At this point, the girl thought that nothing would surprise her anymore but she was wrong.
Dead wrong.
Amethyst's mansion doesn't even compare to the Senator's estate. It made Amethyst's mansion look like a bungalow.
Dozens of guards were on the gates, and Laia's eyes widened further when she managed to spot more inside the gates. She expected the security to be tight but she had no idea that it was this tight.
"Uh," Laia reluctantly speaks up when both her friends remained silent, probably as surprised as she was at the whole situation in front of them. "How are we supposed to pay the asshat's father a visit without, uh, garnering the attention of all those big guys?"
"I don't know if you're trying to make us laugh with the big guys--"
Laia quickly interjects with a rueful grimace. "Uh, I'm not trying to make you laugh--"
"Shit," Jake suddenly pulled the shift towards reverse as he turned his head to the back. "Shit, we have to go--"
"Hands where I see them!"
"Don't make a single movement!"
"Drop your hands from the steering wheel!"
Laia could only mutter a curse as the doors to Jake's car were forcibly opened by a bunch of the big guys that Laia was referring to just a few minutes ago, leaving them outside of the car with a bunch of guns pointed at them.
"A bunch of students, sir," One of the guards spoke to his walkie-talkie, glancing distrustfully at Laia and her friends. "Two girls and a boy, the boy is awfully familiar for some reason,"
"I'm Jake Sebastian Astor," Jake finally decided to reveal when the guards kept on looking at him like he was some sort of exotic creature. "I'm Samuel's, uh, best friend,"
Laia couldn't restrain a chuckle when the tall boy visibly flushed due to the words that came out of his mouth. Even Brie looked away, hiding the amusement in her face.
Unfortunately, the guards didn't share the same amusement that both girls had. Instead, they gestured for Jake to go alone inside the huge estate with a baton pointed right behind him to keep him walking.
Laia and Brie were left outside with two guards who didn't seem to like them very much based on the annoyed expressions that they had on their faces.
Probably because it was already seven in the evening and they couldn't eat their dinner yet due to these kids they found chilling outside their boss's huge ass estate.
"This yours?" The guard on Brie's side asked, pointing at the Porsche behind the two girls.
Brie nods. "Uhm, more like Jake's,"
"Jake?"
"The Astor heir, idiot," The guard on Laia's side hissed, glaring at his companion.
The guard on Brie's side shrugged. "I ain't up to the news on who's the heir of who, Brad. Ain't nobody got time for that when you ain't like those privileged that spend all their money on whatever they see without a single care,"
"Shh!" The guard on Laia's side angrily hissed again. Laia thinks he may or may not have anger issues. "Don't say that out loud, someone might hear!"
"I ain't lying though," Brad shrugs again, visibly relaxing when he noticed how the two girls that they "guarded" weren't annoying brats who complain endlessly like others. "Anyway, how did you kiddos end up here? Trying to get a sight on Mr. Sawyer? He's not here, he's still on the film set--"
"Brad! Your mouth, honestly--"
"Ah, chill out Steve," Brad dismissively waves his fellow guard's concerns off. "Ya really think these kiddos are a threat? Look at them looking like puppies that got lost,"
Brie nervously laughs. "Uhm, we're actually here to ask about Samuel's whereabouts,"
The two guards exchanged wary glances. Laia internally facepalmed.
Great! Now, these friendly guards are not gonna be so friendly anymore--
"Young master Samuel?" Steve gently approached the two girls, trying not to cause fear from the sudden change of behavior. Even Brad seemed to have mellowed from his earlier behavior and his eyes even turned misty. "You are his friends, yes?"
"Uh," Laia awkwardly glances at Brie who gives her a determined nod. "Yes, he's our friend,"
Okay, maybe not a friend, but it's better for Laia to actually refer to the asshat as her friend in front of these men who might not like it if she referred to the asshat as the, well, asshat.
Steve sighs. "It's been a while that we have encountered someone who referred to young master Samuel as their friend,"
Brad leans against the Porsche which Brie and Laia didn't mind. Jake isn't the type to get angry over his car getting leaned on, anyway. "If you're asking here to gather about his whereabouts then we are afraid to tell you that he indeed has been here since, uh,"
He turns to Steve who rolled his eyes. "Since Thursday,"
"Since Thursday!" Brad blurts out with renewed fervor. "Yes, young master has been with the boss since then,"
Laia and Brie exchanged concerned and curious glances before Brie decided to speak up. "With his father, you mean?"
"Yeah, the boss," Brad repeats, but Laia noticed how he tensed up. "Oh, your friend is back,"
The two girls turned in the direction of where Brad was looking and immediately saw Jake.
The boy was with a very familiar-looking man who the three may or may not have seen on the billboards and posters across the town just a few minutes ago before they reached his estate.
Dressed in a brown three-piece suit, the man looked barely forty. A gold watch was on his right arm which glistened under the street light from where Laia and Brie stood.
Reluctantly, Laia looked at the man's face and couldn't believe her eyes.
The Senator was basically an older version of Samuel. Just with a beard and grey eyes.
Samuel probably got his eyes from his mother, Laia thinks as she slowly digested the appearance of the man who for some reason even if he didn't talk yet has a presence that made Laia both want to run away from him or punch him in the face.
"Brie," The man spread his arms, anticipating a hug from Brie who completely froze. "How about a hug for your favorite uncle?"
The long-haired girl cast a look at Laia before walking towards the man and hugging him briefly. Jake even had to step aside for the whole scenario to happen but Laia saw how his jaw clenched due to the man's suggestion.
It wasn't malicious in any sense and was more of a manipulative move to show everyone that he has a tight relationship with one of the teenagers that somehow stumbled on his estate in search of his son who nobody had heard off for two days.
"Jake had already explained to me about the reason why you have decided to visit me," The man spoke in a tone that irked Laia. Probably because of how velvety it sounded like, the way it harbored a different intent. "I didn't know Vincent have made friends in such a short time,"
Laia raised an eyebrow. Does he think seven months is short? Does he not own a calendar made of gold or something?
Nevertheless, she decided not to voice her concerns. She'd rather not infuriate a Senator and a CEO at that with a bunch of guards behind him holding guns that would kill Laia in a flash.
She would like to live till she's at least twenty, thank you very much.
"This is Ms. Lopez, then," The man turned to her with a smile. Laia reluctantly smiles back despite her wanting to hide from the man's gaze. "Vincent has talked about you more often than not,"
The girl couldn't restrain the furrowing of her brows. Samuel talked about her?
Suspicious.
"Uh, we're classmates," Laia awkwardly says, keeping her gaze on the ground due to the fear of upsetting the man for looking at him longer than necessary.
It wasn't just her who felt that way. The relaxed atmosphere from earlier in between the two girls and the two guards that they were acquainted with disappeared and was replaced by an awkward and tensed one.
"Yes," The man's smile remained on his lips. "He told me all about your rivalry, said you were intelligent enough to make him doubt his capabilities,"
Laia couldn't help but look at the man with disbelief. It's almost impossible for those words to come out of the boy's mouth and it's even more bizarre for him to talk about such things to someone who he may hate.
Or does he really?
She sends a questioning look at Jake who shakes his head subtly. Laia was quick to realize that the shake of the boy's head meant that he would probably elaborate everything later.
The girl doesn't blame him. It would be unwise to bring up the topic in the presence of the man who may or may not has hurt his own son behind everyone's backs.
Who knows if he has a dungeon somewhere in his estate for those who couldn't keep their mouths shut.
"Dinner has already been prepared by my beloved wife," The man says before beckoning his guards to accompany them. "No one wants to be famished on such a wonderful day,"
Laia glanced at Jake who obviously didn't want to take up the Senator's offer but it wasn't like any of them can refuse based on how the Senator already had pushed Brie towards the tall gates of his estate.
And also with how guards suddenly appeared behind Laia and Jake and started pushing them towards the estate as well.
Guards not being Steve and Brad, unfortunately.
With an almost triumphant grin, the Senator led the three to the dining room which seemed to be bigger than Laia's entire house. There was a long table with a bunch of chairs that are always probably unoccupied unless they had guests.
Guests around twenty or more.
The guards were quickly replaced by maids who beckoned the three to sit down on the chairs close to where the Senator sat. A bunch of dishes followed soon after they were all handed expensive silk napkins that Laia almost pocketed.
Emphasis on almost since she thought they were freebies.
After all the dishes (which Laia had no idea what were) were placed in front of them, the Senator gestured them to start eating.
However, before any of them could start eating Samuel appeared with a beautiful woman beside him.
"Finally, you have decided to join us my son," The Senator's grin was wider than earlier which bothered Laia. "Helena, have you finally been able to convince him with your cooking?"
Helena, or the beautiful woman who accompanied Samuel, sat on her husband's right after beckoning Samuel to sit on his father's left. "Yes, dear. I did cook his favorite, after all,"
Laia tried to catch the boy's eyes and when she succeeded only did she see the misery in his eyes, almost as if the presence of his friends hurt him.
And he mouths when his father was focused on his mother. "Why did you come?"