Chapter 6-The Big Fight

"I love pickles in my burger." Evelyn looked at her children in despair, they were at her friend's restaurant and she was trying to work while taking the children out to eat. The weather was bright and the tourists were scattered across the island, there was an open market and the locals were harnessing the opportunity, presented by the tourists, selling them hats, clothes and food.

"George, you realise that the burger belongs to Gloria, she complained that you took her burger but it was yours." She said as she took the plate from him and gave it to his sister. "But hers is bigger, it has more cheese." She gave him a sharp look, and she was surprised by someone dropping another plate. They all looked toward the direction of the person that dropped the plate. 

"Good evening, I believe that we met on wrong grounds. My name is Gabriel Hunt." Evelyn's jaw dropped as she saw her nemesis wearing what looked as a casual preppy lok. He looked incredible and the times he spent in the sun has improved his tan, Gabriel knew he was attractive and he flaunted it.

"I don't think we are strangers, in fact I know you so well, and so do the children." Evelyn said sarcastically, she looked at her children who were looking at him with mistrust, "Really? Do they know that I am their father? I hope they are already aware.".He said as he took the nearest chair and joined their table.

Evelyn felt like the ground should open up and swallow her, she never expected he would outrightly come out and speak like that. The children turned their attention to her, she knew that they had been asking her about their father and she said he was not alive, well he was not to her. 

"Mr. Hunt, we are just meeting on the islands, how can you suddenly be the father of my children, I hope you are not under a delusion or if you are searching for your children, you should employ someone to run an investigation instead of claiming that mine are yours, please stop this cruel joke." She said as she picked at her plate of fish and chips.

"You are a liar! Evelyn, why are you doing this to me? These are my children and you have kept them as a secret from me and the world. I will fight for them and get them from you." He shouted in anger, and her children ran to her side. 

"Sorry! Sorry! Excuse me Sir! This is a restaurant with a no noise policy and your voice is above our limit and you are causing a scene." Evelyn was still shaking, when her friend Braxton, came in and stopped him.

"Really? So now you have a no noise policy, I just want her to say the truth." Hunt insisted, but Braxton was having none of it. "You can excuse yourself because you are making a scene, you can leave peacefully or we'll get the security to escort you out." He said firmly and led him out.

*******

"I need a loophole, I just want to see them, Mum! She is hiding my children and she is so emboldened about it. Don't you want to see the grandkids you want so much?" Gabriel said to his mother, Estella Hunt, who was on the other line of the call.

" I don't think threatening that young lady and fighting over children is the way to get me kids. From what you told me, that night was a mistake, she would never had done what she did, if she was in her right senses plus when she approached you for help, you propositioned her. I never trained you to be that way." Estella said, after he heard her disapproval tone in it, he knew he had been wrong. 

"But Mom! She is so stubborn and strong headed." He complained, "And you are what? Gentle and easy to deal with, you do know that you have never approached her until now, and you should be more considerate instead of fighting her why don't you meet her gently, instead of coming off aggressively, where she will be defensive. She will listen to reason." Estella insisted. 

"Okay Mum, so how do I go about this?" He asked in frustration, 

"Don't give me that tone, you of all people know how to convince someone to listen to you. You own a business empire." She said and cut the call.

If people thought he was incorrigible, then they have not met his mother. Estella Hunt dropped out of high school at age seventeen, to follow her husband around in a circus. He was a performer and everyone felt she was stupid but she was in love but he proved everyone right when he absconded her with a baby on the way.

But that did not stop her, she took up a job as a seamstress and cleaner. It was not until the time the circus master's wife picked up a fight over her claims about her sleeping with her husband. She moved to Southern Bay, where she built a three chain store, one for her boutique, her seamstress shop and a milliner shop.

But that was what she taught him, he built his empire by those principles. He decided to follow his mom's advice. He called up his assistant to set up his plan.

******

"Oh My! This is one extravagant bouquet! Evelyn." Evelyn was just wrapping up her last painting to be included in her gallery opening. "What are you babbling about? A bouquet from who?" She said as she stood up from her stool. The room she was in, was named the workshop by her staff.

And the lady coming in, adjusting her glasses and struggling with a ginormous bouquet filled with pink tulips, white roses and springy lavender flowers wrapped in tulle. "I don't know, you should check the card though, there may be a name attached or an initial." Evelyn collected the flowers and they both inspected the bouquet for a card, but their efforts were wasted.

"It must be from a secret admirer! Hmmm! Wait! Let me guess, he must be rich, has high taste and he knows your choices because these smell heavenly." Sharon gushed over the flowers before she dunked her face into the bouquet. " I don't think I have a secret admirer. Do you?" Evelyn asked, puzzled at the arrangement. 

" It may be from Jimmy Lewis, that billionaire surf dude, he has always had his eye on you." She said waggling her eyebrows. "Yuck! He is like in his early twenties something and he hates children. I don't think he is smart enough to get me flowers or put in an effort to do something this nice." Evelyn said as she dropped the bouquet which was already weighing her hands down.

"Well we may never know, so how is the public relations going? Are we setting up after the next month, because I am done with the paintings." She asked, while her assistant brought out her tablet showing the places she would hold her openings. "We have every place booked and ready, except the L'Orientale and I don't know how to navigate around the owner." Sharon said as she showed the picture of the elegant ball room.

"We will definitely figure it out. Have you checked in for an extended date? And who is the owner? " Evelyn asked, as she admired the place. She wanted the best for her gallery openings but if there were issues with that, she would go for second best.

"I think I just received a mail about her request, but it is seeking your showing up at the owner's place." Sharon screamed excitedly, and showed her the mail on her phone. "You never told me the owner?..." she stopped midway, when she saw the name of the owner.

"Let's go with the next best place, Sharon." She said as she dropped the phone like hot coal. " But...but why? We have a chance." Sharon protested, but Evelyn left the room.