2 Chapter 2

10 Years Later

Years have passed since Serena left New York. Her father followed her after the divorce paper was done and he continued his job in his family's company back in London. Serena had graduated from University of Westminster in architecture and now works as an architect in the Evans Construction based in Manchester. Her life has changed since the move, she now plays football with her friends in the neighborhood during the weekends or sometimes joins her two best friends, Charlotte and Lorcan to watch Manchester United matches in Old Trafford.

Today, Serena, Charlotte, and Lorcan will be joining her uncle William and her father for a meeting in London. They took an early flight from Manchester Airport to Heathrow where her father's driver will pick them up.

"God, he's so hot," said Charlotte as she gazed at the travel magazine during the flight.

"Who?," asked Serena.

"Sebastian Stan," Charlotte replied, showing the magazine to Serena.

"Oh yeah.. He is hot," said Serena dreamily.

Lorcan who sat next to the window, turned to the girls and craned his neck on the magazine, rolling his eyes.

"Please.. I'm much hotter than that guy," he leaned back to the window and closed his eyes.

"Did you play Bucky Barnes in Captain America? No. So, shut up," replied Charlotte glaring at him.

"Come on, you guys.. Stop it.. You guys are fighting like a married couple," Serena laughed.

"Well fat chance, Lorcan's gay," said Charlotte as she continue looking at the magazine.

Lorcan's eyes snap open and he looks at Charlotte with his mouth wide open.

"I'm not gay!! Whatever you heard from my sister is a great big fat lie," he said loudly.

There was a shushing sound coming from the back and the front seat and some passengers had turned around to look at him. Some were staring angrily and some were looking in amusement. Three of them looked at each other and tried so hard not to laugh. The rest of the flight continued with them chatting around about their work and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer taking over Manchester United's management. They arrive at Heathrow in an hour and Charlie, the old driver merrily waves at them at the Arrival gate.

"Hi Charlie, how are you?," Serena smiled at him.

"Doing great, Serena," said Charlie smiling at three of them.

"How's your wife, Charlie? God, I miss her Shepherd Pie so bad..," Lorcan moaned, licking his lips.

"You only miss her pie? Well that's very thoughtful of you," Charlotte scoffed at him.

"Well, I'm glad that he only missed the pie, Charlotte. Or else, I'll get very big jealous," Charlie laughed.

The three of them laughed and climbed inside the car that took them straight to London. Thomas was already waiting for them at the lobby and when he saw his daughter, his face cracked into a grin and stood up to hug her.

"Hey dad, I missed you so much, how are you?," asked Serena as she kissed his cheek.

"For a fifty three year old man? Absolutely dashing," Thomas replied with a chuckle.

Thomas never dated anyone since the divorce. Serena suspected that he might have still had hearts for his ex-wife. She sometimes coaxed her father to date other women but he declined, telling his daughter that he's getting old or he's overloaded with work.

"How's your work? Any progress on Finchley Tower?," asked Thomas to her daughter.

Finchley Tower was Serena's design. It's a forty storey building for a hotel and mall. She used to call it one of her babies where both Lorcan and Charlotte work alongside her as engineers.

"They're going well, I think we're on schedule and I have a feeling that the Tower will be opened sooner than we think," Serena smiles as the four of them walk towards the lift.

Lorcan pressed the number sixteen for William's office and as the door of the lift opened, the hallway that led to William's office instantly became quiet.

"Did someone die in here?," Lorcan whispered and Charlotte giggled.

"No, I think it's because dad it's some sort of a king in the company," Serena whispered back as they walked towards William's office room.

"Oh shut it," Thomas whispered to his daughter.

"I feel like we're on our way to see the headmaster for detention," whispered Charlotte.

They can feel a lot of eyes looking at them as they walk on the hallway, whispers were heard among the staff. William's secretary stood up as they approached the office's door, her eyes went wide.

"Mr. Evans, how nice to see you," she squeaked, "I didn't know that you're here to see your brother,".

"It's a surprise meeting, Donna," replied Thomas looking suspicious, "My daughter and her colleagues are here as well to join,".

Thomas made his way to open the door.

"Wait..," Donna squealed and she hurriedly went towards the door.

The four of them stared at her behavior and Serena frowned at her. What the hell is wrong with Donna? She's acting a bit strange.

"He's.. Having.. A client right now in the office," Donna stuttered.

Thomas stared at her and turned behind him looking at Serena, Charlotte, and Lorcan. His face suddenly cracked into an evil grin and without warning, he barged into the office with the four of them including Donna following right behind him, pleading to stop. There was a female scream and yell and two figures ducked behind a desk.

"What the fuck..," Serena's eyes went wide as she tried to shield her eyes.

"I was going to say the same thing." a male voice came from behind them and Fabian Evans, Serena's cousin, walked in.

He shook his head with his mouth wide open as both of his parents stood up behind the desk and straightening their clothes. Thomas sat on the sofa like nothing happened, both Serena and Charlotte were trying so hard not to laugh while Lorcan suddenly became interested in the picture of a giant tarantula on the wall. Lorcan hates spiders.

"For God's sake, mom, dad.. This is an office," Fabian groaned, "Did you do it on the desk?,".

Both William and Elizabeth didn't answer and Thomas let out a laughter.

"Oh bloody hell, there goes my appetite," Fabian facepalm himself.

Serena couldn't control it anymore and she let out a giggle before turning to her cousin and gave him a hug.

"How are you, Fabes?," asked Serena as she hugged him.

"Well, right now, I can feel a vomit building up on my throat," Fabian's voice muffled in Serena's hair.

She let go of him and he went to the sofa to hug his uncle.

"Thomas, I didn't know you were going to visit," said William as he straightened his tie.

His wife was still blushing as she hugged Serena.

"It's so good to see you, dear..," said Elizabeth, her cheeks were red.

"You too, aunt Lizzie," Serena replied grinning at her.

"I'm sorry sir and Mrs. Evans, I did try to stop them," Donna fidgeted in her stand, looking worried.

"It's alright, Donna," William smiled at her kindly, "My brother has a habit not to knock, you may be excused,".

"Thank you, sir," said Donna and walked out of the office in a hurry.

After William and Elizabeth take turns hugging Serena and Thomas, they join Fabian, Charlotte, and Lorcan sitting on the sofas with Fabian serving them tea and crumpets.

"Well now, what brings my dear old brother and my little niece in my office?," asked William as he passed the cup of tea to each of them.

"Works, proposals, family stuff, food," Thomas replied, eating his crumpets.

"Work proposal, right? I mean I don't mind if it's a wedding proposal for you, brother," William smirked at his brother.

"Work proposal, you dimwit," replied Thomas rolling his eyes.

The others laugh and soon start conversing on their work and progress. The Evans Construction which was based in London had a lot of requests from the government from buildings to roads to bridges. The company then started expanding to New York, Chicago, Manchester, and the latest one in Dubai where Fabian's older brother Alexander was stationed there. They review their progress on their construction projects all over the world, discussing the staffing and their investment.

By the time they were done, William called Donna and told her to make a lunch reservation for all of them in the nearest fine dining restaurant. The conversation had started to turn into family matters and family getaway. Last year, they spent their summer in France with Charlotte and Lorcan joining them. This year, Thomas had suggested New Zealand and Serena squeals with delight. She took that as a journey to destroy the One Ring and Alexander had agreed to join with his wife.

They finally step out from the building together and walk to the Italian restaurant that Donna had made reservations for. As they sat at the long table, Serena had a feeling that she was being watched. Lorcan who was sitting in front of her noticed someone behind her and he lifted his phone pretending to look closely at the text and took a picture. Serena had lifted the knife in front of her, pretending to straighten her hair. Lorcan text the picture in the text chain where Charlotte was in it.

"It's the same two guys in a suit," Serena whispered.

"Maybe you should tell your father and your uncle about this," Charlotte whispered.

"I will, this is getting serious," Serena nodded.

Lorcan whispered something to Fabian and he frowned. Both of them look directly at the two men behind at the table behind Serena and Charlotte. The two men who were just sitting there and drinking a glass of water casually stood up and paid the bills. They threw a glance towards Serena before stepping outside from the restaurant and disappearing.

"What was that all about?," asked Fabian.

"They've been stalking Serena for a few months," said Lorcan.

"We first started noticing them when we were shopping in Arndale," said Serena, "Charlotte was the one who noticed them first,".

They turn to look at Thomas who was deep in conversation with William and Elizabeth. Three of them clearly didn't notice what just happened. Elizabeth, who was nearest felt the four of them stare at her, William, and Thomas.

"Will, Thomas..," she calls them.

Will was the first to notice.

"What is it? What's wrong?," he asked them.

"Uncle Will, dad.. We have something to tell you," said Serena.

The waiter arrived with their food and drinks and they had to wait until the waiter went back to the kitchen. Thomas looked worried.

"What is it?," asked Thomas looking at his daughter, "Are you alright?,".

"Few months ago, Charlotte and I went shopping in Arndale and we were just going back towards the carpark when Charlotte noticed something," said Serena.

"We were followed, two men in a suit," said Charlotte, "Until we had to shake them off and pretend to be going inside a lingerie store, then exit at the back,".

"But that's not all, dad," said Serena, "Another two men start showing up in front of our office building, wearing suits and pretending to read newspapers,".

"We made a report to the police but they couldn't do anything because they have nothing," said Lorcan, "Those assholes just told the police that they were just having coffee on the bench,".

"They were smart though, they kept changing men," said Serena.

"They even followed her back to her apartment building," said Charlotte, "But they never get inside,".

Thomas and William both look at each other.

"Do you think she sent them?," asked William.

"Who?," asked Serena.

"Your mother," Thomas replied quietly.

"Why the hell would she send those men to me?," asked Serena looking puzzled.

"Something must happen then in New York, maybe threaten her by using you," replied Thomas quietly, "She must have sent those men to protect you,".

Serena wasn't in contact with her mom and her brothers for years. She thought it was for the best since she didn't want to be involved with the 'family'. She knew that her mom sometimes called her father to know her progress, Lucia tried to talk to her but Serena always gave a reason and she didn't allow her father to give her phone number to both her mom and her twin brothers.

"Well I don't need protection, I can protect myself," said Serena twisting her spaghetti, "You know I can shoot right? And not to mention the fencing class that I took when I was in school,".

"You still have that gun that I gave you, right?," asked Thomas.

"Yeah, in my handbag," Serena replied, "I got one each for both Charlotte and Lorcan as well,".

"You guys know how to use it?," asked William.

"Yeah.. Serena taught us," Lorcan replied, "And she's a great teacher,".

They finished their lunch and got back to the office after lunch and discussed more about their working progress. The meeting goes on until late evening joined by other engineers and architects. Then, they went for dinner, which Donna had made reservations for them again until it's time to go back. They were just hugging each other at the restaurants before heading back to the airport when Thomas's phone starts to ring. Thomas picks up his phone and his face starts to turn solemn as he looks at his daughter. He finally shut his phone and turned to look at all of them.

"Dad, what's wrong?," asked Serena looking worried.

"It's your grandfather.. He was shot in front of Plaza Hotel," said Thomas as he looked around.

Serena gasped and Charlotte put her arms around her.

"Is he alright?," Serena whispered.

"Sweetheart, he didn't make it," Thomas replied sadly.

The whole family went silent.