Strangers

Beads of sweat trickled down Mr Remington's back as Mr Conner looked at him with a confused expression.

"Remington?" Mr Conner asked finally, breaking the ice.

"Mm" Valeria hummed.

"Then you must be Luke's sister" Mr Conner chuckled and turned to Luke. "It's good to see you looking out for your sis—"

"Cousin" came the sharp interruption from Valeria.

"Erm.." Mr Conner frowned. His eyes once more scanned the family of three sitting next to him. "Niece to Mr Remington, then?"

"Daughter" Valeria enjoyed seeing her family squirm under scrutiny from their possible benefactor.

"I'm not sure I follow" he adjusted his glasses as he looked at Bianca. "You told me you were an only child, and your parents concurred, what's this then?"

Valeria's heart thumped in her chest. Pain and anger flashing across her facial features for the briefest of seconds before she schooled her expressions, which was caught by the man sitting quietly next to her.

Disappointment coerced through her entire being, under the table she clenched her fists till they turned white. After composing herself, she smiled, a slow wicked smirk.

"I'd say I'm surprised but I'm not. Disappointed, certainly, but never surprised" she said, her eyes closed to hide the turmoil going on in her head.

"Uncle Jay, this is very low of you" Luke rebuked. He opened his mouth to say more when Val raised her hand for him to stop.

In her beautiful grey eyes was a concealed anger. She looked at her family members: her father, who kept his eyes lowered; her mother who seemed a bit remorseful; and of course, Bianca, boiling in rage.

"What did you expect me to say? You left home. No letters, no calls. You broke our hearts. I had to say it Mr Conner. She refused to be part of our family. Please forgive me, I meant no harm" Bianca said, tears spilling out of her eyes.

"We all know there was only one kid in the Remington's household. A perfect family of three. Don't act as if you weren't elated that I left" Valeria said calmly.

"I wasn't. How can you say that? You're my only sister and I love you so much" Bianca said defensively.

"You love me so much you took the letter I left to mom and dad?"

"W-what letter? I didn't take any letter" Bianca's heart shook in her chest. This little witch.

"I addressed a letter to mom, dad and you. Why did you hide it?"

"You're lying" Bianca half-yelled.

"Am I?" Valeria stared at her sister.

"Yes"

"What's your proof?" cane the calculative question.

"What proof?"

"Yes proof" Valeria stood up and pointed at her sister. "Where's my letter to you Bea? I specifically addressed one to you, no?"

"You're lying"

"Am I? Swear on your life that your sister dearest didn't leave a letter to you"

Incited Bianca stood up and pointed at Valeria, "stop talking bull, you didn't leave a letter for me. If I hadn't seen the one in mom and dad's room when I went to return mom's pearl necklace I—" Bianca suddenly stopped talking when she realised her error. "I-I mean th-there was no letter at all" she slowly dropped in her seat.

Valeria sat down with a satisfied expression. "There you have it ladies and gentlemen. The perfect Bianca Remington everybody" her smirk grew. "The scheming, manipulative little bitch"

"Yo-you" Bianca pointed a finger at Valeria.

"I'm almost curious how you landed this job when we both know you have no talent in anything aside staying pretty and spending money. But with the look of things", her narrowed eyes landed on Mr Conner, "it's quite obvious"

Bianca's face flushed with embarrassment. "What nonsense are you spouting? Is that what you wasted four years learning?"

"Nonsense? We both know if I'm talking nonsense or not. And as for what I spent my years in school doing, it doesn't concern you, just know that I didn't sell my body for cheap positions" Valerie said with a knowing smile.

"Shut up" Bianca's face burned hotter with shame.

"Stop saying things like that about your sister, Ria. You know what, why don't you—"

SCREECH

Valeria stood up suddenly causing the chair she was sitting on to make a loud noise.

When everyone looked at her expression, they were scared because it was very dark.

"Ri—"

She slammed her hands on the table, cutting off her mother for the second time. "You have no right, no fucking right to call me that anymore"

"But—"

"Only my mother calls me that"

"I'm your—"

"Unfortunately, she died a long time ago" she looked her mother dead in the eye and slowly said each word.

"Valeria—"

"And so did my dad" she said cutting her father off. "So in truth Mr Conner, Bianca is an only child. And I, an orphan"

"Val" her friends and Luke called out to her, looking concerned. Her only family. She closed her eyes, reminiscing her life before she ran to Brighton.

"Valeria I didn't raise you to be disrespectful to your parents. Apologize immediately or else" her father warned.

She flattened her hands on the table. "Raised? For more than a decade, I've been the outcast. The unwanted child. I had to bear the burdens alone. When I was bullied, I tended to my own wounds. When I was scared, I sang myself a lullaby till I fell asleep.

When I needed money, I took a part time job to cater for my needs. When there no one to turn to, I was there for me.

Just me and myself, taking care of each other. I, raised me. So don't say anything that'll make me angry because I won't give two flying fucks about the consequences of what I'll do" she looked up at them, her eyes gleaming with unshed tears. "You're all dead to me, have been for the past four years. And I'd like it to continue that way. Don't reach out to me and I'll do the same. Let's just continue living as strangers sharing a last name" she walked away towards the door.

"Valeria, please" came the voice of her mother. No. Her birth giver.

"Let's go" she glanced back in the direction of her companions.

Julianne, Sara and Luke didn't have to be told twice. They were immediately on their feet and behind her in seconds.

Even twenty minutes after the four had left, the room still remained deadly quiet.

"Mr Medina, I-I *ahem* apologize for the little mishap" sweat trickled down Mr Conner's forehead. What sort of bad luck did this stupid girl and her family carry? Now they had rubbed it off on him. "Mr…" he trailed off when his superior stood up.

"I don't want to see either of you anywhere close to M & R Entertainment, or you'll find yourselves with a restraining order and me to contend with" he buttoned his suit with one hand and strode to the door.

"Mr Lorenzo, please wait a minute" Bianca ran after him and tugged the sleeve of his suit.

He pulled his hand away roughly, causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor.

"Mr Lorenzo, please stay a while. The food has only just arrived. Please don't mind my little sister, she's always been an attention seeker" she batted her lashes at him. This was a big fish, if she managed to hook him, the rest of her life would be guaranteed.

"One, it's President Medina or CEO to you. Two, get a lawyer prepared because I'll be filing a case against you for public harassment" his deep voice said while chilling her with his frosty red eyes.

He walked out leaving her on the floor stupified. When he got outside to where cars where parked, his assistant Rodriguez opened the door to his Bentley for him, and got in after him.

"How was the meeting? Anything catch your interest?" Rodriguez asked casually, as they had been friends since college.

"Get me everything you can find on Valeria Remington"

"Oh, nice. Finally a chick, I was starting to believe you were gay. You know there was this rumor that was in the upper circle for weeks…" he rambled on as the car took them to the office.

Lorenzo's red eyes shone as he kept thinking of the girl's fiery spirit. 'Interesting'