Chapter 5 MY BROTHER-IN-LAW IS A BILLIONAIRE!

Debby yawned on the hospital bed, enjoying the manicure session she had requested for that evening.

She listened to the city's heartbeat, a distant siren wail and the murmur of the New York traffic in the streets below.

They were dull reminders of her own dull predicament.

Dull, if the definition of dull was having 2 alternating bodyguards stand by your side on a hospital bed at your beck and call, ready for whatever you demanded.

She still couldn't believe how Amy was able to provide for these services even though she hadn't seen her in a week.

The text she got from Amy revealed that she would be back very soon, and that she had hired Giulio to take care of her every need until she returned.

Debby didn't understand how her sister's newfound wealth came to be, but she was loving it.

She was first surprised when she woke up from her coma how Amy had no problem settling the bills for her surgery.

Maybe her sister got secretly engaged to a rich man? She wondered for the hundredth time.

It was definitely not a loan, because her sister still had thousands of dollars to cater for them both, unlike the struggling life she was formerly accustomed to.

Anyways, a week had passed and Debby eagerly hoped for her sister's return soon.

She turned to Giulio.

"After my manicure I'd like to have bolognese pasta, arugula tossed with lemon juice and some lamb chops. Don't forget my dessert too. Preferably chocolate or cake. Or chocolate cake," she giggled.

Giulio gave a nod, already accustomed to the teenager's endless demands for the past 1 week.

She ordered new books, exclusive meals, and snacks every hour to make her 'stay in this hospital at least bearable,' she claimed.

If only she knew how her sister was paying the price.

************

Debby's eyebrows furrowed in wonder as a convoy of 5 cars lined up just opposite the hospital.

Watching the street from her window many floors above, could see a blue Rolls Royce in the middle, with 4 black sedans, 2 before and 2 after.

Her eyes were fixed on the blue luxury car, eager to see who would come out and maybe even why.

A man in a black suit stepped out from the driver's seat, walked over to the passengers side and opened the door.

Debby watched as a lady in a beautiful red dress stepped down.

She watched as the good-looking couple, made their way through the hospital entrance below.

They were admirable, even from afar, Debby thought.

She went back to munching her cookies and swiping through pictures of cute dresses on Instatok.

Minutes later, she sensed a figure in the doorway of the ward and directed her gaze there.

It was Amy!

But this red dress looked so familiar like she had seen it bef...

"Oh my God, Amy were you the one in the Rolls Royce downstairs?"

The elder sister rushed over to the younger, wrapping her in an embrace on the bed.

The two girls kept this position for almost a minute.

"You have no idea how much I missed you," Debby sobbed.

"I missed you more, sweetie. I'm here now," Amy assured.

Thomas watched behind them, a tinge of envy tugging at his heart.

"But godddd, Amy you were the lady from the convoy downstairs! And this is a Chanel purseeee," Debby exclaimed with awe in her eyes.

"Kinda," Amy winced, hoping the discussion wouldn't get awkward with Thomas in the room.

"And these are real pearls, and Louboutin shoes!"

Debby's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as she stared at her elder sister's outfit.

"I know, I know. Enough about me, dear. How've you been?" Amy attempted to steer away the conversation from all what Thomas Walton had adorned her with.

But it only got worse. Because just then, Debby's gaze travelled behind Amy, landing on the blue eyed man in black suit who had been staring at them intensely.

"Oh gosh, Amy. He's the owner of Instatok and Walton Inc. That's Thomas Walton," she pointed like she just saw a ghost no one else in the room could see.

Amy held her index finger up to Deb's mouth. "Debby, hush! Behavee..."

She turned to Thomas, "please don't mind her, she's just very excited."

Thomas shrugged. "Well, after faithfully putting my money to good use, as Giulio's daily reports show. She would be excited." Thomas shrugged at Amy.

Realisation descended on Debby as she made an o-shaped mouth with squinted eyes.

"I knew it, are you engaged to Thomas Waltonnnn too? Amy I can't believe he's going to be my brother-in-la..."

"Debby please, can we talk about this later. It's just not what you're thinking, you'll see."

Debby smirked, obviously not believing her sister.

Thomas almost gave a smile, for some reason the scene playing before him seemed to amuse him. Or did it even please him?

He decided he had accomplished his mission for coming into the ward. With a curt smile and an acknowledging nod to Debby, he turned around.

"Step out, Giulio. Give them some privacy."

Thomas himself walked out of the ward...

Grateful to spend some minutes alone, the 2 girls locked in a tight hug once more.

"How are your legs sweetie?"

"Recovering fast. Dr Sean says in the next 1 week I might be able to use crutches to start practising my steps again," she shrugged, smiling shyly.

"Did he talk about any chances of you still swimming?" Amy held her breath, hoping for a positive reply.

"Yeah, I can return to swimming in full force after a year," Debby was still smiling, seemingly satisfied so far.

Amy exhaled, happy that Debby didn't have any reason to remain sad.

Because of her, this hell would be worth it.

"I'm happy you're okay, sweetie," Amy said cupping her sister's chin.

"Don't know what I'd have done without you,"Debby smiled.

There was a full minute of silence between the 2 sisters.

"Do you love him?"

Debby's question caught Amy off guard.

She sighed, about to give a response but was interrupted at that moment.

"We're to leave now, Ma'am," one of his escorts announced.

She gave a bitter nod and turned to Debby.

"I'll see you later, I promise."

But Amy knew that promise was just a hope.

Back in the car, Thomas drove, his gaze straight ahead, the atmosphere in thick silence.

She knew that meeting her sister was out of the blues, something Thomas just did because he... Well, she had no idea why he did it.

But she owed him a thank you.

"Thanks for letting me see my sister today," she started in a meek voice.

He made a deep grunting sound in his throat, acknowledging her.

The 2 sedans ahead came to a slow halt, signalling their arrival at thir destination.

"We're here. Take my hand whenever I offer it, don't get any ideas. And don't ever leave my side."

What kind of dinner event would this be? Amy wondered.

And why did Thomas sounded like they were about stepping into a battle field?

She nodded and he passed her a pair of darkshade glasses.

"For the paparazzi, you don't wanna be all over the papers tomorrow."

He alighted from the car and came over to the passenger side.

He opened the door and held out his hand for her to take it. She swallowed nervously and placed her hand in his, goosebumps breaking out on her skin.

This felt odd because it was the first time Amy ever touched him. After that first night, that is.

Once they got to the red carpet, her eyes were bombarded with flashes of camera lights barraged her eyes and she was thankful for the shades.

Amidst the loud countless journalists and paparazzi, Amy held on tightly to Thomas's arm, eager to be rid of the clamoring crowd.

Thankfully, there was a lift to take them upstairs through the many floors. She winced, imagining having to climb the many steps with these heels.

If Amy thought the building was grandiose from the outside, inside the building was a whole new world of opulence.

Amy surveyed the aesthetics in awe.

The interior decoration was a theme of purple, rich fabric adorning the tables and ceilings, soft purple light oozing from glass chandeliers.

Numerous tables of 5 seats each were arranged in the wide hall, leaving columns for passageways.

Thomas surveyed the room too, but he seemed to be looking for someone. Just at that moment, a middle aged woman waved at them from the other end of the hall, starting to head towards them.

She heard Thomas warn her again, "speak only when you're spoken to, and never take your shades off."

***************

An unknown man peeked behind the shadow of the balcony door. His eyes were fixed on the girl in the maroon dress.

She was unlike the other girls Walton had always brought to events like these.

This one didn't look like Mel, Cass, Lizzy, Aria and all the past girls who were obviously paid to act as his date to galas.

Instead, tonight Thomas looked like a child who was worried about the bad boys in school taking away his most loved toy truck.

He noticed the fact that Thomas was protecting her identity with the pair of dark glasses she put on.

He tapped the smart watch on his wrist and a small chip on his ear came on.

"Boss, I think we've got something," he smirked.

"Talk to me," the voice growled impatiently.

"Walton. He has a girl beside him this evening."

"Walton always has a girl beside him, you fool. He picks them up and dumps then immediately the event is done," the voice retorted with irritation.

"This one is different, boss. He's hiding her face, he's protecting her."

"Hmm, we could work with that. Follow her for the next 2 weeks. But for now, get me her photo and details if you're sure of what you're insinuating. Things could get interesting."

"Yes boss." The line went dead again.