Chapter Twenty-three

~🖤~

"Good morning, Calli!" Anna and Ace chirped, in sync, as they entered the living room.

"Good morning, late birds." I muttered, taking out the jar of orange juice out from the refrigerator.

They both sat beside each other on the dining table, gossiping about everything - from hacking to computers - typical.

"You'll both have breakfast?" I asked, making my legendary signature hot chocolate.

They both nodded in response, maybe to say me indirectly, that they are busy.

"Good morning, everyone." His voice was husky as he seated himself across the ' lovebirds '.

Anna and Ace greeted him in return, then they again got busy in gossip. I stayed silent, and served toast, scrambled eggs and a glass of orange juice to each of them. And today was my bad luck.

The only vacant seat was beside Heath fucking James.

I served myself the same and a cup of hot chocolate. To avoid him, I leaned against the kitchen island and started eating there.

"Won't you join us?" Ace spoke between his mouthful of eggs.

I gave a fake laugh. "No! You eat first, Ace and I am cool, here." I grinned.

The three of them looked like I was speaking some alien language. But I ignored their looks and concentrated on my food. I have many things to think about other than him, Anna and my feelings.

I hated myself, because yesterday after the slap I got, still my body could feel his burning gaze on me... now.

I pushed myself against the island, silently washed my dishes, and as others kept their's, I washed and dried them too.

"What's the matter, girl?" Anna's hand fell on my shoulder.

I sighed and turned towards him. Then only I noticed, both Ace and Heath were not in the room.

"Why can't I see the badass here?" She smirked, lightly. I laughed.

Only Anna had the power to make me laugh and... to break my heart too.

That's why, I couldn't possibly, especially tell her my problem. At least, not now.

"Nothing." I gave her a warm smile, to prove I was fine, "Let's go."

I wrapped an arm around her shoulder, gave her another smile and walked into the living room. Heath and Ace were in some serious conversation, which they stopped as soon as we entered.

"We found their location." Ace replied, to my unspoken question.

"Whose location?" Anna and I asked, in sync and then we grinned at each other.

The twins rolled their eyes, to which I smirked at Ace and Anna laughed. Heath, completely forgotten.

"The cheats who killed our parents and is after my company." He said, gruffly.

I nodded and started to put my coat over my full-sleeved t-shirt and denims. From the hallway, I could hear the other three talking. I felt kinda numb.

They would make the perfect trio. Maybe, the perfect love triangle too.

***

"Here." Heath slid my black coffee, over.

I ignored him and started paying attention towards Anna and Ace's conversation.

I told Ace to bring my black coffee, not to him. But I don't know why, he was stubborn about it. I won't drink my black coffee though. Thanks to him.

I just wanted this meeting to be over with Rosalie James, so that I can meet my brother later. I know, this is important, but still I will be more glad to meet Chris.

"There."

I looked up at where, Ace pointed.

I was quite sure, my eyes were out of my sockets, so we're Anna's, Rose's and Chris'. The twins were clearly confused.

Just a few feet away stood, the supposed ' Rosalie James ' or Rose Embrey and her husband, my brother, Christian Embrey.

I was now fucking sure, the world is round.

"Hey!!!" Ace waved his dramatically, catching all of ours attention.

We broke out of our daze. Quickly, I and Anna stood up, engulfing Rose and Chris in a warm embrace. I missed them, though, Rose and I were not so close. Anna was literally, family.

"You all know each other?" Ace asked. Heath just sat there, his arms crossed.

I quickly made my brother and Rose sit at our table. Then I spoke, a grin playing at my face.

"Here I present you my brother, Christian Marcus Embrey."

The shock on both the twins faces was damn funny. And I wasn't the only one who thought that. The others laughed as well.

The twins glared at us and their squinted their eyes at Chris, frowning. They looked so much alike, that I smiled with amusement.

"Chris! That boyfriend!" They both yelled at each other as if they had won the lottery. They said it at the same time with same facial expressions and it like twin telepathy.

Rose, Ace and Heath were actually triplets though. Still, somehow, Ace and Heath, looked more alike. That's why, I couldn't make the comparisons, before with Rose

"Rose, you never told me about your family." I accused her, indirectly.

"I'm sorry, Calli!" She shrugged, "I wanted to forget that day."

I gave her a reassuring smile then started in a serious tone.

It was time to face reality.

"I get it. We all, don't want to talk about our past," I gave a blank stare to Heath, who looked away. Good. " but this is reality and we have to face it."

I continued, "Ace has already found their location. We need to keep track for sometime. From then, we will move to the next."

Everyone nodded. "Any further information or questions?"

"We are expecting." Anna spurted her drink out.

I laughed, "Congo!"

"We are all trained here in fighting and boxing. But we need to take care of the baby and Rose too." Chris looks at all of us.

Just when I was going to volunteer, Anna spoke.

"I am not really good at fighting and I can take care of them. So, I volunteer."

We all nodded. "But you still need to learn fighting. In case, you know." I said.

"I'll train her." We agreed on Ace, "And... we're family!"

I frowned. Huh? What?

"Family?" Heath asked, frowning too.

Anna smacked his head.

I tried to keep my anger in check, especially after seeing the casual grin on Heath's face, directed at Anna. So, I clenched my fists under the table, staring blankly at the wall.

"Well, Calli's brother and I are married, so technically we are family." She laughed after explaining.

I scowled. I didn't want Heath as my family. Never.

"Well, Ace's a brother to me." I winked at him. He rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips.

"Let's go then." I said, my coffee untouched.

Just when Chris and I were the only one left, I whispered to him.

"I need to know how Mom and Dad died." I gave him a glare, "You lied to me, just because I wasn't kidnapped?" I ended it like a question.

I shoved him roughly, not clearly interested on hearing his answer.

Apparently, Chris and Rose had brought their own car, and we had brought mine. So, we drove back to my apartment, just so, like that.

We did the necessary talk about the past. We were all sitting in my living room, Heath, Anna, Rose and Chris on the sofa and Ace and I on the carpet. Just so, Heath and Anna were sitting wide apart. Thanks to Ace's insistence.

Apparently, only I was out of details. Even Anna knew the whole story from Ace. I felt betrayed.

...

That time, four years ago, I was on a trip with my old friends. Anna was also with me. Then, I didn't start working under Alex, though.

During then, my parents and Heath's parents had came to know about a relationship between Rose and Chris, during their University. It came out, Heath's family knew Chris had a sister .

As coincidence happens, both of my parents and their Dad, were in a same business project which was to be approved by Heath's Dad. But he didn't approve, because he learned some things from the backgrounds of the project, a while ago.

He came to know, the rivals were involved in this, wanted to take over his company by causing bankruptcy and this supposed project was a cover up. He became furious, so, he discussed the matters and the upcoming threat.

Except my parents, other shareholders supported their rivals, or where forced to support. Anyhow, the rivals saw my parents and Heath's Dad as threat. That's when they decided, to kidnap, the family of ours. But I was left out, because of my trip.

When the rivals killed our parents except, Heath's alcoholic mom, they somehow managed to plan a escape plan for Heath, Ace, Rose and Chris.

After all this shot happened, Chris knew, history might repeat itself and that's why, he trained me, but also lied. And then he left to California and married Rose, me as the witness.

He told me, they were murdered because of some information. But it was not so. After this, the rivals all the while planned for taking over the company, but Heath became the heir.

To me, this was a fucked up past, not including me.

"We need to split up." I voiced, noticing it was pretty late. 11 p.m. to be exact.

"Ace will be over mine. And Heath will be - "

Heath cut Anna off, "I'll be sleeping here."

I looked squarely at Anna, ignoring Heath, "Take him with you. I only have one guest room, where, Chris and Rose will be sleeping. You will give him your guest room."

No one contradicted me. I almost ordered, and with the tone I used, that too with a blank face, no one dared to.

I stood up. "Dinner, anyone?"

They all nodded. I sauntered over the kitchen to make some lasagna. Fast and easy to eat.

"Why can't I stay here?"

I didn't reply him, instead, I filled a glass of water and drank it slowly.

"Answer me, damn it!" He raised his voice.

I hissed, "There are others in this room. And shut the fuck up."

He scowled, "What's even my fault?"

Was he for real?

I whisper - yelled, "Well, it wasn't me who slapped myself, because someone likes Anna." I didn't want others to hear us.

He flinched. "I am sorry for slapping you, really - "

"You slapped her?" Ace and Rose cut him off.

My eyes widened. I didn't want to destroy a brother - sister relationship. And Ace and Rose were like family, and they felt the same, I was sure.

"N-no. I-I didn't mean to." He flinched.

"Stop please. I don't want to mess anything up. And it's just misunderstanding." I pleaded them, to leave this alone.

They both nodded, getting my pleas. I thought, they would probably shout. Then, they left to the living room, again.

"Thanks" He said at the same time, I told, "Don't."

I gave him a blank stare, "I don't care. Go."

The dinner was kind of tensed.

Everyone, except Anna ignored Heath. They talked to each other though. I kept quiet, my emotions all over the place. I didn't know, why in the mist of ignoring Heath, my feelings were still taking trolls.

"We are going to have long days." Ace warned. We all nodded, cause it was true.

"Then we should sleep tight." I winked at him.

Before leaving for Anna's, Heath looked at me, in return, receiving a glare from Rose and me. On his way back, I was sure, even Ace gave him a full hard glare.

The next days were going to be long days, indeed.