wanted to throw a small get together before Althea leaves for England that is in five days time.

So, he told us to be there at his home today evening but I told him that I would like to host the get together to which he didn't agree and we both argued about that for five minutes. While he kept saying that she is his daughter and the get together will be at his house, I kept saying that she is my wife and this is her house now so, I will host it.

When he didn't agree, I hung up the call and called dad immediately and asked him to convince uncle which he was able to within two minutes. I'm sure he must have threatened him but anyway.

I didn't go to work today and was busy getting the house cleaned by the helpers while Althea trained in the garden.

And then I called over Maria and Austin for some help with the food. But maybe that was a mistake.

"That's not how you cook it!" Austin tried telling that to Maria.

"You shut up! Don't teach me how to cook. My food is much tastier than yours." She shouted back.

"Tastier? Please, it tastes like shit."

Instead of doing what I told them to do, they both kept arguing as they stood near the kitchen countertop while I stood behind them watching them and regretted calling them.

"Your food tastes like shit! Dad loves my food." Maria glared at him.

"Well, mom loves mine."

"Fine, let's have a competition. Everyone else will be the judge of it." She suggested, placing her hands on her hips. Yup, definitely got mom's attitude.

"Enough!" I interrupted. "There won't be any competition or anything. Both of you stop arguing and start working."

Maria pointed her finger at Austin. "He started it!"

"I don't care. Maria, you work on the desserts and Austin you work on the savoury items. And don't interfere in each other's work."

"That's why you called us, to make us work. What are you going to do? Rest?" Austin scowled.

"And I thought you both loved cooking. I am going to look over other things. Now, start working."

Austin rolled his eyes and started to work and Maria asked, "How many people will be there in total?"

"Ten."

Her brows furrowed and she started to count. "Is there anyone extra?"

"Lucian will be joining us."

"Oh..." And unreadable expression flashed across her face and she nodded and started to work too.

"Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head. "No." And she turned her back to me, joining Austin.

Hmm...okay...

.

.

.

That evening my house seemed to buzz with everyone present there. It was my first time hosting a dinner here.

Austin and Maria finally managed to work together and make dinner for everyone and Austin was currently hanging out with Haelyn, Al's sister, since they have been best friends since childhood and Maria was no where to be seen.

Althea sat on the couch along with her father as he was explaining to her a number of things on his phone, probably the strategies.

Mom and aunty were chatting and dad was with me and the only person not present was Lucian who was late and Maria who I guess, is somewhere upstairs.

"You have been staring at her for the past five minutes, Calix." Dad said with a sigh making me realise that my eyes infact didn't leave Althea.

I cleared my throat and leaning back against the wall diverted my attention back to dad and gave him a sheepish smile. "I can't help it, dad."

Dad smiled softly and glanced at mom before saying, "I think I understand."

Growing up watching my parents so in love with each other despite how they banter sometimes, I knew that's what I also wanted.

They have been married for almost thirty years and dad still looks at her as if she is the most beautiful thing ever and only she exists.

"But you both seem to be getting along now...how did that happen?" Dad asked and I remembered how he seemed to notice the way Althea held my hand when they arrived.

"She couldn't resist my charms after all." I grinned cheekily.

That earned me a smack on my shoulder. "Get rid of that arrogance and answer me properly."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. I don't know what changed but she has turned soft towards me and doesn't seem to hate me anymore. And oh...she kissed me!"

Dad looked surprised and raised a brow. "She did?"

"Yup, on my lips!" I grinned once again.

"Okay, okay, I don't need the details."

In a mood to mess with him like I always do, I added, "And no, we didn't have sex yet."

Dad's face blanked and he pressed his lips into a thin line. "My life was going completely fine without that information."

I sometimes tell him stuff like these just to see his reaction and they crack me up everytime and I laughed. "Oops."

Dad shot me a glare and started to walk away and was about to go after him when my phone buzzed with a notification. It was from Lucian.

Come outside, I'm here.

Lucian is an introvert. The great, bad, Lucian Astor is an introvert. He has social anxiety and he hardly does any interviews or press conference and whenever I invite him to a get together, he either comes here first or if he is late, he calls me outside and then enters the house with me because he hates it when all the eyes turn to him at once.

So, I went outside and there he was leaning against his car and seeing me, his body visibly relaxed and he walked to me.

Thankfully, he had ditched his suit and wore a simple t shirt and jeans.

As we reached the front door, he paused and inhaled deeply. "Give me a second."

Nodding, I waited for him as he prepared himself and once he was done, he gestured me to open the door.

Entering inside, as usual everyone's head turned to look at him and he paused once again, his palms curling up into fists.

He slowly forced himself to nod at everyone and Austin being the over excited one, waved both his hands from over the couch. "Hi, Lucian!"

I glared at Austin telling him to shut up. Lucian nodded in response to Austin.

I lead Lucian to my study and he sighed once he was inside. "So..." I spoke. "...you could have told me that you didn't want to come here."

He stuffed his hands inside his jeans pocket. "I wanted to, was getting bored anyway."

"Or you can admit that you missed me."

He gave me an eye roll and took a seat at my chair behind the desk.

"Are you going to stay in here forever?"

"Call me out when it's time for dinner." And he pulled out his phone, giving all his attention to it.

There was a knock on the door and Maria who had disappeared, magically appeared. "Calix?"

"Yes?"

And she stepped inside and her eyes fell on Lucian and she froze, whatever she was about to say, she seemed to have forgot.

Except me, no one can make Lucian divert his attention from his phone but Maria seemed to did just that as his eyes slightly narrowed at her.

She snapped out of the trance and looked at me. "Mom is calling you out." And she dashed away from there not bothering to close the door.

My jaw clenched when I noticed how Lucian's eyes followed her retreating figure. "Don't even think of it."

His gaze snapped to me. "What?"

I have known him since school days, I know how to read him now. "I know what you are thinking."

"And that is?" He raised a brow.

"You are planning to do things to her that I shouldn't say about my sister."

This fucker had the audacity to smirk. "Can you blame me? She's cute."

My jaw clenched further. "Cute was never your type."

He leaned back, the smirk never leaving his face. "Maybe it is now."

"Say another word about her and I'll throw you out, Lucian. That's my sister."

"Do you say that to every other man that looks at her?"

"You are my best friend and you don't get to look at her in that way. That's it."

"You can't stop me, Calix."

I marched upto him and grabbed his collar but he remained unfazed. "You can get whoever the fuck you want, leave her alone."

Lucian isn't the type to love someone, he stays in his own world and no one else can ever make a place in his world and if he is interested in Maria that only means he wants to fuck her and then discard her like every other woman and there's no way on earth he is going to treat my little sister like that.

His eyes sparked with a challenge. "Oh, I think I want her now."

I raised my fist to punch him but he caught it. "Relax." The smirk fell off his face. "I am riling you up. She's eight years younger than me, I am not interested in her."

I lowered my hand and stepped back glaring at him. "Don't do that again."

He gave me his rare and the tiniest of smile. "Of course. Now is the dinner ready? I'm hungry."