AS GOOD AS DEAD → ANTHONY LOCKWOOD

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Careful, part one

GREER IS seating on the counter, Lockwood standing between her legs as he treats her wound, his one hand on her forehead and one hand on her right leg.

Greer winced every time Lockwood is touching the open wound using a cotton bond to clean it.

"Lockwood, what if I do it with Annabelle?" She's talking about doing the same thing she did with the case of Morris. It's her talent, the touch one but she never really embraced that talent like the way she embraced the listening — where she is very mediocre but sometimes very good — cause it put her into danger more than once and that talent scares Lockwood.

"No," Lockwood said as he shook his head "But, it could help us and I can find out who really killed her." Greer reasoned, hoping the boy would listen to her suggestion.

"Annabelle is powerful, Greer. I couldn't and wouldn't place you in danger." After he's done cleaning her wound, he patch the wound and he's done "Now, you need to rest. You've got enough wound today, you wouldn't need another one. How's your shoulder?" Lockwood said, placing both his hand on her waist and slowly lifting her off the counter "It still hurts but it's not an open wound like what's in my forehead so, it'll be alright." Greer smiled as stand up at her feet "Let's sleep in my bedroom, the couch won't be good for your shoulder." He said.

Greer nodded and followed him at the landing to his room. The broken glass that was all over the floor had been swept by Lockwood earlier before he treat Greer's wound. Even though it's cold because of the broken windows, Greer managed to sleep peacefully beside Lockwood. He had let her borrow one of his hoodies so she won't get cold.

The two of them woke up the next morning at the same time and when they open the door, they saw that there were no broken vases everywhere. George must have done stress cleaning again, Greer said to herself. Though, the broken mirror is still hanging.

They needed to clean the basement soon— if George hasn't cleaned it yet. But Greer doubt that he could clean it all this morning cause of how messy the intruder made it to be.

The moment Greer had stepped foot in the kitchen while Lockwood is behind her, George quickly spoke with his you-won't-like-what-I'm-about-to-show-you face and arms crossed to his chest.

"The two of you wouldn't be please about this," George said to Greer and Lockwood and pointed at the newspaper.

"What? Let me see." Greer furrowed her eyebrows and look at Lucy who is leaning at the other table as she snatched the newspaper from the table and take a seat in her usual and favorite chair.

GREER VALOUR AND ANTHONY LOCKWOOD, THE COUNTRY'S STAR-CROSSED LOVERS

Greer Valour, who was the only daughter and heir of Lincoln and Elsie Valour was seen several times in public with Anthony Lockwood who was rumored to be her long-time partner, in agency and relationship.

It is rumored too that Lincoln and Elsie Valour doesn't approve of their Daughter's relationship, which cause Greer Valour to rebel and moved in with Anthony Lockwood in his house at 35 Portland Row.

Greer is sought to inherit all the assets of the Valours, being the only living child of Lincoln and Elsie.

"LOVERS?!" Greer yelled, "ARE THEY INSANE?!" Greer yelled for the second time, slamming her palm into the table, causing her right shoulder to hurt again. It hurts every time she moves it too strong or too much.

"They saw you tagging along with him and to them, it's a star-crossed lover." George said as he shrugged "Great, they plastered my name in all over the whole page." They can see smoke coming out of her nostril "Well, at least they got my name right this time." Lockwood chuckled

"This is not okay, Lockwood!" Greer exclaimed, "I thought I will be okay that the media doesn't know about the sixty grand depts we own, it turns out they know the other one." She continue, placing the newspaper on the thinking cloth and fighting the urge to rip it off into shredded "And what they knew isn't true at all." Greer added.

"Calm down, Greer." Lockwood said as he put his hand on her shoulder "I can't, okay? If the news already reached them, they will be furious!"

Lucy cleared her throat "Why don't you ask for your parent's help? They could help you or us, maybe they can help us with the dept we own." Lucy suggested. Lockwood and George look at each other like they knew what was going to happen and how this conversation will end.

"Over my dead body," Greer whispered "They co—" Before Lucy could say another word, Greer interrupted her "Lucy, I said no. End of discussion." Greer said while trying her best not to scream. She is not the type of person who screams a lot, she screams when she's upset or mad.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Lucy apologize after she saw that she just made Greer more upset. She had never seen Greer upset before. "It's okay, just don't mention it again," Greer replied as she smiled.

"Yelled for me if the breakfast is ready, I'll be at the office cleaning the mess," Greer said before heading out of the office.

When Greer came down the basement, she was shaken by how much of a mess and damage the intruder had made for a damn ring that she didn't even know where to start. Some of the desks and shelves were ruined or in a mess. The paper works were everywhere, you look in the basement, you'll see tons of paper.

Greer sighed to herself before beginning even though she doesn't know where to even start.

In the middle of cleaning the basement all by herself in the morning, Greer had heard someone come down the stairwells. She expected it to be Lockwood but a different voice had called her.

"Hey." Lucy spoke, "What's up?" Greer said her eyes fixed on the papers before lifting her gaze to Lucy.

Lucy standing at the bottom of the stairwell, hands at her side. Greer figured out she will say something and remained quiet and waited for Lucy to speak "Greer, I am deeply sorry about earlier."

"I—" Greer cut her off before saying, "Lucy, it's alright." Greer grinned, chuckling to herself. Even though she wasn't fond of Lucy insisting on her parent's help earlier, she found it funny how Lucy looked while apologizing. She's desperate but also genuine for Greer to forgive her.

"You know, I feel like we both have gone through the same thing." It may be hard to believe but she felt really felt that way, she felt that she and Lucy can relate to one another "Really?" Lucy said, unable to believe what she heard from Greer's mouth "Hmm." Greer hummed as she nodded her head.

"You remember when you asked me why I move to London," Lucy asked, taking a seat beside Greer "Yeah." Greer replied, "It's because of what happened back home." Lucy said.

"I and my friend dreamt of coming here to London before a tragedy happened and everyone blames me for it, even my mother." Lucy started, remembering what kind of hell she did get through back home "I tried to save them and I tried to fight for my friends in court but they didn't believe me." Greer looked into her eyes and saw the burden in Lucy's feelings. It's in the eye, it's always in the eye.

"And I was blamed for everything. One day I decided to run away cause I can't deal with it anymore and I needed to continue our dream of coming to London even though without her."

"You're too brave for telling me what happened, Luce." Greer smiled, grabbing a hold of the girl's hand "I can't say the same thing for me." Greer said, "But for now, all I can say is my parents are fucked up and weren't the way they make themselves to be." Greer murmured.

"I can say that they fooled everyone, making everyone believe you're the bad one." Lucy guessed "I know, right?" Greer let out a laugh as she shakes her head.

"Can we be friends, like best friends?" Lucy asked, Greer is startled by her questions but smiled "Of course." Greer smiled "Promise?" Lucy asked again "Promise." Greer said as she intertwined their pinky finger together.