Brother

"Sometimes the people who don't talk to you are the ones that really want to"

• Viviana •

"Ooh he looks good" Isla said, pointing to another resume
"He does, good references" I said, looking it over
I really appreciated Isla helping me on her lunch break.

I had found my shortlist of candidates for my position. Technically Lucian was supposed to do it
But he dumped it on me and told me to be quick about it.

"Mm, or her, she's got amazing history" she said
"Miss Romero, in here please" Lucian said through the intercom
"Duty calls" I said, getting up
"Yeah, I should be off now anyway, good luck" she said, pushing her chair in and walking towards the elevator.

"Yes sir?" I asked, entering the office
"Have you finished finding candidates?" He asked
"Yes, I just emailed them to you" I answered.

"Right, sit here then" he said
"Excuse me?" I asked surprised
"Pull up a chair. And sit here, was that not clear?" He asked

"Right, sorry" I said, grabbing one of the chairs
And situating myself next to him
He didn't move
"Well, talk me through them" he said
I cleared my throat, leaning forward
"Okay, uh- well there's five candidates I've narrowed it down to, they're all very capable, I can arrange interviews if you approve of them all?" I suggested.

"If I approve of them" he grumbled, looking at them
"You're leaving us in the lurch, and you want me to trust your opinion?" He asked
"I'm leaving because of my own business, I am sorry to be leaving, I really am, but I have to" I said.

"Why? What happens when your grandfather recovers? Are you going to come begging for your job back? And then leave every time he falls ill again? Or god forbid he passes. What will you do then? Return? Stay out there?" He asked
I had thought about this. I knew what I was giving up for this.

And whatever the outcome... I planned to stay out there for a while. To stay home with my dad and grandad, take care of them.

"What I do after I leave is my problem and my privacy Mr Alderidge, I assure you, I won't be running back begging for my position again. That's why I want to ensure that you're left in capable hands" I said
"I don't need leaving in any hands Miss Romero, all I need is an assistant who is competent enough to fetch paperwork and coffee" he said.

Again. That stung. A lot of what Lucian said did.
But I tried to push it back, I did a lot for him
Not in a narcissistic type of way.
I just... did a lot of things an assistant shouldn't have to
Or whatever I was to him.

"Right... are you um... are you excited about tonight?" I asked
"Why would I be?" He asked blankly
I refrained from sighing
"I'm not sure, I'm sorry" I said simply

•

"See you tomorrow" one of the girls at her desk said
"See you" I said, smiling, heading into Lucian's office before going
"Sir?" I said, knocking on the door
"Yes?"
"I'm leaving for the day, I was just wondering if you were still picking me up later?" I asked.

"Yes. I will be" he said. The man of very few words.
"Great, I'll see you later then, good night" I smiled, heading out.

"Good night" I heard him mumble. Making me smile
He always said it back. Even if it sounded like he was being forced to.

I like to think it was one of his rare forms of politeness with us all.

• Lucian •

She didn't need to come and check with me
I kept to my word.
I watched her walk towards the elevator, like she did every single day
She was different every morning and evening
Every morning she'd rush in with piles of paperwork in her arms, or coffees.

And in the evenings. Right now.
She'd walk with such grace, such exhaustion but she wouldn't show it. She'd say goodbye to me every night, ask if I needed anything
She was just happy to be going home.
I wonder how later would play out.

Seeing my family was bad enough.
But seeing Viviana outside of work? I'd never done that before
I didn't know what she was like in her free time.

"Night sir" another employee said, walking past my office
I looked up
"Shut the door" I said simply, returning to my work.

Fucking idiots

• Viviana •

"That's what you're wearing?" Kat asked
"Yeah, why? Is it too much?" I asked, rethinking my choice.
"No, I mean... yes but you said his family was posh yeah?" She asked, looking me over again.

"Yeah" I sighed
I'd met his mother on a few occasions when she'd come into the office
Or the times I'd had to drive the family to the airport for Lucian.

Another thing not in my job description
"I'll change"
"No, leave it on. You booked the damn restaurant for them, so you know the standards you're meeting" she said
"Ooh, looking fancy" Camilla said, appearing in the doorway.

"Thanks" I said, letting out a groan
"I'll leave this on" I gave in, grabbing my heels.

• Viviana's Outfit •

I was nervous to say the least about tonight
And the anxiety only doubled when the doorbell went
"Can I help you?" I heard Archer ask
"Shit" I mumbled, grabbing my bag

"I'm here to pick up... Viviana" he hesitated
We'd never had to address each other outside of work before
He probably realised asking for a Miss Romero was odd
"Viv... you're her boss?" He asked.

"Yes" he said simply, catching my eye as I entered the hallway
"Thanks Archer, sorry, I was just gathering my things" I said
"Yes well... shall we go?" He said, looking me over
I nodded.

"See you later Archer" I said, shutting the door behind me
We walked in silence down the driveway to his car
The flashy black one he drove into work everyday.

"Thank you" I said surprised, when he held my door open
The drive was awkward to say the least. We didn't have much to talk about. All we had ever spoke about was work.
I knew nearly everything about this man and yet we treated each other like strangers.

"It's good... that you're coming tonight" he said, breaking the silence hesitantly
"How so?" I asked
"My mother really wanted you to come. For whatever reason. So thank you I suppose" he said.

"It's alright, I didn't have much else on tonight" I chuckled slightly
"No plans at all? Your boyfriend seemed quite hesitant for you to leave" he said, eyes on the road
"Oh, Archer isn't my... he's my roommate. One of them anyway" I said.

"Oh" he said simply, silence blanketing us again.

"Did you bring the present?" He asked after a moment
"Yes" I said, opening my bag to retrieve the narrow jewellery box
"The necklace she wanted from the spring collection" I said, opening it to show him.

He glanced at it
"Good. What did you get her?" He asked
"Oh, I bought her a scrapbook, with all the post cards she sends in it" I said.
She sent one every few weeks from wherever they were at that point.

Detailing their trips and how much she missed Lucian, how much she wanted us to catch up when she was back in town

And I kept hold of them all
"Mm" he hummed, uninterested.
Tough nut to crack.

We eventually pulled up at the restaurant
To be met with some of the most richly dressed people I had ever seen
I now had the reverse opinion of my outfit
Now I felt way too dressed down.

"Calm down" Lucian said, taking my arm around his, leading me inside as I tried to balance the presents in my free arm
We had never... touched like this before
If people looked at us right now, they certainly wouldn't describe us as boss and employee

Even when we were inside, he didn't let go
"Good evening, do you have a reservation?" A lady asked with a smile
"Yes. Alderidge" he said bluntly
I offered her a small smile to ease his blank attitude towards her.

"Of course, right this way, some of your party have already arrived" she said, leading us
"Lucian" I said
"You... you can let go now" I said, and he dropped his hold immediately.

"Ah, Viviana" Meira said happily, standing from her seat and hugging me
"Meira, happy birthday" I said happily
"Thankyou darling" She smiled

"Lucian" she smiled, refraining from a hug due to his... personal space issues
"Mother" he said, sitting down
She gasped
"You won't even pull a chair out for poor Viviana here, Viv I'm sorry for my son's lack of manners" she said, sitting down.

"It's fine, honestly" I said, taking my seat, beside Lucian

"Son, you're looking well" Kane spoke up from beside Meira
"You too dad, how was the flight?" He asked
He waved off his words
"Not too bad" he said simply.

"Where's Caelan?" Meira asked confused
Lucian shrugged
"I thought he'd be with you" she said once she received no response
"He's my brother not my responsibility, he can find his own way here" he said blankly.

I was his secretary, I could have also found my own way here.
"He's staying with you" she pointed out
"And yet he doesn't return home until the early hours of the morning most days" he said back.

"That boy needs a wake up call" Kane chimed
"He needs a job he can properly focus on" Meira corrected, looking to Lucian
"I already told you. No" he said
No?
"Why not?" She whined

"Because having him work for me is asking for my business to fail. He's a liability" he said
"He's your brother" she defended
"That makes him my blood. Not competent" he said, ending the conversation

Meira was silent for a moment, before she looked to me
"I don't know how you get any work done with this one, so demanding" she chuckled
"I seem to manage" I smiled, trying to be polite

I had never socialised with Lucian's family in such a setting
I had never socialised with them around Lucian.

"Mind telling us how? We still can't figure it out and we're his parents" Kane joked
Kane was a... tough man. A man that looked quite unapproachable and yet he was sweet as honey to talk to.

Meira gave off a friendly personality where ever she went
It was hard to understand how... cold Lucian was having parents like these.

"Let's get this party started eh?" A voice boomed throughout the restaurant
I looked behind me to see Caelan staggering in with a bottle of champagne in one hand, a wide grin on his face.

"Caelan" Meira said hesitantly, standing up
"What?" He chuckled, his suit in disarray and his eyes... blurry
"Are you drunk?" Kane asked, his mood having rapidly changed
"Are you honestly surprised?" Lucian asked bored.

Caelan looked around, swaying back and forth before his eyes landed on me
"Hey, Viv, I didn't know you were coming, good to see you" he smiled
"Hi Calean" I said, standing up
"Do you want to sit down?" I asked gently.

"Get some water" Meira told a waiter
"He doesn't need water, he needs to sleep it off" Kane said annoyed as Caelan began moving for a chair, but he slipped before he got there, falling onto the floor.

But it only made him laugh more.
"Fuck sake" Lucian snapped, standing up
"Let's go" he said simply
"Go?" I questioned
"You can't go!" Meira said.

"I'm not sitting around with him showing us all up, he's a fucking embarrassment" Lucian said annoyed, before he stormed off towards the doors
I reluctantly followed him, he was my ride after all, I threw an apologetic look at Meira
"Ah you just don't know how to have fun!" Caelan shouted giddily as we left.

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