Chapter 27

Nathan raised his head up from the files he was working on when he heard his office door open. He leaned back on his chair and looked lazily at the uninvited guests who came in.

"What are you guys doing here", "do you have an appointment", he asked.

"Oh my, we forgot we needed an appointment to see The Nathan Collins especially now that he is married", Mike retorted sarcastically.

Nathan raised his eyebrows and looked at the expression on all of their faces.

"Were you even planning on informing us at all" Paul said sitting in front of him.

"Of course he wasn't planning too, he could have if he wanted to" Jack said and took a seat on the sofa.

"Is this how strong the love and trust between us is Nathan. You didn't even tell me" Mike said glaring at him

"You broke our hearts Nathan" Paul added

"Are you guys my wives, why are you acting like I cheated on you", Nathan asked and the three of them stared at him shocked.

"And what do you mean by I didn't inform you, I told you the very day the alliance was fixed, but you all thought I was joking and laughed it off" he added.

"We didn't know you were serious", Paul said

"And that's your problem" Nathan said and continued what he was doing.

"But how did you find out", Nathan asked raising his head to look at them.

"Zack told us", Jack said

"Oh", he said "so she finally told her friends about it" he thought silently

"But how did this relationship work out, I don't get it", Mike said.

"Arranged marriage, both our grandparents had a century old agreement", Nathan said.

"Wow, I have only ever seen that in movies" Paul said grinning.

"Why don't you arrange a meeting, we want to meet her" Mike said.

"I have met Alicia before and she is such a sweet girl. Cute and humble and she can be a chatterbox as well" Jack said smiling.

"Zack and her have been friends since Kindergarten, I had initially thought the both of them would end up getting married until Zack went ahead and got a girlfriend, I had imagined they still had a chance but now Alicia is married, what a loss. Alicia should have been a part of the Jones family" Jack said shaking his head dejectedly.

"I really want to meet her" Paul said grinning and Nathan just watched the three.

"Will you set up a meeting or not" Mike asked Nathan.

"I won't" Nathan said.

"Are you sure, we are your best friends", Paul said enunciating every word

"I won't set up a meeting, seems like you guys are taking this too seriously" Nathan said.

"You aren't planning a divorce Nathan are you" Paul asked.

"You had better not, because not even a dog would marry you if you end up divorcing Alicia", Jack said and snorted.

"He wouldn't dare Jack or we will be the first to shoot you" Mike said glaring at him.

"Tell me something, am I your friend or Alicia is" Nathan asked them

"Whatever, just cherish that girl, she could be the light in your dark life" Paul said.

"I have to work unlike you jobless guys, so get out", Nathan said

"We are already leaving,we have to meet our sister in law" Mike said and they all stood up.

"I am taking my wife Nathan so excuse her", Jack said.

"Call Zack, Jack we will go to their college" Mike added.

"Sure let's go" Jack said and they all left. Nathan watched their back for a while before he stood up from his seat. He stood by the ceiling to floor window lost in thoughts.

.......

"Alicia, my brother and his other friends are coming here they want to meet you", Zack informed her on their way to get lunch.

"Okay" Alicia replied and they all went to stand by the school gate.

A few minutes later three cars packed in front of them, four women and three men stepped out.

"Hey guys" Jack said and Alicia and her friends moved closer to them.

"Hi brother Jack" Alicia said smiling.

"Hey Alicia" Jack replied

"Hello brother Jack" Zia and Jay said.

"Hi Zia, hello Jay", Jack replied.

"Guys this beautiful lady here is Alicia, our dear Nathan's wife" Jack introduced.

"Alicia this is Paul, this is Mike and that is Rena the five of us along with Nathan grew up together.

"Rena just came back from Italy today, we went to pick her up from the airport on her way here".

"And this is my fiancee Anna, that is Pauline Paul's wife, and that's Carla Mike's wife", Jack introduced everyone.

"Hello everyone", Alicia said smiling.

"Hi, oh my world. You are so beautiful" Rena said smiling at her.

"Yes, Nathan is so lucky", Carla said.

"I am so jealous of your beauty I have to admit" Pauline said and they all laughed.

"You can do whatever you want with Nathan Alicia, we are on your side don't worry" Paul said

"Yes Alicia, we are completely on your side. I think that there is finally someone that can handle Nathan" Rena said.

"Okay I will keep that in mind", Alicia said and they all smiled again.

"Why are you all here brother", Zack asked.

"We want to take you all out to lunch, are you done with your classes" Mike said

"Yes we are done, let's go brother", Zack said.

"Sure, come on" Paul said.

"My car is still here" Alicia said to him.

"Don't worry Alicia, I will ask someone to take it to your house" Mike said and made a phone call. Once he was done they all entered the cars and left.

Nathan was on his way home with Ryan driving.

"Sir can you please excuse me. I have to get something for my wife from this mall" Ryan said.

"Sure Ryan", Nathan said and leaned back on the car door. Ryan got down from the car and entered the mall, Nathan was looking out of the window when he saw some people having ice cream in front of the mall. He wound down the car window and looked at them carefully.

"So this is where they are and Rena is back, why didn't they inform me", he said to himself. He was looking at the group of people but his gaze was fixed on someone among them.

"How can she laugh so carefreely, its like she has known them for years", he kept on looking at Alicia without blinking until Ryan got back into the car.

"I am back sir" Ryan said

"Sure let's go", Nathan said and wound up the window.

"Take care Alicia, see you next week", Zack said after they dropped her off.

"Bye Alicia let's meet another time", Rena said and smiled.

"Don't you want to come in I think Nathan is back" she said to them.

"We already saw him today, I don't feel like looking at his face again", Mike said and she smiled.

"I will meet him some other time, Its already late at night", Rena added.

"Okay then bye", Alicia said and waved them off before going into the house.

She met Nathan standing by the sitting room window with his hands in his pocket when she got into the house

"They came to meet me at college", she explained

"I know", Nathan cut her short, Alicia went closer to stand beside him.

"Brother Jack said that they asked you to set up a meeting but you refused. Why", she asked.

"Because I didn't think it was important", he said and turned to look at her for the first time that night.

"I think we should set certain things straight Alicia, I am not interested in any familiarity with you whatsoever and I don't think it's necessary for you to meet my friends either, I am only in this marriage out of compulsion and nothing else will ever be involved", Nathan said glaring at her.

"I am not in this relationship because I want to either, but now that we are in it don't you think we should try and make it work", Alicia said looking at him with the same intensity.

"I don't think so, let's just remain the way we have been, I don't want someone getting involved in my life so

No questions, No care, No attention Nor any familiarism." Nathan said walking away

"And till when are we going to remain like that" Alicia asked him

"Till you are fed up enough to pack up your bags and leave", he added and went upstairs.

Alicia stood in the same spot lost in thoughts for a while before going upstairs. The night was long for the both of them that night, they laid on the bed on each side of the bed each lost in their different thoughts.