"Hey." Gabriel knocked and entered Aliya's office. As always, she was working at her computer when he entered. She turned her head to him and replied, "Hey."
"Working?" Gabriel asked to which she replied with a smile, "Unfortunately since soone won't."
"Oh, you." Gabriel sarcastically shied and waved his hand, "You're talking about , aren't you? Stop it."
Aliya rolled her eyes and Gabriel took the seat in front of her as he put a coffee cup in front of her. This was their routine latte ti and today was no different.
"Heard about Andrew's engagent?" Gabriel asked.
"Yes," Aliya replied after taking a sip of her latte, "Apparently they had been dating for three months before he popped the question."
"Weirdo, right?" Gabriel asked.
"Totally." Aliya replied before she added, "But I can't help but think it's romantic."
"From which angle?" Gabriel asked.
"…" Aliya remained quiet for a few monts before she said, "Yeah, you're right. That is weird."
"See?" Gabriel said with a smug smile as if he was happy at being proven right.
"But they're a good match, aren't they?" Aliya asked.
"I don't know. I an, she looks good, but I feel sothing's off about her." Gabriel said.
"Looks good, huh?" Aliya asked with a smirk, "Ogling your brother's fiancée, now?"
"Oh co on. Who uses the world ogle these days? It's called checking out." Gabriel said.
"Aliya smiled as her pearly white teeth ca into view as she said, "Yeah, that's much better."
"Seriously though," Suddenly Gabriel's tone turned serious when he asked, "Do you think there's sothing off about her or is it just ?"
"I wouldn't know. I haven't seen her." Aliya said.
"And if you were to see her, would you be able to tell what intentions she holds about my brother?" Gabriel asked.
"I don't just look into anyone's future," Aliya said.
"Yeah, just mine," Gabriel said.
"That's right," Aliya said. "Besides, what do you feel off about her anyway?"
"I don't know. It's just sothing she said or maybe what I thought she said. I can't exactly tell." Gabriel said with a confused expression on his face.
"What did she say?" Aliya curiously asked.
"Muffin," Gabriel said which made Aliya stop in her tracks. Since she wasn't looking into the future, that one was truly a surprise to her.
"Isn't that?" She cautiously asked.
"What Celina used to call ," Gabriel said.
"But Celina's dead, right?" Aliya cautiously asked.
"…" Gabriel remained quiet for so ti before he said, "I don't know."
**************
Aliya ca down to Andrew's floor and made her way to his office. When she passed by the secretary's desk, it was empty. She made her way to Andrew's office and knocked on the door.
Since it was a glass door, Andrew could tell who it was so he simply nodded, allowing Aliya to enter. Aliya entered and looked around before she asked, "Heard you're engaged."
A smile appeared on Andrew's face before he replied, "Yep. But don't tell you've co here to tell how stupid I was to do it so quickly."
"I won't say it." Aliya worded before she asked, "Where is she, anyway?"
"Why?" Andrew asked since it seed a little strange.
"I was just curious. After all, she might beco family so I should at least greet her." Aliya said with a straight face.
Sohow Andrew doubted that but he replied with a skeptical gaze, "She went ho for the day. She wasn't feeling well."
"Mhm." Aliya nodded before she turned around and left but not before she said, "Call next ti she's here. I would love to et her."
"Sure," was all Andrew could say to that confusing exchange.
****************
"Yo," Gabriel said as he entered Andrew's office. Andrew raised his head and asked, "Don't you have any work to do?"
"I do," Gabriel replied.
"Really? Because I could swear the pile of files on my desk increased exponentially when I went out for lunch." Andrew said.
"Must be your imagination," Gabriel replied.
"Right." Andrew said before he muttered under his breath even though he knew Gabriel could hear, "And you cuss Dad for dumping his work on you."
"What was that?" Gabriel asked even though he heard that loud and clear.
"Nothing." Andrew replied and then asked, "What do you want?"
"What? I can't visit my brother?" Gabriel asked.
"Of course, you can. But the condition is that your brother must also be free, just like you." Andrew remarked which Gabriel easily ignored thanks to his thick skin.
"So? Where's my soon-to-be sister-in-law?" Gabriel asked.
"Why does it feel wrong when you ask it like that?" Andrew asked.
"Yeah, it kind of felt dirty to too." Gabriel muttered before he asked, "So where's she? How co you two aren't making out behind closed doors?"
"This is a workplace." Andrew pointed out.
"So? That's never stopped, Dad." Gabriel said.
"With his secretary?" Andrew asked as if a new piece of information suddenly ca to light.
"Naw. With Mom. and Aliya had to run away at the speed of light, literally." Gabriel said.
"Ahan." Andrew replied, a little creeped out himself but he kept his comnts to himself as he said, "Well, we have enough ti in the bedroom to keep this place clean. Besides, I don't think it's very sanitary."
"Ahh… Classic wonder boy thinking." Gabriel said before he said, "These are the classics, you know."
"In the hospital, in the office, inside of an elevator, back alley, photo booth, publi---"
"Maybe! You have sothing else to talk about." Andrew hurriedly interrupted before Gabriel continued any longer.
"Spoilsport." Gabriel said before he asked, "How's your training coming?"
"Actually, I'm having so problems," Andrew said as tendrils of lightning appeared on his hand.
"Anything I can help you with?" Gabriel asked.
"I doubt it. The way you use it and the way I do are different." Andrew said.
"Well, of course, it is. I use it offensively and you use it defensively. Which is funny by the way because lightning is ant to be used for offense." Gabriel said.
"You just have to look at the perspective of how it's used," Andrew said.
"Right." Gabriel said, not wanting to argue anymore about this, and suggested, "Why not ask Master Zean about it? If anyone knows about lightning, it's him."
"You an Mister Gates? He hates ." Andrew said.
"He doesn't hate you. Co on, I will put in a word for you." Gabriel said and dragged Andrew with him. They got into Gabriel's sports car and made their way to another gigantic building close by about ten minutes' drive away.
The United Industries was clearly written on top of the building. It was the company that Gabriel's father and all of his friends owned together.
"Are you sure about this?" Andrew asked before he nervously said, "Coming to this place makes feel like I'm entering the den of the wolves. And they're not the friendly kind."
"Well, they are the wolves." Gabriel said, "And all you have to do is ward off the pressure they involuntarily emit. They're powerful as hell. You don't expect to be safe in their vicinity, do you?"
"They're powerful, all right. That I admit. But they still scare even though they don't intend to attack ." Andrew once again nervously said.
"Dude, even I don't fear them that much and they used to beat the living hell out of ," Gabriel said, recounting his training slash beating days.
"Yeah, well, with you it's different. They taught you everything they knew because they saw the remarkable potential in you. They sort of respect you. ? I got nothing." Andrew said.
"Oh, co on. Don't beat yourself up." Gabriel said before he added, "The worst that would happen would be he says no."
"No. The worst that could happen is him saying yes and them murdering under the guise of training and putting it up as collateral damage." Andrew said.
"Well, there's that too." Gabriel said, "Co on. Stop being a wuss. It's for your own progress."
"You'll be with , right?" Andrew worriedly asked.
"What is this? A confession to Daddy? This is just you asking for help. The only possible answers are yes and no." Gabriel said but no matter what he said, Andrew's nervousness never lessened.
"Haa…" In the end, he had no choice and said with an extended sigh, "I will be with you all the ti."
"Yay!" Andrew was seriously relieved when Gabriel replied.
However, Gabriel wanted to move away from his brother over that behavior.
They made their way up and stopped at the second last floor. The topmost floor was reserved for board etings only. The fifteen offices belonging to the board of directors a.k.a, the owners of that company were on the second topmost floor.
They knocked on the door of one office and entered.
Inside a luxurious office, there were many art pieces but that wasn't the point of notice. The prominent color in the room was blue.
Dark blue furniture. Blue decorations. Even the carpet was blue. Behind the desk of the owner of that office, sat a brown eyes man, however, not a blue eyes one.
"Hello! Mas---" Gabriel began to sweet talk his way in when the man, without raising his head said…
"No." A brown eyes man straightforwardly said.
"But you didn't even--" Gabriel tried to argue when the man cut him off, "No."
"Well, at least that's not the worst-case scenario." Andrew couldn't help but say.
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