4

Laura rummaged through her wardrobe searching for a good gown she could wear to her father's formal birthday party.

He had arrived the previous night and everyone had been busy since his arrival, so she managed to make out little time to arrange the things she would wear.

She had to look her best tonight so as not to embarrass her father, but she only had few clothes to choose from and she settled for a blue long gown ☝🏻 that her father had bought for her some months back.

It was the most expensive thing in her wardrobe so she settled for it.

Not that she had much choices, for it had been a long time since she got herself some new clothes. Most of the allowances given to her by her father were spent on some school stuffs, as well as transportation since she didn't have a car. Through the influence of her stepmother, her father had bought a car for her elder stepsister Samantha and had later gotten another one for both her and Mirabel to use since they were in the same faculty in school, but like some other things, Celina made sure that her daughter, Mirabel was the solo owner and as usual, Laura was only allowed to drive the car when her father was around, which were rare occasions.

She spread the gown on her bed and left the room.

❤❤❤

Quite a party. Greg thought, as he made his way towards the celebrant, pausing most of the time to greet people that sought his attention.

Finally, he got to his destination.

"A good evening to you Chief." he greeted.

"Ah! Look who we have here!"

West exclaimed as they shook hands. 

"The city's young billionaire."

"I can see you are enjoying your party."

"Obviously man, obviously." West replied. "And I hope you are too?"

"I just came in," Greg replied. "But from what I've seen, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy the party tonight."

"That's the spirit, my man, that's the spirit." West turned around. "Let me introduce you to my family."

He beckoned to his wife who came with her two daughters.

"This is my lovely wife, Celina West. And honey, this is the famous young billionaire, Gregory Williams."

Greg rolled his eyes inwardly. He didn't know when he would get used to people singing praises of him.

"A pleasure meeting you, madam." He said nicely making the older woman blush.

"The pleasure is mine Mr Williams."

She replied sweetly.

"This is Samantha, my...eldest daughter and Mirabel, my youngest."

The three exchanged pleasantries with the girls blushing and batting their eyelashes at him, then West cut in.

"And...where is Laura?" He asked his wife, Celina. "I haven't seen her since the party began."

"She's not here." Celina replied too quickly.

Annoyed that he had to bring up the girl's name.

"What do you mean she's not here?" West asked, confused.

Greg sighed inwardly. He had seen enough of Mr West's daughters for tonight and made to politely tell him that he would meet her some other time when...

"Ah, there she is." West said, obviously excited at seeing his third daughter.

Sighing again, Greg absently turned to see whoever she was.

Time stood still and his breath got caught in his chest when he beheld the angelic young woman that paused on the stairs some distance away from them, her eyes scanning the room looking for someone...looking for him, he wished, to his own surprise.

She was so beautiful, a feast to the eyes.

Her eyes located them, then she smiled at him and he stared in awe. A heartwarming smile that could melt a man's anger and make him forget all of his worries.

He wanted to smile back when he realized she wasn't smiling at him but at, damn it, her father!

She walked gracefully down the stairs and towards them with various eyes, especially male ones fixed on her with pure admiration and sheer desire.

Her movement was so adorable. She didn't fake it like some women did. The gentle sway of her curvy hips and steps were so naturally attractive that he felt like watching her walk to him on his bed like that, everyday of his life.

He snapped out of his thoughts and faced reality once more.

"Dad, I was looking for you." She said as she got to them.

"Where have you been my dear?" West asked.

"I've been supervising some of the organizers." She replied.

"Oh my dear baby girl," West said lovingly. "You've always wanted the best for me since you were a kid."

She smiled at him again making Greg wish that smile was directed at him.

He rolled his eyes. Now's not the time to start getting emotional, old man, introduce us already! He screamed in his mind.

As if West heard his thoughts, he turned to face him again.

"Greg, please meet my beloved daughter, Laura. She is my second child."

"Pleased to meet you."

She acknowledged politely, obviously not drooling over him like most women did.

Not taking his eyes off her, he took her out stretched soft hand and placed a kiss on it. And that, he proudly noticed, was enough to make her shy.

"The pleasure is absolutely mine, beautiful." He said huskily.

Celina and her two daughters watched in utmost annoyance as they watched the exchange between her and Greg and felt like ripping the beautiful Laura apart.

They had always been threatened by her looks. She had inherited her late mother's stunning good looks.

Samantha quickly came into their middle and cut in.

"Greg, why don't we go have a drink together?" She asked sweetly. "I'd love to show you some of my father's bests."

"Uhm, sure." He replied and reluctantly excused himself and left with Samantha.

Celina smiled, obviously pleased at what her daughter did. Who did Laura think she was?

"Mum the..."

"What is it?" Celina interrupted sharply, then quickly realized her wrong as her husband flinched. Then she directed a fake smile at Laura.

"What is it, my dear?"

❤❤❤

Laura went upstairs and scanned the busy room. She didn't want to admit it even to herself, that she was looking for him.

When she had approached her family, she had noticed a tall, tanned man standing with them, looking at her the way no man had ever looked at her before.

She had almost missed a step as she was drowned in the intensity of his piercing eyes and the effect it had on her.

He was very handsome, with a very attractive figure . She was surprisingly shy that she couldn't even look at him, and when he kissed her hand, her blood froze. And then her killjoy sister spoilt the moment.

She shook her head ruefully.

Then she saw them, her prince charming and her stepsister. They were all smiles as they chatted and they looked good together.

He obviously found her attractive like most men did and that realization hit her hard on her chest, even though she knew she had no right to feel that way.

She quickly turned away when Samantha sighted her and smirked.

She should have known that her sisters always got the best.

What had made her thought that, that man would look past her classy looking sisters to her. She was wrong. She had always been wrong.

And she hated the man immediately.

Hated him for not seeing past her sister's beautiful exterior. Though she knew those thoughts only stemmed up from jealousy. Jealousy over a man she didn't even know. She snapped out of it and scolded herself for feeling that way.

 ❤❤❤

Greg was fed up with the woman in his arm.

He had been faking smiles and expressions but now he was tired of doing so. He didn't want to embarrass the lady because he respected women, so he looked for a way to escape from her grasp.

He suddenly found himself looking around. Looking for the girl he was introduced to, earlier. Chief West's second daughter. He looked for a way to start a conversation concerning her with Samantha.

"I must say your father is blessed with such beautiful daughters such as yourselves."

He praised and Samantha smiled shyly.

"Thank you." She replied.

"And you are the first child." He continued. "That's quite a privilege."

"It really is." She agreed. "Been the first daughter of Chief West is something I'll always be proud of. I know how much his name and the title of his first child has gotten me."

"Hmm, good to hear." He replied. "And you are followed by...is it Laura again or Mirabel?" He pretended.

"Laura."

Samantha replied shortly, her face hardening a little which Greg didn't miss and he immediately noted that there was a problem somewhere.

"You don't seem so enamored of your sister, Laura."

"Stepsister." Samantha said too quickly. "She's not really my sister."

True, because he had heard about West's second daughter been the child of his late wife.

"Okay," Greg replied. "But isn't Mirabel your stepsister as well?"

Samantha froze. "I... I don't understand."

Greg pretended to shrug innocently.

"Since you said Laura isn't really your sister but your stepsister, then isn't Mirabel your stepsister as well."

He said, suddenly having the urge to scare her away.

Samantha looked at him with wide eyes.

"I still don't understand what you're talking about."

"I thought you are a smart lady." He said. "You should have figured out what I'm talking about. But let me help you then..."

He smiled in amusement as he saw her shocked and scared expression, then decided not to push the matter forward even though he knew the truth about Samantha's paternal history through one of her father's drunken moments after a business meeting.

"I was only pulling your legs."

He heard her let out a long held sigh but clearly still wasn't convinced that he knew nothing.

"Then why did you say Mirabel was my stepsister?" She asked with shaky voice.

" 'Asked' my dear, not 'Say'." He replied. "You said the lady, Laura, is your stepsister, so I wondered if you also took Mirabel as a stepsister as well."

Samantha smiled. "Oh not at all, not at all. Of course Mirabel is completely my sister. We are from the same womb and the same father."

Greg smiled.

"Enough of my family, let's talk about something else." Samantha said.

Greg was starting to nod when he stopped abruptly as his eyes met two people. Ronald Daniels, his biggest rival in business and lifestyle and somewhat, his enemy, with the girl he wasn't able to get his eyes off, Laura, West's real first daughter.

What the...?