CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH THE CEO

3. Family Time

Arabelle

I took a day off I was exhausted from all the work I put in yesterday and all I wanted to do was sleep in. I got up and headed to the kitchen, my house help was around. I think the only reason I let I let her work for me was because of how lonely and quiet it got whenever I was home alone. The time I dated Kade I didn't bother hiring one I lived with him and my beach house were always empty.

"Good morning miss." She instantly greeted me when she saw me.

" Morning, Mercy but I told you to calm me Ara. You should be free with me at least. " I lightly scolded her.

She smiled nervously. " I will be doing that Mis.." I shook my head at her to stop her. " Ara I mean Ara. " She corrected herself just in time. I smiled at her.

She instantly brought me coffee and I let her drink with me. I didn't want to get so bored. "I will be going out today, I have to go visit my family. " I informed her.

I bet mum and dad will be happy to see me. Mum had been begging me to visit her for some time now but I always made up the excuse of being busy. I usually avoided her judgments of how I was single. She thought I needed to forgive Kade and move on with him which I didn't agree with while dad hated the idea and supported me.

I prepared to go I chose to wear something simple for the day. I got to one of my cars I picked my favourite black mustang. I got in and instantly drove off, mum and dad lived in Maplewood which was a 45mins away from New York. Despite being rich too they enjoyed living a simple, quiet life. That was something they had in common.

An hour later I was parking the car at home. I was somehow excited to be here.

The house was just as I remembered big but with a beautiful layout. That was so like mum and dad.

I got out of the car and they were already waiting for me by the porch. I quickly hurried to them and they both embraced me. I was third in a family of four and yet they still treated me like I was their last.

"I am so glad you came, surprisingly all your other siblings are here too" mum spoke up joyfully. I smiled, it wouldn't be bad to see them I guess.

" You finally came to see us huh. " Dad murmured.

" Of course I did, it has been so long." I gave dad one more hug. Mum huffed out of jealousy and walked into the house. That was so much like mum, I giggled at her reaction.

You could say I take after mum, we share the same type of brunette hair only difference is that mine is cut and reached my shoulder while mum let it grow out. She had grey eyes which were just like mine. Though I was taller than her. While I was 5'7 she was 5'4 but all in all, I thought she was cute.

I could say I got some of my height from Dad cause he was such a tall man standing at 6'3. He was so huge too.

It was surprising that my facial features were a bit from dad causes he had a straight face and so did I.

We walked into the house and I instantly saw Stella, my young sister. She was arguing with the maid about something I couldn't quite follow. It didn't surprise me, Stella was a perfectionist according to her everything needed to be perfect and it wasn't well we got that.

" Stella, what is it now?" mum asked while dad and I just watched on.

"It's this maid. uhhhhh" She threw her hands in the air out of frustration. " She knows how I love my clothes being packed but she went and did her things my closet doesn't look perfect at all," she complained.

Dad and I briefly stared at each other then shrugged and went on with our lives. That was Stella she was always extra and this was something we suffered with when she was young. By then life was hard for us. We couldn't even afford to live in a beautiful town.

Things turned around after one of my older brothers and I began to make huge money. While I was a company owner he was a well-established civil engineer. We both knew if things went bad for any of us especially me as I made the most money, then things would go bad for my family it would go back to suffering. And none of us was ready for that. No wonder we worked our butts off just to keep things together. I couldn't even live as luxurious as I wanted to it was no wonder any of the press suspected it to be who ran the company.

Dad and I went to seat in the living room and had some wine to relax our minds. I needed this, after my previous encounter with that hot temptation.

"How has work been going?" Dad asked.

I sighed, " okay I guess, I really can't complain."

" That's great to hear my daughter, and that man Kade has been troubling you lately. If he has just tell me and I will help you put him in his place."

I chuckled lightly, dad was always so protective of me. " No need for that dad I can put him in his place alone. Besides he hasn't been troubling me so it's fine." I lied, I didn't want him to get worried. Not when he was sick, the least I could do was not to stress him out over trivial issues.

" I am glad besides I know you are a tough one. I wouldn't be surprised if you beat him up too." Dad joked and we both chuckled together.

" What about Levi how is he doing. " I blushed at the mention of Levi. Dad chuckled after seeing my reaction then winked at me.

" He's okay I guess," I said nervously as I picked on my nails.

Dad burst out laughing at me." You should see yourself so priceless. You should tell him already."

" I.."

" No she can't Levi is in a relationship didn't you see on the tv last time. I just think she can forgive that very rich man and get back to him. " Mum butted into the conversation. I glared at her as if that was ever going to happen.

" Never my daughter will never do that she deserves better than that." Dad defended me confidently.

That was my man no wonder we got along. " Mum, Kade ain't the only man alive. I can always date someone better besides I don't need a rich man when am a rich woman." I deadpanned.

" if you say so darling," she said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh please, we need more money. I can't even buy a car cause you don't send us enough money." Stella spat.

" Maybe you should work hard as I did and afford your own. Besides, tell those things to Liam." I spat back.

There was a spark between Stella and me. She just didn't seem to like me no matter what I did for her so I stopped trying to please her. She was 20 years and in her third year of university. She was very intelligent. She had an average height of 5'5. She had a round face big brown eyes that she got from dad and very long black hair another similarity to dad. She was even a blessed model type of body well she had to do some work out to archive it while mine was natural and I think that bothered her.

I could say no wonder she was a perfectionist. I felt at some level she tried to compete with me.

"Instead of working hard how about I just date Kade instead," she smirked. She knew she did some damage. I stayed composed she wouldn't get a reaction out of me.

" If you want him so much go and date him. It's not like he would go for someone like you anyway."

" What is that supposed to mean?" she asked sternly. Putting her hands over her hips.

" Cut it off, we have had it already we wanna enjoy this time. " Dad cut in, instantly subduing the fight that was about to start. He knew us too well, we fought a lot when we were kids. I thought after we grew up things would change but boy was I wrong.

" Speaking of which where are Liam and Noah," I asked. Liam was the eldest of us all and Noah was second, in total it was two girls and two guys. The sibling I got along with the most was Noah. When we were you we played pranks on the rest of the family.

" They left to go to the store they will be back soon. "

I got my phone and texted Noah that I was home. And he replied that they were on their way even though they picked up Kade who happened to be stranded somehow.

I felt like throwing my phone to the ground in frustration it all didn't make sense. It was very odd that Liam and Kade got along, but the oddest thing was inviting him home while I was around.

This will be drama at its best I can't wait to scold Liam the moment he got here.