Scott paced back and forth in his office, unable to shake the disbelief that he had almost lost his temper with her. That woman has a knack for bringing out the worst in him. He finally made his way to his desk and sank into his chair, letting out a deep sigh. How was he supposed to coexist with her in the same office without running into her and feeling an overwhelming urge to talk—while knowing he needed to keep his distance?

Leaning back in his chair, he sighed again, completely absorbed in his thoughts until he suddenly noticed his brother approaching his desk. Ben cleared his throat, pulling him back to reality.

"Ben, when did you get here?" he asked in surprise.

"Is it a bad time? I can come back later if you'd prefer," Ben replied.

"Oh no, that's not necessary at all," Scott said quickly.

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"

"Definitely."

"Anyway," Scott continued, a sly grin on his face, "what brings you to my office? Last time we spoke, you told me not to drop by your office whenever I feel like it. So how come you can waltz into my space without sending mixed signals?"

"Well, brother," Ben said teasingly, "I happen to be your boss and the majority shareholder of this firm. I can come and go as I please."

"Don't you ever forget that."

Scott raised his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "Oh, believe me, I won't."

Ben laughed softly as he settled onto the big brown leather couch against the wall in Scott's office. Scott observed him, curious about what had prompted his big brother and boss to pay him a visit. He noticed Ben scanning the room, realising this was the first time he had stepped into his office.

"So, what do you think of my office?" Scott asked.

"It's very you," Ben replied.

Scott frowned at the words. "What exactly does that mean?"

"It means just what it sounds like. So playful! Just look at all that toy car collection on that shelf! And don't even get me started on those colourful pens and fun sticky notes on your desk. What on earth are those for?"

Ben burst into laughter, and Scott shot him a glare. "Keep this up, and I might have to kick you out of my office."

Ben chuckled again. "If you do that, you might just give everyone something to gossip about or raise suspicions."

Scott raised an eyebrow at him. "Speaking of suspicions—there are already rumours brewing about our relationship?

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

Scott narrows his eye. "A certain assistant of yours has been asking questions about us. She already knows we're siblings."

Ben squints his eyes at him.

"Don't give me that look! I didn't tell her; it was her sister who spilt the beans."

"Ah, Mabel. Shelley might have mentioned it, and then Sylvia caught wind of it." Said Ben. "I'm sure of it."

Scott nodded in agreement. "Seems she's curious about our racial differences."

Ben narrowed his eyes at him. "And what did you do with those curiosities of hers?"

"If you think I satisfied them, then you're mistaken. No, I did not."

"Good," Ben said. Crossing his legs. "Anyway, what's going on between you two?"

Scott frowned at the question. "Nothing," he replied firmly.

"Yeah, right. You don't think I notice the glances she gives you when you're in the same room with her?"

"If you intend to lie to me, you'd probably do better than that."

***

In Sylvia's office, she was intently gazing at her computer screen, sifting through various files.

"I need to dig deeper into my client's ex-husband if I'm going to handle this right. He's definitely someone to watch out for. When preparing for a confrontation with a man like that, it's essential to be well-equipped. I don't want any surprises like I had to deal with this morning."

"I see you're putting in a solid effort on this case. That's great to see," said a voice.

She turned in her chair to see who had spoken. "Miss Amoah, is there something you need?"

"Not really! Just wanted to check in on your progress. Any issues?"

"Not at all."

"Are you positive?" Miss Amoah pressed gently.

"Absolutely. Everything is proceeding as planned."

"Alright then, I'll leave you to it. Just remember, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me."

Sylvia nodded appreciatively. "Of course, ma'am."

Meanwhile, in Scott's office, he was chatting with Ben.

"By the way, are you free this weekend?" Ben inquired.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"A few of my friends are planning to hang out, and I thought you might want to join us since you've seemed a bit stressed lately."

Scott shot back, "I'm not stressed! But I'll take you up on the offer. Where are we going?"

"To the Sandbox Beach Club over in South Labadi Estates. It has an amazing beach view and some fantastic cocktails. I think the ladies will enjoy it too."

"Which ladies?" Scott asked, slightly confused.

"My wife, Dr. Blackson's wife, Michael's wife and David's wife," Ben explained.

Scott frowned at his brother. "So, I'll be the only one without a date. How delightful."

Ben chuckled, "Don't worry; you'll manage just fine. Unless you don't want to come, that is."

"Oh, I'm definitely coming," Scott replied.

"Excellent," Ben says, standing up and walking towards Scott's desk. "Expect a pick up at 6pm on Saturday. Be ready!"