Chapter 11

JAY'S POV
CARNIVAL NIGHT
The electronic gate wired as it creaked open slowly, I took a deep breath as I drove into the courtyard of one of the biggest mansions in all of Los Angeles, Harley's Mansion. My family didn't just own a fancy huge mansion, we were also owners of the most influential business in all of Oxford Oaks and I was supposed to be sitting on top of the food chain. The only problem with my mum's perfect plan asides my evil step siblings, was the fact that I wasn't interested in running a billion dollar enterprise that I didn't establish on my own.
"Welcome home, Mr Harley" Doris, the housemaid greeted me as soon as I walked up the stairs leading to the front door. Doris had been our housekeeper for as long as I can remember, she had been around since I was a kid and I had to admit I was glad to see that some things still remained the same at Harley's Mansion. I gave her one of my signature smiles,
"Thank you so much, Doris. You're looking so good, what's your skincare routine?" I teased and she chuckled slightly,
"I think the secret involves spending more time in the kitchen" my laughter echoed through the door as I walked into the huge living room.
Growing up, I never really saw the need to own such a huge space but it sure did have it benefits. As I walked into the house, I took another deep breath to steady myself, it gets tough from here on out. I almost cried in relief when I saw Noah waiting for me,
"Hey, Jay. You sure did take your time at the party" he kept a straight face but there was a twinkle in his eyes that revealed his real feelings to me. I walked up to him and gave him a hug,
"Noah, man, I've missed you. All I had to deal with all day was Daniel and a bunch of overly friendly ex classmates I couldn't even remember" Noah scoffed and someone cleared their throat, drawing my attention towards them. It was mum.
"Hey mum" I called out as I let go of Noah and moved to wrap my mom in a huge embrace. It had been roughly two years since the last time we saw and I had missed her dearly. I felt a scolding coming up as she hugged me tighter,
"Why did you take so long to come back home? I've missed you so much, you silly boy" she smacked me a little on my arm and I smiled, always a drama queen.
Mum pulled me back a bit and turned me around to look me over in the same manner a lioness would look at her cub to ensure nothing had happened to it. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face, I was 29 years old, a CEO of one of the biggest organisations in California but to my mother, I was still her little boy.
"You look underweight, Jayden. Have you been eating well?" She asked as she turned me around one last time. I chuckled and held her hand in an attempt to assure her,
"Mum, I've been eating as much as I can" I looked over at Noah and winked, "My butler has been taking good care of me" Noah gave a little smile and mine broadened.
"Jayyy, you're finally home" We all turned around as a voice sounded from the far end of the room. I involuntarily took yet another deep breath as I studied the woman that walked into the living room dressed in such a bright pink you had to blink twice before your eyes could adjust. Great, just what I needed, Eve James.
For the second time that night, I was wrapped in another bear hug, involuntarily this time. Don't get me wrong, Eve James was a nice woman, but not the type of woman I wanted for myself. Eve James was an established actress, one of the richest single women in Los Angeles but somehow I wasn't into all that neither was I into her.
"You look so different now" Eve complimented me and I gave her a half smile,
"You look amazing yourself. How are you Eve?" I tried to show concern, she shrugged,
"Same old, same old. Let's not talk about me for now, let's talk about you" Nice move. My mum gave me a nod that said, "go with her, I'll be alright" I mentally rolled my eyes. Of course this was all my mum's doing, how else did Eve know I was coming home after the carnival. As she led me to the patio, Noah moved my things to my room.
Doris served us snacks and drinks as we sat down to catch up far away from my mum's inspecting eyes. It was nice to be back in LA but I knew the peace I was enjoying now wasn't going to last.
"You're worried about the twins?" Eve asked reading my mind, I felt it was a skill that actors or in her case, actresses had. The ability to see through someone's facade cause they're experts in doing the same thing.
I shrugged, "I wouldn't say I'm worried about them, I just can't handle Pauline's drama right now" Eve nodded in agreement, she knew my sister quite well and she wasn't exactly a fan.
"A lot of things have changed since the last time you came around you know?" I did know, that was one of the reasons I stayed away for so long and honestly, I had no plans of returning back to Oxford Oaks but I wasn't going to pass on the opportunity to attend the decade anniversary reunion and to see the look on my siblings faces when I refuse to take over the company they have been dying to ruin me for.
Eve started filling me in on all that had been going on in my absence with little but obvious hints at the fact that she had not been with anyone ever since we were betrothed to each other. Yes, I was supposed to end up marrying Eve James and no, I don't have a say in it. Or so my mom thought.