PERFECT TIMING

LIA'S POV

Silence filled the air for a moment, and i was extremely certain i had gotten Mrs Brex to finally see me as the hopeless thread tied to her son.

If i did my job well, i got paid a couple more millions and i could go visit my baby Reign at the hospital.

However...

"Oh darling! I love her!" Mrs Brex broke into laughter.

"You know, i personally, used to be such a heavy eater, but as you get older, you realise these things are just not worth it. However, you should enjoy your youth." Mrs Brex advised me.

"I'll have the maid fix you a burger and soda. How about that?"

I nodded a half smile. "Carly, you should take your bag inside, and please inform the maid to get lunch ready, as well as a pre-lunch snack for Lia darling."

"Right away, mum." Mr. Brex's sister was gone in a jiffy.

I turned to look at Mr. Brex, who had his hands over his face in awe. Something was obviously wrong, i was doing my best, why was she so bent on accepting me?

His mother just seemed determined to make him date someone. "You know this is absolutely perfect timing, since our company's image dwindled several months ago, we have not made any official appearances to any public events. Manhattan's elite society was beginning to get a little worried."

"It would be great if you could attend the Majors Ball together. That is not even a question. You are both going." Mrs Brex ordered and i nodded quietly.

"Of course Mrs Athena, if you say so." I replied.

"You are such a breath of fresh air, Lia. You know, I never thought that after -- what happened to my son, that he would ever consider dating again."

Something happened to Mr. Brex? I thought to myself, when i felt the shift in the atmosphere. Mr. Brex seemed to tense up and Mrs Athena gave him a look that said she was towing a line nobody in the family had agreed to tow.

"But, I'm glad he has you to keep him in check for me." Mrs Brex added, with a smile.

I smiled at her nervously and took another sip from the glass of juice on the table. I had no idea what Mr. Brex needed checking for. I mean, other than being stringent, cold and business like, he seemed pretty normal to me.

Nothing about him would seem beyond his character attributes, whether he rolled with the Maffia or stood before crime lords, i don't think i would be surprised. The elite world as i knew it was full of pretentious no good doers, who were solely after their own benefit.

A melancholic thought crossed my mind. In three months time, it would be my parents death anniversary, and the marking of the day i said goodbye to Elian Dunst for good.

I turned my gaze on Mr. Brex, something about him made me feel a sense of mutuality, like he knew exactly what it felt to have something you loved disappear.

i felt like knowing exactly who he could be behind the walls he had built would become my ultimate escape.

I guessed it was really about what his walls were made of that would matter.

Judas-Caine glanced back at me, holding my gaze for a while, before i averted my eyes when Mrs Brex's phone began to ring.

"Excuse me," she said and got up. As soon as we were both alone, i turned to Mr. Judas-Caine.

"Do you think she's buying any of this?" I asked him, but he kept his finger over his lip pensively, eyes narrowed in thought.

"My mother is a smart woman, you can never tell what she's thinking inside that beautiful head of hers." He replied coolly.

I smiled to myself, it was nice hearing him acknowledge his mother was beautiful.

"You mean, she's exactly like you?" I teased and almost for a moment there, i saw his frozen demeanor crack with a smile, but he didn't reply.

And then,

"It wouldn't take a village to get me to smile? Was that really necessary?" He asked, sounding not offended and also offended at the same time.

It was really hard to tell what he was feeling.

"I just had to say the first set of things that came to mind, I'm sorry, i was a bit nervous." I replied.

He didn't reply.

"I get the feeling she is really determined on letting you have a girlfriend, or getting married." I said to him. He scoffed and scratched his head.

"My brother already towed that line once." Carly's voice replied and i looked up to find her walking towards us.

"Really?" I asked, almost surprised. I looked to Mr. Brex, he didn't seem to mind. His forehead was poised in its usual pensive frown.

"He called it off and so, since then, mother has been sort of on his case about getting married. If you ask me, I'd say she's pretty determined to see him walk down the aisle." She said, taking her seat.

"Don't you have some sort of education or hobby to pursue?" Judas-Caine finally asked her.

"Oh darling brother, i wish i did but, i graduated in a couple months ago and college applications are on hold. Besides, the minute i heard you were dating, i was immediately curious. You're my new hobby." She winked at him.

"It's too early to get excited." He said. Just as he spoke, a really handsome young man about twenty two years old walked into the garden with shears in his hand and a watering can.

He had a shirt on, but barely and you could see his pecs flashing themselves, screaming for attention. He had a really sultry look, and for a second, even i was staring, and i turned to find that Carly was actually mouth open, gushing.

I was about to quietly ask her whether she had a crush on him, but my phone beeped and the message on the screen was disturbing.