Kori had never experienced such mental exhaustion as she had the day after her visit at Storm Tech Corp. She had finally learnt the name of where her mother worked when they returned home, and she resorted to her good old friend Google. She did as much as research as she could about the company and employees, and as a result, ended up learning a lot more about many of the employees and family than she needed.

Nonetheless, to her, it was rather interesting to read about this business mogul, filthy rich family.

The endless articles on Max Storm's affairs, and how his wife, Diana, handled it with sickening ease. The waves of shock that rocked the nation when Max deemed his step-daughter, Sophie Webster, heir to the company instead of any of his sons. Dalia Orel leaving the company to support women's suffrage movements across the globe, how the young prodigal daughter had only just returned to America a month earlier. Morgan Seager, Max's best friend and best confident, always seen with a new girl on his arm, and also, apparently, an amazing surfer.

And then Hayden Easton, the man that everyone thought would be the heir to Storm Tech, the next in line for the throne. What Kori found extremely peculiar, though, was that while Max's sons were having a bitch fit over the entire ordeal, Hayden didn't even bother making a statement on the subject. At the press conference where it was announced that Sophie would be the next CEO, he seemed hardly bothered.

After researching and turning over every possible corner of the internet, Kori had only come to one conclusion about the company and the family.

That it was beyond screwed up, and she was glad she wasn't apart of it.

The next morning, Kori wasn't surprised at the fact that she was mentally and physically exhausted beyond belief. Dealing with who she had the day before had really taken it out of her, and after staying up until the early hours of the morning, it was only expected. Nonetheless, she was fully aware that she had a class to attend at the college that morning, so she had to pull herself together, and quick.

As she was in the midst of fixing herself her daily bowl of cereal, she came across a note left on the counter for her from Demi.

Korianne,

Had to run to the store, probably won't catch you before you leave. Have a good day, sweetie. I really am sorry about yesterday. I love you.

Demi

Kori resisted the urge to scoff at the brief note, and shoved the piece of paper away from her as she stood at the counter and shoveled her cereal into her mouth, looking out the window at their garden. Most of the plants and flowers were dead, and while she wanted badly to attend to it, she hadn't found the time to lately. Sihe sighed, and glanced at the time, realizing that she had barely any time to get ready.

As she placed her bowl in the sink, the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, and she groaned.

Kori quickly skidded across her hard wood floors in her socks, and jerked the door open, not bothering to hide the tiny scowl that had worked it's way onto her face. She was startled to see that instead of an UPS man standing before her, it was Gabriel, one of the employees she had met at her mother's work.

"Oh, uh, hello?" she stuttered out, confused by the fact that he was here on her door step, wearing a friendly grin, and not looking sleepy or tired at all despite the fact the sun was just barely in the sky. "How can I help you?"

"I'm here to deliver an invitation for you and your mom," he said cheerfully, holding out an envelope for her to take. She didn't take it; she stared at, blinking several times, searching her brain for the polite and well mannered way to handle this.

"What's it for?" she asked, though she knew, if she were Demi, she would have taken it, thanked him politely, and bid him farewell. Kori had always been more curious than her mother, and it was something of a habit that she was having a hard time kicking, not that she was really trying to stop being so curious.

If possible, Gabriel's face lit up even more. "A party. Max Storm is throwing a party, and he said he would just love it if you and your mother could attend. And you know, I would love it too if you could attend."

Kori was somehow aware that Gabriel was still talking, but she could no longer hear what he was saying as her entire body warmed. Her chest and heart were the first to receive the tingling feelings, and then from there, it slowly pulsated throughout her entire body. Her toes, her fingers, her nose, up until she could feel a very big smile turn her lips upwards, and her brain tug her back to reality.

She reached out and tugged the envelope from his finger tips so roughly, that he raised his eyebrows at her, but she truly paid no mind to it. Her heart was still warm and tingly, and pumping more blood than it really should, and maybe that's why she was about to do something Demi would definitely disapprove of. Maybe it was all the blood rushing to her head, fogging her thoughts and inhibitions, but it didn't truly matter, because she already knew her answer for Gabriel.

"We would absolutely love to attend," Kori said, and her own face brightened as Gabriel's did too.

She was already certain that she wanted to attend and learn more about the people that she had met at the office, now it was only a matter of convincing Demi to allow them to attend.

***

Kori wiped her slightly damp hands on her jeans, eyeing up her mom from across the table. If Kori was behaving strangely, Demi didn't notice, much to Kori's relief, since she knew for a fact that she was acting a little odd. As the older woman rambled on about her day, and spoke of some plans she was considering, Kori nodded along, but didn't actually bother to listen. She was trapped in her own mind, trying to conjure up a way to mention the party and how badly she wanted to go.

Finally, she decided it was probably something similar to taking off a band aid: make it fast, even if it may be a little painful. Carefully setting down her utensil like she knew her mom would approve of, Kori took a deep breath and gathered her wits before mentioning the topic she knew would certainly have her mom clamming up.

"Mom," she said softly, keeping her eyes on the table, afraid to look at her mother and see the reaction that would appear when the words would finally come from her mouth, her request out in the open. "I have something to talk to you about."

Demi set her own utensils down and eyed up her daugher, noticing for the first time that evening, that there was something off about her daughter. "Okay," she replied, folding her hands in her laps, studying Kori, as if she could draw the answers from her mind without no one having to speak. "What is it?"

"While you were out this morning, Gabriel visited," Kori started off slowly, her heart rate slowly increasing. "He had an invitation for a party. A party that Max Storm, your boss, is throwing. He said that we were both welcome to attend."

Demi remained silent, unable to say anything. She merely stared at her daughter, gripping her hands together so tightly beneath the table, that she feared her nails may tear her skin. But her fear for her daughter out weighed that of the fear for her own wellness.

"I think we should attend," Kori whispered, the silence from her mother laying heavy on her shoulders, pushing her down. She had never felt more miniscule than she did when she was making requests of her mother; especially ones so silly, so unrealistic. She took the chance of peaking up at her mother through her eyelashes, and quickly decided it was a mistake, seeing the stony expression Demi wore. Kori pushed on, knowing it was best to keep plowing on before she turned down the idea outright. "It's only right. It's your boss. It'll be good for you. Keeping up experiences."

She froze, her mouth unable to move anymore, as she realized too late, that she didn't have much else to say about the matter. She couldn't exactly tell Demi that the reason she wanted to go to the party with her mom was to get to know the employees better, the employees whose track records and personalities match that of party animal college students. So Kori simply shut her mouth, and swallowed hard, awaiting her mother's verdict.

The air in the room felt too heavy, as if the mother and daughter were both about to choke on it. And somehow, the atmosphere felt a little electrified as well, as if some lightening bolt were about to strike down at that very moment to break the tension between the two, as if the tension was too much for the universe to handle. Kori didn't know much about how the universe was handling the tension, but she knew she couldn't bare it, and because of it, she was squirming in her seat, resisting the urge to start gagging on the air that felt a little too much like bleach and poison.

Kori trembled as she fell prey to her last resort, whimpering out, "Please, mother."

Demi stared at her daughter, the daughter she had shielded from her employees for so long, protecting her from their careless ways, their abrasive life style that left all too many victims, and wine and blood stained carpets the morning after. She stared at Kori, and all she saw, was innocence and purity that would surely be tainted if she allowed her in the proximity of those people for too long.

And then, Kori, gathering her courage, digging her nails into the wood of the chair, raised her chin and met her mother's eye. Now, Demi could see more than just innocence. She saw steel and fire and resolve. Kori was stronger than Demi gave her credit for, and after all that she had done to her daughter, all that she had taken, this was the least she could do, allowing her to go to some silly party. That was all it was, a party, one night, a few hours.

They couldn't corrupt her baby girl in less time than 12 hours, Demi knew. They were capable of many things, but ruining her daughter in one night was not one of them. And with this thought in mind, Demi's own resolve crumbled as Kori's strengthened and triumph formed in the younger's girl eyes. Demi knew she didn't exactly have to say the words, Kori could tell she had won by the look on her mother's face, but she also knew it was better if she did.

Words were harder to go back on.

"Okay," Demi said, a strangling feeling forming her throat, tears pricking at the back of her eyes. My baby girl, my daughter, she thought. I'm allowing this, I'm allowing her to be in the presence of monsters. She wanted to lock Kori away, to shout at the people who had done this and make them swear to never contact Kori ever again, but that was not possible. What was done could not be taken back, not even the Fates themself could stop this oncoming, impending doom that only Demi could feel in her chest, sickening her. So, she pushed on, truly regretting her decisions. "We will go. But there will be conditions."

Conditions or not, it was clear, that Kori was overjoyed. Her summer-sky blue eyes were lit up with unadulterated excitement, and her lips had lifted up into a beaming smile. Demi truly did feel her sharp as razor nails tear at her smooth skin now, and the blood pour over her fingers and onto her jeans. This was better than tears, she tried to console herself, but somehow, she knew that this truly wasn't the case.

"Thank you, mom!" Kori exclaimed. "Thank you so much! I will follow whatever conditions you see fit. I just so glad that you've decided to agree to this."

"As am I, darling," Demi choked out, forcing a smile of her own. "Finish your dinner before it get's cold."

Demi watched her daugher begin to eat again, and this time, without the watchful eyes of Kori on her, Demi allowed her tears to well in her eyes. Kori was only a girl, and yet she was so blissfully unaware of how much power she held over people's heads. The thought brought waves of illness upon Demi, and she glanced at her own dinner, realizing that she was no longer hungry.

Deep down, she knew that instead of sleep that night, she would be shedding tears and making many phone calls.

***

Kori glanced at her bedroom wall, blinking slowly, concentrating on the crack in her yellow paint. It wasn't the color she had chosen for her room, but when she saw the joy on her mother's face that day at Lowe's about the color, she nodded along and allowed it. The memory used to bring a smile to Kori's face, now, guilt and anger reeked havoc upon Kori's body.

Anger towards herself, and partially her mother, for laying down so easily, as she always did when it came to her mother. Kori had never thought of herself as a weak girl, but when it came to her mom, she folded, and she folded fast. Anything to keep her sad, lonely mom happy. What a sickening thought.

Kori let out a slow breath.

Guilt. How could she be so angry towards her mother and herself, just for trying to make her mom's life a little easier, a little happier? She wondered how she could be so truly selfish. Her mother had done everything for her, done all she could to give Kori all she needed and wanted, and even though Kori's dad had left them, Demi held the family together and herself together and did what she needed to.

Kori blinked slowly again, and pushed the thoughts away from her head, because she knew exactly would what ensue if she let this dark rain cloud continue to form and seize her entire being.

Her mind danced and drifted away, but landed on a rather unusual thought.

Hayden, the mysterious man she had met in Blaise's office, the one who had stared at her so intently, that she was certain that he could see her soul and her deepest, darkest thoughts. The memory of his dark eyes settling on her caused her to shudder and draw her arms around herself. Intense and dark and slightly intimidating, but wholesomely handsome. And while his attractiveness and intense stare still haunted her, there was something that haunted her even more than that.

The familiarity of him.

How it felt as if she had decided to stride across the room and take him in his arms and run her fingers through his slightly unruly hair, it wouldn't be the first or the last and he wouldn't have tried to stop her.

How she had once sat upon his lap and studied those obsidian eyes up close before, tracing his features and muttering to him that she thought he was the most fair of them all. And in return, he had twisted strands of her hair around his fingers and drew her face close, and whispered promises of his love for her.

Once again, she shuddered then shook her head to clear these thoughts from her head because all they were were impossible thoughts. Her imagination had seized her and created something laughable and insane, as it always did. This was something her mind didn't often, not that she truly minded, because most times it conjured up amazing situations, one that Kori would throw herself on a blade to experience.

It was often that Kori would find herself daydreaming about being anywhere in the world but where she currently was. Her heart desired to be across the ocean, and roaming through ancient ruins or ancient cities. She didn't know quite when her obsession had begun, but she knew that it wouldn't end anytime soon. All she wanted to do was spend her entire life traveling and recording it in journals and in photos.

Wanderlust, she called it, as many did. The need to be elsewhere, to be traveling the world, and living a life that anyone could hardly call a reality.

Kori let out a wistful sigh.

Her heart ached, as did her bones, the longing to be in a foreign country, underneath the sun, smiling so wide her cheeks hurt, engulfing her entire body. She wanted so badly to be elsewhere, but was fully aware, that it could never happen. Her mother would never allow her out of town without her let alone out of the country.

Kori's eyes slid shut in sync with her lips that tugged down into a small frown. She couldn't necessarily understand why she was feeling upset over the matter, when years earlier, she had already accepted that there was no possible way for her to live out her dreams. She reminded herself that it just wasn't possible, yet, for some reason, her heart still felt like it had a few holes in it as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Kori was aroused by the sound of her mother's voice dancing down the hall and slipping into her bedroom. She sat up slightly, eyebrows pulled together, trying to discern what was being said. All she could make out was the vague edges of words, but not the words themself, and she sighed, realizing that if she wanted to hear better than she would have to get at least a little closer. She tiptoed over to her open door quietly, then poked her head out, straining her ears to make out her mother's conversation.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you that she's none of your concern," Demi snarled into the phone, and the harshness of her mother's voice truly shocked her, seeing as she had always known her to be a gentle woman. "You haven't been apart of her life for a long time, and you're not about to start now either, got it?"

There was a pause, and then Demi continued, her voice just as hard and sharp.

"I don't care!" she shrieked. "I don't care what you want. I don't care what you think she needs. I simply just do not care, because you do not have her best interest in mind. So shut up, and stop calling me."

Kori leant against the door frame, wondering just who exactly her mom wasn't talking to, and who they were talking about. She couldn't help but feel confused, because she couldn't even begin to wonder who had that much power over Demi to make her that mad. She remained leaning against the doorframe, her mind wandering, attempting to put the pieces together.

She didn't get to drift much longer, due to the fact that phone call had ended and Demi was calling her into the kitchen for breakfast. She hovered in the doorway of her room for only a moment before darting down the hall, shaking all thoughts of traveling and strange phone calls from her mind. 

a/n: A shorter chapter than last time, but I hoped you enjoyed it nonetheless. I love you guys. Have a good day.