Three Years Later

"I've been promoted at Synergies, dad. I'm a permanent employee now," announced an excited Daxton who was working as an intern at Synergies Financial Services based in Houston for the last three years. While graduating in Finance from the University of Houston, he had started his internship simultaneously.

"That's wonderful news. Congratulations, son," said his dad, giving him a hug.

"Thanks dad," said Daxton. This was the only news that gave him immense happiness in the last three years. After Aurora had left, he had waited for her for a year but when two years passed by, he realized that she was never coming back. The whole of last year he tried his level best to move on and still was trying. His heart was broken but he had accepted the fact that Aurora didn't love him the way he loved her.

"I'll go and tell Patty and Pauline, " said his ma. They were quite close and never left any possibility of a get-together or celebration.

Daxton walked down to Brandon's house to tell him the good news. He found him sulking in his room. "What's up now? Why are you sulking dude?" He asked him, sprawling on his bed.

"Dad won't hand over the reigns of the company to me till I show some maturity and get married and settle down," complained Brandon. "Till then I'll remain an intern," he sulked more.

"That's so bad dude. Why don't you try at Synergies. I've got my promotion today. They've made me permanent now," suggested Daxton. They went towards Brandon's balcony and sat down on the chairs. Daxton loved this spot as he could clearly see Aurora's house from there. The last three years he had waited here every evening and watched her house with the hope that he would see her some day but that day never came. She never came back.

"I can't leave dad," sighed Brandon. His dad's company Hughes Investment Group was a renowned finance company in Houston and as such it was Brandon's dream to handle it along with his dad. But now he had to find himself a bride before that dream turned into a reality.

"Do you know of anyone whom I could marry?" Asked Brandon, hopefully.

Daxton laughed. "What? You'll just catch hold of any girl and get married to her? Won't you wait to fall in love?" Asked a surprised Daxton.

"I don't have the time to fall in love, dude. I can't remain an intern forever," said Brandon. Daxton saw that Aurora's door opened and her oldest brother came out with a scowl.

"Why do they always scowl?" Wondered Daxton aloud. Brandon chuckled.

"Coz they're too scary to get a good f*ck," said Brandon and Daxton chuckled. It was true actually. These sworn bachelors needed to settle down with a family of their own and enjoy their lives. That way they could let Aurora live her own life. Chris came out too and briefly glanced at him as always.

"I just wish that Chris would fall for a mafia king's daughter!" Said Daxton. Brandon chuckled.

"Yeah, that would serve him right," he agreed.

Daxton wanted to teach her brothers a lesson for sending Aurora away. Everyday he thought of a way but couldn't come up with any plans. It was a favorite pastime with Brandon. They called it mission 'Screw the C's (STC for short)'.

"What about Cole? Who should he fall for? A criminal?" Asked Brandon. Daxton laughed.

"Yeah, that would be classic. He should fall for a criminal who's been sentenced with life imprisonment, " said Daxton and Brandon chuckled.

"And Craig?" Asked Brandon, curiously.

"He could fall for one of his mental patients. They would sit and tear each other's hair out," grinned Daxton.

"Ouch, which hair?" Asked Brandon, laughing out loudly.

"All," laughed Daxton. After a fun moment together, they discussed and counted all prospective girls whom Brandon could marry.

He didn't leave anyone out. From Sarah Flores, his colleague; Amy Dresden, his gym instructor; Rosalind Cooper, his housekeeper's daughter to Penny Stewart his bank receptionist, he considered them all.

"Is your gym instructor hot?" Asked Daxton with interest.

"Yeah all solid and muscular but six years older," said Brandon.

"Solid? I like them soft and creamy?" Said Daxton, remembering Aurora.

"Yeah, I know," said Brandon with a chuckle. "For me anyone will do at the moment." Afterwards Daxton went home. Denver had joined the Houston Police Department and had gone to Dallas to protect his girl, Sapphire as well as bring her back. Daxton played with his older brother Stuart's daughter, Estella. It was his favorite pastime in the whole world.

Tne next day at office, he was informed that they would all be going to a party afterwards to celebrate one of his colleague's birthday. "Hope you're joining us too, Daxton?" Asked Steve Greenberg, who was the closest friend he had at work.

"Sure, just tell me where," he agreed. He was a sweet natured guy and was everyone liked him. He wasn't as boisterous as Denver was but wasn't reserved and shy either. The whole day, work went on as usual. During lunchbreak, they all discussed where they would be going. It was a premium club of Houston called Excelsior where you needed membership to host anything. Since Megan Foster who was hosting her birthday party there was from an affluent family with lots of connections, she had a membership as well as lots of wealth to splurge. She actually didn't need this job but she liked Daxton and therefore stuck on even after her internship was over.

Meg as everyone called her was a very pretty woman of twenty-two, of the same age as Daxton and had joined Synergies at the same time as Daxton had. With her brown doe-eyes and short brown curls she looked very adorable but Daxton didn't want anything more than friendship with her. He tried his best not to encourage her in any way since even after trying his best, he hadn't been able to erase Aurora from his mind and soul. The memory of their kiss was still fresh in his mind. He was ruined for life, his heart was already hers for life.

Office was over and he drove over to Excelsior. He didn't have the enthusiasm to go home and change. Some if his colleagues were already there, enjoying a drink. Meg had gone home to change for her party and they all chatted as they waited for her.

"Dax, you're so lucky man. We get to enjoy all these luxuries only because of you," said Harry Graham, another office colleague.

"How does this have anything to do with me?" Asked Daxton curiously. They all laughed.

"Which world are you in, man?" Asked Thomas Portland.

"Meg is so whipped with you Daxton that she throws these parties only for you and we get treated for free," said Kathy Jordan,  another colleague who was a good friend of Meg too. Daxton shrugged.

"I'm sure you guys are seeing too much into this. She's a nice person and deserves someone much better than me," he told them, finishing his drink. That shut up everyone and although some of his friends were jealous of him, they didn't bring up the topic again. Meg appeared after twenty minutes, looking very pretty in a red dress. Her eyes flew towards Daxton and she smiled with relief seeing that he had at last attended the party. Daxton had always avoided the parties that she had invited him to in the past so she wasn't sure that he would attend this one.

"Hi Daxton. Nice to see you here, " she said, sitting beside him.

"Hey Meg! Happy birthday. Here, this is a small gift from me," he said, handing her an expensive bottle of perfume, nicely wrapped up. She took the gift and smiled.

"Thanks a lot Daxton. I would have been happier to get a different gift altogether, " she tried again to confess her feelings for him.

"You don't like it?" Asked Daxton, ignoring her remark.

"No no, I love it. I just was.., never mind. Enjoy the party," she told him, getting up to attend to the other guests. Daxton didn't stay of course. When Meg was busy with others, he quietly slipped out and drove home. He knew what Meg wanted but he couldn't grant her the wish. If she ever spoke to him directly, he would definitely clear up everything but the thing was, she didn't directly admit her feelings to him.

He returned home and warmed his dinner and had it. It was quite late and everyone had gone to bed. He went upstairs to his room and took a refreshing shower. He had just laid down on his bed when his phone buzzed with an incoming call from Brandon. Now what did he want?

"What do you want dude?" He asked sleepily.

"Dax, you won't believe what I'll tell you now," said Brandon excitedly.

"What? You got married already?" Asked Daxton with a chuckle.

"No man, Aurora's back. I saw her at her house today. She had a huge fight with her brothers," informed Brandon.