Part 68

In the early morning, when Claire woke up, she heard Antony asking for permission to go back to his house for a while to pick up a new stock of clothes and promising to bring Claire a home-made breakfast later. Claire just nodded her head and went back to sleep.

But at around seven in the morning, she woke up again. At first he thought the noises in the room were because Antony had returned. But she was quite surprised because it was not Antony, but her eldest brother, Richard.

"Brother?" Claire asked hoarsely. Her brother who was standing beside her bed turned his head. "When did you come?" She asked again after clearing her throat.

"Just now." Richard replied casually. Her eldest brother helped Claire to sit down. "Where's Gladwin?" He asked again.

"Gladwin?" Claire frowned. Richard nodded his head towards the sofa where Antony's old pillow lay. "Be back in a minute." Claire replied ambiguously. "Who told you that I was here?" Claire asked again.

"Abigail." Richard replied briefly. "I only returned to the city last night and this morning Abigail told me that you were hospitalized. I didn't come here right away because I knew Gladwin was accompanying you here." Her brother replied again. "How are you now?"

Claire smiled. "It's getting better. Abigail shouldn't have reported this to you. I wasn't planning to die tomorrow anyway." Her joke which actually received a cold stare from Richard.

"It's not a matter of life or death, Claire. When you were sick you should have told us. I know you're independent and can take care of yourself but that doesn't mean you ignore us. Your family is not just Abigail and Gladwin." Richard grumbled in annoyance.

"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to worry you guys." She said softly. "What about mom? Does she know that I'm being treated?"

"She is on her way here with Harry." Richard informed.

Then the door of the room was opened from outside. When Richard expected it to be Gladwin and was about to scold him for not giving him any news about Claire's condition, he fell silent. Because what appeared from behind the door was a tall, bulky man with a face covered in sideburns.

"You?" Two voices called out at the same time.

"You're Antony, right?" Asked Richard in surprise. Antony nodded in the affirmative, the corners of the man's mouth lifted and Antony extended his hand to Richard.

"I thought you had forgotten me." Antony replied after releasing their handshake. "I had forgotten what Abigail's father looked like." Antony replied flatly.

"Honestly, I was surprised to see your face," Richard coded with a hand gesture, "which is hairy like a jungle lion." Richard replied with a mocking smile. At that Antony burst out laughing. The interaction between the two men clearly confused Claire.

"Do you know each other?" She asked confused.

"Of course." The two men in the room replied simultaneously.

Claire knew that Coskun Company had been one of the partners of her father's cement and brick factory since the time when the company was managed by Claire's late father and Coskun was headed by Antony's father. But Claire didn't know that Antony had been directly involved in Richard's dealings. And that honestly surprised her. But what is even more surprising is the familiar attitude between the two that shows as if they are good friends.

Seeing the confusion on Claire's face, Antony finally opened up. "Before we were brought together on business, Richard and I went to the same high school before I moved back to Italy." Antony's words were met with a nod by Richard.

"I never knew you went back to America." Richard spoke to Antony again. "When I found out Flavia was your daughter, I was quite surprised. Because I can honestly say that she doesn't resemble you at all. Even so, the thought that we would meet again one day was always there.

"All this time I've only met with your cousin, Altezza. And we only talked about general work matters. I never asked him when you were coming back." Richard said honestly.

Antony shrugged. He walked to the other side of the bed and placed the food on the nightstand. "Long story." He said as he unwrapped the package and began to open each of the dishes he had brought.

One box was filled with sandwiches, another with oatmeal, and another with side dishes such as sliced beef, chicken and steamed vegetables such as carrots and even potatoes. Seeing what Antony did to Claire made Richard frown questioningly.

"You two?" He asked deliberately hanging his sentence. Antony and Claire raised their heads together and looked at Richard. "Isn't he your boss at the office?" Richard looked at Claire confused.

Claire who had just stuffed wheat porridge into her mouth now nodded her head.

"Is it appropriate for a superior to treat a subordinate like this? Or is there something I don't know?" Richard looked back at Antony.

Claire and Antony looked at each other before Antony replied. "I like your youngest sister." He replied matter-of-factly.

Richard was wide-eyed. Of course he was shocked. A dozen years of not seeing each other-even though they weren't close friends, but they knew each other well enough-and ended up getting the latest news that his old friend was dating his youngest sister? That was pretty shocking news to him.

"You're not joking, are you?" He asked still in disbelief.

Antony shook his head. "No, no, no. Not at all. We've only met recently, but in that short time I've become infatuated with your sister and I plan to propose to her after she gets out of the hospital." Antony said solemnly.

"But, you?" he pointed at Antony and looked back at Claire.

"I what?" Antony said before the sentence came out of Richard's mouth. "I'm a widower with a teenage daughter. I know what's going through your mind right now. I'm sure you're thinking the same as Claire who thinks that our relationship won't work. But I will not give up so easily, I will still fight for your sister even if you and your other sister oppose me."