Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 137: Leave

Chapter 137: Leave

ELIANA

For some reason, I felt like I’d had it worse than the Chairman, who was currently confined.

With how Lucian’s been hovering like a madman, you’d think I was the one who encountered a major accident.

We’ve been living in this penthouse for months now, but suddenly, Lucian has been treating the whole place like a giant death trap.

Even the innocent chopsticks were considered deadly.

I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but he’s been so on edge that he has to look every time I reached for anything.

That reached its height when he had to attend an online meeting but was so distracted that Grandpa had to call him out for it. Thankfully, he did it in a private call over the short break.

So, I decided to take a bit of the blame.

"Grandpa, I’m sorry, it’s partially my fault."

"Eli? What do you mean?"

"He’s been a bit distracted because he’s been watching me after that little incident a few days ago."

"Little incident? What happened?" Grandpa had the same skeptical expression that Lucian typically had.

"Just a little fainting spell some days ago." I smiled, trying to downplay the incident since nothing really happened.

"You call that a little?!" Grandpa’s voice boomed, and Lucian looked smug as if I was clearly the only one thinking that way.

"I was just fatigued. The doctors said it was nothing that serious."

"I found her passed out in the bathtub. And she only woke up after the examination was over." Lucian chimed in like he was ratting me out for being a bad child.

"!"

"Grandpa, he’s making it out to be so much more! I’m really fine!" I tried to squeeze out Lucian’s face because, by Grandpa’s expression, I’d probably be incarcerated on some far-off island.

"Have you informed her parents?" Grandpa squinted, directing all his questions at Lucian.

Oh, hell no.

I might as well just build myself an isolation chamber!

"No! Don’t you dare do that to me, Lucian!" I was so close to putting him in a headlock. For someone who usually didn’t speak, he just had so many things to say today!

"I planned to, but she kept on threatening me not to, insisting that her parents have too much on their plate right now."

"I’ll worry about them if you inform them, and then maybe I’d feel worse and end up feeling weak."

You don’t want to listen. Fine then.

Lucian’s expression worsened, and it was clear he did not appreciate it.

But I also can’t do this anymore.

Then Grandpa suddenly intervened, asking what exactly Lucian did that irritated me.

"Ehem. Grandpa, you see, while I appreciate his efforts in taking care of me, it’s on a level that’s totally not in line with just fainting. I’m even banned from holding my mug or drinking tea."

"Tea is too hot," Lucian said as he escaped from my grasp.

"It’s tea. Not a terrorist."

"Hot things burn, and you are not ready for that level of danger." Lucian insisted, his face as solid as granite.

"I fainted because of fatigue. It’s fatigue! Not because I lost a battle with Earl Grey!" I threw my hands up in exasperation as Lucian stood his ground.

I saw Grandpa nodding; finally, someone understood where I was coming from!

But I was severely mistaken.

"That’s true. Such things are dangerous. And you, Lucian, should have taken a longer leave of absence. This definitely qualifies as a family emergency."

"I plan on doing that, Grandfather. I’ll have Dean take over from tomorrow onwards. I’ll be available for anything beyond his capacity, though only through online appointments."

I watched the exchange between my young husband and his equally crazy Grandparent.

Seriously?! Does no one see how absurd this is?!

Lucian was resolute and determined, and there was no arguing with him once he made up his mind.

"Just survive this meeting, then you’re free to go."

Well, that call did not go as planned.

I slumped down angrily next to Lucian, annoyed that he got more leeway to become the nanny of the year.

But then he asked a favor, and I almost asked him to repeat it.

"Please be good for now. I need to finish this."

That was a please that came out of his mouth without sounding sarcastic, and I was caught off-guard.

"Hmph."

This is definitely unfair.

"Adjust your camera upwards," I said, a little annoyed but mostly resigned to my fate.

"?"

"Just do it." Then I grabbed a small throw pillow before lying down on Lucian’s lap.

"There, I’ll just be here where you can definitely see me. So, you better finish that meeting without a hitch."

He seemed surprised, but that slight change in his eyes obviously meant he liked the idea.

He’s just lucky he’s cute enough.

Cute enough that I’ve been trying hard not to sneeze in case he decides to call an ambulance for me.

I’m not sure why he’s acting this way, but maybe he doesn’t like witnessing people get sick. After Grandpa told me about that particular time during his childhood, I’d be stupid not to account for that small probability.

So, I’ll let you have your way. Maybe, this way, he’d be able to sleep comfortably again.

He probably doesn’t know, but I could see him watching me sleep. Not that kind where it’s sweet, but that kind where he’s watching for the rise and fall of my chest, wondering if I’m still breathing.

Thinking about it, maybe I’ve been a little too tough on the guy.

I wrapped my arms around Lucian’s waist as I lay there while his meeting was ongoing.

Just as I was about to fall asleep from the white noise, I felt Lucian’s fingers scratching against my cheek. Although surprising, I decided to just fuck it and nuzzle against him.

It’s not such a bad idea to spoil him every once in a while.

I say that, but I know that although we didn’t say anything out loud, there was an obvious shift in our relationship.

This glacier thought well enough of me that he was willing to take an indefinite leave to chase me around the house just to ensure I wore my slippers.

For Lucian Sinclair, that was practically asking for his soul.

He might as well have given me an engagement ring.

Tsk.