All the Aches in the World

Chapter 11 : To Be the CEO

His throat grew incredibly dry. All he wanted was a dozen shots of alcohol. Shoulders climbed to his ears, chest expanding in a deep breath, as if preparing to submerge himself in water. He turned, eyes catching the time on the dashboard.

"Elliot–"

"You're late," Elliot interrupted. Very late, according to the clock. He knew how punctual Hunter was, and didn't know why there was such a calm presence staring back at him at his moment. He anticipated the rush and worry and frustration in those blue eyes. But all he saw was a calm that looked...like it had never lived in those eyes before. At least not in Elliot's presence. It wasn't quite unnatural, but it wasn't unpleasant either.

Elliot cocked his head.

"It's okay," Hunter murmured. His eyes didn't so much as shift to the clock on the dashboard, and Elliot knew: it was very much not okay that he was so late already.

He scrambled to get out of the car, everything already secured in the pockets of his long coat. Hunter leaned over before Elliot could slam the door in his face.

"I'll pick you up later."

Elliot muttered in confirmation and quickly shut the door. Barely a second later, and Hunter was already peeling back into the flow of the main street. He sighed, shoving hands through his mess of curls before turning and looking up at the building stretching high in front of him.

Venus Arts was his mother's pride and joy. From turning this entire company into a new era, stepping in where a CEO wasn't expected to, Marsha Charles made herself into a legend. And now how was Elliot supposed to live up to that name. He supposed it was good they would be merging with Morningstar Films and soon that crown would fall to Hunter and Elliot wouldn't even have to worry about it ever again.

He just wondered what his mother would say. He wondered how the timeline of events leading to her making the deal to merge their companies started. And remembering her letter, why Morningstar would have demanded for worse than a marriage.

Elliot paused in his steps, barely through the lobby when that thought hit him.

Did Morningstar threaten his mother? Are they the ones behind her murder?

He reached a hand out, wanting to steady himself, but he grabbed at empty air and stumbled forward. Someone called his name but it was muffled in the white noise of his ears.

There was so much he didn't know, and he might not ever know. But it hadn't even been a week since his mother died. And the thought of not getting any answers...

He tried to straighten himself, focusing on one foot stepping in front of the other as he moved towards the elevators. He thought someone called his name again, but he couldn't be sure. Ignoring all the people nodding their heads and silently greeting them, shoving his shaking hands into the pockets of his coat, Elliot's eyes fluttered as he turned to enter the elevator, breath stuttering in his chest. A few others were already inside, giving him a wide berth as his chest expanded and deflated rapidly.

"Sir?" He could hear the question much clearer in the small space. But he just lifted his chin higher, nails digging into the palms of his hands.

His mother was murdered, and he was now engaged to the man who runs the company that might have been behind his mother's murder. It all made sense. Threaten his mother so she would hand over her company, something she loved even more than her own children if she was capable of gifting her daughter off like it was the medieval times. Or was she trying to refuse and they threatened her further? He was sure some kind of threatening happened, Marsha was both lenient and not at all, and now she was dead. It was too much of a coincidence for her mother to be murdered.