Chapter 14

Jace:

The cold sun beamed through the curtains as my shallow bed jumped with me sliding off it. My body was bare, tip to toe and so tired since the day before. I ran a hand through my hair, walking up to the floor to ceiling window. My bedroom covered every aspect my choice. Grey walls, a large, dark wood king sized bed and shades of dark colours like dark blue spread on it. The floor in light grey carpet and the seating space within the room crumbled in a corner with an corner black leather couch and glass coffee table. I stretched my arms up to my head and felt my shoulders cracking.

I drew the grey polyester shades back and let the sunlight hit my body. It felt warm yet I felt nothing. I could see the sky, I could see the view of the beautiful city of downtown Los Angeles. Streets alive and buildings spewing heat from the chimneys up top. The smoke levitating into the sky, bring a wholesome city feel to every working class around. My penthouse was the perfect place to set this view for me.

Selene would've loved this. My heart ached at the thought.

It had been ten years since I lost the love of my life. My girl.

I leaned on the futon in the middle of the large windown and picked up my grey joggers. Sliding into them, I dropped to the floor for some push ups. The sweating, exhilaration and the frustration built into adrenaline that pushed to do an extreme number on the floor.

By the time I stood up, my whole body felt fresh with muscular pain and sweat gushing out of my body. I needed that. Everytime I thought about her, I needed something to divert me.

"Hello." I heard a woman sing. I looked up to the white door that lead to my bathroom and found Sylvia standing in a towel wrapped around her body.

"Your clothes are there." I pointed at the couch in the sitting area. Her smile faded.

"I should've known better." She hissed, tip toeing to her clothes.

"You should've." I nodded and walked past her into my bathroom.

"Is that why you fired me?" Her voice muffled through the door.

"I fired you." I opened the door and faced her feared face. My body towered forth her and she gulped, "Because your services werent up to date."

With that, I slammed the door and walked back into the bathroom.

The towels were racked neatly and the basics all set in order for me on the sink counter. Teeth cleaning, shaving and washing my face didnt take long after a sensitive shower. Her body and thoughts danced in my brain. The way she held me close, like she would never let go. It was my solace and now an empty space crawled in me.

I dressed faster than the minutes counted and smirked at the blue colour of the shirt i was wearing. She loved that colour.

Picking up my laptop case I headed out in my three piece navy blue suit and did a final look out of the apartment. The built in conversation pit in the lounge was well brushed and cleaned, the red couches and the glass table shimmered under the beams of sun blooming through the opened curtains. Floor to ceiling windows gave me what I want, a view of what the entire world held out for me, ergo I had one in my lounge as well. The book shelves by the wall outside the corridor to my bedroom were neatly stacked and and the chandeliers up on the ceilings were turned out. The crystals on them, however, shone like diamonds.

"Mr. Anderson?" Rufus bowed slightly waiting for me to reach him by the main door. His grey hair were gelled into thin spikes and tall figure leaned by the door. The fact that he was Mexican was epic, relative to his tanned complexion.

"Rufus." I cleared my throat, handing him the case and exiting the apartment while giving a once over to the open and white kitchen.

"New assistant?" I huffed as he was slid in my my metal grey Mercedes.

"Done, sir." He drove out of the parking lot of my building, Anderson Hills

"Clients?" I fixed my blazer.

"Done." He nodded and I opened my laptop. The window brightened and a picture popped up. A window was already opened on my laptop and I knew I had slept before turning it off.

I remembered that day.

Selene in her thick black sweater and yoga pants, mad at me for not taking her hunger seriously. It was a selfie. She was pouting so brightly and I was kissing the back of her little cheek. Her eyes held so much joy and with all the paleness succumbing her colour, she cold bring life to that picture. I smirked to myself.

I felt my heart grow heavy and the thought of her bed ridden face haunted my sight. I shut my laptop so hard that it forced Rufus to look back through the rearview mirror. I showed no expression and he turned back to driving. I bit my lip in frustration. Tears had long stopped spilling from these eyes. I cried no more.

Felt like I spilled them all when Mr. Arly stopped me from seeing my girl one last time.

"We're here." Rufus announced, parking the car on the semi circular steps that led to the entrance of my office. I nodded in the mirror for him and exited the car with fierceness pumping in me. Everytime I thought about that day, that moment... that note....

"Well if it isnt dearest brother." Cobie stood with her tall figure. She was only fifteen but looked twenty. Her brown satchel hung on her left shoulder while she was well dressed in an old Metallica oversized black hoodie and knee ripped jeans. Her chocolate hair were as wavy as mom's and eyes golden like dad's.

"What do you want?" I shoved my free fist in my pant pocket and awaited her hopping down from the top of the ten steps to me.

"How rude?" She pouted.

"Cobie." I warned.

"Mom wants you to visit Carolina one more time." She bit her lip and I gave her a squint eye. I already knew that. Mother called me herself.

"Alright. I just didnt want you to be alone this weekend!" She hissed. I felt my chest tighten.

"I dont know what you mean. Go home." I ordered, unbuttoning the lapels of my blazer, walking up the steps.

"Jace, please. You always drown yourself in work over this time. This time I know what to do. Please." Cobie jumped beside me.

"What did you have in mind?" I turned to her on the top step and she smiled brightly.

"I dont like that smile." I shook my head.

"Yes, you do." She followed me all the way to the turning entrance doors. I buttoned up my blazer again. The receptionist nodded me welcome and the passer bys appreciated my presence.

"I'll call you." I heard Cobie mutter as I strutted through the dark grey tiled, and light grey walled lobby. The reception desk was silver and large with black sign letters 'Anderson' imprinted across the front wall of it. Over twenty people sat on the black seats and couches in the lounge and I looked over at our red head, main receptionist Cassie. She gave out a huge smile and I smirked.

"Typical." I heard another chuckle and turned in anger. It was a Male voice. Not Cobie. When I found the person standing tall behind me, my anger faded into a smile. Sean stood with his tall figure in front of me with a chuckle breaking out of him.

I looked around and decided to take the meet upstairs. I pointed at the silver elevator button and he nodded. There was a seperate elevator that rode all the way to the top floor, meaning my office. We entered the elevator with a small laugh breaking out of us and soon as they slid close, we shook hands and a brief hug.

"When did you get here?" I rubbed my nose and he gulped his smile. He was taller than me, all dressed in a dark grey suit and white shirt under.

"Yesterday. Been staying at your penthouse." He clicked his tongue at me and I rolled my eyes.

"I knew giving you access to that place was a bad idea."

"How've you been, my man?" He tapped my shoulder, shoving his other fist in his pant pocket.

"I'm shit." I shrugged.

"Yeah. Figured." Sean nodded away.

"Let me guess, you are here for the weekend?" I checked my phone for any recent emails.

"Uh, um, yeah. Actually, I'm meeting Mister and Misses Arly." He sighed and my fingers tightened.

"You know you cant ignore them forever."

"Watch me." The elevator doors opened.

Just as my steps clicked on the black marble of the floor, my heart paced and the room swirled. My head turned as the walls changed colour to wood and the room shrunk to smaller paintings on the wall.

"Well?" I heard a cheery laugh and a blushing Selene jumped from the last step of the staircase that led to the first floor of the cabin. Our cabin. I smiled as a much more relaxed and laid back, younger version of me, dropped the red roses on the brown leather couch and scooped her up in his arms. She giggled as he kissed her cheeks, just munching on the softness of it. My eyes pricked with tears when he put her down in the lounge, near the fire place. She bit her lip at the feel of the new furry carpet we laid in the area.

"What?" Her eyes twinkled up at him. He could not not look at her. I could see the glisten in his eyes. I knew that pain and joy. I had been in the misture of it since she mentioned her illness.

"Hey." As if knowing, she placed her fingers around his jaw and I hissed. I missed that touch. I walked closer and found her blue eyes twinkle up at him. Her pale skin glowed under the yellow fire, lips darkened with her biting and hair cascading down her shoulders.

"I missed you." He leaned in her touch. I stood behind him, facing her and she brought her other hand to his face.

"I..." her face neared up to his, "...didnt." she laughed, jumping away.

"You..." he cackled, running around the lounge, trying to catch her. She seemed free, in joy and happy. They were happy.

My Selene, and the Jace she had taken with her... they were happy in their little heaven.

"Jace?"

I turned in surprise and found a pale Selene standing a light blue hospital gown. Her nasal tube sat on her upper lip and faint yellow circles spread under her eyes.

"No." I whispered. My lips trembled and I reached to cup her face. It touched.

But I felt nothing...

"Baby, no." I mumbled. I felt hot tears burn my cheeks.

"You let me go." She whispered.

"Baby, no. No I would never." I felt myself crying softly. My chest tightened the sobs choked me.

I watched my fingers run from her cheek, in her hair. She smiled but I felt nothing. No touch, just a mere vaccum.

"Baby, please come home." I begged.

"You didnt even come to see me." She shook her head.

"That's not true. Your dad-" I stopped. She walked closer, until I could look down on her little figure.

"Jace." She whispered.

"Yeah." I felt more tears, tickle my nostrils.

"Jace, wake up." She said fiercely. I felt a pounding ache squeeze my head. It was like someone was squeezing my brain.

"Wake up." She spoke again and I felt the air tighten around me.

"Wake up, damn it!" Everything turned white and I felt familiar with the male voice.

Sean.

"Jace..." I found myself, staring at a small bowl yellow light in a small space ceiling. The roof was brown and so were the walls. I moved my head but banged the top into what was a golden railing. I looked away from it to find Sean crouched beside me, holding my arm. His face held fear and breath in pants.

"What?" I breathed. Looking around, I found my new personal assistant bending over, staring at me. Her face was very bright with make up and golden locks fell on her shoulder.

"Jace, get up." Sean whispered, circling his arm around mine and pulling me to my feet.

"What... what..."

"You fainted." He tapped my shoulder, catching his breath. I couldnt figure what happened.

"Cancel my day." I called out to the assistant. She nodded and Sean closed the elavator for the lobby again.

"Let's get you home, buddy." He tapped my shoulder and I shut my eyes. I felt a heat cozying in them and i knew what that feeling was.

I just wanted to die.