Zachary North

I was looking at the scenery outside my newly renovated office. It was still the same room when I was still the President of NGC but since Dad announced that I was the new Chairman of the company in our Company Anniversary. Olivia kept on bugging me to renovate my office into a more powerful interior and to extend it a little more so it's bigger than it was.

Then of course, to stop her from pestering me, I heed onto her whims and let her hire an interior designer.

I sighed when I thought of her, my sister. She really was a handful, good thing she has good friends to support her and always got her back.

For years I've seen their friendship grow and saw what each of them were. Jowee was the Protector while Erin was the Advisor and my sister is the mixture of them both.

Speaking of Erin, I almost lost my control last night. All of the men in that goddamned ballroom were looking at her as if she's some kind of a high-end meat. Good thing I was her date, every male that dared to look at her even just a glance, I gave them glares.

I knew it would happen by the time she opened her apartment door for me. She was painfully breathtaking last night that's why I lied to her in the car when I said Olivia told me to not get her put of my sight, thay she has to stay by my all throughout the night.

Last night was the first time she had a conversation with me while sober. I was looking for a hint if she remembered anything from the night that I took them home when they went clubbing. I even tried to reiterate the whole scene from the diner to her home, except of course the kiss so I hugged her instead, but nothing.

No traces of any recalls from her that night. What did I expect, of course she wouldn't remember because she was drunk, just like last time.

Anyway, that's good though, it means I won't explain anything to her and that no uneasiness and awkwardness will transpire between us. Just like last time.

I sighed and went back to my chair then opened the television mounted on the wall of my office.

There I saw a news about my sister and Niccolo announcing that they're in a relationship debunking all the news circulated about her and the famous actor that I didn't know the name of.

I admit, they looked good together. I just hope that Nick will take care of my sister.

"Since when?" I heard a voice and I looked at the door and saw my two best friends, Neil and Skylar.

"Yeah, since when, Zac?" Sky asked and they both sat on the chairs that was located in front of my desk.

I shut the TV off then directed my attention to them.

I hate to do this but I had to lie because no one knew about the Dad's deal to Nick and Livy, except me and her two best friends.

"I don't know. I just knew about it days before they announced it to the public." I answered them in nonchalance.

"And you accepted it primly? Because he's your friend?" Neil asked in disbelief.

"Of course not. When I knew about it, I quickly went to his office then punched him in his gut." I replied. That's true though, when I knew that he agreed to the deal, I immediately went to his office them gave a piece of my mind.

"What did he do? I mean, how did he dated Livy without you knowing it?" Sky asked then smirked while he played with the pen on my table.

I shrugged and unlock my iMac to avoid their questions.

"This is so funny. I've been waiting for this day to happen. That a man slipped from the eyes of the oh-so-protective brother. Oh and that man was a FRIEND of the BROTHER." Neil commented then they both laughed aloud.

"Shut the fuck up, you two!" I said angrily at them because what Neil said was true, this was the first time a man slipped from my watch when it comes to my sister.

Well that's because Dad was the one who arranged it. Damn! But putting my pride aside, I know that Nick will take very good care of my sister regardless of the deal. I mean, that's why Dad chose him, right.

"I remembered when you tried to flirt with his sister two years ago." Sky mentioned all of a sudden and I glared at Neil.

Neil then raised both of his arms at me.

"Woah. That was years ago, I was just enchanted by Olivia's beauty that night. No need to go Hulk on me again." Neil said and hit Sky on his arm.

"You fucking ninny, why did you have to bring that up. The last thing I want today was a black eye." Neil continued and Sky just laughed.

"What brings you two here?" I sighed and asked them.

"Oh, yeah right. Here." Sky showed me his phone with a picture of me and Erin at the night of their gala.

"What about it?" I asked them not caring about the picture.

"How did you become her date? Did she ask you? Or vice versa?" Sky asked and I sighed.

Before I open my mouth to answer him, my office door opened suddenly and my sister entered.

"Brother." She sang cheerfully in a high pitched tone and we all looked at her. She then halted her steps when she saw both of my friends in the office.

"Well hello, you two!" She went to them and gave them hugs and kisses on the cheeks.

"Hello, Livy." They both greeted her in unison.

"We saw the news, didn't know that you're dating Niccolo Knights." Neil commented then offered his seat to her. Olivia politely denied the seat and I could see clearly her discomfort about the topic.

I knew very well that she's not yet comfortable about her arrangement with Niccolo so I butted in to help her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her and she looked at me smiling widely. I can see it in her eyes that she was relieved that I butted in.

"To give you this." She handed me a Patek Philippe paperbag. I took it and examined the insides of the paperbag and saw the signature box of the brand.

I looked at her confused as to why she's giving me a watch.

She rolled her eyes at me then explained.

"I told you I'll give you a watch if you became Erin's date, right. Well, here it is." She said excitedly.

Yeah right, I remembered she told me that.

"Yah, I remember. Thanks, Livy." I thanked her then give her a brotherly hug then slightly ruffled her hair which I received a slap on the hand.

"Ugh! You annoying jerk! I told you to not do that!" She hand combed her hair then glared at me. I just chuckled at her.

"I'm going now. Bye, Neil and Skylar. See you later." She waved her hand at them then exited my office.

"It's not about the watch. Now tell us why did you accompany, Erin." Neil spoke full of mischiefs.

"Because Olivia forced me to." I said and shook my head.

"Yeah right, forced you." He air quoted the forced word.

"What are you battling about?" I said in irritation.

"Nothing. Are you, Sky?" Neil asked then Sky shook his head in feigned confusion.

"Get the fuck out, you two. I'm busy." I snapped at them and they both looked at me with fake sadness.

"Okay. Let's go, Neil. Zac has to reminisce what happened that night." They both stood up and I took the stapler then threw it him but too bad, he dodged it.

"Get out!" I ordered and they both laughed then exited.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Uh, why did I have to panic that night and tell it to them. They tease me up until now even though it happened years ago.

Damn these two men I called best friends.

"Mr. North." I heard Jane's voice, my secretary and knocked on the door thrice.

"Mr. Delgado rescheduled your meeting at 7pm tonight, venue will be at the Circles Restaurant." I looked at her and nodded.

"Alright. Don't forget to send me documents." I ordered and she nodded then went out.

I looked at the clock and saw that I still have three hours before that meeting. I guess I have no urgent work that needed to be attended so, let me just walk around the building and check my employees.

I am always like that, whenever I have nothing urgent needed to be tended to, I roam around the building to checkup on them. To see if they are doing their job properly.

Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those bosses that if someone did a mistake, they will be fired right away. No, I am and my family are not like that for we believe in due process. However, this does not hinder my employees to be scared at me. They always get intimidated whenever I roam around and see me in the building premises.

Oh, did I mentioned that they are more afraid and intimidated by my sister. Ever since my sister started working here, every employee were afraid and dodging the posts of being under her leadership. They thought that the news about her being an arrogant and hot-headed bitch were true.

I remembered when I was personally assigning employees for her, they all were hesitant to agree and you can clearly see in their eyes that they wanted to refuse.

As I neared my sister's office, Nikkie, her secretary, saw me and bowed her head slightly to acknowledge my presence. In turn, I nodded at her and knocked on Olivia's door. But before I could knock, my phone went off. I looked at the screen and saw Nick's name.

"Niccolo." I answered.

"Hey, man. Are you free tonight?" He asked.

"I have a dinner meeting. Why?" I answered then proceeded to went inside my sister's office.

She was signing some documents when she saw me entered then casually rolled her eyes on me.

"Nothing. Just wanna hang out with you." He replied and I chuckled.

I then sat on one of the chairs in front of my sister's desk.

"Dude, why don't you hang out with my sister? She's your girlfriend now." I suggested and earned a groan from him and a glare from my sister.

I heard him heaved a sigh.

"No thanks, Zac. Your sister is difficult to deal with. Don't be offended, man." I laughed at that.

"None taken."

"Anyway, I have to go." He bid his goodbye.

"Yeah. Say hello to Dylan for me." I said and he briefly answered then we hung up.

I looked at my sister and she was narrowing her eyes at me.

"What?!" I asked.

"Don't play cupid between me and Niccolo." She snickered and went on to type on her laptop.

"I am not. That's Dad's job. Just give him a chance, Livy. He's a good guy." I said then took gummy bears in the jar atop her desk.

"Good or bad guy, I still don't like him. Now, what are you doing here?" She asked in irritation. I bet she's not yet comfortable talking about her and Niccolo, I'll just give her a break, like Erin said.

"Nothing. I just want to check up on you, my dear sister." I popped in a handful of gummy bears inside my mouth and she gasped when she saw it.

"You moron! You don't eat that much!" She tried to take the jar away from me but I quickly hid it behind me.

"Zac, I swear to God if you don't give that to me, I won't attend the meeting tonight with Mr. Delgado!" She threatened me.

"About that, I will be the one attending it." I announced and her jaw went slightly opened.

"You're bluffing." She uttered while she sat on her chair.

"I'm not."

"Okay!" She said happily then added, "but if this is a joke, I will kill you and feed you to our K-9 dogs downstairs."

I laughed then stood up, I put the jar on the table.

"I'm serious, Livy. Just take a rest tonight." I said and I went to her door, before I exited, I heard her squealed happily.

I'm sorry sis for giving you lots of workload. Erin's right, you need to have a breather from all the stresses that's going on with you.

***
By the time my dinner meeting with Mr. Delgado was finished, I received a call from Neil that he and Sky were in his club, Pub Lo.

Neil Pattel is one of the known Architects here in the country and his company, N.Pattel Architects, is the top architectural firm and owns three exclusive clubs here in the state. Skylar Harris, on the other hand, manages their family business, Harris Shipping Pte. Ltd.

I met them since we were a kid. They were our neighbors, Neil attended the same high school with me while Skylar was enrolled to another school.

Despite being schoolmates with Neil, Skylar and I became friends first because our moms were bake sale buddies. Then Neil became my friend when I agreed to hitch him home when his car had a flat tire in the middle of the highway.

As per Neil and Skylar, they started off as enemies because the latter accidentally hit the former with his bicycle when we were 13. I didn't actually know how they became friends though, I just remember that both of them came to the manor to invite me to hangout. And then, the rest was history.

When I arrived at the club, Janus, the head security guard of Pub Lo, immediately spotted me then nodded as I gave him my car keys. I entered the club and as always, lots of women were staring at me and ready to throw themselves to me.

Pathetic.

I know all people thinks that I am enjoying this kind of attention but honestly, I loathe it. Especially that whenever I'm with some girls it always gets published. Now I looked like a fucking playboy.

Speaking of which, a blonde woman came up to me suddenly and asked me to dance with her while she's grinding her whole body to me. I smiled at her and politely pushed her away but then another woman threw herself at me and as usual, I gently pushed her away and I quickly strode towards the private room upstairs.

As I entered the room, I heaved a sigh and plopped my body onto the leather couch then closed my eyes.

"Rough day?" I heard Neil spoke and I shook my head.

"Crazy chicks?" Sky asked.

I opened my eyes then sat properly and poured a whiskey on my glass.

"As usual. Anyway, what's good?" I asked then drank the liquor in one shot.

"I'm planning to propose to Alyssa." Sky blurted.

Neil and I were shocked to hear it. Good thing I finished downing the whiskey.

"Why?" Neil asked and he earned a glare from Sky.

"What do you mean why? I love her and I guess this is the right time I settle down with her." He explained to us while his eyes were full of love.

"It's been five years since she agreed to be my girlfriend and I believe this is the right time to ask her for marriage." He added.

I smirked and poured his glass a whiskey.

"Congrats, Sky. You know that we will support you in everything you do." I gave him his glass with whiskey while Neil offered to cheers.

"To a successful proposal." Neil announced and we clink our glasses.

After that, Skylar asked for our advice and opinion as to how he's going to prepare his proposal even though we, me and Neil, were inexperienced and clueless about this kind of stuff.

After we brainstormed for like two and a half hours, they decided to call it a night and head home. I, on the other hand, stayed for awhile just to think and have some alone time with myself. Also, I still didn't want to go home because once I did, I will only work.

That's my life, wake up early to get ready for work, attend meetings then work for the whole day, and once I got home, as you have guessed it, I will open my laptop then work until my eyes no longer take it anymore.

That my daily recurrence and it was so boring and lonely. I dream to have someone with me, to go home to a house with a woman waiting for me, worry about me, and love me unconditionally. But I couldn't find one because I know that I wouldn't find any woman that will fall in love with me genuinely not because of my money or the status I will be giving onto her.

That sucks.

Being a billionaire sucks because the only thing you couldn't get with the amount of money you have is a genuine and unconditional love. It's either they see you as a walking bank account or a jackpot.

I just wish and hope that my sister will find her true love in the form of Niccolo.

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