Chapter 144: Are We Rivals?
Zane's butler had come to fetch him from his study. The butler had been the only staff member who Zane allowed to follow, and it was only because the man had worked for his mother before she entered the Walsh family. The man also knew the current situation between the family he worked for and the Lee's, still he was ever diligent in all matters concerning.
"Sir, President Lee has arrived." Zane already knew his mother and Mina had fallen asleep and he did not want to wake them, so he quietly crept down the stairs to greet his friend.
Looking into the living room Zane could see Ian affectionately stroke Mina's hair. The girl stirred a little and the man quickly retracted his hand. Zane knew that Ian had probably brushed against the sore spot on her head, but he had promised Mina he would not mention it. He thought about the doctor telling Mina that she may experience hair loss in the area and while he was livid, the girl did not even flinch. He desperately wanted to chastise his friend for even entertaining the idea of Lisa, but it was not his place. For now, he would just do what he could to protect Mina from a distance.
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Zane softly cleared his throat and Ian was a little startled by the sound. He had been so engrossed in observing the sleeping woman that he had forgotten he was standing in an open space in someone else's home. Ian walked toward Zane who gestured for him to follow him out of the room. The two men went up to Zane's study and sat on the couch.
"Why did you bring her here?" Ian asked.
"She needed a break," Zane said. There was a long awkward pause between the men. Neither of them had ever been in a position where they were at odds or had a major difference in opinion.
"Are we rivals?" Ian asked, and Zane scoffed.
"In a way," he replied.
"Do I stand a chance?" Ian asked.
"I don't know anymore," Zane answered honestly.
"Do you want to be with her?" Ian questioned and Zane shook his head. He did not want to be with Mina, but he also had not allowed himself to explore the possibility for the sake of his friend, but he would not allow Ian to know that.
"Then why take her?" Ian's expression became puzzled as he looked at his friend.
"I think you are smart enough to figure that out on your own." Ian was confused.
"If you don't want her, why be with her?" he asked.
"Ian, I do not want to be with her, but I will not sit back and watch you play with the girl. You know how I feel about that." Ian nodded. He was relieved that Zane was not actively trying to go against him, but he was discouraged by what his friend had implied.
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Meagan was awakened by the feeling of someone adjusting the blanket covering her legs. Thinking it was Zane, she reached for the person's hand and was shocked when she held the cold and slim hand of a woman. Her eyes focused on Mina, who looked like she had been crying.
"Sorry," Mina said. "I didn't mean to wake you." The woman did not pull her hand away from Mina's but instead she held it tight.
"Are you okay?" Meagan asked, and Mina's reaction suggested that she was not.
"I have nightmares," Mina said.
"I have good days and bad days too," Mrs. Meagan added.
"How do you cope?" Mina knew she should not pry, but it was rare for her to talk to someone who knew how mentally draining and damaging hatred could be.
"My son suggested I pick up a hobby. Do you know how to knit?" The woman asked.
"Knitting seems… expensive," Mina replied in a half laugh. Meagan looked at the girl's face carefully and realized that she was trying to tell her something, but she could not tell what. "Let's talk about something else," Mina suggested.
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Zane was walking toward the living room when he heard his mother chortle.
"It's not listening to me," he heard Mina say and his mother replied to her complaint with a taunt.
"You just aren't doing it right." Zane peeked into the room to see Mina sitting at his mother's feet trying to knit. She had a tangled mess of yarn in her hands and she looked frazzled.
"This hobby isn't for me," Mina said with a pout and she handed the needles back to Mrs. Meagan. Both women caught the sight of Zane at the same time and smiled. Likewise, both smiles dissolved when they caught sight of President Lee. Their reaction was caught by both men and ignored by the like.
"You're awake," Zane said. Mina stood up and brushed off her sweater. The look she had just received from President Lee made her regret following Zane. She tried to think back to where she had gone wrong, but she had followed the rules they agreed upon. Suddenly she remembered her meal with Rachel and Mr. Eric. Her vision lost its focus as she was about to slip into another panic attack. She closed her eyes and went through the breathing exercises she had done previously, but it was the concerned look on Mrs. Meagan's face that grounded her.
"I am fine," Mina said without being asked. "This only happens sometimes." Mina caught her breath and smiled.
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President Lee saw the shift in Mina's demeanor and approached, but the girl retreated so quickly that she fell backward and hit her head on a small night table. It was not a heavy fall, but she hit the exact same spot where her original injury was, and it caused her to yelp in pain. Ian kneeled to Mina and tried to speak as gently as possible. He hated that she was so afraid of him.
"Don't pull away, just let me see where it hurts." Mina allowed the man to inspect her head for injuries. Miss Meagan was initially very weary of President Lee, but when she saw how gently he spoke to Mina, she felt a little at ease.
"How is it? Is she badly hurt?" the old woman asked. At the same time Ian's eyes grew wide. His expression startled Zane's mother who also kneeled to check Mina's head. Only Zane knew that they were mistakenly attributing her past injury to her current fall.
"Ian let's take her to a doctor. That looks bad," Meagan said.