quite high��" When she heard his worried voice, she broke down in tears.

    "Hey! What''s wrong with you? Stop crying please."

    "I''m sorry. I''m so sorry..." She apologized as she broke into louder sobs.

    "What are you sorry for?"

    "I am sorry I thought about doubting you. I was only jealous after speaking with Cherry and I...."

    "What?! You spoke with Cherry? Oh my God! F.u.c.k! Babe, I''m so sorry I didn''t tell you about it. Please calm down and listen to me. I really have nothing to do with her and��"

    "I know. I know!" She assured him and sniffled loudly. "I just... I... trust you. I was just.. confused a little bit."

    "If she told you anything, It''s a lie. I don''t even talk to her!"

    "I didn''t give her a chance to tell me anything. I ended the call."

    "I am sorry. I just.. thought it would be better to keep it from you so you wouldn''t overthink it whenever I am too busy and cannot call you. I didn''t think things would turn out this way. I love you and I miss you. It''s just you Mia. Please believe me. I don''t want you to ever doubt me. I... will die."

    "I believe you." She said, still trying to stop her tears but when she remembered something, she began to cry again.

    "I am really sorry Leo. I... I got drunk and confused and almost k-iss-ed Louis." She confessed.

    "WHAT THE HELL! He touched you?" He asked in a voice filled with rage.

    "No. *sniffs* It was my fault. He stopped me and took me home."

    She heard him sigh in relief. "I regret taking up this job Mia. I can''t believe you are going through all this and I am here shooting some stupid movie. I''ll make sure to ask for a longer break and spend enough time with you."

    "Please do." She said eagerly. "I... miss you. A lot."

    "I miss you more. And congrats on graduating as the top student. You deserved it for all your hardwork."

    They talked some more and Mia told him about her plans to go for therapy which he eagerly agreed to.

    "Louis knows really good people. I''m sure he can get you one.. I''ll handle the payments so you just need to go there."

    "I have some money with me." She lied. She really didn''t want him to take care of all that. She could go look for part time jobs and use the money to pay a therapist. She wasn''t sure she was ready for any full time job when she was still mentally down.

    "Then use it for something really important. As my baby, I''ll take care of you. And please... try not to get drunk anymore so you wouldn''t make any mistakes. I''m more good looking than that ugly brother of mine. I''m really disappointed in your eyesight Mia Lucas." He joked.

    "I''m sorry. I won''t drink ever again."

    "I hope so. Do not skip your meals and always take your meds. Okay?"

    "Okay."

 Chapter 295 - A.d.u.l.t life.

    Just as Leo had suggested, Mia decided to have a positive outlook towards life. She ate well, took her meds and visited therapy for the next three weeks. At first, therapy was difficult because she didn''t know exactly what to say but the middle aged woman was nice and made her feel comfortable. She didn''t feel like a patient around the woman because sometimes, the woman suggested for them to go out and have a cup of coffee or just walk around then she would throw a few normal questions to Mia. Mia would answer them comfortably and the woman would nod like she had gotten something out of it to help her heal even though Mia didn''t think there was anything important in those pieces of information she gave to her.

    But in general, she realised she was becoming better. She also stopped locking herself in but instead, she went out more even if it''s just to buy groceries or get a snack.

    Leo didn''t fail to call her either. His calls weren''t still consistent, but he called whenever he was free.

    She also spoke more with her friends James and Mira and they seemed really excited about her sudden change since they could tell something had been off with her lately.

    "How are you preparing for graduation?" Mia asked Mira when the three facetimed that evening.

    "Sweet! I can''t wait to return! Remember we''re going to be living together? I hope you haven''t changed your mind?"

    Mia laughed. Mira always reminded her about that. And honestly, she didn''t mind living together with Mira and James. Also, she knew Mira wouldn''t want to be returning home since her parents had signed the divorce papers so she wanted to be there for her friend.

    "I haven''t forgotten. But I''ll need to save a lot for that!" Mia said.

    "You should! Work your ass off, you graduate and let''s buy a house!" Mira said passionately.

    "Hey! You are going to far. We aren''t buying a house. We are only renting one that is cheap by the way."

    James resumed on camera since he had been busy trying so submit an assignment through his mail and heard the girls talking about buying houses.

    "Who is buying a house?" He asked curiously.

    "No one. I was only correcting Mira."

    "How is it with you?" Mia asked him.

    "I don''t know. I think I''m getting lazier by the day since graduation is near. Just three months and I''m out of this damn school!"

    "Aww... you are going to be a doctor soon!" Mira squealed.

    He huffed. "I wish it was that easy. But I think with all I have achieved so far and with the recommendation from my school, I can find my way quickly before I go higher in rank."

    "Any hospitals in mind yet?" Mia asked.

    "KING''S HOSPITAL of course. What better hospital to work in than there?" He winked at Mia.

    "You probably do not need to try too hard. Mia can speak to her in-laws to get you a good position."

    "Haha! Very funny." Mia rolled her eyes. If only they knew her ordeal with Mrs King.

    They talked some more and James reminded them not to forget he was also going to be living with them.

    "So if you two impatient rats think about getting a house before I get there, make sure there is a room for me. And I want the biggest!" He said and blew them a kiss before going off.

    Mira giggled. "He is an idiot. I don''t know why he is so interested in living with us girls."

    "Well... it''s not really a bad idea." Mia shrugged.

    "Yea. Until your boyfriend hears of it. I''m sure Leo would be knocking on our door every second."

    It reminded her of the first time Leo saw James. Then, she didn''t know what was happening, but now she understood better and remembered how he kept knocking on the door asking for a pen and then after returning it, he came again to ask for an hair brush.

    When they were done with the call, she shut down her laptop and began to think about the way forward. She thought she was mentally fit now to search for a job.

    She flinched in shock when she heard a loud scream in the living room. It took her a few seconds to realise it was Jeremy.

    When did he come?

    She left the room for the living room and saw him twirling a yelling Chloe around. He had a big smile on her face.

    He didn''t still notice she was there when he dropped Chloe on the floor and cupped her cheeks before he kissed her on the lips.

    "I got the job!" He informed Chloe.

    "You did?" Mia asked. It was only now that they both saw her and Chloe''s face flushed but Jeremy didn''t mind. He nodded excitedly.

    "Wow! Congratulations." Mia said with a genuine smile. She knew how worried he had been for days while waiting for their mail. He had declined both his father and Mrs Wesley''s offer to work in their companies because he wanted to make it on his own. But he had accepted to use them as his references.

    "I am happy for you." Chloe said while smiling at him proudly. She really was. It wasn''t a small company but one of the biggest automobile companies in the country and he had applied to work in the financial department. And the pay was quite high. Very high!

    "Let''s go out tonight. Drinks on me!"

    Mia followed, but she made sure to stick with a non alcoholic beverage instead.

    "So have you decided yet what company you want to work for?" Jeremy asked Chloe.

    She hadn''t even bothered to send out her CV to any organisation but she had been receiving a lot of mails with job offers. She was sure it was because of her last name.

    She hadn''t yet accepted any yet for reasons best known to her.

    "I am still thinking about it." She answered.

    "Just go back to your business." Mia chipped in, making the two turn to look at her.

    Chloe especially, looked surprised.

    "It''s not about pride. It''s yours! You spent years, building it to the height it is. Your time, efforts and sweat are all in there. It is what you deserve so you should take back what is yours."

    Mia had talked about this with Leo and she had a lot of knowledge about this. Her parents didn''t have any right to take it back even if it had been a gift from them.

    Chloe looked like she was thinking about it seriously. She came to a conclusion and nodded, "I will!" And she was also going to make sure her parents do not have any financial rights or monitor her bank account just like they have always done.

    Mia smiled while Jeremy clicked her glass with his.

    "So what about you Mia? Anything yet?" Chloe asked her.

    There was nothing. Nothing at all.

    And she realised she had to start doing something especially if she wanted to rent that apartment with Mira and James.

 Chapter 296 - Unexpected confession

    "I hope I didn''t keep you waiting for too long. There was an emergency and I couldn''t leave." Louis said apologetically when Mia entered inside his office with a basket of fruit in her hand.

    "It''s fine. I don''t have any place to be right now so I didn''t mind waiting." Mia answered. She had waited for more than an hour but it didn''t matter. She was seeing him now.

    "You look a lot better than you were a few weeks ago. I am happy for you." Louis told Mia sincerely. He didn''t look as harsh as he usually looked while forcing her to receive treatment.

    "I came to thank you for it." Mia placed the basket of fruits on his desk. "I didn''t know the one you liked so I bought a variety."

    "These are... much..." He said, eyeing the basket.

    "I did what I had to do as your doctor. You didn''t have to do this."

    She shook her head. "I owe you a lot. I''m not sure what I would have been doing now had it not been for you."

    He flashed her a smile before he gestured at the seat opposite his, "Please sit. And let me know what you would like. Juice? Water? Tea or coffee?"

    He asked as he stood up.

    "Nothing actually. I didn''t plan to spend a long time here. Just wanted to thank you and head out."

    "What''s the rush? You still find me creepy?" He asked, sitting back down while looking at her but not with his usual creepy stare.

    Mia laughed. "Well... I think my perception of you changed a great deal lately."

    He croaked a laugh, "Yea, right!"

    They were both quiet before she spoke again, "I actually didn''t like you at first, but then I realised you are a good brother to both Leo and Chloe and they trust you."

    "So you are saying you like me now?" He asked with a smirk.

    "I didn''t say I ''like'' you. I am only saying you are better than what I imagined you were."

    "And what else did you imagine me as aside from creepy?"

    "You are asking too many questions." Mia pointed out.

    He relaxed his back on his seat and crossed his arms across his chest while giving her his full attention. The gesture reminded her a lot of Leo but she quickly shook the thought out of her head.

    "I like to know what you think of me."

    She frowned a little, "You shouldn''t care about that. Since you know..."

    "You are my brother''s girlfriend, I am aware of that." He nodded. "If I wanted you for myself, it wouldn''t have been a difficult feat."

    "What?" This time, her frown deepened and he chuckled.

    "Do you know why Leo trusts I can take proper care of you while you were sick?" He asked, moving closer to rest his elbows on his desk.

    When she didn''t answer, he supplied the answer.

    "Because he knows I like you."

    Mia''s mouth fell open at that confession. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words found their way out.

    He smirked. "You do not have to be surprised. He knows I do like you and he is also aware I am very reasonable. I cannot let my emotions get the best of me. That is why he trusts me a lot."

    "And stop looking at me like that. I really do not have any intention of pursuing you. I know you like Leo and he likes you too. He is going to kill me if I try anything silly. He already called me to warn me not to let you get confused again and even suggested I shave my hair and start wearing lenses. You know... I was really surprised to know you told him about that night."

    "I... don''t think I had a choice. I don''t keep things away from him."

    "And that is why I cannot ruin such a beautiful relationship between you two no matter how much I am tempted to."

    "You... are quite confident. You wouldn''t have been able to ruin us. I''ll always choose him."

    He smiled and said nothing.

    "Why... are you telling me all of this?" She asked quietly.

    "Because I thought it was best to let you know. It''s sucks not telling people how you truly feel about them. As a doctor, we know how precious and fickle life can be. You can see a healthy person now and in the next hour, they are no more. "Do not think about what I said just now. It''s really not important. But I just didn''t like it when you look at me, hoping it is Leo��"

    A page came from the intercom inside his office, asking for Doctor Louis to come to the ER.

    "Off I go!" He stood up immediately and began to reach for his coat.

    "It was nice seeing you today Mia Lucas."

    After Mia left, she went back to Leo''s apartment. She realised she had missed a call from Mr B but refused to call back. She was lost in thought as she continued to think about her conversation with Louis. But she decided to put that aside and get busy instead. She picked up her laptop and continued to work on her resum�� until she heard a knock on her door.

    When she opened the door, she saw Chloe standing there with a big smile on her face.

    "I did it!" She said excitedly before surprsingly pulling Mia into a hug.

    It felt very weird and awkward but thankfully, Chloe pulled away from the hug quickly to narrate,

    "So I took a lawyer to meet my parents and officially demanded to get my business back, with full control of everything. And it was easier than I expected. I have it back, Mia!"

    Mia had never seen Chloe so happy and she was truly happy for her.

    "Thank you for suggesting it to me. I think I needed that extra push."

    "Congratulations. It''s yours and it''s what you deserve." Mia said.

    Chloe nodded. "I cannot wait to tell Jeremy about it tonight. I am just afraid he is going to spin me around until I lose consciousness."

    Mia laughed. She still couldn''t believe how Jeremy was able to change Chloe so much. But the only one who saw this side of her was just her and Jeremy. Chloe still acted cold to other people.

    "So I was thinking..." Chloe started speaking while looking serious, "Would you like to work in the Mall?"

    (PLEASE, READ THE AUTHOR''S NOTE)

 Chapter 297 - Familiar stranger

    One evening after work, Mia sat in the living room with Jeremy, Ellie and Chloe. She had gone job hunting that week and even the week before, but despite the fact that she had good grades, life was all about connection. If you didn''t have a good connection, you may rot wherever you are. Take for example, Jeremy. His grades wasn''t better than hers, but having recommendations from Mrs Wesley and Mr Hank placed him at an advantage. Chloe also, she didn''t even send out any application but got different job offers. But she had been searching for the past 2 weeks but there was still nothing. Favouritism and nepotism have taken over the world.

    She had turned down Chloe''s offer to work in the mall. If she accepted it, what was then going to be her pride when she faced the King couple? She had to do it all herself and stand on her feet just like Jeremy and Chloe. Mira was going to be graduating next week and she knew it wouldn''t be difficult for her to find a job. Same goes for James. He was going ro be graduating in less than 3 months and she was certain a spot in King''s hospital was already waiting for him, courtesy of his parents. Since she had herself to rely on, she was going to make it on her own no matter what.

    But today was another day to feel dejected. Nothing positive even after two weeks, but she refused to lock herself inside her room, thinking about how unlucky she was. She sat with the others and watched a movie with them. When the movie was over, Chloe switched to the news channel.

    Mia wasn''t a fan of listening to the news, but she sat there anyway. Ellie was the first to doze off.

    By the time the 9pm news came on, Mia sat up to look at the TV with wide eyes.

    They had caught him. The loan shark who killed her father and sold his organs. The police finally caught him!

    The newscaster mentioned names of the victims would not be disclosed except to their families and Mia was thankful for that. She didn''t want people to know what had happened to her father and she was sure the other families would feel the same way. It was not something to be proud of. And the last thing she needed, was pity because that was probably going to throw her into a more depressive state.

    "Wow! People are so heartless. I cannot believe something like this has been going on in this country." Jeremy said in shock.

    "I feel bad for the victims. What would their families do? This is so inhumane and I hope he rots in jail with every of his accomplice." Chloe added as she watched in horror.

    Chloe and Jeremy looked at Mia who stood up immediately and hurried to her room. It didn''t take long before she came out with her purse and was heading towards the door.

    "Is everything alright?"

    "Where are you going to by this time of the night?"

    Chloe and Jeremy asked at the same time but she had already opened the door.

    "I''ll be back." She said before she disappeared.

    She got to the police station a few minutes to 10 in the nught and met quite a crowd of wailing people outside, trying to get in but they were all refused entry because of the number of people.

    Men, women, young and old people. They were all there demanding answers to their questions and wanting to see the man who had killed their loved ones. Husbands, wives, mothers, father, children and even grandchildren.

    The sight made Mia to weep. Mia knew the man wasn''t in the police station at the moment. They must have taken him somewhere else before releasing the news to the public. If the man was inside and the police allowed those people inside the station, Mia was sure the man would be dead before she even got inside.

    She wanted to be sure justice would be served and he would rot in jail with hard labour. Because a quick death would be too merciful.

    She didn''t know when morning came. She just found herself hurdled in one corner while hugging herself. Her face was probably very puffy from all the tears she shed the previous night.

    The crowd had reduced by morning. Along the line, a lot of people returned home last night but she knew it wasn''t going to end anytime soon.

    She stood up with wobbly feet and walked to the entrance of the police station. The place was still blocked from entry but she refused to return home. Maybe a part of her wanted to hear the man directly say her father was alive somewhere and the journal the police found the other time was fake.

    She looked back when a line of three black cars stopped beside her in front of the police station. A man got down from the passenger''s seat from the car in the middle and opened the back door for a middle aged man who was wearing a black suit. His gaze looked cold as he approached the police station and he was immediately allowed inside with another man following closely behind him.

    Seeing this, Mia followed. She hoped to catch up before the place would be blocked again but unfortunately for her, she was held back.

    "Why can''t I go in? Didn''t that man go in just now?" Mia asked, her voice filled with anger and frustration.

    "I''m sorry miss, but you cannot go in for now."

    "But you just allowed him in! I demand answers too!"

    The man who had just entered turned around to look at the commotion behind him.

    "Miss.." He called, looking directly at Mia.

    Mia calmed down to listen to him.

    "We apologize for this, but if we let you in, others would also want to go in. So let me know your questions and I''ll see if I have answers to them."

    Mia looked around, there were still some people waiting to get in. There was no doubt that if she went in, others would follow.

    "Who... are you?" She asked the man respectfully. She had to know who he was before asking me anything.

    He took out a card from his inner pocket and handed it over to her, she looked at it and saw the name "Solomon Van, High Commissioner for Human Right."

    She looked up at the man''s face. He was looking at her with sympathy and something else she could not place.

    Solomon Van. Why did his name sound so familiar.

    "By chance... have we met before?" He was the first to ask which meant they really must have met before since his name sounded familiar.

    "I... don''t remember."

    "What is your name?" He asked.

    "Mia. Mia Lucas."

    "Lucas? By chance... are you a relative of Mr Joe Lucas?"

 Chapter 298 - Familiar friend

    Mia waited nervously for Mr Solomon to arrive. He had sounded like he knew her father very well and he had been surprised to see her. She couldn''t quite remember him yet, but she knew she was going to once they started speaking.

    He had seen the way she looked earlier and advised her to go freshen up at home and come to his office by 11 am. When he noticed how skeptical she was to leave, he assured her he would create a time for them to talk by 11 am since he had a lot of work piled up.

    He had even asked for her to be dropped off in her house.

    So by 10am, she was already waiting outside his office. She had even arrived there earlier but the security check had been quite strict even when they knew the high commissioner himself had asked her to come over.

    The building gave her a feeling of nostalgia. She remembered the first time she had followed her father into the National Assembly. Never had she imagined that she would come here again. A lot of things, especially the interior had changed greatly. The place looked grander, exquisitely furnished, clean and movements were restricted and orderly. Armed security personnels patrolled the place with, and in almost every corner, there was the national flag and coat of arm reminding her of where she was. This was the most important place in the country.

    Solomon Van appeared at exactly 10:55 am. There were a few people having a serious conversation with him and he didn''t notice her presence as they all went in. Mia didn''t mind. This was normal with Politicians. They may have an appointment set by 1 but at that time, they had were probably in a impromptu meeting or there is an emergency to be taken care of. Judging from what had recently happened, she knew the man wouldn''t have enough free time.

    By 11:35, she was asked to go inside.

    "I am so sorry for keeping you waiting. It was an emergency." He sincerely apologized as he gestured at the seat across his. His office was twice bigger than Leo''s room and also furnished exquisitely.

    "It''s fine. I am glad I got to meet you at least." She said modestly as she took the seat.

    As much as she wanted to know how he knew her father, she was more worried about knowing what really happened to her father.

    "Was he... was my father really..."

    "I''m sorry Mia." He said with a sad glint in his eyes. "It... is very unfortunate that he left that way."

    Mia already knew it. But she couldn''t stop her eyes from stinging with tears.

    "What about the culprit. What is going to happen to him? He won''t be put on bail right?"

    "Of course not! His crime is not only a domestic crime but an international crime. He went against the universal principle of human rights of all the nations of the world. He also did illegal trades with other nationals and the victims weren''t from this country alone. He has been handed over to the INTERPOL. I assure you, there is no way he can get away with it."

    Mia nodded and cleaned off the tears that was leaving her eyes.

    "Thank you. I am glad to know this."

    "You deserve to know it." He said as he handed her a tissue. She thanked him again and used it to clean her face.

    "You really don''t remember me?" He asked, looking at her face intently.

    She shook her head. She was surprised to see him laugh a little.

    "You must have forgotten my name since you kept calling me by the nickname you gave me. Remember uncle Diesel?" He asked.

    It only took a few seconds before she gasped. "Uncle... Diesel?" She asked with wide eyes.

    She suddenly remembered when she was very younger. He was her father''s friend and she met him whenever she came here with him. When she heard his name was Van, she asked if he was related to the actor Van Diesel and since then, she began to call him Diesel.

    He had grown a lot older than he looked those days, no wonder she could not recognize him.

    "I see you remember." He laughed a little but his face turned sad again.

    "I was really shocked to hear what happened to your father. When I saw his name, I refused to believe it." He shook his head. "Joe was a good man and I... don''t even know what to say about what happened."

    Mia nodded. She also didn''t know what to say.

    "I also did my best to find him. He suddenly disappeared out of the blue like that. And then you all left. It left me worried for years." When he noticed how much the conversation was making her sad, he changed the topic.

    "How is your mother? And sister?"

    Mia sighed. She didn''t know whether she was supposed to tell him the truth or not since they just met.

    "Is Daisy treating you well?" He asked again.

    Daisy? It was her mother''s name. She went by that name until things turned unfortunate for them and she began to go by her middle name, Linda.

    Mia remembered he was very close with her father back then. So she wanted to try her luck to see if he knew the truth.

    "Why are you asking me that?" She asked, making him fl.u.s.tered.

    "Why wouldn''t my mother treat me well?"

    "I was just..."

    "Did you know?"

    "Know what?"

    "Me and Daisy, did you know?"

    He sighed deeply. "Joe told me everything."

    That was all the confirmation she needed.

    They had really been very close for him to know that.

    "I also know how worried your father always was about you. He never wanted you to find out. How did you find out?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

    "Long story." Mia left it at that. She didn''t see a y point of going into details.

    He didn''t push further and just smiled. "You have grown a lot. I remember when you used to come here and talk about how you wanted to work here someday. Your father also wanted that. Sometimes, he called to ask me for book recommendation for you." He smiled. "Did you go to the university?"

    "Graduated not quite long."

    "Really? That''s great. Your father must be very proud of you! Did you major in politics?"

    "Business."

    "Oh... that''s not bad. I thought you were going to major in politics with how much you enjoyed knowing about it back then."

    Of course Linda hadn''t allowed her!

    "Are you working already?" He asked.

    "No. Still sending out my resum��."

    He looked at her quietly before saying,

    "Look, your father was always good to me. And I know how much he wanted you to succeed. I will be a bad person if I saw this and ignored it. Since I couldn''t help Joe stay alive, I should help his daughter. Why not send your resum�� to my email? I do not have any vacant slot, but I''m sure there should be a spot in here for you and believe me, there are a lot of people willing to help Joe''s daughter."

    Mia looked up in surprise. Was she hearing things correctly? How did it turn out this way?

    "Isn''t... it like.. corruption?" She asked skeptically which made him laugh.

    "How are your grades like?"

    "Best graduating Business student."

    "Then it''s not corruption. You are only reaping the goodness your father sowed." He said with a gentle smile.

    "In case you need anything else, let me know. I know it''s hard losing a father, but you have to be strong and make him proud."

    Mia cleaned her eyes again when tears threatened to fall.

    "I... have one question." Mia said, looking at his face seriously.

    When he nodded for her to go ahead and ask, she asked,

    "If there are a lot of people willing to help me because of my father, why didn''t you all help him when his business was going under?"

    He shook his head sadly. "Joe was a very proud man. We didn''t know. He liked to handle things himself." He paused before he continued. "Before most of us knew, it was already too late. I also didn''t think there was anything we could have done at that point because he was already in the red line of bankruptcy...."

    Yes, her father was proud. The family hadn''t known either until the business crashed and he kept selling things in the house hoping to revive it with any amount he could gather. He had also secretly taken loans.

    "Just be good Mia. You have a long and good life ahead of you. You can take me as your father. I will help you. I promise."

    Mia thought about everything as she went home that day. She had left the house the previous day for the police station, slept outside until morning, bumped into her father''s old friend and now there was a high probability she was going to get a job at the national assembly? How had it gotten to this? She should be excited, but she wasn''t feeling excited. Maybe because her father''s death was still weighing her down. Therapy had helped her, but the news last night had opened up the wound.

    "LOOK OUT!"

    She had been lost in her thought that she didn''t take note of the delivery scooter which was almost going to hit her. But before it did, someone grabbed her waist and pulled her away from there.

    Mia didn''t take time to ask herself why misfortune came whenever something good was about to happen to her. What caught her attention was the voice asking her if she was okay.

    She quickly broke free from the back hug when she realised it was Louis.

    "What are you doing holding me like that?" She turned to ask him. She knew he had just saved her, but the hug reminded her of his confession.

    He looked at her quietly and it took her a moment to also study his face. She looked at him from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet and when her gaze flashed back to his face, she was smiling.

    "Oh my God!" She gasped.

    When he spread his arms, she quickly ran into his embrace.

 Chapter 299 - Home

    "I didn''t know you were such a cry baby until now." Leo said to Mia who was crying in his arms. He had literally carried her bridal style inside the house because she had refused to let him go and was causing people to look at them weirdly since they were standing by the road, hugging while she was crying.

    He had been very surprised to see she was crying since that was the last reaction he had expected.

    "It''s okay Mia. I am here. So stop crying and talk to me." He said softly.

    Mia raised her head from the crook of his neck to look at him with her teary eyes.

    "It''s... really you right?" She asked with a voice filled with hope. Even if he told her it was a prank and he was Louis, she wasn''t sure she would let him go.

    He nodded.

    "I wanted to surprise you. Did it work?" He asked while smiling.

    She nodded. It worked. It really did work! It was a pleasant surprise. She had been going through a lot lately and hoped he would come over even if it was just for a day so she would hug him while he assured her that everything was going to be okay.

    And he was here!

    "I am just so happy to know you are back. You have no idea how happy I am." She said in between tears.

    "I am happier to see you sweetheart. I thought I would go crazy if I stayed one more week without seeing you."

    He cradled her and placed his face on her neck. "God, I missed you." He kissed her neck and moved to her cheek to drop a kiss there, then he returned to her neck but quickly stopped before it would escalate.

    "These are tears of joy. I''m sorry for ruining your shirt." She looked at him softly and touched his cheek. That was the height of it.

    His hand went to the back of her neck and he pulled her towards him until they locked lips.

    Mia was a little surprised but it quickly wore off and she returned the kiss fervently.

    He didn''t try to grope her or run his hands over her body. He just wanted to convey how much he missed her and in between their kiss, he kept whispering it to her.

    When they stopped kissing, he pulled back slowly and smiled as he watched her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips were moist and slightly parted.

    She slowly opened her eyes to look at him and when they locked gaze, they both smiled.

    "I am proud of you Mia." He rubbed her head gently as he spoke.

    "You achieved a lot in school and even during the dancing competition. You were strong despite all that was coming your way. I haven''t seen any woman as strong as you. And you have no idea how proud I am."

    "And I am even happier to know the mystery girl who has always been in one part of my heart, had always been you. If it isn''t fate, what is it?" He asked with a gentle smile.

    "I love you." She said out of the blue, surprising him.

    "I love you. More than you know." He said sincerely.

    Half an hour later, Leo invited Mia inside the kitchen to sit down and wait for him to serve her what he had prepared for her.

    She had tried to insist on ordering something since he was probably tired from the flight, but he insisted on preparing her a meal because she looked thinner than he remembered. She didn''t know how he was able to guess she hadn''t eaten at all that day.

    When she returned to the kitchen, she noticed how stressed he looked. It made her heart ache and at the same time, it warmed her heart seeing how far he was willing to go for her. How could she not love him? Just how?

    He waited until she had eaten halfway before he asked,

    "Why were you absentminded earlier? That bike almost ran into you." He sighed. He was glad he had decided to wait outside for Mia. Maybe she would have been really hurt had be not been there.

    Mia explained everything else to him but kept all about Mr Solomon. She was going to seriously talk to him about it later and no what his take was concerning it.

    "I just... guess I have to accept the fact that he is gone... forever." She said, talking about her father.

    He didn''t say anything. He let her finish her meal and also insisted on doing the dishes despite her protest to leave it for her.

    "You should rest." She pleaded with him.

    He agreed and took her tiny hand in his large one. She didn''t fight it. She followed him inside his room which was now hers and said, "You also look exhausted. We should go to bed."

    It was just past 1 in the afternoon. Chloe and Jeremy were both at work so no one was going to disturb them until evening.

    "I''ll set an alarm for 5pm. That should be enough time for us to rest."

    She didn''t argue. She trusted him with everything.

    They were both spooning on the bed with Mia as the little spoon and Leo''s hand around her. She had never felt so contented in her life just by having someone beside her.

    "Can''t sleep?" He asked.

    "Can''t."

    "Uncomfortable?" He asked again, ready to adjust.

    "No... I''m... just worried I may wake up and not find you beside me." She voiced out.

    "If that happens, check the kitchen or living room, you''ll find me there." He assured her softly.

    "I am really exhausted but I won''t be able to sleep if you are not sleeping. Now go to sleep." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and waited until she slowly drifted off to sleep before he did.

    They weren''t sure they had ever had a more peaceful sleep than this.

    This was HOME

 Chapter 300 - Happy boyfriend

    Chloe was fully concentrated in working when she heard a knock on her door. Assuming it was her PA, she absentmindedly asked the person to come in.

    "Hello there, pretty lady!"

    Chloe''s head snapped up when she saw a smiling Jeremy enter. He was wearing a suit and had his hair tied into a ponytail. She had to admit he looked very handsome whenever he was dressed like this. But there was something else, he never wore a tie unless there was a meeting he had to attend. She wondered how come they allowed him do as he pleased in the office.

    "What are you doing here?" She asked, pleasantly surprised to see him. "It''s still work hours."

    "I missed you."

    She narrowed his eyes to look at him. "We see each other almost everyday. That isn''t a good reason for coming here." After work, he usually come over to her place. Lately, she went to his. Since he got off work before her, he always went home to make dinner for them so she stopped by his place first to eat and took Mia''s with her back.

    "Are you not happy to see me?" He asked, feigning a sad pout. "The others were happy to see me. They even congratulated me for finally having a good job and getting the lady boss. They wanted me to congratulate you for having your job back."

    "Arggh! Those people."

    Chloe stood up and followed him to the couch inside the office before they sat down beside each other.

    "You really aren''t going to tell me why you are here?"

    He sighed and began to complain, "Those girls in the company are annoying. They are always flirting with me and trying to flash their ''assets'' at me. It was very worse today. So I wanted to see my beautiful girlfriend instead."

    She looked him up and down and rested her eyes on his crotch area, "You got tempted by them?" She asked accusingly.

    "Of course not!" He denied passionately while using his hands to cover the area she was looking at. "Why would I be tempted by those girls? You are prettier than all of the��"

    He was silenced by a quick kiss that made him shut up. When she pulled away, she smiled at him and he returned it shyly.

    "Come once in a while to visit me so they''ll know I''m serious about having a girlfriend?" He pleaded. "I even told them my girlfriend is scary but they think I am lying to push them away."

    She brushed away some strands of hair away from his face and nodded. "I will."

    "How come you are here? Don''t you have to get back to work?" She asked. She didn''t want him to get into trouble when it hadn''t been long he started working.

    He snorted. "Those people treat me like a king. At this rate, I''m sure I''ll be getting a promotion soon. Knowing bigshots like Maria and my dad is something. I think my dad actually told them I am his son so they have been trying to suck up. You know how it works, especially now that there is a rumour saying he is a presidential candidate."

    "Really?" Chloe asked.

    "Yes. Just this morning, I was invited to the office and given a check. I was told it''s a bonus for joining the company. Can you imagine that?" He laughed.

    "Wow!" Chloe exclaimed. "Do you think they are doing it under the instruction of your father?"

    "I suspect so. But I don''t care anymore." He grinned. "It''s another reason I came here. I wanted to take my baby out."

    She looked at him in amus_e_m_e_nt. "Me?"

    "Yea." He smiled. "I have always been worried since I didn''t have enough to take care of you. Do you know how excited I am now?"

    She laughed. "Are you sure about that? I told you I didn''t mind. You should use the money for yourself and Ellie."

    "It''s quite much. Enough to get you a gift, to get Mia, Ellie and Maria a gift. Besides, I''ll be getting my first paycheck soon. So you see.."

    "I am happy for you." She said sincerely. "You should give your father a gift."

    "I''m thinking about that. Get your purse let''s leave now."

    "What about if we go out during the weekend? We can all just go together. I don''t want them thinking you are taking liberty of the fact that they were being nice to you because of your father. Hmm?"

    He looked disappointed but he nodded. She had a point.

    Chloe looked at her watch. "I have a meeting with the employees soon so I need to get ready."

    "I can''t believe you are sending me away!" He said, feigning hurt.

    Chloe rolled her eyes at him. "You are such a drama queen. I will see you tonight."

    They both stood up and she offered to see him out.

    As they walked out, he asked, "I was wondering, should I cut my hair? A lot of the girls who approach me always try to touch my hair��"

    "I''ll kill you if you do it."

    "But��"

    "No buts. I''ll visit you at work and make sure to pull the hairs of any girl I see trying to flirt with you."

    He chuckled. "I am looking forward to that."

    "Me too."

    "I want us to get couple outfits later."

    Chloe snorted, "That''s childish.... but if you want us to... let''s also get similar bracelets."

    *******

    Mia was the first to wake up. Along the line, they had both seperared and were facing each other now. This room was always dark and the lights were off, so she would have thought it was already late at night if she hadn''t seen the clock and realised it was just a little past 4:30. No wonder she didn''t hear the alarm ring. It wasn''t 5pm yet.

    She looked at Leo''s face which she could fully make out in the darkness. He was sleeping so peacefully.

    "How can you look so handsome even in your sleep?" She whispered.

    She looked at him for close to five minutes before she slowly reached for his face and touched it gently.

    It didn''t matter if he had been promiscuous in the past, it didn''t matter if he had liked Cherry to the point of wanting to marry her. It didn''t matter if Cherry had manipulated her way to work in the same place as him. None of that mattered.

    All that mattered was that she loved him, and he loved her too.

    She had a feeling she would be able to forgive him for anything. That was how much he meant to her.

    His lips tempted her. It wasn''t as if she would be a pervert for kissing him while he was sleeping. He was her boyfriend so it didn''t matter right?

    She moved closer, gently not to wake him up before she pressed her soft lips to his. She didn''t try to deepen the kiss because she didn''t want to wake him up.

    She just remained there with her lips pressed to his until his lips moved and he captured her bottom lip with his.

 Chapter 301 - Sweet confession

    Mia thought he was asleep and was only responding unconsciously to her kiss. But when his tongue slid inside her mouth, she began to rethink it. He was awake! Why did he always catch her in the act?

    She didn''t have the time to think too much about it because the kiss was overwhelming her. She put her full attention into the kiss and soon, there was a battle between both their tongues.

    One would think she would have been a pro at kissing now after all her experience with Leo, but he had always been the one in charge so she was still pretty clueless.

    She decided to try anyway and pushed out her tongue. Soon, their tongues began to fight a battle. He was trying to taste every part of her mouth while she on the otherhand, was using her tongue to push his out.

    Leo didn''t know when he began to laugh while still kissing her. He let her win and withdrew his tongue from her mouth while still laughing.

    She looked at him in confusion, wondering what was so funny.

    "God! You are so adorable sugar." He hugged her, letting her head rest on his c_h_e_s_t.

    "Did... I wake you up?" She asked after a while.

    "When you moved, I woke up."

    "So... you were pretending to be asleep?" She asked, annoyed.

    "Hmm. Wanted to see if you would try to take advantage of an innocent sleeping man."

    "Tch! Innocent my foot." She snorted making him laugh.

    They were both quiet for a while, just hugging each other before his hands began to draw circles in her back.

    Mia noticed he was moving too much and his breathing was a little faster. She also felt his raging hard-on and realised what was causing his restlessness.

    She raised her head from his c_h_e_s_t to look at him and saw him looking down at her. His eyes were filled with... l_u_s_t? It wasn''t l_u_s_t. He d_e_s_i_r_ed her.

    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make you uncomfortable it''s just that... you know..."

    "I know." She nodded. "Why are you apologizing to me?" She could not help but ask.

    He gave her a confused look before he shrugged. "I... don''t know. I don''t just ever want you to be uncomfortable around me or think I am trying to take advantage of you��"

    "Why would I ever think that about you?" She asked again. She looked confused. They were dating and they liked each other. So?

    "You... I..." He furrowed his brows as he tried to think of the best way to say what he wanted to say.

    "Let''s just say I am trying to be s_e_n_s_i_t_i_v_e here. You have been going through a lot."

    "That doesn''t mean I wouldn''t want you." She interrupted.

    He took in a deep breath and slowly released it. "I want you. Everytime. But I want to be sure it''s something you want too. I will never force you against your wish no matter how tempted I am. That is how much I love and respect you Mia Lucas."

    "Leo��"

    "I know you are my girlfriend and I am your boyfriend, but it doesn''t mean I can just jump on you whenever I want without considering you." He looked deeply into her eyes as he confessed, "I want you to know that whatever I feel for you, is more than just having you in bed with me. Seeing you makes my heart flutter. I like to hear your voice. When you are down, when you are crying, I also feel down and sometimes, I cry but not in front of you. Simply seeing your name pop up on my phone''s screen makes me happy. Your pictures brightens my day. I want to be with you every second, every minute. Because you... are my soulmate and I cannot live without you."

    By the time he was done with his confession, his eyes were glistening with tears and Mia had tears in her eyes too.

    "I have never felt this way before for anyone so it is kind of overwhelming. But I wanted to let you know. I want you to believe this words and never doubt my feelings for you."

    "No... one has... ever said... these words to me... before." She said in a broken voice as tears flowed down her eyes.

    "Sorry to say this, but I am glad. At least, I''ll be the only man you''ll ever love."

    She giggled amidst her tears.

    "Look, I cannot believe I am saying this right now, but... if you want, we can always leave all of this until we get married."

    "Really?" She asked, a little surprised.

    "Yes. I want that day to be special. For the two of us."

    Mia smiled and then she laughed before nodding.

    "But..." He started again.

    "We can do other things to give you p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e." He winked at her.

    "W...hat?" She asked in confusion.

    "I have a mouth and hands." He smiled mischievously which made her blush.

    The next one hour, he spent it giving her the p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e she never knew until she was writhing beneath him. There was no part of her body his lips and hands didn''t explore. When he was done, he looked at her flushed face and smiled.

    "You are so beautiful."

    She slowly opened her eyes to look at him before weakly shutting them back.

    After a while, he spoke again.

    "I only have a week to spend here." He paused before adding, "Come with me this time."

    She opened her eyes to look at him again, this time, she kept her eyes on his face longer.

    "Is something wrong?" He asked.

    She sat up on the bed, making sure the duvet covered her body and looked at him.

    "There... is a probability I''ll get a job at the National Assembly. Maybe not as a politician for now, but I can climb my way up."

    "Really?" He asked in surprise.

    She told him all about Solomon Van. And also told him about her plan to get a place with James��

    "WITH JAMES?!!!"

    "Calm down! And Mira." She quickly added. "The three of us. Mira is coming soon so we''ll get a place before James graduates and I need money for that so I need to work. This has been our plan from when we were younger." She didn''t think it would make sense to just follow him to his place of work when all her mates were starting to build their lives. Wouldn''t that make his mother look down on her more?

    It was Leo''s turn to look conflicted.

    But he was very understanding so he nodded. It was her dream anyway and he had to be happy for her.

    "But you have to promise me one thing."

    "What is it?"

    "When we are done shooting the movie and I return, we will get married." He said seriously.

 Chapter 302 - Happy ending or a New beginning?

    A week went by in a blur. Mia and Leo made sure to spend as much time together since they knew it wouldn''t be long before he would be boarding a flight back to work. As much as they were happy to be with each other, there was a lingering sadness there. He may not get another break to return until the next 20 months. The only time they stayed apart during this week, was when he went to see Richard and Louis. Oh! And also Jeremy.

    On the first night he had arrived, he realised Chloe didn''t return at all that evening which made him worried and that was when Mia told him about her progress with Jeremy and the fact that she was usually with him most evenings. He hadn''t taken it lightly and the next morning when she woke up, Leo wasn''t beside her.

    As early as 6am, Leo was in front of Jeremy''s house since he wanted to meet him before he went to work. And to his surprise, he saw Chloe leaving. To his shock this time, it was Chloe who first kissed him goodbye.

    "HEY!" He interrupted their kiss while glaring at them. Chloe jumped apart from Jeremy to look at the intruder and got the shock of his life when she saw Leo. When did he arrive?

    Jeremy also knew it was Leo. Louis would never glare at him like that or be so jobless to come here this early in the morning.

    "What do you think you are doing with my sister?" He barked at Jeremy.

    Chloe quickly stood in between both guys when Leo continued to approach.

    "You... didn''t tell him?" Jeremy asked Chloe in a loud whisper.

    "Tell me what? That you forced her to date you?"

    "I didn''t force her!"

    "He didn''t force me!"

    "Why else would she date you? You allowed a young girl spend the night at your place? What kind of an irresponsible man are you?"

    "Mia sleeps in your place! Did I ever try to force her out?"

    "Why would you even think about forcing her out when she is my girlfriend?"

    "Chloe is also my girlfriend!"

    "She is my sister!"

    "And Mia is like a sister to me. She is also my best friend!"

    "Why would Mia be your best friend when she is my best friend and girlfriend?"

    Chloe looked at the two in disbelief as they bantered back and forth.

    "What is going on?" Ellie came out of the house to ask when she heard her brother quarreling with someone.

    "Leo... let''s go home, I will explain it all to you later. Please?" Chloe pleaded while Jeremy tried to make his sister return inside.

    "Leo? Is that your brother, Chloe?" Ellie asked in surprise before she squealed, "He is so handsome!" She tapped her brother and pointed at Leo, "He is my type. I want him."

    Chloe released a heavy sigh. "I can''t deal with all this people!" She said in frustration before walking out on all of them.

    Chloe and Leo took their discussion home where she assured him she liked Jeremy.

    "What do you like about that boy?" He asked in disbelief.

    "I don''t know... I just like him." She answered.

    "What? So you are telling me you''ll say yes if he asks you to marry him?" He asked, his face still showing disbelief.

    When he saw Chloe thinking about it, his eyes widened, "You are even thinking about it!"

    "Can you calm down Leo? I am happy with Jeremy just like you are happy with Mia. I am happy for you so why can''t you be happy for me?"

    "He looks pretty! He drives a fancy official car and looks all m_a_t_u_r_ed and he is earning well. By the time he starts getting tempted by a lot of girls and women and he breaks your heart, I will kill him. And I don''t want to be a murderer so I want to save you from future heartbreak. Oh! His rich father can just decide one day that he has a suitable suitor for him and then what?"

    Chloe snorted in disbelief. "You are overthinking okay? Jeremy loves me. Besides, his father doesn''t have that right over him and even if he does, who is more suitable than Chloe King?"

    He sighed, "If he breaks your heart, I will kill him."

    "Okay." She agreed.

    "We have a deal?" He asked, extending a hand.

    Chloe shook his head and nodded.

    Mia watched from the side and shook her head at his childishness and pettiness. It was Leo after all, so she wasn''t surprised.

    Two significant things happened that week.

    Leo had helped her fix her resum��. So after she sent it to Mr Solomon, she called him to let him know it was in his mail. People like him rarely had the time to go through their personal emails so she thought it necessary to call him. He told her he would get back to her and after four days, he called back with a goodnews, there was a position for her. It was even better than she had expected, and she knew he must have used his influence to grant her the position of an assistant to the Minister of Welfare in the country. And she had to resume the following week.

    Another significant thing that happened that week was clearly obvious on her finger.

    When Leo told her earlier about getting married immediately he returned, she had agreed but she still had been surprised to find a ring on her finger.

    She had also gotten one for him. If she was wearing one, he had to also wear one.

    And just like that, their week came to an end and he was on a flight back to work.

    ****ONE MONTH LATER****

    Mira and Mia checked out their new three bedroom apartment. It was quite big and at the seventh floor of a building which had thirteen floors, all with a nice view of the city.

    Mia''s job had come with an official car and she had been given two options to choose from in regards to her apartment. Either she wanted a yearly housing income or she wanted an official apartment. She had chosen the former because she would be staying with Mira and James for now and once Leo got back, they were going to get a new place and get married after all. They had a great view of the city from this point and as they looked around, they began to visualize how it would look like after furnishing it.

    "I am so happy we are going to be living together finally!" Mira hugged Mia who hugged her back.

    Mia had never been so happy in her life. She had everything she wanted. Friends who loved her, Leo, a good job. Her days of part time jobs were over. Her days of bothering about Mary and Linda was over. Thankfully, they hadn''t made any effort to reach out to her and she hoped it would continue that way.

    She knew now that she would be able to stand in front of the King''s family with her confidence in tact. She was glad she hadn''t accepted Mrs King''s offer no matter how tempting it had been. And she had Mr Solomon Van to thank for it. The man did treat her like his daughter. He always called her whenever he had the chance and had invited her to his home twice to have dinner with his family who were very welcoming.

    "I am happy too." Mia said to her friend with a sincere smile.

    "Let''s call James." Mira said and started face timing with her phone. It didn''t take long for him to appear on the screen.

    Mira showed him around the place and he nodded approvingly. "I want this room!" He said when they showed him one of the rooms.

    "No way! I already called dibs on it!" Mia refused immediately.

    "I want it! I''m going to have Peter take all my stuffs there immediately!"

    "Same Peter who is busy enjoying his college life?" Mira mocked. "Didn''t you say he moved out?"

    "Oh shoot!"

    "Peter moved out?" Mia asked.

    "Yea. He got an apartment with Noah." Mira answered.

    "I feel bad for Rachel. So she''ll be staying alone at home?" Mia asked James.

    "I don''t know." James shrugged. "Or she may move in with the boys. You know how they always banter."

    "That aside, I want that room!" James said persistently but Mia quickly hung up while Mira laughed.

    In a few days from now, James would be graduating and be back here. Mia was curious to see how these two would live together even after she had left them, without falling for each other. Maybe it was going to be just like her and Leo but since they were already friends, the probability of them getting together was kind of high.

    "Let''s go house shopping baby girl" Mira urged her.

    Mia nodded and picked up her bag, "Are you driving or I''m driving?"

    "I''m driving! You really should go for more driving classes before you think about driving me!" Mira said making them both laugh.

    ''Twenty months time...'' Mia thought to herself. She was going to get married to the love of her life.

    She just couldn''t wait for that day to come!

    *******

    AUTHOR''S NOTE:

    WOW! We got here!!!!

    Thank you everyone. You have no idea how grateful I am for this. This was my first ever story here and I am glad I got to finally end it. I wouldn''t have been able to do it without your encouragements.

    Thank you for sticking around, thank you for ignoring the many errors.

    You should not remove this book from your library because when the sequel starts, I''ll inform you with an update here.

    The sequel is going to be centered on Mira and James, and Noah and Rachel. And we''ll also see how Peter tries to kill Noah since he had warned him not to ever think about liking his sister. Hehehe!

    We won''t forget Leo and Mia and also Chloe and Jeremy.

    Let us know who your favourite characters are and also let me know if you are interested in a sequel. I go with whatever you decide.

    PS: I have other books..

    HELLO, MR LI

    IN LOVE WITH A KLEPTO

    BEWARE: SHE''S A DEVIL

    HELLO MR LI: THE CHRISTMAS TRIP.

    You can keep yourself busy before the sequel begins.(if you want)

    Thanks and I love you all!?????????