The Cold CEO's Woman

Chapter 5

Mrs. Tonia smiled faintly at Anita as she made way for Glory to pass with the tray of soup in her hands. Anita walked into the kitchen and didn't utter a word to her mother, but her face held a sorrow that her mom understood better.

"Anita," Mrs. Tonia sighed and called her name.

"What is it, mom?" Anita asked and walked beside her mother.

"I want you to know that your father really loves you, like the rest of your siblings, and 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..."

"Mom, where's the fufu?!" Flora stepped into the kitchen and interrupted them as she eyed Anita and walked to the kitchen cabinet to meet their mother.

"Mom, why are you holding her hands and talking to her? Are you begging her for something?" Flora asked, crossing her arms around 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 as Glory only served us soup without fufu. Where's the fufu?" Flora asked again.

"It's over there, check on the chair beside you," Mrs. Tonia responded, and Flora turned to spot the fufu. She carried it and walked out from the kitchen, leaving them alone.

"Like I was advising, don't hold a grudge in your heart against your father, okay. You can never get another replacement for him. He's your father, and I can swear with my life on that."

"Mom," Anita frowned.

"That isn't necessary for you to swear. Let's go and eat first as I still have some work to do and some calls to place across to Temisa, to know if she has gotten home too."

"Okay." Mrs. Tonia finally let go of Anita's hand, and Anita walked to the sink to wash her hands in the kitchen washbasin first. She later stepped out to join the rest of the family for dinner, while their father finally walked out too and sat silently to eat the delicious okra soup his wife had made.

The dining hall is silent and after their dinner, Glory stands up first as she's the first to finish her meal and she clears her plates to the kitchen and walks to Anita and Flora's room to wait for Anita to be through, as she wants to discuss with Anita.

Later the rest of the family is through and Lisa finally clears all the plates as it is her turn to wash all the dirty dishes, as she shares turns with Glory in washing the plates weekly, while Anita walks back to the room she shares with Flora and meets Glory standing inside the room.

"What are you doing here baby sis?" Anita asks Glory, as she steps in and walks closer to sit on the bed she shares with Flora.

"I came here to discuss with you big sis," Glory replies, and Anita stares at Glory for some minutes, as her baby sister has indeed grown, to ask her advanced questions unlike the little ten-year-old girl she left before going to the university.

"So tell me, what do you want to discuss with me about?" Anita asks, and as Glory wants to reply, Flora steps in coldly.

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

"No Flora, allow her to be. We have some conversation to discuss. As you can see, I just returned," Anita replies and Flora flares up.

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

"Meaning?!" Anita stands up from the bed and crosses her arms around her chest as she faces Flora.

"I have been keeping quiet for you, Flora. What do you mean by you ain't talking to me?" Anita questions, as she stares at Flora coldly.

"You heard me correctly, I have no business with white witches. Now Glory, leave here, I want to rest," Flora repeats and Anita smirks and sits back on the bed.

"Tell me, Glory, what do you want to ask me about?" Anita opens her box zip to remove her laptop and her phone, and Glory stares from Anita to Flora in confusion.

Anita is her big sis, same as Flora, and she doesn't like how they're quarreling because of her.

"Glory, leave!" Flora commands again and walks closer to Glory to drag her out.

"Don't you dare to touch her!" Anita warns and she opens her box and brings out her laptop and phone and keeps it on the bed.

"Or what! What will you do?" Flora questions and Anita stares up at her.

"Step away, or you dare to touch Glory first!"

"No, big sis, I am leaving, I will ask you later," Glory nervously responds.

"No, Glory!" Anita glances towards Glory and she shivers.

"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 warns and Flora stares at Anita angrily as Anita is a slim figure, but has a sexy curvy waist and big breasts, while she's fat and chubbier than Anita. She feels she can beat Anita up as she's taller and fatter too.

"And what if I don't?" Flora quickly walks towards Glory and drags Glory by her arms out, but Anita won't allow such disrespect as she stands up and pounces on Flora, dragging Flora by her hair and slapping Flora's pretty dark face multiple times, not giving Flora a chance to breathe, and the two of them engage in a fight.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Joshua questions, as he steps into his eldest daughter's room, making them separate.

"Father, she started it first!" Flora points to Anita and Anita breathes out heavily as she adjusts her clothes properly. Mr. Joshua has always known Anita as one who doesn't fight, so what could have prompted their fight?

Mr. Joshua stares at Glory and just then the rest of his daughters and his wife rush into the room.

"What happened, father?!" They question him as they walk into the big room and stare from Anita to Flora, who's breathing heavily, and to Glory, who has a worried expression on her face.

"What happened, Glory?" Mr. Joshua finally questions Glory and she stammers.

"Father, I came in here to discuss with Aunt Anita and Flora came in and ordered me to leave, but Aunt Anita refused and Flora insisted and the fight started," Glory explains.

"Flora, why did you ask Glory to leave when Anita is still talking to her?" Mr. Joshua questions, as he stares at Flora, whose cheek is already swollen, and Anita also has a swollen red cheek too, as hers is more visible than Flora's, but Flora is crying profusely and wanting her father to support her.

"Father, she slapped me first!" Flora points to Anita.

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

"I want to sleep, father, and I cannot sleep if they're discussing," Flora replies.

"Hmmm.." Mr. Joshua hums as he knows it's all his fault and he warns.

"Let today be the last time that I will get any form of disrespect from any of you towards your big sister again. When next it repeats, you will have me to contend with. Now, Flora, pack your bags and clothes, you will be relocating to share the room with Lisa, while Glory will start sharing this room with Anita from today onwards, and any more reports or complaints I will deal with you afterwards."

"Father!" Flora exclaims but Mr. Joshua already walks out.

"You caused all this, Flora, why disrespect your big sister?" Mrs. Tonia questions, but Flora frowns.

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

"Shut your mouth, Flora. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Last session you had carried-overs, and yet you cannot read to become good or learn from your big sister, only badmouthing that you know how to do best."

"Mom!" Flora breaks into sobs again while the rest of her sisters in the room cross their arms around their chests angrily.

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

"I won't do that, mother," Flora refuses.

"And I insist, else you have me to contend with, now!"

Flora is speechless as she stares from their mom to the rest of her siblings and to Anita, who sits on the bed opening her laptop to switch it on and waiting for it to boot. Flora swallows and stares back at their mother.

"No, mother!" She screams, and Anita stares at them.

"It's okay, mom, I don't need her apology," Anita replies as she types in her laptop password.

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

"Mom!" They all exclaim, and Mrs. Tonia turns to face them all.

"Yes, mark it as my warning from today onwards, and note that I can also disown you and cut ties with you all if you dare to disobey me. Now, Flora, apologize."

Flora stares at Anita sitting on the bed and mumbles out the words, "I'm sorry, Anita."

"Repeat it loudly."

"Mom!" Flora stares back at their mother.

"Now!" Mrs. Tonia is dead serious.

"Fine, I'm sorry, Anita. Please forgive me," Flora pleads.

"It's okay, you can leave," Anita doesn't shift her focus away from her laptop as she responds. Flora immediately packs her bag of clothes and drags it out of the room, leaving the rest of them speechless as she leaves.