Chapter 4

Mari woke up with a throbbing head. Her body feels weak and she couldn't even remember if she went home alone or what.

She roamed around her eyes only to find out that she was in her bedroom. Her forehead is knitted when the door suddenly opens, her brother welcomed her with a tray in his hands.

"Good morning, princess," Dave greeted. "You should take a rest and don't force yourself to work," he uttered and slowly put down the tray in the bedside table.

Mari massages her temple. "I'm good, brother. I just need to rest a little bit. I felt exhausted."

Mari's brother sighed. "I'm sorry princess," he mumbled. "I should be the one handling the company; I should be the one exhausting myself to work..." He said, sadly.

Mari shook her head. "I can manage, brother. I'm already sunk to work loads in the office." She answered, humbly.

"Still, you carry that burden in your entire life... when I decided to go abroad."

Mari didn't utter a word. She sighed, shook her head and get the tray in her bed.

"I can take full responsibility, brother. I know, you have to pursue your dreams and you are not yet ready to handle our business." Mari muttered, chewing the food in her mouth. "I did catch the burden but that doesn't mean I'm not going to explore my life, brother." She smiled at him.

Dave heaved a sigh. If I shouldn't have to pursue my dreams, little sister... I'll be the one handling the family business. Dave thought.

He knew that he can't stop his sister but all he could do now is take care of her.

"But still, I'm sorry, princess..."

Mari smiled, proudly. "I'm proud of you, brother. You're a famous Doctor now, you should be proud of yourself." Mari said. "You are taking care of patients and I am proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too, princess," Dave caressed her hair. "You grew up a fine lady but why are you rude to your suitors?" Dave intrigued.

Mari forehead creased. "Because I am not just a woman who could easily deal with it." She proudly mumbled with a matching wink.

Dave laughed at her. "You're not my princess anymore," Dave shook his head. "But I will support you no matter what."

"Still, I am the princess of our family," she rolled her eyes.

THE TWO talked about their lives before. And Mari was happy in the sense that her brother is a successful surgeon now. She was proud of him and she really did love her brother.

"I miss the old us, brother..." Out of the blue, Mari mumbled.

They are sitting in the living room, waiting for the food that Dave ordered. Yes, Mari pleased her brother to order food from a famous fast food chain in town. She also asked him to stay a little bit since it was his brother's vacation.

"I miss those times that you will accompany me in the park, because I want to play in the slide..." She said while reminiscing about the past. "I miss those times that we have to share a room because I am afraid of thunder. I miss all the times that you were here with me before."

Dave ruffled his sister's hair. "Do you want to do that with me again?" Dave asks his sister.

Mari nodded her head. "Y-You sure, you will accompany me?"

"Yeah, of course! I would love to accompany my princess."

Mari gets off the couch and jumps like a kangaroo. "Oh my gosh!" She even uses her hand as a fan to fanned herself with her excitement. "I'm okay now, brother! I'm not weak anymore!" She said, acting like a kid.

Dave just laugh on her. "Get dressed, we'll go to the playground."

Mari run upstairs. She heard her brother shouting.

"Be careful, princess!"

"I'm excited, so nothing to worry about!" She shouted back at him.

Dave wanted to grant his sister's request so he called the hospital he was working and asked for a week leave.

Minutes later, she was fully dressed up and of course, it's winter. So, she decided to pull up her hoodie and gloves.

"It's happy to play with the snow, either..." She pouted like a child.

"Then let's play after we finished playing in the playground."

They were playing on the playground and Mari's face was lively. She was smiling nonstop which made her brother smiled too.

They are both happy while reminiscing all about the past. They enjoyed it so much, most especially Mari who really missed her brother.

Now that they are grown up, they have a responsibility to make. Both of them went back to Mari's house and they are exhausted all throughout the day.

"Thank you, brother..." she mumbled before she closes her eyes and drifted to sleep.

MORNING came and Mari had a good sleep. She was feeling better now. She gets up on her bed and went to the bathroom.

She took a bath, sunken herself from the bathtub for almost twenty minutes. She looked at her clock inside her bathroom and it's already seven o'clock in the morning.

She quickly choose her office attire and she didn't bother to put make up in her face. She walked out of her room with her gucci sling bag and headed to the dining room.

Her brother was preparing breakfast and she smiled for that.

"Good morning, my brother!" She greeted, lively. "I'm going to my office now. Can't join you for breakfast, brother!" She giggled and approached her brother and give him a peck in the cheeks.

"Are you okay now?" Dave asks.

She nodded her head as a response and picked up the toasted bread and run out of the kitchen.

Mari was driving her car when she got a phone call from Yin Montero. She didn't answer him yet she turned down his call.

Suddenly, a message pop-up on her screen.

"Answer my calls, woman."

That is the content of the message. She rolled her eyes when her phone rang again and this time, she heaved a deep sigh, answering Yin's call.

"What do you want?" She asked, rudely. "I'm driving yet you keep on calling me!" She growled, annoyed.

"You didn't reply on my text messages, so I have to call you." He bluntly answered.

Mari tightened her grip on the steering wheel. She was annoyed and she wanted to punch Yin's face.

"Open your car window, I'm beside your car." He mumbled in the other line.

She heard Yin saying that. She glances on the left, she saw a black Montero. She opened her car window and same with Yin.

He smiled at her. "Have a good day ahead, Miss CEO," He said in the call. "By the way, you look great without your make up!"

She saw him winked at her. Because of annoyance, she closes the window and turned down the call. She saw him U-turned and she felt relief.

"You're blushing, and that makes you beautiful even more. I would love see your cheeks turned scarlet when I'm with you, soon."

Yin message creep her out. She didn't reply; she remained her expression, cold and annoyed.

"You love to pester me, huh..." Mari uttered. "Then, I have reasons to take you down, again and again, Yin Montero." She added, devilishly.

"I have million reasons to shoo you away, for you to stop. You're obsessed and that makes you crazy..." She whispered before she continued checking the papers.