EXPECTATION. My head snaps to Lizzy's boyfriend, Dean. I really don't like him but who am I to judge and he seems to make my sister happy. But if he will hurt my sister, I will not hesitate to break his face. He marches to my direction, as a golden boy I give him the smile that I mastered since I was a kid.

"Good to see you again, man." I extend my hand, and he grips it tightly with a manly hug.

"Welcome back, Bash."

"Thanks, Dean! So, how's the new lawyer?"

His face lights up. He's perfect for my sister. He got the face that could be a future senator, a built like a soccer player and a brain that could possibly pass laws for the country's future.

"Thanks for asking, Bash! Just got a case yesterday. A company fine a lawsuit against your dad's company, I shouldn't be discussing this with you but I know Liz is filling you somehow. It's not a big deal, your company will surely win this case. This is nonsense actually, they're wasting their money and time." He seems so confident with his job. Being graduated as magna cum laude at Harvard Law School, he has the privilege.

"So, are you going to start your masters here?" he asks.

I take a breath. "That's the plan, mom won't let me go back to UK again. Dad wants me to start working with him, so, I guess I don't have an escape plan this time."

I notice Lizzy coming. She grabs Dean's head and kisses him like I'm not around. I'm not used to seeing my sister locking lip with her boyfriend. I cough.

"What? Can't I kiss my boyfriend?" she asks mischievously. I roll my eyes that makes Dean chuckles and licks his lips.

"It's really not my business but that's my sister who just kissed in front of me. Gross," I say wrinkling my nose.

"I think I need to set you up for a date." Her eyes glint.

I shake my head. "Not happening, Lizzy. I didn't come back to date."

She rolls her eyes. "You can't just lock up yourself in your penthouse after your classes and your training at the company." She sounds worried.

"Lizzy, I'll date when I want to and don't worry I just had broken up before coming back here,"

She snorts. "I told you I don't like that slag!"

I groan. "Liz, stop it and we're done." I give her a warned look.

She shrugs. "Fine."

She doesn't like Dana at all. I dated her for a year but Lizzy never even talked to her or even say hi. I can't blame my sister though, Dana and I may be dated but it didn't get into a point of going into a deeper relationship, the sex is good but the longer we were together the sex was just like routines every night. She didn't even mention coming to U.S with me, so our relationship ended up in U.K.

______

"Mom, got to get going, it's almost six in the morning," I yawn, rubbing mom's back.

She is sitting on the bar stool while I'm still standing in her front. "Can I come and visit you?" She asks running her fingers on my black hair that I got from dad. I laugh.

"Of course, I know you've got my penthouse keys, you don't have to tell me, you know," I tell her.

She looks at my gray eyes intently. I raise my brows.

"What?" I ask staring back at her beautiful green eyes.

"Are you happy to be back?"

I nod, releasing a sigh. I can't help but run my fingers through my hair. My hearts still broken and it will never be fixed again, the scars still fresh and it reminds how broken I was.

"Bash, did you expect her to be here tonight?"

I look away from her, shrugging my shoulder. I take a deep breath, my eyes start to sting. I bite my lips then nod slowly.

"I didn't expect her to be here too, but I was hoping she will be here," I answer her silently.

Mom grabs my hands, squeezing them. "You two, need to talk, need a closure." I shake my head.

"Got to go, mom. Where's dad?" I scan around.

"Here, son." He raises his hand. He's sitting with Lizzy and Dean.

Mom nods when I look at her. I hug her and kiss her cheek. I get inside the car waiting for me after saying goodbye to my family. Edmund closes the door behind and runs towards the driver's seat door. He immediately starts the car without a word. He maybe notices me scowling.

He plays a song again but this time is from Lifehouse. I shoot him a glare and give him a what-the-fuck-look? He shrugs his shoulders innocently.

The penthouse my parents' gift for my college graduation. A two-story with five bedrooms, six and a half baths, a huge copper brown-colored kitchen, one main living room in the first floor, a balcony, floor wine cellar, built-in Hi-tech appliances, floor to ceiling glass windows. Mom sent me pictures if I like the interior designs but these are like a boring black and white for me now.

"Thanks, Edmund, I can take that from here," I thank him, grabbing my two traveling bags from him with my Bottega Veneta messenger bag. I slump my body down the black leather couch. Rubbing my tired eyes with the back of my fingers.

"Did you talk to your mom about coming with me to college?" I ask looking at Trinity who is lying on her abdomen with her elbows leaning on the mattress, she's scribbling something on her sketchpad, biting her lip. I'm lying down on my bed with my arms under my head.

"Not yet but as long as I'm already accepted they can't say anything."

I sit on the bed leaning my back against the headboard. Crossing my arms over my chest while my legs cross together. I look down at what she'd been scribbling for almost twenty minutes already. A smile spread across my face. She's having fun sketching my face.

"We already talked about these many times, Tri. Why aren't you listening to me?" I ask annoyed, glaring at her. I release a deep breath.

"Bash, I said I'm coming to college with you it means whether mom and dad will agree on my plan or not I'm still coming with you. Who can say no to a free house and free food?" she responses, grinning at me at the end showing her perfect teeth.

I grin back. "I will talk to your mom and dad, Trinity."

She hits me with her sketchpad and she hits me there. My hands quickly cup my throbbing crotch. I curl into a ball. I feel the most painful pain I've ever felt in my entire life, my forehead starts to sweat. I can't form a word, just groaning and whining from pain.

"Bash, Oh my God! I'm so sorry, I don't mean to hit you hard in your balls," she says slowly while rubbing my head down to my back. I blow some breaths.

"Are you trying to kill me, Kiara Trinity?!" I yell at the top of my lungs. "That hurts like hell! I don't wanna be infertile, you ugly goldfish!" I yell again in between groans.

She still rubbing her hands on me. "I said sorry already, Bash. You don't have to be a bully. I really don't mean to hit you in your balls." Trinity tries to hide her laughter but there's still a hint of it in her voice.

"Stop saying balls, Virgin Mary! Stop rubbing my back! it won't ease the pain. You know where did you hit me, Nerida! Goldfish! Stick!" I yell taking her hand off of me.

The pain lessens a bit after some deep breaths. I glance at her who is hugging her sketch pad and about to cry. Her lips quiver but she is biting her lower lip to control it. I sit straight rolling my eyes.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," I apologize but she doesn't say anything. She will hide from me again.

"Should I rub your balls instead?" she asks, wiping a tear fell from her eyes.

Geez, she's so sensitive. I move closer to her, I pull her into a hug, I kiss the side of her head and rubbing her arms while she shaking to cry.

"I said I'm sorry. It hurts and I know you don't mean it, Tri, and you don't have to rub my balls." I sit, chuckling at the last words. "You're not gonna hide from me, are you?"

"You can live without me, Bash. You will find new friends, you will have a girlfriend who will not be bothered by our closeness."

I pull away from her and look at her intently. She's wiping her tears with the back of her hand and sniffs.

"What do you mean, Trinity?" I grit my teeth my anger.

Why do I feel like I'm being double-crossed. We applied to the same college together. We planned all of these together and now I feel like she'll leave me hanging. Alone. She didn't respond. She just continues crying and looking down while twisting her fingers.

"Trinity?! Answer me, for Pete's sake!" I can't help but raise my voice.

She startles in her seat, she sobs more. Her shoulders shake with hiccups.

"You didn't apply, did you? You have no plan on coming abroad with me?" I ask.

She didn't say a word, neither shake her head or nod.

"You lied to be Trinity! You played me!" I blink when my eyes start to sting. I breathe heavily.

"When are you going to tell me this? Before the flight? Did you even tell your parents? You didn't, did you?" I ask again.

She just continue crying.

"You hurt me, Trinity. You hurt me!"

"I just don't want to bother you, Bash! I'm just a burden to you, to your life. You can't even have a serious girlfriend because of me." I laugh sarcastically.

"Did I ever complain, Trinity? I chose you over them because you are more important to me than them. They just wanted me because I am a Hughes not because I am Bash like who I am to you." My voice cracks. Jesus! I never cry in front of anyone, only my family, but here I am crying over Trinity.

"You can go and study abroad, we're still best friends."

I laugh again. "Best friend? NO best friend lies, no best friend betrayed her best friend and no best friend will leave her best friend alone!" She cries even more and I want to hug her so bad but my angst is taking over me.

"Bash, I'm sorry, okay? We can still--"

I cut her off. "What?! We can still skype? Facetime? Chat? Twitter? Whatsapp?" I laugh, "No way! No effing way! I don't wanna be your best friend anymore, Kiara!" I stand up from my bed with my hands on hips. "Get out of my room, out of my house and I don't wanna see your ugly face again!" I swallow hard after those words left my mouth.

My heart crashes in my chest because I don't mean what I said. She moves away from my bed taking the sketch pad with her, leaving me alone in my bed, in my room, and in my house.

I wipe my tears and walk to my bathroom. I wash my face when I hear a soft knock on my door.

"I'm sleeping, get away from me!" I yell and walk back to my empty bed after wiping my face. The face of my sister emerges from the half-opened door.

"I said I'm sleeping, Lizzy!"

My phone buzzes from my pocket. I fish out lazily and groan when I see the screen. It's a text from my sister.

LIZZY_ baby bash, meeting tom at Hughes building 9 am sharp.😁

BASH_ stop calling me baby! Can't I have a day off?

LIZZY_ no way! It's time to meet the new CFO.

BASH_ and who is that?

LIZZY_ YOU! Idiot!🙄

I groan.

BASH_impossible!

LIZZY_ ask dad

BASH_ I need some sleep now

LIZZY_see you tomorrow, baby bash!😉

_____

I wear the white crisp shirt and a dark charcoal gray suit and a dark metallic gray tie, cufflinks with my initials and a pair of black shoe. I look my reflection at the wall size mirror once again. I run my fingers through my hair one more time.

I grab my keys that I left at the coffee table yesterday then heads to my personal elevator. After punching some keys it slides open. I reach my private parking area with my driver waiting for me.

"Morning, boss!" he greets me cheerfully with a smile on his face.

"Morning, Edmund," I greet back flatly and get inside the car.

"To the office, right, Bash?"

I raise my brows."Don't play 90's songs and how did you know?"

"Ms. Hughes sent me an email of your schedule, Bash."

I groan. "Of course, she did."

"We will stop at the coffee shop to take your coffee and then we can head to the Hughes building immediately," he explains.

"For the driver, you talk too much early in the morning," I tell him, looking out the window. He mutters sorry.

"Play some songs."

"Sir?"

"Edmund?"

"Bash?"

"Yeah?"

"Right away!"

I'm already enjoying with this driver.

I head to my dad's office right away after greeting his PA, Elle. Nothing changes in his office except the additional family pictures and my own photo was taken during my graduation at Oxford.

"Morning, Son. Don't I get a hug?" Dad merry voice snaps my head to him. I walk to his desk when he stands up and putting down the phone receiver.

"Morning Dad." I walk towards him to give a hug.

"Why I'm here so early? I thought I will start first my masters then I can come here and train with you then I heard from Lizzy yesterday," I say taking a seat facing him.

"I will explain that at the meeting," Dad simply says,glancing at the wristwatch given by mom.

 "In twenty minutes. Don't you wanna see your office first?" he asks, buttoning his suit.

I nod and stand up and button my suit too.

"Elle will show you your office just down to the left. You can use the stairs and oh, son."

I stop and look at him.

"Be nice to your new Assistant."_______

Beautiful Readers,

What would you expect in the next chapter? Please tell your thoughts.

Do you want Trinity's POV?

DON'T FORGET TO  VOTE