Leanna-Chapter 212: [He Knows] [Magic Words]

[He Knows]

Days before Lawrence and Lance’s seventeen birthday.

"Hey, Lawrence, can I have a word for a moment?" Elliot asked on the other side of the phone.

"Sure."

Lawrence replied but couldn’t help but be curious. Elliot rarely called him, and if he does, it was mostly because Zoe didn’t pick up her phone.

Zoe . . .

He sighed, thinking about her.

After that night in the hotpot restaurant where they met Nicholas and Sophia, Zoe’s been avoiding him.

Just one little slip of the tongue.

And it ruined everything.

That proved how fragile their complicated relationship was.

"Actually, it’s about this girl named Maxine Bell."

Lawrence was surprised, and a smile blossomed on his face.

He and Maxine used to be so close when they were kids. Though he didn’t have any news about her after that night on their thirteenth birthday, he still didn’t forget he used to like her.

Even he didn’t have any feelings of love for her now, he still has feelings of care and nostalgia towards her.

"You see, I know her father through some of my business transactions. She and I had a couple of small talks, and that’s where a topic about you popped up. She said that if you have the time, you could meet up? I didn’t give your number since I don’t have that right. She gave her number instead."

"Oh. Yeah, I know her." Lawrence huffed a laugh, but he didn’t make any efforts to get her number since he wasn’t interested. But Elliot gave her number anyways.

"She said she misses you and can’t wait to see you again. She’s a lovely girl and very much single." Elliot teased, and Lawrence just laughed it off.

"Alright, I’ll contact her," he lied.

"Okay. That’s all then."

"Alright. Bye, Elliot."

"Alright, bye . . . Oh, right . . . Lawrence."

"Yeah?"

"Zoe is going out with me now."

". . ."

And the call ended.

. . .

. . .

It was a moment that Lawrence just stared at his phone, looking stunned. His face was pale. Even though the heater was on, he only felt cold.

He knows?

For how long?

Did Zoe tell him? But why only warn me now?

Wait . . . Did he . . . saw and heard those exchanged of ’I love you’s’ at that time?

But no one was there except us.

Lawrence face-palmed himself.

Someone was spying on them and reported it to Elliot. From the very start, Elliot already knew everything. He didn’t intervene because Zoe and he did have a platonic relationship, but after that slipped of the tongue . . .

But why did Elliot let us?

Of course, he was not letting us.

Elliot was apparently spying and guarding Zoe all the time while giving her the freedom to do what she wanted.

He dialed Zoe’s number, but no one answered.

He tried to message her but quickly dissolved the idea.

If I told her, for sure . . . she would break every relation with me.

The only thing which held their fragile relationship was because Zoe was confident that Elliot didn’t know their past. That the only thing they have was purely friendship.

If Elliot did know, then . . .

Zoe will cut every relation with him for that guy.

But . . .

What if . . . I’ll have a girlfriend? That way, Elliot could be at ease and maybe . . . maybe . . . he wouldn’t tell Zoe, and I could still have her even as just friends?

His overwhelming feelings and emotions overtook his rationality as the only thing mattered to him right now was keeping Zoe by his side, whatever the cost.

His fist clenched.

He made a decision and dialed Maxine’s number.

----

[Magic Words]

*sigh . . .

Lawrence breathed as he drank the tequila in one gulp.

He was sitting at a bar in New Haven, alone, drinking all his sorrows and frustrations away.

No one recognized him.

Who would?

His hair grew longer until it reached his shoulders. His face was ragged, and stubbles formed on top and below his lips. His once lively eyes deemed and bloodshot as it focused on the television, hanging atop the bar counter.

"Elliot Volknov and Zoe Collin’s wedding is held tomorrow at . . . cathedral . . . while . . . guests . . ."

Seven months . . .

It was exactly seven months after their seventeenth birthday, and he hadn’t gotten hold of Zoe –– not even once.

He tried everything, calling her, texting her, knocking on her unit, waiting all day for her outside of her flat . . . yet Zoe already left New Haven.

He hired someone to look for her, but all information pertained to her was elusive.

I bet it was Elliot’s doing.

He thought having a pretend girlfriend would make Elliot at ease and, in turn, make her stay, but it pushed her away instead.

He sighed and closed his eyes tight.

The tequila did wonders on him.

Ever since she disappeared, he was drinking, though he was not use to it and just vomit it all up later.

However, the alcohol somehow erased the pain –– at least momentarily.

"Brother in law."

He frowned.

He didn’t like that voice.

That arrogant, domineering voice.

He ignored the man with silver hair who sat beside him, looking all otherworldly in his simple black V neck long sleeve shirt and pants.

"Well, you look a lot worse than I thought."

The man chuckled while his eyebrows formed in one line.

"What do you want?" he barked.

Cain raised an eyebrow as he tilted his head to the side, hand holding his chin. His legs crossed while looking down at him.

Damn this demon.

"Though I don’t want to . . . but my wife is constantly worrying about you. Can’t even have a proper honeymoon with all this drama been going on," Cain said. His words devoid of any emotions except for the ’wife’ part.

He frowned and glared at him, saying with his eyes to stay the fuck away. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Let’s get straight to the point. I’m here to help you," Cain said with a blank face.

"Help me? Help me with what?" he mocked and resumed drinking even though he already wanted to vomit.

"Help you with that." Cain pointed a finger to a gorgeous girl with pink hair, smiling on the screen.

His fingers balled until his nails dug into his palms.

"You just have to say the magic words," Cain teased as he grinned.

He cursed.

I don’t know why my sister even like this man!

His pure evil.

A demon!

"Well?"

Cain urged when he didn’t answer. He just stared on the screen with a blank mind. His bloodshot eyes were full of longing and hurt.

He closed his eyes tight. "She’s . . . already happy . . . I don’t want to ruin it."

Ahahahaha!

Much to his annoyance, Cain just laughed at his hearty words.

"Continue to be miserable then."

"I’m not that selfish. I know when to back down."

Cain smirked. "Then enjoy being miserable for the rest of your life." He then stood and was about to leave when he grabbed his shirt.

"Wait."

". . ."

". . ."

After a short hesitation, he asked with a trembling voice.

"C-can you really . . . ?" He bit his lips, unable to continue his words.

Cain’s eyes narrowed, and with a cold deadpan voice, he answered, "All you need to say is the magic words."

Lawrence closed his eyes tight, and with an unwilling, hesitant voice, he said, "P-please help me . . . b-brother in law . . ."

. . .

. . .

"Done."

Cain went out of the bar with shaking shoulders –– holding his laughter while Lawrence watched him with an annoyed, embarrassed face.

I hate him.