Chapter 109

“Ella please can I speak to you privately?” Drake whispered to Ella, his tone low and pleading, his eyes looking desperate

Ella nodded, stealing a glance at Derek and Valen, despite their intense gazes,she still led Drake to her room.

Derek couldn’t control his anger anymore, he stood up abruptly to follow, but Valen grabbed his hand, shaking his head to discourage him.

Derek turned his frustration to Valen. “How could you be so calm? We don’t even know that guys identity, we can’t just leave him alone with her, we don’t know his motives”

Valen sighed. “I asked Dorian to confirm his identity and everything he said”

“So?” Derek asked impatiently.

“Everything he said checked out”

Derek was momentarily stunned, he slowly sat down. “You are trying to tell me that guy is truly her brother?”

“Possibly,” Valen said, shrugging.

“Possibly?” Derek asked confused, running his hands through his hair in frustration

“This wasn’t a deep investigation, we need more time to know if he’s actually her true brother,” Valen explained. “But the way Ella is acting is actually my major concern right now.” Valen heaved as he continued “we can’t get anywhere if she keeps defending him”

“Do you think he might have done something to her?” Derek asked

“Obviously,” Valen said.

That made Derek sit upright. “Then he’s dangerous”

Valen nodded “Yes he is but our hands are tied now, you can see Ella’s face and how happy she is hearing about this ‘brother’. We need to thread cautiously. I think for now we have to keep a close eye on her, until we are sure of what actually happened to her and the motives of this Drake”

Derek exhaled, nodding his head reluctantly in agreement.

***

Inside Ella’s room, she studied Drake curiously.

“You have something to say to me?” Ella questioned Drake as soon as they were seated in her room.

Drake exhaled, he knew with how things are going, he can’t afford to raise any suspicions. First of all, he needed to have her full trust, as that would aid him in his plans.

He brought out a pendant. “You should have yours right?”

Ella’s eyes widened as she gasped. “Yes…yes…I..I have a similar one” she replied in astonishment as she turned to get hers. Drake smirked mischievously.

That should do, at least Sandra’s gamble wasn’t wrong. She suspected Ella might have picked it up due to her carelessness the last time she tried to set her up. Who would have thought it would come in handy now? This is actually a blessing in disguise.

His facial expression changed immediately to concern as soon as Ella turned around.

“Yes, found it” she said excitedly

Drake planted a sweet smile on his face as he stared at the two pendants. One is a fake which was made at a rush hour with Sandra’s vivid description and the other is the real deal, but Ella wouldn’t know because they look exactly alike.

“Thank the moon goddess you still have this, it’s a token of our parents love and was given to us at birth, at least this is another proof that I’m truly your brother”

Ella’s eyes welled up with tears as she shook her head, guilt enveloping her.

“Are you alright?” Drake asked, placing his hands on hers.

Ella shook her head sobbing lightly. “Actually I almost lost it, I only recovered it recently.”

“Oh, you don’t have to beat yourself about it, at least we are reunited now, I just brought this along Incase you doubted me” Drake said raising the two pendants.

And then his eyes caught it.

An engravement in Ella’s pendant that wasn’t in his.

“Shit!” he exclaimed.

“What?”

“Uhm, nothing really” Drake said, putting the pendants aside before Ella also notices the difference.

“I think you should keep this in a safer place so it won’t get missing again” Drake said, wanting to keep the pendant discussion aside.

“Yes, you’re right, I won’t want to lose the one thing left to me by our parents” she said smiling as she rose to securely keep the pendant.

“So…” Ella said, joining him back on the seat. “What exactly do you have to say to me?”

Drake hesitated for a moment.

“Ella” he said, his voice dropping sadly.

“Yes Drake?” Ella blinked at him

“It’s been 23 years, I’m so happy I finally found you, but I don’t want to share in this happiness alone.” He turned to Ella looking directly in her eyes. “Please come home with me, mom and dad has really missed you, especially mom, she hasn’t been herself since you were taken away”

Ella smiled sweetly. “Okay”

“Okay?” Drake asked, shocked at her abrupt answer, he expected her to hesitate again.

“Yes. I can’t wait to meet them too” Ella said, her eyes lightening up.

Wow, he didn’t expect things to go smoothly so fast. But he knows he still has a pressing problem that needs to be taken care of.

He clears his throat. “Don’t you think we have a problem?”

“What problem?” Ella asked worriedly.

“Yes, I know I’m a stranger who just barged in claiming to be your brother and I can understand the reaction of those two men towards me” Drake said glancing towards the door

Ella chuckled softly “You mean Derek and Valen?”

“Well obviously”

“They are only trying to protect me,” Ella said.