TROUBLEMAKER

"What is it?" Magaret asked Gregory.

They were having lunch at the Ritz Carlton, and Gregory appeared somewhat distracted.

"Things have calmed. I've visited all the companies and subsidiaries. Wendon is doing a good job with Astoria andㅡ."

"Go on, Gregory, what is it you want to ask? You are the king of a flourishing empire, yet you stumble to ask your grandmother a simple question."

"I need a break," Gregory blurted.

"To do what?" The old lady inquired before taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm a lonely king."

The old lady chuckled, "you are one of the most eligible bachelors in the United Kingdom. I don't think you'll have a difficult time finding it. What about the Heinrich girl?"

"I've already found, I know who I desire to be with."

"You're talking about that French woman, aren't you? I thought you were over that."

"As you can see, I'm not, and I need time to find her."

The old woman sunk back into her chair and sighed," you are a stubborn brat. What will you do if I say no?"

"I'll go anyway. I just wanted to notify you."

Magaret cocked an eyebrow, "do you think she is waiting for you?"

"I know Xenia isn't because she thinks I'll never come back for her."

"What if it backfires?"

"I need to know. I'm willing to take the risk."

Magaret sighed, "you are so much like him."

"Don't talk about dad."

"I wasn't referring to him. I was talking about William Ashton I, your grandfather. He had the same determination in his eyes when he came to marry without a penny in his pocket. My mother threw a fit. They disowned me, you know. An aristocratic girl with a middle-class man, we were the talk of the town, but he was brave and smart; he proved them wrong," the older lady smiled as the memories floated to the surface, "you resemble him so much more than your father. So you are still in love with the woman?"

"More than ever."

"Well, well, it won't be easy. The woman has her luggage, her past, her scars, and her child. Are you ready to carry all that?"

The question was irrelevant in Gregory's ears, especially when one weighed the charge the man carried daily. Stress-wise, the man was a rock. Gregory was probably the most liable man a woman could find. He acted on every word he pronounced, and Margaret could only believe him when he said.

"She is my woman; I'll have her the way she is."

"You are a hopeless romantic after all," Margaret said with a smile before taking another sip of her tea.

XY XX

Xenia stood next to Andrew, who held her waist. They greeted the guests, who congratulated Andrew on the museum's architecture and his engagement.

Gregory observed from afar; Xenia was radiant, beautiful an explosion of adjectives fell on his head like confetti. The man had not complimented her enough. If Gregory had the chance, he would rectify that and the rest. There were so many things he didn't do; Xenia didn't even have in her possession a gift from him.

What was he thinking back then?

During these months away from her, he reflected on the relationship they had. Xenia gave her all, but his lie refrained him. Gregory called her a liar when the Sanchez incident occurred, but he was the worst of the two, and now she couldn't forgive him.

Despite that Gregory wanted Xenia back, the man could not forget her, and he was sure it was the same for her.

After Mark, she stayed single for years; after him, she moved to the next man. Gregory was sure Xenia fled memories and feelings which hurt.

Gregory strode up to the couple. As expected, Xenia saw him first; she pursed her lips so tight she almost made them bleed.

"Mr. Woo."

"Mr. Ashton, how nice of you to come," Andrew said, stretching out his free hand to shake Gregory's.

Andrew was friendly. He had no reason to be any other way, totally unaware of the relationship which linked the man before him with the woman by his side.

"Xenia."

"Gregory."

"You look good."

Xenia knew this sentence; Gregory used it when lost for words. She could count the compliment he gave on her fingers.

"Thank you," Xenia said, pleased to manage a clear-toned answer. Andrew's grip tightened around her waist, did sense the tension which reigned in the air?

"Yes, my fiancée is a beautiful sight, which I'll have the privilege to contemplate for the rest of my life."

Xenia smiled, "Andrew, stop it."

What Xenia found odd was Gregory seemed amused. She was right; the man was indifferent to the couple's complicity.

"Anyway, Mr. Ashton, I'm glad you came. I hope you find something you like amongst the various works."

"Indeed, lucky me, I think I've found it," Gregory stared at Xenia, ignoring the man in front of him.

"Andrew," another voice interrupted the conversation, "there's someone I'd like you to meet. He loves your work, and he would like your expertise on a project of his."

Andrew looked awkward. Something inside him told him he shouldn't leave Xenia and Gregory alone, but work was work.

"Excuse me, Xenia, I'll be back," Andrew said.

"Take your time," Gregory replied with a sly grin, which made Xenia want to hold Andrew back.

Gregory had gone out of his way; he knew Xenia's fetish for men in suits. The one he wore was only twenty-four hours old. Hand made in Savile Row's Gleves&Hawkes. Hair, face, and nails all visited London's best institutes to force Xenia to bite her lips to stop the primal reaction of jumping on the man.

"Why are you doing this?" Xenia asked as soon as Andrew was far enough as she tried to move out of her fiancé's direct vision.

"Xenia, I said I'd come back, but you managed to leave the company, refuse the position I gave you, the apartment, and me in less than a month. And what do I find out? You've gone and found someone else. Didn't I mean anything to you? Don't we mean anything to you?"

"This isn't the time nor the place, Gregory."

"Then, where and when? Tell me your time and place; I'll be there."

"Don't do this, please, Gregory."

"Remember I told you, you didn't want to see me jealous. Well, I'm jealous, Xenia, of seeing another holding you, holding my woman by the waist."

"Gregory, stop, people, are watching," Xenia moved along, followed closely by him.

"I don't care let them hear; it's no secret, I'm here for you. I'm a spoilt brat when I'm jealous; I hate when people have what I covet. I can't let him have you, Xenia."

Xenia sneered, "you're immature."

"I know."

"You weren't like this. Where is poised and measured Gregory Carlton, the prince of finance?"

"You can leave him a message because he had to take a vacation to go and find a certain woman. You drew me out, Xenia; you're driving crazy, I think of youㅡ."

"Stop, please, stop it."

"Then tell me when I can see you, and I'll leave you alone."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can and you will, or I'll tell Mr. Woo you've been lying to him. Come on, Xenia, I know you. You've never aspired to stand like a mannequin doll next to a man saying yes and amen to everything. So I'm going to tell him you still love me, and you are done with the play pretend. How do you think he'll react once he knows he's only a substitute? And if you're wondering, I'll try to be a bigger and better person. I'll forgive you for this little rebound episode."

"It isn't true; he won't believe you. Andrew is not a substitute. You are so full of yourself."

Gregory approached her and whispered in her ear," look on your left; he seems pretty convinced to me."

Andrew was in a conversation, but his gaze fixed their position.

"Good night, Xenia. I'll be back," Gregory said triumphantly.

Xenia remained flustered on the spot by the man's childish behavior. The woman prayed he would stop there as she couldn't help think that Gregory's rumble was the premise of a volcanic eruption.