“Why?” Alyssa asked, but Alexander looked ahead blankly, shaking his head absent-mindedly.
“I don’t care who she’s with.”
“Then why are you mourning here? Shouldn’t you be happy that Eva is off your head?” said Alyssa bitterly. She was clueless why her brother wasn’t pursuing Eva when he really cared about her.
“I’m not mourning. Anyway, you tell me, what brought you here? Weren’t you living with mom and dad?” asked Alexander to divert the topic.
“Mom insulted me badly, and I left home.” Alexander shook his head with disappointment and focused his eyes upon her.
“She’s upset that you aren’t helping dad. Just listen to them and everything will be fine, Lisa.”
“I can’t run such a vast company, Alex. I’m scared. If I fail and the business suffers, I wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. Please appoint a capable CEO, if dad can’t handle it any longer and spare me the ordeal,” she begged, almost in tears while Alexander gaped at her.
“Are you giving up without even trying?” he asked slowly, but Alyssa wasn’t ready to be brainwashed into it. The idea of handling VE Global Finance gave her the jitters, and she spent many a sleepless night mulling over the thought. It wasn’t her cup of tea!
“Yes, I’m happy just the way I am. I have a backend job at Eva’s hospital and I’m fine with it.” Alexander scoffed at the mention of Eva’s name.
“I’m surprised at your attitude! Don’t you have any ambitions?” he got up to pace the floor.
“No, I don’t. I’m not into any mad career race like you and don’t have any goals or ambitions. I just want to earn my bread and enjoy my life. Is that a problem with you all?” she asked angrily, storming out to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. Why did everyone have to be so judgmental? Why couldn’t they just leave her in peace?
“No wonder you’re homeless and wandering about from place to place, depending on others to shelter you. I pity you, Alyssa.” His words angered her all the more, and she stormed back into the bedroom.
“I’m not depending on you. So what difference does it make to you? Anyway, I’m going out. I’ll be back when you leave.” She said, collecting her stuff and dumping them into her suitcase.
“You don’t need to stay here. You can stay in my apartment for as long as you like.”
“No, thanks. I need some breathing space.”
“Why are you so stubborn? I’m not listening to any of your nonsense,” scolded Alexander, grabbing her suitcase and walking out of the apartment with a horrified Alyssa rushing after him.
“Alex, I’m not going with you. Give my suitcase back,” she yelled, but he turned a deaf ear to her protests and went into the elevator with her suitcase. With no other option left, Alyssa locked Eva’s apartment and rushed after him. She handed the keys back to the security guard and ran after her brother, all the way to his car. Anger and frustration boiled inside her but she was helpless. Alexander loaded her suitcase into his car and climbed into the driver’s seat.
“Get in, Alyssa,” he ordered.
“I’ll follow you in mine.”
“No, I’ll have it delivered to our place. So just get in,” he growled impatiently. Alyssa reluctantly climbed into the passenger seat, her whole body seething with anger. Why did he always have to bully her this way? She didn’t wish to stay locked up in his penthouse, completely at his mercy for everything. She knew her friends would never go over to visit her there, especially Eva.
“I don’t like you, Alex. Why can’t you let me live my life in peace? I wish I had died instead of dad,” said Alyssa, feeling miserable. Alexander glared at her angrily.
“Stop wallowing in self-pity. I’m helping you by providing a roof over your head. I’m tired of seeing you beg others for shelter when you can lead a luxurious life of your own. All you need to do is work a little hard.”
“Keep your lectures to yourself, Alexander. I’ll jump off the car if you don’t.” That was enough to shut Alexander up and he scowled the rest of the way to his apartment. Alyssa was too worked up to remember her promise to Nicholas. Alexander’s words pierced her heart and made her fume with anger, but she knew she couldn’t escape this time. She would have to stay with her brother till she could afford a place of her own. Therefore, it was important that she retained this job. The pay was good and she could save to rent a place for herself.
“We’ve reached.” Alyssa looked around to see that they had indeed reached her old apartment complex. Alexander unloaded her suitcase and started towards the elevator without waiting for her. “Hurry, I don’t have all day to babysit you.” Alyssa rolled her eyes and rushed after him into the elevator, still seething with fury at being forced to come here.
“I didn’t ask you to babysit me. Anyway, I’ll be going out for lunch,” she said, suddenly remembering her promise to Nicholas. It was well past lunchtime and he would wait for her.
“With whom? I’m accompanying you,” said Alexander, ignoring her angry glare.
“I’m not going out with Eva. So you don’t need to accompany me everywhere,” she stated, knowing him very well. He might have concluded that she was going out with Eva.
“Then who are you going out with? Nicholas?” he demanded angrily, his hands clenched into tight fists. Alyssa hesitated a little but nodded, knowing how her brother would now react. He punched the nearest wall out of anger and whirled around to face a cowering Alyssa.
“You won’t have anything to do with Nicholas. Is that clear?” he gritted out menacingly. Alyssa’s eyes widened, and she backed a little away from him.
“Why? What has he ever done to you?” she demanded, drawing up a little courage to face him.
“There cannot be anything but hatred between us. I hate his defiance, his insolence. He is playing an underhanded game with you just to defeat me. I’m sure he feels nothing for you. He’ll use you and throw you away like trash. Stay away from him, Lisa,” he warned her angrily.
“No, you’re wrong Alex. This has nothing to do with you,” she tried to correct him, but he refused to listen.
“Really? Tell me then. Has he confessed his undying love for you?” asked Alexander while Alyssa gaped at him dumbfounded by his question. Of course, Nicholas hasn’t because he didn’t love her, but how could she tell him that?
“I knew it. If you meet Nicholas or have anything to do with him, I’ll kill him this time. I won’t allow anyone to play with my sister’s feelings. Now go to the guest room and settle down. When do you have to join work?”
“Tomorrow,” said Alyssa with a sigh. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Nicholas and she looked up at Alexander, who was staring at her phone with surprise. He snatched her phone and ended the call and blocked and deleted his number as well. Alyssa took her phone back and ran towards the guest room to lock herself in. She would go crazy if she stayed here for long.
Nicholas stared at his phone, wondering what just happened. Did she decline his call and block him? Confused, he kept on trying, but the call still didn’t get through. ‘Maybe she’s driving!’ he thought and waited patiently for her while his stomach grumbled for food. No, he wouldn’t eat till she came back with her stuff. She had promised him she would move in today. She had promised to bring him lunch.
The whole day passed by but Nicholas still waited for Alyssa. He tried calling her using his other two numbers, but they too met with the same fate as the previous one. What was wrong with Alyssa? Why was she blocking his numbers? She was fine when she left!
Confused, Nicholas was about to go to Eva’s apartment and find out for himself when his informer called him.
“Yes, Jake. What have you found out?” he asked curiously. Jake Griffith was a trusted employee of theirs who worked in his granny’s house, running odd errands for her, and whenever he was available, he helped Nicholas as well.
“Ms. Van Every has gone with her brother to his apartment this afternoon. She has taken her luggage along with her.” Nicholas’s eyes widened, realizing that she might have moved in with her brother instead of with him.
“Okay, thanks for the update, Jake. You can come back.” Nicholas disconnected the call, but he was extremely upset with Alyssa. How could she move in with her brother after promising him? The doorbell rang and Maria brought him his dinner. After she left, Maxwell came over to visit him.
“Meet her at the hospital tomorrow and ask her. Why do you need to skip meals just because she hasn’t moved in with you? If I would have been you, I would have taken matters into my hands already.”
“And what would you have done?” asked Nicholas in a bored tone.
“Abducted her and taken her to a deserted island to make her mine forever!” he said, winking at a horrified Nicholas.