With a harsh breath, I fixed him with a flat gaze. “You know, I always tell Zeraiah off whenever he curses you. But you’re indeed a prat, Mas,” I muttered, letting out a long sigh. “I haven’t even been here a month. Do you have any idea how much this place is already driving me insane?”
He grinned wider, and that was so infuriating. Loosening his tie, he strolled closer, settling beside me. His eyes softened again, fake gentle. “Oh, come on. You and I both know you’d never stay long if it weren’t like this.” He nudged my elbow. “You’d have legged it back to the UK already, and I need you here, Zi.” He paused, then added with that bloody annoying cheer. “Besides, I miss my brother. Is that so wrong?”
For fuck’s sake.
My head was about to burst the moment I set foot here, and everything since had proved I was right to think this wasa mistake, and seeing his smug, sunny face made me want to throw him into the sea.
I straightened, drew a sharp breath, and looked him dead in the eye. “Never mind. Since you’re here now, take your project manager role back.” My voice was rough as I pulled out my phone. “I’ll stay the architect, but the bloody project manager is yours. Especially since the press conference was postponed and—”
Zaeem cleared his throat, cutting me off with a raised hand, signalling me to stop. “No, no, no. You’re the architect, which makes you the perfect project manager.” He jabbed a finger at me, then at himself. “I’ll go back to being CEO and drowning in my endless workload. I need you to handle this project, Zi. I really can’t. My plate’s full.”
Fucking—
Biting back my anger, I glared hard at him. He met my stare, then spoke again, softer. “I will give you what you want later. Just stay here for a while and help me see this project through. Fair enough?”
My chest pounded with rage. “Oh, Zeraiah was right, you’re tricking us again, you bastard.” I tilted my body toward him. “What is this? Another one of Dad’s schemes?” I demanded. “What’s the plan this time, huh?”
The room tilted, hot and airless.
Because Zaeemknew.
Yet he always sided with Dad and granted his ridiculous requests, over and over!
Zaeem’s expression softened into something painfully calm. “Come on, Zi.” He shook his head. “Whatever they said in there, you know I’ve always been on your side. I just need you both here for a while—”
“Why?!”
“You know why, Dek—”
Bolting up, I cut him off and hurled my phone onto the sofa with a crack. I paced back and forth as the cold clawed through me like countless needles.
I yanked open the buttons of my collar. “Stop this bloody stupid game, Mas!” I turned on him, glare sharp enough to cut. “You know how I feel about this. And this is just another one of your games with him!” My voice cracked with fury. “You made me the project manager because I’m an architect, and what? Since Zeraiah’s a model, you’re going to parade him as the face of this project? So you can keep us here longer? Is that it?!”
Zaeem sighed, lifting his shoulders with a slight shrug. “Maybe. That’s not a bad idea. I was planning to use him for one of the—”
“Do you think this is a joke—”
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Zeraiah’s voice cut like a whip as he stormed in, leather jacket tossed at Zaeem in disgust. His steps were quick, and he was at my side in a blink. His glare blazed at our eldest brother.
“I came because you said you bloody missed me, you arsehole!” Zeraiah jabbed a finger at him. “And when I got here? You weren’t even around!” His words spat sharp with betrayal.
Zeraiah raked a hand through his hair. “Off chasing that clingy girlfriend again? Pathetic—”
“Stop. Wait—” I snapped, my head splitting from the noise, and Zeraiah’s shouting making it worse. My brow furrowed at Zaeem. “When did you even get here?”
“This morning.” His gaze lingered on me. “And what’s with that face? Didn’t you have lunch with Dad? He said he’d tell you both then—”
“He ran away,” Zeraiah muttered. His eyes cut to me, sharp and cynical.
Zaeem blinked. “What?”
“He ran bloody away in the middle of lunch,” Zeraiah snapped, still glaring at me. His voice dripped with venom. “If you’re going to run, take me with you, my dear brother. Don’t fucking leave me there with him!”
Oh… right, I remembered stumbling into a taxi from the restaurant and heading to the office to pick up my car. I let out a harsh breath, my chest heavy. “Never mind. I’m knackered, I’m gonna—”
“Dad mentioned Biba and Bibu were with you,” Zaeem interjected, breaking me off. “How was it?”
The air froze. Silence stretched between us. Zeraiah’s gaze shifted to me, accusing, searching. The weight pressed down, making my throat feel as though it were bound by a rope, spinning my mind. My body grew light.
