Andreas left for Cyprus the next day but Toria stayed behind.
Though Reyona told her she was feeling better, Toria told her her teammates got everything handled.
Andreas told them he had no issues with her staying for as long as she wanted to.
The property they were currently working on was one in a series of many that Andreas had lined up for T and T Interiors.
It turned out that Andreas had carved out his niche in real estate investment by doing flipping.
His business had to do with buying run-down properties and turning them into extravagant masterpieces before selling them off.
It was a lucrative yet risky venture to get into.
From the little that Toria had told them at dinner, Andreas had made quite a name for himself in Cyprus and across the continent, which set him apart from his family's affluence.
Andreas himself had barely said anything at all, but even from what Maxwell, Celia and Andrew had said about him, it was apparent that the man was worth much more than the credit he was giving himself.
Just as it was obvious to Reyona that she was not mistaken in her initial impression of the man.
Kanellis had the hots for her sister.
Damn.
It was in the looks.
One couldn't help but notice how he looked at her like the sun rose and set on her.
In the subtle touch and the way he always seemed to look for an excuse to touch her at all.
What confused Reyona was Toria's seeming indifference to the man.
Did it have anything to do with their mom's watchful gaze?
When Maxwell and Andrew had to step out for a while that morning, Maxwell had made Reyona promise to use the available wheelchair if she needed to go with a wheelchair, since he wouldn't be around to carry her.
So when Andreas came to say his goodbyes, Reyona and Gladys bade him farewell.
Reyona thanked him for his generosity towards Toria and for coming all the way when he didn't have to.
Even Gladys thanked him and then said bluntly, "You are not acting like any boss that I know, though. Do you like my daughter?"
"Mom!" Toria said in embarrassment and practically dragged Andreas out before he could say whatever he had intended to say.
When Reyona gave her a look, Gladys spread her hands innocently and asked "What? It was a reasonable question. Don't pretend you can't see how he has been acting around her."
Reyona's admonishing look dissolved into a smile.
Then her look turned mischievous before she turned her wheelchair around and quickly wheeled herself to the closest window facing the front of the house.
Gladys followed immediately.
To their disappointment, Andreas was already stepping into the car that came to carry him.
Still, they stayed there, one looking over the shoulder of the other as they watched Toria standing there for a while, long after the car had gone.
"Yeah, definitely something there," Reyona thought as Toria finally turned around, and her shoulder rose and fell in a sigh.
She and her mother almost fell over each other when Toria suddenly looked in that direction.
Reyona ducked and Gladys hid behind the closest wall.
"Do you think she saw us?" Gladys asked.
"No, I don't…what are we doing?" Reyona asked out loud in disbelief and they both burst into laughter.
They were still laughing as Gladys wheeled her back to the living room.
Toria entered and looked at them suspiciously, "What is going on?"
"Eh?" Gladys asked innocently.
"The laugh? What were you laughing about?" Toria asked in an exaggerated tone.
"What were we laughing about, Rey?" Gladys threw Reyona straight under the bus.
What? "Uhm, something that Junior said before going to school." Reyona improvised.
Now, Toria looked more suspicious as she folded her arms and asked "Oh yeah? Tell me about it."
"Tell her about it, Rey," Gladys said before she yawned suddenly and said "I need to go have my siesta now. Didn't have much sleep overnight. New place, you know."
"Mom, it is 11 am," Toria said emphatically.
"No better time to have a nap," Gladys said as she hurried off. "I will send your regards to Georgie and the twins when I call them later. Reyona, don't forget to ask your sister about that thing you wanted to ask her."
"I have something to ask her?" Reyona thought in exasperation.
And she was gone.
"So?" Toria said as she came to stand in front of Reyona.
"So what?"
"Start by telling me why you and mom are acting so sneaky," Toria said with narrowed eyes.
"Wait…what? No, pfft, get out of your mind," she said in a tone that was so like Toria's that they both looked at each other and laughed.
Toria's gaze went towards the window and her eyes widened when she saw one of Reyona's slippers close to it.
She looked down at Reyona's stockinged foot and exclaimed "Rey!"
"What?!" Reyona asked in the same tone before she looked down and saw what gave her away.
She looked back in the direction of the wall and simply gave up the pretence.
"You and Mum were watching us?" Toria asked in surprise.
"Not that there was much to watch anyway," Reyona said unapologetically.
"I can't believe you would do that," Toria grumbled as she went to flop down on the couch. "Mum, I can see, but you? You have changed."
"Hey, the woman gave birth to me. What do you expect?" Reyona said in a mock offended tone as she wheeled herself closer to the intercom.
She placed a call to the kitchen and asked for some fruit juice and treats. Then she turned to Toria and said "Spill."
Toria was currently jiggling her feet while staring at the ceiling.
She turned to Reyona and asked, "Spill what?"
Reyona rolled her eyes and said, "What is going on with your handsome boss?"
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be pregnant and technically married?"
"None of those makes me blind. And if you think I didn't see how he was gulping you up with his eyes, then think again. Even Mom noticed."
Toria blushed and asked, "That obvious?"
"In Maxwell's words, he looked very much like a goner."
"Even Max? Oh! Come on!" Toria said in exasperation as she recovered her eyes.
Reyona thanked the two maids who brought the pitcher of freshly squeezed juice and treats.
"You know what? Let's take these to the terrace, shall we? I feel like having some fresh air," she said as she gestured to them to make the arrangements.
They immediately left.
"Looks to me like you want some gossip," Toria retorted.
"Hey, who said I can't have both?" Reyona said as she patted her stomach. "Even Pat would like to have some fresh deets on her aunt."
She saw that look again.
She wondered if she was just thinking too much, but it seemed like everyone around her had that look in their eyes whenever she talked about Pat recently.
She supposed she must be overthinking things though, as Toria stood up immediately and came behind her to help her push the automated wheelchair.
With a sigh, she heard Toria say "There is hardly anything to say though."
Sighed again. "I can't believe he left it for me."
Left what?