I watched Amelia go back and forth in her office as I stood in the doorway, her heels clicking against the shiny floor. Documents were scattered all over her desk, and graphs and charts displayed on the walls explained each new issue she would need to resolve. She was tired, but she was in full CEO gear, determined and focused. I was too familiar with that appearance; it was the face of someone who had been tested to the brink and was too prideful to acknowledge their need for assistance.
Amelia was staring at a report she was holding when I walked in, not even looking up. I could see the stiffness in her jaw and the way she held her shoulders. As she always did when things became hard, she was building her barriers. However, this evening was distinct. Too much had been kept hidden between us, and too much was now at risk.
I tried to break through the tension that permeated the room by saying, "Amelia," in a quiet but forceful voice. At last, she raised her head, appearing reticent, as though she was preparing for a confrontation. In an attempt to prevent this from becoming another one of our standoffs, I took a step closer. "We must speak."
She lowered the report sharply, and her gaze narrowed. Lucas, I'm out of time for this. Please leave if you're just here to tell me what I already know.
I forced myself to swallow my growing frustration. This has been Amelia's style all along: in control, always deflecting. However, we were no longer able to act like we were and ignore one another. Not after all that had transpired. With a controlled tone, I said, "I'm not here to lecture you." But you can't bar me from entering forever. Recall that we are all in this together.
She crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed. "Lucas, are we? Since it occasionally seems like I'm the only one trying to keep this business viable while you.
"As what?" I spoke up, interrupting myself despite myself. "Although I strive to shield you from Leo and all those who are out to get you at every minute of my life? See how this is about more than just the business now? It is all about us.
With the weight of all we had been avoiding, the words hung in the air. Amelia fixed her gaze on me, her expression vacillating between rage and something else, something unfiltered and honest. For an instant, I believed I had a glimpse of the lady hiding behind the unwavering CEO, a break in her shell. However, she quickly put it back together, and the walls rose once more.
She said, cutting and piercing, "You don't get to make this about us." There was never intended to be a deeper purpose for this than business. You gave your consent to that. Nothing more than your agreed-upon role was agreed upon.
I clenched my fists, resisting the temptation to lash out and let her know how much of me this veneer had betrayed. You're accurate. Indeed, I did concur. Amelia, I agreed because I wanted to support you. I care about you, so I wanted to make sure you were safe. However, as you are aware, it's no longer just an act.
She looked away from me, her back to the window, and stared at the skyline of the city. The only sound disturbing the eerie quiet was the distant buzz of traffic below. The struggle she was having within herself was evident in the way she held herself. It was nearly hard for her to let me in, she was so used to being alone, to bearing the weight of the world on her shoulders.
At last, scarcely raising her voice above a whisper, she whispered, "You don't understand." "You have no idea what it's like to have everyone root for you to fail; you have to prove yourself every day because they can't wait to see you make a mistake."
I moved in closer, my heart pounding at the openness in her voice. You don't need to provide me with any proof, Amelia. I am aware of your immense efforts and sacrifices. You cannot, however, continue to work alone. You can't continue to put them down out of fear of being harmed.
She snapped around an intense blend of grief and rage in her eyes. "And you, Lucas? How about you? What is it that you fear? Do you think that at some point, this will all come to an end,d, and you'll be remembered as the man who failed to save me? Is that the real reason you're here?
Her remarks struck me as a gut punch. I couldn't provide her with an explanation that would reconcile all of our previous experiences. All I knew was that I had to stop acting as though I had nothing substantial and genuine to feel for her.
I said, my voice breaking under the weight of reality, "I'm scared of losing you." "What worries me is that no matter what I do, it won't be enough to keep you safe. I've seen what my life is like without you, and it's empty, so I'm even more afraid of leaving this or leaving you.
There was an overwhelming hush after that. Amelia looked at me with wide, dreamy eyes, as though she had never seen me before. She had a battle going on inside of her; there was a part of her that wanted to keep pushing me away and a part that wanted to draw nearer.
She began, her voice softening, "Lucas," but she didn't continue. It was not necessary for her to. I moved closer to her, putting my hand out to touch hers as I took a step forward. This time, she didn't back down. Instead, she turned to face our hands, her fingers quivering slightly against mine.
My voice was hardly audible above a whisper when I continued, "We've been through too much to keep pretending, Amelia." "You no longer need to do this alone. Allow me to be your support system, not just as a guardian but also as a caring person.
At last, her expression softened as she met my gaze. Her well-constructed barriers appeared to give way somewhat for the first time. With a tear trickling down her cheek, she nodded, and I knew then that no matter what came next, we would face it together.
With our hands clasped, we stood in silence as the city outside continued to bustle. We had no idea what was ahead, but we were facing it together for the first time.