Chapter 358: Misunderstanding

Ian had been told that Mina had a fear of the unknown. According to Doctor Witt, she was used to being in control and was struggling to adjust to not being the one to make her own decisions. It was not much of a stretch from what Ian already believed.

Even when they had arrived at his facility, the fact that his car entered the garage through a drop mechanism without warning, had almost sent Mina into a panic, and it was enough proof to trust Doctor Witt's words. In response, Ian literally called out every move he made, and he could tell it was beginning to bother the woman he was wheeling toward his room.

There were no guest rooms at the Lee facility, and Ian wanted to make sure Mina had the most comfortable place to spend the night. He would stay in the recovery ward, where the temperature was much colder than the room he had built for himself.

The room had originally been a laboratory, but after a fire started by a man that Ian injured, the area had been gutted out and turned into his sleeping quarters. Ian then had the original training area converted into fire resistant work cubicles for the many men and women who experimented with pyro technology, while he moved the combat training to the ground floor.

When Ian stopped Mina's wheelchair in front of the two huge doors leading to his personal quarters, he could tell she was excited to see what was behind them, and probably eager to sleep. He was only just noticing that Mina was a curious person by nature. He had often seen her eyes scanning over the front console of his car, and although he expected questions, she asked nothing making him think he was misreading, but since they had entered the facility, there was almost nothing she was eager to see.

Ian reminded Mina that the room had not been used in over a year, but that he had specifically asked for it to be prepared for her. Not only were the blankets heated, but the room was set to 25C and Mina was still feeling cold enough to find that enticing. She nodded as the man spoke, and then reminded him of where she lived previously.

Ian stepped around the wheelchair and scanned his tags. The doors started to slide open and Mina's excited expression morphed into shock. Her face flushed before she looked at him with wide eyes. Thinking that she was amazed by how luxurious the room was, Ian smiled. However, Mina's gaze darkened, and he found himself confused.

Mina turned her face away from the open doors, with red cheeks and Ian looked into the room, curious as to what had angered and embarrassed her at the same time. He had naively believed that nothing else could go wrong within the time it took to get from point A to point B, but he was wrong.

"You are really disgusting," Mina said. Ian poked his head inside the room, and Veronica cast him a glance that was as confused as he was. As the pair stared at one another, Mina shakily stood from her wheelchair and tried to use it as a walker to go back to where she had come from. "I'm assuming that she isn't in there for me," she said, as she shuffled away.

"Wait Mina," President Lee called out. He went to grab her arm, but she shrugged him off violently.

"I'm going to assume this is some sort of horrible misunderstanding that has nothing to do with me, but President Lee, you should consider the future of your family. Every time you do something like this," Mina pointed back at Veronica. "Miss Lisa blames me."

"Mina it is not what you think. I only asked her to prepare the room." Mina shook her head.

"You do not have to explain yourself. You owe me nothing, but I won't sleep in that room if you paid me to do it." Ian glanced back at Veronica who was putting her scrubs back on, clearly taken aback by the turn of events.

"I may have misunderstood," Veronica called out.

"I'm sure you didn't, "Mina replied sarcastically as she made her way down the corridor.

----

Drew could not help but to be sickened by his younger brother. The idiot practically had everything handed to him growing up and what did he do with it? He threw it all away because of a woman who did not even care if he was dead or alive. Other than working out in the family gym or watching television, the near thirty-year-old man did nothing. He barely even left the house if it was not something urgent, but Soren was still a person that Drew needed.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Soren asked.

"I have something I need your help with," Drew responded. The brothers had never been friendly with one another, and after what happened with the Harlow girls, their relationship nearly dissolved into hatred.

"Why should I help you?" Soren asked. He was always suspicious of his brother, especially because he had the power to have him recommitted.

"Because if you do, you just might meet some of the women in those dramas you are obsessed with," Drew quipped. It was a true statement, but it was clearly a jab.

"And what is in it for me?" Soren asked.

"Probably nothing, but I'll consider letting you film your work in that studio you've been looking into." It was that statement that caught Soren's attention. He had been looking into the studio, but only because he had been told by Mina's manager that she would be filming a project there in the future.

"You will let me go to Pan and you won't interfere?"

"I will not," Drew promised.

"I don't trust you," Soren rebutted.

"Soren, so long as you don't look for that girl, I will not get involved in your matters, but the minute I sense you are trying to find her, I will send you back."

"and your request?" Soren asked, he knew his brother was only giving him the opportunity because there was something in it for him.

"There is a woman. All you have to do is help me get to know her. Teach me some of those things you write about. I can handle everything else." Soren's eyes narrowed. For an entire year he lived in a mental facility, and if it had not been for Drew, he would have died there, but he did not trust his brother at all. "In two days, you'll return to Pan with me." Soren looked at his brother with a quizzical expression, he had literally been barred from entering the country and it would take more than a few days to lift the travel ban. "Don't worry, I have already arranged everything."

"And if I run into her?" Soren asked, and Drew knew that his brother actually meant to ask, 'what if I go looking for Mina?'

"If it is unplanned; no harm, no foul, but I have any reason to believe that you arranged it, I will kill her. The family and I have made it clear; that woman is only alive because you promised to stay away from her." Soren hated to hear his brother remind him of something he knew his family was capable of, because they had already done it.