Chapter 14 Alyssa's Fight With Alexander
Alyssa opened the door to find Eva on her doorstep. “I forgot my charger,” said Eva apologetically, but she scoffed and stomped away angrily inside, still angry with her friend. Eva sighed and followed her in to get her charger. She knew her best friend was upset and felt guilty for abandoning her, but she was helpless.
Alyssa dejected walked towards the kitchen to make something for herself since it didn’t look like Eva would make any dinner. She hated cooking, and it was Eva who always prepared their meals. Picking up a packet of pasta, she was about to start when the door clicked open and Alexander stormed into the apartment.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Lisa? Dad waited the whole day for you and here you are making dinner? I’m sure Eva can manage that. Get ready in five minutes. I’ll take you to meet dad. He’s furious with you,” he scolded her, making the packet of pasta drop from her hands onto the counter out of fear.
Eva dashed out of the room with her charger to escape their confrontation. She had no wish to be insulted all over again. Keeping her eyes fixed upon the floor, she dashed towards the main door while Alexander glared at her all the time with disapproval.
“Don’t you two have any other work than partying? Dad said he won’t pay a single penny for your enjoyment.” Eva didn’t want to hear a word more and opened the door and walked out without even looking at him. It made Alexander even more furious, and he turned toward his sister.
“Are you two going out somewhere?” he asked, seeing the upset look on her face with curiosity.
“No, why?” she shrugged, picking up the pasta and emptying the contents into an airtight container.
“Did you two fight?” Alexander asked again. He noticed Eva didn’t have the hospital handbag with her, so she wasn’t going to her duty. Then where did she go?
“No, Eva left. Happy?” said Alyssa, glaring at her brother accusingly. Alexander gaped at her for a while, trying to absorb what she had just told him.
“Left? What do you mean?” he asked, looking bewildered.
“She moved out to a place of her own, forever. Happy now? That’s what you always wanted, right?” she demanded angrily, while Alexander pursed his lips to stop the retort he was about to spew out. He couldn’t believe that Eva was really gone when she didn’t have any place of her own, only a job she had just started. Being fresh out of college, her pay wasn’t much and a place of her own would leave nothing with her to run her daily needs. He hadn’t wanted this at all!
He watched the helpless tears form in his sister’s eyes as she made a valiant attempt not to break down in front of him. “You might be my older brother, but you have no right to interfere this way in my life, Alexander. I’m not a twelve-year-old child anymore, but a grown woman whom you cannot insult every time you feel like it. I will not take over your dad’s business just because you’ve refused it. For years, they have treated me like shit, like some roadside trash while you were the apple of their eyes. Now, when you’ve refused to look after the business, they need me. Do me a favor, Alexander. Complain to your dad about me and ask him to stop all my allowances. I can manage without food and shelter, but I refuse to bow down to your insulting ways. I’m an orphan from this moment, just like Eva and Sienna,” she yelled as she wiped her tears away and stormed towards her room to pack up. She had no wish to live in Daniel Van Every’s apartment or take a single cent from him. Alexander stood like a statue, trying to grasp what she had just said.
He strolled towards her room and watched her pack up with a grim expression on his face. “And where exactly are you going?” he asked gruffly.
“Not to Eva’s place, if you must know. I’m going wherever my legs can carry me, far away from here, away from all of you. I’m going to a place where you’ll never find me.” Alexander looked angrier and snatched the clothes from her hands.
“Stop the melodrama, Lisa. I know what this is all about. You’re going to Claudia Donnelly’s house hoping to meet that ashole you just grew fond of.” Alyssa’s jaws dropped and she stared at her brother with astonishment. Did he just imply that she started liking Nicholas Donnelly?
“Have you gone out of your mind? Why would I go to aunt Claudia’s house? Even if I go, why would I hope to meet Nicholas?” Alyssa scowled, but her heart raced with apprehension as she wondered what made her brother come to such a conclusion. How did he read through her so easily? She had been thinking along those lines when she agreed to go to Hayley’s house.
Alexander’s taunting laugh echoed within the close confines of her bedroom. It was bitter, shallow, and angry and her eyes widened, waiting for him to spew more hateful accusations toward her. “Do you think I’m bloody blind? I saw him hitting at you at every opportunity he got and you were no less, either. Why did you have to hug him? I thought you had gone to meet Sienna.” Alexander scowled hard at her while she paled considerably. So he knew she hugged Nicholas?
“It was just a friendly hug, Alex, only because he saved me four times from major accidents. It wasn’t anything more than a friendly thank-you hug,” defended Alyssa, while Alexander stood domineeringly, his hands on his waist as he glared at her with disbelief.
“Whatever! You know he’s my worst enemy, so in a way, you insulted me by being friends with him.” Alyssa gaped at him wordlessly. She did not know why he was dragging the issue!
“I know the cause of your enmity with him and his brothers. Don’t you think it’s uncalled for? You guys fought because of me that day when all Nicholas did was save me from the rowdy guys who were harassing me. Maybe you know of this already, but refuse to acknowledge the truth. Grow up, Alexander. There’s more to life than enmity, rudeness, hatred, and anger. Learn to forgive and love. You’ll feel better.” Alexander rolled his eyes and paced the room angrily.
“I hate Nicholas, not because of that day, but because of the way he stares at you all the time. I know his intentions aren’t good. You need to stay away from him. He treats you as a challenge to get under my skin. He knew I was watching him and hugged you just to win the challenge. You’re naïve and don’t know the harsh reality, Lisa. If I’m asking you to stay away from him, there sure is a reason behind it. He isn’t what he portrays.” Alyssa shrugged, frowning at what her brother told her. So was it all a show? Did Nicholas ask her for a hug just to annoy her brother?
Alexander sighed and unpacked her stuff and placed the suitcase away. “I’m not your enemy, but just looking out for you. I’ll order pizza and send your dinner in a few minutes. You don’t need to leave the apartment and go somewhere else. This apartment is yours.” He patted her head softly, his eyes softening a little, and then whirled around and walked out of her apartment. Alyssa sank into her bed with relief that he didn’t force her to meet her stepdad.
Alexander’s words had her thinking hard. So he didn’t consider Nicholas his enemy because of the fight ten years ago, but because of Nicholas’s ways. Did Nicholas really show interest in her just to annoy her brother? Was Alexander right in his assumption that she was just a challenge to his ego, a way to get back at her brother?
The doorbell rang, and she thanked the pizza delivery boy for her dinner. However, she couldn’t even eat a single piece as thoughts of Eva filled her mind. Did she get any dinner tonight? Her salary wasn’t much and the rent would surely burn a hole in her pocket.
Unable to contain herself, she called Eva to ensure she was alright and to apologize for ignoring her. “Hey, I’m sorry. What are you doing now?” she asked on hearing Eva’s tired voice at the other end.
“I’m okay, Alyssa. I’ll call you later. Your brother is here to take me back with him. We’re fighting,” she whispered, the last part making Alyssa’s eyes pop out. Alex went all the way to Eva’s place, but how did he know where she lived? She herself did not know then how could he? She rolled her eyes at her weird brother and bit into her pizza, devouring it within minutes. It was the best she had ever eaten!