Chapter 311 - Not alone.

While everything was still very hectic, Lena did not go back on her word for grounding Kris. Kris really thought that she was joking, but no, she was serious.

"Grounding people is a western thing." Kris complained. "You can spank me instead."

"Nope. You will get more thrilled about getting spank." Lena slammed the door on Kris.

"How long?" Kris placed his forehead on the door.

"48 hours."

"...." Kris banged his head on the door.

Lena ignored him and walked over to Gary who had finally woke up. 

"You know... you should be more gentle towards him. What if he leaves you?" Gary spoke.

"Leave??" Lena choked. "He dares to. I will chop off his ding dong."

"I heard that!" Kris shouted, still pouting outside the door. He was supposed to be on a long vacation with Lena. He didn't even get to see her in the fancy gifts he bought her.

"Leave Kris. Or I will bump it up to 72 hours."

"..." Kris banged his head on the door a few more times then left. He made sure to give the guards who are outside the room a devil's glare before leaving.

Lay, who is replacing Collin, hold his laughter and followed Kris out.

Collin wanted to hold back his wedding due to all the chaoticness, but Lena told him to proceed. Stella waited years for him, and some small matters like this shouldn't stop them from getting married.

If anything is needed at the moment, a nice wedding would be a good break from all of this mayhem.

"I am scared that you are grounding him... and spending that time with me instead. Should I be grateful I didn't die?" Gary joked.

"Stop saying that. You need to get laid, get married, have kids, kill a few people and then grow old and die."

Gary laughed and then Lena did too.

"But seriously.... you're a bit.. looking too fine considering you almost gave me a heart attack." Lena put her hand on his forehead.

"I am fine, Lena. Seriously."

"...." Lena sighed and sat down by the bed. "Is this... about the kidnapping? Erik I meant, his kidnapping."

Gary looked at Lena and then stared at the ceiling. They were still in the basement of the hospital until Gary was well enough to be moved elsewhere.

"You know about it?" Gary asked.

"Just what's on the news and the rumors at work." Lena replied. "Before I joined your company, I obviously did research on my future boss."

"And what did you find out?"

"Grew up with a golden spoon. Spoiled Young Master but determined to follow his own dreams. Rich, strong family background, but everyone said that you treat everyone like friends. When people look at you, they don't see a scary boss... but someone who they respect."

"Is that what people say about me?" Gary pondered... thinking back to how his original personality was before it was mixed with this body he was in now.

"And then there are the gossips about your kidnapping. Some said it was your evil stepmother... others said it was your uncle..."

"None of those."

"Regardless... people said that because of that... you don't ever lock your doors. Not your car door, house door, office door. You used to be claustrophobic too, right? But you grew out of it I think. You always carry a pocketknife with you. And you don't ever eat anything unless it was sent by your sister."

"Wow... you know so much about me." Gary complimented Lena. "I would assume you had a crush on me, Shen Qian."

"Oh please... it was just so I don't make a mistake and get fired. And yet... where did that brain of Lena go that she dare get me fired!" Lena slammed a hand on the bed. 

"I didn't think the trauma would carry over so strong. I lock my doors. I don't carry a pocket knife with me 24/7. I actually thought that it was quite nice... and Gary's situation before... it was nothing compared to what I went through as a child. I mean, the counseling with Tye helped too so I didn't felt that something was wrong, you know?"

Lena nodded her head. She also thought at first that she was fine too, but she got the help she needed.

"But when one of your many boyfriends put me in that room, tied up, and so... everything just exploded. I---" 

"I punched him."

"Thanks."

"Should I kill him for you too?" Lena offered.

"No. You don't have to get your hands dirty for me. The Erik side of me will get my revenge myself." Gary responded. He said the Erik side of him because Erik's personality was a bit tough and rough compared to Gary. Gary had brains.. but not a lot of guts.

"Oh...."

"Oh what? That doesn't sound like a good Oh..." Gary looked at Lena who avoided his eye contact.

"Did I skip the part where I met your dad?" Lena's hands fidgeted.

"...."

"I brought Kris along with me... does that make it sound better."

"No..." Gary looked at her. What did he expect though? This was something Lena would definitely do. "So... are you not going to tell me the details?"

"Well... I don't want to give you a heart attack."

"...." Gary sighed and laid further back on his bed. "I wasn't going to tell you yet about him. Honestly... more like I don't know what to do with that man."

"And what about the Yang family?"

"That too... I just... I just kind of wish to run away from all of this. Start my own company... start my own family without this crap of family behind me."

"Then just do it."

"What does it look like I am doing...?" 

"I kinda made fun of you in front of your dad..." Lena confessed.

"When have you not make fun of me in front of anyone?"

"I called you a dog. Who wags its tail and lick my feet."

"Ahaha.." Gary's mood lightened up a bit. "That's true."

"And then I called everyone else dogs too."

"I don't know how you got out of his place alive... honestly, you are one crazy woman." 

Lena smiled and grabbed his hand. "Let's stop hiding behind the shadows. You're not alone, Gary. I am not going to leave you again, and you're not allowed to leave me again too."

"Do you ever think about... going back? If there was a way?" Gary asked.

"I used to. When I was first here... but then I began to believe that I was here for a reason... for a bigger purpose. And I did find that purpose. That one thing that will make me stay here. No regrets."

"Kris?"

"Well, I guess you can put it one word like that," Lena answered.

"There's a lot of things that I did not do... as Erik... that I regretted. And Gary.. also did not do a lot of things too, which he regretted. I felt that this new second chance is for both of us to make up for all the things we missed out on."