Chapter 8

—THE NEXT DAY—

It was already 8:00am when Ethan woke up. He yawned and went into the bathroom to do his morning business. He got out, threw on casual wear and went downstairs. As he took his last step down, he noticed Lucien was still around. He rolled his eyes and was heading to the kitchen when Lucien called,

“Not even a good morning?” He said calmly.

Ethan was quiet for some seconds before speaking, “Good morning.” He continued his steps, but Lucien stopped him again,

“Make me a cup of coffee.” He ordered without looking up.

“Ever seen me serving in a coffee shop?” Ethan asked.

“What?” Lucien raised a brow.

“You’ve got arms and legs for a reason, but if you don’t know any reason, I’ll give you one. Your legs are meant to walk towards the kitchen, and your arms are meant to prepare whatever you want. Do you get it now?” Ethan rolled his eyes and walked into the kitchen.

After a few minutes, he walked out with a coffee mug in hand. Lucien looked up and smiled,

“I knew you were just angry and…” his face dropped when Ethan walked past him back to his room, taking a sip from the coffee. Lucien stood frozen, different thoughts running through his mind, but he couldn’t even make sense of any; he grabbed his suitcase and stormed out.

—AFTERNOON, 1:00pm—

Ethan sat on the couch. He was bored. He had watched movies, ate ice cream and chocolates, and now he had no idea what to do next. He got up and walked into his room, rummaging through his things, and he found a credit card; It was a card his dad had given him years back. He wanted to refuse it, but his dad shoved it in his pocket, and since then, Ethan had kept it at home, without touching it. Doing that today wasn’t a bad idea.

He grabbed the card, running his fingers through it as he smiled. He picked out an outfit, got dressed and left the house.

—THORNE GROUP—

Lucien sat in his office absentmindedly; he had been trying to figure out what he had done to Ethan to make him this angry. Ethan had never gotten angry at him before, and on the days he acted like he was, it was never up to a day, and now it had been days; he had lost count.

The door opened, interrupting his thoughts; his secretary walked in. “Sir, your lunch reservation had been made.”

Lucien looked up, “That wasn’t necessary; Ethan will….” Realization hit Lucien, and he quickly cut himself off, clearly his through team awkwardly. His secretary didn’t hide his confusion, “It’s nothing.” Lucien said, nodding at his secretary to leave.

— CK EMPIRE—

Carlos twirled his chair, a file in hand; he had a meeting in fifteen minutes, and he needed to study something. The problem is, he wasn’t even reading a thing from the file; he was just holding it. His mind was preoccupied with one thought, actually one person: Ethan Vale. He hadn’t thanked that lunatic properly; he hated owing debts, and he considered owing an appreciation was also a debt.

His PA walked in, “Boss, the…” he paused and kept staring. Carlos took the file away from his face and stared at his PA, expecting him to continue, but he kept staring at him.

“Is there something on my face?” Carlos asked sarcastically.

“No boss, just that.. Uhmm… you are holding the file upside down.” His PA said, looking downward. Carlos stared at his hand and truly he was holding it upside down. He straightened his face and asked,

“Is that the reason you are here?”

“No boss, I’m sorry, just wanted to inform you that it is time for the meeting m.” He bowed, Carlos nodded, and they both headed out to the boardroom.

—SHOPPING MALL—

Ethan pushed his cart forward; he was beaming with a smile as he picked the things he liked and wanted, the things that Lucien wouldn’t let him get because he doesn’t like them. Ethan got a beaded bracelet; he held it. He remembered one time he had pointed at this and Lucien simply declined, saying it was too childish. Ethan scoffed and kept shopping, giggling and laughing all by himself.

—EVENING—

Lucien was driving back home from work; he hadn’t been able to explain Ethan’s behavior. He didn’t really care, only that it was affecting his own needs- his meals, coffee, everything.

His phone dinged with a text; he picked up the phone with his left hand, his right hand controlling the wheel. It was a text from Aiden: “Lunch together tomorrow?” Lucien stared at the text for a while them dropped his phone back on the seat screen down without replying. Usually, he’d quickly reply and accept, but for now, he needed to know what’s wrong with Ethan.

He got home, entered the house, and Ethan was lying on the couch, gaming on his phone; he didn’t even act as if someone entered, not even a glance. Lucien was fuming; this had to end, he matched up to Ethan,

“Are you seriously going to keep acting like this?” He asked angrily, but Ethan didn’t even do as much as to look up. Lucien slammed his fist on the table, and Ethan gave him a bored look; he didn’t even flinch. Ethan in the past would have jumped up and started apologizing without knowing why Lucien did that.

“Hmm?”

“Why the fuck are you acting like this, huh?” Lucien repeated, his anger doubling.

“Like how?” Ethan sat up and tilted his head to the side.

“Like you are acting.”

“You don’t even know what you are yelling about.” Ethan scoffed and walked off.

Lucien stared at his retreating figure till he was out of sight, then he laughed, “I knew he was just mad at something all along, tsk.”

Ethan walked into his room, he wasn’t even thinking about any of Lucien’s tantrums, he stared at the bracelet on his wrist, stared at the things he bought and a smile crept onto his face, he lifted his face and his eyes caught his reflection in the mirror, he stared at himself in the mirror and his smile widened, back then, he never recognized himself in the mirror, he’s always looking like a ghost of himself, but now, he sees himself, he touched the mirror and whispered,

“This feels…nice.”