"Good morning," Gabriel said, walking into the dining room where his son Alexander and his wife Renee were seated.
Alex looked up from his phone and smiled, while Renee poured Gabriel a cup of coffee.
"Morning, Dad," Alex said, putting down his phone. It was a rule Renee set in the house—a no phones at the table rule.
"Good morning, love," Renee said, kissing her husband gently on the cheek and smiling sweetly at him.
Gabriel smiled back at her. It was one of the things he loved about her—her smile.
Gabriel's eyes scanned the room, and his brow furrowed slightly.
"Where's Lyra?" he asked.
Just then, the maid, Agnes, walked into the dining room carrying a tray of pancakes and honey.
"Good morning, everyone," she said, setting the tray down on the table.
"Breakfast is served," Agnes said, smiling.
Gabriel's eyes were still fixed on the empty chair where Lyra usually sat.
"Where is Lyra?" he repeated.
Agnes, who was pouring Alex a cup of juice, paused. Setting the jug down, she hesitated before answering.
"She's still in bed, sir. I've already gone up to wake her twice, but she's not stirring," Agnes said, staring at Gabriel right in the face.
Renee put down her coffee and stood up. "It's alright. I'll go wake her," she said, smiling. "She's probably just sleeping in after working late."
"Or being out late with friends," Alex mumbled, earning a glare from Renee.
Renee walked upstairs to Lyra's room, humming softly. She opened the door and stepped inside. Walking towards the window, she pulled back the curtains to let the morning light flood in.
Lyra hissed and turned her face in the opposite direction as the sun rays settled on her.
"Alright, sleepyhead. It's time for you to get up," Renee said, placing her hands on her waist.
"Can't I just sleep in?" Lyra asked groggily.
"Sure you can,just not in my house," Renee replied, picking at her nails.
"Mom, please, five more minutes," Lyra mumbled, pulling the pillow tighter over her face and refusing to budge.
Renee's tone turned playful but firm. "Seems your father will have to come get you himself."
Lyra threw the covers off and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I'm up."
"Good. Get dressed breakfast is getting cold," Renee said.
Lyra hurriedly got dressed, and they both headed down to join the rest of the family for breakfast.
As they descended the stairs, the warm sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the striking resemblance between mother and daughter. The soft creak of the wooden steps beneath their feet harmonized with their gentle chatter.
Both had auburn hair that cascaded down their backs, with subtle hints of waves at the end. Their bright brown eyes sparkled with warmth, and their noses slender and slightly pointed at the tip gave them a delicate and yet elegant look.
Renee smiled warmly at her daughter, who mirrored her expression with an identical curve of her lips. The daughter's smile a mirror image of her mother's lit up the room as they reached the bottom step.
As they entered the dining room, their mannerisms became apparently identical from the hair tosses to laughing with their whole faces. It was as if they were reflecting each other's emotions.
In that moment, it was clear that the daughter had inherited more than just her mother's features she had inherited her spirit, warmth, smile, but most importantly, her love.
"Good morning, Dad," Lyra said, pulling out a chair next to her mother and sitting.
"How nice of you to grace us with your presence," Alex said, smirking at his sister.
Lyra smirked and tilted her head toward their mother.
Alex, turning to meet Renee's stern face, gulped and ate his food quietly. At that age, Alex was still somewhat scared of his mother. The woman wasn't scared to spank him, and he knew his father would always support her.
Clearing his throat, Gabriel responded to Lyra, "Good morning, Peanut."
Peanut,Gabriel always called her that. When Lyra was much younger, she told her father she wanted to be a peanut, and since then, Gabriel had always called her that.
Lyra smiled at her father. Just like Renee, Gabriel thought, looking at her.
"I'm sorry, Dad, I overslept," Lyra said, her eyes darting up to meet Gabriel's with a hint of embarrassment.
Gabriel shook his head and gestured for everyone to eat.
"So, Dad, about the Michigan branch, I was thinking…" Alex started.
"No need to think, Alex. Your sister will be managing that branch," Gabriel said nonchalantly, sipping on his coffee.
The whole room went silent. A person's breath could be heard in the silence that filled the room.
"I don't understand," Lyra said, putting down her cutlery to look at her father.
"I believe you heard what I said," Gabriel responded, taking a bite from his pancake.
Sighing, Lyra sat upright. "I heard what you said. I just don't understand it," Lyra replied, biting her lip.
"You don't understand that you'll be running the Michigan branch?" Gabriel asked, arching his brows.
"I meant, why me?" Lyra replied.
"Why not you? It's not like you have anything doing. Or is there something that you're working on?" Gabriel asked, setting down his cup.
"No. Dad, you know I'm not in the right state of mind and "
"Enough!" Gabriel yelled, slamming the table. "It has been eight months since the incident!"
Everyone winced at Gabriel's tone. It was rare to find Gabriel losing his temper, and if he did, it meant something made him really upset.
The wedding. That was a sore spot for Lyra.
"Gabriel, please," Renee begged.
"No, Ren. Enough is enough. It has been eight months since you called off the wedding. Your reasons? Unknown. But yet I supported your decision,we supported your decision," Gabriel said, swirling his finger at Alex, Renee, and himself.
"Dad, please. She " Alex tried intervening.
"No, Alex. She needs to hear this," Gabriel said, cutting Alex off. "It has been eight months, and I have let you be. But enough is enough. I won't sit and let you waste your life away."
"Dad, I'm not wasting my life away," Lyra replied, rolling her eyes.
"Oh really? Agnes, get me the file," Gabriel said.
Agnes, who had been in the corner of the room, scurried into the living room. She came back holding a brown file.
"Sir," Agnes said, handing Gabriel the file.
Gabriel opened the file and threw the contents on the table. He didn't care if it touched the food,he had already lost his appetite.
Picking a photo up, Renee gasped. Her expression quickly became sour.
The pictures he threw pictures of Lyra. Pictures of what she had been doing for the past eight months.
"Tell me, who is that in the picture?" Gabriel asked, looking at Lyra.
"Dad, I… uh…" Lyra stuttered. She couldn't think of any excuse to say.
"Exactly. You've got nothing to say. It has been from one club to another," Gabriel said, throwing more photos of Lyra going to different clubs.
"I'm sorry," Lyra croaked, tears welling up in her eyes.
"No, you're not. Because if you were, then you wouldn't destroy your life."
"Damn, sis pole dancing?" Alex said, holding up a photo and smirking at Lyra, earning a stern look from Gabriel.
"Don't you have work to be at?" Renee asked.
"Yeah," Alex said, chuckling softly. "You've got this, Ly. Bye, guys," Alex said and walked away.
Alex worked as acting CEO in his father's company Rivera Industries.
"Listen, Peanut," Gabriel said softly. "I know it's been hard on you, but you can't keep going this way. Ly, you're a freaking twenty-five-year-old who has nothing doing. I mean, come on ,I raised you better than that."
"Peanut, your dad is right, you know. The way you're going isn't healthy," Renee added.
"You're a beautiful young woman and a business major at that. You're going to the Michigan branch, and that's final. Pack your bags. You leave in a week," Gabriel said, walking away.
"What?" Lyra said, lifting her head in shock. "Mom, please, I can't. My whole life has been here. I can't just leave," Lyra begged.
"Sweetie, your dad has already made arrangements. I can't do anything for you now. Besides, I think Michigan will be great for you. And who knows you might meet someone," Renee said, leaving the room.