Yours, Until Needed
Chapter 19: Plan

Chapter 19: Plan

My back stayed pressed against Lucian while we walked out of the hall. It probably looked sweet to people. But we’re walking like this because I’m trying to stay upright.

Just a few more steps.

I need to stay upright until they can’t see me anymore. The moment we turned into the corner where the elevators were, Lucian hurriedly lifted me off the ground to be carried.

"There’s no use asking if you’re okay, so I’ll ask you if there’s anything you want instead." He asked while punching the button to the 50th floor.

"Bathroom," I managed to squeeze out.

The moment we left the hall, I started to feel extremely queasy, as if under an intense drunken spell, and it was taking everything in me to keep myself from hurling vomit all over Lucian.

Luckily, he’s always been familiar with our personal suites, having stayed there when we were kids.

The bathroom felt like salvation, but the dry heaving felt like chest compressions. And I kept at it for a while. None of this looked glamorous, and after everything I’d said earlier, this wasn’t exactly a good example of my earlier viciousness.

Lucian seemed used to assisting vomiting drunkards. He managed to keep my hair from my face, which was challenging given the length. And he even managed to store away the jewelry and my shoes.

He’d be outside the bathroom calling for various necessities when he wasn’t trying to hoist me into a better position.

I was prepared to cry my heart out after this evening’s disaster, in fact, I was already planning the ice cream flavors that I’d need to tide over my debilitating situation. What I did not expect was staying slumped near the toilet.

Deciding that a cold shower might do the trick, I crawled over into the shower area. Probably not the best sight to see at night, a grown-ass woman crawling on all fours while wearing such a dress. But we gotta do what we gotta do.

Under the shower, I remained squatting on the floor, hugging my knees close to my chest. There were so many things to think about that even wallowing now needed an orderly line.

I didn’t know what I’d like to mourn about first. Were there really things to be sad about? Or should I be happy about finally being able to stand up for myself like that?

I had always thought that acting all prickly and sarcastic was enough to show self-love, to kid myself into believing that I was fighting back. But today’s outburst went beyond everything I’ve ever done in the last seventeen years.

It was only today that I fought back and decided on the outcome. For every similar situation in the past, the outcome would always be controlled, and all I really ended up doing was taking a jab at everyone and partially irritating them. Makes me wonder who the real insect was.

I kept on faulting her for lacking intelligence, but what’s the use of my brain when all I’ve ever been able to do was bite like some mosquito?

On the other hand, Alexa is probably the personification of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The moment she’s latched on you, it’s impossible to get rid of her. What’s worse is that she looks harmless, like your average idiot, but then you’ll soon notice that from small annoyances or minor irritation, it’ll evolve into something more destructive. By now, I’ve practically self-destructed just to contain her. This was easily confirmed by the girl having to sit under the shower while fully dressed.

By the time Lucian got me a robe and some toiletries, I’d already gone from imagining Alexa as an actual virus to imagining my parent’s next steps. I didn’t exactly give them much room to work with. I’ve always been obedient, the kid that parents use to intimidate their own children. So maybe my parents would cut me some slack, just this once. Haaaaa....

"Don’t sit there for too long. A cold would mess up today’s work." Lucian hollered.

I pouted as I forced myself into the robe he’d handed me. Then, I took some time to brush my teeth to get rid of the aftertaste of bile. If I’m being honest, the words I used earlier were too intense. And I might have to gargle with Holy water to cleanse my mouth and maybe my eyes, too.

Behind Lucian, who sat behind the desk, was the view that I’d long since gotten used to. But today, the view looked more detailed, somehow even more vibrant.

I walked towards the glass window, just beside Lucian, who looked over while on a conference call.

As the heir to the Thornhill fortune, this view had always been used for education. Showing the city’s different factions and the corresponding leaders.

But today, I’m just Eliana. So today’s view is just that of different people who are doing different things and living different lives.

I stared at the view for a while, not noticing Lucian until a towel was thrown at my head.

"Hey! Could you be a bit nicer to me today?! I just got my heart broken, okay?" I complained.

At that, he flicked my forehead, and I let out a snarl.

"Don’t act like you didn’t just steal back your freedom today."

That’s a nice way of saying, "You’re now poor." I blanched at him.

Suddenly annoyed at remembering the implication. I wrapped my head randomly before flopping onto the bed.

"You say that like you’ve ever been that rich."

"Oh, shut up."

"You never once liked using the group’s funds. And stuck to the money you’ve made yourself."

"You make it sound like I didn’t accept help from my parents. I’m not that thrifty or altruistic," I chuckled, to which he shrugged.

"So, did you accomplish everything you wanted to do today?" Lucian asked, and I remember that he didn’t get to see the whole thing.

"Not really, because many of the things I’d like to do weren’t exactly legal."

"Like sucker-punching your Aunt?"

I nodded, imagining what could’ve been. What broke my daydream was the arrival of room service.

Lucian’s return came with the smell of various food. As if resuscitated, my stomach suddenly grumbled.

"You better start with the soup, you might end up bonding with the toilet for longer if you don’t."

Food really does solve most problems. The moment I got hold of something to eat, I immediately felt way better. Well, enough to stomach hearing about unsightly beings.

Dutifully drinking my soup, I looked up at Lucian to ask him about the incident at the factory. "So, what happened with the factory fire?"

"Initially, the increase in vigilance was in preparation for more moves from Lara. Unexpectedly, this one’s from Alexa."

"That’s unusual, though." Trying to remember other possible attempts that were on that scale.

"You say that because she’s only used petty tricks on you. This time, she was trying to divert me."

"You just insulted me, you prick." I give him a stink eye and a showing of my murderous fork.

"There was no need for her to exert more effort since she knew they’d indulge her. She probably hasn’t developed a system for this. It was still too sloppy."

"Can you not jinx me? You’ve got a crow’s mouth. If there’s anything she’s good at, it’s evolution. I don’t want to face some ring leader after she’s evolved."

"Do you think the Chairman was in on the arson?" I asked him a heavier question. I had wanted to avoid talking about this, but it’s not like there’s any way around it.

"He wouldn’t have been able to reach that point if he just easily played by the rules. He may not have thought that Alexa would pick arson of all things; maybe he thought along the lines of seduction, but he can’t be fully unaware." Lucian explained his speculation.

"I wonder how bad it has reached for him to pick the Bernards over you, Sinclairs. What kind of dirt did that creep hold over his head?"

"Save for loving that guy. It wouldn’t have made sense for you or for the Chairman to pick him over me. So rather than a benefit, it’s probably blackmail."

Wow. Black lines practically littered my face. He’s really built differently, able to say that without batting an eye.

"I’ll have him monitored too. But in the meantime, what’s your plan?"

I paused eating, trying to mentally list my priorities before telling him.

"You had a plan before you did all this, right?" He asked, sounding very doubtful

"Had a plan. But I somehow overshot. Didn’t exactly expect some random fiance. But I think I have a new one."

With his eyebrows, he asks, "and?"

"Now that I only have one surname left, the most crucial part of the plan is to make sure I keep it."

"I guess you wouldn’t be caught fighting with my Grandfather this time. And look at you, just days ago, concerned about divorcing me."

"Yeah, yeah. You win. When my boat starts sinking, I’ll make sure to bring you with me."