Too Much Cliche

Chapter 18

- e i g h t e e n -

“How can you do this, Carl?” Alaric complained to her.

She put her brush down and glanced toward him, “Are you drunk, Alaric? I didn’t do anything.” she looked surprised but not worried. Her most of the attention was on her make-up and least on the blunder she did in her brother's life.

Irritation crackled in him but somehow he did his best to put the anger down. He took the brush from her hand and put it aside and asked with hostility, “ Stop doing all this and give me the answer.”

She rolled her eyes in annoyance but twisted herself on chair toward him. “For the third time, Alaric, why would I spread a fake rumour about you?” she brushed her hair behind the shoulder before standing up from a chair. She again looked back at the mirror, seeing her eyebrows and other details before sauntering toward the door.

But before she could even move, she saw Alaric leering at him in vexation.  She groused, “What?”

“You can’t just spread rumours about me and behave like you don't do anything.” Alaric carped to her.

“What rumour? I didn't say anything.”

“So, Aur—” he shook his head slightly. “My assistant told me this out of nothing!”

“How could I know?” she sided him and walked to the door but before she could leave the room, Alaric stopped her by grouching, “Carl, stop irritating me.”

“I’m irritating you or is it you who—” she snapped back but when he saw her brother with tended brows and clenched jaws, she didn't respond further.

Taking a few deep breaths of lowering drowning down her anger, she finally agreed to answer him. “Fine!” she trudged back to her chair and then asked, “When did I visit the office?”

He was scowling in fury but tried to keep his temper inside, at that moment. “I think a week before but that incident didn't happen that day. She knew for many days.” but as soon he realised that his sister almost forgot for what she did a month before, he grumbled, “God damn it, you need to meet doctors for your week memory.”

“Mr Junior Henderson, It's tough to remember the faces of snobs when you meet a  lot of people daily. There is no connection of it with my memory.” she rolled her eyes and start thinking it again.

After a firm second, her mouth gaped in amusement. “Oh yeah, I remember.” but before Alaric could say something, she burst out in a laugh. “That was funny. That glass lady has the suspicion that you are gay. God, it was so hilarious.”

He furrowed back on her reaction. There was a fake rumour about him between his assistants and her sister found it amusing. He rubbed the temple of his head but then he winced.“You find it hilarious. That’s my office, Carl. You can't do that.”

Caroline commented back as it wasn’t a big deal. “Oh, come on. It was just a small prank. They should have that mind to know what is a joke and what's not.”

“Well if that thing is coming out from my own sister then, of course, the will trust it blindly.”

She questioned back, “What do you want me to do? I saved you from your cheeky assistant.”

For a second, Alaric couldn't collect his thoughts over his sister's reaction. He was speechless. But then he clapped his hand on her face and taunted, “Wow, that's how you defend yourself.”

“Come on, I know that cat-eye girl has eyes on you. Linda told me she fantasies you.”

“It's not about her. It's—” but then he stopped. He couldn't blurt out the name of Aurora in between this, especially in front of Caroline.