CHAPTER 13: THE FAMILY LUNCH

"What is he doing here??" Owen muttered disapprovingly to the woman sitting beside him, but the young woman seems to be pleased by the presence of the man who just entered the dinning room, infact she made no effort to hide her pleasure.

All heads turned towards the entrance of the room and their eyes rested on a tall handsome face, while some looked on in delight, others looked at him with scorn and disdain, but the recipient seems unperturbed or unaffected by their contemptuous gazes, infact he inwardly enjoyed their discomforts.

He moved his gaze from one side of the table to the other as he observed their expressions, some were intimidated by his gaze and at such, couldn't meet his gaze, while some; one gave him a sultry look and a wink too.

"You made it son! Come join us" a woman in her late forties said.

He walked towards the table and sat on a seat that was obviously reserved for him.

"It's good to have you here again big brother!" a girl who seems a little pass twenty said with much exhilaration but that earned her a warning glare from Owen and she in turn rolled her eyes at him.

"You should visit more often King, this is your family too, you know" the woman who had been giving him seductive and alluring stares said.

"Yeah, you should big brother, unlike some of us who aren't even family members, yet they shamelessly show up on every family get-together" "Mira!" the older woman cautioned.

"Everyone you see sitted here is family, blood related or not, so I would suggest we all learn to tolerate and accommodate one another regardless. Goodness! I keep telling us this all the time, when are we going to learn??" the older woman sounded.

"Tell her mother" The other woman said and Mira hissed at her.

"Your father won't be joining us for lunch today King, he is currently out of town, I felt I should let you know" mother said, king only nodded at her information.

"Let's begin the lunch shall we? Sally?" "Yes ma'am" "start serving please" she said and the maid nodded then quickly proceeded with the serving. She went round dishing out portions of food on each person's plate and when she got to Owen plate, as she bent over to the dish out the food, he sneaked his palm on her backside and groped it.

The poor maid begged him with her eyes to stop but he continued his assault, to him, he thought no one was seeing him, but someone was observing from a corner.

No one noticed that Sally was spending more time with Owen than the rest, they were probably too busy with their food to notice, then suddenly King got up and and started walking towards them. At first, everyone was confused as to why he was walking towards Owen, but soon their puzzled expressions was replaced by the looks of disgust as they watched Owen sexually harassing Sally.

No one even tried to warn him, he deserved whatever was coming his way right now. Owen on the other hand, was oblivious to the spectacle he was creating, he seemed a little too 'busy' for his own good, he even had a disgusting smirk on his face.

"You should learn to keep your hands to yourself" King said and Owen froze on the spot, the look on his face was priceless, Sally ran off in tears and before anyone could spell Jack, King cut hold of his hand and slammed it on the table, Owen's cry of agony filled the air while every other person cupped their mouth in fear.

But just when they thought that was the end, he did even the worst, "I think I need to drive my message home so it sinks" he said as he drove a fork into the back of his palm and Owen growled in pains, "King! that's enough!" mother cried, she could no longer stand the sight of Owen's torture, he sure deserved it, even worse, but that was her husband's nephew for Christ's sake!

King finally let go of him and just then another personality entered.

"And who would wrought so much anguish if not King" a baritone voice spoke from the entrance.

"Brother!" Mira shouted in delight.

"And look who's always late for appointments, the show's over Benjamin" king said cleaning his bloodstained hands with a table napkin.

"I thought you would never show up Ben" mother said not looking so delighted. "I changed my mind at the last minute, but it looks like I've missed on a lot of drama. After 2 peaceful years, you show up with a bloody drama" Benjamin said, now standing toe to toe with King.

The two men have never hidden their dislike for each other, even though they were alike in so many ways; cold, aloof and dangerous, it's amazing how much they still hate each other despite their numerous similarities.

As grown men, it's easy to say that they despise each other because they see each other as threats and rivals in the business world, but if you knew King and Benjamin when they were still teenagers, you would know that their hatred has nothing to do with business.

They hated each other from childhood, and no one knew why, they just hated each other.

"The spotlight has always been my abode, while you, you walk in the shadows, I bet you were too busy there to teach your little brother good morals, but don't worry, I taught him quite well and I'm sure he would never forget."

Benjamin took a side glance at his wincing cousin, he had never liked this one either, infact he irritated him.

"What happened here by the way??" Benjamin asked, "Owen was caught sexually harassing Sally and so King took care of him" Mira answered now grabbing some chicken lap for herself.

"I don't understand why you still harbour this pervert mother! I've told you time without number to get rid of him once and for all!" Ben yelled.

"Don't yell at mother! it isn't her fault that Owen made a spectacle of himself! If you so want to get rid of him why don't you do it yourself?!" Mira shot at him, she might be the youngest of them all but she had the sharpest tongue of all.

"That's your elder brother you're talking to like that! show some respect Mira!" "says Charlotte the shameless..." "Enough! Enough of all this drama! this wasn't what I asked for, this wasn't the reason I brought us all together! This was supposed to be a family get-together not a ring for fights and squabblings!

"And you Owen, I've tolerated your insolence this far because you're family, but not anymore, this is the height of it! I can no longer condone your profane behaviour! Now get your sorry sight out of my house!" mother thundered.

"What??! I'm the one who got a fork drove into his palm now I'm getting thrown out?? no! you can't do this to me!" Owen said shamelessly still sprawled to the floor.

"You heard her, piss off or you will not only have a fork-pierced palm to worry about, but also a fork-pierced eye!" Benjamin said with a deadly glare, and Owen scampered away with threats of, "I will make you all pay for this! Mark my words!"

"Where's King??" Charlotte asked, she was the first to notice the absence of the terror King, everyone glanced around in search of him but it appeared that he was long gone.

"He didn't even say goodbye" mother said with a hurt tone and Benjamin shook his head in displeasure.

"Excuse me" Charlotte said as she walked briskily towards the exit.