" How are you and Mrs. Castro? " she asked as she is lead through the familiar long well-illuminated corridor leading to the ballroom in the left wing where the party is being held.
" She is alright, and will be greatly pleased if you can come around and see her, " Mr. Castro replied with a happy glint in his eyes. Happy to see the woman who is like a daughter to him after such a long while." Will do that soon, " Evangel promised with a smile.She followed as the elderly man lead the way towards the east wing of her father's house, away from the main living quarters, where the ballroom is located.As they drew closer to the room, the sound of laughter, boisterous chatter, and sweet cool music drifted up to her, telling her that the party was already in full swing.Just before the brass door barring the ballroom, Castro stopped and turned to look at the beautiful woman in front of him." Your dad is going to be pleased to see you, he has missed you so much, "Castro said to her casting a look in the direction of the ballroom as if imagining his employee reaction to his daughter finally being home.Evangel nodded with a wishful smile on her face. She too has missed her father. She has been away from home on vacation for a year now touring Europe and just came home because of her father's party.Evangel took a deep breath before walking inside. Her entrance was immediately noticed as eyes went towards the door.A little nervous, Evangel looked around and caught the eye of her uncle, Max one of her father's younger brother.Her father was the oldest sibling of five boys.Evangel was aware that the room was filled with so many of her relatives both from her dad and her mum who are itching to greet her but she needed to start from somewhere.She made a beeline for her uncle whose handsome face lit up with a smile at the sight of her." Hello, Uncle Max, " Evangel greeted and went in for an air kiss with the tall burly man." Hello, my darling, Europe seems good on dear girl. "Evangel blushed as her uncle ran his gaze over her." Thanks uncle. And it seems American burgers are treating you well too, " She teased looking down his protruding belly.A boisterous laughter broke from her uncle lips before he pulled her into a more intimate hug." I have missed you kiddo, " he whispered into her ear tightening his grip around her." I have missed you too uncle, " Evangel wheezed, a little breathless from the bear hug, luckily her uncle released her befor she could pass out.Free from her uncle she turned her gaze to the stunning younger woman beside him and her smile waned.The woman looked so stiff and bored like she wanted to be anywhere else than here." Hello, Carmen, " she greeted in a more reserved tone as they air-kissed each other.She wasn't really that close to her uncle's wife despite the woman being closer in age to her.The woman was haughty and cold which doesn't encourage friendliness in the people around her. Though it might not be entirely her fault. The Clark clan had not be all that welcoming when her uncle came home after one of his vacation in Spain with a woman half his age as his wife.Carmen was her uncle's fifth wife. To hear her uncle say it. Is because the women can't handle his awesomeness, but everyone knows is because he has such a hard time keeping it in his pants." Hi, Evangel, " the woman returned in the same flat tone. " Welcome back. "" Thank you, " Evangel responded and then excused herself to greet other of her relatives.Her tour led her round the party grounds with no sight of the celebrant and back to her uncle's company." Where is dad, Uncle Max? " She asked pulling him from the discussion he was having with some of her father's colleagues." He is in his study. "Evangel frowned." Why? "" Don't know, " her uncle shrugged, " but he is in there with a young man. "He has just finished speaking when the door opened and her dad walked in dressed immaculately in a black suit, looking as dashing as she remembered with that quirky grin that won her mother's heart." Speak of the devil, " a smile lit up Evangel face as she made a beeline for her father." Dad! " she cried, few meters away." Angel, " her father smiled wholeheartedly, opening his arms wide for her.Evangel was only to happy to throw herself into them.Evangel fell into her dad's warm embrace, inhaling the sweet familiar spicy scent of his aftershave, with that note of leather that brings her comfort." What are you doing lurking around in your study instead being here with your guest. Isn't it supposed to be your party, " Evangel scolded mildly as she pulled back from her dad." I am sure my guest didn't miss me much as they had a lot to keep them occupied, " her father looked around the party before returning his eyes to her, a smile on his face.Evangel shook her head at him. He was right. His guest were having fun entertaining themselves with all the over flowing drinks and food.You do remember that the doctor adviced you to take it easy with work. Right?Her father was a workaholic, almost working himself to death but after the heart attack he had three years, taking ten years of Evangel's life she had insisted on him cutting down. The deal had been that after college she will take over from her dad allowing him to retire early.Her vacation to Europe was something to help her destress after school before diving into work.Now that she is back her father can retire and have some needed vacation. Something he hasn't taking since the death of her mother. Work had been her father's way of dealing with his grief." You worry too much my darling, and I wasn't working merely settling your future. "Evangel frowned." What do you mean? " She asked a little confused.Her father's smile did not break, instead they grew wider." I have found you the perfect man to marry. "Evangel gaped at her father. What did he think? That they were in 16th century where parents still found husbands for their daughters." Sorry dad I am not looking to settle down anytime soon. For god's sake I am only thirty. "" Well I don't have much time for you to make up your mind, " her father snapped." What are you talking about dad? " Evangel took a closer look at her father. He looked paler than usual and seems to have lost weight." Nothing. Why don't you meet the young man first before turning me down "" Wait, he is here! "Someone coughed beside her father pulling Evangel's attention to him.Evangel looked at the person and staggered as if she just saw a ghost.It can't be. All the color drained from Evangel's face as she stared at her ugly past in flesh.Unbidden all the memories which she thought buried and forgotten in the deepest part of her mind erupted and swam to the surface.She couldn't believe she was staring at the man she hated with every fiber of her being.No, Trenton Wade can't be the man her father wants her to marry.Trenton sat comfortably in his office, a calm and collected look on his well-sculpted handsome fair features watching his brother pace a storm in his office.His brother had an angry bear look on his face and looked as if he was on the verge of murder and the target him.Although he has always delighted in needling Chase feathers, today he was not in a good mood and his pacing wasn't helping matters. " Wearing out my tiles is not going to magically poof us out of this mess, you know, " Trent said, getting fed up with the oscillating movement that was making him slightly dizzy.His bad mood this money was because he just found out he has been duped. He couldn't believe his stupidity if he wasn't living it. Chase Wade paused like a braked train and whirled on his brother, the veins on his forehead pulsating to the gravity of the ire tearing his insides apart.He was so angry that he could blow a fuse." You are the reason we are in this mess and you sit there looking like a damn king on
He found the cigarette and put one stick to his lip and used his golden lighter to light it. A gift from his dad on his eighteenth birthday. Trent pulled forcefully on the burning stick trying to calm his mind down to think.Chase was right about the mess being his and he will be damned if he let the bastard have the last laugh. He was going to save their company no matter what it will cost him. He will use some of the cash in his trust fund to offset some of the dept. It wasn't much but it is a start. It took Trent five sticks for him to calm down and have a clear head to actually think.A thought occured to him which he quickly disregarded because it felt humiliating to go to their greatest rival Castle and Castle and ask him to save their company. No he better think of another plan. Trent turned around on his executive seat trying to come up with an idea that can help him raise hundred million dollars without resorting to robbing a bank or going to their rivals for help, but no
His health has never been part of the things that worry Steven Clark because he has always been as healthy as a horse. He has always felt invisible when it came to diseases as he has never had anything as common as a cough. His mother never took him to the hospital once in his life. But he was brutally reminded of his mortality a few months ago when he had a heart attack. It was no news that he was a workaholic, which worsened when his beloved wife died. They have been married for thirty years when an accident took her away from him. A hit and run. Steven had been very devasted at the death of the only woman he loved and had poured everything he had into his work. Carolyn his wife had been the only one who had been able to put the brakes on his workaholic tendencies but once she passed nothing was holding him back. He had a rude wake-up call when during breakfast, eight months ago he had slumped scaring the shit out of his butler who had found him. His daughter who had just be
The next morning Steven was bright and early in George's office waiting for him. At the moment he was currently with a patient so he had to seat outside to wait. It didn't take long for the patient inside to emerge and he walked in." Hello, Steven, " Goerge greeted him with a familiar smile and they shook hands with each other. " Hello, George. "Steven took a seat and waited as George arranged his desk which looked disorganized after his last patient. " So can we continue from where we left off yesterday? " George asked as he took back his seat. Steven nodded before going ahead to relate everything that has been going on. When he was done, George asked him a few more questions which he answered. The doctor's expression looked grim at the end of his questioning alarming Steven." What is it, George? "" Can't say yet. I have to do some examinations and run some investigations before I can share my thoughts with you. "Steven didn't relax and his mood worsened further when he had
Evangel glared at Trenton like she wants to put him six feet under, an idea that was looking more palatable as the idiot grinned rakishly at her as if amused by her ire." So do you know each other or not? "Evangel could hear the confusion in her father's voice as he waited for clarification, one he will be waiting for a long time because there was no way she was admitting to having anything in the past with the bastard in front of her that will just be too much for her pride.Twelve years ago Trenton Wade made a fool out of her, humiliating her in front of everyone in the school, something she has not been able to get over despite the passing years.Her silence created an opportunity for the bastard to open his mouth again.It grated on her nerves that his voice is still as deep and sexy as she remembered, even though maturity has added a timbre that made it huskier." Angel and I used to date in high school. "That arrogant smirk. How in the world had she ever thought it sexy. Evang
" Oh Angel, I have forgotten how amusing you can be. Come on do you really expect me to believe that you are a rug muncher, " Trent said most obnoxiously way, the laughter on his face drying up to something ugly as he glared at her. Evangel bristled at the nickname and his taunting words." Hey, young man that is my daughter you are speaking to, " her dad scolded before Evangel could talk but that didn't stop her from putting Trent's arrogance in his place." You are laughable if you believe that I expect anything from you, " she spat with disdain allowing her eyes to reflect how much she loathed him." If there is anything twelve years ago has thought me is never to expect anything from men. "Trent's arrogant smirk disappeared at her words and he regarded her with intense look in his eyes." Do you want me to believe that you abhor men and is now a lesbian, " he arched his brow at her. " No thanks to you, " Evangel taunted and smirked to herself when she saw a flash of irritation c
Trent stared transfixed at the apparition that was his past.If not for the loud assshit of music playing in the background Trent would have thought he was dreaming. Not that he dreams about the stunning woman standing frozen in front of him.The sight of her brought back their highschool memories. He couldn't believe how mean he was.He sighed. Unfortunately if Evangel Clark was in his dream that will definitely be a nightmare. The girl hates his guts and he doesn't blame her not after the way things ended between them.What an asshole he was back there.In school he had been arrogant and vain. He had the looks and the cash and girls were all over him which further fed his vainess that he didn't realize the diamond he had in his palms until he lost it.He had missed the stunning brunette after she disappeared in the middle of their senior year. For a two weeks he never looked nor fucked another girl as he mourned the loss of Evangel Clark.When two weeks turned three and he realized t
Except for her there is no woman Trent has ever been with that regrets being with him. He always makes sure to leave his women with a smile on their faces even when he isn't going to call them back.Her constant denial that she wasn't going to marry him made Trent want to marry her even more just for the sake of having the last laugh.They were still on the topic of the brunette marrying him and her preferring girls, not that he was buying it when they were joined by a party of two.His attention was immediately snagged by the young woman who accompanied the man.She was hot and bore a striking resemblance to Evangel. If he didn't know any better he would think them twins. Probably cousins or something because when they were dating he knew Evangel to be the only girl.Initially he had thought her the only child and had only found out about an older brother deep into their relationship. That is how tight lip the brunette was about herself.No wonder he didn't know she was the daughter