Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rowland

“I know, I hear it all the time,” she said and marched past me into the room, holding her head high. That was new to me, considering that she's just meeting me for the first time and the kind of person I am. I didn't think she'd have the guts to do that. I looked at her again wondering what kind of audacity she has.

I stood by the door and watched her defiance movement, she took a look at me and rolled her eyes at me before taking a seat to the left of my father. ‘This is going to be fun,’ I thought. ‘A nobody's daughter that my father brought home is being rude? We'll see who has the last laugh,’ I muttered under my breath and walked in. I didn't like being talked down to that way, except by my father who doesn't take no for an answer. But she had the guts to do that?

Darren decided to take the bull by its horns and moved to sit beside her. I cleared my throat, making him regard me and glared at him. Thankfully he understood what I meant and moved to the seat opposite her,thereby allowing me to claim the seat besides her. She didn't seem to notice this though. All she did was remain calm and sat with a graceful pose. How interesting!

Immediately I sat, I noticed her finely toned thigh, exposed due to the slit on her gown. I hadn't noticed it earlier and now, all I could do was glance at her thigh even though I knew it was wrong. Surprisingly, my stomach tightened in knots. I blinked hard and shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I never had time to date women and I could count the number of women I had been with, so why was I getting troubled because of some girl's lap?

‘Such a pervert!’ She's practically your sister, how dare you get butterflies in your stomach? I thought and forced myself to take my eyes off her laps but it was damn hard.

“Did I tell you how amazing you look, Ava,” dad said, trying to break through the silence in the room . Little miss feisty looked up at him and smiled politely. She looked genuinely calm and reserved but I could see past the charade. Something tells me she was up to no good.

“And your mother didn't tell me that you are this gorgeous,” dad added to my horror, making me wish to puke.

Well, I did tell you my darling, you just weren't “listening to me,” Brenda added in her fake voice smiling. I rolled my eyes at the public display of affection by the both of them.

“Honestly, I hope you and Rowland here can get along like true siblings. I know you have probably heard about his horrible attitude but believe me when I say he's not totally as bad as they have painted him.” At this I stiffened and dropped my spoon, noisily clanking into the plate.

“I'm right here dad and I don't like that you are discussing me with her,” I said, making sure to emphasise ‘her’. I heard her chuckled at what I said and I barely restricted myself from saying what I had in mind. I shot my dad another glare before concentrating on my food again.

I saw Brenda leaned in to my father’s side and said something in his ears. He cleared his throat and thanked her for reminding her.

“Right, Ava, this is like a tradition to the Johnsons and it also happened to be a slight change. You'd have to move in with us pending when I get married to your mother here,” he said, squeezing her hands. “After the wedding, you can decide to return or otherwise.” He finished

“Tell me you are joking dad. What is this strange thing about family traditions? No one has told me about this,” I said with frustration.

“I don't owe you any explanation Rowland , I've decided on this and there's nothing you can do about it. Also, in case you have forgotten, this is my house, I make the rules.” He said to my surprise.

“This is my home too, dad. But if you don't want me here, I'd do the needful by going to my own house where I don't have to deal with all of this.” I said, making sure to eye Brenda and her daughter.

“You don't want to do that son,” he said, smiling mischievously and I hissed , pushing my plate to the front. I cleaned my mouth with a napkin and saw that her expression had moved away from the polite smile to a frown. ‘Great!’ I thought. At least, I'm not the only one who doesn't like the new arrangements.

“Mom, can I have a word with you please?” She said, clenching her fist. Her mother looked from her to my father as if she could sense the tension in her voice.

“Now mom!” She said urgently and Brenda stood up. Ava stood up too and followed her mother. I waited until they had left before turning to him again.

“If I didn't know any better, I could have sworn that your mission is to make my life miserable and horrible. First,it was taking that duckling as a wife, now you want her daughter to come leave with us? You are the one getting married, why make this house a living hell for me? I inquired angrily.”

“A living hell? Learn some respect young man and stop being dramatic about everything. It's just a little adjustment and before you know it, we'll have the wedding and everything will go back to normal.” He replied

“This isn't little. Now I have to leave with your soon to be wife and her daughter? This is totally unacceptable and to make matters worse,you didn't run it by me!” I said again.

He opened his mouth to reply to me but before he could we both heard Ava's voice rising at her mother.

“I don't like this one bit! This is inconvenient for me,” I heard her muffled argument.

“You see? Even the girl doesn't want this,” I pushed. Dad stood up and walked towards where the voice was coming from. I watched as he left, I stood up too following him, wishing that the night would come to an end as I have had my shares of drama for the day.