The Still CEO: Forged Succession

Chapter 8 - Mad thoughts

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Laurel

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"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," Liv says, rubbing soothing circles on my back, and I cling to her in the doorway, trying to calm myself.

I do not wish to be such a mess, but the pain is too great, and I cannot stop crying. She holds me for a while, repeating that she's sorry before I'm finally able to calm down and proceed inside.

Just as I do, Jess emerges, and I quickly wipe my tears, not wanting her to see me cry even though I know she probably heard me. Jess and I aren't friends, but we have mutual people. She's Liv's friend, Liv, who's my cousin, and she's also Landre's girlfriend. Landre is my brother's friend. He is also the first boy I ever kissed. I don't want him to know about what's happening between Tyson and me. Jess greets me and says she was just leaving and that she will catch up with Liv later, but I call her and tell her not to tell Landre whatever it is that she heard.

"Tyson and I are going through a rough time right now, but it's nothing I want my brother to be concerned about," I add, and she nods, saying, "Of course." She leaves after that, and Liv invites me to the balcony. As I settle down, she says she'll be back and heads inside. She comes out with a bottle of wine and some glasses and pours for us. But just as she does, my eyes catch the sparkling rock on her fingers, and they widen.

"Is that what I think it is?" I ask, eyes still wide, and she nods, a smile stretching across her face as she says Chase asked her to marry him. Tears flood my eyes as I get up and pull her into a hug, my turmoil mixing with the joy I feel for her— turning me into a sobbing mess again. She thanks me, and I check out the ring as I pull back from the hug. The blue, heart-shaped diamond is breathtaking.

"I'm so happy for you," I say, and we share a hug again and she thanks me. We settle back down and she says she doesn't want to talk about herself and asks what makes me think Tyson is cheating on me. I tell her everything that's happened in the past eight months—the changes, all of it and her eyes widen in shock.

She jumps to her feet, saying I should leave him—saying I deserve better and I know she's right, but I'm not ready to hear that right now. Plus I can't just give up on my marriage. That's seven years of my life wasted, and I love him. He's the only man I have ever loved, and I don't know how to be without him.

I tell her that, and she says she's sorry. She says I'm right, but she's upset that he would do that to me. She asks who I think the person he's cheating with is, and I tell her I don't know, but I think it's someone working with him at New Dawn.

I tell her about all the instances where I smelled a woman's perfume and then found an earring in his office and she shakes her head, saying it's unbelievable. She asks what I'm going to do, pouring some more wine, and I tell her I don't know.

I tell her I spoke to his mother about it and how badly I wanted to speak to Chase too but couldn't. She says she's sorry again, and I ask her not to tell my parents when she speaks to them. They would be upset, and I can't deal with all that right now.

"I haven't even worked up the courage to confront Tyson, Liv. I know he's seeing someone. I feel it so strongly that I don't need to confirm it, but I'm still scared of his answer," I confess, and she gets up and holds me again. When we break the hug, she says she's going to get something stronger for us, and I welcome the idea even though I shouldn't since I'm on medication. But I'm tired of thinking.

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Chase

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I stop in front of the bar and immediately spot Tyson, getting out of his car. I make my way to him, and we share a side hug and head inside while he asks how I've been.

I tell him I have been good adding that I stopped by the office the other day, but he was busy. He nods, saying he got the message, while I bump him on the shoulder, causing him to chuckle. That also reminds me of Laurel and how distraught she looked. I thought after hearing them in his office that day that they had sorted out whatever it was that was troubling them, but then today it seemed that they had not.

We find two empty stools at the bar and settle in before ordering our usual whiskey on the rocks. As we sip our drinks, Tyson says I seem off. "Something on your mind?" he asks, and I tell him it's Mom, adding that she showed up at the house acting weird. The more I thought about what she wanted to say, the more it seemed as though she wanted to ask me not to go through with the proposal, but she had promised me that she would give Liv a chance. I don't say the last part to him, though, because I want to tell him about the engagement first. He nods, his expression understanding.

"Yeah, it's probably the whole thing with Dad," he says, and I agree with him because I know that is also a contributing factor to whatever is happening with her. Dad's situation has been difficult for all of us. I decide to get to the point of why I wanted to meet up with him and tell him that I have some news, causing him to put down his glass and look at me.

"I asked Liv to marry me, and she said yes," I let out him, but my eyes widen as my brother spits out his drink, choking. "Are you okay?" I ask, and he says he is, while the bartender walks over to wipe the counter.

"I'm sorry," he says, fixing himself before asking if I can excuse him for a moment and heading in the direction of the restroom. I ask the bartender to fill up his glass, while I wait, and I take out my phone and check on my girl.

Just then, I see a text from her that I didn't see. I open it, and she tells me she doesn't think she will come over tonight. She says Laurel is by her place and she needs her. Laurel was looking for her, so I'm not surprised that she's over there. I didn't plan on sleeping alone tonight, but I understand, so I tell her I will check on her later.

My brother returns, and I told myself I wasn't going to speak to him about Laurel, but I hate what's happening between them. He settles back down and apologizes again, saying the whiskey went into the wrong pipe, and I tell him it's okay before asking if he's alright now. He says he is, getting up, and congratulating me on the engagement. I thank him, and we drink to my engagement before I start the difficult topic of him and his wife.

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Kyra/Nea

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"Do you want to stop for some coffee?" I ask Ayesha as the mall comes into view, and she says she would love to if we have the time.

She and I are coming back from the traffic department to sort out my car papers, and I want to check out the mall and get a few things for Kay as well. I tell her that, and she says, “Cool." I pull into a parking lot, and we exit the car while she compliments the mall, adding that it's way bigger than our mall back home.

I add that it's expensive too.

"We have to explore this place and find places that are suitable for people like us. We can't behave like these people," she says, looking at a couple walking past us and I agree.

There was a long queue at the station, and while we sat there, we talked about Kayden again. I also got an opportunity to express myself. I couldn't around Mom because I didn't want to worry her.

She blames herself for everything. She feels that if she had done a better job being a parent, I wouldn't have had to resort to the things I did, but that is not true. I alone am responsible for my actions. She wasn't perfect, but she did what she could under the circumstances. My father is the one to blame for treating her the way he did, no wonder the bastard died in his sleep. Mom told me she was told he drowned in his own blood while sleeping.

"Do you want to get something to eat with our coffee? I'm hungry," I ask Ayesha, and she says she's hungry too as we head to the first café we see. We enter, and a waiter comes to greet us and take us to our table. He hands us menus, and we order coffee first.

We are told our order will take about fifteen minutes, and we thank the waiter, and he walks away. But just then, I catch a familiar face out of the corner of my eye. When I look, it's the guy from that day with the dog, and just then, he sees me too and smiles.

I get up, and he walks over and greets us. I ask how the dog is, and he says he's fine. He says he was here to fetch him and adds that he's outside in the car, pointing outside the window. I can see the car from here and ask if I could see him, to which he says yes. I turn to Ayesha to introduce them, but just then I remember that I don't know what his name is.

"Mert Stone," he says, extending his hand, and I shake it. "Nea Villatoro," I introduce myself. He says I have a beautiful name before saying it's nice to meet me. "This is my friend, Ayesha Ortiz." I introduce Ayesha, and he shakes her hand too, saying it's nice to meet her.

After that, I tell Ayesha I'm going to step outside with him quickly, and she says no problem. Mert says again that it was nice to meet her, and we head out to his car. A man I assume is his driver exits the car as we advance towards it, and he opens the door. A beautiful dog starts wagging its tail, excited to see Mert and I smile at their interaction but feel a pang in my heart looking at his bandaged leg.

Mert introduces me to him and tells him that I have come to see him. I ask him if I can pat him and he says I can, telling me his name is Coco.

"Hi, Coco," I say, leaning to his level, and he falls in love instantly. I love dogs, and I have always wanted to get one, but with my job keeping me so busy, I'm scared I wouldn't have time for him.

"Ohh!" I laugh as he jumps onto me, causing me to fall on my bum, and Mert takes him off of me and helps me up, apologizing. But I tell him there's no need.

"I'm glad he's okay; I was worried," I confess, and he feels bad and assures me that he wasn't hurt bad. He asks if I live nearby, and I see he thinks I live in the estate where we met, so I quickly correct him and tell him I was coming from my boss's house.

I tell him where I live and that I must go back to my friend, adding that I'm really glad that Coco is okay. We bid each other goodbye, but I only take one step before he calls me. I stop and turn around to find him walking up to me.

"I feel bad for losing my cool the other day, and I was wondering if you would let me make it up to you by taking you out for coffee sometime," he says, and I tell him I understand and there are no hard feelings. I add that he doesn't have to make it up to me. But he begs to differ. He says he feels that he has to make it up to me, a pleading smile making its way across his features, and I find myself nodding. I say if he insists, then I suppose I can't say no, and the smile broadens as he asks what day would be good for me.

I inform him that I'm going back to work after four days and that any time before then is good. He chooses the day after tomorrow and says he will pick me up at my place.

I advise to meet him there, but he insists, so I give him my number and say I will text him my address.

We bid each other goodbye, and I head back inside the mall but stop before entering and watch as the car drives away, my senses kicking back in.

Why the hell did I agree to go out with him? I know it's not just about making up for the other day; I saw it in his eyes. I'm not ready for a relationship, and the guy is clearly out of my league.

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Author's POV

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Laurel's forehead makes a distinctive "thud" sound as it collides with the patio table, the noise echoing in the quiet evening air, while Liv's fingers gently wrap around her wine glass, bringing it to her lips for a leisurely sip. Mischievous thoughts dance through her mind as she watches Laurel, tempted to yank the table away and let Laurel tumble to the ground face-first.

"That would be something," she mutters, still staring at her passed-out cousin. The evening has seen the consumption of three whole bottles of wine, and Laurel has reached her limit. Liv made sure not to drink too much because she knew Laurel would open up when drunk, even with things she wouldn't when sober, and she wanted to hear all of it.

So she kept refilling Laurel's glass while barely pouring for herself. In her tipsy haze, Liv's fingers wander, entwining themselves in a strand of Laurel's hair.

She pulls the hair, her mind wandering back to their high school days. She ponders the countless boys who used to turn their heads in admiration whenever Laurel passed by. Even today guys are still like that with her, even with the wedding band on her finger, and Liv can't help but wonder if it's Laurel's radiant blonde hair that always catches their attention.

Mad thoughts flood her mind at the recollection, and she wonders if Laurel would wake up if her head were on fire. But just as she battles with the hideous thoughts, the doorbell rings, and she feels something rise in her chest, knowing who it is.

She ignores it, even though she knows it won't help since Chase knows the combination. But she isn’t in the mood for him, and as tipsy as she feels, it's going to be hard to pretend. The doorbell rings again before she hears it slam shut. And that finally gets her on her feet.

"Why the heck!" She grumbles, irritated by the slamming, and makes her way to the front to give Chase an earful, but the blazing eyes that meet hers just as she gets to the top of the stairs aren't Chase's.

"Babe—"

"-What the hell do you think you're doing? Why would you say yes to him, Liviana?"