Melting their hearts

Chapter XXII

"You wanted to see me?"

Right now, I am sitting on one of the chairs in Victor's office, fumbling with a paper stopper in my hands.

"Yes. There's something I wanted to ask you." Victor said while closing the file he has been working on and locking his steel gaze on me with his hands clasped together.

"Shoot.. oh I mean ask away." I gave him a smile but on the inside, I was cursing myself.

"First of all, you don't have to be so formal with me Scarlett. I am your brother too, just like the rest."

"Oh I uh-" I fumbled over words since I don't know how to react to this. But he didn't wait for me to complete my sentence.

"Secondly, I want you to start working out and learn how to fight from tomorrow onwards." He dropped the bomb replacing my smile with a stumped expression.

Working out? Me?

Me?

I pointed dumbly towards myself to which he nodded his head seriously.

Laughing nervously, I racked my brain for a reasonable excuse.

"You can't be serious Vicky. I mean... look at me. My body cannot even run a mile and you are telling me to learn fighting. You should have checked my PHE scores in previous school first. " I gave am an incredulous look to show how serious I am.

But Victor just stared at me with a bored expression. Suddenly he typed something on his laptop and turned it to face my side so that I could see it too.

My eyes widened when I saw my whole middle school PHE scores in front of me. I checked the mail id to see Mr. Gonzalez name on it, the principal of my previous school.

"Let's not talk about phe scores sister since you are failing yours. Isn't it correct?"

I scratched my neck, feeling embarrassed.

"But Vic-"

"I am not finished yet. Your PHE score made me a little concerned of your health, not to forget that soccer incident. And one more thing, if you don't want to learn any fighting skills then I can always hire a bodyguard for you."

My eyes literally bulged out of my sockets and anyone who saw my face would have laughed but again this is Victor I am talking about.

"B-Bodyguard?"

"Why do you look so shocked Scarlett? I already told you before, living with us is not safe until you learn how to fight or we hire a bodyguard to protect you."

He raised his hand to scratch his jaw before closing his eyes and leaning back on his chair.

"Choice is yours sister. Either you learn how to defend yourself or get a bodyguard."

You didn't exactly gave me a choice fratello.

Clenching my fist under the table, I gritted my teeth.

He really knows how to get things done his way. Victor is the epitome of what I feared most while coming to this house, Manipulative older brother.

"Fine! I'll start working out." I mumbled slowly, looking straight at the window behind him.

Victor nodded his head in a satisfactorily manner. He stretched his arm and looked at the time on his wristwatch.

"You should go to sleep then. Dom will wake you up in the morning so you need to get a full night's rest."

I scrunched my face at this.