Chapter 34

Ethan

"Thank you." I heard Eva say to the waiter once he placed our coffees on the table. The silence was too loud.

I had so much to say, but nothing dared to come out of my mouth.

Talking to Eva wasn't scary, but as Lauren said, I'm good at messing everything up. And that is scary. I can't let that happen again with Eva.

I didn't think this far when I decided to stay away from her. I didn't think it will make Eva hate me. But looking at Eva right now, I clearly am wrong in the whole scenario.

"How is Isobel?" I mustered up the courage to start the conversation.

"Oh, my mom. She is very good. I'm surprised you remember her." Eva gave me a fake smile.

A small smile greeted my lips. She didn't change much. The same feisty girl.

"How long did you know Ryan?"

I asked letting the conversation flow in the other direction. Talking about our past or parents will only make it hard for Eva to talk to me.

"Not long." She answered shortly.

"He was ready to fight with me for you." I chuckled remembering Ryan and My fight.

It's not like Ryan and I never fight. We argue, but it was just about silly things. Nothing serious. There must be something going on if Ryan became serious.

She blinked hard at my answer.

"What?" she looked shocked. I can be wrong, but she looked a bit happy listening to my answer.

Is she happy that Ryan fought for her?

"He did." I nodded my head at her.

"Oh." She looked away from me.

We sat in silence for the next minute before I opened my mouth again.

"You wanted to become a doctor. What changed?" I asked her. When we were children, I remember she used to wear a white shirt and annoyed me till I play the doctor game with her.

"I felt good while defending people. Standing up for them. Saying everything legally that they couldn't say. It made me happy more than studying doctor." She had a soft smile and a distant look while saying this. She definitely loves the law.

"I'm happy," I spoke with a proud look on my face. Let's just say she didn't look that happy, looking at me being proud of her.

"I can see you are very good in life, happily married, running a big company, and one of the richest men. I bet everything is good in your life." She raised her eyebrow at me.

"What was that supposed to mean?" I frowned at her.

"Nothing much. Don't worry." She scowled sipping her coffee.

I sighed looking down at the hot coffee mug in front of me. Although my eyes stayed on the coffee, my thoughts aren't.

The thought of our current bond between Eva and me questioned my sanity. It made me mad, annoyed, angry, and above all sad.

But I also know that I'm the one to blame for how the tables have turned between us. I was the reason for extending the distance between me and her.

"Eva, I'm sorry. I-" I started apologizing.

"Don't say that, brother. It doesn't mean anything now. your sorry isn't going to change anything now. It doesn't heal wounds nor rewrite the past. it's just a waste of energy." She scoffed at me.

Although her words stung me a bit, it made me happy that she called me brother. Even in a sarcastic way.

"I know. Maybe you're right. But apologizing is the basic thing someone could do. It doesn't completely heal but it's the first step in healing." I stared at her hazel eyes.

Although she stared back at me, she couldn't hold eye contact for long.

"But just know that I never abandoned you, Eva. I frequently met Isobel." I continued and Eva frowned at my answer.

She exhaled placing her coffee mug back on the table before giving me her full attention.

"You were the first girl I loved most after my mother. You are my baby sister, Eva. I'm wrong for not meeting you like that but I never stopped treating you as my sister. I loved you a lot. I've always cared about you. You were that page in my book that I cherish even today and go back to read. I'm sorry for ruining our bond like that. but know that I was always there with you, maybe it was just in the shadows where you couldn't see."

I spoke my heart out. I planned everything that I wanted to say before coming here, but what I said now is not planned. It just came out straight from my heart.

I was never good with words. It's hard to express my feelings in words. I didn't even know if what I just spoke made sense, but I sure hope it did.

Staring at her neutral face now, made me even more nervous.

I would sell my soul to know what is running behind that stern face.

"I have to attend a client meeting. I'm leaving." That was the last thing my sister said to me before dashing away.

***

"So, what happened?" I heard Lauren's voice when we entered my office cabin.

"I spoke."

"What did Eva say?" she asked me curiously.

I said nothing except sitting on the couch in my office.

When Lauren was about to sit beside me, I took her hand tucking her towards me and making her fall on my lap.

Her widened eyes looked up but I was too busy wrapping my arms around her and pulling her even closer.

My mind is flashing with thousand thoughts per second and my heart lost its rhythmic beat long ago. Although I felt light after speaking to Eva, it also made me anxious.

I need to breathe. I need a safe place to breathe.

These days, nothing seems safer except Lauren's arms. It's not just her finding comfort in me, she is my safe place too.

She doesn't fight monsters or gangsters for me. she helps me fight my own demons, my fears.

A person can't change the other. They can only motivate the other person to change. And Lauren is that person for me.

"What happened?" she asked me softly just accepting the hug.

"Nothing." She stayed silent contemplating what to say next.

She softly exhaled tightening her hold on me and that action alone lifted a lot of burden from my heart.

"Don't worry about anything. Everything will be okay." she spoke running her fingers through my hair and that felt heavenly.

I tightened my hold on her and rested my head in the crook of her neck.

It was just comfortable silence for the next couple of minutes. And that silence was everything that I needed at that moment.

I didn't know how long we stayed in the same position until my phone on the desk rang.

"We have to go back to work," Lauren spoke softly moving away to face me.

I reluctantly nodded and she just smiled at me.

***

It was only half past six when Lauren entered my office after knocking.

"Can we go early tonight?"

"Why?"

"I'll give you two reasons. I'm starving and tired as hell."

"It's not even seven, Lauren. You can go, I'll send Tom with you. But I have to stay back to finish the work." I spoke rubbing my neck.

I have a lot of files to be reviewed and financial details that I have to check.

"Ethan, Please, let's just go."

"I can't Lauren. You go" I declined. My answer seemed to madden her.

"Ethan, don't be such a jerk." She stomped her foot angrily glaring at her.

She looked like a puppy throwing a tantrum. I smiled at my own thought.

"Jerk?" I raised my eyebrow at her pretending to be angry and she just gave me a cheeky smile in return.

"I mean why don't you just listen to me and leave early."

"I would Lauren, but I have a lot of work to do."

At this point I know I'm only annoying her. but who would wanna miss the golden chance of annoying her?

"Ethan." she threw me a glare.

"Lauren." I feigned innocence.

"Ethan, It's either me or work. Choose." Her glare didn't flatter.

"Work," I answered quickly.

Obviously, It's a lie.

Her face held shock for a moment before chuckling awkwardly.

"I'll ask you again. You might have not listened clearly-" I interrupted her.

"No, I did. It's work, Lauren. you can go." I turned away from her pretending to go back to my work.

"And then you wonder why I call you a jerk." She whispered in such a way that I could hear her perfectly.

"Jerk," she yelled at me for the final time before storming out of my office.

Annoying others is fun only when you know when to stop pushing the buttons.

Annoying Lauren is easy. But she also gets mad easily, especially at silly things.

I chuckled staring at the closed door she banged before leaving.

I buttoned my suit, got up from my chair, running out behind her.

***

Lauren was unusually silent along the ride. Being silent is itself suspicious but her pretending to be normal is adding up more to that suspicion.

Did she do something bad?

Or is she hiding something?

Once we reached the penthouse, we opened the door and entered in.

I took off my grey suit and was walking to my room when I saw someone sitting on my couch.

Not one but two.

It's Chris and Ryan.

What are they doing here? Now?

"Surprise," Chris spoke in a monotone voice in a very unsurprised manner. Not even a child will be surprised when spoken in that voice.

Ryan looked up from his phone and gave me a good glare swearing at me before going back to his phone.

"You are here already," Lauren spoke from behind me walking towards them.

She didn't seem surprised.

Oh, is it this that she was hiding before?

Did she invite them?

Chris stood up hugging her and Lauren pecked his cheek as a greeting.

Wow, when did they get this close? I rolled my eyes at their interaction.

When Ryan didn't even stand up to greet her, Lauren sighed exasperatedly and took his phone from him in a swish.

"You play this game?" Lauren asked Ryan excitedly looking at his phone.

"What? you do too?" Ryan asked her back.

"I love this game a lot." Lauren giggled at Ryan.

"Lauren not you too. It's a game for seven-year-olds." Chris rolled his eyes at Lauren and Ryan.

"Oh, just shut up, grandpa." Ryan scoffed and Chris shook his head.

"Still better looking than you," Lauren shrugged at Ryan referring to Chris.

Ryan glared at her before taking his phone from her hand and sitting down.

Wait a second.

Am I even in this room with them?

Am I invisible to them.

I can't believe they all are ignoring me.

Such a group of losers they all are. Except for Lauren.

"Why don't we three play that game and see who wins?" Lauren suggested looking at Ryan and Chris.

Did she too ignore me?

I take it back. Lauren is no exception. She is the biggest loser among them.

"But, I'm hungry. I could even eat a horse." Lauren complained.

"Don't. it doesn't look good." Ryan smirked.

"It's an expression." She scowled at him.

"I wonder, given how much you can eat." Ryan shrugged his shoulders.

"Shut up Ryan." Chris tsked at him.

"Ryan." I glared at him.

"Relax, guys. It's a joke." Ryan rolled his eyes at us.

"Ha. Think twice before saying something. I have two grown men backing me." Lauren smirked at Ryan.

Ryan rolled his eyes at Lauren's remark before going back to his phone.

Amongst the heat of the moment, I saw Lauren and Chris signalling something to each other with their eyes. It looked like they spoke something about me and Ryan.

"We brought some Chinese food for dinner," Chris spoke.

"Okay. I'll go and arrange the table." Lauren spoke.

"I'll help you. Let's go."

Chris spoke before they both left leaving Ryan and me.

***

We were awfully silent since Lauren and Chris left to the kitchen.

Our egos are too large to start a conversation. But someone has to start it right?

"Are you going to stay silent?" I asked him after a couple of moments.

"Yes, I am." He plainly ignored me.

"Fine." I scoffed.

"Good," he spoke back.

The silence stretched for another moment before Ryan opened his mouth again.

"When I am in the third standard, some ugly garbage friend said that we should take turns apologising first when we fight. I think it was me who apologised when we argued last time." Ryan started.

Obviously, that ugly garbage friend he is referring to is me.

Yeah, it's me who spoke those wise words. That too in the third standard. Aren't I smart?

"Don't lie, Ryan. I think it's me who apologised last time. Now it's your turn." I stared at him and he had the audacity to look shocked.

"What? I think it was me." Ryan glared at me.

"No. it was me." I argued back.

"Fine. why don't we play a game? Whoever loses has to apologise. Rock paper scissors?"

"Fine." I agreed.

"Okay, rock. Paper. Scissor." He started.

Ryan smirked when he got the paper and I got the rock.

"Apologise," Ryan smirked laying back on the couch.

"You didn't win yet. Best of three. Remember?" I remembered him.

"What? When did we decide that?" he glared at me

"Now?" I shrugged my shoulders.

After three rounds, it was time for me to look smug.

He lost the bet.

"Okay, apologise." This time it was me who laid back on the couch with a smirk.

"It's cheating, Ethan."

After a couple of glaring moments, he sighed with a shrug.

"Whatever I should have apologised long ago." He spoke. The smug slowly left my face.

"I shouldn't have spoken like that to you. especially when I didn't know it completely. I'm sorry Ethan." he looked sincere. Not the usual playful Ryan.

I knew that somewhere I brought up boundaries which never existed between us. He always spoke freely to me before, so the boundaries or limits were never in the picture between us.

It was because Ryan nor Chris was among those who speak without thinking. Their words are practical, real and thoughtful. Ryan speaks a lot but doesn't talk nonsense all the time.

This time, Ryan spoke about something he didn't have complete knowledge and that's where the fight started.

"I overreacted a bit too. I shouldn't have don't that. I'm sorry."

He smiled at me and I returned the gesture.

The moment was good till Lauren decided to interrupt.

"Aw." I closed my eyes when I saw her phone in her hand. she was recording. Kill me now.

"Rock. Paper. Scissor. Seriously? I'm embarrassed." Chris threw a disappointed look at me and Ryan.

"Why would you record, Lauren?" Ryan scowled at her.

"I couldn't help. You were so cute."

"Lauren."

"Lauren." Both Ryan and I spoke at the same time.

"Oh my, you are snapping at me?"

"Chris, let me tell you something, the other day they argued, I was interrupting to cool them off, but they snapped at me. that too at the same time. just like now. Can you believe it?"

"Very rude." Chris sided with Lauren.

"Yes, I swear these devil souls don't deserve kindness." Lauren continued.

"Although I hate to say it, you were right, I shouldn't have snapped at you that day. You were just trying to help. So, sorry." Ryan spoke looking at her.

"Accept it before I change my mind," Ryan continued.

Lauren chuckled at Ryan's words before wrapping her hands and giving him a hug. he returned the gesture with a soft smile.

Looking at the way they both stood hugging, with a soft smile on their faces, made me happy.

Let's just say the happiness didn't last long when they continued hugging each other.

When they stayed in the same position for a moment more, some unsettled feeling crept up.

Is that jealousy?

Of course not.

It definitely is.

I walked towards them and pulled Lauren by my side wrapping my arm around her neck.

"Enough now. She is my wife, remember?" I claimed and Chris laughed at my action.

"Ooh..." Ryan sang.

"This is turning out good. where is my phone? Let's take a picture." Ryan spoke.

"No." Chris and I immediately rejected it.

Pictures and videos? Definitely not for me.

No wonder Chris thinks the same.

"Yes." Lauren was the only one who agreed.

Ignoring me and Chris, Ryan took his phone and stood right to me and Lauren to my left. Chris stood left of Lauren.

"Okay,"

"One-"

"Two-"

"Smile y'all dumbheads," Ryan yelled and all of us broke into fits of laughter.

Among all the laughter, the camera clicked capturing the moment.

Alice's POV

"What? A new boss?" I yelled into my phone.

How does Emily know everything? Maybe I should seriously change her name to Wikipedia.

"Well, not exactly like a boss but he holds major shares of our company."

"So, Mrs Lee still going to be our boss?" I sighed sadly.

"Yes." She sighed too.

"I wonder who the new shareholder is? Is it him/her? if it is him, is he handsome? Is he single?" a series of unwanted questions raised in my mind.

Is he like Mr Christian Hudson?

I scolded myself for even thinking that. where did that handsome goblin come from?

Focus. Alice. He is the enemy.

Moreover, he signed the fashion contract on one condition I have to agree to whatever he says.

I was scared at first about his condition but it's almost a week and he didn't even contact me.

I wonder what he is up to.

A small thought of him being the new shareholder alerted me, but I brushed it away. He is into the product manufacturing business. Why would he buy a fashion company? It's just plain loss for him.

I have read a lot of romance novels where the new CEO or boss will fall in love with the employee and they will marry and will work together happily forever.

I wish any rich CEO would fall for me and spoil me a bit.

My feminism dies when I read a romance where the CEO spoils his girl and buys her everything.

Although I could buy anything I want, why would I reject it when someone wants to buy me something and save my money?

The end goal is to be rich. Isn't it?

"It's late, Alice. Go to sleep. We have a lot of work tomorrow, bye." Emily brought me out of my thoughts.

"Good night, Emily."

She hung up after greeting me back.

So, who is this new shareholder?

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