Lucas stood up from his bed with the assistance from Mrs Landon. She guided him to his wheelchair and he groaned in pain while he finally sat down on the wheelchair. He was obviously in pain and his breath has become so raggedy and heavy.
"Do you think the medications are working?" He asked her when he noticed that something was different about this new medication. She nodded in approval and continued with what she was doing. He wasn't satisfied with her answer. He ought to be recovering faster now but it seems his hope had dwindled by the slow response to the drugs.
"Where do you want to go today?.. I will be your guide . Timothy is taking your wife on a tour right now." Mrs Landon mentioned it to him and he nodded with a weak smile.
"I don't want to go outside.. I will be here.. the outside is much colder and I don't want to fall sicker than this." He urged and pressed a button on the electrical wheel chair and it rode him to the window.
"Okay.. if you need me, you know what to do." She said in a straight face and made to leave when he called her back.
"Susan…" He called her and she turned.
"Yes.. Lucas.." she replied warmly. They were used to each other as she had been his nanny since birth. He was used to calling by her first name and in public or before the others, he refers to her by Mrs Landon.
"What do you think about Lilian?." He asked while staring down from the window. Lucas saw her with Timothy as they walked around. He looks excited when showing her around. Lucas saw how brightly she looked as the wind tossed her long hair around. He finds her amusing while she struggles with the wind and her long hair.
He could even sense her grumbling from her expression. Lucas chuckled softly from the discovery and continued watching them. Timothy took her into the stable at the back of the house. Mrs Landon walked up to him and looked at the window, made no comment and headed for the door.
"I asked a question, Susan." Lucas draws out to her attention. She sighed deeply and replied to him.
"I can't tell… she might be like the others… time will tell but for now, I can't trust her around you… I am sorry to say but if you give me your permission, I would like to do my own personal observation."
"hmmm… okay but don't scare her away. My whole world depends on her." Lucas confirmed.
"why do you easily trust them?... this was the same thing you said about the rest. They betrayed you and here you are still putting your trust on her. We must know her intentions before I can fully respect her." Mrs Landon replied to him with a hint of anger and frustration. She really cares about him and she has seen him suffer so much because he was weak and vulnerable.
"I understand you but I think she is different. There is something amusing about her." He said to her in a cheerful tone. Mrs Landon raised her fists into the air with an expression of frustration on her face. Mrs Landon knew that she couldn't convince him but had to protect him.
Fiona king was in her office tending to some files work when her phone rang from her purse. With a tired face, she picked up the phone and the caller made her smile. Instantly, she put the caller on.
"how is she settling in?" She asked in a straight voice.
"She is still confused but she hasn't asked any questions. I think she is still in shock." the caller chuckled deeply.
Fiona king was amused and surprised. She had observed that Lilian wasn't someone to keep quiet and this made her uncomfortable. He knew Lilian wouldn't keep calm and might have something up her sleeves.
"Did you check her properly when she moved in?." Fiona asked immediately.
"Urm… Mrs Landon came as soon as she stepped into the house. I couldn't get to her. " The caller stuttered and her sharp voice echoed into the phone.
"what!.. what am I paying you for?.. What if she came with something? If you know you don't want to lose your job. Do it well!" Fiona King said in anger and hung up.
Evening came sooner and Lilian was invited to dinner. She walked up to the dining room to see that she was the only one at the table. The young maid poured wine into her glass, making no sudden sound. She was just doing her work peacefully.
"Urm, Excuse me?" Lilian called her. The young maid jolted up from the sudden call. They were told not to speak or make any conversation with her.
"me?.." the girl pointed to herself to be sure and lilian nodded. She dropped the wine bottle and gave her attention. Her red hair was neatly packed to the back. She looks innocent and curious too.
"How may I be of service, Mrs king." She said with a bit of fear. Her eyes darted to the door and back constantly. She wasn't ready to get fired.
"… I wanted to ask.. am I the only one having dinner?. Where is Lucas?... isn't he coming down?." Lilian asked her, still looking at the door to see if he would walk in. She hated eating alone and this made her miss her best friend, Bianca. The food lost its flavour in her sight. She wasn't used to being all alone, silence wasn't her strength.
"Mr Lucas?... He normally has his dinner in his room. Just enjoy your meal." The girl said hastily when she saw a familiar figure by the door. Fear gripped her and she hurried away even before Lilian could notice the presence.
"Wait… where are you going?" Lilian asked and turned to see the girl running away in fear. She was dumbfounded and peered through to see Mrs Landon walking inside the dining room with a straight face. Lilian knew that this conversation was going to be bloody.
"Are you here to join me for dinner?" Lilian asked sarcastically and took the wine glass for a sip. Mrs Landon scoffed and sat down in an opposite position.
"Rule number 5…. Don't talk to the maids until you are authorised…." They both said at once. Mrs Landon went mute by the way she said it alongside with her. Lilian was getting fed up and felt like exploding.
"Hmmm… so you know… then don't break the rule." Mrs Landon admonished and stood up.
"you know what, fuck off okay… I don't give a fuck on what is going on in this house. You can't restrict me or tell me what to do and not what to do. You don't own me.." Lilian blurted out in anger, hitting the table in the process.
"I beg your pardon?" Mrs Landon mentioned and looked at her in disbelief.
"I beg your pardon??" Lilian said in a mockery tone. Her gesture shows that she was mimicking her words in a childish way. Mrs Landon felt very offended and was ready to give her head on.
Lilian drank the remaining content in the glass and poured herself more wine and filled it up to the brim. Her rage was at the roof and she needed to blow off some steam.
"you have to respect yourself here, if you know you want to stay longer here!!" Mrs Landon yelled in anger. Lilian laughed out loud and took one big gulp from the glass before looking at her with a serious face.
"I don't give a fuck!!!... if you want respect, then treat me with respect or else, there is going to be war in this house and by the way, I am Lucas's wife, Lilian king and you should give me my respect… my respect!!!" Lilian walked up to her and comforted her. They were both fuming hard in anger and none of them was ready to back down.
All this while, Lilian battled in her mind. She felt like confronting her but a part of her told her to be cautious. There was something she knew since she came into this house. Nobody likes her and it was obvious, especially Mrs Landon. It was evident in her eyes.
Lilian took a deep breath and exhaled out before replying to her in the most peaceful way she could think of.
"Can I just have a peaceful meal, Mrs. Landon. My meal is getting cold except you have the luxury to make another one for me." lilian mentioned with a rather mockery tone than a pleading one. Mrs Landon huffed and made a deep groan before walking out of the room.
An ambulance siren could be heard afterwards and the deep echoes of voices, muffled but familiar. The heavy thudding from their footsteps deafened his ears. He held his chest in pain as he struggled to breath. His eyes poked out from the intensified pains he felt at every second.
"can you hear me?, Mr king." The voice came so deep but distanced. He felt himself being pulled up from the cold ground. Cameras light flashed into his eyes severally. This made him heavy and he passed out.
He opened his eyes and saw himself being wheeled into the theater room. He was scared and he panicked. The doctor in charge couldn't sedate him and proceeded to cut his chest open. He felt the stinging pain as he screamed. The next thing he saw shook him to the marrow, the doctor pulled his beating heart from his chest and laughed at him sinisterly. The horrific sight made him jolt up from his slumber screaming loudly. He pressed the call button repeatedly as he was having seizures.
Mrs Landon ran from her room downstairs alongside Timothy and a strange man. They bolted into his room and tried to help him.
"Get me the syringe from the drawer now!!" The man yelled.
Mrs Landon, scared to the bones, ran to the drawer and brought out the medications bag. She opened the bag and brought out the syringe containing a grey liquid. The man drove it into his chest and Lucas jerked hard. The man had to climb the bed and hold him still. He beckoned onto Timothy to assist him. They held him down until the seizures subsided. Lucas passed out in the process.
Mrs Landon, frail and scared slumped on the chair beside the bed, sobbed quietly. She hated to see him in pain all the time.
The man panted heavily and looked at Lucas who was still breathing heavily. Timothy fret when he saw the attack. He had never come close to seeing his boss in that state before. Timothy had always heard his screams most nights from his bedroom and wondered what was going on but now he had a chance to experience this.
"get me a bowl of water and a clean napkin, Timothy." Mrs Landon told him in tears and he nodded hastily. He turned to the door and stopped mid way to see shocked Lilian staring at them. They both turned their heads to see Lilian inside the room looking hard at them in anger.
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on in this house?!!!"