Chapter12 The Battle Line Draw

Both of Patrick's parents are business people just like Gina’s father and it will do them no good to see him fall.

He has worked so hard to start that company, so they are going to do their best to help Mr. George not lose his company, so Patrick could only help Gina get married to Ben.

 “Patrick why are you looking at me like that? are you not listening to what I'm saying? I said I'm not marrying Ben. I'm only here to find out what they had on my father.' 

“Gina,… Gina.., please, these people had nothing on your father, is just business stuff, and all that." Patrick said and turns to look at Gina only to discover she has been crying. 

  “Listen, Gina, I don’t want you crying over this, is just business stuff that’s all, if you don’t want him you can always divorce him later". He said because he didn't know what to tell her to make her stop crying.

 “What business?" Gina cut in.

"I mean, this has to be done if you love your father, do this for him okay."  with that Patrick walked out on Gina who followed him outside.

 “And why are you walking out on me?" Gina yells at Patrick once they are outside.

 “I'm not walking out on you, I need some fresh air, okay, let’s do this" hands-on Gina’s shoulders.  "Let's walk around this mansion and see what they’ve got" he couldn’t stand to see the tears in Gina’s eyes so he needed something to distract him. 

  “Fine," She said, her hand on Patrick's hand they walk around the mansion smiling at the beautiful views and the surroundings.

Getting to the entrance of Kenneth Quarters, Gina saw a very beautiful woman with a graceful look. 

  “Wow! what a beauty?" Gina muttered with her mouth hanging open as if she wants to say something to Patrick.

"Do you know her?" Patrick asks her.

“Let’s go meet her." She said without answering his question.

 “Okay" Patrick and Gina both walked toward the woman. Seeing that they are heading in her direction, she turns to leave.

“Good day ma’am," Gina calls out to her. She turns to Gina and smiles with such a beautiful smile that made Gina wish her mom was still alive. 

 "How are you my dear, and what are you looking for?"

  “Well….. were".

"We are visitors to the Jackson family" Patrick cut in.

 "Oh! I see!" she said, "and you are taking a walk around the mansion?"

 “Yes ma’am," Gina said bowing her head in admiration and smiling at her. 

 “I was so nervous the first day I enter the Jackson mansion too, so is only natural to feel that way, my dear." She said to Gina with a smile.

  “Wait a minute, h-how did she know..., and who is she anyway?"

 “Sorry ma’am, m-may I know you a little? you look a lot like my mom, but she is late now."

  “Oh! My dear, I'm so sorry to hear that."

 “Is fine ma’am,"

“Please come in and have a sit" she offered them. And Gina did not hesitate to take the offer, they followed her into her living room and she gave them a warm welcome.

  They were chatting and laughing when Kenneth walked into the living room.

“Gina!..." He called out in surprise.

"Ken!..., " both of them called out simultaneously, they couldn’t believe their eyes.

  “Is this you?" Gina got up and rush to hug Kenneth, they both hug each other so tightly that Patrick and Ken's mom were left with surprised looks.

   “What are you doing here?" Gina asks Ken.

 “You, what are you doing here?" Ken asks her back. Both could not give themselves time to answer their questions, they just keep hugging and kissing until Ken’s mom has to clear her throat.

 “Sorry mom, this is Gina, my friend, I told you about."

  “The girl you met at the landmark hotel?"

  “Yes, mom”

 “Wait a minute," Gina said surprise, am I missing something here? She is your mom?  And why are you in Jackson’s mansion? are you working here now?."

 Ken’s mom looked at Ken, who looked at her in return.

  “Hell No! He is my son, an heir to the Jackson family, my son cannot possibly be working;" she said. Not knowing that her son has been working as a waiter in a landmark hotel when he met Gina.

She and Ken laugh simultaneously. “You see my dear,  my son went out to see the world and now he’s back."

 Gina could not believe her ears not her eyes, she listened to Ken’s mom with her mouth open.

Is this a dream? she better wake up from this nightmare and let it not be that Ken is the half-brother that Benjamin was talking about because this is not going to be good. 

Now is Ken’s turn to ask. "so what are you doing here? or you came looking for me?" Ken asks with a broad smile on his face.

 “No!..." Gina said with a frown face.

“I think we just have to leave." She said and turned to grab Patrick's hand who was feeling forgotten by now and make to leave, but Ken stopped her and ask them to sit.

"I have to entertain you guys before you leave," he said looking at Patrick and then at Gina. He didn't want them to leave like that, he has a lot to ask Gina.

 Benjamin was becoming impatient by the minute when he couldn’t find Gina anywhere near his Quarter. 

“Where has she gone to?" he keeps wondering, and her father wanted to say goodbye to her before he leaves for home, but Gina and Patrick are nowhere to be found. 

Benjamin was about to ask around for her when Gina and Patrick entered the house. 

“Hey! There you are, and who is this with you?" Ben ask with so much curiosity and managed to force a smile as he was surprised and furious at the same time seeing her in the company of another man, but he manages to hold his anger in because Mr. George was still standing beside him.

  “He is Patrick, my daughter's childhood friend, we came here together" Mr. George manages to say.

  “Oh! Welcome Patrick, is a pity I didn’t get to see you on time to offer you something to drink."

  “ Oh! No probs, I'm okay."

“If you say so," Ben makes a face and left the little family alone.

Gina hugged Patrick and her father and wave them goodbye with Patrick assuring Gina to call and be right on time if anything goes wrong at the Jackson's.

 On their way back home Mr. George and Patrick were silent for half of the journey, but then Mr. George broke the silence. 

“Patrick where did both of you go? We were really worried about you guys you know."

 Patrick turns and looks at Mr. George and keeps wondering why he was worried? Is he afraid that the Jacksons are going to eat his daughter alive? or is there something that no one is telling him?"

 “We just walk around the mansion to take a good look at it that’s all."

 “Did Gina tells you anything about what is going on?" Patrick could not just say anything because he was as confused as Mr. George.

First, it was Benjamin the arrogant monster, now is Ken who turns out to be Benjamin’s brother, this is not going to be good; things are about to be messier and Patrick knows that Gina is in love with Ken.

And the problem now is that they have even made love once and now Ken turns out to be Benjamin’s brother.

“No! ..No! No... this is not happening, something has to be done, but what?"

 “Patrick, what is going on with you? And why are you not answering my question?" Mr. George pulls Patrick out from his thoughts.

 “Oh! Nothing, am just thinking an,..and.. as for Gina, she is fine, she is beginning to like the Jackson family" he lied.

 “Well that’s good to hear, thank you Patrick for being here, I don’t know what I do without your help."

 “Is okay, I'm honored."

Ken was confused because he didn't understand why Gina came to his house and then ran off like that with another guy. didn’t she come here looking for him? then why?.

 “I must find out what is going on."

“Ken! Want are you thinking about?" his mom asks and without waiting to hear an answer, she put in another question that sends Ken rolling into the skies. 

“Did you see Benjamin’s wife-to-be? I heard she came to visit the Jackson's but no one cares to invite us, but not to worry because I don’t care either, and besides it seems that my Ken has the beautiful one, is it not?" She asks without looking at the reaction of her son.  

“What? Mom, did you say Benjamin’s wife-to-be?"

“Yes, or didn’t you hear about it?" Before his mother could finish her sentence, Ken was already out of the house.

Benjamin could no longer hold his peace because he has this short temper that only his mother knows how to deal with.

Seeing that Gina’s father has already left with Patrick; Ben stormed into Gina’s room.

 “Where the hell are you coming from?" Answer me before I do something stupid.