The Cold CEO's Woman

CHAPTER 5

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly at Anita as Glory made her way past with a tray of soup in her hands. Glory walked out of the kitchen, while Anita stepped in without uttering a word to her mother, but her face expressed a profound sorrow that her mom understood well.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia slowly called her name.

"What is it, Mom?" Anita asked as she walked beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father really loves you, just as he does the rest of your siblings, and he isn't against your success," Mrs. Tonia replied, holding Anita's hand in hers.

"Hmph," Anita sighed.

"I know, Mom, but I don't care about that. If Dad likes me, fine; if he doesn’t, fine. I will always see him as my father, and that's all," Anita said.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia began.

"Mom, where's the fufu?!" Flora stepped into the kitchen, interrupting them as she looked at Anita and made her way to the kitchen cabinet to meet their mother.

"Mom, why are you holding her hand and talking to her? Are you begging her for something?" Flora asked coldly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, Flora, I am only advising Anita," Mrs. Tonia replied, staring at Flora.

"I don't care, Mom. That's beside the point. I came here for fufu, and Glory only served us soup without it. Where's the fufu?" Flora asked again.

"It's over there, Flora; check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responded. Flora turned and spotted the fufu, which she grabbed before walking out of the kitchen and leaving them alone.

"Like I was saying, Anita, don't hold a grudge in your heart against your father, okay? You'll never get another man to replace him. He's your father, and I swear by my life on that," Mrs. Tonia said.

"Mom," Anita frowned.

"That's not necessary for you to swear. Let's eat first, as I still have some work to do and some calls to make to Temisa to see if she has gotten home," Anita added.

"Okay." Mrs. Tonia finally let go of Anita's hand, and Anita walked to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen basin. She then stepped out to join the rest of the family for dinner, while their father finally walked out too. He was silent as he sat down to eat the delicious okra soup his wife had made.

The dining hall was quiet. After dinner, Glory stood up first, having finished her meal, and cleared her plate to the kitchen. She walked to the room that Anita and Flora shared, waiting for Anita to finish, as she wanted to discuss something with her.

Later, the rest of the family finished their meals, and Lisa finally cleared all the plates to the kitchen. It was her turn to wash the dirty dishes, sharing the duty with Glory on a weekly basis. Anita returned to the room she shared with Flora and found Glory standing inside.

"Glory! What are you doing here, baby sis?" Anita asked in surprise as she stepped in and walked closer to sit on the bed she shared with Flora.

"I came here to discuss something with you, big sis," Glory replied. Anita stared at Glory for a few moments, realizing how much her baby sister had grown since she left for university. Now, Glory was asking her advanced questions, unlike the little ten-year-old girl she remembered.

"So tell me, what do you want to discuss with me?" Anita asked, but before Glory could respond, Flora stepped in coldly.

"What are you doing here, Glory? Go back to your room now!" Flora commanded.

"No, Flora, let Glory be. We have a conversation to discuss. As you can see, I just returned," Anita replied, but Flora flared up.

"I wasn't speaking to you. So stay out of it!"

"Meaning?" Anita stood up from the bed and crossed her arms over her chest as she faced Flora.

"I have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you're not talking to me?" Anita asked, staring coldly at Flora.

"You heard me correctly; I have no business with white witches. Now, Glory, leave here, as I want to rest," Flora repeated. Anita smirked and sat back on the bed.

"Tell me, Glory, what do you want to ask me about?" Anita inquired as she unzipped her bag to remove her laptop and phone. Glory looked from Anita to Flora, confused, not liking the quarrel sparked by her presence.

"Glory, leave!" Flora commanded again and moved closer to grab Glory by her arms.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Anita warned, pulling out her laptop and phone to place them on the bed.

"Or what? What will you do?" Flora challenged her, and Anita glared up at her.

"Step away, or I will make sure you don’t touch her first!" Anita warned.

"No, big sis, I'm leaving. I will ask you later," Glory said nervously.

"No, Glory!" Anita glanced at her sister, who shivered.

"Step away now, Flora! If you're here to rest, then the bed is over there, but move away from my conversation with Glory!" Anita warned. Flora stared at Anita angrily. Anita was slim with a sexy, curvy waist and big breasts, while Flora was chubbier. Flora felt she could overpower Anita because she was also taller.

"And what if I don’t?" Flora quickly advanced toward Glory and yanked her by the arms, but Anita wouldn’t allow such disrespect. She stood up, pounced on Flora, dragged her by the hair, and slapped Flora's pretty dark face multiple times, not giving Flora a chance to breathe. They engaged in a fierce fight.

"What's going on here?!" Mr. Joshua questioned as he stepped into his eldest daughter’s room, making them separate.

"Father, she started it first!" Flora pointed at Anita, who breathed heavily as she adjusted her clothes. Mr. Joshua had always known Anita as someone who didn’t fight. What could have prompted their altercation?

He stared at Glory, and just then, the rest of his daughters and his wife rushed into the room.

"What happened, Father?!" they all asked as they entered the large room, staring at Anita and Flora, who were both breathing heavily, and at Glory, who wore a worried expression.

"What happened, Glory?" Mr. Joshua finally turned to her, and she stammered.

"Father, I came in here to discuss something with Aunt Anita, and Flora came in and ordered me to leave. Aunt Anita refused, Flora insisted, and that’s when the fight started," Glory explained.

"Flora, why did you ask Glory to leave while Anita was still talking to her?" Mr. Joshua questioned Flora, fixing her with a cold stare. Flora's cheek was already swollen, and Anita also had a visible swelling on her cheek, though Flora’s was less noticeable. However, Flora was crying profusely, wanting her father to side with her.

"Father, she slapped me first!" Flora protested.

"I didn't ask you that. I asked, why did you send Glory away?" Mr. Joshua insisted.

"I want to sleep, Father, and I can’t sleep if they’re talking," Flora replied, sobbing.

"Hmmm..." Mr. Joshua hummed, knowing it was all his fault, and he warned, "Let today be the last time I receive any form of disrespect from any of you girls toward your big sister again. If it happens again, you will all have me to contend with. Now, Flora, pack your bags and clothes, as you will be moving to share a room with Lisa, while Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onwards. Any further reports or complaints, and I will deal with you afterward."

"Father!" Flora exclaimed, but Mr. Joshua had already walked out.

"You caused all this, Flora. Why disrespect your big sister?" Mrs. Tonia questioned, but Flora frowned.

"Mom, are you also picking Anita's side? Is it because she won two stupid awards?" Flora replied.

"Shut your mouth, Flora. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?! Last session you had carry-overs, and yet you can't learn to be good or learn from your big sister. All you know how to do is badmouth," Mrs. Tonia retorted.

"Mom!" Flora broke into sobs again, while the rest of her three sisters in the room frowned and crossed their arms angrily.

"Now apologize to Anita first before you start packing your bags!" Mrs. Tonia instructed.

"I won’t do that, Mother," Flora refused.

"And I insist. Else you will have to contend with me now!" Mrs. Tonia warned. Flora was speechless as she stared from their mom to her siblings and then at Anita, who was on the bed, opening her laptop and waiting for it to boot. Flora swallowed hard and gazed back at their mother.

"No, Mother!" Flora screamed, and Anita finally looked up at them.

"It's okay, Mom; I don't need Flora's apology," Anita said as she typed in her laptop password.

"No, Anita, Flora must apologize. Otherwise, she will cease to be my daughter from today onwards."

"Mom!" they all exclaimed in shock, and Mrs. Tonia faced them all.

"Yes, mark this as my warning from today onward. Note that I can also disown you and cut ties with you all if you dare to disobey me. Now, Flora, apologize!" Mrs. Tonia insisted.

Flora glared at Anita sitting on the bed and mumbled out, "I'm sorry, Anita."

"Repeat it loudly," Mrs. Tonia commanded.

"Mom!" Flora stared back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia was dead serious.

"Fine! I am sorry, Anita; please forgive me," Flora pleaded.

"It's okay, Flora. You can leave," Anita replied without shifting her focus from her laptop. Flora immediately packed her bag of clothes and dragged it out of the room harshly, leaving the rest of them speechless as she exited.