Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 18: Duty

Chapter 18: Duty

The Chairman turned blue when the footage focused on Jasper and Alexa.

He finally lost his composure and repeatedly shouted for me to shut off the projection. When that didn’t work, he asked security to pull out the plug directly from the socket.

Now, that would’ve worked elsewhere, for who would dare ignore the orders of the Chairman of the Thornhill group? But we’re at the Golden Crest, so the staff and security stayed rooted at their posts as if the Chairman wasn’t screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Have you gone insane? Why would you play this video?!" Upon realizing that no one but his detail moved, he redirected his anger towards me.

"Last I checked, what’s insane is doing your cousin’s fiance at her house while said cousin celebrates her birthday in the next room." I raised both eyebrows at the irony of his question.

"As for why, of course, it’s because someone accused me of lying about their infidelity," I said as a matter of fact.

Now, if I played Jasper’s most recent idiocy, it might break the camel’s back, and I don’t want that, not just yet. I don’t want to give Alexa a way out of marrying Jasper.

Hell no.

These two need to end up married. Sadly ever after.

"You wench!" Just as I turned to look at Alexa’s mother, I felt her sudden movement.

Catching her hand with my free hand, I squeezed her wrist. "Not a good idea. Because I will hit back, and I don’t know if your cheek implants can withstand it."

"Security!" My Dad called, and several guards pulled on the resisting Aunt.

Out of nowhere came a relaxed statement that was really more of a challenge: " You didn’t stop it." Nicholas looked at Lucian as if pointing out a flaw.

"Last time I did, she got mad." He returned with a jeering grin. And I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at their conversation.

But it’s true because I had hoped to use it as an excuse to beat the shit out of Jasper.

Now, because I’d only be defending myself after he attempts to strike me, it’d be a free pass. Yay for no crime tags! But Lucian decided to choose that moment amongst all possible moments to be a gentleman, and I ended up missing the opportunity. But I can’t tell him that, can I?

"It’s a husband’s duty to protect his wife." Nicholas insisted, his brows furrowed.

"Of course, but it’s also my duty to cater to her desires. You’ll understand once you get married." Lucian advised, rubbing more salt on him.

"The Chairman promised us Eliana-"

Lucian cut him off by saying, "Since that’s the case, maybe you could marry the Chairman instead."

His face slowly contorted into a scowl, a far cry from earlier’s bemused and slightly creepy look. Indeed, not a guy I’d recommend to any of my female friends, not even to my male friends.

"Nicholas, we’ll talk more about this later. I’d like to apologize for having exposed you to such a situation." The Chairman apologized while trying to kick the guy out so that he could stop controlling his anger.

"It’s nothing. We’ll wait for further communication. I’ll get going now to give you more privacy." At least one person has managed to retain some manners. Nicholas didn’t dally and left after politely saying goodbye.

It would have been fine had he not lingered on Lucian, a subtle provocation.

With his honored guest gone, the Chairman started laying it on us.

"Do you realize what you’ve done? Have you lost your mind?"

"With all due respect. I do, but do you even hear yourself?" I stared at the man in front of me. His white hair was combed back, and his posture was too good for his age—a man of pride.

"You ask me if I had lost my mind, but have you considered the absurdity of all this?" I gestured towards the stage area where the security had been holding off Alexa and her mom.

"I once accepted your arrangements with the Orwells, despite the circumstances, because there had been no conflicts. But you’ve long known about Lucian and I. So which mad person would set up an engagement for someone already in a relationship?"

He remained silent, with only his hand tightening on his cane as an indicator that I was making a valid point.

"Since there’s no need to keep up pretenses, I’d rather you admit to moving this banquet to this particular day to force me to submit to pressure."

I thought I had managed to calm down earlier, but facing this man, I managed to re-open everything I’d earlier bandaged.

"I’d give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you’ve been merely told about our separation that you weren’t the cause of Lucian’s sudden emergency. But that would not change the fact that you’d have married me off within the same week!"

"Eliana, all of this had been for your good, for your sake." The Chairman sternly reasoned.

"For my good? My sake? So what good would it have done me to marry a guy who would readily cheat on me with my cousin? Then, get a replacement I’d never met, and then force me to get on with him within a week from my actual relationship."

His eyes widened because what do you reply to this after seeing earlier’s video?

When he first learned about Jasper cheating, all I got was an explanation that men were sometimes like that and that it couldn’t be that bad, that maybe I hadn’t put in enough effort to retain his interest. It was only when my parents threatened to leave the family that he decided to abolish the agreement, only for me to suddenly receive an invite to Alexa and Jasper’s engagement party.

The explanation I got for legalizing their sin was that Alexa was adamant about marrying Jasper, talking about love, emotions, and survivability.

I wasn’t surprised about Alexa getting Jasper. And I have no qualms if she’s into recycling my trash. What surprised me was how he allowed the company to take a hit for Alexa’s "love."

While I have long been told to focus solely on my duties and on what would positively benefit the entire group, if not for that, why on earth would I have stayed with Jasper, whose sole focus was reproduction? Like it would be a loss for this world if he doesn’t manage to leave his progeny.

"I’ll even guess your current concerns. There’s the scandal affecting the company’s shares. Then you’d have to deal with a breach of contract with the Bernards, then, of course, Alexa’s image and feelings."

"If you knew all of that from the very beginning, then why would you do something this immature?!" He knocked his cane against the ground in anger.

"Then, did you ever concern yourself with my image and feelings? When you forced me to keep silent about Alexa wholeheartedly stuffing herself with Jasper’s dick. I was asked to keep quiet, tell no one about their failure to be a decent human being."

My mouth would not stop. I stopped caring about demure words and proper etiquette because these people don’t deserve that kind of courtesy.

People flinched at my graphic description, but calling it anything else would again downplay it as some teenage fling. But no.

"So you’ve decided that since Alexa managed to keep the Orwells, Eliana has become available for use on another venture. So what if she’s fresh out of a relationship? What’s worse would be if you’ve known about Lucian and I being together the whole time. Were you planning on peer-pressuring me into cheating?"

I looked around to take in the grand hall before appreciating their ability to choose a venue.

This year’s annual ball would surely be the most unforgettable. I’d have to apologize to my parents for ruining an event they’ve worked on and for ruining family ties. But I decided to still go for it.

"You assumed that my parents would willingly sell me off to benefit the Thornhill group. The setting, the cast members, and even the introduction all planned to pressure me into unconditional obedience."

"You’re reading too much into our Father’s goodwill." The normally mute man suddenly interjected.

"I can opt not to read into anything. Maybe I should’ve long done that instead. Alexa’s tears could do the job. And with how common her tears are, at least mine should be worth much more. After all, the last time I had cried was when Grandma died. Then you’ll be forced to give me everything I could ever want, just as you’ve given Alexa the things she’d never deserve."

"I did not raise you to be selfish!" the Chairman leaned over in distress.

"But Grandma never raised me to be a doormat. I hope you can face her with pride when the time comes. After all, she’d probably ask about her precious grandchildren."

His eyes turned red, and his stance somewhat shook. His bravado was now unable to mask his anger. "How dare you bring your Grandma into this?!"

Like talking to a wall, talking to this person would not get me anywhere. Even now, I can see him thinking about gains and losses, his own moral compass.

"Not doing that would anger her instead. But there’s no need to worry. You won’t have to see me again." It was then that I looked at Lucian while touching his arm.

He understood my meaning and proceeded to walk me back.

"Honey, you go ahead first. We’ll just deal with this first and come follow you later, " my mom assured me as we left.

Amidst screams of "We’re not done yet" and "Get back here"s, I didn’t bother to look back.

May you all burn in hell.