Chapter 3

"That's right." Tate drawled and yawned. "How's your bar going?"

"About to be shut down by my father." Elijah didn't for once look at Tate as they conversed, he kept his eyes closed as though there were a lot of things going through his mind. There was indeed.

Tate raised his brows, "And you're this relaxed? As rebellious as you are, against your father, you would never let him to that." Tate sighed. He knew how hard-headed this man was.

Elijah's father wanted Elijah to be like him, but Elijah didn't want to. He wanted to be his own type of person and not to follow any person's footsteps, especially that of his father. The young man had a mind of his own, and did whatever it was he felt like. Elijah's father was extremely rich, he was one of the richest business tycoon in the country. Elijah had three brothers, to which all were older than him. He was the last of his father's children, with a deceased mother.

"I didn't say I was going to let him shut it down." He finally raised his head and looked at Tate who was already looking at him. "I'll be leaving, I've made my presence known to you, as my father had asked so." He stood up and clapped his hands, "Ted!" He called out for his pet dog.

The dog came running to his master with a small ball in his mouth grasp.

"Ted, Ted. Where did you get the ball?" Tate chuckled, rubbing Ted's furry head. "See you at your bar tonight then." Tate said as he got up too, and escorted his friend and his pet dog out of his office.

...

It was few minutes past five pm, when Cassandra reached her aunt's house. It was a forty to fifty minutes drive back from her school.

"Cassie, you're back." The beautiful unmarried lady said as she saw Cassandra take off her shoes by the door.

Cassandra wore the house slippers and hugged her aunt. "Yes auntie Jess, I'm back." She smiled widely. "Did you prepare something? I'm famished." She teased, knowing her aunt would've obviously prepared something for her.

"Yes of course!" Jess laughed. She was a joyful and happy woman. She was thirty years old but she looked as young as a twenty year old Cassandra. She was a beautiful brunette. Her eyes were brown like Cassandra's mother's own. She was a bit taller than Cassandra and she had a nice figure. "Just go take of your clothes, hm, and then come down to eat."

Cassandra nodded and climbed upstairs. It wasn't a big house but it was not small either. It was an average duplex. Her aunt's rich ex-lover had gotten the house for her aunt as a birthday present. She knew her aunt Jess loved the man so much, but for some reason, they couldn't go on with the relationship. It had been six months since they broke up.

Cassandra quickly changed into a big polo and shorts. She came down to the dining. The dining table was already set. "Mm!" Cassandra inhaled the aroma, "It can only be my aunt Jess!" She laughed heartily and Jess joined her.

"Oh please don't do that, Cassie." She laughed once more before they both sat down and started eating the delicious meal cooked by Jess.

...

After dinner, the two ladies sat on the couch in the sitting room, watching a Korean drama series in the big TV. When it got to funny scenes, they laughed, when suddenly Aunt Jess snapped and looked at Cassandra.

"My! I forgot to ask, darling. How is your neck?" She scrutinized Cassandra's neck, but the mark was now very faint, she was sure it wouldn't be there when morning comes.

"Oh... I went to the infirmary, they rubbed it this powerful ointment. The nurses wanted to report though, as they thought it was a mark given by my fellow students. But I reassured them it wasn't." Cassandra said.

"Oh that's good then." She smiled and they continued their series.

...

Meanwhile in "The Velvet Vine.", it was the name of Elijah's club and bar. He stood behind the wine counter as a bartender, but that wasn't what he was there for, he was the mixologist of his own bar.

When Elijah was sixteen, he took interest in things his father despised and would never expect, one being, mixology. Elijah was so good at it, and with his gorgeous looks and honey-coated mouth, it was easy to get people to come to his bar.

Few knew he was an Anderson, while many didn't. Elijah despised his last name, he hated it the moment his mother died, 'cause he believed his father was part of the cause of his mother's death.

Loud music played in the big bar, people danced, some people made out, some entered inside rooms built inside the bar to get intimate.

Behind the bar counter, inside the club, was the red haired handsome mixologist. He dazzled the patrons with his flair for crafting exotic cocktails, each one a unique blend of color and flavor that told its own story. He looked gorgeous mixing up the wine to prepare an amazing ambrosia in form of a cocktail.

"I can't unsee you doing this. You're so good at it!" Tate complemented his friend.

Elijah was dressed in a dazzling white fitting shirt. It was loose on his body, and he liked it that way. Paired with a loose fitting pant, he loved free clothes, not something that'd hug his body. He looked attractive behind the counter and an amount of girls were surrounded there.

"I can't help it. I'm good at everything I do." He sported a bright smile and chuckled.

"Oh I can testify to that." Tate said. He wasn't the only one seated there at the counter, but he was the only one having Elijah was having a conversation with, as he mixed and prepared drinks for others. "Your father would rave if he finds you here." Tate chuckled.

"He must've known I'm here with all the spies he planted around me, but then who wouldn't get tired of pestering me? I bet he's tired." Elijah smirked. He knew about the spies his father kept around him, he had taken a lot of them down, but that

didn't stop his father from wanting to know his every move.