Him or his Best Friend

𝐂𝐡. 𝟐 | 𝐂𝐄𝐎

"Congratulations," he continued as we broke the hug.

"Thank you, now I'm going to have a higher net worth than you," I proudly spun 360 degrees while grinning. 

"I wouldn't be sad about that. But, you becoming a better person in morality than me would make me sad," he taunted referring to the other day.

I rolled my eyes and looked up to him. He tilts his head waiting for me to say something that would please him.

"I know I shouldn't have talked to her like that. She's important to you..." I started.

"You're important to me too," Luka assured truthfully which made me hurt a little less.

"It won't happen again," I lied, knowing that the frustration was only fueled by Liya's presence.

"I know you're trying," he encouraged.

God who the fuck is this guy? He isn't the guy I had known since school. He's more civil now, which is annoying. Being nice is shit. People walk all over you. But I won't let anyone walk over him. He's a part of my liver at this point. We're interrupted by a knock on the door and Luka has to leave for the shoot.

"I'll be there in ten minutes," he says shooing his manager away.

"Chase, I need a favor from you," he spoke turning back to me.

I have a hunch that this is related to Liya noticing the look of both worry and care on his face. Something that only Liya owns.

"Sure," I speak, hesitantly.

"I need to leave for New Jersey for a few shoots. I'll be out for three days. Can you take care of Liya for me?" he requested as if she was a little child sucking on a dummy who'd cry if the it fell out of her mouth.

"I think she's old enough to do that herself," I scoffed with a laugh considering Liya's 10-inch attitude and independence vein.

Luka stood there disappointed at my answer. He also didn't want to ask me twice considering the hate relation I and Liya have towards each other, but he also couldn't ask anyone else. He can't trust anyone with Liya and it was his part of the mad love.

"Fine. You go there stress-free," I sighed giving in because his face guilt-tripping me.

Though, later that night I turned up to Luka's house half-drunk to find a little light in the living room. She was curled up in a corner of the couch, asleep with her arms wrapped around herself.

Her brunette hair over her face didn't seem to bother her. Her body shivered as it was pretty cold. I threw myself on the couch beside her and just watched the devil rest peacefully whilst taking mine away. Only two days with her and then I'll be out, I reminded myself.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

My eyes opened wide to find Liya's coughs echoing around the house. She was wrapped in a blanket walking down the stairs bare feet.

"Strawberry, put some shoes on. The floor is cold and you're already coughing," I groaned trying to carry myself up from the couch.

Her immune system was as weak as an ant. She got sick easily and too often, she was reckless with her health whilst lecturing me about mine. Not bothering to wear extra layers during the cold weather to feel the wind brush against her body as if it was going to make her escape reality.

"Stop calling me Strawberry," she whined in her sick voice.

Her nose had a hint of red and her face was pale. Ofcourse it was. I left her without a blanket last night. But then again, I don't need her coming at me for getting near her whilst having alcohol in my system.

She stays away from drunkards as if they carry bombs. She walked into the kitchen to make herself breakfast but could barely do anything because she kept sneezing and coughing. I slid a box of tissues across the kitchen island which she refused to take.

"Go take a shower, the smell of alcohol is going to make me throw up," she complained covering both, her mouth and nose with her hands.

I rolled my eyes at the disrespect and went to Luka's room. I grabbed some clothes from his closet and took a warm shower. This hangover headache was killing me today. It was past mid-day and I was so hungry. I ordered in Pizza and Soju which I took to the guest room.

Liya was nowhere to be seen around the house. She was probably in her room asleep or resting. I wonder if she's taken her medication. After having my pizza and soju I roughly stumbled up the stairs to her room with a cigarette in my mouth.

Knock, knock, knock.

No response. I turn her knob to find the TV on while she sat at the edge of her bed.

"Jason Ruel, caught with his mistress in Manhattan Hotel on the day of his son's CEO ceremony," the news reporter spoke so dramatically like it's the first scandal they are covering.

I walked in and kept my eyes onto the TV. Even on my CEO ceremony, this man decides to spend the night with his mistress. My cigarette burns out and the smell fills her room.

"Chase," my sweet Strawberry's gaze eases for once towards me.

She grabs the remote and turns the TV off. Coming close to me with empathy for me, the smell of soju and cigarettes triggers her weak immune system, making her run to the bathroom.

The sound of her gagging is so loud that I forget my father's scandal and stumble over to the door of the bathroom. She rinses her mouth before passing out on the floor. "Fuck!" I call Luka's female worker and she rushes upstairs.

"Take her to my car," I instructed out of panic seeing her face turn even paler slowly.

"Sir, you're drunk," Luka's maid reminded me.

"Do as I say," I ordered, only caring about the unconscious devil in her arms.

I quickly grabbed my keys and unlocked my car. She was in my passenger seat whilst the worker was in the back. I couldn't touch her. I won't touch her, ever. Once we reached the hospital, she was rushed into emergency. The worker had left as it was night and I stayed in the hospital. Drunk. The doctor walks out of her ward and I ask if I can see her.

"I'm afraid you cannot. You are drunk," he rejected.

The night passes and I am unable to get any communication from the doctor. Which triggered a weird side of my brain because I had become so desperate to hear that she was just okay.

Don't forget to vote 🥀