Chapter 122 Learning To Be Crazy

Chapter 122 Learning To Be Crazy
Elizabeth’s POV:

The next morning after carefully avoiding every of Jaxon's questions , I had breakfast downstairs with everyone. No one said a word except Aunt Camille, who was trying hard to kill whatever tension was between the boys, but to no avail.
“The press conference will take place at 11:00. Do you want to be there?” Jaxon asked his father. From the shocked look on Uncle’s face, I could tell he didn’t expect Jaxon to suddenly want him involved.
“If this integration goes through, the Mitchells will have full access to Voltex. Do you really want to go through with that? Isn’t there another way?” Uncle asked. I played with the cabbage on my plate, feeling guilty that Jaxon might risk losing or having problems with the company he invested so much into—his pride, his own legacy.
“Compared to what is at stake, the company isn’t worth that much,” Jaxon replied. I looked at him in disbelief, and he looked back at me. Suddenly, I decided that I wasn’t going to sit back and watch him lose it all for me. I was going to do something. First, I would check up on Bella, because her phone wasn’t going through, and then I would meet with Ash.
“Okay, if you need me there, then I will be there.”
“Me too,” I quickly interjected. They all turned to look at me as if I had just said a taboo word. I wanted to be present during the conference with the Mitchells.
“Elizabeth.” Jax called me by my name, which sounded a little weird and made me upset; I love it when he calls me "baby" or "my love." His little bride.
“I just want to be there. I won’t be in your way,” I assured him, but he still wasn’t convinced. “I will lose my mind if I stay here. I won’t stop thinking about how Vicky is…”
“Fine. Go put on something,” he finally gave in. I smiled widely and stood up.
“Do that after finishing your meal,” he called back. I stared at the breakfast I hadn’t touched, then back at Jaxon’s plate; he hadn’t eaten either. “You didn’t eat, either.”
“Then maybe you should stay home.” Was he threatening me right now? I pouted and returned to my seat as Uncle and Aunt chuckled as if it were funny.
Talon stood up. “Tina will be leaving the country this morning for some work. I will drop her off first before joining you all at Voltex.”
“Good, you should go,” Uncle said in excitement; he was a big advocate for the couple.
Once Talon left, Aunt leaned closer to Uncle. “I am glad he is focusing more on his relationship with her. Tina is a great fit for him.”
“I hope he realizes that and doesn’t screw up because of how bitter he has become.” Uncle sighed and stood up.
“He is not bitter,” Aunt retorted, but Uncle was already halfway up the stairs.
“Jaxon, could you please have a deep conversation with your brother? I feel he is hurt and…”
Jaxon stood up. “I have absolutely nothing to discuss with him. Eat up, baby.” He patted my head and walked out of the house.
I glanced at Aunt, and she sat there with a sad expression. “I have given up all hope of Jaxon ever forgiving us. Maybe I should just move on.”
I stuffed some food in my mouth. Ever since I moved into this house, I noticed her always making efforts to be close to Jaxon even when he wasn’t in the country. Whenever he came home, she seemed not to care about anyone else except him, and maybe that’s when Talon’s resentment for his brother started.
“Did he ever talk to you about Jade and our…”
“Aunt, please.” I cut her off for the very first time in my life. “I am worried about Vicky and just want her to come back home safely. Can I take a break from being the bridge between you and Jaxon?”
Her eyes widened, and I palmed my face, because immediately those words left my lips, I felt so bad.
“I… I am sorry, Aunt. I didn’t…”
“No, go on and finish your meal. I will start with lunch.” She gave me a weak smile and stopped next to me. “I really pray everything goes well and Vicky returns home safely. I really do.”
I couldn’t even bring myself to look at her because of what I had just said.
When I was done, I took the dirty dishes to the kitchen. Aunt was washing the groceries. I walked over to the opposite tap and slowly washed my plate while glancing her way. She didn’t say a word to me, not even when I wiped the plate dry and put it on the shelf.
“Aunt…”
“Don’t worry your little head, Beth. I am not upset, and you are right. I shouldn’t be selfish and complain to you when you are already dealing with your family.”
“The Mitchells are not family.” I frowned, and she nodded before continuing her work.
I went upstairs and changed into jeans and a T-shirt while dialing Cruella’s number. It connected after three rings, as if she were expecting it.
“Hello, my dear niece.”
“I need proof that Vicky is still alive and healthy before the press conference.”
She laughed, and my grip on the phone tightened because this woman was so annoying.
“Look at you and ‘your husband’ playing twins.” She snorted, and the way she said “my husband” annoyed me further. Just because she said it that way wouldn’t change the fact that he was indeed my husband and not hers.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, he called five minutes ago for some proof. But since you both don’t get along enough to share such little details with each other, I will send you both individual proofs.”
If I had known Jaxon already called, I wouldn’t have bothered to risk ruining my morning by listening to Cruella’s voice.
“Are you doing all this just to get Jaxon? Do you plan to use his company against him?” I suddenly felt like the integration was the least of her worries. If this went through, she would be closer to Jaxon, and since her first plan to be close to him through Ash had failed, she came up with something else.
“How did we never realize just how smart you are?” Her laugh echoed in my ear, and after a long silence, she said, “You know how I get when I like something.”
She becomes crazily obsessed and protective. I remembered my mother asking Father to get a therapist for Cruella because she had stalked her ex-boyfriend from school and even attempted to hurt the guy’s new girlfriend; he even had a restraining order against her.
“Too bad, because I am learning to be just as crazy as you. And breaking news: you are not the only one obsessed with my husband. I am, too, and I am not leaving him for you.”
I felt a surge of anger. I simply wanted to crash the phone against the wall, but I wasn’t going to let her turn me into that type of person.
“You are right again. I am not the only one obsessed with Jaxon. There are more of them out there, and maybe they are way worse than I am.”
What was she trying to hint at?
“At least I am bold enough to hit you from the front.”
“Says the woman who pushed me off the yacht.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about. Please let Jaxon know he looks hot in blue shirts, and I will be waiting for him at the conference.”
The call ended, and I decided then and there that I must attend the conference and stay by Jaxon’s side for the entire process.