14

It had been an hour after Henry and Louisa arrived home, and it was Henry who still didn't say anything. Henry couldn't understand what was going on in his mind right now. There is a sense of insecurity and displeasure. In his room, Henry was pensive on the bed, staring at the ceiling. In his heart he was endlessly wondering about what he really felt right now. 'I don't know… dammit. Why am I like this now? And what is this feeling? I don't even know what it is..." Henry muttered in annoyance. Henry sat up from his reclining position with a quick movement. His face was wrinkled and he still looked annoyed. But the palm of his right hand began to rise and rubbed his face. "It seems I've lost my mind now. When I saw Lenore earlier, I felt... like I was rivaled. And damn, I'm not supposed to feel that way. Especially to Lenore or Miss Louisa. But… but when Miss Louisa asked me to leave her with him, I started to feel disappointed. And I can't help it." Henry's eyes fluttered wildly, as he felt a pain in his chest. Slowly, Henry got up from his seat and walked closer to the balcony of the room. A gust of wind hit his body for a moment. 'I shouldn't be feeling like this, should I? It's like a big mistake and a violation of the rules of my job as a bodyguard. I've never felt anything like this before. And... if it were true, I might have fallen in love with Miss Louisa. Something a bodyguard like me shouldn't be able to do. But I can't stand Lenore coming near Miss Louisa. I feel… so jealous." Henry was silent for a moment. His palms covered his face. He was annoyed with himself. But Henry was completely helpless with the feelings he was feeling right now. 'But what I have to think about now is how to prevent Miss Louisa from knowing all this. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable with my presence around her. I don't want to lose this moment of togetherness with her. Not if she only knew how I really felt to her." Henry gripped the balcony iron with his palms quite tight. He is no longer cared about his hands turning red. He had to be able to restrain himself. Until at the right time, he had to confess his feelings to Louisa. *** Louisa is currently silent in her workspace. Her eyes stared blankly at the pile of files that were right on her desk. Louisa couldn't take her mind off Lenore, Uncle George and Henry at all. First, Lenore was a great opportunity for Louisa to sort things out about the collaboration between the Caldor Styles company and Tomkins House. Second, Uncle George is a pawn who makes everything a problem in her life. And third, Henry is something that Louisa will not be able to avoid. Something that the past few days had made her feel indecisive and barely recognized herself. Louisa sighed and massaged the bridge of her nose. Louisa winced in pain for a moment as she tried to move her right arm. She just remembered that she had not changed the bandage and so on the wound on her right shoulder. Louisa glanced at the clock on her desk, it was already nine in the evening. Louisa frowned. "Why didn't Henry call me at all? Is he asleep already?" He muttered. Louisa got up from her seat and walked out of her study and into the kitchen. Louisa breathed a sigh of relief. "Hi, Henry..." Louisa called when she found Henry in the kitchen stirring a hot drink in a cup. Henry turned his head and smiled faintly. "Hello, Miss. I was just about to call you. But, you are already here." Louisa smiled before finally sitting there. Henry turned and brought him a cup of hot chocolate. "Thank you Henry," said Louisa as she gripped the handle of the cup. "You're welcome, Miss." Henry sat down beside Louisa, and realized that Louisa had not changed her clothes. "Didn't you change your clothes since a while ago?" He asked subconsciously couldn't hold himself back anymore. "Yeah, I've been in the workspace since earlier. I'll take a shower after this and rest. You should rest too, Henry. I see, you're a little... em, you know? You seems a little bit off…" answered Louisa while drinking the hot chocolate slowly. 'Owh… I… that, I'm fine, Miss. I just felt a little dizzy. That's all," Henry explained and started drinking his hot chocolate. "Then take a break after this. I'm not that hungry," answered Louisa, looking slightly at Henry. Henry just nodded his head slowly and continued drinking his hot chocolate. But his eyes couldn't hide, as they secretly glanced at Louisa there. Henry was infatuated and he recognized it in his heart. He was happy because at last he felt another feeling in his life. A foreign feeling that is very happy and brings its own euphoria for him. Henry didn't even realize he was smiling behind the cups in his hands now. 'Henry," Louisa called, placing the half cup of hot chocolate on the dining table. "Yes, Miss?" Henry put down his cup too. 'I will take a big step for the first time tomorrow. I feel very nervous and insecure about this. But somehow I have to keep doing it. It's been five years and I don't want to be in my sixth year with Tomkins House, I'm still stuck like this." Louisa paused her speech. Meanwhile, Henry remained silent and listened to what Louisa said at this time. 'This… really scares me. I was afraid that if I didn't actually manage to do it then, I'd be in much bigger trouble. But if I don't do it right now, it will be like destroying my life, the lives of Tomkins House and all of my employees. And I can't let that gonna happen in my eyes. Not while I'm still alive." Henry blinked his eyes a few times. 'Miss, I don't understand what you're saying at all..." He mumbled. Louisa turned her head and looked at Henry. There, Henry could see the burning determination in those navy blue eyes. "Tomorrow, I will issue a warrant through my lawyer and attorney of Tomkins House company, which will order that George Tomkins, will no longer be able to interfere in the affairs of Tomkins House, because I am its rightful owner and heir."