Chapter 55/202: Even

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IMPORTANT: You won't UNDERSTAND this chapter unless you've read the special chapter 'Parental Mementos' found in our Charlotte's Story Special Materials book! GO. CHECK. IT. Before reading this if you haven't! Because we wrote SO many things in this while taking it for granted that you checked that update! If you haven't, it's on you :)

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Lord Sebastian Evan Keith stepped into the room. His smooth, arrogant, and seductive gaze flashed over me and then in the direction of Mr. Ellington.

I gulped, noting that he clearly did not recognize me.

Carefully, I made way for him in a daze, shifting my gaze between him and my employer.

Yikes!

Mr. Ellington had his cold, numb gaze still fixed over the vast lands outside his window. He had his cigarette placed over the ashtray, and it was eating itself up as it fell into ashes.

His lordship shifted in my direction at this, quickly moving his gaze over me as it landed on my name tag over my chest.

Keeping his charming, unfazed smile, his eyes playfully fixed into my blue ones. "Miss Daisy, hm?" He mouthed, stepping in the direction of my employer, his broad back facing me at this. "I am an old acquaintance of Rickard. Don't worry, I just wish for some private time with him."

I blinked, and shot the president a quick glance, as I nodded like an obedient maid should.

Stepping outside the room, I shut the door behind me.

As I sighed.

Then muffled a triumphant giggle.

Pacing silently, I entered my room from its other door, then very carefully and silently, opened the door connecting it to the mini corridor.

Leading to that other room.

Hehe, I bet his lordship did not know that Daisy had a way of hearing out the convo.

Seriously, Char? Why would you eavesdrop?! That's such a bad habit you have there, idiot!

I flushed softly. Hey! I... I'm just curious, especially knowing the mechanism of those two's relationship, eh!!

I sighed silently, nearing his majesty's door.

Much to my delight, I had left the door slightly opened earlier, considering it's connected to a corridor that technically lead to a bathroom, and so it didn't need to be closed firmly.

And it came perfectly in handy now.

Especially considering neither the lords would expect this.

Making sure I was at an angle neither of them could see me, I eyed the scene carefully.

Sebastian neared Mr. Ellington's bed slowly, as he lit on one of his cigarettes, and flashed his smooth gaze at the room around him. "My, this place has not changed one bit in ten years, eh?"

Puffing his smoke out as he was met with no reply, his lordship eyed around more intently, and I noticed his eyes darken as they landed on the photograph shelves some feet away from the bed. His jaw twitched, and a clear frown flashed over his eyebrows, before he moved his look away.

Wordlessly, he then fixed his gaze over one of the shelves of his majesty's bookshelf, nearing it. "Assuming the room is still as it is..."

He squatted, and I eyed his broad shoulders beneath his grey suit, as he moved his hand across the shelf, until he grabbed something from there, pulling it out. "Then I expect to find this still here."

As a result of Sebastian's action, an envelope fell to the ground, seemingly having been beside or beneath whatever object his lordship pulled out.

It did not escape nor my nor Sebastian's attention, that Mr. Ellington's hard, yet unmoving eyes snapped to the envelope like some eagle zeroeing at its prey from miles above. And they remained fixed over it in concentration. 

Neglecting the envelope on the ground completely and leaving it on the ground, Keith on the other hand stood up, as he walked back in his majesty's direction, gently patting off the dust from what he was holding.

I frowned, eyeing the rectangle-shaped box between his long fingers. This...

Throwing the box recklessly on the edge of the bed some centimeters away from his majesty, his lordship moved some steps back, dragging the chair before the study desk, as he placed it near the bed.

And he opened the box.

I blinked again, and Sebastian slowly lifted his jade, composed, and dark unflinching gaze to fix into that of the president's, which had now fixed into him, unflinchingly, numbly.

"So, Chess?"

I gaped, seeing the box opened to become a...

A chess board.

Hah?

Placing the board on the bed, Keith suffocated his cigarette into his portable ashtray, as he slowly started placing the pieces on the board.

Flabbergasted, I eyed the president's gaze in return. I gulped.

Rickard Ellington Conway eyed the board silently and wordlessly. His beauteous beads still reflected nothingness, like literal empty glasses. Not a single expression crossed his cold and harsh features, as they remained passive. Wordless.

His cigarette had finished itself by now, and he still touched it not.

In a sense, he was bothering not in clearly messaging the lord that he was unwanted.

On the other hand, his lordship seemed unfazed, as though he had seen such an attitude coming from his majesty Ellington.

Casually, Sebastian reached out for one of the white pawns on his side, moving it forward. "So, I heard you've been shot." He mouthed calmly, a smooth smile crossing his lips, as though he were reporting the most casual news in the world. "Karma is one bad bitch." 

Lifting his gaze back to the president, the latter had turned back towards the window silently, and I could not see his expression anymore.

The jades of his lordship glinted at this, still unfazed, as his jaw twitched. His smile faded slightky, as he for one of the black-colored pawns on the president's side of the board.

Moving it in a literal play against himself, he moved his jaw thoughtfully. "Ah, shit's really bad, eh? You've never backed off from a round."

Still, no answer.

The lord's expression darkened further at this, clearly having his patience starting to run off.

He moved another pawn of his, taking another drag as his eyes shot towards Mr. Ellington's ashtray with all the buds in it. "Hm, so what your step mother informed me in that mad state of hers is true. You really are not eating or interacting."

A twitch in the lord's muscular jaw occured at this. "A living corpse."

And his jades pierced.

And he moved another pawn of the president's side.

"What a fucking disappointment."

The president did not even shift, and yet he turned at this.

The grey in his eyes deepened further, accentuating the numbness and emptiness they reflected.

Fixing Sebastian Keith with them, he parted his full dry lips, and let his deep, throaty, yet low voice out:

"What reason is there behind your visit, Evan?"

A clear glint of darkness flashed through Sebastian's jades, and his teeth clenched, as his jaw locked. He shot his gaze towards the board at this, reaching out for a horse shaped piece from his side, and moved it forward.

And then stood up.

As he shifted fast.

Moving some steps back as he kneeled down, he picked up the envelope which had fell from behind the Chess box earlier.

And Sebastian Keith's fingers tightened as they clutched over the folded piece of paper between them.

Which in turn had a clear distinct line written with neat and cursive handwriting on its back.

I shuddred, and my heart sank. As my eyes, through thorough focusing, were able to make out what was written on the envelope.

Considering a black coloured fountain pen had obviously been used, and the font was thick.

This...

'Last letter: Alexander's eighteenth birthday.'

Additionally, the line to the letter's bottom right had some kind of signature withe same cursive handwriting.

'Grace Ellington Conway.'

The font was smaller, but the name was brief. It didn't need much focus to be read.

Loud and clear in my head.

A tear strolled down my cheek.

And my heart ached madly.

As my brain, through basic process of elimination, was able to figure out who the name belonged to.

Grace.

Grace Ellington Conway.

It couldn't be anyone but... her.

My thoughts went into halt, as Sebastian Keith turned the envelope towards him for some seconds, eyeing the writings which I was just reading as well. 

His expression darkening as his deep beads stormed, and his jaw tightened. Shifting, he moved his free hand to his jacket's inner pocket.

As he pulled out something.

My blood went cold, and my hands came up pressing against my mouth to prevent a gasp from escaping me, as I exerted every single bit of sanity in me to fix my legs in place and not move forward, exposing myself in my first day.

Sebastian held his lighter up.

Lighting it with his thumb.

As he neared it to the envelope he had in hand.

The fire danced in excitement, centimeters away from the envelope the lordship had between his fingers.

What... the hell...

Keith's beauteous jades darkened, shimmering with mad intensity and all the secrets they concealed, as his jaw locked and his fingers clutched over the lighter, nearing it further to the envelope.

Sebastian... Why...

My heart sank, as I shook.

Why would you want to burn such a possession which you probably knew held priceless sentimental value to the almighty R.E.C....

Speaking of his majesty Ellington...

My eyes snapped in his direction.

And I shuddered. In stun.

From before the hippie lord, his target...

Flinched not.

Not even shifted.

Mr. Ellington barely looked back at the man before him, about to burn what possibly was among the rare and last possessions he had left from the woman whose voice had been tattooed over his body.

Good lord...

His inhumane purely empty gaze remained unchanged. More intense and severe, if anything. Reflecting pure numbness.

He looked unmoved, as though he was still eyeing the vast green lands before him.

And silent seconds passed.

Slowly.

Agonizingly.

With neither the men muttering a letter.

Until slowly, the grip of Lord Keith around the lighter started relaxing on its own.

And his expression released some of its harshness, maintaining only its cold nature, as he eyed majesty Ellington haughtily.

"Unfazed, as I expeced." The young Lord murmured with his deep vocals, keeping the lighter lit next to the letter.

"Because you realize, just like I do, that I cannot do it."

I blinked at his words, and Sebastian kept his cold expression at Mr. Ellington, who maintained his emotionless expression.

"And this is why I am here." His lordship's words followed, his vocals deepening and reflecting danger.

His deep jades snapped to the fire for a second, and the orange flames reflected beauteously in them.

"I am here..." He then snapped his gaze back to Rickard Ellington Conway, who was still eyeing him frostily.

And the eyes of the two lords clashed at this.

In a shear clash of titans.

Battling endlessly over territories.

Sebastian's voice continued his phrase then, colder than I've ever heard it or known it:

 

"To set that fucking score between us even."


I gulped, frowning in disbelief.

What... is he saying...

Score...?

Mr. Ellington flinched not still, as he fixed Keith with the same empty gaze and those grey glass beads. On the other hand, Sebastian clenched his jaw further, snapping his gaze to the letter between his fingers.


"So that this guilt eating me up won't be present the next time I witness your downfall."


My eyes widened.

Guilt...?

But... why...

Why would Sebastian feel guilty towards Mr. Ellington...

Isn't he the one convinced that his fued with the latter is reasoned...?

Then... why?

As though answering my mental confusions, the travelling lord's throaty dark voice came.

"I don't know if you'll get what score I'm talking about." Sebastian turned off the lighter at this, as he gazed into it with his deep distant jades, which seemed to be eyeing some alternate scene. "Not that I'm interested in reminding you, if anything."

Placing the letter back onto the shelf, he pulled out a cigarrette from his pack, as he used the lighter to light it focusedly. "But anyhow, I find it my turn to say it, this time."

And the earl looked up at this.

Fixing his dark, unflinching, and deep gaze into that of the Ellington's.

As their beads clashed. Once more.


"Toughen the fuck up, Ellington, because it is not like you have much of a choice."


And that was it.

For the first time ever since I arrived here...

Mr. Ellington's jaw twitched.

As it tightened.

Indicating the words had clearly hit a nerve.

Lord Keith apparently had expected such a reaction, as he smoothly took another drag from his cigarette, and his expression had slowly relaxed. It wasn't his usual, casual, and smooth expression, true! But it had relaxed back to its usual cold and relatively dark one which he always had around Mr. Ellington.

Keeping the president fixed with his gaze, he moved his jaw, blowing some smoke out.

"Listen, I have met one single human who is more stubborn than you in this world." His lordship murmured throatily, taking another slow drag, as he kept his orbs into those of the president's.


"And that person is Charlotte Mia Thorne." 


My eyes widened.

And so did those of Rickard Ellington Conway. As his lips parted.

For the second time today, Sebastian Keith had managed to muster a reaction from his almighty Ellington.

Clearly taking him by stun.

Mr. Ellington's eyes remained wide, since the first time I'd gotten here, they had a miniature, almost non-existent spec of their old, arrogant, and cold human nature...

For the first time ever since he'd gotten shot a week ago, his eyes had... mirrored something.

That unfailing essence of pride within them.

Sebastian did not mind that though, as he kept his dead serious gaze fixed into the president's.


"Charlotte will not back off after what your father did."


My heart tugged at his words, and I bit my lips to prevent a gasp from escaping me.

Tightening his jaw, Sebastian clenched his teeth over his cigarette. "She never did, if anything."

Slowly, the president's eyes started regaining their shape.

And the grey, almost unnoticeably.

Had weakened.

As their ocean nature glinted again.

Somehow... like someone had injected reality into him for a split of a second.

Holding his cigarette between his index and middle fingers, Sebastian eyed one of his gemstone rings distantly, and at this, my heart clenched.

Realizing it was the same stone he'd given me.


"That woman is more resilient than I or you have ever been, keep that in mind."


Unconsciously, I felt warm, silent tears stroll down my cheeks at his words.

As my heart ached at every word.

From before Sebastian, the eyes of the Ellington titan, in their utmost numb and empty state, glimmered.

Reflecting a hint of arrogance, greatness, and... realization.

"And this time won't be any different." Keith took a drag from his cigarette once more, "We both know her enough to know she will find her way back to the picture."

The president's jaw twitched again at this, and Sebastian shrugged, keeping his dark gaze. "I have no interest in the nature of your relationship with the woman." His lorship spoke slowly, and my heartbeat rate suddenly increased.

And the man looked back from the gemstone ring and up to my ex-president, fixing their arrogant gazes once more.


"But I do know that she will require protection from both of us when she does enter the picture again."


Moving his gaze momentarily to the bandages over Mr. Ellington's torso, "Because I believe your father made himself pretty clear this time." Sebastian moved his dark jades up again, and both men's gazes had the same danger glinting in them. 


"The next bullet will be in her."


And I saw it at this.

For the first time, once more ever since I'd seen him after his injury, the beads of Rickard Ellington Conway glimmered with murderous intent.

Nearing the ashtray at this, the travelling lord suffocated his cigarette, eyeing the other dead buds. "So hurry up, and recover. Not because I give two shits about that." He murmured, throatily as he pulled his third cigarette for today.


"But because we're racing against time."


I wet my lips, my tears still strolling down my cheeks.

Several silent moments passed, as Sebastian smoked wordlessly.

And Rickard Ellington Conway remained wordless too, keeping his deep and unfathomable gaze at the chess board before him.

His lordship seemed to have finally run out of patience, as he arced his head at his majesty Ellington, keeping his dark expression. "So, I get no comment on all of what I said?"

The president retorted not at this, keeping his concentrated gaze at the chess board for some long seconds.

Until he finally shifted.

Wordlessly. Slowly.


His left hand shot out, towards the board.


As it grabbed a pawn.


And moved it. Forward.


"Do you plan to leave the round unfinished, Keith? That is such a waste of time."


I blinked, and so did Sebastian.

At the arrogant, composed, and frostbite tone of the almighty R.E.C.

It was the first time, in such a long while, to present itself again.

With all its potential dominance.

Mr. Ellington still had his numb, empty gaze fixed into the chess board.

And yet somehow...

His tone did not reflect similar... numbness it had, from earlier.

It was colder than ever, haughtier than ever, and more terrifying than before, yes.

But it was no longer passive.

Not anymore.

From before him, Sebastian Evan Keith's lips

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