Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 104: Temporary Office

Chapter 104: Temporary Office

Today’s goal was to get our occupancy permit. Then, there’s the close-out of our office renovation project with SCC.

"Eli, are you bringing Mitchel with you?" Asked Rina over the phone.

"No, he’ll stay at the office as planned. Someone needs to oversee the final touches. I’ll go to SCC with Lucian, so I’ll be fine."

I munched on my bacon as Rina continued complaining about Idris. She was basically complaining about him breathing and existing, so there wasn’t really much to listen to.

This allowed me to aim for my husband’s untouched tater tots.

"Are you even listening?"

"Of course, as you were saying, you have no idea why it’s necessary to bring that much paper on a trip."

"Right?" Rina sounded relieved that I was still listening to her, while Lucian just raised an eyebrow at her constant complaining.

"If you don’t like him, you might as well ask Mitchel to go." Lucian wasn’t the most patient guy on the block, so I figured he’d get too pissed off and say something like that.

"You! You won’t understand, okay?"

"What’s so hard to understand about that? You say you don’t like him, then drop him."

"You don’t even like Eli. How come you’re married to her?!"

"What do you mean I don’t like her? She’s glued to my hip. Why would I keep someone I don’t even like? Am I stupid?"

"Eli, do you hear your husband?!"

"Yeah, loud and clear. He’s also got this bewildered look. You’re confusing him with your concept of like and love."

"How’s that even confusing?!" screeched Rina, who was now invested in a totally different gossip.

"He’s got no choice but to like me. I’m practically his favorite human for now. But don’t expect him to understand your concept of love."

"And you’re fine with that?!"

"Girl. Between you and me, who’s got it easier? I’m not the one screeching about my love life."

"There’s no love here, okay?!"

"Fine, then you’re just interested enough to count 125 of his supposed 126 colored pencils."

Rina gasped at my argument, sighting an unfair accusation.

"You’re supposed to have my back!"

"Exactly, I’m trying to save what little durability remains of your back. Stop fighting it out. You haven’t been that flexible in years."

"You shut up! You haven’t been married too long, and now you talk like Lucian!"

"See why she’s more successful now," Lucian added to the fire.

"You two, stop it. You’re cousins, for goodness sake."

"Stop riling her up. She’s going through a lot."

"That’s more like it!" Rina’s triumphant voice boomed through the phone, and Lucian made a face.

I took that short period to mute my phone and tell him, "She likes him, " which earned me an eye roll.

"You two better not be conniving against me!" Rina warned.

"There’s no point. You’re too dumb for even one of us."

Haaaay!

Good morning to me, too!

__

But mornings like that were far better than mornings at work.

Today was rather exciting, as we planned to move to our official head office. However, sometimes life takes you on a few detours, like the temporary office of the Bernards.

With a project as big as Windham, it wasn’t surprising to establish temporary offices. But what was odd was how they didn’t only do that for the temporary facility.

Lucian’s mood was actually soured by this discovery.

He learned that they asked permission from Grandpa to establish an office in SCC’s headquarters as their HQ was too far away. It was also because they wanted to start operations even before the temp facility was set to be erected.

Lucian practically raced to Grandpa’s office after he learned about this development.

"Why the rush, Lucian?"

"What was the logic behind allowing them inside our building?"

"Keep your friends close, your enemies closer. You seemed to have an issue with him, so I decided this would be easier."

"Good morning, Grandpa!" Lucian skipped his greeting and just went straight to the point, but I didn’t have that kind of balls, so I still greeted him properly.

"Good morning, dear. Now, what’s got your heckles raised this early in the morning?"

"That Nicholas forced himself into the Windham Project for Eli."

Wow. He just going there right away.

"That’s what we assume because of some things, Grandpa." I had to add that because it sounded like we were perfectly sure about his motives.

"Oh? Is that so?" Grandpa looked shocked. We didn’t really specify anything before; it was just that there was something shady about a totally unrelated company acting as the third-party consultant for such a big project when there were so many other options.

"Back before I left the Thornhills, they arranged for me to be engaged with Nicholas Bernard without my knowledge. He just showed up randomly, even after the clan learned of my relationship with Lucian."

"He sent her flowers."

It’s those damned flowers again! Just hearing flowers reminds me of my poor back!

"Flowers?"

"Yeah. That and he keeps on showing up wherever she goes."

"Hmm... I see. But with this, you’d be able to ensure his presence in one place. That’s better than wondering whether or not he’s following Eli around."

"Uh, excuse me. But maybe he’s after Lucian this time around. I don’t particularly work here, so I think he’s here for another reason."

"And why else would someone like him want to be here?" I asked Lucian, who’s been sporting a dark aura since earlier.

"Excuse me, Young Master." Mr. Barton suddenly piped in from behind us.

"What is it?"

"Oliver seems to have some important news."

"Let him in." Said the Chairman.

"Good morning everyone." Greeted the panting Oliver, who took a moment to breathe before continuing.

"I looked over the temporary ID passes issued for the employees of BCI, and I found something interesting." Oliver handed over a piece of paper that said, "Alexandra T. - Intern."

"Wow."

The photo attached showed a girl wearing smart casual attire with much darker hair than usual.

"Then this must be why they’re here."

I kind of feel bad for Lucian. Because the guy never asked to be part of something like this.

"Smart move, making her an intern for a third-party company."

"That’s your cousin; that’s always up to no good, right?" verified Grandpa, who also saw the document Oliver brought.

I could only nod because there was really no better way to describe her.

"Then make sure to have her tagged all the time." We can’t let someone like that walk around freely.

Mr. Barton and Oliver nodded at Grandpa’s order. Just then, Oliver seemed to remember something else.

"Boss, I almost forgot! There was also this invitation. We received it just this morning, and I thought you’d want to see this for yourself."

Another one?

"What did it say?" I asked Lucian, who eyed the invitation with disdain.

"How could you let a snake in?" It was that and a time and place.

"Is she asking to meet up with you?"

"Yeah. Told you she’s been lurking. She probably learned of Alexa’s presence."

"And who is that now?" Asked Grandpa, who seemed uncharacteristically amused at our issues.

Mr. Barton decided to respond, "That would be the Young Master’s stalker, who followed him from abroad."

"But she’s not after Young Master Lucian anymore." Oliver clarified, "She’s been stalking the Young Mistress since she helped her escape that thug."

"Oh. To be young! HAHAHA!" Grandpa suddenly laughed, and only Mr. Barton had an amused look on his face.

What’s so funny about this?