PICTURE OF GINA

THIRD POV

'The Davis? She had to be kidding right?' Brian thought disbelievingly. She couldn't be serious? For almost seven years he had worked hard to make sure that the Davis and anybody else could never find them. Of course, that was not hard to do, seeing as no one ever asked about them and went on with their lives as if nothing had ever happened.

Even Thomas and Mary-Anne carried on as if they had never been married or divorced. After Kevin and Gina had left the party, he literally thought that Joe and especially Estelle were going to throw a party. He was also pretty sure that she would have given every single person the moon if they had asked. That was how elated and happy she was.

He felt for his friends. He really and truly did, they were so broken and vulnerable after that night. He used to despise both of them. Well, Kevin obviously because he 'stole' his girl and Gina because of another reason he could not name or understand. He always felt this jealousy about her.

But now, he could not see life without them. They were the reason why he actually wanted to change his playboy lifestyle and turn into a responsible man. He had been racked up with unexplained guilt and remorse that he just had to see them and apologize. Understandably, they had refused to have anything to do with him.

It was not until two years when by the hand of will, he was the backer for Kevin's new medical technology. He talked a good game and he was able to make partner. The relationship was strictly business. They did not speak unless absolutely necessary. But the more he got to know them the more guilt he felt. Weeks turned into months till he had finally worn Gina down and explained everything to her and pleaded for forgiveness.

He did not interact with the Davis and the social elite of Bensen anymore. He was hardly there to begin with. After befriending them he had practically moved to Germany to be nearer to them and help the two cousins with their growing business. It was a blessing in disguise, He had finally come to his true potential which had earned him a place as one of the top business moguls in the world.

His parents were proud of him. His dad was a real estate tycoon who had fallen in love with the cousins. He and his stepmother visited as often as they could. And that was another reason why he loved the cousins so much. Before they arrived in his life, his family was a mess. His parents had gone through a bitter divorce and there was always hostility anywhere his father, stepmother and mother were.

But miraculously after those two had come into his life, his family was back together again. His father and his mother's new husband Ben were good friends who enjoyed spending time together and playing tennis and his mother and stepmother were best of friends. It was actually comical to see those two put the men in their place, whilst doting over Gina and Victoria and any woman who was lucky enough to be in their small circle.

He remembered it like yesterday, it was Christmas and the cousins had moved to Germany.

Both of his parents and their respective spouses had flown in to see him. Gina had insisted he invite both sets of parents to a Christmas dinner, grudgingly he had done so. He had given her and Kevin a heads up and warnings of what his family was like. Back in Bensen they had stayed clear away from the cousins due to ignorance and prejudice.

All seemed to be going well. Both sets of parents were civil to each other. After the delicious entrée that Gina had prepared, the simmering anger which had been present in the room came to the forefront.

FLASHBACK

"What did you say you little tramp?" Maria, his mum, asked enraged.

"Don't you dare talk to my wife like that!" Brian's father Patrick said quickly coming to the defense of his wife. He knew very well that this was going to stoke the fire even more but he didn't care. It was time that someone put his ex-wife back in her place.

"What are you going to do about it hmm?" she goaded.

"Guys not right now" Brian said hissing at them. Casting a worried glance at the two cousins who sat there awkwardly.

"Stay out of this son! You do not dare talk to me Patrick, you prick! Coming in here bringing your tramp that you call a wife here and pretending to be high and mighty. I should never have come!" His mother hissed at his dad.

"Why don't you leave" Ruth his father's wife asked calmly trying to goad the already enraged women even further.

"Shut up!" she screeched so loud that the glasses shook.

"Can we do this another time?" Brian pleaded. It was always like this.

"Don't bother, we are leaving. I can't stand to breathe the same air as them" his mother said calming herself down.

"All of you shut up! I hate this family. We can't even come together for a simple meal and you guys wonder why the media has dubbed as the 'Dysfunctional family'"

Then all voices were raised and yelling at each other until one voice screamed really loudly getting the attention of everyone at the table.

"Stop it! Enough! Are you guys mad? You are a family. That should be enough to bring you guy's together whether you are divorced or married or separated. Because at the end of the day that is all that matters. You guys are so lucky, you have a family. Yes you may not always but what family does? You guys are so lucky that you have someone. Want to know where my family is? Dead and the ones that are alive want nothing to do with us! You are so lucky that I would kill for a family to call my own. The people I thought would be my new family.... well you know the story. I cry every single time they mention their names. You have problems, well here is the solution.... Get over it! Get over these petty things because remember this, once their gone it's over. And with all the technology in the world no one can predict when they are going to die. And remember this, there will be no do-overs, no nothing. And no money can ever change that" and with that she stood up and left the room crying softly to herself.

There was silence until a shocking sentence was heard "Ruth, Patrick, Brian I am soo sorry." And it came from the former Mrs. Montgomery and that was a shocker because Maria never apologized. The fashion empress was far too proud to apologize.

"Only if you can forgive me?" Ruth answered back. With a nod they shook hands. Friendship was far off but at least they could have a civil relationship.

"Brian. I am so sorry. I am sorry that I have not been a mother to you like I should have been. Worrying more about my work and prestige than you. I swear I'll change, I'll get to know you for who you really are. If you'll give me the chance?" she said with tears in her eyes.

He was skeptical but he nodded. That was all he ever wanted as a child. He had craved for it. Then he had resolved to himself that it will never happen. He will always come second to his mother's first love. But maybe he was willing to take the chance.

It turned out to be the best Christmas he ever had, after apologizing to Gina and Kevin, dinner had resumed with light heartedness and laughter and exchange of gifts. It was funny, his family used to see Kevin and Gina as gold diggers and opportunists but after hearing Gina's speech and spending countless time with them they felt ashamed for their snobbish and disgusting attitude. They really liked the two kids and they became like surrogate parents to both of them. Of course they had sworn to keep their whereabouts a secret and became very protective of their 'clan' as they liked to call it.

Brian almost choked out in laughter when he recalled how the media and paparazzi were so confused and astonished to see the two women who hated each other with a passion having lunch together. The media had even come up with a story that they were pretending to be nice to each other because of some hidden wealth they had to share. It was still confusing but they refused to comment about it.

"What's so funny?" Gina asked softly seeing the smile on his face.

Glancing up he said softly "Just recalling and counting my blessings of having you two in my life. And how far we've come." All the while smiling at her. Getting into a serious mode

"So you guys thinking of going? I could step in and just go by myself" he offered.

There was a pause.

"I am going. I am not going to cower or hide from anyone. Nobody comes between my business and me." Kevin said with an impassive look on his face.

"Me too. It is my business. My reputation and no one is going to take that away from me." Gina said in a resolute voice.

"You sure?"

"Positive"

"Okay"

"Well, I can now stop watching reality shows, because this going to be the drama of the century" Brian yelled in flamboyant show of his hand and head

Rolling their eyes at his melodramatic moment yet agreeing with him. They could always trust Brian to lighten the mood and lift their spirits.

"When do you want us to leave?" Kevin who had been quiet this whole time questioned Victoria.

"Well the turnover is in two months from tomorrow." tapping on her tablet. "But I heard Brian mention something about loving the oranges that grow in America and I've planned and organized for you guys to check out a couple of companies" she answered with a wink.

Gina and Kevin shot a glare at Brian who was nervously chuckling and rubbing the back of his neck. He mouthed 'sorry' and they just shook their heads.

You would think he would know by now not to ever say that 'he liked or was interested in' anything in front of Victoria Nnaji she was not nicknamed the 'General Secretary' for nothing. She was a personal assistant and the right-hand woman and vice-president to all three of them and the second in command of all their enterprises and empire. Which was the reason why she was one of the highest paying PA's and vice in the world. But she was worth every million. Whenever one of the friends said anything about liking something she made it her personal mission to add it to their workload and enterprise.

For instance, Kevin once commented that he enjoyed a wine whilst they were on a business trip and it would be fun to own a winery, the very next week he was the signing the contract of his very own wine refinery called Xescon Wine Company in Greece, Croatia and Italy. With Brian and Gina as the co-vice presidents.

And another time sweet-toothed Gina said she loved chocolates, three months later out of the blue they were on a plane to sign a contract for a cocoa plantation in Brazil with Gina as the President and the two men as co-presidents.

As for dear old sweet Brian he had gotten them into more mess than they could count, perfume companies, shoe companies, chains of hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, oil rigs and shopping malls.

From then on they forbade him from saying "I like this" in front of Victoria.

But they had a rule if you were the cause of owning a new organization or company you would be the CEO and the other two would be co-presidents. It was not that they did not like or enjoy running the companies and the stretches of their empire which they were very organized and good at doing. It just came with more responsibility, which meant more time away from their families. But they managed. And with that the mysterious Douglas siblings and the infamous Brian Montgomery were said to be among the top 20 richest men and women in the world.

"So I am aiming to leave a week earlier"

Standing up they made their way out of the board room slowly when they heard a bang of a door and a shriek from the door

"Daddy!"