For a long while, we just lie in bed. I don't say a thing and do my best not to cry, but it's hard. I'm angry and hurt, so I just lie with my head on Nora's lap while she strokes my hair softly. She doesn't say anything else and doesn't ask me exactly what happened. She knows that for as long as I'm upset, I won't open my mouth. I don't like talking because it means the dam will break and I'll start bawling. I don't like doing that, looking for weak and vulnerable because I can't control my emotions.

In this world, if you want to succeed, you need to be always in control of yourself. Emotions are hard to deal with, and most people allow themselves get carried away and act rashly. If I do that, I can most of the time make a mistake I'll regret later. In the world I live in, mistakes can cost millions if not billions. I can't afford mistakes or acting without thinking coldly before. If I can control my emotions or my personal life, then I can do it more easily with my working life.

I'm just preparing myself. Training my mind and heart, even if it's hard.

It's not like I won't allow myself feeling and such, I don't want to be made of ice, but I don't want my emotions to get the best of me. If I feel like I can't deal with them just yet, if I have to let them sink a bit before addressing them, then that's what I will do.

Nora knows me so well so she's patient and waits until I feel ready to talk about it, even if takes a while.

"You think I'm a monster? That people like me are monsters?" I ask after who knows how long. Maybe an hour, maybe two... maybe less.

"What? Of course not," Nora replies immediately, not even hesitating it. "Why would you say that?"

"Will said people like me are monsters, that we don't care about anything. People like me are capable of wanting to get rid of someone else... he made it sound like I deserved what happened to me." My throat feels so tight as I recall his words, and the emotions in my chest feel as raw as they did back then.

"Did he really say that?" I can't blame her for not believing me. That someone can be that cruel or hatred-driven is hard to swallow, especially if someone acted like that to your best friend. I wouldn't believe someone said something like that about Nora, but then again, I'm sure no one would ever treat her like that, she doesn't have who-knows how many people hating her guts and hoping she is indeed dead.

I nod my head feebly, hiding my face in her lap as I feel her hand stopping in my hair.

"He doesn't know you, Blanca. He thinks he does, but he doesn't. He's just generalising and letting his bad opinion decide what he thinks of you. It's a mistake most people make. I'm sure that if he knew you, he'd think differently," Nora tries to comfort me and I make a sound in the back of my throat that says I don't really buy that.

"We really stand on different sides. He's an activist who thinks people like me are destroying the world, while I think he's an idealist who doesn't see the harsh reality. We have different values." I take a deep breath, not seeing how he could understand the kind of person I am or the world I live in. And I can't leave all my practicality because I want to save the world. That can't be done. "There's no way that even if he gets to know me his opinion will change. I'm his enemy."

"Aren't you the one that says that you don't need people to like you?" Nora reminds me. "You've always had people hating and envying you, but they've never stopped you. You said you don't need people to love you, you need them to work and be efficient, opinions aside."

I heave a tired sigh as I hear her. That is true, it's what I've lived for and what is more efficient at the end. I'll never get the world to love me or everyone to be on my side, that's just unrealistic. But that's something I say out loud to look strong, in fact all those people hating me and saying mean things about me do hurt. What Will said hurt me deeply, even if I don't care about him or I don't need him to like him. The fact someone can hate me so much hurts me and makes me wonder if I'm really doing something so terrible.

Am I weak for that?

"I don't think we can stay here anymore," I mutter, shifting in bed to make room for Nora to lay down with me, face-to-face.

"Don't say that. Are you truly allowing a hater to kick you out?"

"But I'm sure that if we stay, he'll tell the media and everything will be ruined," I express my concern. "He wants me away."

"Don't you worry about that, I'll take care of him," Nora promises, looking confident and all business. She's like Louise in that aspect, efficient and reliable.

I close my eyes and cuddle up to her, because she's all I have from home, my support right now and I still feel deeply hurt. I can still hear Will's words and I feel wariness sinking in my guts, knowing I'll have to see him tomorrow.

"By the way, what did Louise say?" I try changing the topic, I don't want to keep talking.

"Oh right. Yes, I called her regarding the articles. She said more and more sources are claiming you're dead, some even saying your body has been found. Some still claim you're missing, which is the official statement, but more are saying otherwise. She's trying to stop them from speculating, but it's hard." I run my hands all over my face, not knowing what to feel right now. "She fears Laura is giving them incentive to keep speculating like that."

"Why would she be pushing them to that? She's in control of the company, and if I'm missing then she'll remain in charge."

"She's just the acting CEO. If you are declared dead before your birthday, then it's easier for her to be appointed the rightful CEO, as she is your legal guardian yet, in addition with what your father's will stipulated. If it's after your birthday, then there's a board meeting, all the shareholders have to agree and even propose a CEO. It becomes a contest and you know, she doesn't really have any training or preparation for the position. Even if she's older, you're more capable as you've been training all your life to assume that role. If she's put against someone else, then she is most likely to lose."

"Oh," I mumble, realising why she'd be in a rush. If she's behind all this. I still have trouble believing that. "That's why Louise thinks you're in great danger until your birthday comes. Not only Laura, but the other shareholders are getting anxious, preparing in case you're declared death. They've all seen the possibility and become greedy."

"Can they really be like that?" It's so hard to believe people are actually like that.

"Mum says the first time you slip down that path is hard, then it becomes usual until you have no morals. Most of them have been in this competitive world for a long while, many times doing illegal things just to keep climbing. They get so corrupted so eventually they really become monsters and have no regard for others." My stomach flips as I hear that, feeling like throwing up. "Some are worse than others."

"I don't want to keep hearing that." I shake my head, shutting my eyes tightly. "I don't want to be like that either."

"You won't. Just make sure to never slip, like your father." I take a deep breath, finding some comfort in that. My father wasn't a monster, I won't become one. "And stay here, you're safe here. I'll deal with Will so he won't tell the media."

"Gomawo," I express my gratitude in Korean, she only smiles at me, brining me a bit closer.

"Go to sleep now. You have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning, remember?" At that mention I feel the pain in my ribs again, remembering how Will grabbed me when I almost slipped. I was so consumed with my own emotions I ignored my physical discomfort.

She starts petting my head again, soothing me so I can fall asleep. Still, it takes quite a while for me, I can even hear the other girls coming to bed and getting ready to sleep, asking if I'm okay because we didn't go back for dinner. Nora reassures them it's all right, I'm just tired. I hear Nora falling asleep first, her breathing becoming even and slow as I still struggle to follow her.

I fall asleep near dawn, so I don't notice when Nora leaves the bed or the girls go to school, I only wake up later that morning when Sammy comes to me, carrying a tray with breakfast.

"Nora said you need to get up because we're going to the doctor. Are you feeling better?" Sammy asks, sitting next to me on the bed and helping me sit with the tray on my lap.

"Better," I lie. My ribs hurt a lot and breathing is hard, even more so to swallow food, so I only eat half of what's brought to me. "Thank you for bringing me breakfast. You didn't have to if I missed it."

"I asked Nora if I could go with you to the hospital and she said only if I brought breakfast and woke you up." I chuckle lightly, Nora is always making deals.

"Thank you so much," I smile at her, patting her head affectionately.

"How do you say 'thank you' in Spanish?" she asks next as I put the tray aside, not able to keep eating.

"Gracias," I reply, still smiling. She's always curious, asking both Nora and I how to say certain things in Spanish and Korean respectively. "And you can say kamsahamnida to thank in Korean when speaking to older people, like us. It's formal enough."

She nods, absorbing the words and repeating them to herself. I watch her with a fond smile and then go to the bathroom to wash up and get dressed for the doctor. It's a bit hard with my casts, but I'm getting better at this and I don't need Nora's assistance. I can even go downstairs on my own now.

When I reach the last step, I see Will passing by. For a second we stop to look at each other and all the hurt I felt last night comes back to swallow me. I feel my eyes burning again so I look away.

"Blanca, I—" He can't continue, even if I don't move for a bit more. Then I just give up and head to the kitchen where I'll find Nora.

As I expected, she's there doing the dishes. I walk up to her. Well, limp is an accurate description as I haven't gotten my crutch back from last night.

"I'm ready," I announce, making her turn to smile at me.

"Great, I'm almost done and we can go to the hospital. How're your ribs?"

"They hurt, but I'll survive." I smile. "I hurts more because I have to limp to move."

"You shouldn't do that. Where's your crutch?"

I shrug. "I think I left it at Clarisse's office," I reply. "After the argument with Will, I didn't pick it up."

"I'll go for it and then we can leave," she offers, putting aside the last dish and then drying her hands.

I see her turning around, ready to go for my crutch when Will walks in, with said object in his hands and an uncomfortable expression on his face. He can't look up and meet my eyes, so he only focuses on Nora and hands it to her. "Clarisse told me to drive you to the hospital," he mumbles and I tense immediately.

"No!" I blurt out, making him finally look at me with surprise in his eyes. "You don't have to."

"She's right," Nora supports, knowing I'd be too uncomfortable with him around. "I can do it."

"Still," he insists. "It's my way to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. I'll wait in the van." He doesn't wait for any reply, just leaves and I just watch him standing and with my mouth slightly agape.

"It'll be fine," Nora turn to reassure me, walking up to me to give me my crutch. "By the way, I talked to him. He'll sign the confidentiality agreement later."

"He will?" I ask dumbfounded. "How did you— never mind, I don't want to know anything about it. I'm glad he won't throw me to the sharks, that's all." I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. "Let's go now?"

"Let's go," she agrees, smiling encouragingly and then walking next to me, slowly, to the van where Will is waiting. At least I won't have to leave this place, but that also means I'll have to keep dealing with him. I can't consider this a win just because of that.

❅ ❅ ❅

Hello there! I hope you liked this chapter. I certainly enjoy writing about Nora and Blanca. Their friendship is beautiful and if they weren't like sisters, I'd ship them. Anyhow! Please, leave your comments. Also, I've put my other story on hold and I plan on having updates for this twice a week. I'm considering Mondays and Fridays. Happy about it? Let me know then!

Dedication to katnissarcher Thank you for always leaving amazing comments.

Shall we go with #Willca for the ship name? Do you have something better? Also, you can follow me on Twitter and interact more with me (@BelWatson)

Bel, xx

 ~updates every Friday~