Gravity is a Bitch

29. In Her Eyes, She Holds My Heart

-- Elianna --

"And I want you to call him now. The whole team is not going to be hold on because one person didn't do their job properly" I was ready to strangle everyone in the room. How did these people even get hired? Incompetence doesn't even begin to cover it. Honestly, we need a new HR director for this bureau in north Asia.

"Yes, Mrs. Rothschild..."

"Miss Rothschild"

"Sorry... Miss"

"I don't need your apologies. I need people to do their jobs" I handed her the iPad and watched her scurry out of the office.

"Relax..." Ryan got up from his sit around the big conference desk in the middle of the room and flopped into the armchair across from mine. "I haven't seen you like this since high school. Remember when you shaved Becky Dempsey's eyebrows because she tripped Rachel on purpose during PE?"

"She deserved far worse" I muttered.

Ryan laughed. "Okay, but seriously, what's going on with you today?"

"I want to go home" I said, sounding more like a sulking kid than the executive I was supposed to be.

"What?" He chuckled. "We've only been here five days. With how often you travel for work, I thought you'd be used to it by now"

It wasn't the city. It was Alex. I missed her like crazy. Frank was supposed to come on this trip with his son, but last-minute complications left me stuck here with my ex-husband.

"I was out of town for two weeks before this. I'd really love it if we could wrap this up today"

"Unless we keep the team here until 10 p.m., we're not finishing before tomorrow afternoon"

"So be it. We stay up to 10"

"I was joking, Elianna"

"Well, I'm not. This has to be done today" My tone was dead serious. Ryan blinked, closed the file he was reading, and looked at me with suspicion.

"Okay, what's going on? You're really missing home all of a sudden" I didn't answer, but his gaze didn't waver. "Oh... You mean, you miss your girlfriend."

"What? No"

"You know we can talk about her. It's no big deal"

"Ryan, you're my ex-husband, and she's your stepsister with who I cheated on you. So I rather not"

"Yeah, weird...but we're family. We can't avoid the topic forever"

"You're right. And yes, I miss her. I miss her so much it's unbearable" A heavy silence settled in. Maybe I said too much. Maybe I hurt him.

"Listen..."

"What do you see in her?" he interrupted.

"What?"

"I want to know what she has that I don't. What makes you love her that much?"

"I don't know. It's just... Alex you know" I shrugged, like that should explain everything. He arched an eyebrow, clearly expecting more.

"It's not some perfect trait or grand gesture. In fact, it's all the little things I should hate. Like the way she can go on sulking for two days straight and still calls me petty" I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips. "Or how she can just get in a room feels of strangers and just vibe with them like she've known them for life, I admit it sometimes makes jealous. Or the fact that she forgets to switch off the light before falling asleep. Also, she sleeps on the couch with her shoes still on, I hate that. Or how she steals the blanket and I wake up at 2 a.m. yanking it back. But now? I can't sleep without her arms around me, without her scent in the room"