CHAPTER 2

Harrold's POV.

“But I already told you, mum, Brittany is away on a long-term modeling project. I honestly would hate to disturb her and I really don't have the luxury to leave the company unattended at the moment. ” I said for the umpteenth time over the phone.

“Does it matter? You don't have to go to the office every day before you have things coordinated.” Her firm, authoritative yet overly caring voice came up on the air.

She was all three at once.

Firm. Authoritative. And Caring.

How my mother, Raegan Lilly Alexander, the wife of Paul Daniel Alexander, the owner of Exquisite Empire, managed to topple all three emotions into her voice at once never ceases to amaze me.

She had always been like that for as long as I could remember. She was like a storm, a strong wavy storm to the general public and the world in general but to the insiders and the people of her inner circle, she was all three of everything she wanted to be.

One minute, she was so caring and doting and the very next, she would get berserk on us and order us around in her extremely firm tone. I used to think that she was somehow sick upstairs but now that I am grown, I realize that it was just her being who she is.

“Mum, I appreciate the fact that you think I'm capable of handling things at the company without being there but…”

“But what, Harrold?” Her icy tone which always sent chills and goosebumps sprouting out on my skin when I was a child cut me off from talking further. 

“You would go and see Brittany. I don't know how you are going to do it but you will make time to see her. You should always make out time for someone you claim you love, okay?” Her tone held no room for disagreement.

“Love?” I scoffed as I moved about my luxurious room to grab my suit jacket. I was almost ready for work.

“Yes, love Harrold.” She replied. “You and Brittany are in love. I see the way you look at each other. Now, do well to be a gentleman and visit her. I did not raise a jerk!” Her tone had risen at the end of her statement as if to emphasize the word jerk.

I did not bother to correct her about the word she had used to describe me and Brittany's relationship. I knew better than to argue with her. Telling her off and coming clean about what we shared after all these years would just ruin the morning for me.

Besides, I wasn't in for all that drama.

“Did Brittany perhaps tell you that she wants to see me? Cause I don't understand where all this is coming from, mum.” I stopped pacing about and stopped at my balcony, now standing and holding the railings that bordered the place, and secured it.

From where I stood, I could see the whole of New York City. The buzz and excitement and just about everything about the city. 

“She doesn't have to tell me, Harrold. I am a woman, I know what she wants. I understand what she is feeling.” She dismissed my talk easily. I nodded twice even though she couldn't see me.

“Yes, mum.” I decided to end the conversation once and for all. “I would do as you have said,” I told her. 

“Good.” I could hear the satisfaction in her voice and I imagined her sitting on her soft bed and nodding her small head to what I just said. “By the way, have you found yourself an PA?” She asked.

“Not yet. The applicants are coming in for an interview this morning. It's the reason why I have to be off the call now, mum.” I decided to end the call on that note.

“Oh, you should have told me that you had something urgent to attend to. Common, go ahead now.” And with that, the line went dead.

I let out a deep exhale before shoving my phone into my pants pocket. Her call had woken me up this morning. Sometimes or a lot of times, she was a little overbearing for me.

A loud buzzing sound from my room alerted me of someone's presence at my door. With one last glance at my surroundings, I turned around and walked out of the balcony back into my room and my door went shut on its own accord.

Walking into my room, I removed my phone from my pocket and brought it out. Then, I went ahead to turn on the flat-screen TV on the side of my room, screwed to the wall.

The patient face of Damien flashed through the screen, making me realize that he was the one at the door. Not bothering to do anything else, I just grabbed my briefcase and started to make my way toward the door. When I got to the door, it pulled open itself and gave me access to step out.

I could proudly say that I was one of the entrepreneurs who used what he produces. I owned and managed SMARTSPACE, a home automation company that sells smart home technology that allows people to control every electrical thing in their home from their phones or other devices.

Damien Martin was already waiting for me by the door so as I stepped out, he took the lead and started to lead me out of the corridor toward the staircase.

“You are quite late this morning.” Those were the words he greeted me with as we walked down the stairs in calculative steps.

“Mother issues,” I replied in a tone that said he should understand. And he did understand cause his mouth formed an oh shape before clamping back shut.

Damien and I shared a rather weird relationship. While he was the one I was closer with among my squad because he was there while I was growing up and also because he had always had my back whenever I needed him.

The weird thing was that he never allowed me in. He never expressed what he didn't want me to see. He never shared whatever was eating him up unless I took the step to find out on my own. For some reason, he always kept to himself even though he was mostly with me since he worked with me in the company.

He saw me as a friend, I took him as a brother.

“Good morning, ” Matilda Gomez, soon to be Matilda Martin in a few weeks, was already standing at the foot of the stairs, her face pulled in a very beautiful smile with dark eyes twinkling brightly at the sight of us.

“Good morning, Matilda,” I replied and sent her a curt nod. She was the one that made me realize how discreet Damien had always been with me. Matilda was my cousin who lost her parents at a very young age. It was the reason why she grew up in my home.

Damien didn't even think it necessary to let me know that he was seeing my cousin until I discovered it on my own a few months back. He didn't even seem suspicious to me. 

It had not been a funny discovery because while I was happy that he was seeing my beautiful and amazing cousin, I was mad that he didn't even think it necessary to share with me the news.

He was that closed off.

“I didn't know you were around,” I said as I walked into the living room leaving her to trail after me with her man. 

“I came in last night while you were most probably asleep.” She answered. She wasn't lying. I had been so worn out yesterday that I went straight to bed when I got home.

“You are right.” I nodded.

“Good morning, boss.” My housekeeper, James, walked in at that moment. I sent him a smile and looked away from him.

“How are the wedding preparations going?” I questioned as I turned around to face the couple. Damien had a hand wrapped around her tiny waist.

“It's going well.” She beamed. “Gotten a PA yet?” She asked like an afterthought.

“No, today is the interview,” I told her.

“Oh, I thought it was yesterday. Anyway, I made breakfast. You two should come to settle down.” She released herself from his hold and started to skip toward the dining area. Sparing a time at the clock, I shook my head.

“I don't have the time this morning,” I told her and cut her off from her hyperactive nature. 

“Urgh, you don't know how long I've been on it. You are not going to waste my food.” She put her foot down and stood akimbo.

“Matilda, there is not enough…” Damien barely got to finish when she marched toward us in her fiery nature.

“Don't Matilda me if you two are not going to eat my meal. You can't let my food go to waste and you guys very much know that if you don't settle down for breakfast this morning, you will go nowhere. So, the sooner you get to it, the better for you.” And with that, she flipped the tail of her natural long brown hair and started to walk toward the dining room.

I met Damien's eyes. A small smile was already playing on his lips so I knew he found her amusing. But with one look at her again and at me, we both knew that she meant every word she just said.

We were not going to leave the house if we didn't eat her breakfast.

Well…

We might as well get to it.