Lavina had drifted off to sleep when Bruce finally stood up, retrieving his hand from hers. He had pulled up the blanket over her and did not bother to retrieve his coat that was laid at the chair he had occupied since he was not going to leave just yet.

His eyes flickered towards the clock that indicated a long time had passed since he had come there. He should have left but couldn't do so without finding out what exactly was going on with Lavina that had drained her out so drastically.

There was one person who could give a few answers so he stepped out of the room, silently closing the door behind him. The Mansion was silent because aside from him and Lavina, the only other person present was Christopher Hendricks, the family butler.

He knew Christopher had helped Lavina a lot in the early years of her reclaiming her family's status and was probably the only person she could trust. There was a possibility that the old man knew what had happened to Lavina and why she was reacting in a way so different from her former self.

He found him in the kitchen preparing dinner and stepped in, gaining his attention immediately.

"Mister Wayne, if there was anything you wanted, you should've called me. I got busy in preparing dinner or else I would have myself asked you both."

He shook his head, "that's alright, I just wanted a little of your time."

Hazel eyes flickered slightly but he nodded, "of course, Sir. I will try my best to be of as much help to you as possible."

"Do you know Lavina has decided to distribute Vikander Associates among her partners?"

An understanding look passed his face as he nodded, "ah... Yes, I am aware."

"Can you tell me why she is giving up her company? As far as I know, she has worked very hard to bring Vikander Associates to the place where it stands now. And her decision of giving it up strikes as strange to me."

The old man nodded, understanding what Bruce had been thinking, "I had been just as shocked as you are when she discussed it with me a few weeks ago."

"She never takes any decision without weighing out the pros and cons. I am more worried that this decision is not in her favor yet she is going forth with it," Bruce's features were set in a thoughtful gaze, "she is not being pressurized by anyone to take this decision, is she?"

The butler shook his head, a soft sigh escaping him, "no, that's not possible. I know for a fact that she can not be pressured to take any decision. You are one of her oldest friends, you would know that better than I do."

Bruce knew that very well. Lavina had never bent to anyone's will and it was impossible to have an upper hand over her. That made him more confused as to why she was intentionally choosing a loss for herself.

"From the past year, I have noticed she has been behaving very differently. I feel something has happened to her and she's suffering due to it. First, the way she called off our engagement, then this decision of giving up her own company... If there's anything you know about the reason for this change and any way I can help her, please tell me."

"I have never interfered in her personal life, Mister Wayne. But I do agree that she has been struggling with a lot these days," concern was evident on Christopher's face because he did care about Lavina, not just as his duty to her family but also because over the years he had gotten fond of her as one gets fond of their own children. "Most of her decisions nowadays make little sense to me even. Do you know, Vikander Associates is not the only asset of hers that she had been planning to give up. The day she discussed the division of the company, she also mentioned that she was writing down her will."

"A will?"

"Yes. It struck me as odd but the more time passed after it, the more I have gotten worried for her health."

The worry dawning on Bruce's features upon hearing that was incomparable, "do you mean to say that she thinks she's dying?"

"When I asked her, she merely said that life is unpredictable and she is preparing herself for the future," he replied, recalling the conversation he had had with Lavina regarding her will, "it isn't my place to ask her further about it. She already entrusts me with a lot and I don't want to overstep my boundaries."

Bruce realized that under normal circumstances, Christopher would never have told him so much. He was a confidante to Lavina and he certainly wouldn't have passed on any conversation she had with him to any other soul.

But the way he had given answers to his questions indicated that he was worried too and was looking at Bruce as a last hope.

"I don't know whether she will open up to you or not, Mister Wayne, but I feel you're the only person who can help her out of the mess she has gotten stuck in."

Bruce didn't know what to say in reply to that request but was spared as Christopher's phone rang. He picked it up seeing it was a call from Lavina.

"Yes, dinner is ready," he told her, turning back to take the food out in the dishes, "Mister Wayne hasn't left. Shall I ask him to stay for dinner?"

Bruce didn't know what answer she had given but after hanging up, Christopher spoke up, "she says she has something very urgent to discuss with you. So if you dine with her, she will be grateful."

He nodded, "alright. Are you bringing dinner up to her room?"

"Yes."

Bruce went back upstairs to her room and since he knew she was awake, he tapped on the door gently. 

"Come in."

Pushing open the door, he saw she was sitting on the bed and a remorseful expression spread on her features to see her. He stepped in and sat down on the chair beside the bed, eyes focused on her weakening self.

"I put you through so much... I'm sorry," she spoke up but her voice trembled as if what she was about to say would take a lot of strength from her.

"Don't apologize. All I ask in return is your honesty."

She took in a deep breath, "honesty... Sometimes the truth is very bitter to digest."

"Try me."

A melancholic smile graced her features as she shook her head, "I don't have to. You always exceed expectations no matter what trial you are put in. You're too nice to me, Bruce, far nicer than I deserve..."

"What you deserve or not would be decided afterward. Right now, I want you to confide in me. I promise I won't let you regret it."

She took one long look at him, once again struck by guilt at the way she had treated him. Her impulsive decision towards Samantha had deprived her of the most beautiful relationship she had had with Bruce.

One second was all it took to ruin everything.

The door knocked and Christopher entered with the dinner trolley that he placed near them then exited, closing the door behind him.

Silence had engulfed the two until Lavina asked, "what do you want to ask from me?"

"A lot," he admitted, "but I won't force you into it. You can tell me whatever you feel comfortable in sharing."

She nodded, taking in a deep breath to compose herself, "where do I start from? You know absolutely nothing about me even though we have been friends for a very long time. It would take me the whole night and probably more if I started from the very beginning."

"Start from one question of mine then," he spoke up, noticing that she was having trouble in deciding what to tell him, "when I took you to my family graveyard, you stayed behind at Uncle Alan's grave. And ever since then, I have been confused on whether you knew him or not because it seemed as if seeing his grave had hurt you worse."

She nodded, relieved that he had started from a question she could answer without feeling guilty, "your Uncle Alan was very important to me. I more than just knew him... Do you remember I told you once that my parents died when I was very young? After my parents' death, your Uncle became the only father figure I had known."

She was finding it difficult to tell him about that time which she had kept deep within her memories and never bared to any soul. But she felt as if she owed him the truth and so the truth she told him.

She omitted how her parents met their end and due to whom, she did not mention the Court of Owls even once, but she told him about how caring Alan had been towards her mother after Alastair Vikander had been assassinated.

Bruce was seeing the situation in a very different light through her as compared to the rumors that had circulated the city regarding Romilda and Alan. 

"Uncle Alan is the reason I am alive today," her eyes were welling up with tears, "if it weren't for him, I would have died alongside my mother. And that's why I promised myself to consider you all, the Waynes, as my family. I never wanted to cause pain to any of you. Especially you, Bruce. I never wanted to give you so much pain..."

She knew she would break down to tears as recalling the past had made her very unstable. But Bruce gave her the plate and brought the trolley close to her, gesturing her to focus on dinner.

They had dinner together but the solemn air hung about them akin to an impenetrable cloud.

"Do you have any other questions?" She looked up at last, slightly calmer than earlier.

"Yes, a few. And if you answer them, I won't ask anything else. Whatever you wish to tell me after that will be solely your decision."

She nodded, "alright."

"Did you really cheat on me or was it an excuse to keep me away from you?"

Her eyes flickered in guilt, "it wasn't an excuse. I did cheat on you, Bruce."

"Why and with whom?"

"Why... To be honest, I don't know. With whom... Samantha."

He had not been expecting that answer, "I had thought you would say Grayson."

She shook her head, "oh no, no... Grayson... Richard is important to me but in a totally different light. Aside from Uncle Alan and you all, he was the only other person I considered as family."

"Oh," he reverted his gaze but asked, "you could have not told me and I would never have found out. It was almost as if you were looking for a reason to call off the engagement and chose that one."

Her head throbbed as her hands reached up to massage her temples, "it was an impulsive decision, one that I regret taking. But you're right too, I chose it to call off our engagement."

His hands gently clasped hers and her eyes reluctantly focused on him, "but why?"

"The answer to that question hasn't changed. I don't deserve you, Bruce, never will. I will only cause your ruin if I stay with you and since I had vowed to protect you all like my own family, I chose to separate myself from you."

"But it did cause pain to me. You said yourself that you hadn't wanted to cause pain to any of us either," he remarked.

She sighed sadly, "I chose the option that would cause the least pain. Don't you see it, Bruce; I am a parasite. I latch myself onto people and I suck them dry. Their happiness, their freedom, their lives... I take it all away. I have done this so many times that I have lost count."

Her eyes had glazed over as she began to recall every single person who had suffered due to her. "My parents, Uncle Alan, Mister Hendricks and his son, Richard, you, Samantha, Timothy... I have ruined so many people already. I don't want to end up taking your life away from you, nor do I want that to happen to Richard and Samantha. That's why I chose to distance myself. Make you all hate me if that's what it took to keep you away from me."

Bruce was shocked into silence and she paused, taking in a deep breath because after letting it all out, she felt considerably lighter than earlier.

That pause ended when she concluded, "that's the truth about me... And that's the reason I entreat you not to come any closer to me. I don't want to ruin you, Bruce, please don't let me." 

***