[ g h o s t s c a n' t d i e ]
♥ louisa ♥
IT TURNED OUT that my heat still fluttered like crazy around him, so bad that it hurt more than the many regrets I had.
In the past before things got so complicated, I never put a name to the feeling I'd get around him and to this day I don't know if it was because I didn't recognise it or didn't want to recognise it.
For the past two days, I'd kept replaying our discussion in my mind. I was doing it again now which probably wasn't a good idea considering what was happening in the next half hour.
Gabriel standing in the main hall, dark hair swept over his head and an ashen crest-fallen look plastered upon his face. It made me question whether returning was even a good idea. But he hadn't seemed weak either.
It was the opposite.
Gabriel seemed so strong and tough with a coldness crackling like electricity on the exterior that intentionally pushed anybody away.
But it was confusing because at the same time, I could have sworn there was the complete opposite beneath it. Some sort of fragility than he was skilled at hiding. Clasping my hands together, I wondered if that was just the hopeful idealistic side of me wishing.
What is he's right? What if some things just are beyond repair?
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head and thought about the person I was a year ago. Frankly, I was a total bitch who didn't care about anyone or anything.
There was nothing that couldn't be saved. I was sure of it.
"Louisa, are you ready?" An articulated voice questioned with a comforting tone, that only I could have recognised, seated in its composed edge.
"There shouldn't be any issues getting in because that bodyguard Julian said he'll clear the path but try your best to ignore any questions the reporters ask. Walk in the middle of your father and I and it should be fine."
I nodded, glancing out the tinted windows of the car where there were already a few cameras lined up. The offices were only 15 metres away but that was still quite far. Somehow there had been a leak that today our party and the defendant was going to be discussing what had happened to try and reach some sort of agreement before court.
"It's those Thorntons," Dad gruffly commented from the passengers seat. "They were the ones to decide on the date and time of the meeting and they were far too eager to push for today even once we knew that the press had found out about the location. I'm sure it must have been their idea to leak it."
He was clad in a typical suit with his salt and pepper hair brushed backwards . Both Mum and I had unintentionally coordinated in a deep plum colour, the colour matching the shade of her lipstick and the colour of the large clip in my hair.
"And why would they do that, Edward?" she questioned.
"To throw us off, of course!" He remarked fiercely, before muttering something under his breath. "That bastard boy of theirs wants to stress Louisa out before the meeting but I won't have it."
It was ironic how a small smile had flickered onto my face at their protective words. Seeing them care had actually put me in a better mood. If Dad was right, then Logan had actually done me a favour.
"Come on, let's just go in before we're late and they somehow try to use it against us."
Taking a quick breath, I followed my father out of the car. There was a small crowd waiting and they immediately closed in on us.
Is it true that Logan Thornton had been abusing you for over a year?
Were you not given enough support from the renowned Forteaux Academy? Was this the reason for your move to sister school?
There are rumours that you manipulated him and had been emotionally influencing him for years. What do you have to say to this?
Shielding my face from the flashes on their cameras, I pushed through the sea of press pushing against the light unintentional pushed and shoved.
The bodyguard did a pretty good job at getting us through swiftly and soon enough, I was inside the building with my parents besides me.
A tall woman with boxy shoulders and rectangular glasses was waiting for us. I'd met her a handful of times before and she gave me a well-reversed smile that you'd only see on the face of a lawyer.
"Hi, Miranda. Nice to see you again," I said
Miranda To nodded, her thin black hair falling over her shoulders.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again too, Louisa." Her beady eyes moved behind me as she nodded at the co-creators of one of the largest global firm. "Mr and Mrs Darling."
I had never been to these office before.
There were large glass windows fitted from ground to roof but unlike the flat ones you found in most London offices, these had a slight ripple through them which prevented prying eyes.
Once we had followed Miranda for a higher floor, a tall man was waiting for us. He had thick rimmed glasses and thick eyebrows that were shaped immaculately. "This is Gareth Wu, the Thorntons' lawyer."
I didn't need anyone to explain who he was. For the past months, I'd seen his name on far too many legal documents. The case documentation had been going back and forth countless time, full of passive aggressive messages, failing negotiations and bitterness.
They hadn't got very far and today was the last shot of settling on an out of court agreement. Both lawyers thought face to face would be the best chance.
The only reason I agreed to their recommendations was since it was just going to be Mr and Mrs Thornton.
Just when I was about to enter the conference room, my phone started ringing. I glanced at the caller ID. Unknown. I was seconds away from muting and ignoring it when I glanced at the message I had got.
Arlo: Hey, I hope you don't mind but I got your number from that friend of yours, Pierre. I was wondering if you wanted to talk. It's been a while.
My full muted rose lips pulled into a frown at the formal tone to his words. A deep feeling of sadness flashed through the pit of my stomach as I regretted cutting them all off.
I wished I hadn't distanced myself from them like that, changing my phone number to avoid everyone's calls and making no attempt to reconnect.
Regret was all I'd been feeling lately. Although I had realised things would be bad here, I never quite pictured the extent of the damage.
I felt the questioning eyes of my mother on me. "Can it wait, Louisa?"
I bit my lip, glancing at the ringing.
Was it him? I didn't have his number on my new phone.
"I'll only be a second."
She nodded brusquely, "Alright, be quick."
Taking a few steps to the side, I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Oh good, it is the right number. I do trust that Prince boy nonetheless it's always good to be cautious, is it not?"
A hint of a smile lifted my face as I thought I recognised the voice. We had only met once before but there was something memorable about the woman that made her stick.
"Of course. Very wisely said," I agreed, accidentally making eye contact with myself in the reflection of the glass. The plum dress I was wearing skimmed my curves at a distance and was professionally paired with nude heels.
"Mrs Reid?"
"Sweetie please, my brain not be extremely clear but I distinctively remember telling you to call me Nanna last time too. I'd like to have hoped that your mind was sharper than mine at that spring and glorious age."
I almost laughed at how her voice was pleasant and yet scolding at the same time.
It's crazy. Gabriel is literally exactly like her-
My train of thought was cut short.
Gabriel's the complete opposite of her.
"I apologise, Nanna," I said with a smile. "Now what can I do for you?"
Part of me was afraid of the answer. The last time I'd spoken to this woman, her grandson was battling for his life in hospital for a crime that I was partly responsible for. When I put it like that, it sounded terrible.
There was the faint sound of a quiz show playing in the background. "Ah, that's something I can't discuss on the phone which brings me to my reason for calling. I'd like to meet you in person."
"Meet me? Right." To be completely frank, I was quite stunned at why she would want that. "I mean, of course! Sure. What about?"
I was quite tempted to hit myself in the face with embarrassment about how much I was stuttering. Something within me gave me the strong and sheer need to impress her and I didn't have a clue why.
Instead, I was actually making a fool out of myself.
"Let's save that for our meet up," she dodged impressively. "How does 2pm tomorrow suit you? I have been fancying some afternoon tea for quite some time, even though the doctor keeps saying to reduce my blood pressure. I tell Dr Hugh that one treat can't do much harm but they never seem to understand. Idiots, aren't they?"
"Very stupid, indeed," I commented, nodding seriously even though she couldn't see me. "And yes, 2pm tomorrow works well. How about Farmborough? I heard they make very good scones."
That seemed to flip a switch in her.
"Farmborough? That does ring a bell. Oh yes, Kirsty was saying how her grandson took her there for her birthday. Yes, let's meet there. That will put an end to her boasting."
Sheepishly, I laughed half-thinking about how I was going to hold a conversation with somebody almost four times my age. Something told me that wasn't going to be an issue with Nanna.
"Farmborough, it is."
"Good. I'll let you sort out a reservation and that. All that stuff confuses people like me. And besides, if it's fully booked, just use your charm and beauty. I used to do that in the good old days although, I'm sure you could do it twice as easily considering how beautiful you are."
"Nanna!" I laughed in disbelief. "I-" At this stage, I was smiling like a lunatic for some reason. She just carried such good energy. "Alright, I'll sort out a reservation. You don't worry about that."
"Lovely. I will see you tomorrow then."
"See you then."
Before I could say anything else, she'd immediately ended the phone call leaving me feeling bizarrely confused.
Shaking my head slightly, I walked back towards my parents, Miranda and Gareth.
"They're already seated," Wu said, his heavy eyes surveying me for longer than I expected. I nodded, following him into the room with my parents behind me. The split second the door moved out of the way, things went downhill.
My stomach dropped.
I saw his face before I heard Wu's explanation.
"Also, we didn't have enough time to convey the message but Logan is available to sit in the meeting so will be joining us."
My feet were frozen to the ground as if barrels of liquid cement had been poured on them a century ago. No, my heart wasn't beating fast. It had stopped completely.
A pair of brown eyes that now reminded me of things worse than just mud locked on mine, burning into them with a silent, well-thought loathing that words didn't have the capacity to describe.
The light brown hair, that used to softly sit upon his head and soften his features till his true nature was disguised as one of an angel, was different. It had been shaved into a buzz cut that, alongside his crooked jaw, made him look even more psychotic than before.
A clear white shirt was his attire with the same black watch that he used to keep on his bedside table - the cabinet that he later smashed against the wall - wrapped around his wrist. The skin on his face was pallid and pale.
Ghosts can't die, Louisa.
His eyes raked through me in taunting challenge that I was sure he'd been yearning to give for months and I felt my heart sink even further when a twisted smirk pulled onto his mouth.
I knew this was coming at some point but I'm not ready yet.
"Morning Louisa."
The sound of his voice was different, almost hoarse as if he's lost his mind yet pieced the exterior together so nobody would realise.
In the background, I could hear my father and mother angrily speaking to Gareth about not notifying them of his presence. I didn't hear too much more because for the first time in my life, I passed out.
Here we go again :/ Thoughts?
See, I told you the updates would come fast! Thanks for reading!
♥ 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫! ♥