A day had passed and on a Monday morning, almost everyone in the McDonell mansion was up and getting ready for a busy day ahead. Leo, Eric and his father were at the table eating their breakfast. Diana soon came to join them.
"Morning, everyone," Diana greeted the three as she took a seat at the table.
"Morning, mum," said Eric.
"Morning," Leo and Mr McDonell replied at the same time.
"Will you be going to the office today?" Diana asked her older brother.
"No, Leo and I will be going to meet some clients," Mr McDonell replied. "We have an early appointment."
"That leaves me going alone to the office," said Eric as he sipped on his tea.
"Don't worry, Eric, I have something I need you to to do."
"Is it meeting new clients?"
Leo smiled at his cousin sitting across from him. If there was one thing Leo knew Eric enjoyed, was meeting new clients. He loved being interactive with people, especially if his clients were women. Leo wondered if his cousin was really serious about Angel. In the past few days, he hadn't been flirting with any lady Leo knew of.
"Yes, but that will be later," Mr McDonell replied. "I'll need you to go through some paper work that will be delivered to you at the office."
"Sure thing, uncle," said Eric.
"Speaking of which, I have to go with Carly to her college to get on with her transfer."
"What time will you do that?" Diana asked.
"After we meet our clients. Though I might leave a little early, Leo, so you can handle things along the way."
"Sure thing," said Leo as he finished his breakfast. "Seems like you're going to have a busy day."
"Mondays are always busy, son."
After breakfast, Leo and his father with Eric left the dining table, and got ready to head out for work. Leo went with his father in his car and Eric went in his own car with his mum as he was dropping her off at the mall. As the two cars headed out of the premises, Amanda, who was already awake, was looking out of the window from her bedroom at the two cars until they left. In her wheelchair, she rolled out of her room and approached Angel's.
She knocked at the door. When she didn't receive a response, she opened it and saw Angel still fast asleep. Amanda rolled her wheelchair into the room and got closer to Angel's bed. It looked like the medication she was on had knocked her out again. Amanda looked on at her with a smile. She couldn't help but notice that Angel was beautiful, even in her sleep. She had that radiance that attracted Amanda to her a lot; like an angel. Angel was a beautiful person inside and out. She reminded Amanda of Angel's late mother whom Amanda had grown very fond of over the years.
Amanda stretched out her hand and moved aside a strand of Angel's dark red hair on her face to the back of her ear. Angel moved for a moment, but she didn't wake up. Amanda thought it was best for her to leave the room to let Angel rest for a couple of hours.
Just when she was about to turn the wheelchair, she noticed a rose on the small drawer next to Angel's bed. She wondered where it came from. There was a small note folded beside it. Amanda stretched her hand a little to get it. When she unfolded it, she noticed it was from Eric. She recognised his hand writing even when he didn't leave his name on the note. Amanda smiled. It was the least he could do after all Angel had been through. An angel like her needed the best in life and Amanda couldn't help but feel grateful for Eric's little gesture.
Amanda then realised that her grandson might be into Angel. She noticed the way he was always by Angel's side and the way he looked at her with stars in his eyes. Amanda chuckled as she remembered how Eric was staring at her when the three of them were sitting on the porch behind the kitchen, yesterday afternoon. How she had wished Leo was there with them. They had quite a conversation.
Thinking of Leo, Amanda couldn't help but feel worried about him. Ever since Angel and Carly came to live with them, he had been more closer to Carly than Angel. Those two were so close that people would think that they had known each other for a long time. Not that it was a bad thing. It bothered Amanda in a way because Leo didn't seem to care for Angel despite putting her through a rough patch with the accident. Even after talking to him about it last time, he still hadn't changed. She hoped that he would be more responsible for Angel and try to take care of her like Eric did, but he didn't.
She also noticed that there was always a different kind of tension between Angel and Leo every day. Whenever they were in the same room together, it felt like they still couldn't stand each other. But why? Was Angel not fond of Leo because of the accident? It didn't seem like her at all. Or was it that Leo still had a problem, she wondered.
"Amanda?"
Angel had brought Amanda back from her thoughts as she looked at Angel, who was staring at her with sleepy eyes.
"Morning, dear," said Amanda as she smiled at her.
Angel smiled back. "Morning," she replied as she rubbed her eyes and gave out a yawn.
"The meds knocked you out, didn't they?"
"Ya, they always do," said Angel as she sat up on her bed.
"Well, at least you're getting better," Amanda smiled at her. "You might find yourself going to work earlier this week."
At the mention of work, Angel looked a little pale.
"Does Leo and Eric know that I'll finally be joining them?" Angel asked as she stared at her fingers on her laps.
"Not yet," said Amanda looking at Angel with a worried look. "Is something the matter, dear?"
Angel looked up at Amanda. "No," she answered. "The person I'm most worried about when they find out that I'm working at their company is Mrs. McDonell."
Amanda smacked her lips. "I already know that and she's the least of my concern, and yours. There's something more to this, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're more worried about Leo's reaction, aren't you?"
Angel swallowed thinking of what to say next.
"No," she answered quickly. "Remember you suggested that to him and I didn't mind what he thought."
"To him, it was all a suggestion. I bet he has forgotten about it. But it won't be long till that suggestion becomes a reality."
"And you think that I'm afraid of how he's going to react?"
"That's exactly what I was asking, dear."
"Well, I'm not."
Amanda pretended to smile at Angel like she had accepted it but there was a lot more she really wanted to know.
"I wanted to know why it seems so hard for the two of you to get along," said Amanda. "That's why I asked."
"What do you mean?" Angel asked. Amanda noticed her blush a little.
"I mean, you and Eric have grown to be friends. Carly and Leo seem more than close friends, which to me seems a little strange."
"Strange?" Angel almost chuckled. "How?"
"I mean to say, I've noticed a tension between you and Leo and I mentioned it last time. People in the house might not see it, but I do."
Angel continued to look at Amanda, trying her best not to fix her eyes somewhere else or else Amanda would know that something was wrong.
"Leo is Leo, Amanda," said Angel. "He's a hard person to come by and he so happens to get along with Carly and not me."
"Which seems strange. Leo didn't put Carly into an accident, but you. You're right, Leo is a difficult person to come by, but I thought he would be a lot more closer to you because he has a responsibility over you."
"Wait, Amanda," said Angel, the word responsibility ticking in her head and making her a little upset. "He isn't responsible for me. He might have caused the accident, but I didn't really need his help. If he really did care about me, then he was going to be visiting me at the hospital like he should, but instead he was..."
Angel stopped herself at the right time. She would have blurted out that Leo had been visiting her sister instead of her when she was in hospital. Who knows what Amanda was going to make out of it if she had said it out loud.
"But instead he was what, Angel?" Amanda asked.
"Instead, he was thinking about himself and staying far away from his responsibility as possible," Angel finished.
Amanda sighed. "I'm afraid you and I think the same. He can be a little selfish sometimes, but he's a good person. What disappointed me the most was that he didn't live up to his responsibility. And for that, I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologise, Amanda," said Angel as she reached out for Amanda's hand and held it. "Eric already did so on his behalf. And you forced him to apologise last time."
Amanda chuckled. "Eric has always been a sweetheart."
"He is, actually." Angel noticed the rose by her bedside. Amanda noticed Angel's eyes on it.
"It's from him," said Amanda.
"Who?" Angel asked as she looked at Amanda.
"Eric."
Angel smiled as she went back to staring at the rose. "You see, he's sweet."
"I just wish Leo could be the same," said Amanda as she stared sadly at the rose.
Angel didn't know how to answer to that. It felt really awkward with Amanda looking on sadly at the rose.
"I guess, he's sweet in his own way, Amanda," said Angel still holding on to Amanda's hand.
The corner of Amanda's mouth went up into a smile. "You're right on that one," she said. "But I wish he could be more sweeter towards you. That's what I meant."
Angel swallowed as she scratched the back of her head with her free hand. "He will in due time," she said.
"I really hope so. Time could be such a burden sometimes. And I don't know how much I can stand all this."
Angel gave Amanda an encouraging smile. "Hopefully, sooner than you think."
"You're so sweet, dear," said Amanda as she smiled at Angel. "I hope it's soon."
There came a loud thumping noise of heavy footsteps upstairs and the two ladies looked up towards the ceiling. Amanda couldn't help but chuckle for she knew who it was.
"Looks like someone is late for school again," said Amanda. "I always tell his mother and the house help to help him get out of bed early."
"I can help him get ready," said Angel as she pushed her bed covers aside so as to get out of bed.
Amanda moved her wheelchair back a bit. "Are you sure, dear?"
"It's not a big deal. I used to wake Carly up whenever she was going to school and college." Angel stood up from her bed and wore her blue sleeping gown over her purple pyjamas. "Speaking of which, I have to wake her up too."
"Alright, dear."
After Angel wore her white bed slippers, she left the room, leaving Amanda behind. Amanda couldn't help but look at the rose and wondered how she could bring Angel and Leo closer.
***538Please respect copyright.PENANA4XGPLnTIRF
538Please respect copyright.PENANA47gVdFVMNd
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQbgPTMCt9A
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQJPTzGbT6a
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEn8T1Pvut6
The finger tapping upon the steering wheel followed the tune that was playing on the radio. Mr. Walters was in the front seat of his car listening to the radio. It was one of those early morning shows that played really good jazz music and he was enjoying himself.538Please respect copyright.PENANAa2fcwrHis6
538Please respect copyright.PENANASSvhjX39lo
538Please respect copyright.PENANA4NpHtvhzrL
538Please respect copyright.PENANA390gdXO76g
538Please respect copyright.PENANATZhpFzoEWB
The passenger door at the back flew open and the car moved slightly at the weight of the person who had come in. Mr. Walters knew there was someone at the back, but continued to tap his fingers as though he was lost in the moment.538Please respect copyright.PENANA1BGgXwELP7
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEKexOMuxAr
538Please respect copyright.PENANAIUZBLwzNtG
538Please respect copyright.PENANAyMHvl01KNL
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVADVewu3Nn
"I don't understand how you get to listen to such in the early hours of the morning," said the man behind Mr. Walters.538Please respect copyright.PENANAAD0oqEU0lp
538Please respect copyright.PENANAXBiEaUOdWQ
538Please respect copyright.PENANAAJ7HtGJGb6
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9oPRxlm1bF
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVSSYMPPuyX
"Good morning to you too," said Mr. Walter's as he stared at his visitor through the rear view mirror.538Please respect copyright.PENANArisECQdyVP
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9x7kAipEyK
538Please respect copyright.PENANATeGQboueAA
538Please respect copyright.PENANAJYAwYg2KaG
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQIF4gxrz8S
The man shook his head at Mr. Walters. "Any update on Carly?"538Please respect copyright.PENANAYmmYNb3KFf
538Please respect copyright.PENANAuQ64bVCFWP
538Please respect copyright.PENANAXn89dQpvnc
538Please respect copyright.PENANAyJ3VmnSTIv
538Please respect copyright.PENANA3nhgagXVwj
Mr. Walters stopped his finger tapping and sighed. "Like I told you, she doesn't answer any of my calls."538Please respect copyright.PENANAmCmahZbjdX
538Please respect copyright.PENANApbXTjiTNkr
538Please respect copyright.PENANAvzI5nc8xHg
538Please respect copyright.PENANAFliPyShCa6
538Please respect copyright.PENANAh7OIIQRx7D
"You know that's not what I meant," said the man as he came from behind and held Mr. Walters' shoulder. "I want to know about her whereabouts."538Please respect copyright.PENANAbFEqAUwnzI
538Please respect copyright.PENANAjgOAD1qWIY
538Please respect copyright.PENANApCft4kG4k9
538Please respect copyright.PENANAZMf87W2Vnp
538Please respect copyright.PENANAFpfNEARojW
"Well, she's now staying at the McDonell mansion, if that's what you're asking."538Please respect copyright.PENANAoKnMMQm9vl
538Please respect copyright.PENANABWErvQOBhi
538Please respect copyright.PENANA7IAZp48KVc
538Please respect copyright.PENANAoVwjioO8hh
538Please respect copyright.PENANAkXjtpuEx6t
"What? Did you just say the McDonell mansion?" the man sounded surprised.538Please respect copyright.PENANAMx0H1FblHG
538Please respect copyright.PENANAlRGKCXhIHH
538Please respect copyright.PENANAB0l7XYxOw2
538Please respect copyright.PENANA1IZ43dNHAL
538Please respect copyright.PENANAHareak6epL
"Ya, you heard me. Do you happen to know them?"538Please respect copyright.PENANAgG3Xb6m6ju
538Please respect copyright.PENANAlWhsV4Kfae
538Please respect copyright.PENANAOKeBs31D2y
538Please respect copyright.PENANAmctAfiMbRH
538Please respect copyright.PENANA1NoOgiI56z
The man leaned back in his seat and sighed. "This is bad. How did this happen?"538Please respect copyright.PENANAUuo4fcuE2i
538Please respect copyright.PENANABtOZ7B1NuY
538Please respect copyright.PENANAY4rDJh5v2b
538Please respect copyright.PENANABttsHeWfQK
538Please respect copyright.PENANAC3fB2ikAN5
Mr. Walters raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to know?"538Please respect copyright.PENANAn4JB7bPFJ9
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMX7cNFtjEq
538Please respect copyright.PENANAu90zmC7m1r
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9mlnAxHflE
538Please respect copyright.PENANAHFCCbT6EGW
The man looked back at Mr. Walters with a murderous look in his eyes. Mr Walters gulped.538Please respect copyright.PENANAbgRMvRmG3P
538Please respect copyright.PENANAaT0DecKdxW
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMQKuiRY76J
538Please respect copyright.PENANA3esTMnBH6f
538Please respect copyright.PENANAjCUWZF9jjJ
"Okay, I'll tell you," he said. The man behind him relaxed a little. "Remember the day the club was out of business for a day?"538Please respect copyright.PENANA2KsWsqcm5U
538Please respect copyright.PENANAOCJ1TwNz7C
538Please respect copyright.PENANA8CC6FBxb74
538Please respect copyright.PENANA82XeZyDMJZ
538Please respect copyright.PENANA7wU60AvLfW
"The day you told everyone one else that robbers had come to the club and trashed the place?" the man asked.538Please respect copyright.PENANAqyjCRyWEEJ
538Please respect copyright.PENANA8IRWe8TXk2
538Please respect copyright.PENANApU42fDvsne
538Please respect copyright.PENANATVfHUuzcmM
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEjtYeKtUCC
"Well, ya. That's what everyone outside the club know, but only a few people who work there know that that's not what happened."538Please respect copyright.PENANAVgvzg6OADC
538Please respect copyright.PENANAgr9kSHtFIP
538Please respect copyright.PENANAbROkSmYk02
538Please respect copyright.PENANAgZpF7aQmQu
538Please respect copyright.PENANAM5KiRteLXq
The man raised an eyebrow at Mr. Walters. "What actually happened?"538Please respect copyright.PENANAYEHCdIhhun
538Please respect copyright.PENANAYu3rhaDnmD
538Please respect copyright.PENANAq6aaRpEIb8
538Please respect copyright.PENANA3qviAXMjeV
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEmd8vciXRo
"Carly's sister is what happened. She went there looking for her sister. The thing I don't understand is who had told her where Carly was. Someone must have or else she wouldn't have been there."538Please respect copyright.PENANASWVCeNjQEa
538Please respect copyright.PENANA0FK9052seE
538Please respect copyright.PENANA59YP6t86oA
538Please respect copyright.PENANARKwxVkkYuA
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQx8prBe19Y
"Wait, are you saying someone had ratted Carly out?"
"Seems so. And that isn't the only part. Carly was meeting a client who demanded to see her. That person must have known that Carly was meeting the client at the club."
"Seems more like it. But I don't understand how Angel could have turned the place into a massive havoc."
"She didn't need to. The guy she was with who also happens to be related to the client, defended her when I tried to slap her."
"You hit women, Walters?" the man sounded surprised, yet pissed off.
"If you find them annoying, you put them in their place. Then I got into a fight with him and we kind of tore the place apart. So, Angel went to get her sister and then, a lot happened. I was knocked out and I woke up on the floor with the workers all around me. At that time, Angel had gotten into a car accident and their mother had passed away that same day. A few days later, I heard they had moved out of their house."
"What happened to it?"
"The bank took it. Looks like their late mother had pending debts."
"And now they are at the McDonell mansion," the man said as he rubbed his chin.
"Aren't you going to ask how they got there?"
"I don't need to. Now, how are we going to bring Carly back?"
Mr. Walters tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "I'm working on it. Carly is really important to us and we really need her back. Things aren't going so smoothly nowadays with our dealings."
"I know. You better bring her back fast. If you don't, I'll have to do it myself."
"Wait, what?" Mr. Walters looked at the man through the rearview mirror with a questioning look on his face. "What happened with me working on it?"
"Well, Walter's, you're pretty slow if you don't mind me saying it."
Mr. Walters felt a little offended. "She will be back before you know it. But it isn't going to be easy."
"I don't care. I'll give you till Friday. We have the Cartel coming in and I don't want our deal going south because she isn't around. She's our key player here and I'm not going to let you ruin it."
"Okay, okay. Friday it is."
The man leaned against Mr. Walters' seat and smiled at him. "That's what I like to hear. I better find her this Friday or else it won't be that difficult for my men to bring your club down to the ground."
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVe3H783o9L
538Please respect copyright.PENANAeom8RZbjdB
538Please respect copyright.PENANAyLKK0SG5K4
538Please respect copyright.PENANAgNhK79b0vc
538Please respect copyright.PENANA0NBrIQQN9W
538Please respect copyright.PENANAa9W1ASsM3A
538Please respect copyright.PENANAGLHZoWpcDP
538Please respect copyright.PENANADakVvXpzZ6
538Please respect copyright.PENANAgvLT31x7kM
538Please respect copyright.PENANAvb1RFVgZC0
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5qxQOt8Liq
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVMNGK299qk
538Please respect copyright.PENANAOCf14hR4AG
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5F5VXYuBKp
538Please respect copyright.PENANALdcqSDffaY
538Please respect copyright.PENANA2KWtESeUB1
538Please respect copyright.PENANAb3TRf2TgwT
538Please respect copyright.PENANAdgxNae5uh8
538Please respect copyright.PENANACMby9QNTbF
538Please respect copyright.PENANAdiMWaBFbdu
538Please respect copyright.PENANA1frXsGFj2s
538Please respect copyright.PENANAbxC7ffISZ5
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5ycHxIBovh
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQhLHhLzQG4
538Please respect copyright.PENANAF06MUNl7fH
538Please respect copyright.PENANADYsOUDhy3O
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQRNheIzaWn
538Please respect copyright.PENANAyqMnCGRO8n
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5bIpUs3Wo0
538Please respect copyright.PENANA2QnKT3rx6w
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMFMHyTv0nV
538Please respect copyright.PENANAGlXFLTAsa4
538Please respect copyright.PENANAwfiINa9QV3
538Please respect copyright.PENANAWVar6RkdlA
538Please respect copyright.PENANAGV5VPFHHid
538Please respect copyright.PENANAgHNlX0WXTd
538Please respect copyright.PENANATAGkQ1RE4G
538Please respect copyright.PENANApohd9300rD
538Please respect copyright.PENANACSZdpLmQAh
538Please respect copyright.PENANAlmDDW08Msa
538Please respect copyright.PENANAHSGr9H37s5
538Please respect copyright.PENANAcRJKZcCiCK
538Please respect copyright.PENANAt7OU4wOMzX
538Please respect copyright.PENANAggzdtG6X3n
538Please respect copyright.PENANAwy3FS4iyM7
538Please respect copyright.PENANAO1qTA4ATry
538Please respect copyright.PENANA22VLiWYTft
538Please respect copyright.PENANAcHWzbat9up
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMY8ZU5n68j
538Please respect copyright.PENANAM4MmjmAxOK
538Please respect copyright.PENANAquOBtHPsxB
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMXcoREDXzS
538Please respect copyright.PENANA7b0mXxfGfG
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9Bj74QqspZ
538Please respect copyright.PENANAStETAYzT2b
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9QpXNxk00J
538Please respect copyright.PENANAGSWqbMKUSW
538Please respect copyright.PENANAmCLUbpOkI4
538Please respect copyright.PENANAXNUcXtD4md
538Please respect copyright.PENANAJx7i4ueT7T
538Please respect copyright.PENANA2G5g98MeOz
538Please respect copyright.PENANA85Ot0ThOzL
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5EOL6W0tdi
538Please respect copyright.PENANA7OAMNmHciI
538Please respect copyright.PENANAUqp3S9KE1W
538Please respect copyright.PENANAttnbgKMBPE
538Please respect copyright.PENANAYRkNME8Vdg
538Please respect copyright.PENANAwQZL4o7LP1
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5U0utMXZpd
538Please respect copyright.PENANA2XDTh6ckNS
538Please respect copyright.PENANAceVyaL7iHP
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMcgfyLyufv
538Please respect copyright.PENANAZXTovXK5IR
538Please respect copyright.PENANAd4VYbQiOps
538Please respect copyright.PENANAMigB2LmH6B
538Please respect copyright.PENANANKNsICg8Q6
538Please respect copyright.PENANADPXJBJ0c54
538Please respect copyright.PENANAyRyMbkEzNn
538Please respect copyright.PENANAs8xwWwJCOh
538Please respect copyright.PENANAwk6WI9ZqwY
538Please respect copyright.PENANAqnEeSZIXnx
538Please respect copyright.PENANAN6Vq6UUcwC
538Please respect copyright.PENANAa0TFPlsQxT
538Please respect copyright.PENANAKTa5tzJsFc
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEENTdKWkKZ
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVd78ahOaE5
538Please respect copyright.PENANA5XvyX2Nyj4
538Please respect copyright.PENANAKMmJWnuugy
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQQpyNWs2g8
538Please respect copyright.PENANAQgPlessCQ0
538Please respect copyright.PENANAww6IELqOkA
538Please respect copyright.PENANAcEwrILQAr0
538Please respect copyright.PENANAhRaxVLgdRi
538Please respect copyright.PENANAAZge7QX3Wu
538Please respect copyright.PENANAB0Mfb4m8jZ
538Please respect copyright.PENANAbtl7lQ7ruI
538Please respect copyright.PENANAW7TKUNUelQ
538Please respect copyright.PENANAbRbs5EVbYo
538Please respect copyright.PENANANhxEMWe3b2
538Please respect copyright.PENANA2jjCC9YbxO
538Please respect copyright.PENANApEoGPtppcz
538Please respect copyright.PENANA9r82hzEhah
538Please respect copyright.PENANARK52PK5DO3
538Please respect copyright.PENANAUbqDYEFleN
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVOLWXwQ5Cd
538Please respect copyright.PENANAVMXVE2qEio
538Please respect copyright.PENANADsFZLbACO5
538Please respect copyright.PENANAEABz0N8tar
538Please respect copyright.PENANACP2xzo5lF0
538Please respect copyright.PENANAtVK6pGnG5v
538Please respect copyright.PENANA0H5oSnRda7
538Please respect copyright.PENANAmcHKl0GKNU
538Please respect copyright.PENANATgpZLSgl9Z
538Please respect copyright.PENANA6wvtDZamrI
538Please respect copyright.PENANAY0APZEaPgf
538Please respect copyright.PENANATTHoXYVlZP
538Please respect copyright.PENANAjriJGqaTrm
The man opened the door on his side and walked out of the car. Mr. Walters sighed in relief as soon as the man left. Mr. Walters knew that the man he had always been partners with wasn't one to mess with. He would go through with his threat even when it seems like he was bluffing.
ns 15.158.61.23da2