CHAPTER 5 - NOT OKAY

Loria raised a hand to stop Elizabeth from speaking. She knew very well that Elizabeth would do what she wanted.

"Stop right there. Stop talking!" said Loria furiously. "Was all the wealth you brought with you at that time so you fell into poverty now?"

"Loria ... I'm your mother,"

"Stop playing the drama and get out of here. You can go back to Lyon, France, where you can spend all the money you stole from my father with that ignorant man!"

Elizabeth was no longer fighting Loria. She actually left Loria's office. "You can go too," Loria said to Eldrick who was still standing still not far from the large glass door of Loria's room.

"Are you okay?"

"Sure, you know I always have a sedative for my every problem." Loria said. "You just need to send me the paperwork I have to work on right now."

Eldrick stepped out, but not until ten seconds had passed, Eldrick turned his body again and make sure that Loria was no longer taking the same sedative as yesterday.

"There is something wrong?" asked Loria who was surprised to see Eldrick suddenly right in front of her.

"Don't take this medicine again," Eldrick snapped, snatching a medium-sized white bottle from Loria's table.

Loria raised an eyebrow high. "I don't like it when other people interfere in my business. So can you give me my medicine bottle back now?"

Loria's cold and calm tone confirmed that she was an independent woman who was also lonely. Loria had to deal with a lot of pain now. Her choice to become a divorce lawyer who she thought would help her heal from trauma in fact made her even more traumatized by marriage.

"Stop," said Eldrick quietly. "This job will make you even more depressed," he continued.

"What do you know about me? Don't think that by making love with me last night, you can control me all you want!"

"That drug is what makes you addicted and causes hallucinations! Loria realize, you're the one who asked me to do that thinking I was Shane! And..." Eldrick tried to calm himself down by lowering his voice. "I'm a psychiatrist, you forgot?"

Loria turned her work chair so she wouldn't see Eldrick who was clearly getting closer and closer to her. The loss of Shane alone had made her dizzy, then now she had to accept the fact that she had hallucinated that Eldrick was Shane, unfortunately again she did things she should not have done with Eldrick.

It sucks that, in the midst of everything that is happening now, Arabela, Shane's older sister accuses Loria of being the cause of Shane's disappearance.

"Go back to your desk and work as you should," Loria said.

Even Eldrick couldn't force Loria to do what he just said. He was well aware that he had only just met Loria and his current position was only that of a secretary to Loria. Without saying a word, Eldrick stepped out of Loria's study.

"Ck!" Loria huffed in annoyance. She grabbed the mirror that was on her desk and cursed herself. "Why did all this have to happen to me at once?! I just wanted to live a normal life, but why did you mess everything up!"

Frustration, depression, trauma. All of that now made Loria's feelings even more awkward. She had to hide all that for the sake of working professionalism in front of her clients.

"Gosh, this keeps me imprisoned in my own body." Loria let out a weak sigh.

Loria was well aware that no one else would help her, except herself. But now, she couldn't take it all. Looking for Shane who didn't even give a single message before disappearing and again the new fact that Shane is an heir to a big company, made Loria lose her mind.

***

"You need me?" Eldrick lifted his head when he saw Loria just standing in front of his desk. "Even though it was only about 1 hour 45 minutes when I came out of your private office," Eldrick joked again.

"E-em," Loria nodded her head. "After I get home from court to take care of the rich old couple's divorce case, can I have a serious talk with you?" asked Loria carefully.

Loria realized one thing, her memory of taking so many sedatives when she had just arrived at her apartment that night kept flashing through her mind. And again, all of Eldric's words were true, making Loria sure that she should consult Eldrick to heal the trauma and all the pain she was going through.

"As?" asked Eldrick.

"Not as friends or whatever you're thinking right now," Loria snapped.

Seeing the expression on Eldrick's face now, made Loria sure that Eldrick was thinking something wrong. "Just as doctor and patient, do you agree?"

"Ah, doctors and patients. Then you must come to my practice this afternoon," said Eldrick casually. "By the way the address is the same as my home address." Eldrick added.

"This is my office, you have to keep your attitude. Don't be this casual talking to me here," Loria hissed.

Eldrick looked away and pretended to be busy with the pile of files on the left side of his desk.

"I'll be waiting for you at five this afternoon after work, at my house. I mean, at my practice." Eldrick said without even looking at Loria.

The feeling of wanting to fire Eldrick at this moment was also in the top of her head. But Loria didn't want to, because she really needed Eldrick. Loria felt that only Eldrick was the only doctor who knew about her without having to tell every detail of the problems and events that she experienced.

"I go now." Loria said as she walked towards the elevator leaving Eldrick who without realizing it smiled a little behind her.

Now, Eldrick is really busy with all the secretarial work that he should have been doing all along.

"What's this?" Eldrick muttered as he checked the name of the doctor listed and also the schedule for the check-up that Loria had to visit. Eldrick saw a familiar name, the name of a female doctor.

"Stop calling me! I'm driving! You want me really dead?!" Loria snapped when she picked up the unknown number that kept calling her. Loria knew and was sure that it was Elizabeth. But, how could Elizabeth know her cell phone number and also where she is now.

"I just wanted to accompany you on your wedding day," Elizabeth whispered.

CKITTTT

Loria stomped on the brakes suddenly when she heard that Elizabeth now knew not only her cell phone number but also her office. But now Elizabeth knows that she is getting married. Yes! Married to Shane who now knows where he is.

Loria took a deep breath before she answered Elizabeth's words.

"Enough, Elizabeth. I will buy you a plane ticket, so you can go back to France. Give me the address of the place where you are staying now," said Loria.

"No! I'm not going anywhere. I will really make you regret if you do that," said Elizabeth from the other end.