Sovann

The melted cubes floated on the gold liquid I downed from the last glass of bourbon, I poured out a while ago.

Working from home was not an idea I supported.

Yet, I found myself getting too cozy with it. A week and two days, it's unnatural if I don't keep account, Jae complained about how cramped up my redo of her study was.

It was originally my library which she coveted into a den of words littered in romance and later on, her own study.

The incoherent words she mouthed to her teacher increased my curiosity then came the famous look they shared with there ridiculous laughter engulfing the air.

Who am I kidding.

I found it to be the most annoying noise my ears had got the chance to witness, it was like they were forming a coup or a strange friendship with me centred as the enemy.

Only heaven knows the vile plans that make up babysitter has being whispering in her ears eversince.

Clint was a ridiculous man.

Could you believe a man of his Caliber would go through such lengths to convince a woman he admired and still have the plan blow up in his face.

I agreed to his schemes even if I hated Jae being around strangers, Clint had to bet his life on this one girl, who at the end ran off and left her so called best friend to do the job instead.

Such bullshit, I had a hunch she had something else in store. Something she didn't want Clint to know anything about, my guesses where either she ran away or she wanted to use her naive friend.

But I wouldn't use naive to describe Ana.

She had so much audacity it almost made me blush.

Her full name twisted my tongue a bit, sticking with the shorter version was what I preferred.

I instructed Lucy to keep her eye on her and let me in on her observations. All I got were swoon worthy reviews like she was a fairy with shimmery pinkie dust.

To be honest I had to use this little time I had to work from home and observe her myself.

It was easy to note her hairstyle wasn't common, slim strands of rich brown hair, let down either in curls or left straight falling onto her shoulders and stopping at her back.

She liked to accessorise, be it with claw clips, bow ties, hair pins her hair was most times styled in way, you'll want to see what she came up with the next day.

Dropping my glass on the table, the after taste of my drink coated my taste buds in a soothing way, the curved chairs I installed by the glass doors gave me the perfect view.

Ana went for something less of her style today, linen pants paired with a fitted top, it had to be wrong for said clothing to depict the curves of her body with such ease.

Her height was one thing that tripped me, she didn't need ten foot heels to stare back at me, her exterior was hardened in contrast to the warm features she harboured.

The thinness of her brows were made to suite her oval shaped face having big doey deep brown eyes, her natural look had this mesmerising glow like the first ray of warm sunshine that hits when the sun is up.

Her reports were so detailed I rarely needed to look at them to know she had adhered to my schedule.

Questions of who she was raiding my brain a-times, she was precise, dedicated and had a drive to do what she was doing, even if she was a dental student, teaching was a profession that came easy to her.

The dozens of phonecalls I had pushed on my assistant eased me, I only took the important ones such as the name flashing on my screen.

I paused my work —mostly watching my younger sister and hired tutor— picking the phone Mr Kiesh's voice plays in my left ear buds, he extends his pleasantries then gets to the real deal.

He reached out to me six months ago for a project he wanted to begin in earnest, along the line he grew skeptical and took his time to decide fully whether to go ahead with his plan or not.

Mr Kiesh was a renowned surgeon in the medical world, he planned to open a bigger and more adequate facility here in his home town and chose it was better to leave me in charge and take control of it.

I drafted the building plans and sent it for approval, there was one thing with Mr Keish, pleasing him was a rare thing to do, he was a good partner alright, one that had string and string of complaints, he could wake up one morning and decided to redo everything I had planned out.

Still, letting him go wasn't an option, as he was a man of his word, "we'll meet, seven pm on Friday" I thought through the ghost of my schedule I memorised from what Hanel reminded me about for the remainder of this week, nothing essential came to mind, prompting me to go with his fixed date, "Friday it is, Mr Keish"

A brief chuckle could be overheard on his side, sending his best wishes, he hangs up which has me returning to the loads of work I have to attend to.

My fingers found my temples and massaged the sides, the night out I ventured in had me replaying Ana in a bodycon gown, the only thing preventing the human eyes from seeing that perfect shape on her, was the coat she had on.

She had a unique fashion sense, a style suiting her well, there was no explanation to why it shouldn't.

Women with her taste, had a soft spot in my heart but let's not head there.

Lucy's footsteps came from behind me her usual flats made soft taps that had me knowing who it was in a second, she informed, with that smile of hers that never faltered  "Lunch is served" easing myself to get on my feet.

I stalked across the bar to grab the almost empty glass, finishing it up in my cup, I hum affirming to it's taste and Lucy's words.

Jae's pesky voice somehow warts into a distinct corner of my mind reminding me of her request this morning, not completely agreeing to it, I stare at the sparkling liquid, my social bells yelling it wouldn't hurt.

Lunch was something I saw as a me and Jae's thing, surrounded by Lucy's neighbourhood gossip and her rambling on how vile her culinary mates got when a food contest was brought up.

Adding a third party I wouldn't lie didn't sit well with me, I only trust Clint's words and not Ana herself.

Although Jae had began to warm up to her, it doesn't mean I'll just welcome Ana in. I was the older one for a reason, her safety and comfort came first before anything.

I wouldn't let what happened years back repeat itself. What would become of me if any harm were to come to my sister.

Felix was still traumatized by it and letting Jae get exposed to such, was what I'm preventing.

His petrified state after we found him, haunted me in my dreams to this day. Hence one of the reasons I left the family house to get my own, Jae travelled down here to spend some time with me since she was taking a gap year.

The tutoring sessions was for her to remain warm, leaving Jae to do her own things  she'll probably be a block head by the time she decides on what more she wants to do with her future.

"Tell Ana to stay for lunch" I gulp down an unreasonable quantity, giving in to my sister's demands. I couldn't resist getting anything she wanted clearly she knew that and was using that to her advantage.

Lucy's face gives away her shocked reaction, she masked up with a nod and heads for the door.

I put a phone call through to Hanel to let me in on the other designs and to check if my designer has my tux ready for the next event.

We were going to commission the new building complex that had been the talk of the town for months, when the media knew my involvement they couldn't let the news die and refurbished it in remarkable ways, it was funny as they haven't started operating yet.

It was a grand prix themed mall. Famous car racer, Alfonso Diaz set this all up to turn his wife's dream to a reality.

Truly pathetic if you ask me, some will find it swoon worthy. In my perspective it's a means to source more money to himself and two, him making it a public announcement was a very good way of advertising.

There was no means to waste funds on creative advertisement or billboards either, under all that overall was a business man waiting to bloom from that bud.

I'll hand him that.

Exiting my office, I stuffed my phone into my pocket, climbed the stairs and headed for the dining table.

The food was set, utensils laid out just the way I liked it, the empty chairs greeted me first, "Lucy" I drawled turning for the living room to see if she was there.

My patience began to run slim, did Jae want this or not, getting there the tall silhouette backed me, entering fully I caught the sight of Jae on the chair whilst Ana braided her hair.

You could see how focused she was, the two oblivious to me intruding in there little bonding moment, the fresh cornrows were neat as her fingers moved and passed under each tendril of hair on my sister's head.

Something told me it was better to not interrupt, she made only two cornrows and patted Jae's shoulders, my little sister turned, pausing as she saw me.

This prompted Ana to take the same move, her hands fell briskly by her sides as Jae gathered the combs and mirror, running out.

Yep, I was the villain.

Though I observed Ana wasn't bothered by my appearance. Her indifference pushed me to do what I've been doing lately, she was quick to walk out and I was faster given I had made this sort of a routine, clasping my hand around her wrist was nothing new.

She didn't flinch, she stayed quiet, so many words ran through those soul drowning eyes of hers, I bet she was ready to skin me alive if she got the chance to, she brushed my hand off.

Getting rid of the soft skin my palms were growing used to, what lotion did she wear? Was her skin truly that soft or was it all in my head.

She ran her tongue over her bottom lip highlighting the bright pink I'm guessing is either from the gloss she wears or the color of her lip, then blurts, "I'm sorry, she begged me to, I was going to leave right after"

In spite of her apology her tone sounded so rigid, hitting me like a thick block bashing the side of my skull, "you don't mean that, do you?" I tease, Ana was playing games, she had no idea about.

She grimaced, her face read surprise, like she was trying to convince herself whether she was hearing things or not.

"I'll be leaving now" she finalised, backing me strutting away, she was doing what I wanted, taking the lead without me asking, Jae's voice creeped on me again, the plea in her eyes made me rethink and lock away my selfish interests.

I realised I was a gone man now, obliging to any of my sister's requests, Ana was a distance away from the door, when I uttered, "Ana, stay with us for Lunch"

She quits giving me a back view, her side profile catches my eyes, damn was she a literal beauty at any angle she stood, slender arms folded against the order with a lift of that thinly lined brow of hers propped above her eye lids, "then what, you'll tell me how I lack work ethics and manners, Mr Aguirre" she quipped back her voice lost all trace of jokes.

Come to think of it, I've never heard her say my name, which somehow bothers me, I know for a fact Jae would have no problem blurting that tiny piece of information or was this part of her whole plan.

She wasn't one of the best persons but at least she managed to earn herself a soft spot in my sister's heart.

Why was Jae always rambling on about her anyway? Maybe it's time I take this observation of mine up a notch. Our private investigator gave me only surface things, that's how I knew the man she had dinner with was her older brother.

I did have some footing here, she should understand every brother would want to keep an eye on his younger sister, like her brother would, treading towards her, her eyes refused to shy away from mine, "I'm feeling generous don't you see" her scowl gained her a wink from me.

Her boldness was thrilling, something new, different, quite out of the ordinary if you ask me, "and you can't say the magic word?" With that serious face of hers it seemed like I misheard her, the cloud shaped birthmark traced her cheek, almost nonexistent.

Opportunity graced me with a chance to have her this close, strangely, my fingers wanted to feel that light brown patch, to discover if it was as soft as the skin I've managed to come in contact with one too many times.

From her position, her head could be at my shoulder not a feet higher and she didn't wear those low heels I thought were glued to her feet, I leaned keeping the distance minimal, "and what's that?" I taunt, watching her create more space between us.

She wet her lips again, where could her bag be, I know it's the dryness to her lips that's making her stick to that alternative, "Please" she emphasizes, throwing a sassy look, she refrained from rolling her eyes it was so evident from her stance.

This was becoming way more entertaining than I anticipated, was she waiting for me to beg her, this must be a sick joke, "you're coming whether you like it or not."