Chapter 21: Order.

Later that day Steven returned home from the office at night. Right from the gate of the house he could hear the loud music. "What's going on?" He asked his bodyguards.

"Madam is chilling off." One of them replied and Steven stormed into the house leaving Shane shaking his head.

"Here comes another episode," he sighed and entered the house.

They entered into the living room meeting it throbbing heavily with music being played by Dua as she watched the music video on the television. She was dressed in a pink joggers suit and her hair packed into a ponytail. She sat on the couch with her legs crossed, eating a maxi-sized pack of cheeseballs. As she ate, she dusted off the crumps from her hand on the floor. Not only that, the living room was scattered with books, magazines, papers and food packs.

Steven grabbed the remote control on the table and turned off the music.

"Hey!" Dua glared at him.

"What's the meaning of all this?" Steven asked as he tried to control the rage building up inside him.

"I suddenly felt like listening to music, and that's what I was doing," she replied.

"And you don't have to tear up the whole house to do that." Shane said.

"It was that loud?" She acted innocent. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"And why is the floor like this?" Steven gave her a piercing gaze.

"I was looking for a particular something and so I had to order a lot of books, magazines and anything pertaining to books and at the end I couldn't find anything. Such a total was of time," she sighed.

"And why the fuck are you eating and littering the whole place?" Steven asked.

"Oh, my apologies. However if you're not comfortable, you can start doing what you're good at doing; cleaning up," she replied.

"Oh, and you have to pay your chief guard for everything I ordered today. I had to use his card as a means of payment," she added and Steven scoffed and left the living room.

Shane looked at her and shook his head.

Steven arrived at the bedroom and scoffed, "this girl is pushing my buttons really hard."

Dua changed the curtains to pink ones. The bedsheets, blanket and pillows were now pink too, and the whole floor was littered with clothes.

As he stormed right back into the living room, he met Shane in the hallway of the second floor. "No, no, I'm not listening to you, Shane." Steven said and walked pass Shane before he could even say anything.

Steven stormed into the living room, his eyes blazing with anger. "What is all this?" he demanded.

"What is what?" Dua asked as she was busy with her phone.

"Everything you've done to the whole house!" Steven said.

Dua looked up from her phone, an innocent expression on her face. "I was just reorganizing the house," she said.

Steven's eyes narrowed. "Reorganizing?" He laughed. "Don't push me."

Dua shrugged. "I'm not."

Steven's anger boiled over, and he slammed his fist on the table. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" he accused. "You're trying to drive me crazy."

Dua's expression turned bland. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Steven's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't fucking lie to me," he snarled. "I know exactly what you're doing."

Dua stood up, her eyes locked on Steven's. "And what am I doing, exactly?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Steven's face turned red with rage. "You're pushing my buttons, that's what you're doing," he spat. "You're trying to get a rise out of me."

Dua shrugged. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But one thing's for sure: you're definitely rising to the bait."

Steven stared coldly at her. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he accused. "You're enjoying watching me lose my temper."

Dua's expression turned smug. "Maybe a little," she admitted and Steven's face turned purple with rage. "You're going to regret this," he snarled, his voice low and menacing.

Dua's eyes locked on Steven's, a challenge in their depths. "I'm shaking in my boots," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The situation reached a boiling point. Steven's anger was palpable, and Dua's defiance was like pouring gasoline on a fire.

Shane, who had been watching the scene unfold, finally intervened. "Steven, calm down," he said, his voice firm but gentle.

Steven's eyes flashed with anger, but he took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. "I'm fine," he said, his voice still tight with anger.

Shane nodded. "Good. Let's take a break and calm down."

Dua nodded, still watching Steven with a steady gaze.

The three of them stood there for a moment, the tension between them palpable.

Finally, Shane broke the silence. "Dua, why don't you go to your room and take a break?" he suggested.

Dua nodded, still watching Steven. "Okay," she said.

She turned and walked away, leaving Steven and Shane alone in the living room.

Steven's eyes never left Dua's back as she walked away, his anger still simmering just below the surface. Shane watched him, concern etched on his face. "Steven, you need to calm down," he said. "This isn't good for you."

Steven was so dead angry, but he managed to keep calm. "I'm fine," he repeated.

Shane nodded, but his expression said he didn't believe Steven.

The two of them stood there for a moment, the tension between them still palpable.

Steven rose his head and when he saw Dua descending the stairs, he took a step to approach her but Shane stopped him, "don't even think about it."

Steven ignored Shane and took a step and Shane stopped him again. "Don't leave this place."

"I'm not going to cause trouble, I'm just going into the bedroom." Steven replied but Shane knew it was all a lie. If Steven and Dua stayed together in the space for now, they'd definitely begin another episode and that's exactly what he's trying to avoid.

Steven paid deaf ears to Shane and continued his steps.

"As your older brother I'm ordering you to stop right there!" Shane yelled, stopping Steven in his tracks and Dua's mouth falling open.