Chapter 212: Chapter 212

"Why did you not give me a head’s up that she was coming?" Ian deadpanned, looking straight at Currey in his office. He was seated in his swivel chair behind his large mahogany table and had a pen in his hand, which he was toying around as if deep in thought. Despite his lazy aura at that time, his words were freezing cold.

Currey’s mouth dropped open, and his thoughts ran wild, ’Why did I not tell him? Who was the one who told me not to disturb him and his wife? He-’

Currey clamped his mouth shut at the glare Ian sent him.

"Oops! Chairman, you know I have no control over my thoughts, right? They do what they want to do. My sincerest apologies! I meant no disrespect to Her Highness."

Ian had noted that both Currey and Murray had started referring to his Elfin like that when no one else was around, and as if Currey knew what he was doing; that way of address did calm Ian up... for a while.

"Chairman Ian, it was my negligence to have had this happen, but Avril is considered your sister, and the old Chairman, Alex Thornston, sent her the notice to return home. It’s just ..."

"What is it?" Ian asked, getting slightly irritated.

"Chairman has been sending her the invite almost every other month, so we had all just assumed that she would not be coming back for a while as she had never responded to the ones in the past. We have no idea what made her accept this one." For once, Currey was very serious about his words as he deeply contemplated.

"However, she is the best winemaker T-Vino Winery has had in years so her coming should be positive for the company especially at this time-"

Ian nodded and then waved his hand, signalling that it was okay.

"Do we have an update on the situation on the ground for the Manager Agents?"

The door pushed open, interrupting them, and both men frowned.

"What are you doing here?" The usual smiley and pleasant Currey had no smile on his face at this time. It was rare for anyone to come to the chairman’s floor without an invitation, but then he had forgotten that Avril had a slightly different status that could give her that privilege.

After Ian and Shelby had left, Avril had not spared any time for Brad. Out of the two brothers, Brad was the one who genuinely treated Avril like a sister, but he was the one that she never spared any time for.

Brad had long since been used to it and had ceased taking offences to such. Avril had entered her old room, which had surprisingly been left the way she had last left it. She took a half-hour power nap, refreshed herself and drove to the Winery immediately.

"Good day, Chairman." Avril’s professionalism surprised Currey, but Ian did not bat an eyelid. This was when Currey remembered the other reason Chairman Alex liked Avril. She was very serious about her work ethic, and she always delivered above and beyond.

Ian looked straight at her. He did not like the fact that she was taking liberties because other employees, no matter how hardworking, would never barge onto the Chairman’s floor; in fact, they would not even have the credentials to. Avril immediately started,

Reporting to chairman: I did not come empty-handed; I have worked on a new wine flavour and recipe that would leave a lasting impression on all. The sample has already been aged in the lab as a test for your perusal,"

Currey lowered his head and let her be. Because of Avril’s ’sister-status’, some things had to be overlooked.

Ian leaned back in his chair as he listened to Avril give her report. ’I guess this is what the old man likes about her apart from that, of course,’ Ian thought.

"So, what do you think, Chairman?"

Ian nodded quietly, and Avril’s eyes lit up.

"Get a tasting sample ready for the weekend tasting event. If it passes, we’ll launch it at the festival. Also, check the new harvest and ensure you have all you need to make this happen."

Ian issued the series of instructions while Avril beamed.

Her eyes softened on her brother, and her thoughts went to that anonymous email she had received a few weeks back. She had not believed it for one moment, but it only took a few minutes of internet searching for her to realize that her brother was indeed married! In a split second, Avril’s thoughts started running wild,

’I don’t know how this Shelby person did it and has been able to get brother Ian to look at her even more than that earlier bitch but then if that Aliya had just been docile enough and had not-’

Ian’s eyes narrowed at those thoughts from Avril. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t want to hear whatever Avril was thinking, but like the brief event before, Avril’s thoughts were cut off. It was as if someone had muted her.

Ian’s heart skipped a beat.

’What had happened with Aliya?’ He stood up abruptly, making the large room look smaller. The threat emanating from his body was deadly.

Avril took a step back in surprise and ... fear.

"W-hat happened, brother Ian?"

However, before Ian could open his mouth and make his demands, a new weird feeling washed over him, and he closed his eyes instinctively. No matter how fast that action was, Currey saw his eyes glow and immediately moved to Ian’s side.

"Avril, the chairman has other matters to attend to, so please continue this later."

It was not like Currey was asking her. He gently but firmly guided her to the door and pushed her out, closing the door behind her.

When Currey turned, he sighed and shook his head. Ian was already gone, and Currey knew where Ian was.

He swiftly followed with a poof!

In the hallway, Avril was confused.

"What just happened?"

She took one step forward and then shook her head.

"Ah! I forgot! I should have asked the details of the tasting event!"

She stepped back and opened the office door only to find it empty.

"Huh? Where did they go?"

She scanned the empty office in surprise but resisted the urge to go in. Ian detested it when his things were touched without authorization and Avril knew this much. ’Maybe he has an inner room?’

Avril quickly closed the door and left the floor. She could not help looking behind her a few more times.

Suzie hurried into the pool house and towards where she heard her mistress’s voice.

’OMG! I am so glad that she is okay!’

"Murray? How are you here?" Suzie was really puzzled. The car they had brought was filled to the brim, with Albert and her in the front seats and Shelby and the kids at the back. They had not brought along a second car, and even if Murray had come in after they did, he would have had to pass by them in the park before getting to the pool house.

With Suzie’s job, it was really a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil and speak-no-evil. Suzie had seen a lot of strange occurrences around her mistress, but Shelby never hid them from her as if she wanted Suzie to know.

Suzie appreciated the trust in her even though it still sometimes scared her. I mean, how could deep wounds heal overnight?

Suzie narrowed her eyes at Murray, but then she relaxed.

’Nothing will happen to Miss, if Murray is around.’

"Do you move in the shadows or what? How come I did not see you come in here?"

"There are different ways to kill a cat." That was all Murray said. However, Suzie had no idea how close to the truth her snide remark had been, and it all became even clearer in the next moment.

Suzie further hurried in while taking in her surroundings. Shelby was by the water, stretching out her hand for Ingrid.

"Why does Ingrid look slightly different?" Suzie whispered to herself as she tried to get closer, but Murray stepped in front of her, blocking her view.

"Find the young master!"

Murray did not respond but grabbed a towel and hurried forward. Murray knelt on one knee and handed the towel to Shelby.

"Thank you, Murray; please see to that for me." Shelby’s voice was shaky, but she tried to put up a brave front for Ingrid.

"I-s tha- t" Suzie had then noticed the floating small body behind Ingrid. Her eyes widened and she clamped her mouth shut.

"What are you still doing here? Find him!"

"H-im... I – me-an, ye-s Gab-r-ie-l!" Suzie turned around fast, her legs barely holding her up. Millions of questions zapped through her brain, but then Suzie barely took a step forward when Ian appeared out of thin air a few meters from her.

Her eyes widened, and her mind reeled as her brain tried to understand what she had just seen.

"I should get more sleep. What is with this? My mind is playing tricks on me!"

Suzie rubbed her eyes furiously, and when she opened them, Ian had stridden past her.

’He is real?’ Just as this thought manifested, Currey also appeared at the same place. The shock was too much for poor Suzie. It was as if she had been jolted at her core! She dropped to the floor with a loud thud and passed out.

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