Chapter 11

Lucien knew he was not fit to be at work. He had promised his wife that morning not to see Ayanda in any way or form until she brought the lawyer's letter. She told him she would bring the file at lunch and they would go together to find Miss Hill.

His door suddenly opened and his brother came in.

"Your assistant looks like she's been crying," Tristian said as he walked in closing the door behind him.

"Get out, Tristian," Lucien said with a sigh. He had not meant to take out his foal mood on the poor woman.

"No can do," the answer was delivered with a cheerful smile and more strides into the room. "I am here to make sure you don't cost me more money."

"Excuse me?"

"You're going around acting like a bear with a bee sting on its ass," Tristian said as he picked up a crystal paperweight and rolled it in the palm of his hands.

"I am the COO and you're messing with operations," Tristian said as he tossed the crystal in the air and barely caught it.

"I am your boss," Lucien said as he got up, plucked the crystal from Tristian's hands and put it back onto the desk.

"You can't fire me and face Mom," Tristian said gleefully.

"Just say what you want to say and get out, Tristian." Lucien was not amused.

"Go home," Tristian said his expression now serious. "Or wherever your fire is. Don't take out your frustration on us here and find a way to make it up to Juliet when she comes back. I already told her to take the day off."

"You have no right," Lucien was angry again but his brother was onto him.

"It was either that or getting her last check from HR," Juliet is a smart woman guess what she picked.

"She's my assistant Tristian," Lucien retorted, "completely out of your control."

"Not if you're taking the day off," Tristian said in a rare show of authority. "I am in charge until you come back and she needs a break from your sour mood. Just take your stuff and go fix whatever is wrong with you. I can handle the company."

"I can't fix anything," Lucien said in frustration. His brother raised an eyebrow at him.

"There's nothing to fix." Lucien said in a calmer tone.

"There's something up your ass," Tristian responded to that with a straight face.

"I will leave after lunch." Lucien negotiated when he realised his usually laid-back younger brother wasn't backing down.

Tristian looked at his brother consideringly. He seemed to come to a decision because he nodded in agreement.

"Fine," he said with a nod, "no more than after lunch or I'll find ways to make you miserable for a week."

"Grow up, Tristian," Lucien responded sourly.

"A month." Tristian shot over his shoulder as he triumphantly walked out of the room.

Lucien knew that Ayanda going to his wife was in part his fault. He was guilty of that. She had known nothing would develop from the little they did together. He had told her. He had not counted on her being so bold. A tell-all? What did she want to tell? She had signed an NDA she could not tell anyone about anything. And Pictures? None had been taken. He had made mistakes, but he had covered his ass in the process.

  ***

Star arrived at Blade Inc. headquarters with the letter for Ayanda tucked away in her purse. She was in a hurry to get this woman out of her mind and site. She badly wanted this chapter of her life closed.

She got into the building and went straight towards her husband's office. She was surprised when she saw that his assistant was not on her desk and her desktop computer was also off.

She walked into her husband's office and he was standing in front of the window behind his desk looking at the city. He turned around and his face was set.

"Did you get the letter from your lawyer?" He asked her.

"Good afternoon to you too," Starlet said sarcastically.

"I'm sorry," Lucien said through gritted teeth. "I want this behind me if you don't mind."

Starlet did not feel sorry for him. This was his fault. She was in fact, angry with him for making her go through this. She was also angry with herself for continuing on this stupid path she was with him. She knew at this stage that whatever pie-in-the-sky life she wanted with this man she had to bleed for. She had bled and was still bleeding.

"I want this to never have been a possibility." She told him smoothly.

Lucien ran a hand through his hair. He was sorry they were in this situation but he was not in the mood for verbal warfare.

"Can we go, now? He asked her.

"Sure," Starlet said as she began walking towards the door. "I am craving some noodles so I hope you don't mind the little Thai place down the street."

"Starlet stop playing games with me!" Lucien let out angrily.

"I am not playing games," Star told her husband, "It's not my style."

"I know what I did wrong," Lucien began then gave up and began following his wife. If she wanted to punish him, fine. He would take it. He had made mistakes and he was going to pay for them sooner or later.

As they were walking out of the building, they walked into Tristian who was going into the building.

"Oh, thank god!" he said when he saw that Lucien had his laptop bag on him. Lucien glowered at him.

"For all that is holly keep him home today, Star." He begged clutching at her hand, "We don't want his dark cloud ruining everyone else's day. His poor assistant should get a raise."

Starlet threw a glance at her husband's face and then at Tristian. She decided to keep out of whatever battle they had going on. They would make up sooner or later and leave her in battle mode alone while they were going all chummy. They were like that. No one who knew them would get involved in their disputes.

"I'm married to that permanent frown, Tristian." She joked instead. Her husband scrolled at her.

"You deserve a medal for keeping up with his moods," Tristian said sympathetically.

Starlet's face remained friendly but her mood soured. She had put up with a lot, being married to her husband.

"Let's go, we have things to do," Lucien said, took his wife's arm and led her to his car.

"Did you drive?" he asked her as he neared his vehicle.

"No," Star replied. "I used the chauffeur. He's on standby waiting for me to call once I am ready to go home."

Lucien opened the door for his wife and she got in. He then opened the back passenger door and deposited his laptop bag behind her on the seat.

Star watched him as he rounded the car to get to the driver's side. He seemed more volatile than usual. She wondered if there was a meaning to that she couldn't decipher.

Lucien drove them to the Thai place and the hostess greeted Star like she was an old friend. She was given a table at the back that had a bit of privacy and a very friendly waiter came and took their order. While they waited for their food Star waved at some of the wait staff and they responded in kind. Lucien couldn't help but wonder how much she came here.

He was quiet and observant watching her. She was genuinely smiling at the people here. Not those lifeless smiles she sometimes employed. This was one of those smiles she had given him before they got married. One that had genuine joy behind it.

A young man came from the kitchen wearing a chef's attire.

"Starlet!" he called out cheerfully his arms stretching out and she got up and hugged him.

"Niran, how are you?" she with a little laugh.

"I was wondering when you were going to come and taste my cooking, again." He responded with a grin.

"I am craving your chicken noodles," Star said then turned to her husband.

"This is Lucien," she told Niran. "He is my husband. Lucien," She turned to her husband, "meet one of my good friends and favourite chef, Niran."

"Nice to meet you," Niran said extending a hand to Lucien who automatically took it.

"Your wife here is an amazing woman," Niran started then stopped when another chef poked her head out of the kitchen a gestured at him.

"Work beckons," he said and kissed Star's cheek "It's nice seeing you here, Star. It was nice meeting you, man." He waved at Lucien and hurried to the kitchen.

Lucien looked at his wife enquiringly but she was too busy grinning at Niran's retreating back.

"You seem to know everyone, here." Lucien fished.

"Yeah," Starlet said with a grin. "I found this place almost two years ago. The owner was selling and Niran didn't have the money to buy it so I did. I own forty per cent of the place right now. The stubborn man won't let me give him ownership so he's buying it in instalments."

"You like him," Lucien stated.

"Yes, I do," Starlet said and grinned as she noticed their food coming out of the kitchen. "He's been nothing but a good friend to me. And he's a man of good values."

Star thanked the waiter as her food was placed in front of 

Lucien was not ready for the jealousy that travelled through his body. He knew that Starlet was an attractive woman but why did it shock him that there was someone close to her who liked her? Lucien was a man. He knew the other man had a bit of a little crush on his wife. She was too naïve to see it but Lucien wondered if she would like the other man back if he wasn't in the way.

"Do you know where Ayanda is?" Lucien asked when Star was finished eating and putting some bills on the table.

"Yes, she is most likely to be at her apartment." Star said as she got up.

"Most likely?" Lucien asked.

"I got her schedule and she has nothing today," Star explained then grinned at her husband. "I could have had her followed but I don't want stalking charges on my clean record."

"How did you get her information, then?" Lucien asked.

"I paid a private eye," Starlet said humorously.

"You know they follow people too, right?" he looked at her as he asked.

"Paid stalkers," Starlet giggled, "I never thought of it that way."

Lucien took Star's hand and they walked together to his car. Neither noticed how less hostile they were with each other.

***

Lucien Drove them to the address that Star gave him. They got out of the car and into the apartment building. Ayanda Hill seemed to be doing well for herself. The place was classy. Security was a little lax since anyone could enter or maybe the security guy recognised Lucien.

When they reached the door to Ayanda's apartment it was Lucien who pressed the doorbell. They waited for a few seconds as quick footsteps ran to the door and a girl who looked like a younger version of Ayanda with bigger eyes opened the door.

"Who are you?" She asked looking at them with interest. Her eyes sparkled when she noted Star's purse.

"Are you friends of Ayanda?" She asked.

"Business associates," Lucien said quickly.

"Okay, wait here." The girl said and closed the door then they could hear her shout "Yanda! You got visitors!" and then a muffled "They seem rich, too."

Ayanda opened the door and she looked panicked when she saw Starlet and Lucien. She tried to close the door but Lucien was quicker he held the door pushed Star in and then muscled his way inside.

"I don't want you people in my house!" Ayanda shouted. "This is trespassing.

"Oh, shut up!" Lucien yelled at her and she did. The other girl was peeking from a corner, her expression more curiosity than fear.

"Star," he said as he held out his hand.

Star gave him the letter from her lawyer and he gave it to Ayanda.

"If you go through with your book, I will sue you for slander." Star said.

Lucien took out a document from the inner pocket of his jacket and gave it to Ayanda.

"You signed an NDA." His voice was angry, "Read it because you seem to have forgotten the consequences of you breaching that agreement. If you come anywhere near my family again, you will not like the hellfire I torch you with."

Lucien took his wife's hand and left the apartment. Star was reeling in shock. The meeting with Ayanda was anticlimactic. She had expected… She didn't know what she had expected but this fell short.

Wait a minute… Star's mind suddenly focused on something significant in its mundanity.

He had called her his family. She was his family and he had said it.

We are a family, she thought with joy. We're man and wife.

She hoped it meant he was accepting of their relationship and her place in his life. She hoped that this was the renewal of her dream life.