The Heart-shaped Necklace

__

Flashback

* *7 Years Ago* *

"No more fear! No more holding back! We are here for a reason. We made it, we just need that cup so that we can shove it down their throats." Nathan said staring his teammates in the eye, all huddled up in a circle on the field. "We are winners, we have something they don't: teamwork."

Brody, one of the team players nods at their captain's words. "You heard him, we got this boys. Victory!" He said shouting.

"Victory!" The whole team said in union.

The commentator starts off. "Yale trying to get their man up in the pocket, Trying to cut up Havard loose. Just take a look at their Julio, but Lane comes running from the back and catches the ball from Yale!" He yelled through the microphone, which energized the crowd to go wild.

"Are you kidding me? Look at him go! And it's a touchdown. Unbelievable! That was a spectacular catch, that will live in Harvard football history! Don't you think so man?"

"Absolutely!" The other one said.

"Now Lane is playing down field and it is hot hot hot at the 24 yard line, Yale is catching up to him but he passes over to Brody. He gets out of Yales grip and sprints. And there he gives the final touchdown. That was amazing teamwork! They played an spectacular game. Harvard definitely deserves this win."

The audience jumped and shouted in the bleachers with joy from their school's win.

Nathan turned and see his team mates jumping and hugging one another.

"You played good, man." Brody yelled over at Nathan and leaning in for their handshake.

Nathan shook his head. "Nah, this is all on you. You made that catch."

Brody smiled. "Woah!" He said as the other team mates placed the cup in his hands and picked him up, praising him.

Nathan smiled walking away, but then saw his coach. "You played well, Lane. We made history tonight."

"Thank you, Coach."

"Nathan, bro!"

He faced the person calling out for him and saw it was his brother. "What are you doing here? Thought you couldn't make it. Finished the deal already?"

He saw his brother coming down from the bleaches, holding a woman's hand. "Yeah, I flew in this morning. Had to come watch my lil' bro play, you were great out there. So you missed me?" He asked smiling.

"Definitely not." Nathan joked but met halfway to give his older brother a hug. "You've been gone to Columbia for four months and you return with a girl?" He asked looking at the olive-skinned girl standing just a few feet behind them.

"Not just any girl, she's my girlfriend. I told you about her remember?"

Nathan began to think. "Oh, yeah!What's her name again? Debby? Daisy? Doloris-"

"The name's Delilah." She said loud enough for them to hear over the marching band that played. Nathan faced her, Delilah came closer to them. "I don't know much about football, but you were amazing out there."

Her strong Columbian accent ringed in his ears. He gave his brother a glance. "Thanks."

"Baby, can you take a picture of us?" His brother asked, Nathan looked at him frowning. "Oh, come on! Just one picture."

Nathan took off his helmet. "Okay fine!" He watched as Delilah took out her phone and snapped a picture.

Brody comes over and hands the big golden cup to Nathan and Delilah knew she had to take one more. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese!" Only his brother said, but nonetheless Nathan smiled.

"Todo listo." (All done) Amelia said.

"Well, my baby and I need to go, she's meeting mom and dad. I'll see you later, right?"

"Yeah, later." He watched as his brother held hands with his girlfriend.

Delilah looked back once more at Nathan, giving him a shy smile.

__

Nathan~~

I place the photo frame down.

Then I put it facedown, since it was bothering me. I have stuff to get done. I don't have time for distractions.

Since this morning I've been sitting in my study doing live conference calls and keeping track of some paper work, and even though Lidith told me multiple times to take a break, I refused. I needed to get things done.

I swear sometimes she acts like my mom, but I'm not mad at that though.

My parents, Rose and Erik Lane, has always bestilled good morals in me and I always try to live up to that standard. Same goes for the twins, Cassie and my brother, the late, Nick Lane.

I miss him.

It isn't the same without Nicholas. Our family is incomplete without him.

My mother miss him, she missed her first son. I guess you can say that Nicholas was the favorite child. Of course he was, all that following in my father's footsteps suited him. He was passionate about being a business Icon, a Leader, a CEO.

Mom and dad adored him for his courages acts, for his powerful ways, for his great efforts to make this company so successful. He was the golden boy, the perfect son, the perfect father to his daughter, and the perfect husband to his wife. Everyone adored him, I did too.

But sadly, after he died, everything went down hill. My father didn't take the death of Nicholas very well. He became cold and bitter, and it took a long time for him to move on. It was like that for everyone.

Back then the company was an utter mess, and that's when my parents decided to ask me if I can be the CEO of Lane Enterprises, and frankly I wasn't so thrilled about being a business Icon. I mean, I was only twenty-three at the time and completed my sports degree and played football at Harvard, but then I had to change my faculty.

All I wanted to be was a professional football player. That was my dream, that was my goal.

But that dream couldn't come true.

Because I had to take his place.

I had to step in. I had to be in charge. And in some way I wasn't only doing it for my parents, for the media or even for myself. I was doing it for my brother, because in some way I hoped that he would be proud of me, that he would honor me the way I honored him.

Okay, it isn't a distraction. It's a memory I'd like to erase. I gave up everything for him, and I kind of resent him for it. I'm still hurting, but fuck I miss him.

I miss my brother.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, breaking me out of my trans. Lidith appears giving me a look.

I take a deep breath in. "She's here?"

She nods.

I get up and walk out of the room, down the hall and into the living room.

"I-"

She whips her long blonde hair over her shoulder. "Before you say something, I'd just like to say thank you for inviting me for dinner. I've been waiting for you-"

I roll my eyes at her words. "I didn't invite you over for dinner, Amelia."

She looks at me frowning and crosses her arms, making the fur coat she's wearing go hulk. "Your things are still in my closet. Get it, and get out."

I hear her scoff as I turn around. "You're unbelievable, Nathan Lane. I thought you would've come back to me by now."

Uhm, no.

I don't reply to her remark, I don't have time for useless and pointless things.

Instead I walk up the stairs and I hear her six-inch heels clink against the floor as she follows me.

"I don't have a bag." She says.

I sigh. "I'll give you one."

We enter my bedroom and in the closet I search a big duffel bag for her to put her things in.

I hand it to her. "Be lucky I didn't burn them." I say giving her a cunning smile.

Amelia's face turns sour and grabs the bag out of my grip. "It was one damn mistake, Goddammit!" She heads to the closet.

I turn around to face her. "You were seeing him for five months so don't talk shit to me." She looks at me. "We didn't love each other, I get that, but I tried to atleast be friends with you."

Amelia struts towards the bed. "Friends don't fuck each other." She pulls off the duvet, messing up the bed.

"That was one time." I turn away from her, ready to walk out the door. "And to be honest, I regret it with every fiber in my body."

"You cheated on me too?" Her cunning laugh fills the room, I face her again.

What did she just say?

And that's when I see the heart-shaped necklace between her fingers.

Madison's necklace.

She scoffs. "The article is true. On the night we broke up you slept with some woman, didn't you? Was she here again?"

Does she even hear the words coming out of her mouth right now?

She takes the white pillow into her hands and starts sniffing it.

I try grabbing it from her. "What's wrong with you? Stop sniffing the pillow, woman."

"Victoria's Secret Bare Vanilla perfume." She says in one go. "Not bad." I look at her strangely.

"Tell me who she is, and I'll make her regret-"

I frown at her. "Can you shut up?" I walk up to her and take the necklace out of her hand.

"I've had it with you. Now pack your shit up and leave, Amelia."

She looks up at me, the tears forming in her eyes.

God, not the waterworks.

"I'm sorry, Nathan." She throws herself at me, her arms wraps around my torso while she starts crying on my chest. "I-I didn't think about how it would affect you, and I ruined everything, I ruined my fathers' and yours' partnership in the company. I want to come back, take me back-"

I shift uncomfortably out of her hold and place a hand on her shoulder. A long pause while we look into each other's eyes. "That's not going to happen, Amelia."

I grip the necklace tighter in my hand.

I slowly retreat and walk out of the room, leaving her alone to pack her bag.

She screams. "Fucking asshole!"

She throws tantrums when she doesn't get her way. Talk about anger issues, am I right?

...

I head down to the underground garage, and see Matt, my personal driver assisting a mechanic with the engine of the car.

"How ya'll keeping up? Is she alright?" I ask.

Matt smiles. "She's all good, boss. Just double checking everything."

I nod, making my way to one of the other cars in the garage, and Matt passes me the key after I told him I'll be taking a ride.

Parking on the side of the road, I look at the building beside me.

I take out the necklace from my pocket, gripping it tighter in my hand.