chapter 15: Everything

Autumn
Everyone sees a nightmare with their eyes closed. But I am standing in front of my worst nightmare, with my eyes looking straight into his brown ones.
"Lennox," Ian called him. "Thanks for coming. What are you doing up there?" he asked, and my eyes locked with Ian's.
"I was just meeting my favorite student after two years." Lennox gave the familiar creepy smile��the smile I hated the most.
Ian walked past him and came to me. Then Ian wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me towards him. "Well, your favorite student is now my wife," he said proudly.
Lennox arched an eyebrow in amusement. "Why wasn't I invited to the wedding? I am hurt."
Lennox, and hurt? Yeah, right.
"It was sudden," said Ian. "Anyway, enough meeting for now. It's quite late. I'll show you your room. You can meet Lia and start training her tomorrow."
"How about my favorite student showing me my room?" Lennox offered.
I clenched my fist as Ian looked at me.
No, no. Please, no.
As if sensing my thought, Ian spoke up, "How about your student not show you the room?"
Lennox looked in confusion and asked, "What?"
"Enrick," Ian called a servant. "Show him the guest room you prepared. Also, help him with his luggage."
Lennox gave a tight-lipped smile. "Thanks."
"Good night," Ian wished, and we started walking towards our bedroom. My lips curved into a smile. Before I could say something, he decided to say, "Well, don't think it was for you."
I arched an eyebrow. "Did I ever tell you that?"
We entered the room. He took a seat on the couch and I sat next to him. He stated, "I just assumed."
"Well, then here's a solution. How about you stop assuming?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.
"If I stop assuming, then things would go crazy��go wrong."
I smirked mentally when he changed his words. I sat closer to him. Putting on a straight face, I asked, "Are you getting addicted to me?"
Ian��s breath hitched. "Why would you ask that?"
"Because you are using my words," I let out. I came back to my previous posture and started surfing Netflix.
"Well, I used the word 'alcohol'. Does this mean I am addicted to alcohol?" he asked in annoyance.
"Who knows?" I retorted.
He sighed in annoyance hearing my reply. "You're annoying." He got up and stormed off the room.
I burst into laughter and I mumbled, "He is crazy."
Then I started watching 'Haunting of Hill House.' This was one of my favorite series. I turned all the lights off and lighted my night lamp on. I couldn't stay without light, because I had nyctophobia. I started munching a chocolate bar while watching the series. The secret of the Red room was getting revealed in the series. All of a sudden, a hand was placed over my mouth.
I was about to bite the hand and hit that person, but he brought his mouth towards my ears. I heard his steady breathing. "You're still very beautiful, my favorite student," he whispered.
My whole body stiffened as he continued, "My training made you who you are today. Aren't you going to express your gratitude?"
Hot tears started brimming out of my eyes as no words left my mouth.
He further spoke, "If I didn't do that on the first day of the training, you would never be a perfect gang leader. You women are weak. Since you never showed your gratitude, I am back. To give you punishment for not being grateful and to take away what's mine."
"Take it. You have to do this, Autumn. Do it!"
"No, Lennox. Please. No. I cannot do this."
"You bitch! This is my order!"
I was remembering that day again. I didn't realize when the lights of the room flickered.
"Autumn, why did you turn the lights off? I thought you and Ian were having sex until I saw him in the study," said Steven. He stood in front of me. "Autumn? Holy shit! What the fuck happened to you? Are you��wait. I'm gonna call Ian." He took his phone out, but I held his hand.
"No, no need to do that. I just got scared while watching the series." I pointed to the TV screen and explained myself, hoping Steven would fall for the trap.
Steven chuckled. "I look dumb, don't I?" When I shook my head, he said, "I'll let Ian handle it. Anyway, Isabel had to say something, so she called all of us in her room. Freshen up. I will be waiting here. You look shitty."
I nodded and went inside the washroom. I trembled as the words of Lennox echoed in my head.
"I am back. To give you punishment for not being grateful and to take away what's mine."
I knew Lennox was here for a reason. What if he tries to do the same with Lia? Of course, he would.
I have to save Lia. But to save her, I have to tell Ian the entire truth, which I cannot. So I have to keep an eye on Lennox. He cannot do to Lia what he did to me.
I looked at the mirror. I felt my face and my dress covered with blood, just like seven years ago.
"No, no." I started washing my face and dress. "The blood has to be wiped. The blood..." I shuddered.
"Autumn? Did you fall asleep there? Come out," hearing Steven, I snapped out of my thoughts.
"I am coming, Steven. Give me a few minutes," I said and looked at my appearance in the mirror. Water was dripping from my entire body. I had spare clothes in the washroom so that I could use it in case I forgot to bring clothes from the closet.
I freshened up and wore the cotton dress, which reached up to my knees. I tied my hair into a fishtail ponytail and got out. As promised, Steven was waiting for me.
"Feeling better?" Steven asked as I hummed in response.
We started walking towards Isabel's room. I uttered, "You already called Ian and told him everything, didn't you?" Seeing his smirk, I rolled my eyes.
When we entered Isabel's room, Aubree and Ian were already sitting there with her.
"Where is Lia?" I asked them.
"Her training starts tomorrow. She has to sleep," answered Ian. "How are you, by the way?"
With a smile, I said, "I am fine, thank you."
I sat in between Isabel and Aubree, while Steven sat beside Ian. "So, what was the important issue, Isabel?" asked Ian.
Isabel glanced at Aubree. "I will never get married," Aubree blurted out all of a sudden.
"Why?" I asked curiously.
Steven said in an obvious tone, "Of course, you won't."
"That's the best news so far, Aubree." Ian smiled proudly.
Aubree replied to me, "Because I want to give my blood for the Silver only. So, marriage is not my thing."
"Well, best of luck convincing Mom. She dreams of your marriage," I retorted.
Ian spoke, "But Dad will be very happy, Autumn. He will convince Mom. I will help him."
"Of course, you will," I deadpanned.
Steven said, "Hey, I want to talk about something too. It's about the base in Italy." We looked at him, eagerly waiting for him to continue. "Our gang is expanding in a huge amount. I am planning to build a few casinos in Italy too. I will go there often. Someone has to maintain the Silver there too. They miss their capo."
Steven ran the Mafia Silver of Italy. Though he was living here, he controlled everything there. It was hard for him to go control the gang, so he never opened a Casino there. He had dual citizenship, but he didn't want to leave his siblings. Thus, he stayed with us.
"This doesn't mean you are staying there forever, right? It's just often but you will come back here. Of course, you will," Isabel said, assuring herself.
Steven chuckled. "Of course. I wouldn't leave you all ever."
Ian stayed silent this whole time.
"So, that's great news!" I clapped my hands in excitement. "Now, what's your great news, Bel?"
She cleared her throat. "Well, I told you guys that I never fell in love, which was true. But I have a boyfriend whom I have been seeing for the past three months."
"What?"
"That's great!"
"Tell me his name."
"I wanna meet him tomorrow."
Aubree, I, Ian, and Steven, we responded at once.
"Ilian Coree." Isabel blushed after mentioning his name. "I wanted to confirm whether I really liked him before telling you guys. And it turns out, I really like him. I want to introduce him to you all."
"Of course. I would love to meet this guy." Steven smiled, but I sensed the anger he was trying to control himself. That was Steven after all.
"Ilian Coree," Ian repeated.
I asked him, "The name sounds cool, right?"
He glared at me but nonetheless nodded. "Very cool."
"Call him for dinner tomorrow. I will shower him with our love." Aubree smiled as well, but her smile was similar to Steven's. The Becketts had some serious possessiveness issues.
I hugged Isabel. "I am so happy for you. Don't worry. I will keep him safe and sound," I whispered.
"I know," she muttered.
"Okay, guys. So, let's go now. Let Bel sleep," I announced, and we walked out of her room. "You gotta be chill about it. She's twenty-seven, she has the right to date."
"No," three of them snapped at once.
I let out a frustrated sigh. "Grow up, guys."
I left them behind and looked for Maya. New Year was the day after tomorrow. The decoration was completed. I kept the ingredients needed to make the red-velvet pastries in a separate place.
After I get up in the morning, I have to make the pastries. That's a must for me. Then I went to the bedroom. Ian was talking to Alana because I heard him uttering her name.
"Yes, I will meet you later. Don't worry. Yeah, about the company. No, we have to finalize this deal soon. I can't delay it anymore." I closed the door loudly on purpose. Ian glanced at me and spoke on the call, "I will talk to you later. Bye." After he cut the call, he came to me.
"Don't watch that series anymore. It's making you hallucinate things," Ian mumbled before heading towards the balcony. I trailed him from behind. The balcony had fairy lights, which he turned it on.
"Why were you talking to Alana at night?" I added 'at night' because I couldn't stop him from talking to her permanently due to the deal.
"Because she called me?"
"Stop this Alana matter before I shoot her," I murmured, which made him chortle. "Stop laughing! I am serious. That woman is annoying."
"But very hot," Ian added to my sentence. I felt hot steam coming out of my ears. "Like the temperature of your anger right now." He continued, "Also, did you see her curves? Damn."
I asked, "Did you ever kiss her?"
I wanted him to say no. I wish he didn't kiss her or even pull her closer to him.
Ian pulled me closer to him and snaked an arm around my waist. He said in a raspy voice, "I didn't even pull her this close."
My heartbeat fastened. The butterflies erupted in my stomach. I wondered if he got the same goosebumps as me. He brought his mouth closer to my ears and whispered, "She's hot, but I find Autumn hotter and the hottest when she blushes." My breath hitched hearing him as he continued, "To see you blush in real life is better than the one in the picture."
All of a sudden, I remembered the picture which Mr. Atticus took and sent to Ian. I was supposed to sleep after I got home but everything just happened too suddenly. So here I was, facing Ian. Actually, he was looking at me while I stared at the ground. I was afraid to look in his eyes.
He put his hand on my chin and made me look into his blue orbs. "You are cuter when you don't talk. I like it when I make you speechless."
His eyes fell on my lips. I just stared at him. He pulled me away as disappointment flashed over me. He spoke up, "Tomorrow will be a long day. I cannot wait to meet that guy who trapped my sister. We even researched everything about him."
I tried to analyze him. How could he act as nothing happened within a few seconds? Why was this affecting me in the first place?
"Come on, Ian. We will just meet Bel's boyfriend. What's the worst that can happen?" at last, I asked, after gaining my posture and refraining to get affected by Ian��s closeness.
Ian sucked in a deep breath and answered, "Everything."