Chapter 4

People trooped out of the graveyard, murmuring as they left. Luke knew they were most likely talking about the incident they had witnessed. He cursed Ira and her stupid love for attention. Couldn't the woman be without causing a scene? His hand involuntarily went to rest on his right cheek, the cheek she had given a resounding slap. Funny how even after two days, it still stung. He didn't know why but the moment he had seen Lucinda strike Ira on the head with her thick cane, he lost it. It was all he could do not to push the gossiping hag away. He closed his eyes as he thought of how he must have looked like.

Scandal attracting woman!

Thanks to her, the headache he had been nursing for weeks became worse. He took a deep breath to steady himself when it looked like his vision was becoming blurry.

Luckily, the minister of defense finished his monologue, having no idea that Luke hadn't even been listening.

"On that note, I guess I would leave." the middle aged man with his excessively slicked hair said. Luke shook his hands and thanked him again for coming. The minister turned back to leave only to jump back when he collide into Daniel's mother-in-law.

"Dona Isabella, you startled me there." the minister said in a slightly raised voice.

"I have been known to do that a time or two. I came to personally thank you for coming today. My family and I appreciate it." she set her gloved hand the way you'd imagine a queen would to receive a kiss on it, but the confused minister took the offered hand and shook it instead. Luke couldn't prevent the slight tilt of his lips as he smirked. A move Isabella's eagle eyes caught. She gave the minister a forced smile as he said his goodbyes and rushed away, leaving them alone.

"See the minister run." Luke said, his eyes twinkling as he watched the minister. Isabella ignored him.

"And what was that about?" she asked through clenched teeth, smiling sweetly for the benefit of those passing by.

"What was what about?" He answered, knowing fully well she disliked it when her question was answered back with another question.

"I see you won't answer me. Anyways, I came here to thank you for sending that riff-raff, Ira, away. If she cared for her sister, she wouldn't have shown up here at all. But like mother like daughter, they say. With that cheap, showgirl blood running through her veins, she definitely can't help but cause a scene."

Luke felt something pierce his chest as he listened to Isabella. He honestly didn't feel good about sending Ira away in public like that, it hadn't even been his plan. But as he got to her, his blood boiled and ran cold the way it did everytime he got near her. Telling her to leave had been more about him than her. If only he could find out why his reaction to her was so strong. At times, it could be so crippling he wouldn't have anything to say, and if he did say anything, it would be words meant to inflict pain and make her feel horrible.

"I can't believe she had the audacity to yell at Lucinda." Isabella continued, not noticing he had zoned out, thankfully she wasn't expecting him to respond. Everyone knew Luke was the twin of the North Pole.

"I think she-"

Luke, feeling suddenly overwhelmed and unable to breathe, cut in, "If that is all you have to say, I am sorry but I have to leave." He walked fast, careful not to run towards the gate. The closer he got the gate the more his vision doubled. He knew Martins was somewhere waiting for him. He jogged down the stairs in his rush to leave the cemetery before it happened.

~

"Okay, thank you." Ira thanked the nurse before ending the call. Still no improvement from Jamie. She sighed and sat down on her love seat, her mind on her nephew. She would have gone to the hospital, had wanted to do so in fact. But Nelly had convinced her to go home to rest. She had been so adamant that he had to threaten to take her to his house and have his way with her if she didn't. Ira smiled as she thought about it.

"You had better go home now, or else, I would take you back to my place, tie you to a chair and have my wicked way with you." He said, his face looking quite serious. Ira had laughed out, spilling her budlight over her black dress.

"Ew! Don't say that. I feel like my beer would come up my throat if I imagine it." she responded with a hand over her heart shaped lips.

"You'll enjoy it, baby. When I am done with you, you'll be all over me. Let me just get my hands on your fine body and show you how studdy I can be." he returned, a huge grin on his handsome face.

"Studdy?" she asked, giggling at his choice of word. Nelly gave a careless shrug before wiggling his brows. "That's it. I am going home, tiger. Go find another lady to lay your hands on and have your wicked way with." she got down from the high stool, picked up her purse and walked towards the front door.

"You don't have to go home. You can just stay here." he called after her but she waved her hands to say goodbye and left the bar.

With nothing to do or no one to call, she wondered what she could do to pass time. She usually didn't have problems with entertaining herself, but tonight, she felt so inadequate that it was all she could do not to scream at the top of her lungs. Her mind whirled back to Luke. He was the cause of this feeling. If he had not treated her like last year's trash that was in danger of killing everybody with its stench, she wouldn't be doubting herself right now.

Ira picked up a little male doll, that was clad in a three piece suit and tie which reminded her of Luke. It had been a gag gift she had gotten for herself while shopping for Christmas presents the previous year. She took the doll and squeezed the air out of it. Whenever Ira did this, she found that she always felt happier and relaxed when moments before she had been sad and angry.

"Mini Luke, I wish you have the worst evening ever. If possible, I pray you be bedridden for days because this trash has given you cooties." she coughed on the doll, an unholy glint in her eyes as she did.

~

"I am definitely not sick." Luke yelled, causing Martin and the doctor to jump in surprise. He tried to stand up but he was so weak he dropped back to the bed.

"Mr Knight, you need to have bed rest or else I would make sure you are taken to the hospital and admitted." the doctor threatened, his voice growing soft and quiet at the 'admitted' part.

Luke scoffed in disbelief, wondering the kind of rotten luck he had to have gotten ill when he was most needed.

"You could have avoided being this sick if you had just come in sooner or called me." the doctor solidered on, stroking his mustache. Dr Roberts had been the Knight's family doctor long before Luke had even been born. Even in retirement, he still dealt with the health affairs of the knights, Luke especially. Martins had called him immediately Luke had slumped in the car. The good doctor had been waiting for them before they arrived. Together, he and Martins had carried Luke to the house.

Martins, drawing strength from Dr Roberts added, "I told him to come see you but you know how stubborn he can be. He threatened to fire me if I spoke of it again." He glared at his boss.

"Hmph! At this rate, consider yourself fired." Luke couldn't bring himself to shout. His head was pounding furiously.

"For what?" Martins exclaimed in shock.

"For breach of trust and insubordination." Luke returned.

"Those are big words sir. I don't think I understand what all that means." Martins kept his eyes on the doctor while he spoke.

Roberts cleared his throat, "Anyways, what has been done has been done. You need to give your body time to recuperate, or else I predict something worse will happen. Do not take my warning lightly because this is serious."

Luke and Martins exhaled together. One sounded resigned while the other sounded relieved.

"I need to be at the hospital with my nephew." he definitely couldn't abandon him again.

"Not while you're sick, you can't. Think of it this way, you get to protect him for getting sick from being exposed to you if you stay away."

Luke rolled his eyes, unable to argue with the sense behind his statement. "How long will I rest for?"

Roberts glanced at Martins who shrugged his shoulders before speaking. "At least, a week."

"A week!" If it was possible for the penthouse building to collapse it would have. "I can't do one week at home. I have a lot to do." Luke thundered, causing Roberts and Martins to cringe.

"Shall I remind you who is at fault here?" Roberts yelled in return. He had had enough of Luke's attitude. "You better stay in bed young man or else I would make sure you are admitted like I said the first time. You might not think there it but there a lot of people who care about your sorry ass-excuse my French, who wouldn't want to see you dead yet. But since you can be as stubborn as a mule just like your father, may his soul rest in peace, I know you'll try to weasel your way out of that rest time. If I find out you flouted my orders, I will make do on my threat. See you tomorrow." Roberts packed his bag and marched angrily out of the room.

Luke tried to use his elbows to raise himself up, pausing when he heard Martins tsking.

"One more move and I'll get Dr Roberts to do as he said he would." With that said, he sat down on the wooden chair far away from the bed. Luke, knowing when to give up, returned to lying flat on the bed.