Into My Heart

LII

CHRISTEN

Long time no see, friends.

As my office quickly welcomes the first lights of the day, I am already behind my computer in order to make some research on the Press Corporation servers. Those past couple of days have been intense: the shooting at the Dragon's safe-house and territory, my mother getting suspicious that I might betray her at any given time, Mallory avoiding me for some reason... But somehow, only one thing was on my mind: Abby.

When someone knocks on the door, I jump a little bit, daydreaming about the small blonde with dove eyes. Coughing awkwardly, before making sure I was presentable, I press the button that opens the door. 

Shelina enters, and I sigh in relief. 

"Hi, fake wife!" she says, smirking.

As I wave at her with a smile on my face, she closes the door behind her, before quickly hugging me in order to make me calm down: those past few weeks, she has been my anchor through it all. By being calm and moderate all the time, she managed to stay by my side and became my true ally through it all. 

When I sit down at my desk again, she doesn't lose a second:

"So, we need to come up with a plan"

Nodding my head, I close the file in front of me and sigh. 

"I thought we agreed on a plan already: we pretend to be together until the baby is born or that we manage to get us both out of my devil family and the firm." I remind her, frowning. 

She smirks.

"That was the pre-Blondie plan, Press" she mocks me softly, before adding: "What are we gonna do about you two now that you've finally confessed your desire for each other ?"

I blush.

"What, no, we-"

"Remember the other night, when you were drunk?" Shelina interrupts me, amused. As my heart starts beating on my chest, she continues: "Well, you told me all about your passionate encounter at the hospital..."

Red as a tomato, I look away from her, highly embarrassed - which makes the Canadian laugh even more. As she realises that me confessing intimate things is not my thing, she lets it go, but still smirks in victory. 

As I am trying to get my head into those files again, she attacks again:

"Just so I know: what do you intend on doing with her?"

"Shelina !" I exclaim, hissing almost.

She rolls her eyes.

"Sorry! It's just that we're partners, you and I: I need to know what to expect in order to be able to defend you in case of something goes wrong."

"You're right" I declare, beaten. As images of the wild moments shared with Abby at the hospital come back vivid in my mind, as I awkwardly say: "To be honest, I don't really know what she wants, or-"

"Christen" Shelina immediately lets out, fed up with my inability to express my emotions, "I'm not asking you about what Abby wants: I'm asking about what you want."

Blushing a little bit more (who thought it was possible?), I just say in a low and shy voice:

"I just know she's really special."

"Then that's all you need to know" the Canadian softly says, smirking. Something in her eyes announce pride, as she quickly adds: "Well, in that case we should keep going, and you tell me what you want to do when you know, ya?"

I only nod, as she sits down at her own desk, right before somebody knocks at the door: I immediately recognise Mother's silhouette, as she doesn't want for us to answer in order to enter the room. She seems tired, even more than usual - dark circles under her eyes are showing, and she has lost some weight. Looking around, she quickly greets Shelina - something tells me that she dreamt of having a stepdaughter like her and somehow hoped that we'd fall in love someday although our engagement was a fraud- before staring at me with somewhat of withholding. 

As she looks around one last time - what is she looking for ? Some camera or something? - she then finally speaks up:

"There's been an incident."

Frowning, Shelina immediately reacts:

"What do you mean ?" 

"Well" Stacey Press starts, looking at me rather than looking at my fake-fiancée, "your sister betrayed me and attacked the Dragons, so we started a war without me even knowing it."

My eyes go wide. 

"Which sister?" I ask, really surprised.

I mean, I never would've thought that one of my older sisters - both being pathetic little dogs obsessed by my parents and their stupid work - would one day do something against Press Corporation or my parents for that matter. But ever since Father died, something strange has happened within our family, and I thought Mallory knew something about it and held me accountable for it since she isn't talking to me anymore. 

Mother sighs, before revealing: 

"Tyler."

"What ?" I let out, truly surprised.

"Yes" Stacey continues, shaking her head slowly. I could feel the tension in her jaw, as she goes on: "She hired some of our most loyal men and sent them to kill the Dragons because she thought them of being disloyal since Kristen Mewis became their pretended second leader."

"Kristie doesn't pretend to be their leader" I immediately defend her, in shock, "she really feels like one of them, and I believe closer to her father's memory as well. She is a born Dragon."

"Whatever" Mother concludes, rolling her eyes, "The problem is that the Dragons were a big part of our staff, and now that we killed some of their members, there will be retaliation, which leaves us with two solution: either we fight back, or we punish the traitor..."

Immediately, Shelina jumps off her seat.

"Are you really insinuating on hurting your own daughter ?" she asks, truly shocked.

Mother throws her a dark look. 

"The order has already been given: we need to find the Dragon's trust again, and I have the perfect plan to just do it. Of course, you will see at the same time as everyone else."

Frowning, I ask, a beating heart almost tearing my chest:

"Why did you come here then ?"

"Because we need to talk about Mallory..."