RELATIVES

"Open this door before I set it on fire!"A girl yelled from outside as soon as his palm touched the door knob. Eager to see who the person was, he jerked the door open to see a girl that should be a few years older than Moon. The girl was dressed like a doll with classy makeup, her hair packed in a neat ponytail,l and her shoulders held high. The stranger's dull brown eyes stared back at him for a short while before they landed on Moon, who only stared back at her in shock, making her smile triumphantly.

"Here is my favourite cheater!" The lady exclaimed dramatically.

"Jasmine, how did you find me?" Moon replied nervously.

"What do you think? That you can run away from your sins? No darling, your sins will always come back to bite off your stupid neck. I can even see you got yourself a nice apartment to live in peace while setting other people's own on fire" Moon rubbed her hands together, not knowing what to say. Jasmine continued,

"Moon, of all people, why him? You could have had any man you desired. I mean, you are a beautiful lady that no man would resist, but no! You wanted your sister's husband! We all know Rex is wealthy and good-looking—" Ocean's snort interrupted her compliment session, which made the ladies look at him

"Sorry, but are we talking about the same Rex I know or is there another?" He mocked with an eye roll while ignoring Moon who has been giving him a sign to keep quiet. He continued,

"When I saw you earlier, I thought you had brains, but now I am disappointed to know you have nothing up there. Like seriously, how can you say that ugly dude is good-looking? His nose is bent like yours, and his lips are too big." Jasmine raised an eyebrow at him with gritted teeth while Moon, on the other hand, looked as if Ocean had shot an arrow through her chest. Moon internally groaned while rubbing her forehead, not knowing what to do with her neighbour, who kept putting his long nose where it wasn't needed.

"I can see you got yourself a new plaything while your sister is getting divorced," Jasmine sneered at her.

"They are getting divorced?!" Moon's eyes widened in shock at the new information.

"Of course, isn't that what you have always wanted?!"

"Jasmine, you know that is not true! I made a terrible mistake..." Her eyes watered as she tiredly sat on the couch.

"I hope you have told your new plaything how you shamelessly opened your filthy legs for another woman's husband, not just any woman, but your sister, for crying out loud!"

"I swear, I didn't mean for any of this to happen! I was drunk-"

"Drunk on purpose so you could get your way with HIM. You didn't mean for it to happen you say, yet you ran away and changed your contact line so nobody would reach you. I have always known you are an attention seeker but don't you think you went too far this time around? I know you wanted everybody to start calling and looking for you. You know, I have been wondering, if you were innocent as you claimed, why didn't you stay to defend yourself?"

"No one wanted to hear my part of the story—"

"Because no one cares—"

"Why are you here then?" Ocean, who has been carefully listening to the conversation interjected.

"Mr, let this be the last time you would interrupt—"

"Shush." Ocean interrupted her again and enjoyed how her jaw ticked.

"Let me understand something, so, all the way from your dwelling place to say her part of the story doesn't matter? Interesting, I must say. You people must have driven the poor girl out of her mind that she had to run away.

You are calling her an attention seeker when you were the one who left your house looking like a fake Barbie doll to come to her house just to say her part of the story doesn't matter, who does that? You of course. Let us not forget that the man in question is not even your husband. You have poked your nose into people's business so much that it can't stand straight again. Hmmm, I strongly believe you are not married or have a serious functioning business or even a presentable relationship because all you do is wake up in the morning, dress up, carry your handbag and start moving about like a sheep without a shepherd while looking for where to poke your bent nose. Darling, you are too pretty for that. Should I give you some advice which will help your life that seems not to have direction at this point, are you in?"

Before Jasmine could utter a word, he continued, "With the way your mouth is hanging open, I am sure you want to hear it. The advice goes like this, when you wake up in the morning, freshen up, eat healthy food and lie down back in bed and breathe. In the afternoon, eat healthily, stay in bed and breathe. In the night too, do the same thing. Make sure you breathe in enough oxygen so that we can see if there is a way to revive that brain of yours." By the time he closed his mouth, both ladies had their mouths wide open as they both stared at him.

Jasmine continued to stare at him in bewilderment. Never in both ladies' lives have they seen someone talk so much in a short time. Jasmine, who has always carried herself like a Queen felt her throat run dry at the amount of insult she received in a very short period of time. How can such a handsome man talk so much? Who does he think he is? Jasmine thought to herself while staring at Ocean who flashed her a charming smile.

When Moon finally recovered from the shock of seeing QUEEN jasmine being roasted by a man, a part of her was happy, while the other part panicked, not knowing what would come. As far as she could remember, Jasmine had never lost to anybody, not even to her best friend. Jasmine always makes sure to have the upper hand, but right now, it is quite the opposite.

Jasmine cleared her throat, which suddenly felt dry, and Moon followed suit while Ocean stood proud and confident with a charming smile, waiting for Jasmine's retort.

"Who do you think you are to interfere in our family affairs?" Jasmine tried to ask in a brave voice, but it cracked at the end making her internally curse herself.

"I owe you no explanation, but be assured you would have your answer soon."

"What does that mean?"

"What don't you understand in the word 'soon'?"

"You lack manners." She retorted.

"And you lack understanding." He spat at her.

"You should thank your stars that I am in a good mood. As for you," she turned towards Moon who was sitting and watching her get roasted.

"I can see you are enjoying the show your plaything is entertaining you with. I hope you don't open your legs for him too." Before Moon could say anything Ocean laughed dramatically

"Oh, my dearest Jasmine, in as much I would love to continue this conversation and even go as far as to share my lovely dinner with you, it doesn't change the fact you are an unwanted guest, and in that regard, we would appreciate it if you leave at once."

Jasmine looked at him and smirked with an evil glint in her eyes. "I see. I hope you are ready to finish the dance you started to the end lover boy."

"The same goes for you. Now, if you don't mind...." Ocean walked towards the door and opened it for her to leave with a little bow before mouthing 'milady' to her.

"Now take your skinny legs out of here," Once again, Jasmine tried to convey a message through her smirk and in return Ocean flashed her a charming one. She had barely stepped out of the door when he banged it. With a wide smile, he turned to Moon who had a blank look on her face.

"You have a lovely family, my love."