He became alert instantly. He was a public figure and was bound to have lots of enemies. The room was dark, the curtains were drawn and the light was off, making it difficult to detect who was on the bed.
“Who’s that? Come out here this minute!” he ordered but the person didn’t move. He frowned and walked into the room cautiously. He reached for the switch and the light came on.
“Surprise!” Katty shouted as the room became illuminated.
“I’ll kill you one day, this girl. How did you enter my room?” Ivan asked softly.
“Is that the welcome we get? I just wanted to prank you. It’s been a while since we played.”
Ivan laughed.
“What’s funny? Isn’t it true? It’s been a long time. You have become detached and busy and everything you can think of is work.”
“Katty, do you want me to leave work and come home to play with you? I bet you work too.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Even moments like this, we don’t have it again. You rarely speak to me…”
“… And I’m sure you know why it’s so, right?” Ivan interjected.
Katty felt a lump in her throat and she swallowed. She hadn’t expected Ivan to be very direct when talking to her. Her face fell and her once bright eyes became dull. Ivan smiled and put his arms on her shoulder.
“You don’t need to frown your face. Big bro got you. I’m back now. I have about an hour to wait for grandfather, so, I’ll spend that time with you, okay?”
Katty was delighted. Ivan wanted to spend time with her and most importantly, he didn’t include Daisy. It meant it was their time alone! How excited she was.
“Thank you.”
“So, tell me, how have you been? How’s work and your life in general?”
“Work has been great, I see to it that I don’t overwork myself. That’s what employees and managers are there for. I don’t have to trouble myself and spend the nights in the office like somebody,” she joked and Ivan caught the joke.
“Common, I don’t spend the night at work. You know I have a big project coming up and grandfather also assigned me a task.”
“Ohhh! Yeah! What about it? How’s it going?”
“Tough. That’s all I can say. Those people are stronger than I thought. I’ve used the necessary measures but they were able to withstand all. I’m putting new steps in place and I hope this throws them off.”
Ivan stood up from the bed and unbuttoned his shirt slowly. Katty looked on and fed her eyes with the glorious sight. Ivan had a perfect body which was even accentuated and crowned by his time and effort at the gym. Ivan noticed that Katty wasn’t talking anymore. He turned in her direction and saw she was lost in admiration. He was still unbuttoned and was wearing a singlet but she was already lost. What then will happen if he takes all off?
“You like what you see?”
Katty finally realised she had been staring. She tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to act cool. Admiration and worship were clearly visible in her eyes and Ivan loved that greatly.
“Should I go ahead?” he teased.
Katty’s face turned tomato red and she covered her face in embarrassment. Ivan took of the shirt and his singlet followed suit.
“Wow…this is perfect,” Katty couldn’t help but scream.
“Thank you. Now, you can look all you want.”
“I hope you don’t open your body for other girls?” Katty asked. The thought of Ivan revealing these nice features to other girls brought an inexpiable puff in her chest.
“Are you jealous?”
“Huh? Jealous? For what? Of course not. Why will I be jealous?” she denied.
Ivan lay down on the bed and Katty sat beside him, tracing invisible patterns on his chest and arbs. It was ticklish but Ivan made no attempt to stop her. She liked what she was doing and he wanted her to be happy.
“Who’s the woman in the sitting room with grandfather?” Katty asked.
“That’s Aunty Lily, Daisy’s mother.”
“Daisy’s mother? Where has she been all these years?”
“That’s what Ivan doesn’t know.”
Katty laughed at the face that he put his name in the sentence. She always found it funny whenever he did that.
“Then, has she come to take Daisy?”
“That again, I don’t know. All these answers will fall in place later. She’s still talking to grandfather.”
The truth was that katty secretly hoped Aunty Lily would take Daisy away and never bring her back. She always felt she was in a competition with her.
Daisy stepped out of the car and yawned.
“Why’s she back now I’m an adult and I don’t need help anymore? Why is she back now that I’ve gotten my life all planned up and aligned in the proper direction without her? Mtchew,” she sighed and went towards the house. On getting to the door, she could hear grandfather and her mother speaking but it wasn’t loud or clear enough from her to hear.
“I want nothing but the truth from you. You know you can’t hide anything from me. I’ve know the whole story long ago.”
“Dad, there’s no story. I was only trying to build myself for the past years. Nothing happened. I’m fine.”
She looked very sincere and anyone could tell she was being very honest and truthful.
“Okay. Since you have said nothing happened, it’s alright.”
Lily nearly heaved a sigh of relief but grandfather stood up from his chair.
“I’ll go and get it myself then.”
“Dad? Get what?”
“What I need you to see so that you can stop this whole nonsense pretence of yours.”
“Dad? What do you mean by pretence? I’m being frank with you now.”
She was only greeted by the thumping of grandfather’s stick as he walked away. Some minutes later, Easton returned to the sitting room with a well packaged parcel. Lily stared at it, wondering what it was and the information that could expose her it contained.
“Open and see for yourself.” Easton urged.