Meanwhile, in Johnson’s building, Lana was sitting in Miles’s office. The managers and leads of all the departments were sitting nervously by the meeting table.
They were all extremely nervous as they didn’t even see their boss today.
Lana was smoking as she looked at the big screen on the wall. The meeting room was deadly silent as no one dared to make any comments.
Lana soon ground her cigarette in the ashtray before looking up, “PR, I need you to take appropriate action and delete all the videos from the internet. I don’t want to see any reports and posts about this thing from now on.”
“Yes, ma’am.” They answered in chorus.
Lana sat by the long table alone when the meeting room went empty. She finally understood why Miles had agreed to work with her.
So everything he did was for his little lover.
Miles’s call came in quite soon. Lana picked up the phone, waiting quietly for an explanation, but Miles didn’t say anything.
“I’ve sent the PR to handle those videos,” Lana said.
“Thank you,” it took Miles a couple of seconds to finally speak. He sounded extremely tired on the other side of the line.
****
Miles probably was still recovering from the drama online at home. He didn’t come to pick Lana up that evening.
It started to snow outside. Lana sat alone in the office for a while and decided to take a walk.
She wrapped her coat tightly around her body as she walked on the snow-covered street. Christmas was just around the corner and this was the last day at work for most people.
Everyone seemed happy and content as they walked back home. Lana suddenly recalled the days when she was just a little girl. The Bradley brothers would come to visit her back then.
Enzo was the oldest one and he always appeared to be cold and detached. He seldom smiled or talked. Lana had always joked that he was a little old man.
Clyde had been the most gentle one. He had never tried to take away her desserts or toys as Linford did. He had always tried to take care of her and protect her, but he had been so boring.
Linford had been the most different one. He didn’t mind bullying her and taking away her stuff. And he had been so fearless.
He was the most annoying little boy Lana had ever seen, but she liked the way he was.
Lana remembered the Christmas eve they spent together.
The adults had gone to church and the children had been left alone playing in the garden.
They had been putting up lights on the trees and then they just suddenly started to attack each other with snowballs.
Linford had been so aggressive that he hadn’t shown any level of chivalry. He had held a bucket of snowballs and chased her until she hid in her Granny’s bedroom.
Linford had even broken a window with snowballs.
Clyde had tried to tell the adults that he was the one who broke the window, but Linford had stopped him before he could. Announcing proudly that he had been the one who caused the damage.
Franco had been so mad that he grabbed Linford by his scruff and paddle his ass black and blue.
Linford had been lying in his bedroom for days.
Lana’s lips curled into a smile as she thought about those memories. When she looked up, she became sad again.
As happy and warm as those memories were, she would never be able to go back.
A black Lincoln pulled over by the road. The driver of the White House poked his head out of the window, “Miss, why are you here alone? Mrs. White is worried.”
“She hasn’t gone to bed yet?” Lana asked as she held the door open and climbed in.
“She can’t. She’s worried about you.”
****
When Lana walked upstairs, Mrs. White was waiting for her in the study room. Lana took off her coat slowly, and a maid came to take the coat and left the room.
Mrs. White was in her pajamas. She was reading a book with a pair of glasses on her nose.
“Rachel said you want to see me, Granny,” Lana said calmly.
Mrs. White looked up from her book, “You don’t have anything to tell me, Lana?”
Lana walked over and sat before the desk, “Yes, Miles is gay. It’s all over on the news now.”
“How did he manage to hide his sexuality so well? That man is cunning. You need to be really careful around him,” Mrs. White shook her head, “I bet you also got to know this today, didn’t you? I’ve taught you again and again that you must learn to see through a person before you start any form of cooperation with him. You failed to see his true face. But Linford Bradley figured out who he really is before you could. I’m really disappointed, Lana. I doubt you can get what you want from the Bradley family. You really should stop making any nasty plans. Linford is a powerful enemy for you.”
“Granny, you know I don’t have any other choices anymore,” Lana stared at the old lady before her stubbornly.
Mrs. White finally looked up. “Don’t say that, Lana. Everyone makes her own choice. You can’t look at other options because of your ego.”
Lana didn’t say anything as she stood up and left the room.
It was too late. And she would never flinch.
****
After opening the gifts on Christmas morning, Linford decided to pick his Dad up from his house. The mansion was full of joy. Leaving Darwin and Tanya in their house alone just seemed a bit cruel.
Franco was worried about the relationship between Linford and Darwin. He thought Linford wouldn’t invite Darwin over for Christmas. Franco had never been happier that he had made the wrong assumption.
Cristelle stood up from her chair, “Should I go with you?”
“No, it’s okay. Just stay.” Linford wanted to consider her feelings, but this was probably one of the few Christmases they were going to spend with Franco.
Shutting Darwin out was definitely not something Franco would ever want. Linford would spare no effort to make Pop happy. He was sure Cristelle could understand this.
Linford took the babies when he drove to Darwin’s house.
Darwin has barely eaten anything since this morning. He had been locking himself in the room. No matter how often Tanya knocked on the door, he wouldn’t come out.
Tanya knew he was still sulking about the failure of the whole plan. Franco had also been a major plan-maker, but he somehow got Linford and the babies’ forgiveness so easily.