Leilani.
I never knew when father was laid to rest— not like the old man deserved rest after the kind of life he led. I was also not involved in his final rites, and while Gavin had tried so hard to invite , I turned him down, deciding not to give mother or her daughter the chance to get under my skin again.
It has been a week also since the funeral and everything that ca with it, so why the hell is my phone ringing now like the devil had just flown into NYC... and guess what?
It was mom’s number calling!
Shortly after father’s funeral, mom and Chalice returned to their semi-detached duplexes in the pack’s dungeons, so I kind of find it strange now that she could still reach from there despite everything.
I didn’t pick up.
"Are you sure you’ll just let her keep calling you?" Agne’s voice pulled out of my reverie and I lifted my head up for a mont to beam a small smile at her as I shook my head.
"No." I answered, "I plan to block her after a couple more rings."
"But—"
"If you want to say; ’but hear her out’, please don’t!" I snapped angrily, interrupting her. For a very brief mont, mories of how badly she had treated in front of all those guests plagued my mind, filling with a kind of rage so deep, I could feel it settling at the base of my stomach.
I had gone there that day to mourn the dead. To show them that I still had so iota of respect for the dead man, even though it was all just for show. And what did I get in return?
Embarrassnt. Mockery. Insults...
I shook my head. "You were not there to see the way she treated in front of all those people. You were not there when she asked so red faced guy whom I’ve never seen before to ask to leave..."
"Leilani—"
"She called a bastard in front of all those people, Agnes, when I would’ve never been the bastard she so resents if she wasn’t such a whore."
At my words, Agnes clamped her lips together, a flicker of sothing that looked like pity fleeting across her features as she turned away. She drawled; "I wasn’t there... so I would never understand."
Her eyes raked the folder in my hand for a brief mont after a beat of silence had settled between us, and then she whispered; "I do not think it’s worth it then... talking to her, trying to know what she wants... it’s not worth it."
She then pulled out a bottle of chilled water from the fridge, and after placing it on the table with which I was working, she strode off, leaving to listen over and over again to my conflicting thoughts.
—
"The entire design is good. I love the concept and its features. I also love the fact that it doesn’t need much for it to run efficiently. So what is the budget for this project?" Dr Rodger’s voice seeped into my ears and I could only pause for a millisecond because... I couldn’t believe that he’d just said that!
To !
My eyes widened gleefully as I looked into my computer screen and at his tiny fra stuck at a tiny corner on my screen filled with so many prominent people. When he caught staring, a look of utter smugness played across his face as he drawled;
"What is it, Ms Sinclair? Is there a problem?"
"Uh... uhm, not... nothing!"
"We are glad that you enjoy our concept and that you are willing to be a part of this great project. But we would have to consider your offer and get back to you after an internal eting with our team." Yvette cut in, interrupting .
My eyes narrowed as I glared straight at her tiny fra on my screen, but deciding that this was not the right ti or place to inform her of how disrespectful I found her behavior, I looked away from her and to Darius who seed as though he was uninterested in everything happening.
I began to say; "I do not think that would be absolutely necessary. Alpha Darius here has already agreed to sponsor every—"
"It is Darius to you, cupcake. How many tis do I have to remind you?" He muttered under his breath, but I had heard him.
Mr Rodger and Yvette had heard too, plus the other half a dozen people now peering at through their computer screens with bemused expressions on their faces.
My face stung with both embarrassnt and mortification as my eyes darted from one person to the other, and just when I had begun to think that that was the most embarrassed I could be, he continued;
"Also, I do not mind your budget, Lani dear. Whatever you say goes, as long as it is you."
I stilled.
My face burned so hot I was sure I rivalled with a beetroot right now. I tried to speak but my throat felt like it had been stuck together by so supernatural glue and sha so mighty, rushed through my veins when I noticed the playfulness now dancing in the pairs of eyes watching .
"Please, Alpha Darius, this is a matter of utmost importance!" I seethed, but he simply rolled his eyes at , waving his arms flippantly as he spat;
"And you are of utmost importance to , Lani. You are even more important than a few unimportant millions of dollars; so Rodger, please prepare the contract as I would love to work with Frostclaw-Inc. Leilani, make sure you get the docunts to my office by Friday max."
As soon as I heard that, I froze. A frown etched its way deep into my face as I seethed; "You and I know that I do not do deliveries, Alpha Darius..."
"I know, but we’re family. Family can run such errands for one another. You could even ask to go get you groceries and I would. It’s not a big deal." He clapped back.
I wanted to argue with him, but with so many people staring at as if waiting for to snap, I didn’t dare do that. So instead, I turned my head away and whispered;
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes, okay. Have a nice day everyone!" I snapped, and with that I shut down my computer, hating myself for so easily agreeing to be Darius’s pawn one more ti.
And I guess, that was what he wanted afterall.
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