Lina and Wade watched how Reuben stood frozen in complete silence for a few seconds.

'Is he reminiscing what had happened earlier?' She interpreted and then took a sneak peek at her brother who was also staring at Reuben.

'I hope he isn't too angry! I don't ever want to step foot inside that hellish place which surprisingly has Heaven in its name!' Wade lamented deep inside his heart.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts of revulsion about the place that he had failed to notice Lina's observant eyes on him.

'So there definitely is something fishy going on here!' She surmised and then alternated her gaze between the two men who had been lost in their own thoughts for a while now.

Not being able to stop herself from speaking her mind any further, she finally cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Erhmm…" She coughed again to get Reuben's complete focus on her when she saw his eyes turning towards the direction that Wade sat in.

Reuben's eyes which were glaring daggers at Wade instantly into soft indulging eyes when he directed them at his Kitten.

Lina could feel herself drowning in those soft brown eyes so she quickly shook her head to come out of the trance.

"You still haven't explained what you two were doing earlier." She raised her brows and crossed her arms over her chest.

Looking at the authoritative pose and the commanding tone that she used on him, Reuben was equal parts surprised and proud.

'Kitten isn't just a meek little kitten, she knows when to stand up for herself.' He nodded his head in appreciation but it looked like Lina did not share the same emotions he felt at this moment.

This was because when she saw the fleeting smile and the gleam of satisfaction appearing on his face, her thoughts were moving in a different direction.

'So Ruby really has feelings for Wade?' She concluded with this theory after what she had observed from the moment she entered the room.

'Dammit! This is so hard to admit, but I am willing to step aside for their happiness!' She pursed her lips and came to a conclusion on what her future steps should be.

Taking a deep and calming breath in, she closed her eyes and then opened them before looking at the man who had taken her first kiss with a determined look on her face.

Reuben had been silently watching her every move and for some unknown reason, he had a bad feeling about what she was preparing herself to say.

'I'm sure she has misunderstood something here. I better come clean!' He decided and just as he was about to speak up, he heard her soft yet resolute voice.

"Reuben, if you and Wade like each other then I am willing to step aside." She declared using all the strength that her heart could conjure and gazed into his eyes.

Wade's head whiplashed to face his little sister who was spouting bullshit which could very well get them both massacred by this Demon incarnate.

Just as he had thought, Lina had completely been off the mark and his earlier premonition came true.

Reuben narrowed his eyes and silently leered at the woman who had not once but repeatedly declared that she would give up on the 'US' that he had been trying hard to build.

"Nana, I think that you are misundersta-" Wade began to explain that she had certainly misunderstood something here.

However before he could complete his sentence, Reuben gave him a piercing glare which promptly stopped the next words that were about to leave his mouth.

'What are you trying to do!? She's clearly overthinking about what happened here!' Wade tried to reason with his best friend through his eyes.

Reuben ignored his pleading eyes and nodded his head at Lina.

"Continue, Lina. I want to hear what you have to say regarding the matter that you have seen." He prodded her to finish what she was saying earlier.

'Huh? So he isn't even going to explain himself? Did my guess turn out to be the actual truth?' She tilted her head and frowned lightly.

Reuben had not called her by the endearment that he always used for her because she too had done the same at the beginning of her sentence.

Not being called 'Kitten' made her grimace for a quick second but she did not let the discomfort appear on her face.

She then looked him in the eyes and revealed what she had decided on.

"I hate the fact that you thought of using me as a shield for your relationship with Wade." She gritted her teeth and glared at him.

"If you had just been upfront with me then I would have been happy to play along but you hurt my feelings!" Her voice choked a little and tears welled up but she did not let them leave her eyes.

Not wanting him to witness her weakness she lowered her head and gazed at the floor as though it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Reuben did not say a word and stood still when all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hug her tight.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked up once again and then smiled at him.

"But… If your happiness is with Wade…" She turned to face her brother and gave him a smile as well although she had forced it with all her might.

"Then I am willing to step away." She bit her lower lip after she was done with her big heroic speech.

'Fuck! Why does this hurt so much!?' She felt a similar pain in her chest like that one she had while she was conversing with Kirk earlier.

While that pain was more of a suffocating feeling, this pain made her feel as though her soul was being crushed and her heart was being flattened using a huge sledgehammer.

Reuben had finally had enough of her words of sacrifice and he turned to Wade with his usual poker face.

"Leave us." He commanded in a low voice which made Wade's eyes widen in fear.

'No! Those eyes! No way I am leaving Nana with him when he has that look in his eyes!' Wade shook his head profusely to show his refusal.

Lina observed the conversation they were having with their eyes and stood up from her seat.

"If anyone should leave then it must be me." She gave him a goodbye nod and then took a step forward.

Reuben however, had different plans in his mind.

He just shook his head and then wrapped his arm around her waist causing her to stop in her tracks.

Lina instantly began to struggle to free herself from his grasp but his arms only got tighter the more she squirmed around.

"I asked you to leave." He repeated his words while staring at Lina's angry face.

Lina felt like punching his face in because he just stopped her from leaving and now he's asking her to leave again.

As she was planning on how to give him a strongly worded comeback, she noticed movement from the man sitting on the couch.

Wade's eyes alternated between his little sister whom he never wished anything bad to ever happen to and his best friend who was an extremely scary man when he was angered.

"You hurt her and you are dead!" He clenched his jaw and stared into Reuben's eyes to make sure that his warning had reached the other man's brain.

Reuben gave him a subtle nod and then turned back to face the woman who was watching as Wade exited the office.

'I never should have played that prank on him!' Wade cursed his rotten brain as he stepped out.

Noticing that they were finally left alone, Reuben relaxed his arms that were wrapped around Lina's waist.

Feeling the drop in the pressure around her waist, Lina hurried to break free from his arms and took a step away from him.

Reuben could have easily caught her but he did not because he wanted to see what she would do.

"So you want to give up on us?" He asked and took a step towards her.

Lina scoffed when she heard his words but looking at his serious face she did not answer him.

Her feet kept retreating the more he came closer to her but they soon stopped when her back hit the wall.

Reuben smirked when he saw that she had reached the end of her retreat and in one quick step he was standing before her.

"You want to 'step away', huh?" He muttered nonchalantly and took another short step closer to her.

Noticing the diminishing space between them, Lina's first reaction was to flee from there.

'He likes Wade! I can't be so close to him!' She raged, still believing the misconception that had formed due to her overthinking.

Noticing her eyes which were searching for an escape route, Reuben's lips formed into a devilish smile before he placed his arms on either side of her body.

This action of his made Lina look up and then as though time had frozen for them, they stood absolutely still as they gazed into each other's eyes.

'This Kabedon isn't all that bad after all.' Reuben smirked as he stared into her hazel eyes and slowly leaned closer to her face.