Chapter 4 Chaos in mansion

Sophia paced around the kitchen, watching Rosaline stir a pot of soup. The smell was mouthwatering, but her mind was elsewhere.

"Tiffany, Tiffany, Tiffany..." The name echoed in her head. Who was this Tiffany that everyone seemed so obsessed with?

"Rosaline," she called, leaning on the counter. "If you're done, can you put the other soup in the freezer?"

"Okay, ma'am," Rosaline replied.

"How long have you been working with Mr. Grumpy?"

Rosaline chuckled. "Uhmm... three years now. Though I only come when he's around. He travels a lot."

"Wow," Sophia mused. "So, how's working with him been?"

"He's a very nice and generous man," Rosaline answered with a small smile.

Sophia arched a brow. Nice and generous? That was not how she'd describe Ethan.

"Oh, I see," Sophia murmured, still processing. "Do you know who Tiffany is?"

Rosaline's face lit up with recognition. "Yes, yes! I know Madam Tiffany. But all of a sudden, she stopped coming."

"Woah."

Before Sophia could press for more, a loud, piercing scream tore through the air.

"Ethan! Ethan!"

Jasmine's frantic voice echoed down the hall as she came storming down the stairs, her face a mix of fear and outrage.

Sophia and Rosaline exchanged glances before rushing to the living room.

"What's the problem? Why are you shouting?" Sophia asked, breathless.

Jasmine spun on her heels, her eyes flashing with irritation. "Can you stop asking me silly questions and just get my brother?!"

Before Sophia could retort, Grandma appeared at the top of the stairs, her expression stern. "What is going on here? Why are you people shouting?"

Jasmine dramatically threw her hands in the air. "Oh, Grandma, you're here already!"

"Yes, Jasmine. Now, what is all this noise about?"

Jasmine pointed an accusatory finger toward the stairs. "These people are trying to kill me!"

Sophia frowned. "Kill you?!"

Just then, Ethan rushed in. "Jasmine, I heard you screaming. What's wrong?"

Jasmine turned to him, eyes welling up. "Cobwebs! Cobwebs everywhere in my room!" she whined.

Sophia's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is that why you're trying to pull the house down with your screaming?"

Jasmine shot her a sharp glare. "Can you just shut up?!"

Ethan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Calm down, Jasmine. I'll have them clean your room immediately."

Jasmine stomped her foot like a child. "Nooo! I want a new room, or I'll go back to my hotel!"

Ethan clenched his jaw. "I'll just get the room cleaned-"

"NOOO!"

"Okay," Ethan exhaled. "I'll move you to a new room."

Sophia crossed her arms. "No, you will not. If she can't stay in that room, she should go back to her hotel."

Jasmine snapped her head toward her, fury blazing in her eyes. "Who is this girl?! Ethan, can you tell her to stop getting on my nerves?!"

Sophia held her ground, unfazed.

Ethan sighed. "Enough, both of you."

But Jasmine wasn't done. With a huff, she stormed back upstairs, muttering, "I swear, this house is cursed."

As the sound of her stomping faded, Sophia turned to Ethan. "Your sister is a drama queen."

Ethan let out a tired laugh. "You have no idea."

Rosaline, who had been watching silently, whispered, "This is going to be an interesting family gathering."

Ethan leaned against the wall, watching as Rosaline directed two of the house staff to move Jasmine's belongings to a different room. He sighed. The last thing he needed was more drama, but with Jasmine, it was unavoidable.

"Make sure everything is arranged properly," he instructed before turning to Rosaline. "After you're done, clean the other guest room. My brother, Jason, will be staying there when he arrives."

Rosaline nodded and hurried off to oversee the task.

Minutes later, Grandma took Jasmine to inspect her new room. The moment they stepped inside, Jasmine's eyes scanned every inch, from the high ceilings to the plush bedding. She trailed her fingers along the duvet, testing its softness, then finally spoke.

"Much better," she muttered, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

Grandma chuckled. "Now tell me, you like this one, right?"

Jasmine turned to her, arms crossed. "I guess."

Grandma sighed, folding her arms. "Elizabeth."

"Ewww, Grandma, it's Jasmine!" she whined.

"Is that the name your parents gave you?" Grandma challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Jasmine groaned. "Grandma, what do you want?"

The elderly woman's expression turned serious. "The way you spoke to your brother and his fiancée was very rude. It was uncalled for. If you wanted a new room, you could have just asked politely."

Jasmine scoffed. "Politely, politely, my foot, Grandma. He should have thought of that when he cut us off from the family business!" Her voice rose with anger. "That money was for all of us, but he just cut us off like that!"

Grandma sighed heavily, shaking her head. "I don't like the way you children are fighting. I promised your father on his deathbed that I would take care of you all, but you're not making it easy."

"Grandma, please," Jasmine scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I just can't wait for this stupid family reunion to be over so I can go back to my life."

Grandma's eyes softened. "Elizabeth-"

"Ewww, Grandma! It's Jasmine!" she cut in, scoffing as she flopped onto the bed.

Grandma studied her for a long moment before speaking. "I just hope you don't let your bitterness ruin everything." With that, she turned and walked out, leaving Jasmine fuming.

That afternoon, the sound of a sleek black car pulling into the driveway drew everyone's attention. Ethan looked up from his laptop, standing as the front door swung open.

A tall, well-built man with piercing dark eyes and a sharp jawline stepped inside, his gaze sweeping the room. His presence immediately commanded attention. With a beautiful lady by his side who happens to be his fiancee

Ethan stepped forward, a warm smile on his face. "Welcome home, brother. So good to see you."

Jason scoffed, shaking his head. "Hmm."

"Come on, won't you give your brother a hug?" Ethan spread his arms. "You know what? I'll just hug you."

He pulled Jason into a firm embrace, patting his back. Jason tensed for a moment before sighing and returning the hug briefly.

Ethan turned to Sophia, gently pulling her closer. "Jason, meet Sophia, my fiancée." He lifted her hand and placed a light kiss on it.

Sophia smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Jason. I've heard so much about you."

Jason arched a brow, a smirk playing at his lips. "Seriously? And what exactly have you heard?"

Sophia chuckled. "Well, I heard that you are the best brother in the world."

Jason scoffed again. "Hmm. You know what? My brother here won't say that about me."

"Well," "this is Lisa, my fiancée Jason said ."

Lisa this is Ethan my brother, the devil in the family

Lisa stepped forward with a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Ethan."

Ethan nodded. "Yeah." His tone was neutral.

Wanting to break the tension, Ethan called out to Rosaline. "Rosaline, please show Lisa to their room."

Lisa left with Rosaline while Sophia, sensing the growing intensity between the brothers, excused herself. "I'll go freshen up," she said softly before walking away.

The moment they were alone, Jason leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smug look on his face. "So, tell me, Ethan..." He smirked. "Where did you get her from?"

Ethan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't play dumb with me, Ethan. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Jason's tone was laced with suspicion. "A few weeks ago, you were single. Now, you're suddenly engaged to be married, no less. How?"

Ethan didn't flinch. "And who said I was single? Sophia has been in the picture even before Tiffany."

Jason let out a sharp laugh. "Before Tiffany? You must be joking. I never heard of her before now."

Ethan's jaw tightened. "That's because I never introduced her to the family. Not every relationship has to be on display."

Jason studied him for a moment, then exhaled, shaking his head. "Fine. But don't think I won't be watching her."

Ethan's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "You can watch all you want, Jason, but you won't find anything. Sophia is here to stay."

Jason didn't look convinced. "We'll see."

Their conversation was cut short when Lisa returned, smiling sweetly. "Everything is perfect, babe."

Jason turned to her with a softened expression. "Good."

Ethan's eyes darkened slightly as he watched the shift in Jason's demeanor. He knew his brother well. Jason wasn't someone who trusted easily, and he was already suspicious of Sophia. This was going to be a long visit.

Meanwhile, Sophia stood by the balcony, the cool breeze caressing her skin. She had heard parts of the conversation, and her stomach twisted slightly. Jason was already doubting her. She needed to be careful.

She wasn't about to let this whole plan crumble. Not when she had so much at stake.