Chapter 249: Hi
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To wear a crown is a lonely thing. People will sing of its glory, of the power one wields, but they ignore how painstaking it is. A crown of gold with the entire world watching you.
Lina couldn't imagine a throne would be comfortable. Sitting in that pile of gold must hurt after a while. So, she entered William's office with her private card, took a seat in his leather chair, and let out a small laugh.
Whether it was on purpose or not, William's office chair was soft. She instantly sank into the material, feeling the coldness of the leather. Leaning back in the chair, she swiveled it around. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to spin about, like a merry-go-round.
"This isn't you."
The words came out of Lina's mouth before she even thought of it. As plush as the office chair was, Lina didn't like it. When she opened her eyes, the chair had stopped so she could look out the window. Floor to ceiling glass greeted her. The night sky was a wonderful thing.
The splendor of lights decorated her vision, the world feeling ever so lonely, despite all of its marvelous colors. She could never picture herself in this seat. The life she was born into, the positions she was raised to inherit, all of it felt like a choker on her neck. The closer she got to where she didn't want to be, the tighter the choker became.
Soon, Lina would be gasping for air, scratching at her throat. By then, it would be too late. The choker would infuse with her skin, forever sucking the life out of her lungs. By then, she'd be in the position as Chairwoman and she'd hate it.
"Why do I always do what I don't enjoy?" Lina asked herself in a quiet voice. She clicked her fingers on the armrest.
This chair seemed to swallow her whole.
Lina saw other people still in their office working. She saw a variety of faces. There was cold determination on a few and existential dread on others. She wondered if that would one day be her. The chair, as soft as it was, did not feel comfortable.
Lina didn't want to sit here for the next forty years of her life. She didn't want the headache of people fighting for her position. She didn't need to hear the sweet words of her relatives that planned for her demise. Her head was throbbing just from the thought of it.
"This isn't you," Lina said to herself again.
The decision was made. Maybe in an alternative universe, Lina would walk the path that someone would lead her down. But in this one, she did not.
Lina chose happiness.
- - - - -
Lina quietly walked down the hallways, so dark and depressing. The lights flickered to life, but it felt like she was in a police interrogation room. An officer had just placed the lamp on her face and told her to confess, so Lina did so.
Lina picked up her phone. She knew who called her before she even glanced at the screen.
"I will not be a Chairwoman," Lina confessed.
"..."
Lina liked the way her heels clicked on the ground. The sound resembled rain droplets on rough pavement before it slowly turned into a storm. She could hear the wind howling in the distance, like the almighty roar of a lion… or, as lion-ly as her grandfather could possibly sound.
"Hello to you too," Kaden finally said in a dark voice.
"Hi."
"..."
Kaden pinched his forehead. Was she drunk? No. She was always like this. She made a large decision all by herself. She took the advice of the people around her, but considered her own feelings first. He was proud.
"Where are you?" Kaden finally asked in a hardened voice. He didn't enjoy her wandering around at night. The world was cruel to young girls like her.
"What? Your people didn't report to you?"
"I'd like the truth out of my wife's mouth instead," Kaden bit out.
"How many people do you have tailing me?"
"Dove," Kaden stressed.
"I don't mind," Lina answered.
Kaden paused. He didn't think he'd hear that, in his wildest dreams. He'd seen enough rebellious women to know they hated being followed. At least, Kaden could feel rest assured that she never hid anything from him. He couldn't say the same. The guilt stabbed him right in the heart.
"The number changes everyday," Kaden finally told her.
"Your best estimate then," Lina pressed on.
"Does it matter, dove?"
Lina supposed it did not. "It's not fair… I never know where you are."
"Would you like to?"
"Yes," Lina answered in a heartbeat. "If I gave you an item with a tracker, would you wear it?"
"Of course."
Lina's lips parted. "Well, I'm glad we had this conversation then."
Kaden scoffed in response. "Hurry and leave the damn office."
Lina stopped dead in her tracks. So, he did have people watching her every second. With a shrug of her shoulders, she headed to the elevators. It wasn't like she had anything to hide from him.
"You don't have anything you're hiding from me, right?" Lina naively asked. "Like some hidden superpowers? I hear Pure-Bloods have abilities, but there isn't concrete research."
Kaden's entire spine went rigid. He narrowed his eyes to the ground, his grip tightening onto his phone.
"Why do you ask?" Kaden demanded.
"Oh, well because I don't have any—"
"Good."
Lina blinked. The elevator doors dinged open. She quickly made her way across the lobby floor, only for the phone to hang up. Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped at the sight of the tall and large figure by the doorway. His back was turned to her, but she'd recognize that silhouette anywhere.
Broad shoulders, muscular build, yet narrow waist; he had the body that every man would kill for. He was effortlessly handsome even from the back. She noticed he had a pert butt too.
At the sound of her heels stopping, he slowly turned around.
Kaden tucked his hands into his pockets, glancing at her with a dark expression. His face was a mixture of contempt and irritation. She didn't know what crawled up his large butt and died.
Instead of addressing his mood swing, Lina revealed a slight smile.
"Hi."
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To wear a crown is a lonely thing. People will sing of its glory, of the power one wields, but they ignore how painstaking it is. A crown of gold with the entire world watching you.
Lina couldn't imagine a throne would be comfortable. Sitting in that pile of gold must hurt after a while. So, she entered William's office with her private card, took a seat in his leather chair, and let out a small laugh.
Whether it was on purpose or not, William's office chair was soft. She instantly sank into the material, feeling the coldness of the leather. Leaning back in the chair, she swiveled it around. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to spin about, like a merry-go-round.
"This isn't you."
The words came out of Lina's mouth before she even thought of it. As plush as the office chair was, Lina didn't like it. When she opened her eyes, the chair had stopped so she could look out the window. Floor to ceiling glass greeted her. The night sky was a wonderful thing.
The splendor of lights decorated her vision, the world feeling ever so lonely, despite all of its marvelous colors. She could never picture herself in this seat. The life she was born into, the positions she was raised to inherit, all of it felt like a choker on her neck. The closer she got to where she didn't want to be, the tighter the choker became.
Soon, Lina would be gasping for air, scratching at her throat. By then, it would be too late. The choker would infuse with her skin, forever sucking the life out of her lungs. By then, she'd be in the position as Chairwoman and she'd hate it.
"Why do I always do what I don't enjoy?" Lina asked herself in a quiet voice. She clicked her fingers on the armrest.
This chair seemed to swallow her whole.
Lina saw other people still in their office working. She saw a variety of faces. There was cold determination on a few and existential dread on others. She wondered if that would one day be her. The chair, as soft as it was, did not feel comfortable.
Lina didn't want to sit here for the next forty years of her life. She didn't want the headache of people fighting for her position. She didn't need to hear the sweet words of her relatives that planned for her demise. Her head was throbbing just from the thought of it.
"This isn't you," Lina said to herself again.
The decision was made. Maybe in an alternative universe, Lina would walk the path that someone would lead her down. But in this one, she did not.
Lina chose happiness.
- - - - -
Lina quietly walked down the hallways, so dark and depressing. The lights flickered to life, but it felt like she was in a police interrogation room. An officer had just placed the lamp on her face and told her to confess, so Lina did so.
Lina picked up her phone. She knew who called her before she even glanced at the screen.
"I will not be a Chairwoman," Lina confessed.
"..."
Lina liked the way her heels clicked on the ground. The sound resembled rain droplets on rough pavement before it slowly turned into a storm. She could hear the wind howling in the distance, like the almighty roar of a lion… or, as lion-ly as her grandfather could possibly sound.
"Hello to you too," Kaden finally said in a dark voice.
"Hi."
"..."
Kaden pinched his forehead. Was she drunk? No. She was always like this. She made a large decision all by herself. She took the advice of the people around her, but considered her own feelings first. He was proud.
"Where are you?" Kaden finally asked in a hardened voice. He didn't enjoy her wandering around at night. The world was cruel to young girls like her.
"What? Your people didn't report to you?"
"I'd like the truth out of my wife's mouth instead," Kaden bit out.
"How many people do you have tailing me?"
"Dove," Kaden stressed.
"I don't mind," Lina answered.
Kaden paused. He didn't think he'd hear that, in his wildest dreams. He'd seen enough rebellious women to know they hated being followed. At least, Kaden could feel rest assured that she never hid anything from him. He couldn't say the same. The guilt stabbed him right in the heart.
"The number changes everyday," Kaden finally told her.
"Your best estimate then," Lina pressed on.
"Does it matter, dove?"
Lina supposed it did not. "It's not fair… I never know where you are."
"Would you like to?"
"Yes," Lina answered in a heartbeat. "If I gave you an item with a tracker, would you wear it?"
"Of course."
Lina's lips parted. "Well, I'm glad we had this conversation then."
Kaden scoffed in response. "Hurry and leave the damn office."
Lina stopped dead in her tracks. So, he did have people watching her every second. With a shrug of her shoulders, she headed to the elevators. It wasn't like she had anything to hide from him.
"You don't have anything you're hiding from me, right?" Lina naively asked. "Like some hidden superpowers? I hear Pure-Bloods have abilities, but there isn't concrete research."
Kaden's entire spine went rigid. He narrowed his eyes to the ground, his grip tightening onto his phone.
"Why do you ask?" Kaden demanded.
"Oh, well because I don't have any—"
"Good."
Lina blinked. The elevator doors dinged open. She quickly made her way across the lobby floor, only for the phone to hang up. Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped at the sight of the tall and large figure by the doorway. His back was turned to her, but she'd recognize that silhouette anywhere.
Broad shoulders, muscular build, yet narrow waist; he had the body that every man would kill for. He was effortlessly handsome even from the back. She noticed he had a pert butt too.
At the sound of her heels stopping, he slowly turned around.
Kaden tucked his hands into his pockets, glancing at her with a dark expression. His face was a mixture of contempt and irritation. She didn't know what crawled up his large butt and died.
Instead of addressing his mood swing, Lina revealed a slight smile.
"Hi."
To wear a crown is a lonely thing. People will sing of its glory, of the power one wields, but they ignore how painstaking it is. A crown of gold with the entire world watching you. Lina couldn't imagine a throne would be comfortable. Sitting in that pile of gold must hurt after a while. So, she entered William's office with her private card, took a seat in his leather chair, and let out a small laugh.Whether it was on purpose or not, William's office chair was soft. She instantly sank into the material, feeling the coldness of the leather. Leaning back in the chair, she swiveled it around. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to spin about, like a merry-go-round."This isn't you."The words came out of Lina's mouth before she even thought of it. As plush as the office chair was, Lina didn't like it. When she opened her eyes, the chair had stopped so she could look out the window. Floor to ceiling glass greeted her. The night sky was a wonderful thing. The splendor of lights decorated her vision, the world feeling ever so lonely, despite all of its marvelous colors. She could never picture herself in this seat. The life she was born into, the positions she was raised to inherit, all of it felt like a choker on her neck. The closer she got to where she didn't want to be, the tighter the choker became.Soon, Lina would be gasping for air, scratching at her throat. By then, it would be too late. The choker would infuse with her skin, forever sucking the life out of her lungs. By then, she'd be in the position as Chairwoman and she'd hate it."Why do I always do what I don't enjoy?" Lina asked herself in a quiet voice. She clicked her fingers on the armrest.This chair seemed to swallow her whole.Lina saw other people still in their office working. She saw a variety of faces. There was cold determination on a few and existential dread on others. She wondered if that would one day be her. The chair, as soft as it was, did not feel comfortable.Lina didn't want to sit here for the next forty years of her life. She didn't want the headache of people fighting for her position. She didn't need to hear the sweet words of her relatives that planned for her demise. Her head was throbbing just from the thought of it."This isn't you," Lina said to herself again.The decision was made. Maybe in an alternative universe, Lina would walk the path that someone would lead her down. But in this one, she did not. Lina chose happiness.- - - - -Lina quietly walked down the hallways, so dark and depressing. The lights flickered to life, but it felt like she was in a police interrogation room. An officer had just placed the lamp on her face and told her to confess, so Lina did so.Lina picked up her phone. She knew who called her before she even glanced at the screen."I will not be a Chairwoman," Lina confessed."..."Lina liked the way her heels clicked on the ground. The sound resembled rain droplets on rough pavement before it slowly turned into a storm. She could hear the wind howling in the distance, like the almighty roar of a lion or, as lion-ly as her grandfather could possibly sound."Hello to you too," Kaden finally said in a dark voice."Hi.""..." Kaden pinched his forehead. Was she drunk? No. She was always like this. She made a large decision all by herself. She took the advice of the people around her, but considered her own feelings first. He was proud."Where are you?" Kaden finally asked in a hardened voice. He didn't enjoy her wandering around at night. The world was cruel to young girls like her."What? Your people didn't report to you?""I'd like the truth out of my wife's mouth instead," Kaden bit out."How many people do you have tailing me?""Dove," Kaden stressed."I don't mind," Lina answered.Kaden paused. He didn't think he'd hear that, in his wildest dreams. He'd seen enough rebellious women to know they hated being followed. At least, Kaden could feel rest assured that she never hid anything from him. He couldn't say the same. The guilt stabbed him right in the heart."The number changes everyday," Kaden finally told her."Your best estimate then," Lina pressed on."Does it matter, dove?"Lina supposed it did not. "It's not fair I never know where you are.""Would you like to?""Yes," Lina answered in a heartbeat. "If I gave you an item with a tracker, would you wear it?""Of course."Lina's lips parted. "Well, I'm glad we had this conversation then."Kaden scoffed in response. "Hurry and leave the damn office."Lina stopped dead in her tracks. So, he did have people watching her every second. With a shrug of her shoulders, she headed to the elevators. It wasn't like she had anything to hide from him. "You don't have anything you're hiding from me, right?" Lina naively asked. "Like some hidden superpowers? I hear Pure-Bloods have abilities, but there isn't concrete research."Kaden's entire spine went rigid. He narrowed his eyes to the ground, his grip tightening onto his phone. "Why do you ask?" Kaden demanded."Oh, well because I don't have any""Good."Lina blinked. The elevator doors dinged open. She quickly made her way across the lobby floor, only for the phone to hang up. Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart skipped at the sight of the tall and large figure by the doorway. His back was turned to her, but she'd recognize that silhouette anywhere. Broad shoulders, muscular build, yet narrow waist; he had the body that every man would kill for. He was effortlessly handsome even from the back. She noticed he had a pert butt too. At the sound of her heels stopping, he slowly turned around.Kaden tucked his hands into his pockets, glancing at her with a dark expression. His face was a mixture of contempt and irritation. She didn't know what crawled up his large butt and died.Instead of addressing his mood swing, Lina revealed a slight smile. "Hi."
