Mr Daniel

"How was England?" I asked.

"England was fine," He replied.

"So why are you back this early?" I asked again.

Maxwell looked at me and shook his head.

"It is because father wanted me to." He said.

"Oh!" I replied thoughtfully, which explains things then.

"How are things going on around here?" He nodded his head, referring to Skin by Nature.

I smiled, feeling proud of myself.

"As you can probably tell Max, things are going perfectly here. I must say I am doing a good job at Skin by Nature." I replied.

Maxwell looked away.

"Good for you!"

"Brother, don't be like that!" I said, feeling a little sorry for Max.

"Father doesn't want to let me be," started Max.

"I had to run off to England to have my peace and avoid him as much as I can, but he still decided to call me back." He said tearfully."He's only doing this because he's my father and nothing else." He said now almost in tears.

I felt a little pang in my heart.

"Max!" I called.

"It's fine Max." I said, trying to console him. That is father for you.

Mr James was truly a ruthless man. He instilled fear and terror in everyone, including his own family. He handled everyone at Skin by Nature with a rough hand.

Maxwell was treated worse, with the most pressure.

Mr James' logic was that his son Maxwell was going to inevitably takeover after him, so therefore, he needed to be strong beforehand.

All the while growing up here, I saw Maxwell being rough handled by his father and I felt pity for him.

Not that I like Maxwell in particular because he was my rival, but I still did not think anyone should go through the kinds of so-called training he went through.

"I wish I was not the first, I wish I had not been born to my father!!"Maxwell kept lamenting. "I do not want to take over Skin by nature...I am not interested!!"

I got a little irritated by his statement.

"Maxwell, you saw me grow up here for years, toiling but was not given the same privilege as you have been giving. While you went on vacation I toiled, yet I am still considered as the other son.

You were given your first ever office when you were just nine years old, but I was given mine just a few years back. I had to work and toil at the commercial stores.

I know father is not easy to please or to even have as a father, but stop being ungrateful." I said to Maxwell.

He just looked down and nodded his head.

Maxwell was just twenty-two years old at the time while I was only eight years older than him.

We were all young yet successful.

"I am truly sorry for my selfishness brother," He said stretching forth his hands.

"Truce?" He called.

"Truce." I answered, stretching forth my own hands, grabbing his and giving him a handshake.

We ended our conversations on a lighter note and as Maxwell was about leaving my office, he walked into .......Ella.



****

"Ella!!" He screamed.

"Mr Max!!" Called Ella. "I did not know you were back Sir." She said.

"Yea..." Maxwell drew his voice, not sure of what was going on.

"Ermm Ella assists me a lot here in the office." I lied trying to remedy the situation, yet Maxwell was still looking confused.

"Remember Ella right??" I asked. "The little girl, Mr Mathew's daughter...."

"Yea I do remember her.", replied Maxwell finally after seconds.

"I just didn't think she was this grown." He said.

"Oh Sir." Laughed Ella sillily and I was a little irritated. She was giggling just like a little girl.

"How is your Dad?" Maxwell asked.

"Oh Sir he's well Sir." She said, still giggling, and I was so irritated, I wanted to give her a slap for acting this way.

"Ok Ella we'll talk later, I just got back from England and I want to rest okay?" Maxwell said.

"Oh okay Sir. You indeed need to rest sir! We'll talk later Sir. Bye."She said acting really excited and I rolled my eyes at it.

Immediately, Maxwell went out the door, Ella ran towards me breathlessly.

She was obviously still awed about Maxwell's presence.

"Oh my g.... Mr Maxwell is back!" She uttered.

"Girl get a grip of yourself." I said, then she calmed down.

She took her seat on the top of my work table.

"Why Sir, you sound jealous!"

"Ella that's not a seat, you're sitting on my desk!" I said ignoring what she said earlier.

"I know that Sir but I still choose to seat here." She said unbothered.

Ella was that crazy.

"What are you doing Sir?" She asked.

I did not reply. She peered into my work right on the desk.

"Ermm. Hire corpss...."

"Ella stop!" I fired. "Stop prying into my work!! It's office stuff and it's extremely important!!"

I said this in a really harsh voice and she froze.

Tears filled her large brown eyes, and I was moved.

Ella was so adorable by all means, a beauty to behold.

She stood up quietly to leave, dusting and pulling her skirts down.

"Okay sir." She said walking out my office.

"Oh my baby!" I followed her. "Ella please do not leave. I am so sorry." I said to her.

I pulled her back and held her close to me.

"I am so sorry girl. I am sorry for being harsh to you." I stared into her eyes but she looked away.

"I am sorry okay!"

"It's fine." She finally said to me.

"I was just jealous...." I started.

"I knew that." She said, looking into my eyes.

"I did not like the attention you gave Maxwell my younger cousin."

" And I am so sorry about that." She said still looking into my eyes.

She gave me the most adorable puppy eyes and I immediately had the urge to kiss her.......