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Chapter 1 — Aiden Reiner

Aiden
I drove my sleek silver Porsche to the landing field and parked it in the Executive garage. Moments later I was sitting on board my flight. I was on my way back to San Francisco. This had been a sweet deal l. Getting the deal signed was easy. But as expected not everything went smoothly, there were always small obstacles and details that needed to be smoothed out. It was business, so it was nothing unusual. At least I would have time to eat something before meeting with the board of directors back home, and I had discovered that it was always easier to deal with business issues with a full stomach.
The flight would take a while, so, I decided to use that time wisely and catch some sleep. I lowered the back support and leaned against it in a nice relaxing position, closed my eyes and tried not to think of anything at all.
I wasn't sure, but I thought I heard footsteps, and suddenly felt someone standing near me. So, I opened up my eyes and gazed at a gorgeous woman dressed in a tight blue uniform with white cuffs. Her face was elegant and artfully covered with makeup, her black hair tied in a neat bun, she spoke in a low voice. I got the impression that she was trying to make it extra husky.
"Good day, my name is Aliya and I'll be serving you on today's flight. Would you like to have something to drink?"
"Yes, a whisky would be nice," I replied.
She giggled, and looked at me with her deep dark eyes, squinting her eyes a bit as she leaned closer. 
"Could I tempt you...with some champagne instead?"
She smiled at me a little too seductively.
I rolled my eyes, Her nameplate flashed in the sunlight, and her words combined with that wiggling hips was a most tempting offer but I was in no mood for playing. 
"Just a whisky, please and make sure no one disturbs me, I need to catch some sleep. Thank you." I said dismissively.
"Sure sir," she replied a little disappointed and left me alone.
******************************
Aiden Malcome Reiner, aged 28, was one of the most sought after billionaire bachelor of the west coast. His great grandfather who hailed from Eastern Europe had shifted base to the USA a year before World War I. He used the great land of opportunity well and made a fortune by dealings in arms and ammunition, in a legal way of course.
When his great grandfather passed away, he bequeathed his wealth to his only son, Malcolm Richard Reiner. His son who had inherited the same business acumen expanded their business further by, investing in real estates, land, and oil refineries. 
Malcolm's son Thomas Malcolm Reiner took over the helm of his empire at the tender age of  26, he had proven to be just as successful in business dealings as his father and grandfather. When he turned 29, he married Aiden's mother, who came from a very wealthy family just like him.  Her family's wealth was almost equivalent to theirs, it was a perfect union. The society magazines had gushed about their wedding for months.
A year later Aiden was born. Even though Thomas was a doting father, and an ideal husband. He was also a man with raving libido, who was trapped in a marriage of convenience.
Gossips about his philandering ways were by no means false. His love affairs were an open secret. His wife was either unaware or didn't care. Whatever might be the case, they never displayed any marital discord at least in public.
When Aiden was 6 he lost his mother in a car crash. Thomas was left free to become a swinging bachelor again.
Within few months of his wife's death. Thomas Reiner announced to the world he was remarrying, this time to a twenty-two-year-old model who was already pregnant with his child.
Old man Malcolm Reiner refused to bless this marriage. He also had a suspicion that the baby did not belong to Thomas but there was nothing he could do about it.
10 years year later when 16-year-old Aiden came home from his school he was informed by his grandfather that his father had a heart attack and had been rushed off to the hospital. That night Thomas Malcolm Reiner passed away in sleep. Leaving behind a young wife, and two sons.
Aiden was still too young to run the family business as he was only sixteen, and old Malcolm had no intention of letting his opportunist daughter-in-law touch it, for he knew she was nothing but a scheming cold-hearted gold digger.
Aiden was bundled off to the finest school in Europe to complete his education and to be kept away from his scheming stepmother. While he was abroad studying, and learning the sly ways of the world, his half brother William was growing up as the perfect spoilt-brat. His mother was teaching him the calculating, scheming ways of life.
When old Malcolm Reiner wasn't watching. William would organize his wild parties at one of their many mansions where booze and cocaine flowed freely.
He had to be bailed several times, by his mother for drunken driving, drug possession or assaulting a hooker. His mother would even pay the media to shut up.
It's not that Malcome Reiner was unaware of his other grandson's erratic lifestyle,  but he chose to turn a blind eye as long as it was kept out of the media.
He was bidding his time for Aiden to return and take over the family business. He was getting old and wouldn't be able to hold for long. 
Much to his grandfather's delight, Aiden returned before he hit the bucket. In no time Aiden had taken over the family business. He was shrewd yet fair in his dealings. Older business rivals and friends had nothing but respect for young Aiden.
Standing lean and trim at 6'3" with broad shoulders, snow skier's arms and legs, with a narrow waist. He was every inch of any woman's dream man. 
The lush, sleek black hair he groomed so carefully had a rippling quality, a sign of his ruddy health. 
The aquiline nose he sported complemented his prominent cheekbones. He possessed a latent, leonine power and always walked with purpose and authority.
People had always remarked that his best feature was his entrancing, wayfarer-blue eyes. Sloe shaped, they could shine as bright as the evening stars when they were a-light with joy. At other times, they could resemble two liquid-blue pools of flashing fire.
A flamboyant character, the room always filled with his sonorous, rumbling voice. He was also quick to crack a joke or fire off a humorous retort when needed. His square jaw with a dimple like cleft on his chin lent a sexy yet dangerous look to his already rugged handsome face not to mention that golden tan he had acquired while taking a well-deserved holiday in the Bahamas or skiing away at the French Alps. 
Women would quiver with desire by just looking at him.
He was so caught up in his work that it left little time for something called romance. Like any full-blooded male, he wasn't immune to feminine charm and he did have his share of fun. However, he knew where to draw the line.
Lately, his grandfather had been nagging him to get hitched and provide him with some much-needed great-grandchildren. The old man, Malcolm was afraid that his other grandson, might produce a bastard before Aiden. He wasn't going to let his hard-earned business slip into the hands of his gold digger daughter in law.
Aiden had been cleverly brushing off his requests so far. Relationships or marriage was not for him. Until a chance meeting with a girl changed his life.

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Chapter 2 — Sydney

Sydney
Mike was the first person I  met when I first landed in San Francisco. I had got off the bus and was wandering around on the street. I had just moved from Sydney, Australia.
"Hi. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you could help me out," I said to a man who was leaning on the pole next to the bus stand.
"Sure, how can I help?" He asked pleasantly.
He had sandy brown hair and brown eyes, about six feet tall, he didn't seem older than my 22 years. He was dressed in a white tee and blue jeans.
" I have been looking for this address, but seems like I am going in circles." I showed him my GPS on my phone which was pretty embarrassing. How dumb one could be if they couldn't follow a simple GPS.
"Oh! this can be tricky, you see that narrow street over there? Just follow it and turn right. You would see the board right in front." He smiled pleasantly.
"Thank mate! " I said and dragged my suitcase.
I had barely walked a few steps when my foot bumped into something hard and I fell unceremoniously.
"Ouch!" I sat on the sidewalk holding my ankle.
The man I had just asked for help was immediately by my side.
"Hey, are you ok?" He said kneeling next to me.
"I slipped and fell, and I think I somehow twisted my ankle. " I said, through gritted teeth. 
"OK. Let's see, can you get up by yourself ?" He asked gently.
I tried but the pain was excruciating. Crap!
"Which leg hurts?" he asked.
"My left one," I replied.
"Alright, let's try this. I will hold your arm and make you sit on that bench, don't take any pressure on your injured feet."
I nodded and followed his instructions.
"Now you might be able to get some traction. See if you can sit up now. We'll go slow and easy. "
He helped me sit up without causing much pain to my ankle.
"Now, I'm going to grab ahold of you and lift you." He wrapped his arms around my body tightly. "Are you ready? On three then. One. Two. Three." 
He lifted me, rotated me around, then lowered me back down. "How about you sit on the bench here?" he finished, putting me down on the bench.
I released the breath which I had been holding.
"I'll give you a few minutes," he said.
"Thank you," I said gratefully and wondered what to do next.
"Great. That wasn't too bad," he said. "Do you want me to take a look at that leg? I'm not a doctor, but I have had some experience with injuries." 
I nodded. 
"Where does it seem to hurt most?"
"The ankle," I replied.
He gently grasped my lower leg and raised it to where he could get a good look. There was a slight swelling around the ankle.
"Can you try to move it back and forth?"
I moved my ankle up and down a bit. 
"How about side to side?" 
I tried that and moved it a little. 
"I'm going to press around a little. I'll go easy, but tell me if it hurts, and I'll stop."
I nodded.
"It's probably a slight sprain. A little ice pack would do. Let's get you to a doctor." He said.
"Oh! that won't be necessary, I'll just grab a taxi and go to my hostel."
He considered me for a moment.
"I am Mike btw, Mike Scott. And I don't think you'll be able to manage on your own. Allow me to take you to the doctor, please."
"I am Sydney Rosbak, thanks for helping out. You saved me." I replied. He was nice.
"Sydney, I don't think I saved you, but you're welcome." 
He hailed a taxi and took me to a doctor he knew.
"I'm going to wrap this around your ankle to give it some support and compression. The goal is to wrap it snug, but not so tight that it cuts off circulation." The doctor proceeded to wrap my ankle.
"Keep some ice packs on it. It'll help to keep it iced and elevated. And don't put any pressure on it for a while, OK?"
I nodded. "It already feels better."
He also prescribed me some painkillers and then we were ready to go.
"So this is your first time in San Francisco ?" Mike asked as we left the clinic and I hobbled along.
"Yeah," I answered.
"Business or pleasure?" Mike enquired some more.
"Neither. I am from Sydney, Australia. I am a digital artist. I am here to do a course in digital art. I don't have anyone left back home so I thought maybe if I could try my luck in America."
I explained and added quickly seeing him creasing his forehead, "Anything wrong?"
"No, I just thought you were a model or something." He said sheepishly.
I laughed.
"I have done some modelling and acting back in Melbourne, stage acting to be precise. But I didn't pursue it further," I replied laughing.
"I am an actor in a theatre group. I also work in a steak house. So where are you putting up?" He asked casually.
"I guess I will be checking into a B&B first. I have to look for a place to rent. Can't be staying in B&B that long. I am not what you call well-off."
He looked at me  "hey if you don't mind you can put up in my place. It's a two-bedroom apartment not a luxury kind mind you. I share it with my sister. But I would be moving out soon. And she is looking for a roommate. So, you can move in with her." 
I could hardly believe my luck, I was stunned with the good fortune of bumping into someone so helpful. Though I was still sceptical. After all, I had just met this guy. I knew him for less than an hour. Could I trust him?
Mike seemed to have sensed my discomfort because he whipped out two business cards.
"Hey, I understand how you feel. We barely know each other. This is my business card, and the other one is my agent's. You can check him out first. I guessed you might need some help since you are new.  Maybe you can also check out the steak house I work at." He said quickly trying to sure me.
I felt a bit embarrassed, this guys had just helped me by going out of the way. Lest I should not have treated him with suspicion.
"Well......"
Before he could finish his sentence, a cute brunette with freckles on her nose bounced up to him and hugged him.
"There you are, I left you alone for few minutes, and you start flirting with the first skirt you see. So, who do we have here?" The cute brunette pouted prettily and flashing me a sweet smile while Mike rolled his eyes upward.
"I am not flirting. By the way, Sydney, meet my little pain in the ass of a sister, Leah," Mike made the formal introduction and gasped out loud.
"Ouch! Don't pinch me, you witch!" He shouted.
I looked bewildered at their banter.
"Serves you right for calling me a pain in the ass!" Leah shot back.
"I was about to tell Sydney that she could put up with us, you know, sharing your room for a while until I move out. That is if you don't mind, and Sydney is ok to put up with a shitty roommate like you!"  Mike stressed.
Leah playfully punched him on the shoulder, "I am not a shitty roommate, you are the bossy big brother! And I certainly don't mind Sydney bunking in with me. We can set up a cot for her in my room until you leave. It's big enough for two. Just hope you don't mind my snoring." She giggled at me.
"So how did you guys meet?" she added with a twinkle in her eyes.
"Stop being so nosy!" He said sternly.
"I could not possibly impose on you guys..." I started to object.
"Nah, it will be alright. I am looking for a roommate anyways. Come on let's get moving."  Leah added chirpily.
"So you are Australian? I could tell by the accent. Sydney from Sydney." Leah giggled.
"I am actually from Balino but yeah my parents met in Sydney, so they named me after the city," I said as we proceeded to their place.

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Chapter 3 — Settling down

Sydney 
I could not believe my good fortune of running into a pair of good Samaritan siblings the moment I stepped into San Francisco. I couldn't turn them down. A few hours later Mike was hauling up my luggage while Leah chattered away, linking her arm along with mine. She talked to me as if we were old chums and led me to the parking lot where a battered old Honda stood waiting.
The apartment was nice, it had a medium-sized living room, with an open kitchen. A passage on the side led to 2 bedrooms. It wasn't shabby or rundown. It even had a balcony with a nice view of a garden. I liked it.
"Welcome to our castle," Leah said with a flourish. 
She led me to her bedroom. It was just tidy enough to show that she cared about the space and just messy enough to show that she was able to let her creativity roam free. It was her goldilocks zone, perfect for how she was.
"Wow! It's lovely here,” I said.
Mike brought in my luggage. 
" I am moving out next week into a studio apartment, just a floor above. You can take my room once I am gone." He said.
"Perfect," I smiled at him.
"How about we all go out to get some dinner?"  Leah suggested.
“ I’ve got a lot of unpacking to do, I can cook something for you. I am not a bad cook." I said.
“Oh! Come on don't be a spoilsport!" Leah grumbled.
“ Dont force her Leah, help me haul that cot you are not being very useful anyway,” Mike interjected.
In no time the brother and sister had put a cot for me at the other side of Leah's room. I had soon unpacked my luggage,
Unboxing some dirty clothes, I headed down to the washer and dryer in the basement. Heading upstairs and into the kitchen. Since I had declined to eat out. I decided to cook dinner. I raided the fridge, which contained, some cheese a bottle of bologna sauce. I found some paste in one of the cabinets and set it to work. 
Since the kitchen was too small to fit all three of us, we had our meal in the main hall. 
To my surprise, Mike opened a bottle of wine and passed me a glass of wine. 
"Thanks," I said gratefully. 
He raised a toast, "To Sydney, our new friend." 
I giggled as Leah joined him. We talked about random stuff.
"So tell us something about yourself?" Mike asked.
"Well, I am from Australia as you already know, My parents were very hard-working people. They owned a petrol station and a convenience store, I lost them in a car accident when I was 16."
Leah placed her hand on mine. 
"I am so sorry."
"It was destiny," I paused, I rarely talked about my parents. 
"I went to live with my aunt, I have been on my own since I turned 18, I got a scholarship in the art school here, so here I am in San Francisco." 
"We are so glad to have met you, I liked you immediately, " Leah smiled at me. 
In just a day I had come to like Mike and his sister. They were friendly and very generous.
“Hey, want a refill?” he asked.
“Thanks,” I said as I passed him my glass. I was slightly tipsy but the simple meals and such good company made me a bit reckless.
Filling my glass almost to the brim, Mike passed it back to me.
“Did you get all your stuff unpacked?”
I smiled at him and replied, "Yes, I did."
“Did you find everything okay?” he asked again.
"Oh yes it's wonderful, I am glad I found you people."
"So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Leah asked.
" I have to start looking for a part-time job, along with the art school," I replied.
"You can be a model if you wish," Leah said.
I laughed," I have done some stage acting and modelling, but I never thought of making it a career." I said.
"Hey, I can introduce you to my agent if you wish, my theatre company is looking for few females for a few roles. Maybe you can give it a try." Mike offered.
"Wow! that's very generous, but I would be fine with the cashier job for now," I replied.
We talked for some time and Mike related how we met before calling it a night.
That night as I lay on the cot oblivious to Leah"s snores I thought about my plans. Apart from being tight on cash my life hadn't been bad. Once I had found a job, things would improve.
I woke up early as the sun rose like a canopy of gold, bright amid the blue, bidding the stars to take their nightly rest. I walked into the balcony and saw the darkness surrender as the sky changed colour from tinges of charcoal to a vibrant orange. I decided to do some shopping.  I found a convenience store and bought a local newspaper. Then decided to buy some fresh meat and vegetables from the local market.
Since I was going to stay with Mike and Leah for a while, this was the least I could do.
When I got back to the apartment Mike and Leah were already up. Leah waved at me as I entered.
"Morning, I've got us some breakfast," I called to her.
"I'll be out in a min," came Mike's muffled voice from the bathroom.
"I am making some coffee Sugar, cream or just black?" Leah offered.
"Black will do and thanks," I replied.
I fried some bacon, and eggs and toasted some bread for breakfast.
I heard Mike entering the hall so I looked up. He was dressed in just his pyjama bottom, a towel asking around his neck. Water droplets trailed down to his broad shoulder and defined chest. I felt a blush creeping up. my neck and I quickly looked away.
"Put on some clothes Mr Show off, you are not a lingerie model material do you know that?" Leah snorted.
"You are an annoying kid, you know that?" Mike glared glares at his sister, but an amused smile played on his lips. Then he addressed me.
"How is your leg? You should not be walking around." 
"I am fine, the ice pack helped. Just bought some breakfast. It's wasn't much." I replied cheerfully.
Once he had dressed, we sat in the living area for breakfast, and Mike asked me about my plan.
"So you found anything of interest, Sydney?" 
"Well, there is a firm looking for a receptionist, a hyper-mart looking for cashiers and a hotel looking for chambermaids. I figure I could give them a try. Seems like the cashier and chambermaid position would be more suitable for me as it says, flexible hours". I would prefer flexible timing so that I can focus on art school.
"Yeah, good point. Since I have nothing on today you wanna join me for the sightseeing? I have to meet my agent later in the day. He is a nice guy. Used to be my drama teacher back in high school before he turned agent." Offered Mike.
"I'd love to but I need to run down to the hyper-mart to see if I can get that cashier job."
"Seems fine, my appointment is in the late afternoon, so I am free in the first half. So, I can take you around." Mike said.
"And what about you kiddo?" Mike asked, turning his attention to his little sister, who was happily munching on a piece of bagel I had brought.
Leah swallowed the piece of bagel she was chewing before replying, "Well, I have three assignments today. So I would be all tied up."
"What do you do? are you still studying?" I asked Leah.
"I am an aspiring actress, I also model, to fund my acting classes," she beamed at me.
"Haven't you noticed how plump she is? That is what the art class needs. Plump nude models." Mike interjected cheekily.
Leah glared at her brother and threw a doughnut at him. "It's call RUBENESQUE, you twit."
Mike roared with laughter, caught the doughnut and stuffed it in his mouth. I smiled seeing their banter. I had always wished for a sibling. But my parents never had a second child.
They were always busy but instilled good values in me. After their accident, my aunt helped me in selling off the service station, and they had enough insurance that I could study and live comfortably, but I couldn't rely on it my entire life.
" Sydney?" Mike startled me and broke my reverie.
"Oh, sorry. I was just kind of lost. I better get going to check out that cashier job, it's a walk-in-interview. Would you mind dropping me at the hyper-mart, please? I...I don't..." Before I could finish my sentence, Mike interrupted me.
"Sure, yeah I will give you a lift, don't worry. Hey! Kiddo, want a ride to your class?" Mike called to his sister.
"Yeah, gimme a min. Just grabbing my stuff." Leah called back.

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