We were in the middle of eating when Gareth's voice boomed. "Who's this?"

Our heads snapped to him. He stood at the entrance of the kitchen with his hands in his pockets and his eyes narrowed at Archie.

Giving a sheepish look to Archie I got up and walked to him.

"What do you mean by who's this?" I whispered shouted to him. "I told you my friend would be coming."

He frowned and glanced at Archie and then at me. "It is a he?"

My eyes widened. "Of course he is! Can't you see?"

He once again glanced at him and didn't look very pleased with his presence. Thankfully, Archie's back was towards us so he couldn't see Gareth's reaction.

Gareth rolled his eyes. "Fine." And walked over to him with a smile on his face.

He offered his hand to Archie. "Sorry for my reaction earlier. I'm Gareth by the way."

Archie stood up and shook his hand. "Archie."

I sighed and sat down opposite to Archie and resumed eating gesturing Archie to do the same.

"Do you want to have dinner now or later?" Diana asked Gareth as I softly chatted with Archie.

From the corner of my eyes I saw his gaze flickering between us and his jaw clenched. "I'm not that hungry."

He then walked over to the refrigerator and as usual took out two pieces of bread, and some butter and applied it on a bread placing the other over it making a bread butter sandwich.

While he was making it, Diana asked him with a hint of amusement in his tone. "You need some jelly with that butter?"

That seemed to startle him. "W-what?"

"You need some jelly?" Diana asked again in a much serious tone this time.

"No." He stated and with the sandwich in his hand, he walked out without glancing at us again. I shrugged and continued eating.

"Wanna watch some movies together?" I asked Archie as we finished eating.

He smiled. "Sure."

A minute later we both settled on the couch infront of the TV in the living room. Archie shifted closer and placed his arm around my shoulder and I rested my head on his shoulder as we cuddled. And I played the movie.

It was a comedy movie and I laughed really hard along with Archie throughout the whole movie.

In the middle of watching when my laughter subsided slowly, I heard someone coming down the stairs.

I tilted my head sideways to look behind us and saw Gareth standing there and watching us with his hands in his pockets. A scowl plastered on his face and his jaw clenched.

When he saw me looking at him, his scowl disappeared and at the same time Archie also looked at him and gave him a small smile which Gareth mirrored.

"Don't you think the volume of the movie as well as your laughter is a bit too loud, Harper?" Gareth questioned in a sweet tone.

He doesn't talk that sweetly to me. What's wrong with him? Is he just acting around Archie?

"Oh..." I muttered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you."

"It's okay." He replied in the same sweet tone and giving me one last smile, he turned and walked back upstairs.

Frowning at his weird ways, I slowed down the TV's volume and we both continued watching it.

The movie ended soon and Archie kissed my forehead and retired to bed and I also walked upstairs to Gareth's bedroom with a smile on my face.

When I entered the room, the lights were off and Gareth was already laying down on the sofa cum bed that he bought since I didn't allow him to share the bed with me.

Both his hands were under his head as he stared at the ceiling lost in his thoughts.

I changed my clothes in the bathroom and laid down to sleep with my back towards Gareth.

I felt really happy to meet Archie after so many years. I mind replayed all the childhood memories of us together.

"He looks like a very close friend of yours..." Gareth's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

On hearing him I turned around and faced him. He was still in the same position, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"He's my best friend since birth. We are meeting after eight years..." I told him.

He removed his hands from under his head and turned his body towards me propping up with the support of his elbow. "Why after eight years?"

I looked down and started drawing random patterns on the bedsheet nervously. "Um...I...because I left the orphanage when I was seventeen. And didn't make contact with those people there ever again."

I looked up, his eyes scrutinizing my face. "Why?"

"Why are you so interested in knowing all this?" I asked sharply.

"Just curious."

"Don't be. Not all stories are meant to be told."

He rolled his eyes at my statement. "Not all stories are meant to be told." He mocked.

I looked down at my belly and placed my hand over it rubbing small circles there. Gareth's gaze falling on it too.

"After I give birth..." I said softly looking at my belly. "You are going to throw me out of your house?"

He cocked his head in confusion and slowly got up walked closer to the bed making me realise he his almost naked and heat crawled up my neck.

He sat beside me on the bed and placed both his hand on the either side of my head, his body hovering mine but not touching.

He eyes stared intensely into mine making me blush. "I'm not throwing you out, Harper even after you give birth. It's your choice. If you want to leave, you can. But if you want to stay, you are most welcome."

"And the...child? What if I leave? What happens to it?"

He sighed. "It stays with you. If you don't want it to, then that's a different thing. A child needs a mother more than a father. It stays wherever you are but I get to meet it everyday."

"Okay." I whispered softly.

He looked down to my belly then back at my face and said in a gloomy voice. "Do you really not want this child?"

There was no point in lying to him so, I told him the truth. "I do. I want this child, Gareth."

He looked surprised. "But you said you don't want it."

"I was just very mad at you. I said all that in anger. I always wanted a child, I always did. But...not under such circumstances...not like this."

Tears welled up in my eyes. "I'm scared, Gareth." I admitted in a whisper.

"Harper, it's okay... everything will be alright. I'm here with you, I know you don't really like my presence but...I'm not leaving you in the middle of all this."

I sniffed, holding back my tears. "Thank you." I gave him a tight smile.

He winked cheekily. "My pleasure."

I chuckled softly, my eyes trailing down his body, my cheeks warming up again.

I gulped and averted my eyes.

"You do realise you are blushing, right?" He said in a smug tone.

I gritted my teeth, trying to hide my embarrassment. "Fuck off, Gareth."

At that he chuckled deeply and got up. "Goodnight, honey." He muttered walking back to his sofa cum bed.

I blushed ever harder at the endearment. "G-goodnight." I mumbled.

.

.

.

"Goodmorning, Harper." Archie greeted as he entered the kitchen, and lightly kissed my forehead.

"Goodmorning, Archie."

The breakfast was already set on the dining table and Diana wasn't there.

We both sat down to eat and Archie's eyes fell on the plate at the side of the table on which was a bread butter sandwich. "Can I have that?"

Since it was kept on the table, I assumed it was for no one in particular. "Sure. You can have that."

Archie quite likes the bread butter sandwich, he always did.

We started eating the breakfast and Archie happily ate the sandwich and I ate the eggs and bacon.

As we were about to finish eating, Gareth walked in, in his office suit. And glanced over the kitchen looking for something and frowned in confusion.

"Diana?" He called her.

Diana came in a few seconds later. "Yes?"

"Where's my bread butter sandwich? I kept it on the table..."

Shit! You are so stupid, Harper! So, so, so, stupid.

Archie and I looked at each other sheepishly.

"Umm...Gareth?" I said.

He turned to me. "Yes?"

I scratched my neck sheepishly. "The sandwich...Archie ate that. I didn't know it was yours. Sorry."

Gareth looked at Archie and his jaw clenched.

"Sorry, Gareth." Archie apologized.

"It's okay." Gareth said in a cold tone and walked out of the kitchen and Diana said to him. "Atleast eat something before going."

"I'm not hungry!" And the front door was slammed shut.

Shaking her head, Diana went out of the kitchen.

Archie said to me. "He clearly doesn't like me."

"What? Why will you say that?"

"Anyone can point it out. It's better if I leave."

"No." I whined. "You are not leaving. And anyway, you have to go back tomorrow evening. It's just a matter of one more day. Please don't mind him."

He hummed in response and finished his breakfast.

.

.

.

Archie said he had some work and will return a few hours later. I took a day off from work since I wanted to spend some time with Archie.

I felt bad earlier when Gareth left without having breakfast so I made two bread butter sandwiches and wrapped it in an aluminium foil and keeping it in a small plastic bag, I hailed a cab to Gareth's office.

This time I took a moment to admire the skyscraper in front of me, the sunlight making it shine.

I already knew where his office was so I took the elevator to the 40th floor.

I walked past his assistant's desk who recognised and nodded curtly at me in acknowledgement. "Ms Collins."

I smiled softly. "Hi."

"Should I inform Mr Wilbrose?"

"No. Thanks."

He nodded resumed doing his work while I walked upto Gareth's office and knocked on his door.

"Come in." His deep voice said.

I opened the door and stepped in. He was sitting on his desk, a pile of files were kept on his desk as he typed on his laptop. His brows furrowed in concentration.

"What is it, Kyle?" He said, his eyes still on his laptop.

"Hey..." I said softly.

He finally lifted his head and (obviously) looked surprised to see me. "Harper..."

I walked closer to his desk and held up the plastic bag in my hand. "I brought you your sandwich. Sorry that Archie ate it earlier...I really didn't know it was yours."

He sighed and pushed back his swivel chair and got up. "It's okay, Harper. You didn't need to come this far to just give me this."

"Well...I felt kinda guilty so..." I trailed off.

He took the bag from my hand kept it on his desk. He smiled, a smile worth billions making my heart skip a beat and butterflies erupted in my stomach. "Thank you. Really."

I roamed my eyes around his office trying not to look at him. "Nice office." I complimented.

"Thanks..."

"Uh...okay. I'll be leaving now. Bye." I turned around to leave.

"Wait. I can ask my driver to drop you home."

"No, thanks..." I was at the door already. "I can manage. Goodbye, Mr Wilbrose." I said over my shoulder.

He chuckled softly. "Bye, Harper." His gaze burning through my back as I walked out the door.

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