BRAN'S POV*
"Well, you don't seem like someone who would reject or back off from the proposal," Uncle Tom said.
I stood from my seat and pocketed my hands.
"If there is nothing else to discuss, I will take my leave," I said I walked out of the meeting room and into my office as my secretary Jo followed.
"What time is my outdoor meeting?" I asked as I pulled off my suit and hung it before taking my seat.
"It is scheduled to hold in 20 minutes sir" she read off the tablet she was holding.
"Get Pierre on the phone," I said, my eyes still locked on my personal phone.
"Alright sir"
Jo was almost about to dial Pierre's number when my phone suddenly rang, it was from Pierre.
"Don't bother about that Jo" I quickly said and gestured with my hands to Jo.
"Alright sir," she said and exited the office.
"Is she at work now?" I picked up the call and said as I gently rubbed both my eyes with my left hand.
"That is why I called sir, she already left the house by the time I returned…..Mrs Reeves said she called for a designated driver" Pierre said over the phone.
"Okay then, come on back to the office" I hung up the call and heard a knock on the door, it was Jo.
"Miss Henna is here to see you, sir"
I let out a deep sigh of frustration.
"Let her in," I said and went on to open up my laptop.
Henna walked in and sat opposite me.
"Good morning Bran, I did not know when you left the house. I had wanted to talk to you" she said with a smile on her lips.
"And you couldn't have waited till I was back to tell me?" I asked, eyes still fixed on what I was doing on my laptop.
"Well I didn't want to raise some sort of suspicion between us with Sophia"
Her words suddenly caught my attention as I looked at her.
"Finally, I get your attention," she said and reached out to her handbag and brought out an invitation as she laid it on the table.
"Here"
"What is this?" I asked with my brows furrowed.
"It is an invitation to my store opening, I would like you to be there"
"I'm sorry I won't be there, I have other appointments to handle," I said nonchalantly.
"I think you would be able to create some time, I mean, we wouldn't want to give the press another news to release would we?" she reached out to touch me but I withdrew my hand.
"They can release whatever news they want Henna, I will be here to take care of it…..now if you don't have anything else to say or do, you can leave my office" I said this with a stern look and went back to what I was doing.
I could tell that she was angry and frustrated as she stood and exited the office with a grunt.
****
Henna got out of the office with anger as she almost bumped into a passerby. Just as soon as she walked out of the office, Tom also walked by the office and saw her.
He immediately stopped and looked back to be sure who he saw.
"Isn't that Henna? Sophia's sister?" Tom asked Jo who was seated at her seat right opposite Bran's office door.
"Yes sir"
"What is she doing here? What business does she have with Bran?" his eyes inquired.
"I am afraid I do not know sir"
"Never mind"
Tom said this and walked out, followed by some of the board members who were in the meeting they had a while ago.
****
*SOPHIA'S POV*
The driver finally drove me to my family's house and dropped me off.
"Thank you," I said and tried to come out of the car.
"Let me help you," the driver said and got down to help me get out of the car.
"Thank you so much," I said again with a smile.
"My pleasure," he said, got back into the car and drove off.
I walked to the door and rang the doorbell about three times before it was opened by our house caretaker.
"Mrs Jules!" my whole set of teeth shined brightly as she immediately gave me a hug.
"Sophia! Oh my goodness this is you" her voice almost as though she was about to break down in tears.
"Come on in," she said with a smile.
"I thought I would never see you again," I said as I limped into the house.
"Same here, it wasn't until I received a call from your father to resume back at the house" Her eyes glistened and the wrinkles under her eyes formed a short smile.
"God I missed you!" I said and hugged her tighter with my eyes closed a bit firmly.
"I missed you too darling" she reciprocated the hug.
I later found my way into the living room with her help as I sat.
"Where is Dad?" I asked and looked around.
"He stepped out for a walk, I am sure he will be back soon honey"
"Okay, thank you, Mrs Jules"
"Not at all," she said this and went about her business.
It has been years since the last time I stepped foot in this house, everything felt so surreal.
I stood from my seat and decided to step into my old room while I waited for my Dad to return from his walk.
Being inside my room after so many years felt all so new, thankfully my Dad did not throw away any of the items in my room and still kept the decor the same.
I then overheard Mrs Jules conversing with someone and I just knew that Dad was back, so I came back to the living room.
"Dad, you're back"
He immediately looked up the moment he heard my voice.
"You're here," he said nonchalantly and went to take his seat.
"Yes, we needed to talk about the news" I finally had my seat.
"That will be all Mrs Jules," he said after she served him a cup of coffee.
Mrs Jules exited the living room right afterwards.
"Care to explain what all of this is about a secret lover?" his voice was void of emotion.
"Is that what you are really bothered about? Whether any of it is true? Whether it would affect your image as a businessman?" I asked.
"What else would I be bothered about if not these? The reason for your marriage with Bran was solely to get back the company and not flirt around with some guy! What are you going to do about the stocks dropping?"
A humourless laugh escaped my lips.
"Flirt with some guy? Stocks dropping?" I asked, a sharp pain twisted in my chest.
"Sophia, I have always accepted and treated you with a free hand because of your sick mother….maybe I should have had Henna marry Bran in the first place."
I raised my brow in confusion.
"What do you mean in the first place? What are you not telling me Dad!?" my mind clouded with more confusion.
"That is not important! You have to find a way to clear this news all over the place"
"Why am I even here!? Tell me, Dad, what else do I have to do to make you see me as your daughter and not some sort of backup plan you and Henna fall back on when you are at your lowest!!" my voice rose, filled with anger and frustration.
The next thing I felt was a slap on my face, the tingling sensation ran all over my face.
My hands trembled as my vision became blurry from the tears that built up in my eyes.
"You never saw me as your daughter, I was just an extra luggage that came with my mother when you took us back in, I wish she were still here" my voice cracked as I tried to hold in the tears.
"Yes! Henna was and will always be my daughter, I failed her enough by having you by mistake with your mother….. I was already building up my happy family before your mother decided to show up on my doorstep with you!" he said with an indifferent expression on his face.
"Then why didn't you have Henna marry into the Garner's family instead? Oh let me guess, I was always the sacrificial lamb"
He threw away his indifferent face to the side.
"I guess you are done playing your emotional manipulation card on me Dad, glad that I could at least see your true self, now I know where I finally stand in this family" my voice eerily calm and devoid of the desperation that once clung to it.
I picked up my handbag and stormed out of the house. Mrs Jules was equally surprised to see me storm out of the house with my sprained ankle.