Chapter Three-Cairo
1927 Words
I had forgotten how much I missed Caleb.
Not the city.
Not the house.
Not even the food.
Caleb.
He had always been one of the few people who could make me forget that I was supposed to be a serious, responsible adult.
At twenty-seven, I was supposed to be preparing myself to become the third person in command at Harris Holdings.
Instead, I was sitting across from my best friend at a beautiful restaurant, eating brunch while he stared at me like I had personally offended him by becoming more attractive.
“You’ve gotten prettier.”
I nearly choked on my drink.
“Caleb.”
“I’m serious.”
“You’ve always been dramatic.”
“And you’re glowing.”
I laughed softly.
“I’ve been taking care of my skin.”
“No. This is not skincare.”
He pointed his fork at me.
“This is Milan.”
I rolled my eyes.
I was dressed in soft colors—a pale blue shirt, cream trousers, and white sneakers. My hair was neatly styled, and I had kept everything simple.
Caleb had always said I looked best when I wasn’t trying.
He was probably right.
“So,” he said, leaning back. “Tell me everything.”
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
I smiled.
“Milan was good.”
“That’s not everything.”
I laughed.
“It was beautiful. I learned a lot. The business environment was different from what I was used to. I met people from different industries, traveled a little, and worked with some very interesting companies.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Did you have fun?”
“Yes.”
“Did you date?”
I blinked.
“No.”
Caleb stared at me.
“No?”
“No.”
“Not one person?”
“No.”
He looked genuinely offended.
“How?”
I laughed.
“How what?”
“European men are good!”
I nearly laughed again.
“Caleb.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t there to date.”
“You spent four years there.”
“I was studying.”
“You had time.”
“I worked.”
“You had nights.”
“I slept.”
He groaned.
“Cairo.”
I smiled.
“Besides, your brother traumatized me during high school.”
Caleb burst out laughing.
“Xander?”
“Yes, Xander.”
“Still?”
“Especially Xander.”
I took a sip of my drink.
“You know what he was like.”
Caleb shook his head.
“My brother was protective.”
“Protective?”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Your brother once scared a boy away from me because the boy asked me for my phone number.”
“You were sixteen.”
“And?”
“You were sixteen.”
“Exactly.”
Caleb laughed.
“Okay, fair.”
I shook my head.
“I went to Milan to learn. To expand my knowledge and understand how our family could operate in that space. I wasn’t looking for a relationship.”
Caleb was quiet for a moment.
Then he asked casually, “So you really didn’t date anyone?”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Not even once?”
“No.”
“And you’re still single?”
“Yes.”
He sighed dramatically.
“You’re hopeless.”
I smiled.
“Look who’s talking.”
“What?”
“You.”
He frowned.
“Me?”
“Yes. Did you date anyone?”
Caleb suddenly became very interested in his food.
“Well…”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You did.”
“Maybe.”
“You did.”
“I was dating someone.”
“Was?”
“We broke up.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
Caleb shrugged.
“He was becoming possessive.”
I stared at him.
“You’re joking.”
“No.”
I laughed.
“You?”
“Yes, me.”
“Someone was possessive of you?”
“Can you imagine?”
I laughed harder.
Caleb pointed at me.
“Don’t laugh.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not.”
“No, I’m not.”
He smiled.
“I like my freedom.”
“You haven’t changed.”
“Why would I?”
“You’re still the same.”
“Exactly.”
He leaned back.
“I’m not changing for anybody.”
I shook my head.
“You’re impossible.”
“And you’re too soft.”
“Someone has to balance you.”
“That’s why we’re best friends.”
I smiled.
That was Caleb.
Bold.
Flamboyant.
Outspoken.
Completely unapologetic.
He had always been the loudness to my quiet.
The fire to my calm.
The person who would walk into a room and somehow become friends with everyone within five minutes.
I loved him for it.
We continued eating.
For a while, everything felt normal.
Until Caleb suddenly said—
“Oh.”
I looked up.
“What?”
“Remember I told you I was going to tell you something about Xander?”
My stomach dropped.
I should have known.
“Caleb…”
“I’m serious.”
I sighed.
“What about him?”
Caleb leaned closer.
“He’s scarier now.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“Much scarier.”
I stared at him.
“You told me that yesterday.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Caleb lowered his voice.
“I know he’s the CEO. I know he’s successful. I know everyone thinks he’s brilliant. But Xander now?”
He shook his head.
“He’s terrifying.”
I swallowed.
“What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Then why are you saying that?”
“Because I’ve lived with him.”
He pointed at himself.
“That’s my brother.”
He paused.
“And I am telling you that he is different.”
I looked down at my plate.
“Different how?”
“He doesn’t date.”
I looked up.
“What?”
“Seriously.”
Caleb shook his head.
“I’ve never seen him with anyone seriously.”
“Maybe he doesn’t want a relationship.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
He looked genuinely confused.
“Not a girlfriend.”
I stared at him.
“Okay.”
“Not a boyfriend.”
I almost choked.
“Caleb.”
“I’m just saying.”
I laughed nervously.
“So?”
“So who lives like that?”
“Maybe he’s busy.”
“He’s always busy.”
Caleb leaned back.
“Work. Meetings. The company. That’s it.”
I frowned.
“Maybe that’s what he likes.”
“Maybe.”
Caleb shrugged.
“But it’s strange.”
I didn’t know why.
But suddenly, my appetite was disappearing.
I thought about Xander.
His dark eyes.
His height.
That expression he always wore.
The way he used to look at me when we were younger.
The way he could stand silently across a room and somehow make me feel like I was being watched.
I had spent four years away.
Four years.
And somehow, just hearing his name was enough to make that old fear return.
“You’re making me nervous,” I admitted.
Caleb laughed.
“I knew you were still scared of him.”
“I’m not scared.”
“You’re scared.”
I sighed.
“Maybe a little.”
“A little?”
I glared at him.
“Don’t.”
He laughed.
“Fine.”
But I knew him.
He wasn’t exaggerating.
That was the problem.
Caleb loved joking.
But when it came to Xander, he wasn’t joking.
And that made me nervous.
Very nervous.
⸻
By the time we left the restaurant, Caleb had decided that I needed new clothes.
Apparently, coming home after four years meant I needed an entirely new wardrobe.
“I have clothes.”
“You need better clothes.”
“My clothes are fine.”
“They’re boring.”
“I like simple.”
“That’s your problem.”
I laughed.
Four hours later, I understood that I had made a terrible mistake.
Caleb did not know how to shop normally.
There was no such thing as browsing.
There was no such thing as “just looking.”
We went into high-end stores.
Shoes.
Shirts.
Trousers.
Shorts.
Bags.
Accessories.
More shoes.
I had barely finished trying on one pair of loafers before Caleb had already found three more things.
“You don’t need that.”
“I absolutely do.”
“You have six already.”
“They’re different.”
“They look identical.”
“They’re not.”
I sighed.
Eventually, I stopped arguing.
Then I saw it.
A Chanel bag.
Simple.
Elegant.
Soft leather.
Nothing too flashy.
I picked it up.
Caleb immediately smiled.
“That one.”
I looked at it.
“I like it.”
“Then buy it.”
I hesitated.
Then smiled.
“Okay.”
It was probably the best purchase I had made that day.
By the time we finally left the mall, my feet hurt.
My arms were full of shopping bags.
And Caleb looked completely energized.
“That was fun.”
I stared at him.
“Four hours.”
“So?”
“Four hours.”
He laughed.
“You’ll survive.”
“I don’t think I will.”
⸻
By the time I arrived home, the sun was already setting.
I barely made it through the front door before my mother appeared.
“Oh, honey.”
She looked at the bags in my hands.
“Did you go shopping?”
“Unfortunately.”
She laughed.
“You look exhausted.”
“I am.”
She kissed my cheek.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?”
I froze.
Tomorrow.
Monday.
Work.
Harris Holdings.
The board.
My father.
My new position.
And Xander.
I forced a smile.
“I’m ready.”
My mother looked at me for a moment.
She knew me too well.
“Cairo.”
I sighed.
“Okay.”
She smiled softly.
“You don’t have to be nervous.”
“I’m not.”
“You’re nervous.”
I looked away.
She touched my cheek.
“Xander isn’t going to hurt you.”
“I know.”
“He’s your father’s business partner.”
“I know.”
“And you’ve known him your entire life.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“Then you’ll be fine.”
I nodded.
Maybe.
Hopefully.
Perhaps Caleb had exaggerated.
Maybe Xander had changed.
Maybe I was still holding on to an old fear that no longer had a reason to exist.
Maybe tomorrow would be completely normal.
I went upstairs.
Changed into comfortable clothes.
Put my new Chanel bag away.
And eventually climbed into bed.
But sleep didn’t come easily.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw those dark eyes.
Xander.
Six-foot-four.
Silent.
Intimidating.
Watching.
I turned onto my side.
“He’s just Xander.”
I whispered it to myself.
Just Xander.
My best friend’s older brother.
My father’s business partner.
The man who would apparently be mentoring me.
Nothing more.
Nothing to be afraid of.
I closed my eyes again.
But somewhere deep inside me, a small voice whispered something else.
Caleb wasn’t exaggerating.
I knew him.
And if Caleb said Xander had become scarier…
Then Xander had become scarier.
I pulled the blanket closer.
Tomorrow was coming.
And for the first time since returning home, I wished I had stayed in Milan just a little longer.
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