Chapter 90 Unfamiliar face!

"I'm extending a hand of friendship to you, Mr. Money. What do you say?" A grin crept on Irene's face and she stretched her hand to Brian for a handshake. Surprised etched the faces of the others as they watched the scene unfold in disbelief. Brian was reluctant to accept the handshake so Irene reached for his hand and shook it. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I've decided to put everything behind me?" Irene sighed when she saw the disarray of expression on their faces. Lena looked like she just saw a mouse swallow an elephant, while Henderson's eyes widened slightly, Cleo looked like she was in doubt only Matteo had a smile on his face. Even the wedding planner who didn't really know Brian and Irene very well was equally surprised, the few times she had come to the mansion, she witnessed a number of arguments and disagreements between the duo do she was stunned that Irene called it a truce. "Honestly considering that you yelled at Brian not too long ago when he unintentionally bumped into you, what changed so quickly?" Lena questioned casting a suspicious glance at Irene. She knew the kind of person her sister was, Irene wasn't the one to let go of things so easily so Irene's words struck a wave of shock and disbelief in Lena. "It's cool being the bigger person." Irene beamed proudly. Lena scoffed shaking her head, " If there is anyone here who has been the bigger person, it's Brian. He has been patient with your overbearing attitude." Henderson wriggled his head, " I think it's the other way, babe. Do you know how much of a jerk Brian is? I guess you are not well acquainted with that part of him." Brian's intense fevered glare rested on Henderson who acted oblivious to it, he just chuckled. "Brian is a gentleman," Lena mumbled countering Henderson's words. Brian had a pleased grin spread across his face as he heard Lena's words, he stuck his tongue at Henderson. Henderson's upper lips raised slightly in derision and he rolled his eyes. "There you go acting like a little kid." Henderson huffed. "Whatever!" Brian shrugged his shoulders giving Henderson a mocking smile. "If you keep acting this way, I'll have no choice but to change my mind about you being my Best man." Brian snorted with laughter, " Good luck finding someone else. Who will you even ask? We all know I'm your saving grace." Brian muttered proudly. "Keep fooling your self Brian, " Henderson snorted a derisory reply. "I'll just tell Brighton to replace you." "Brighton!" Brian gasped. No way! How did he even forget about Brighton? Brighton was their best friend but he had been out of the country for four years. "Who's Brighton?" Lena asked turning to Henderson. Cleo's lips curved in a smile, " I'll tell you, Lena." Henderson glared at her but that didn't seem to matter to Cleo, she still wore a smile on her face. "Lena didn't ask you, did she?" He arched a brow at her. Cleo chuckled, "It doesn't matter. Moreover, I think I'll do the honours by telling Lena about Brighton." Henderson didn't say anything else, he concluded it was going to be a waste of his time since he knew that Cleo wasn't even going to listen to him. Cleo averted her gaze from Henderson and it wandered to Lena, with a wide smile still on her face she clasped her hands together and cleared her throat. "Brighton is Brian's and Henderson's best friend. Amongst the three, Brighton is the perfect gentleman and nothing like Brian and Henderson. Brighton is filthy rich and he came from money but you wouldn't even know because he doesn't go about bragging about it like someone I know." A mischievous smile grew on Cleo's face as she jibed at Henderson. "You mean Brian?" Irene grumbled giving Brian a contemptuous look. "I don't brag about being wealthy!" Brian countered gaping at her. Everyone nodded except Irene who burst out laughing. "You don't, do you?" Irene's voice was heavy with sarcasm. "I meant Henderson, not Brian, " Cleo interfered. "Nah, I think you are mistaken. It should be Brian." Irene insisted leering at Brian. "Irene, whatever happened to being a bigger person? Acting like an adult and stop directing every bad thing to me?" Brian's lips curled up and he lifted a brow at her. Irene chuckled folding her arms across her chest, the corner of her eyes crinkled. "You didn't believe that did you? I was just joking. I have no intentions of being friends with you ever." Irene shrugged. The others appeared surprised with the exception of Lena, she didn't look like Irene's words were a shocker or anything because she expected it. Brian on the other hand had a wan expression on his face. "I knew it. You have to grow up Irene, stop acting like a baby." Lena said in a chiding tone but Irene just laughed. Lena rolled her eyes at her before turning to Brian and giving him a sorry look. A smile embraced Brian's visage, "It's fine Lena. I didn't even believe her words earlier I'm not a fool." Irene chortled, " Good for you, Mr. Money." Brian just shook his head and let out a huff in response to Irene's words but no words came out of his mouth. "I won't be surprised if at the end of this, if Irene and Brian get married. Because I don't understand you two, is it that you both have feelings for each other and fighting each other is your way of saying feelings go away?" Cleo said dramatically. "You mean you and Matteo right? Hiding behind work and trying to bury those feelings deep down." Irene chuckled her glance darting from Cleo and then to Matteo before she continued. "We can still see and feel the chemistry." Cleo and Matteo exchanged glances and burst out laughing. "Feelings? Me and Matteo, no you are just imagining things. There's nothing between us, " Cleo laughed shaking her head. "Exactly, we are just friends and colleagues. Moreover, I'm not ready for a relationship." Matteo stated gazing at Cleo who nodded in response. "Me too. I'm not ready for a relationship." "Friends and colleagues?" Lena repeated, a smile marring her face. She was well aware of the fact that Matteo her best friend had feelings for Cleo and she could say Cleo felt the same way too but they never agreed to it. Their shield was work and being colleagues. "You don't believe that I and Matteo have feelings for each other too, do you?" Cleo turned to Lena. Henderson sighed shifting his gaze to Matteo, " I feel for you, what were you thinking falling for this crazy lady? I guess she used the sweet and nice charm on you at first." Henderson gave Matteo a pitiful look. "What are you talking about?" Matteo feigned surprise. "Don't even give us that, Matteo. You both should figure out a way to confess your feelings to each other. Remember you both were the driving force for me and Henderson, we'll gladly repay the favour, right babe?" Lena grinned widely gazing at Henderson, he bobbed his head in agreement. "Of course babe. It would be an honour." He smiled. Matteo and Cleo traded looks and scoffed simultaneously before returning their gazes to Lena and Henderson who were all smiles as their eyes met. "You both are something else." Matteo sighed. "I agree. When did you two even become matchmakers, it took you both a long time to even come to terms with the fact that you had feelings for each and now out of the blue you've turned into relationship counsellors, what a transition." Cleo's voice was laced with sarcasm as she spoke. "No disagreements on that, but we have been in the shoes like you said so we know when others are and since we care about you and Matteo a lot, we don't want that for you." Lena smiled. "Sincerely, I think Cleo and Matteo will be a great couple." Brian concurred. "See, even Brian feels the same way. So....." Henderson would have continued his statement but Brian chipped in. "That sounds like an insult in disguise, " Brian's face contorted in a frown as he peered at Henderson. "You act like a kid, Brian. No wonder Irene finds it hard to get along with you." An annoyed sigh left Henderson's lips and he facepalmed. "Exactly. Brother-in-law, you are the only one who understands my plight." Irene heaved a breath. Lena scoffed at Irene's words, " There is no plight here sis, you are just being mean." Matteo has a hard time choosing whose side to be on since he was Lena's best friend and Henderson was his boss but making a choice came quite easy to him when Cleo says if he wants to be part of Lena's side then he would have to wear a gown, he quickly shifted to Henderson's side that instant he was going to be part of the groomsmen. Henderson had informed Brighton his friend about the wedding and he promised Henderson that he was definitely going to be present. Brian made Henderson assure him that he was still going to be the best man even if Brighton came, Henderson assured Brian. Even if Henderson spoke to Brighton to be his best, he doubted if Brighton was going to agree since he was well aware that Brighton hated weddings, he only accepted the invitation because it was his friend Henderson who was tying the knot else he would have turned down the invitation. Now, it was just a week and two days to the wedding. Brighton told Henderson that he was going to fly into Hayglow at least three days before the wedding so they could catch up and so he could see the bride before the wedding. He couldn't wait to meet the woman who had made his best friend fall in love again. Brighton and Brian knew how hard it was for Henderson after Vivian left him, he battled depression and it was as though he was never going to come out of it and when he did come out of it, Playboy Henderson emerged. From the way things went at that time, Brian and Brighton concluded that Henderson was probably never going to remarry, that time he had immense hatred for weddings the only wedding he agreed to attend was Cleo's wedding other than that, he was always turning down wedding invitations. Henderson had paused going to the office when it was two weeks to the wedding. About thirty minutes ago, Lena just got back from Itzel's and Trent's school to pick them up. Henderson was upstairs helping Trent and Itzel with their homework while Lena came downstairs to grab her bag, she had dropped it off on the couch when they returned from the school. Lena took her bag and was heading for the stairs when she heard the doorbell ring, veering around, she ambled to the door and pulled it open to meet an unfamiliar face but Lena was perplexed when she saw recognition etched into the man's face and that wasn't it all, he also called her name. "Lena, " a smile danced on his lips as he took in the sight of her. He knew her name as well? But who was he?