Chapter 0247
+25 BONUS
Lucius walked into Laura’s room unannounced. She was sitting on the balcony, headphones on, listening to music. She had heard the sound of an argument coming from their father’s study but chose to lose herself in her music and the view before her. She didn’t even notice her loving brother enter.
“My girl! How are you?” Lucius greeted her with a wide sile, pulling her into a hug.
Startled, Laura jumped. But when she realized who was hugging her, she turned and smiled brightly.
“Lucius! You’re here!” she exclaimed, standing up and embracing him tightly.
“I’m just here for the weekend, so we need to make the most of it. Want to go out for dinner with me?” he said, offering his arm for her to take.
“Sure,
but..
… was that you arguing with Dad earlier?” she asked hesitantly.
“You know me can’t keep my mouth slut! Our father might be a son of a bitch, but so am I. Never, and I mean never, will I let him leave you and the others stranded. If it were just about me, I’d have no problem. I don’t need him to survive, no matter what he thinks. But with you all in the picture, I worry. It’s bad enough with the family we’ve been dealt,” Lucius said, his eyes fixed on his sister’s
Lucius might have been arrogant and rebellious with others, but when it came to his siblings, he was a completely different person. He’d grown up in a household full of shouting, arguments, and chaos. As a child, it had scared him, but over time, he became numb to it. When Laura was born, he hated her at first. She was beautiful, and everyone fawned over her. His days as the adored firstborn of the Palmers were over. Yet, as the years passed, he noticed how differently their father treated Laura compared to him and their brothers. It bothered him deeply. Why was she singled out?
“So, v
what do you say? Shall we grab dinner somewhere?” Lucius asked, trying to coax her. “Alright! Let me grab a jacket, and let’s get out of here,” Laura said with a big smile.
“Hurry up before Mom or Dad notices we’re gone,” he said sitting on her bed.
Laura ducked into her closet and threw on the first jacket she could find. The two of them slipped out of the house as quietly as possible. By the time Alexia went to look for her son to ask about the earlier argument, Lucius was already gone. She didn’t even notice Laura wasn’t home either.
Far from home, in the Westhaven district, Lucius and Laura were dining at an elegant bar. Although Laura was still underage, Lucius would let her have a couple of glasses of wine or beer when they went out. He would never let anything bad happen to his beloved sister. It was remarkable how Lucius, who could be so cold and cruel with most people including their parents–became a caring and protective brother with Laura. From a young age, he had learned that in their dysfunctional family, he had to play his role a certain way. To his father, he was a good- for–nothing runaway who had fled to London to escape his control. But Maximus had no idea about many aspects of his eldest son’s life.
“Why were you fighting with Dad?” Laura asked as she ate a slice of pizza.
“Stuff, you know…” Lucius replied, brushing off the question.
“The yelling was so loud I could hear it in my room. I thought it was Mom complaining about something.”
“No, my girl. Soon, you’ll come with me, and you won’t have to hear either of them anymore,
“Do you really think they’ll let me go with you?”
12
#25 BONUS
Chapter 0247-
“You won’t need their permission much longer. You’ll be an adult soon.”
Laura smiled. He was right. In just a few months, she would turn 18 and finally have the freedom to make her own decisions.
“So, can I move in with you while I go to university?”
Lucius smirked and leaned in. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, but you have to keep it to yourself.”
“Of course! You know I won’t say a word.”
“I don’t live in the dorms. I have my own apartment. Since leaving home, I’ve studied as much as I could, got ahead in my courses, and landed a job with the father of a friend. With what I earn, I’ve even started investing in the stock market. It’s not a lot yet, but I’ve started building my own assets. You won’t need Dad to decide where to study. I’ll take care of it.”
Laura’s eyes widened in shock. “Brother, if you’ve done all that, why let Dad think you’re useless?”
“Laura, if he finds out, he’ll try to drag me back here, and I can’t let that happen. I don’t belong here. But I know I need to protect your future and the others‘. With parents like ours, who knows what might happen? And now the other shareholders have shown up. According to Dad, Uncle Peter’s daughter has resurfaced. I haven’t met her, but I’m sure she’s some spoiled brat who only wants money. They’re probably all opportunists. This company belongs to you, not them. I won’t let history repeat itself. I won’t let some schemer, like our grandfather Levett, come in and take everything. That’s why I argued with Dad.
“Oh, Lucius. I never know what’s going on with the company. I’ve only just started attending the monthly meetings, and I don’t understand half of what they’re talking about,” Laura admitted.
‘My girl, business doesn’t have to be your thing. You’re an artist, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You don’t have to become a business expert just because the family is. If you want to be a ballerina, an actress, a painter, or a fashion designer, I’ll support you no matter what. The only thing I want you to understand is this: don’t do something just because Mom and Dad want you to. You’re free, my girl. Got it? We only have each other.”
Laura nodded, her eyes glistening with emotion. She knew that, no matter what, Lucius would always have her back.
