Chapter 22: Worried.

Dua was initially going to the kitchen to get a bottle of water when she met the dialogue between Shane and Steven. But the most shocking thing she heard was, "As your older brother I'm ordering you to stop right there!" Shane yelled.

"O...older brother? Who's whose older brother?" Dua asked.

Shane sighed, "I'm this brat's older brother."

"Wait...you mean to tell me that you and knucklehead share the same surname and you're older than him?" Dua asked.

"Yes." Shane replied.

She laughed, "you guys have got to be kidding me." She proceeded into the kitchen to get the bottle of water she wanted to get.

She came back to the living room and looked at them both. "Now that I think about it, I don't know your ages. How old are you guys?"

"I'm 26, and Steve is 24." Shane replied.

She looked at Steven and scoffed, "24? Yet he acts like someone who's a lot older."

"Seriously, looking at you both, you don't look like the older brother, Shane. You don't even act like one," she said and Shane chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. I let him do the bossiness for me," he chuckled again.

"But if you're the older brother, then why do you work for him?" Dua asked.

"I don't work for him." Shane answered.

"But you're his employee." Dua argued.

"I work with him so I can keep him in track. He has a quick temper and severe anger issues. Shane replied.

"Awwwnnn," Dua cooed. She was touched by Shane's statement. "You're a nice brother. You're just unfortunate to have a handful as your younger brother," she said, earning a glare from Steven which she rolled off.

"Nice meeting you brother-in-law," she smiled at Shane.

"Yeah, nice meeting you sister-in-law," he smiled back and she gave Steven one last look and left.

Steven attempted to leave too but Shane stopped him. "Please, bro, I need to freshen up," Steven begged.

"You'll do that in my bedroom." Shane said causing Steven to blink at him, "seriously?"

Shane ignored him and began going upstairs and Steven had no choice but to follow him.

"Oh come on, even if I do freshen up in your bedroom, which clothes do I change into?" Steven asked.

"Mine." Shane replied. He was doing everything to avoid any potential quarrel between Steven and Dua.

The Next Day.

Shane woke up to Steven sitting on a chair right in front of him with a focused look in his eyes. Shane looked at him and sighed, "you look like you're about to kill someone." And Steven shifted his gaze to Shane.

"Put down those eyes, young man." Shane said to him and he looked away.

"What's in for breakfast?" Shane asked.

"Breakfast is ready." Steven replied.

"Oh thank goodness, I'm famished." Shane said, getting out of bed. They didn't have dinner the last night due to Steven and Dua's quarrel.

Shane went to the kitchen for breakfast and met Dua there already having breakfast.

"Good morning." Shane greeted her.

"Oh hi, bro." Dua smiled at him.

"You're up early." Shane said as he settled at the table.

"You don't know how hungry I am. My growling stomach woke me up." Dua replied and he chuckled.

"Knucklehead didn't spend the night in the bedroom and he wasn't in his study either, was he with you?" She asked and Shane nodded.

"Was he able to get some sleep?" She asked.

"I don't think so," he sighed and she sighed too.

"It must be tough on him living all these years without getting sleep. I wonder how he still manages to stay handsome," she said with worry vivid in her tone.

"What did you do to him that night?" Shane asked.

"What night?" Dua asked.

"The night I told you of his insomnia." Shane said.

"Oh that night," she finally understood. "I helped him fall asleep in the flimsiest way ever," she chuckled. "And I still find it unbelieving that he actually fell asleep so easily and quickly."

"What way?" Shane asked.

"Believe me, you don't wanna know." Dua laughed and Shane smiled.

"You're mad at him yet you still worry about him." Shane said. He had been watching her intently since the moment they started talking about Steven and he could see that she was genuinely worried.

"The Bible says love your enemies, do good to them that curse you. Pray for those who hate you and wrongfully despise you. I'm being a good Christian," she smiled. "And moreover, if knucklehead isn't in good health, who would I fight with and who would cook us delicious meals everyday?" She said and they both laughed.

Steven stood at the entrance of the kitchen and heard their discussion. He looked at Dua who was laughing with Shane and he found himself drawn to her. He still couldn't understand the reason he's attracted to her. But most of all he was shocked that she was worried about him. "Shane was right. She's nice, I just need to understand her, but how?" He thought.

Dua turned to his direction and smiled, "he's here." She said and Shane turned too. He knew Steven was there all along but he pretended not to know and asked Dua those questions so Steven could know that he's always been wrong about Dua.

Steven left where he was to the table and Dua scoffed, "such a turn off."

"You still smiled at him. Shane said.

"I smile a lot, regardless of who it is and the situation at hand," she replied and Shane gave Steven a knowing look which he looked away from.

Dua finished her breakfast quickly since she started early and went to the bedroom leaving only the men.

"I told you, you were wrong about her." Shane said but Steven was quiet.

He stood up to leave the table and Shane spoke again, "make sure not to have another fight with her."

"I'm not a troublemaker, bro." Steven replied.

"I know but try to avoid it." Shane said and Steven nodded and left.

He reached the bedroom and was shock to see things back in place. The clothes littering the whole floor were gone, the pink curtains, pink bedsheets, blanket and pillows were also gone.

"You cleaned up?" He asked.

"No," Dua looked up from her phone. "I just put a pause to the trouble," she said and he scoffed.

"But don't worry, we'll continue from where we left off some other time," she smirked.