CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Mabel looked around the apartment she and Jack were going to be staying in for the meantime. It wasn't to her taste but she had nowhere else to go and would have to endure it.
Jack and Mabel's things had already been transferred to their new apartment. Jack was currently unpacking.
"Mabel, aren't you going to help me unpack?" Jack asked. He was already tired and needed a helping hand.
His mother had refused to let him take a maid with him.
"Do it yourself I'm tired" Mabel snapped.
"At least can you prepare something for us to eat? I'm hungry"
" Order something. You know cooking isn't good for my hands. What if I cut myself? If I want to be a star then I have to have flawless skin. My face is already ruined and now you want to take my hands too" Mabel whined.
" I'm sorry, I didn't think of it that way"
" Well you should start thinking of how you are going to get back your wealth"
" Don't worry too much about that. The woman was only just bluffing"
" How can you be so sure about that?"
" She doesn't have the power to decide that, only my father does"
" Why don't you go meet and with him, tell him how that crazy woman drove us away from our home"
Jack frowned at the word she used to describe his mother. However, he said nothing about it.
" He wouldn't care. If I wasn't the only heir to the Griffon group, I wouldn't even be the slightest bit confident"
" How useless can you be? You can't even maintain a good relationship with your father. Pathetic" Mabel yelled.
" Did I do something wrong?" Jack asked.
" Did I give anything away?"
" It's just that you've been so cold to me lately. I'm starting to think it is more than just your mood swings"
" And what if you are right?"
" Then how do you want me to make it up to you?"
" Just don't bother me, I will go back to the Grand hospital again tomorrow"
" Oh"
Meanwhile.
" Oh my God," Lia shouted. She was crying tears of joy.
" When did he wake up?" She asked Leo.
" On..."
" Wait that's not important, let's go see him right now"
" We can't do that" Leo said calmly.
" Why not?" Lia frowned.
" He isn't allowed to receive visitors in the meantime"
" But you just told me that he was fine"
" It's just for a while. To avoid any form of heart palpitations, seeing as he is just recovering from the surgery"
" Then you shouldn't have told me, now I'm going to die of anxiety"
Someone knocked at the door.
" Come in" Mr. Black walked into Leo's study with a file.
" I should leave," Lia said.
" Stay"
" Here is the information you asked me to find concerning Mrs. Giovanni"
The atmosphere suddenly became dull.
" Well done Black"
Leo turned his attention to Lia.
"You are probably wondering who she is to me"
Lia nodded.
"She was my mother's half-sister. She took care of me when my parents died"
"Where is she now?"
"That's what I asked Black to find out"
"Why didn't you tell me about her when I asked you about your family?"
"We got into a family feud. We have been separated for years"
"You should never fight with your parents, They are wiser than you" Lia gave him a totally unnecessary advice.
"I want to make up with her" Leo said shocking Mr. Black.
"That's the right thing to do"
Lia looked at the time on her watch. She stood up from where she sat and made her way to the door.
" Dinner is ready, I'll go dish the food," she said before she left.
" Why do you want to do that all of a sudden?"
" He tried to tell me what to do. He told me that if Cynthia came anywhere near Lia, then he would take her away"
" Can't you comply for the sake of your wife?"
" No one tells me what to do"
" And you are willing to let her back into your life just to anger Mr. Anderson"
" I thought about it, she was never at fault. He was the only one to blame for his mistakes" ( referring to Cynthia's husband).
" After seven whole years, you finally realized your mistake. What if she isn't willing to let you back into her life?"
" Then I will respect her decision"
" Very well then" Mr.Black said.
" You may leave"
Mr. Black left Leo's study. He didn't know that he was hungry until the delicious smell of food hit his nostrils. It smelt just like his mother's cooking.
He went to the kitchen and to his liking there were three plates already dished. He assumed the third plate was his.
He took the first bite and instantly moaned from the taste. He took the second and was about to swallow it.
" What are you doing? You food thief" Lia walked over to him.
Mr. Black choked on the food from the shock. He quickly chugged down the glass of juice placed at his front.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Mr. Black glared at her.
" How dare you eat my food?"
"Oh, was this your plate?"
"In general"
"There are three served dishes, each containing the same contents. I don't believe you and Mr. King have a little one yet" Lia blushed at that.
"The third plate was for Martha"
"You and I both know that after seven, there is no one else present in the main Residence" Mr. Black said and continued eating his food.
"So what if the food was for you. You still need my permission to eat it"
"It has already been prepared for me, Do I really need your permission?" Mr. Black was clearly teasing Lia.
"Excuse me? You know, you are so fake"
Mr. Black frowned.
"What do you mean by that?"
"You act differently when you're around Mr. King but when it comes to me you're so hostile"
"Mr. King is someone with a split personality. I know when to be his friend, his servant, his advisor and when to be his chancellor as for you I will act however I want"
" You..."
Mr. Black's phone rang.
" Excuse me while I take this call"
Mr . Black went somewhere private.
" Hello" A females voice came through.
" I told you not to call me, just send a message"
" I know but it's urgent"
" What is it?"
" It's miss Liana, she said she remembered something"
" Give her the phone"
" Brother is that you?"
" Yes, Liana it's your brother. Tell me cupcake, what did you remember?"
" I don't want to tell you" Liana said and Mr. Black frowned.
" Why not?"
" You have to promise me that you would come to visit me first"
" I promise"
" Yay," she squeaked.
" What did you remember?"
" There was this boy, he called me Liana. He said his name is Li...L...Leo...Leonardo"