Chapter 8: Unexpected Guest

Yvette felt her breath catch in her throat as all conversation in the room came to an abrupt halt, the trio turning their head in unison to face her. There was no turning back now. Mustering all the courage she could, she stepped inside her movement, stiff and uncertain. The living room was especially spacious, elegantly furnished with plush sofas, tasteful art, and a perfect blend of comfort and class. Ezekiel was seated on the central couch, and Eriq was sprawled beside him with his signature charming smile plastered on his face while Knox sat nearby, tablet in hand. All eyes were on her as she entered, and she forced a polite smile. "Hello". She greeted, her voice sounding more like a whisper than a greeting, and the trio nodded in acknowledgment. Ezekiel rose from his seat, his expression polite and fazed. "Welcome back home, Yvette." He replied, his voice soothing and warm. "Please sit." He added, gesturing at the space on the couch opposite him, and that was when she realized she was still standing. Yvette nodded quietly and settled down, her nerves barely concealed. She couldn't help but feel like an outsider who had intruded on their space. The men exchanged a few glances, and their conversation resumed on the work affairs they had abandoned earlier. Mrs Lawrence soon returned with a tray of tea, placing the delicate porcelain cup and saucer on the table before Yvette, flashing her a warm smile which she returned. Yvette picked up the cup in her hands more for something to do than out of any real desire for tea. She sipped it quietly, her mind racing as she tried to find a way to blend into the background, to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. Just then, her cell phone buzzed in her shoulder bag, disturbing the quiet atmosphere, and she almost jumped. She then fumbled to pull it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the caller ID. It was Olivia, her best friend. Grateful for the distraction, Yvette immediately answered the call. "Ollie". She whispered, keeping her voice as low as possible so as not to distract the men or call their attention to her again. "Yvette!. How are you doing?? I saw what happened at the wedding. Who the hell is that godamnned bastard, how dare he? Just tell me his name and I'll make sure to skin him alive and break his third leg, then I'll see how he can still go around and perform". Olivia, who was livid, shouted over the phone, unaware of Yvette's current condition. Moreover, the room was quiet, and Olivia's voice was exceptionally loud, so naturally, everyone heard her. Yvette's eyes widened in horror. The shock of Olivia's brazen words hit her like a freight train, and in her panic, she choked on her tea, spewing it back into the cup. Her face turned beet red and she couldn't bring herself to look up at the men in the room, whose mouths hung in shock, even Mrs Lawrence, who was standing by the corner, wasn't left behind as she shook her head. "What an unbridled lady". "About that... I'm... I'm sorry". Yvette stammered, grabbing a napkin to dab at the mess she had made. "I... I need to take this". She stuttered, already rising from the couch. Without waiting for their response, she bolted towards the stairs. She could still hear Olivia chattering away on the phone, oblivious to the chaos she had just caused. Once she was safely behind the closed door of the bedroom, she leaned against it, taking a deep breath to catch herself before answering the call. Meanwhile, the men downstairs were left in awe, casting pitiful glances at the stunned Ezekiel. "I feel for you, sorry, Boss". "Seems like you're in for trouble". The duo teased and burst into another bout of laughter. Several minutes later, Yvette paddled her way down the stairs awkwardly, but when she heard the sounds of their lively banter, she could finally calm her nerves a little and walked towards the trio, but suddenly stopped in her tracks. It wasn't the three men that caught her attention, it was the fourth figure seated slightly apart, a familiar yet unexpected face. He had just joined them, perhaps after she ran upstairs. She watched in awe as Mrs Lawrence passed him a cup of coffee, and he casually ran his hands through his tousled, dinky jet hair before muttering something that made the middle-aged woman blush. "Angelo?". Yvette's voice trembled slightly with disbelief as her eyes widened in shock. She had just spoken to him several hours ago and was convinced he was still in City A, planning to visit her the next day after checking on one of his patients in City S, as he had said earlier. Yet, here he was sitting casually in the sitting room, a wide grin spread across his face as he conversed cheerfully with the trio; what's more, he seemed especially close, intimate with them. "Yvette". Angelo stood up swiftly, her surprised expression matching his, and the trio gazed at them in confusion, wondering what relationship existed between them. Seems like the evening was filled with surprises. The duo moved towards each other, their outstretched arms embracing each other in a heartfelt reunion that left the other three momentarily speechless. Ezekiel rose to his feet, smiling a mixture of surprise and nervousness as he gazed at the two. He wondered how they were possibly acquainted and tried to connect the dots, then the realization hit him hard. Angelo's last nname isJasmin, and so is Yvett. They couldn't possibly be siblings, right? "This is a surprise". He began, but Angelo's raised eyebrows and half-amused, half-curious expression silenced him. "Wait". Angelo said, disengaging from Yvette's embrace as he turned to face Ezekiel, his tone edged with sheer astonishment. "Dude, don't tell me the woman you've had on your mind for a decade and finally got married to is my little sister?". His voice carried a tinge of disbelief but also some relief. Zeke kept quiet, words failing him for a moment. He and Angelo had been friends since high school alongside Knox and Eriq; he knew he had a sister whom he had never met, but now she seemed surprised as he connected the dots. Under Yvette's and others' scrutinizing gaze, he struggled to find the right words. Angelo, sensing Ezekiel's discomfort, broke into a hearty smile and swatted Ezekiel's back playfully. "You know what, I'm glad. All these years, I knew you had someone in your heart, but I didn't expect it to be my sister. At some point, I was even jealous of how loyal you could be, and then I thought, if only you could marry my sister, I'll die with no regrets". He then turned back to face the still-stunned Yvette,hiss voice softening as he addressed her. "You've married a good man, someone I can trust unlike that scumbag but I'm quite grateful you eventually married someone who'll forever cherish and adore you, unlike that bastard who goes around cheating to acquire wealth and power."