chapter: five

"What are you doing?" a voice booms through the room.

Taara stays frozen in her place praying to the rainforest to somehow disappear into thin air.

Wait a minute, that doesn't sound like Lucius. Lucius's secretary? No, Lucius doesn't have one. Maybe it's a security guard?

I mean her job is done here anyway, so maybe if she just stays silent she'd be left alone? That wasn't very likely, but it still worth a try.

"Seriously, what are you doing?" the voice asks.

"Fine", Taara grumbles and turns around, ready to be kicked out by whoever entered the room.

Her eyes widen in confusion as her eyes land on someone very unexpected.

"What the hell are you doing here, Tayden?", Taara exclaims.

"The same reason you are here dearest sister", Tayden smirks.

He strides into the room with a smirk on his face. The sun hitting his dark complexion giving him a breathtaking glow. His raven hair that is tied into a bun matches the dark beard that sculpts his face. The police badge attached to his uniform glistening in the sun.

"If this isn't my favorite sister", he pinches her cheeks.

"Don't touch me", she slaps his hand away. He just chuckles not the slightest bit bothered by her actions.

"So what is your plan?", he leans against the desk. "I mean, whatever you were doing in that air vent was literally just sad. I almost shed a tear by how pitiful you looked"

"None of your business", she murmurs, scanning the room for Zeru.

"Oh come on, don't be so boring. Let me in on your master plan."

Taara sees Zeru hiding behind the lemon tree. "It's safe Zeru, come out."

"I'm not moving an inch until that excuse of a caterpillar vanishes", Zeru crawls further away.

"Who are you calling ugly, fatass?", the caterpillar on Tayden's shoulder remarks.

"So you admit it. You think you're ugly? ", Zeru sneers.

"Don't mind him Jenga", Tayden whispers gently before his caterpillar could think of another remark.

"You're lucky he stopped me", Jenga says.

"Or maybe you're a coward", Zeru shrugs enjoying seeing Jenga fuming in anger. Taara chuckles softly at Zeru's remarks that never fail to amaze her. Normally she'd scold him but Jenga is too much of a coward to do anything so it should be fine.

Besides Taara was never the type to judge creatures based on their looks but Jenga was genuinely the ugliest creature her eyes have seen. In comparison to Zeru's smooth azure color, Jenga has long orange hair that covered every inch of his body. He wasn't as big as Zeru, since Zeru is just obese but that didn't change the fact that Zeru is one of the prettiest breed of caterpillars to exist in the magical world. In conclusion, Jenga looks like a tiny blop of orange hair. Not very flattering, and Zeru makes sure to remind him of that whenever they meet.

"Let me guess", Tayden says "You're after the AZ Enterprise? Maybe using Lucius as a stepping stone?"

Taara froze. How did he know? Did he have someone follow her?

"I bet you're asking yourself how I knew. Easy, I was called when you got into an accident. So like the worried brother I was I went to the hospital and saw you with the Ray brothers."

"Ray brothers?", she tilts her head in confusion.

"Wait, are you trying to tell me you want to scam them but you don't know their surname?", he walks towards her while clicking his tongue.

"I know their names", she mumbles.

"Taara, Taara, Taara. When will you learn how to do your research properly, hm?" Tayden taunts as he stands in front of her, almost towering over her.

Taara's face burns in embarrassment. How could she forget that their surnames were Ryan? Not just that but now Tayden knows about it too?

Taara didn't respond, her eyes fixated on Zeru who was hiding behind the lemon tree.

"You don't have to say anything, I already know everything about you", Tayden leans his arms on the desk behind his sister, locking her between his arms. His angry eyes drilling into her soul.

"The day will come when I'll finally throw you behind bars. Even though I would love nothing more than to kill you right here, right now but that would be too easy, wouldn't it? I'm pretty sure you agree that someone as revolting as you deserves to rot in jail for what they did and I promise you that I will make it happen." Every word coming out of his mouth is filled with venom and hatred.

Taara throws her head back in laughter, the sound so loud it echoes through the office.

"I'd love to see you try", she scoffs amused by his anger.