Chapter 5

Blakely’s POV

I was only expecting mama to be waiting for me in the mansion, but I was shocked when I saw papa with her. They're drinking wine in the lanai and they seemed to be waiting for me. Papa looked calm but his eyes were strictly following my movement while mama looked so impatient as she looked at me.

“Good evening, papa…” I kissed papa's cheek and slowly turned to mama. “Good evening, mama…”

“Sit down.” Papa signaled me to sit and I immediately obliged. He looked at me strictly.

Papa looked exactly like Nik. His eyes were dark. His brows were thick and black. His nose was proud and his lips were thin. He looks like Nik's older version. It's just that Nik's face was somehow softer because Mama's appearance was soft.

“Nik went to your apartment?” Papa asked like we’re in some sort of a hot seat.

I sucked a mouthful of breath in and slowly nodded. “Yes, papa. He…visited.”

“At past midnight, Blakely?” Mama's voice showed a hint of accusation. I turned to her only to be greeted by her displeased expression.

“Yes, mama. He just…visited. We talked for a short while and then he immediately left,” I answered, hiding my nervousness. I was mentally praying they'd let this slide. Besides, I didn't know Nik would drop by earlier. I didn't even tell him my address.

Mama shook her head in disappointment. “People know that you are just adopted, Blakely. What would they think if they find out that my son, your foster brother, is visiting you late at night? Does that even cross your mind?”

I looked at her and shook my head. “I’m telling the truth, mama.”

“Even so!” She spat back with a hint of anger.

Papa sighed, earning my attention again. He looked into my eyes, worriedly. “Your mama was right, Blakely. What if people find out? What if a media person was hanging around and they took a picture of you two? It will create an issue.”

“A malicious scandal!” Mama corrected Papa angrily.

I looked down, unable to find a way to reason out. “I’m sorry…

“A scandal, especially involving you and Nik will ruin us, Blakely. It will affect your marriage with the heir of the Scott. It will put our name in a shameful situation. It will ruin your father's plans of running for Congress. It has a lot of negative effects!”

I wanted to reason out and just when I was about to open my mouth to defend myself, we heard a car screeching outside and then a loud thud followed.

Mama and Papa immediately pulled themselves up to see what's going on and I just silently followed them.

“What's that?” Papa asked one of his men.

“It was Sir Nik, Mr. Velasquez. He ran over the flowerpots.”

“Goodness! My garden!” Mama exclaimed angrily.

Nik is here? No!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw a drunk man entering the house. He chuckled when he bumped into an indoor plant. He caught it before it crashed on the floor, and laughed again. He’s drunk? How? He was sober when he dropped by my apartment.

“Gotcha, baby!” He said drunkenly and looked our way. His drunk eyes were fixed on me as a devilish smirk slowly curved on his lips.

Fear consumed me. He’s drunk and he might tell our parents about our accidental kiss that night. That would be the end of me! No! No! Please!

“What the hell is this, Nikandreo?!” Papa’s voice roared like thunder as he glared at Nik.

I swallowed hard and stared at Nik as he slowly turned to Papa. His white long sleeve polo was crumpled. The first three buttons were open and I can clearly see red lipstick marks on his collar and neck. I felt something burning inside me because of the kiss marks.

“You kept on embarrassing my name! I am going to really strip off your right as my heir if you continue fooling around like this.”

“As if I care, I don't want your money.” Nik retorted, then he stopped and looked at me. “Or you make Blakely your heir, she's your favorite anyway isn't she?”

Immediately Mom started screaming. “Nik! What are you talking about, Blakely is a woman, how can she inherit our business? And what’s that? Kiss marks? God! Nik!”

Father also started cursing him. “Nikandreo! Did you waste your time partying again? And what the hell are those lipsticks, huh? You are so cheap! I told you to find a decent woman to settle down with. Why won't you take my words seriously? You are no longer a teenager and such stupid and rebellious antics would no longer work!”

My body tensed so much until he stopped in front of me, ignoring his parent’s angry voices. He looked at me with those blank eyes before he scoffed and walked past me, getting onto the staircase.

The loud beating of my heart had not subsided yet when Mama faced me and shook her head in disappointment. “Nik just won't stop playing around like that. You should make a good example for your brother. Make your marriage with Stan strong. Build a good relationship. Show Nik that settling down won't ruin someone's life.”

She finally saw the good in me after Nik showed his rebellion. I didn't know what to say. Should I thank Nik for disappointing his parents and turning their favor on me? Or should I feel sad about it?

“God! He’s really stubborn!” Mama said and shook his head.

Papa hissed. “He needs to be tamed, Nichole. He’s tainting my image and that would ruin my plans. Find a decent woman for him to marry. We need to correct his path.”

A decent woman for Nik… My heart really hates that idea.

Mama pulled me closer and caressed my hair. “Stay the night. Going home at this hour is dangerous. Go upstairs and sleep in your room.”

I didn't argue and just quickly agreed to what she wanted. I stayed in the Velasquez's mansion and slept not-so-peacefully in the room they assigned to me. I called Stan before going to bed but his line was busy. Is he talking to someone this late?

When I woke up the next day, I immediately took a quick shower and went downstairs. I didn’t get to sleep properly because I was thinking of what mama and papa said about a possible issue just because Nik dropped by my apartment. Another thing was their plan of setting Nik up with someone.

I just sighed and shrugged the thought off my head. I should focus on my own life and not on Nik’s business. There's not a single noise when I entered the hall but my heart made a very loud beat and aggressive behavior when I saw three people at the dining table.

Papa, sitting quietly on his usual seat while reading a newspaper. Mama, on the other hand, was sipping on her coffee with a class. They looked so powerful and strict but what made my heart almost jump out of my ribcage was the person sitting in front of mama.

With his arms crossed, Nik was sitting with our parents while wearing a mischievous smirk. His brooding eyes were directed at me as if he had been waiting for my arrival. I see, a hangover doesn't work on him.

Papa felt my presence and lifted his eyes as he folded the newspaper. “Blakely, you're just in time.”

I had no choice. Even when my knees were wobbling, I entered and greeted mama and papa. “Good morning, mama. Good morning, papa.”

Nik chuckled sarcastically. “No greetings for me, baby girl?”

My rebellious heart became more aggressive as our gazes met. He looked fine. Not even bothered by the heavy atmosphere and the kind of stares mama was giving him.

I slightly bowed my head at him with the purpose of avoiding his dangerous and mysterious eyes. “Good morning, brother.”

“Prepare the food now.” Papa's signal was immediately answered by the maids.

We started eating in silence. I’m having trouble swallowing the food because of the tension. Our parents are always strict when eating, but this is the first time that I felt this tense. Nik’s presence changed everything.

“Blakely, why don't you just quit your job? It’s not even gonna help you as  Stan’s wife.” Mama suddenly asked. “You should stay home and practice being a good housewife. Should I enroll you in a cooking lesson?”

I panicked as I stared at mama. I want to refuse what she wants. My job is the only thing that makes me feel alive. It’s the only normal thing in my life. It’s making me feel that I’m a real human and not a robot who was created only to obey orders. However, saying no is forbidden in this house. I felt suffocated again.

Mama stared at me as the expression on her face slowly changed. Her eyes showed disapproval and disappointment because she felt my silent refusal.

“Still hasn't changed, huh? Still controlling as ever. Why don't you just tie her to your limb so she would be under your wings forever?” Nik’s voice interrupted everyone.

Mama slowly turned to him. “What did you say, Nikandreo?”

Nik let out a sarcastic chuckle before he lifted his face, looking at mama. And because I’m sitting beside mama, I could clearly see the disgust in his eyes. “Not all fixed marriages worked out. Some ended up in a divorce. But you know what’s more depressing about a fixed marriage? Some didn’t get to free themselves. They have no choice but to endure each other for the rest of their lives because they don’t have balls to say no from the very beginning—”

BAM

I jumped in shock and squeezed my eyes when papa slammed the table. Why did he have to open his mouth? I don’t know what his problem is, but it’s not right to just say those kinds of words only to show how much he’s rebelling.

“I will not allow any type of disrespect in this house, Nikandreo! Why don't you just fix your own life and quit playing around? Go find a woman to marry. A decent one. The board will never accept you as the President and you will ruin my image if you continue playing around. Prove them your worth. Prove them that you are a Velasquez. They've been watching you all these years, wasting your time on your nonsense gimmicks and sleeping around with sluts! Fix your life and don’t dare try to ruin my plans for running in Congress!”

When I opened my eyes again, I saw Nik's dangerous eyes, fixed on his own father. I swallowed hard, feeling the tension in the dining hall as I pinch my fingers under the table.

Nik's lips rose into a smirk again. He didn't say anything and I think it made Papa even more angry.

“Take your papa's advice, son.” Mama couldn't help but intervene. “Find a woman who deserves our name. Someone who has a name in the industry. You are old enough to settle down. Fix your life. Your father is running for a position. Just help us with this once, please? Your father needs your cooperation. ”

Nik licked his bottom lip and tilted his head before he picked up the fork in front of him and took food in it while his eyes slowly went up to my face and settled on my eyes. I immediately averted my gaze, startled and burned by his blazing stares.

“Was that why she agreed to get married? That’s plain stupidity.” His dangerous voice gave me creeps as he took the food in his mouth and simply licked the fork and the piercing in his tongue showed a little. I bet mama saw it because I heard her gasp in horror.

“Nik!” Mama snapped and caressed her forehead as if her head was hurting. “God! You even have a tongue piercing.”

Nik turned to Papa, who’s watching him like a hawk. “I also don't tolerate someone forcing me, Father. I will not make the same mistake of marrying someone I don't have feelings for and do you really think I’d fall in love and get married? Hell would freeze first before that happens.” Nik pulled himself up after that and grabbed the table napkin, wiping his hands. “Thanks for the fcking sausage.”

“That bastard!” Papa cursed out loud after Nik walked out.

We fell in a deafening silence as I bit my bottom lip and looked down. I sat on my chair silently as a deafening silence enveloped us three. I stared at the fork Nik used. He just threw it on the table and the juice in his glass even spilled after he put it down recklessly.

Our breakfast didn’t end well. After my foster parents gave their permission, I immediately left to meet Stan in his office. The photos Nik showed me were inside my bag and I’m planning to confront Stan about it. I will accept his explanation because I understand that we’re both just forced into this engagement. I just want his…apology and assurance that he won’t have any mistress once we get married.

“Hello, Stan? Can we meet?” I asked as soon as he answered the call. I’ve been calling him since last night. Thank God, his line was no longer busy.

[Hm? Alright! You know my office, I’ll wait for you.]

I was calm as I went to their company and his secretary waited for me in the lobby, and sent me to his office. Stan was comfortably sitting on his swivel chair when I entered. He immediately removed his reading glasses and met me in the middle of his spacious office.

“What brought you here?” He asked as he kissed my cheek. He signaled me to sit on the couch and I did. He sat beside me and held my hand. “Did something happen?”

He looked worried, so I stared into his eyes while taking out the photos. I handed it to him. “Can I ask for an explanation?”

His eyes landed on the photos, staring at it and I didn’t see any shock in his eyes and it bothered me so much. He let go of my hand and scanned the photos calmly.

Resting his back on the couch, he sighed and threw the photos on the coffee table. “It’s nothing, Blakely.”

My lips parted. “What? How was it nothing? That was the woman who almost made a scene in our engagement party and you were kissing her in the picture, Stan. It’s not nothing. You were kissing her. It means something.”

He sighed and stared into my eyes. “Are you familiar with an open relationship?”