The Three CEOs

pt24. Forgetting Device

"Lingering, bottled-up anger neve reveals the 'true colors' of an individual. It, on the contrary, becomes all mixed up, rotten, confused, forms of highly combustible, chemical compound then explodes as something foreign, something every different than one's natural self." - Criss Jami, Healology

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Caden's POV

"Question."

"Answer."

Silas tilts his head to look up at me from my lap, and that gives me the perfect opportunity to shove my fingers up his nose holes.

Okay, yeah, I'm kidding, who knows what dark creatures live up those caves, but anyway..

"Why do you have such an ugly record." I can feel the smile vanish from my face. "We've been dating for three months and you are definitely not the type to steal cars."

I look away from, embarrassment and shame creeping up my neck. It's not like I didn't think he'd bring it up again, but knowing that I have to lie to him now doesn't ease the queasiness in my belly.

"Um, well, it was complicated, you know." Okay, WHAT DO I SAY??

It's not like I can just tell him that my brother forced me to do all those things so that he can buy whatever he bought off his alcoholic friends. It'd expose everything; not just in these three months, but the years that I have endured my brother's abuse.

I don't know why I choose to continue to live under this fear.

That's a lie. I do know why.

Exposing my brother would feel like severing ties with all of my family. I already lost my mom and dad, I can't lose my brother too, no matter what he does to me. We're family. I may not love him as I used to and he may feel the same way, but... I just can't.

"I was- I was troubled as a child, you know. I, um, I hung out with bad friends and they influenced me. I don't like talking about this, can we just drop it, please?" I try to express the desperation in my eyes to change the subject and I can see the recoil in Silas's eyes when I look back at him.

Finally shifting back to the TV, we continue to watch Friends as I run my fingers through his hair. I have to say, these last three months have been amazing. Our relationship has been quite private in regards to work. I'm still his PA but we keep things strictly professional.

I know how important Sanders Corp is to Silas and I don't want to do anything to impede on his success.

"Sawyer and Sage are coming over in about an hour. Do you want to get dressed or continue to watch friends," Silas asks casually, and I am relieved he's dropped the subject of my arrests.

"Mmm, we can watch Friends while we get dressed," I suggest.

Silas shrugs his shoulders dryly, and my eyebrows bunch in confusion.

Is he upset? Does he know I'm lying? Are we going to break up?

Okay, chill, Caden, you're getting ahead of yourself.

I push his gently off my lap and stand up from the couch.

Maybe if I give him some time to think and cool off, we'll be good again. That's what I usually do with Cole.

"I'll get dressed, you stay here. You can tell me if my outfit is good, okay?" I divert my eyes from his, not wanting to lock eyes as to confirm that he is upset.

I leave the living room before he can reply and head for the master bedroom upstairs. "Hmm, what should I wear?"

We're having a dinner to celebrate the new partner between Nguyen Enterprises and Sanders Corp. I had brought a dress before I came over (discussing the dress with Izzie first, of course) and placed it in his bathroom. I straighten my hair to give a blow-out effect and spray some perform I bought a couple weeks ago.