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♥ louisa ♥

"MUM! DAD!" I shouted as I strolled down the stairs exuding confidence. Julia and the other maids rushed out to the hallway in alarm; I gave my blonde friend a hearty smile that read get ready for a scene in response to her confused look.

My mother came first, stalking out the living room with her dark brown hair loose for once. "What is this havoc you're causing, Louisa? Lower your voice, please. The neighbours will complain."

I was tempted to remind her that the walls were soundproof but let it slide. Her accusing eyes moved to Lexi who was standing on the stairs beside me.

My mother had never seen her before and took this as an opportunity to drill through her, oddly startled when the blue-eyed vixen boldly held eye contact. She shot her a long, curious look - although she was one step higher than me, Lexi's petite stature meant that our heights were level and in harmony.

Earlier, when I had told Lexi that my parents were prohibiting me from breaking off my engagement with Logan, she had immediately backed me. I guess she understood what it felt like when your parents refused to accept your own decision.

"What's going on, Louisa?" A loud voice boomed as heavy feet slapped against the floor. "I happened to be on a very important business call with our partners in China when you-"

Dad looked as if he'd just seen a ghost.

He had frozen on the spot in his coal-black suit that easily cost a couple ten thousands, his right hand clutching a mobile phone and the left tightened into a fist. I relished his impending doom, noticing a layer of recollection shut over his eyes as he remembered her.

"L-Lexi? What are you doing here?"

Lexi turned her head towards me, silently asking for permission as her unnaturally large lips pulled upwards into a smirk. I nodded sharply at her, my facial expressions mirroring hers.

It was time to embrace the desolation that secrets could cause.

Lexi proceeded to seductively sashay down the marble stairs. "Oh my! What a coincidence. Long time no see, Edward baby."

It sounded a million times more provocative due to her high pitched nasal voice. I felt my lips twitch upwards when I caught Lexi shoot him a three-second long alluring wink with her mouth open.

My long legs began moving again when I descended the stairs. The plan was playing out exactly as I intended it to. My mother would soon realise that I didn't just have the looks but the brains too.

"I-I-" He stuttered in disbelief whilst I savoured the look of shock on Dad's face after glancing at my garnet nails. They shone as if they were dripping liquid crystal.

For some reason, I'd been drawn to red recently.

Mum wasn't oblivious and had certainly caught on the fact that she was missing something. "Someone explain to me right now what is going on." Her puncturing eyes landed on me as she continued demanding, "Louisa, I'm talking to you."

"Oh, nothing serious. I just thought I'd introduce you to my friend Lexi Walton," I grated in a relaxed tone, watching my mother get even angrier.

God, I was turning into Gabriel.

It didn't bother me that Mum wasn't interested in what I was saying because she had picked up on the battle of gazes between Lexi and my father. The sound of her voice was encased in a tough sternness as she attacked my Dad. "Do you know her, Edward? Why are you so shaken up? You've gone pale."

"Uh- No. No, I don't know who-"

"Eddie, why are you being like this? You couldn't have forgotten me already." Lexi cooed, eyes still locked with his as she paraded suggestively around him. "You promised ten months ago that I'd always be on your mind. Every single day. Don't tell me you're a dirty dirty liar, Eddie."

I had to give it to the girl. It didn't matter if it was from experience or not. Lexi did know how to work it and put on a show.

A satisfied expression grew on my face at the horrified expression on my father. His dark eyes jumped between Lexi and I. "Lexi's your friend, Louisa?"

Everything was going down for him, a natural disaster of his creation ripping through him from within.

"Of course. Why else would I want to see her on a day as special as Christmas Eve?" To be completely frank, the festive season had arrived without my even realising. I'd been too busy sorting out all the problems that seemed to have arisen.

"Wait. You've already met my father before? I don't understand. How so?" Feigning confusion, I looked at Lexi perplexed.

"Gosh, this is so awkward. This is your father? The Mr E. Darling that you told me about?" Lexi's cornflour eyes glimmered as I signalled that she was correct.

The majority of her face became hidden from me when didn't answer me and instead turned her attention to my mother. "You must be Louisa's mother. Or as I just discovered, Eddie's wife."

Mum's hands were clasped together tightly in front of her as she listened to every word Lexi said. I couldn't quite decipher what her reaction would be. After I'd discovered that my father had been sleeping with other women, I'd soon discovered that my mother too had her fair share of affairs.

I knew she wasn't the type to be heartbroken for a man she had fallen out of love with. The question was would she be reasonable and own up to her own faults or twist this to her advantage and play the victim?

Lexi flicked her straightened hair over her shoulder as her hand covered her mouth as if she had just realised something. She was deliberately leaving everybody on edge and I was loving it.

"This must be so embarrassing for you, Eddie. You never told me that you were married when we- I can't even say it out loud. You know- did the deed." The sound of her shrill voice that didn't seem so annoying anymore filled the room.

"How horrific, I hate the thought that I acted as some mistress." When Lexi winced a little as if she had to force the word mistress out of her mouth, I was torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to sit back and eat some popcorn.

Yeah, Gabe's rubbed off on you.

The loud sound of my mothers furious and blunt voice told me that things were about to get worse. Mother never really shouted. "Edward! What is wrong with you? A seventeen-year-old?"

"I-"

She shook her head in disbelief. "Are you mentally deluded? I thought you valued the company more than your life. I shouldn't have to explain to you the possible impact of this."

"I'm not silly, Gayane! I wouldn't do anything like that!" He whipped his head to her as if processing that if Lexi was in my year group, she must also be my age. "You-You told me that you were twenty-five?"

Adding fuel to the fire, I let out a sound that was a mix of a snort and a scoff, "That doesn't make it any better, Dad. That would still make you three decades older than her."

Lexi looked at him with wide blue eyes, blinking with innocence. "I would never lie about my age. I told you I was seventeen at the time and you said it didn't matter because nobody was going to find out. Those were your exact words. I remember."

Of course, that wasn't at all true but my father didn't have any proof to show otherwise. I had made sure that he'd get tangled up in the same type of web that he wanted to trap me in.

Frustrated, he shook his head and began angrily walking back and forth. I noticed that his hands had begun trembling in a mix of panic and fury. No regret. "That is false! I-I don't understand-"

I glanced at my mobile phone when it vibrated in my hand. After reading his message and holding back an annoyed glower, I quickly typed a response irritated that this would all have to happen on Christmas Day. I'd have another eighty Christmases. Hopefully, I'd only have to do this once.

Fine. I'll meet you tomorrow at 8 pm by the City Hall.

The sound of Jimmy Choos smacking against the floor silenced him as my mother waltzed toward him. "How could you be so careless? You are unbelievably stupid, Edward!"

He ignored her and turned his head and my mother's lip curled in disgust. "Edward, do not ignore me."

My father's salt and pepper hair shook as he turned his head towards her. "Don't act as if you haven't had affairs too, Gayane. I know very well about Harry Nicklin and Diego Rodriguez!"

If eyes could set a person alight, Dad would be a pile of ash, dust and bone in the ground. My mother scowled at him before suddenly standing taller as if irritated that she'd stopped herself to his level. "You fail to understand my point. I don't care how many affairs you have behind my back so long as they do not affect my livelihood. This may possibly do so."

My lips pursed in contemplation. It seemed as if both of my predictions had been wrong. Mrs Gayane Darling didn't give much of a care about what her husband had done. She was more worried about what others would think if they found out.

You're no different to them. You're just as bad.

I clenched my fists.

No. Not anymore.

For once in his life, he looked as if he didn't have anything to say. It was almost odd how he didn't feel the need to explain his infidelity and she didn't bother questioning it.

Their marriage really was broken.

When I cleared my throat, everyone's attention turned to me as if being reminded of my presence.

The white tips of my long nails drummed against my thighs rhythmically as I shrugged my shoulders. "I wonder how much of a scandal it would cause if the world were to find out that the CEO of one of the biggest companies in the world slept with a woman as young as Lexi."

Dread filled my father as he lifted his head.

The look in both of their eyes told me they were willing to give me what I wanted if it meant saving their name. A victorious smile grew on my face as my father spoke, his voice doused in sugar, "Sweetie, you wouldn't do something like that-"

"Of course, I wouldn't," I interrupted, seeing hope flicker into my mother's eyes. They were stupid if they believed me after the way they'd been treating me. Flashing them my pearly white teeth, I continued. "But the photographic evidence on Lexi's phone might."

All humour dropped from my face as my eyes bore into them.

They soon realised that I wasn't kidding at all.

"You both know what I want," I threatened, my voice echoing around the large house and bouncing off the walls that had seen better days. "Make the phone call to break it off and you won't hear a damn peep from me."

My father dragged a hand across his face in vexation as he let out a throaty sound. I could tell he was analysing how much devastation the breaking off of my marriage with Logan Thornton would cause.

A part of me wished the company would be in ruins.

When he was about to protest, my mother grabbed his arm. Her brown eyes had been staring at me in disgust for the last minute.

I didn't care anymore.

In my ears, I could feel the pumping of my racing heart as I held my breath.

Come on, this had to work. I don't think I'd mentally be able to survive a lifetime with Logan, let alone physically.

The corners of my mouth lifted in a genuine smile when I overheard her whisper something to father. "Just give her what she wants, Edward. It isn't worth risking defamation of the company. You can earn the money back within six months."

Triumph danced in my eyes as I arched a well-kept eyebrow, awaiting a response. My father looked like he wanted to disagree and give me a lecture on money but kept silent when Mum glared at him harshly.

The inpatient tapping of my Louboutins against the floor pierced the silence.

Eventually, my father let out a heavy and stressed sound, rubbing at his forehead. He'd realised that there weren't any loopholes.

"Fine, Louisa. You can have your way. It's off."

ABAJNSKA! LOGAN THORNTON IS NO LONGER HER FIANCÉ! Can we have three cheers for our girl? (;

She's finally free, although there will of course be consequences to that too.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed part two of 45! Next update will be in a few days (: Thank you all for 15k, it's unbelievable!
KiwiAndKoalas x

♥ 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫! ♥