"Yes!" Andrea rubbed on her brother's cheek. All she needed was the wealth back and secure into her brother's hands. "I know that you will be doing this for us and our pride. You shouldn't worry about anything because I am here with you."

"Thanks."

"Oh!" Andrea moaned softly, opening her arms. "Come here."

Antonio smiled and he hugged his sister tightly. He wasn't happy but he did everything for his mother. He wasn't used to seeing her sad. But his mind was still on Bruce, his lover. He hadn't told him anything and he honestly had no idea if he was gonna get the courage to.

He loved him so much and he wished he was with him.

***

Praveen was busy coming out of the house after having a great conversation with his aunt. She was telling him how much she was gonna miss him after he was married and how she was gonna miss his presence and everything about him.

Unfortunately, his aunt was leaving a few days after his marriage because her eldest son had called her to join him abroad. It was gonna be an emotional day for him and he was gonna miss her so much.

He could still remember how emotional he had been when she told him that,

‘Praveen, we will be leaving Ashton after your marriage.’

‘What?’ He had gasped. ‘Why? Where will you go?’

She had held his hand and said, ‘My son wants us to join him abroad. He has a good job now and he wants us to join him so that our family will be complete.’

He had been really emotional after hearing that.

‘Oh! You shouldn't be worried, Praveen.’ She had held his hands. ‘We will be visiting you from time to time. Besides, I know that you will be in great hands here.’

Praveen was really gonna miss his aunt a lot, especially his best friend, Mike. They had been his family for two years and he loved them like they were his own. But he understood them. They deserved a good life and he was happy for them.

Praveen was so caught up in his thoughts that he wasn't even aware of things around him. The next thing he felt was bumping into something really hard that made him take a step back. He was hoping it wasn't a person because he didn't want to hurt anyone.

He quickly moved his eyes forward and oh no, there was an angry looking fat woman in front of him. She was just average with her hair tied and she was in her 40s. Praveen got really scared when he saw the way she was looking at him as if she was getting ready to strangle his neck.

Praveen gave her a little smile and got a little closer to her.

"Hey, Aunt Meg, how are you?"

Meg was Victoria's friend who lived nearby but this woman really hated Praveen and he had failed to understand why.

"And why did you bump into me?" She said harshly, folding her arms. "Have you suddenly become blind?"

"I... I am sorry." He apologized. "I was just so lost in my thoughts that..."

"Well, I hope those thoughts of yours included leaving this place very soon." She said with mock in her voice.

Praveen lost the smile on his face and took a sigh. "What do you mean by that, aunt..."

"It's simple." She said angrily. "When will you leave this family alone? Isn't it enough that you have brought back luck to them? Do you want to kill them too?"

"What?" He slightly closed his eyes as a sharp pain pierced his heart. "Why would you say that? You know that I love..."

"You love them?" She chuckled mockingly, shaking her head. "Are you not even ashamed of yourself? They are not your family and yet you stay with them? Why can't you leave them alone? This family is suffering and yet..."

"But aunt..."

"And I am not your aunt." She said, causing him more pain. "I have still failed to understand why Victoria chose to keep you here. I mean I am sure she knows that you are bad luck."

Praveen closed his eyes and breathed. "She was my mother's friend and you know that I don't have any other family member apart from my late parents."

"Hmm, poor you but that doesn't move me at all." She laughed in mock. "Who knows if you have other family members?"

"I don't." He said softly. "I can't lie and Aunt Vic..."

"Who knows?" She shrugged. "Maybe they are just trying to hide from you. I mean," She eyed him from head to toe as if she was looking at something disgusting. "Who would want to be related to you?"

Though Praveen didn't want to say anything to her, deep inside it was really painful.

"Everyone is probably just hiding away from you and I bet your dead parents are disappointed in you right now." She added. "Leave this family alone and go live alone. They have suffered enough with you, okay. Leave them alone."

Praveen couldn't stay there anymore. He just turned looked and turned to leave her presence. He was hurt that he just wanted to cry. But he couldn't do it. He had to be strong. He had no idea if what she had been saying was okay but he was hurt.

However, when he turned to leave, he got the surprise of his life when he found Victoria looking right at him. He stopped and just stood still. He moved his eyes away because he couldn't stare his aunt in the face. He just couldn't do it.

"Praveen!" Victoria slowly went to him. "What's wrong, son? Are you okay?"

She held his hands but he still couldn't look at her. His voice was completely gone.

"Son..."

"Ah..." Meg chuckled softly, moving closer to her. "...Victoria, leave him. I am sure he's absolutely fine."

Victoria let go of Praveen and went to Meg. She just stood there staring at her as if she was her enemy.

"Get out!" Victoria said harshly without any regret in her voice.

"What?" Meg gasped, shaking her head. "Why are you speaking like that and..."

"I want you out of here!" She yelled. "I heard everything that you were telling him. Who do you think you are, Meg?"

To say Meg was surprised would be an understatement. "Victoria? Are you sending me out of you compound?"
"Not only my compound but my house as well." Victoria barked. "I thought you were my friend and honestly I have tolerated your foolishness for long now. How dare you say that to Praveen?"

"Are you talking to me like that because of this boy?" Meg bellowed, angrily pointing at Praveen. "You should remember that our friendship started way before this boy..."

"Yes!" She nodded. "And I am ending it now because I can't have a friend like you. Grace and I were friends way before I even met you. Praveen is like a son to me and I will not tolerate anyone insulting him. So before I do something stupid I want you to get out of my sight and don't ever come back here."

"Are you telling me that you are going..."

"Go away!" She yelled in her face. "I don't want to see you and I don't ever wanna talk to you. Leave!"

Meg chuckled bitterly, clenching her fists. "Fine!" She stomped her feet on the ground. "But let me tell you this, Victoria. You shall remember my words one day and you will come and beg me. I thought I was coming to see a friend but..."

"From you?" Victoria laughed. "Really? What help can I get from a selfish woman like you? I don't need your help so get out of here before I do something stupid and please," She warned. "The next time I will catch you insulting Praveen, you and I will have problems."

Meg was really disappointed. She just turned and left angrily. But Victoria didn't care about anything. She turned around and went to Praveen. She could see the pain he was in and she honestly understood him.