Chapter Three

Scarlett

"Hey there," my brother's voice cut through the silence of the room.

My gaze shifted from the glimmering swimming pool to the entrance, where my twin, Ryan, is strolling in with two blonde girls in his arms.

"Why don't you darlings take a seat over there?" He gestures at the sun loungers near the pool. "And I'll join you in a minute." He says with a wink.

They nod in unison before they leave us.

Ryan walks up to me. "How hot are they?" He asks with a grin on his face.

He is easily amused.

I lift my shoulder in a half-shrug. "They are all right. Clearly your type," I mock.

Not sensing the mockery, he leans in close, and whispers, "They are not related," before glancing over his shoulders at them. "I swear girls around here have the same face."

"Or the same doctor?" I add.

"I can leave you with one if you want"

I act as if I'm considering his offer, while the sound of cameras clicking and the chatter of the women rings in my ears. "I'll pass."

"Your loss." Ryan clears his throat as he adjusts the lapels of his grey suit, realizing it's time to be serious. "Why are we here?"

"What do you think about this place?." I stretch my arms wide, giving a dramatic introduction to my new home. "5,635 square feet, four bedrooms, four baths, a gym, a screening room, a pool, and a driveway so long you can't see the end of it. What do you think?"

I am proud of this place. It was hard getting the perfect place in a short amount of time, but my real estate agent really came through for me on this one.

Ryan raises his eyebrows. "Is this the new career path? Are you trying to sell it to me? "

"No, I bought it. It's mine."

Ryan puts his hands in his pockets, looks around for a few seconds, and then settles is eyes on me. "Cool, but why buy a house in New York when you are coming home to Chicago with me?"

"Whoever told you I was coming back to Chicago?" I cross my arms over my chest. The excitement of introducing my new place is fading.

"Funny," Ryan says with a wry smirk, his eyebrows knitting together. "Didn't you see the text I sent? Mum wants to meet and have a discussion about your future in the company. Our plan worked."

"Oh, I forgot you are now mum's messenger bitch." I joke.

"I am not, you are." He points at me, "That's why I need you to go back to doing what you do, so I can go back to doing..." He looks over to his shoulders to smile at the girls. "What I do."

"I am not coming back. I accepted the job."

Ryan stares at me with a look of utter confusion. I bet he cannot believe his ears. He must think I have gone mad. I may have.

For as long as I knew what I wanted, I have desired to be the CEO of Bell's Digital. To achieve that, I always had to serve. And I did.

This goal was just in my grasp a week ago, so close. I could feel it. Last week was filled with anticipation, I thought it would be the best week of my life. With my mum, Elaine Bell, transitioning out of the role, I was honored to take over as CEO. Blind-sided, mum made the decision to appoint an outsider to the CEO position.

Since that day, I woke up each morning feeling empty; no spark of anger, no flicker of joy, nothing to give me a sense of purpose. I felt like I was being pulled into a bottomless void, and I had no energy to shout for help.

Ryan had some ideas that would help me get my mum's attention and enable her to see my efforts in the company. I resigned, a resignation which she approved without a care in the world. That didn't get her attention. She saw it as a child throwing a fit.

The second idea was for me to get a job interview at mum's rival company, Reach Media. That got her attention. Taking our family issues public is like a physical blow to her face. It shows she's not in control. Elaine is always in control.

"You are joking?" Ryan asks with a stern look.

I shake my head.

He starts pacing. "Talk to me. Is this some type of business idea? Like the longer, you stay away, the increase in your value?" Ryan stops in front of me. "Because you don't need it, mum will give you the CEO position you have always dreamed about. It's a no-brainer, being a COO or being the CEO. You just need to come back to Chicago and you can negotiate with Mum." He says slowly like he is talking to a child.

Through my brother's frantic response, and panic mum is not joking around about getting me back home. This is a job for him. I feel sorry for him but it's not on my account that he proves himself to Mum.

It's impossible to make her proud.

"It's not about business, it's not," I say truthfully.

"Then what's it about?" He stops in front of me. "Don't tell me this is some delayed rebellion for the time mum laughed in your face when you came out as bisexual?"

I came out as bisexual nine years back at a family dinner. And yes, mum laughed as hard as I have ever seen her laugh before and said, "Stick with the male part, and don't embarrass me."

It is the "sticking to the male part," for all these years that made me realize that I am 100% a lesbian.

"Because we have all been waiting for you to snap." He adds.

"It's not that." I sigh. "Look, I just cannot go back. You don't get it, I was dead inside. I always have my life in order and you know it. I had a plan for my life, then suddenly I was lost after what mum did to me. Can't explain it, but there's something here that makes me feel alive."

Hopefully, someone...

"You wouldn't last here. You hate people. Now you will have to make new friends with people?" He scoffs. "And you know I will be in Chicago, right? I won't be here."

With a frown on my face and my arms folded, "And what's that supposed to mean?" I ask.

I know what he means. I like to think I am independent and Ryan is the one that's always following me around. But we are both co-dependent. For the past 28 years, we have done everything together. We attended the same boarding school and college. We are in the same friend group, and to make matters worse, we share similar facial features.

We both hate this.

"You are a bitch. No one that doesn't already know you will want to be friends with you-"

I interrupt him. "I do already have a friend. Her name is Audrey." And she is also my assistant, but I won't tell him this.

An image of Audrey flashes in my head and I try not to smile. Ryan is right. I don't like people. I am not impressed by them. But there's something about Audrey. Her beauty and the simplicity she exudes just by watching her from a distance. That's impressive.

I did not know what I was doing when I had my driver stop in traffic and I walked up to her to give her a cup of coffee. Then I saw her up close , and damn, she is angelic.

I was going to get her number to ask her out sometime, but I lost my nerve and walked away. This is weird because I don't get nervous. I make people nervous.

Then I saw her behind that table with her curly hair falling down her shoulders, standing in her small frame, with a surprised look on her pretty face.

"Is she your friend or do you want to fuck her? That's only when you are interested." He raises an eyebrow.

That statement hit a nerve. Now I am mad. "If you will not be happy for me in this new journey in my life, get out." I point to the glass door.

He doesn't move. "What about Nick?"

He must be desperate because he's grasping at straws at this point.

"What about him? We've broken up."

Just before I left Chicago, I had a "mummy-approved boyfriend." Nick Daniels is a tech billionaire who my mum adores more than her children.

"Does he know that?"

I haven't called him and broken it off yet, but I think ignoring his calls will be enough of a hint.

Changing the topic, "Don't you have other things to worry about?" I ask. "Like explaining to mum why I will not work for her anymore?" I smile.

He releases a slow breath, forcing himself to swallow down his frustration. His voice comes out low. "You are not going to leave me with that witch we call our mother. Let me ask you a question?" He puts a finger up. "Do you know what I do in Bell's Digitals?"

I hesitate for a while, thinking and waiting for the answer to come to me, but nothing comes. "I don't know."

Even though I care for him, it's undeniable that Ryan is completely useless. He comes in to work once in a while, sits in his incredible office with a view and that's pretty much it.

"That's because I do nothing. If you leave, mum will focus on me and then realize I am useless. You can't do this to me."

One thing about me, I don't respond well to manipulation. I put my hand on my brother's shoulder. "When that time comes, you will have refuge in my four-bedroom home."

Ryan slaps my hands away. "Oh, Fuck you! You selfish bitch."

"Thanks." I laugh.

"Girls, let's go," Ryan yells adjusting his suit.

I hear the girls' laughter as they cling to him and walk toward the door, and a deep feeling of loneliness begins to creep in.

"Will you come over for dinner tonight before you fly to Chicago?" I call behind him.

"Sure, as long as you're not cooking," Ryan says.