Chapter 36

Ethan

I shifted my eyes constantly between Lauren's bedroom and my watch. Usually, she would be out of her room by now, all ready for the day. But today she isn't.

It would be a lie if I said that her utter dismissal to her room last night didn't affect me.

It did. I couldn't sleep the whole night.

I gave Kate a day off as I wanted to convince Lauren to talk to me again. What best way than food to convince her? So, I prepared some breakfast for us both and was waiting for her to come out soon.

When I heard a door click, my neck snapped towards the sound and there she is.

Our eyes locked for a moment before she averted them quickly walking into the kitchen.

"Good morning," I spoke getting up from the bar stool and walking towards her.

She gave me a brief look before opening her mouth.

"Morning."

She muttered wearily in a low tone that I would've missed easily.

Looks like she is still mad, I wouldn't blame her though.

Why can't I just control my goddamn mouth?

I ignored my rage towards myself for now and followed her like a lost puppy into the living room.

"I prepared some breakfast for us," I spoke following her and she turned around to listen to me.

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry." She made sure to glare at me while speaking.

I stared at her face not knowing how to respond, and then only did I notice that she is still in her pyjamas.

It's almost eight and she isn't ready yet.

"Wait, you're not coming to the office today?" I frowned at her.

"Yes."

"Why? What happened? Are you okay?" I shot a series of questions at her touching her forehead to check the temperature.

I hope she is okay. Moreover, I have a lot of meetings today and it will be even more tiring without seeing her at work.

"I'm okay. Just a bit tired." She walked past me.

It pinched my heart when she walked past me.

"Oh."

"Then we can eat breakfast and take some rest. Later we can order some lunch too. Chinese if you want. We can also-"

"I can manage alone, Ethan." She interrupted me.

"No, I'm not that busy either. I can surely take a day off."

"You have a lot of meetings today. And you also have a work of hiring new legal advising department members."

"I can always reschedule them."

"I want to be alone." She spoke again this time shutting me up.

I sighed defeatedly staring at her face not knowing how to respond anymore.

I didn't like the way she is pushing me away. the way she is finding reasons to avoid me.

How she looked at me twisted my heart in a painful way. Like I'm not a close person to her anymore. Like I don't mean much anymore to her.

"I'm sorry, Lauren," I spoke those words I'd die saying thousand times if it means she will act normal like before.

The brown addictive eyes which have been avoiding mine since yesterday finally looked up.

The same eyes that speaks first before her lips.

She held eye contact longer than a minute but broke it not long after.

I waited standing there for her to say something. Anything. But she didn't. but I don't blame her for everything that is happening between us.

My guilt for the mistake I did, didn't allow me to blame her.

"Take care."

I spoke and turned around walking out.

***

It was just eleven in the morning and I debated almost thirty times whether to go home or just stay in the office.

The time went at a slow pace in the two meetings I attended since morning.

I was deep in thought when someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." It was Sarah.

"Sir, we have to hire a few new recruits in the legal department. Do you want Mr Coulson to do it without you?" she asked me entering the room.

"Inform Mr Coulson that I'll join him." She nodded her head at me.

'Yes, sir."

I'm sure I would start thinking about her again and would just drown myself in self-pity.

Work is definitely a distraction I so badly need right now.

I entered the HR cabin loosening my suit button. Mr Coulson and Sarah stood from their seats as soon as they saw me. I made a gesture for them to sit and sat in the middle.

"How long do you think it takes?"

I asked Mr Couson and he answered me quickly.

"Maybe 30 to 45 minutes, Mr Kingston."

I nodded my head at him and he gestured to send the job applicants in.

It's been almost ten people Mr Coulson has interviewed but nobody actually fitted the role properly.

We are hiring for the legal department, the applicant should be a smart, logical, practical, quick thinker.

And I'm sure Sarah has noticed me checking my phone for the hundredth time. I was waiting for any notification from Lauren. But of course, I had none.

How could she not miss me when I'm dying just to get a phone call from her?

Why am I so whipped by her charm? I bet she has done some black magic on me.

Yup. I've gone crazy. Since when did I start thinking of all these witchy ju-ju stiuff?

Is this feeling that I'm feeling right now called love?

Of course, it is.

How could I still doubt if it was love or not?

I could literally kill someone or die myself for her. The fact that I did the most embarrassing things just for her happiness shouldn't go unnoticed.

My bloody foul mouth and her short temper are what always keep us apart.

This time I knew it was definitely my mistake.

Maybe it's finally time that I should say those three words which all couples say to each other. Which I told no one. Not even Olivia.

I love you, Lauren.

***

I looked up when the door has been opened and a new candidate has entered the room.

The first thing I noticed is his long brown hair which fell on his shoulders.

He was dressed in a formal blue shirt and trousers looking formal but he still had that informal look on his face.

When Sarah gestured, he gave her a smile before sitting down in front of us.

I noticed Sarah was admiring him without even blinking her eyes. He was good looking and that long hair added extra charm to him.

Exhausted by previous interviews, I decided to interview him myself.

"So, your name is Austin Jacobs?" Mr Coulson spoke looking at the application in front of him.

He pushed his hair back which keeps falling on his hair before nodding his head with a small smile.

"Yes, sir."

Sarah was about to ask a question when I interrupted her. He was looking smart I just wanted to see if he is smart enough to impress me and get a job.

"Mr Jacobs, I'll ask you a single question and If you can impress me you are hired." His eyes landed on me and he nodded his head with a confident smile.

"What are the two most important things to do when a case is filed against a company ruining its reputation?"

He didn't think much before answering my question.

"First thing would be investigating the case and finding any loopholes. The second thing would be attacking the party legally who filed the case."

He spoke and I had to be surprised at his answer. It might not be a completely accurate response but quick thinking here is more important that anything else.

I nodded at him satisfied with his response.

"Austin Jacobs, you are hired."

I spoke shaking his hand not realizing that I shouldn't have done that.

***

Eva's POV

I sat on the bench at the side of the park and it was just getting dark. The park was dull. I wrapped my coat even tighter when I felt the chilly wind around.

Today wasn't another regular day for me. I lost a case trial today. Although I wasn't exactly heartbroken by my loss, it still turned down my mood. Losing will always taste bitter no matter what.

I remembered my mother's saying, to just think about one happiest moment when you are feeling low.

I used to roll my eyes at her back then when she used to console me with these same words. Now I'm searching for comfort in those same words.

How fast time flies. I miss my mom, to be frank.

In all this chaos of thoughts in my mind, I remembered my conversation with Ryan the other night.

To be honest, I didn't want to call him. I promised myself to not be in touch with him. Of course, he is a great guy, but he is also my brother's best friend. And I don't want anything or anyone related to my brother in my life.

But when Ethan said that Ryan argued with him for me, it heightened something I've been feeling for him.

I can't quite exactly name that feeling, but it exists, it surely does.

It does something for you, doesn't it? when someone fights for you. When someone is ready to fight for you.

Ryan is very different from me. He lives in a glamorous, spotlight world. And I don't.

But for the first time in a long time, I tried doing something without giving it a thought hundred times.

My thoughts were like a moving train, blurry with just a peek of vision of everything that is passing.

To clear my mind, I dialled my phone and waited for that person to pick up the call.

I have a lot to say to her, a lot of things have happened lately and I've never been more confused than right now.

"It looks like you've finally remembered that you have a mother." Her soft warm voice filled my ears instantly bringing a smile to my face.

"How are you, mom?" I asked her taking a deep breath.

"I'm fine. How is my sweetheart?" she asked me and I sighed at her question.

She stayed silent for a moment listening to my sigh before opening her mouth again.

"Seems like someone are tired, sad, bored and whatnot." She chuckled at the end.

"Yes, I'm feeling everything right now." I chuckled in a monotone voice.

"What happened, Eva?" she asked me in a calming tone which sounded like waves on a silent beach.

"A lot has happened lately, mom."

"Oh." She seemed unsure of the 'oh'. Like she anticipated something like this would happen.

Wait-

Ethan did tell me that he is in touch with mom all these years.

"I met brother, mom."

A minute of silence passed between us.

"I knew you'd meet Ethan, Eva." I frowned at my mother's response.

"Why did you never tell me that you met brother frequently," I asked the doubt that was killing my mind.

"You and Ethan are the reason for that."

"What?"

"Yes. Initially, Ethan thought it would be best if we stayed away from each other because of Elena and his whole family's conditions. But later it was you who wanted nothing to do what that family. You were so angry that you hated breathing the same air as them. I couldn't do anything. I tried many times to mend things between you both. But I just couldn't."

"It was for the best, mom. People who abandon others easily shouldn't deserve a second chance." I tightened my hold on my phone unknowingly and even I'm slowly losing my calmness.

"You are right, honey. Absolutely right."

I frowned at my mom's answer. That's definitely not what I expected from her.

"But you never know what were their reasons for their abandonment. Ethan never abandoned you, sweetheart. He was always there. But he decided to stay in the shadows. Just because you couldn't see him doesn't mean he was never there. He always checked up on you. He did everything a brother should do even though you're just half-siblings."

My frown deepened listening to her words.

"It wasn't me who told him to be in the shadows and watch me. Was it, mom? It was his decision and decisions cost consequences all the time. Maybe our present situation is the cost of the brother's decision."

She chuckled at my words and I couldn't roll my eyes any harder.

"Why are you laughing now? It's annoying."

"It's nothing, dear. It's just your words. It shows a lot of anger and love but not hatred. You are angry at him for losing all those years you could've spent with your brother but you couldn't because of his decision. And also love for all the memories you've shared within the time you spent with each other."

"I don't even care about him or his family anymore, mom. They were a turned page in our book. You have me and I have you. I don't need anyone anymore."

She stayed silent at my words listening to me.

"Eva sweetie, listen to me. You are a big girl. You can think by yourself. You can make your own decisions. But don't hold grudges, dear. It will take you nowhere. Accept what is happening right now. You met your brother after years, and this is what you would do. I'm telling you Ethan never left you. Don't make a mistake now and regret it later."

"How could you forget everything so easily, mom? What about brother's mom, Elena? How could you forget that she was the reason for my father's death?"

My mom took a shaky breath listening to me and I doubted she would answer the question but she did.

"I lost a person I love when your father died, Eva. But don't forget that Elena too lost someone she loved, she married, and she decided to cherish forever."

She stopped for a moment before continuing.

"I never thought Elena was the reason for your father's death. But everybody blamed her so easily when they know the drama going on in his life with you and me adding to their lives. They decided it was her jealousy that made your father depressed."

I frowned at her words.

"Your grandpa didn't believe her. he thought I and Elena both are the reason for his son's death. Even Ethan didn't believe his mother when he saw the arguments his parents had every day till his father's death. They were just usual fights that every couple had. But Ethan believed only what he saw. After your father's death, I at least had you. But Elena didn't have anyone standing beside her."

My heart ached a bit listening to Elena's side of the story. It must have been terrible leaving alone all these years. And to face your only son's hatred is just too much pain one could handle.

"Don't think too much, honey. Ethan is your brother. Till today. Don't hold any grudge and just sort things out with him. Just think about all those things you could do together once you move past this anger phase."

My mother's words had me thinking hard. Too hard to be frank.

Maybe she is right. Maybe being mad at someone for too long will only hurt feelings. It will take me nowhere.

If only I and my brother can sort things out, maybe we could share the same bond as before.

I can spend a lot of time with him.

I can share all those silly jokes which he would absolutely hate. Just like before.

I can be friends with Lauren.

Ryan...

I don't have to think much about Ryan's situation if there are no obstacles between me and Ethan.

Is everything this simple?

"Hello?"

My mother's voice brought me out of my la-la land.

"Yes, mom."

"So, what do you think?"

"Is it this simple? I swear I'm going to pay you the therapy fee next time I meet you, mom."

I beamed and she chuckled at my words.

"Ok, I'll call later. Take care, bye mom."

"Okay, Bye." She giggled at my childish excitement before hanging up the call.

I placed the phone in my bag and stared ahead. The dull park before didn't seem that dull anymore. It has beautiful trees around it. It has people biking, skating, and having fun. How did I miss all these colourful moments before?

Maybe it's just in the way we look at things. They can be dull or colourful, whatever you like to see.

It was dark so I decided to go home now. I knew Alice would be returned by now, so I decided to take some Chinese food for us both on the way.

Maybe I should pick a day to meet my brother and sort things out.

Why is that thought alone making me happy?

Whatever. I'm feeling great than ever.

All thanks to my mom.

Although few mothers are monsters, others are superheroes. Aren't they?

Author's notes.

Hey,

Thanks a lot for waiting.

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Bye and take care.