12.

­Chris' POV

"What do you mean he is back? He just got off work earlier?"

"Wait, do you still hang around him knowing he is your competition? Dammit," mother gritted her teeth.

"Well, someone needed to show him his place from time to time. Still I can't believe he found his way back. And how did grandma forgive him so easily? How could she let him back in after he left on his own terms?" I said sitting up on the bed and mother walked over to sit beside me.

"She didn't just forgive him. She brought him back herself. And I think she plans to put him back to work soon."

I didn't notice anything different about Zack earlier. Did he make a fool of me, knowing he would be coming back here? No he can't possibly have known. That fool is easy to read. Then grandma must have done things on her own.

"How could she stab me in the back like that when I've been working my ass off these past years to please her? Look at me. I'm almost thirty and I don't even have a proper girlfriend."

"She knows she's dying soon so she's trying to get someone to take her place. Still she can't just bring him back. How is he expected to cope after being away for so many years."

"I bet he can't even hold a pen properly. And he's been waiting tables for so long I can't imagine him giving orders from behind a desk," Chris snickered.

"If only your father was more useful and had even an inch of interest in the company. Everything is to our advantage though. You've been there the longest and know the ropes more than him. What happened to the deal anyway? Did you acquire it?"

"Oh god! Why did you have to remind me of that?"

"How are you going to explain yourself to grandma now? You need something to establish yourself in the company and have an advantage over Zack. His mother is already making moves as it is. She suggested you go on a trip together and grandma already agreed to it."

"Don't worry mother. Zack has no interest in the company. And it's going to be really hard for him to crawl back after what he did few years back. And with Mr. Walker around, I can't imagine how he would show his face after what he did to his daughter."

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*

On the way to the port, Zack kept spacing off. It was obvious he wasn't yet over his heartbreak, but the fact that our family lacks empathy he have had no time to pine over his lost love.

After we embarked and settled in our lodge, I went over to Zack who was sitting on a chair just looking through the window at the distance. Lost in his thoughts.

"Hey bro," I hung my arm over his shoulder. "It's her loss anyway. You are way better than that. Now that you are here, why don't let loose. Find some hot girls and drink your sorrow away," I suggested. "So why don't you stop being a kill joy and let's go make the most of this trip?"

"Alright," Zack agreed.

"I heard there is a casino somewhere on the second floor. Why don't we go show off our lucks?"

*

Three hours later, I found myself devastated and Zack had to pull me out of the casino after I had already lost money in six digits.

"I don't think today is the day to show off that luck, maybe another time," Zack stopped me when I attempted to go back.

"But I need to recoup my losses!" I cried out.

"Nope. Maybe another day," Zack shook his head, pulling me away.

"I just need to change my strategy," I begged him. "I swear I was almost due for a win this round."

"Why don't we go have lunch instead? If you can't feel up your pockets, you can at least fill your stomach. And maybe along the way, find some hot girls or drink away your sorrow," Zack said, patted me on the back and walked away, leaving me with my mouth hung open.

"Hey, did you... dud he just," I was left to stutter on my own. Finally, I regained my composure and followed after him.

I maybe have lost this one. But this trip is my away of showing so I can't let him get the upper hand.

With that, I shrugged off whatever devastation I had felt in the Casino and followed after him to have lunch. While there, I made sure to order the finest dish on their menu.

It took some time before the waiter finally brought our food and I took a bite from my Coq au Vin.

"Hey Zack," I said when the waiter brought our food. "These waiters could learn a thing or two from you, right?"

"I forgot to ask you because things went sour last time," Zack took his time to chew on his filet mignon before gulping it down with a sip of his champagne. "How did it go with your client? Were you able to secure the deal?" Zack asked looking straight into my eyes, and I felt like he could see right through my soul.

"Well," I found myself subconsciously looking away from his gaze. "After that awful incident, they just left, so I wasn't able to do anything."

"That's very unfortunate," Zack went back to cutting his steak. "It sounded like a very good deal."

"Yeah, it was," I replied. And all of a sudden, I found myself unable to swallow anymore of my food.

*

As the sun set, we found ourselves lounging at the bar.

I was on my fourth drink while Zack was still his second. He seemed to be swaying his drink around in it's glass while his eyes were focused on something.

"What have you been looking at for the past 10 minutes? Are you ogling at some girl?" I followed the direction of his stare to see a a couple having a chat.

"Whoa," I gasped in amusement, looking at him. "Don't tell me you've got your eyes set on that woman waiting for her to be alone to take your chance. You sure move on fast," I laughed.

"Hey Chris, look closely," Zack nudged me. "I believe the girl's in trouble. That guy keeps insisting she takes the drink. I have a very bad feeling about this."

"What are you going to do about it then? Be her night in shining armor and save her from having a drink? She's at a bar for damn sake." I rolled my eyes at him.

"No, I literally saw him slip something into that drink. What if..." Zack trailed off, obviously looking and sounding worried.

"Just leave them have their fun. Why do you insist on being a good samaritan all the time? You are not even at work right now," I said, starting to feel annoyed. Why does Zack always feel the need to interfere every single time? That is why it's so easy to bait him.

"Why is he not letting go of her? I really think I should do something about this," Zack placed his drink on the bar and stood upright.

"And I assure you, nothing good is going to come out of it. I'm not staying behind to watch this time," I said, also dropping my glass in the bar, and with that, I stood up and left the bar. With no place in mind, I found myself walking around aimlessly, with no destination in mind, the dark sky with glittering star and the light breeze from the sea making my head feel all too clear, that was until I bumped into someone who had obviously lost her footing.

The scent of her perfume drifted through my nostrils as her delicate body fell into my arms, and I found myself staring and getting pulled into a pair of shy but surprised eyes.

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