Ethan POV
I woke up with a start. The loud ringing of a phone has woken me up from a very nice dream.
Releasing a couple of curses, I frantically let my hand roam the bedside table and fetched out the phone.
“So what?” I muttered groggily after picking up the call.
“It’s all done,” Andre’s voice boomed out. “We get his statement and he’s going to testify when we get to court”
“Hmm” I hummed sleepily, massaging my temple.
“But they do not want to go to court. Want to settle this amicably.”
“What do you think?”
“I’m gonna handle this my way.” He replied, “For your brother’s sake.”
I know. His name will surely come out if we take this to court.
A part of me want to punish him, but another part wants me not to.
He is my brother, after all, we can settle this amicably only if he wants.
“Fine!” I groaned. “Can I go back to sleep now?”
Andre snorted. “It’s already past 8, Ethan.”
I rolled my eyes. And so what?
“I’ve got to catch some sleep.”
“Not with everything in mess, dude.”
“Everything is already over,” I grunted.
“You want to be careful, Ethan. Not with Grandpa all fussy and peevish.”
I sighed, mentally cussing Andre. I’d not been good at defending, and what am I doing? Arguing with a legal practitioner?
“Alright,” I mumbled. “Be there in a minute.”
And without waiting for the rest of his admonition, I cut the call and threw the phone on the bed.
“Such a classic asshole.” I cussed.
My eyes darted beside me, but guess Dawn is already out of the bed.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
I’ve not been able to spend some quality time with my kitten, all thanks to that asshole called Nicole.
Heaving another sigh, I slipped down the bed and sauntered into the bathroom.
After all this is over, who knows, I might get Grandpa’s support and be free to date kitten in peace.
After some minutes in the bathroom, I sauntered out of the bathroom, wrapped in a thick black towel to dress up.
Right! I might sincerely be lucky enough. Why won’t I give my sleep up for something that might be good like this?
I quickly put on a tuxedo, wore my shiny black shoes, and climbed my black hair over my shoulder-length blonde one.
Andre was right, doing things that might annoy grandpa when he’s all fussy and furious is not going well with me.
For the time being, I’ll just be the Ethan he desperately wants me to be.
I took a last glance at myself in the mirror.
Satisfied with my look, I made my way downstairs.
“You’re awake?”
Dawn stuffed her mouth with large bacon, not looking up to give me just a glance.
Alright, that hurts! Her food won’t fly away just because she glances at me.
And what’s with her and getting out this early to eat?
“Morning to you too,” I took my seat before her, pouring myself a glass of water. “Did you sleep well?”
“Hmm” Dawn hummed amidst a mouthful of food, complimenting her answer with a few nods. “And you?” She muffled.
“Apart from waking up to discover you are not beside me, I slept well.”
Dawn let out an awkward smile. She gulped down a glass of water and wiped her mouth with the serviettes as she looked up at me.
“Sorry,” she smiled. “I just got a little famished when I opened my eyes this morning.”
I chuckled. Now she looks like a cat with that expression poked on her face.
“And besides,” she continued. “The room seemed a bit stuffy and suffocated.”
I held her hand in mine, my finger gliding over the back of her smooth hand.
“Do you want to go to the company with me today?”
Dawn sighed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “You don’t mind not having your PA with you today, do you?”
Oh! I do mind. Tell me about it.
I frowned, my eyes narrowed. Why does it seem like she’s hiding something from me?
“Kitten…”
“Just tired today, Ethan.” She cut in quickly.
Fine! I decided not to push further. Of course, she does look a bit off-color, and that’s enough to get me worried already
“Fine,” I smiled.
Standing up, I placed a brief kiss on her forehead.
“I’ll be back soon,” I said. “So let’s have fun together when I’m back.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Giving her another brief kiss, I waved her goodbye and sauntered out of the room.
****
“I see you’ve gotten it all sorted.”
Nicole looked up from his phone the moment I entered the almost deserted clothes area.
It’s all done.
Everything is over, and without putting a strain on Nicole’s great name.
It still hurt that I could not punch his face, and neither could I tell grandpa and heaped all the blame back on him.
“Lucky you, Ethan. Our sales are nearly back to normal. The company won’t lose its dignity thanks to you.”
I nodded stiffly, my hands carefully fisted beside me, and my teeth gritted together.
The urged to punch that smile out his face tempting and almost uncontrollable
Why? Of all places, why do I have to meet him here?
“Calm down, Ethan.”
I mumbled, mentally calming myself down.
God knows that it’s not working, no! Not after seeing that devilish smirk on his face.
“What do you think?” I glared. “That you’d have your way with this?”
“No!” Nicole cackled.
Like a mouse being impressed, Nicole slapped his temple softly, his lips stretching in a wider grin. “You might think it’s over, don’t you?”
I cocked my brows, my eyes narrows at the man before me who looked annoyingly calm and bemused.
I sighed. If grandpa is gonna have a word with me, it shouldn’t be somewhere or anywhere around this annoying asshole.
I don’t want to imagine what he’d do again. No! It’s hard enough with him being betrothed to Dawn.
“You’re here, Ethan!”
Grandpa sounded unusually excited as he bounced into the room. His midnight orb glinting under the bright invasion of the sunlight
“You did it, Ethan,” he said happily.
Like a flash, he pulled me into a bear hug, his wrinkled hand soothingly rocking my back up and down. “I’m proud of you, Ethan.”
I smiled. For the first time, I made my hard-hearted grandpa proud. Hey! Is this not the best time to ask for his support to date Dawn?
And talking about Dawn.
I flew my head up just in time a triumphant grin marred Nicole’s face.
What? Why is he grinning? Huh? Why does he look so happy and annoyingly confident?
Is he not supposed to be sad? I mean, his plan backfired. It turned out to get me on grandpa’s brighter sides.
“You both did it,” grandpa broke into my thoughts. “I know I made the right decision when I tried to get you married.”
What? Marriage? With who?
Grandpa pulled away from the hug. He held my face in his, smiling so widely at me it made me uncomfortable.
The last time he smiled like this, it was horrible.
“Grandpa?”
“It’s okay,” he chuckled. “You don’t need to explain yourself, Ethan. You don’t have to be shy.” His smile grew wider.
A horrible thought struck me, but I was quick to discard it.
No! It can’t be. Andre and I worked hard on this, and I shudder to think Grandpa was referring to him.
He won’t get me married to Andre, would he?
Of course not.
My face moved too quickly from Grandpa to Nicole.
Damn! I hate this feeling. The feeling of being watched in the back. Being exposed to danger without knowing your enemy.
That’s how I feel right now. Nicole knows what’s going on, judging by the glint in his eyes, and the grin that marred his face.
He can’t be this happy if grandpa is willing to support my relationship with Dawn.
“I know you’ve hurt her a lot,” Grandpa sighed, making me look back at him. “That’s why I do this on your behalf.”
He dipped his hand into his back pocket and thrust something in my hand.
Nervous, anxious, and excited, I opened my palm to check the thick squarely paper that lay on my palm untouched.
“You’re getting married,”
His voice got drowned at the sight that befell my eyes.
Intoxicating and toxic.
If this is a joke, then it’s not funny.
“I handed over the invitation card to all our guests already. In two weeks, Saturday. You’ll be getting married to Melinda Bell.”