Mom woke up three days ago. Let's just say I was over the moon. I was there when it happened. I was finally allowed to sit beside her bed wearing a visitors gown. I was sitting there begging her in my head to open her eyes when suddenly I saw her fingers move and a machine began to beep.

I was scared and quickly yelled for a doctor. They ushered me out of the room and for a second my heart sank as I saw them removing some of the tubes and machines from her. But then one of the nurses walked out and told me that mom had gained back consciousness.

She only opened her eyes for a few minutes and she was still drowsy and in a daze and wasn't able to talk at all. She woke up fully the next day around noon. I hugged her on the bed the best I could and cried for good five minutes before her soothing words and caressing my hair finally had me calm down.

She was quick to ask me how I have prepared the money for the surgery. She wasn't very pleased about the fact that Chris had paid that great sum of money. But when a few hours later Chris came with Liam and Daisy, she hugged him tight and cried while thanking him over and over, making Chris also cry as well.

Everything was so perfect that day. I had no worries. I was happy deeply. The doctors were so pleased with mom's recovery and told us she can come home in three weeks. Wasn't it perfect?

I went to work the day after mom's surgery. And I was shocked to find out Chris had another position now. He was working with Jax as a kind of his assistant. He looked so handsome wearing a white dress shirt and dress pants.

Being a manager surely suited him, but I couldn't help but feel guilty. He didn't like the field of business and he was only doing that because of helping me. And I could see something was off about him since Friday when I met him after his football practice.

He thought I didn't know because he was doing his best to act normal around me. But I knew something wasn't right with him. He was keeping more to himself and his eyes were distant and hard whenever he thought I wasn't looking. Even the way he would kiss had changed. He was kissing me like his life and sanity really depend on that; like I was a cure to the storm that was inside of him.

I had tried to ask Chase. Chase was still working in the restaurant. He said he liked it there and wanted to stay like that for the rest of the school until graduation. He had become a good friend of mine too.

I knew he knew the reason behind Chris's behavior. They were brothers. He had first denied it saying it was Chris being Chris. But after I pestered him, he finally gave up and said I was right but it was not his place to tell me and I should ask Chris myself.

So here I was, carrying lunch for both of me and Chris in a tray. It had become a routine for us. I would get food for us at my dinner or lunch time and we would eat in Jax's office where Chris was working.

Once in front of the office, I balanced the tray in one hand and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Chris's deep voice greeted me, making my heart flutter and a smile come to my face.

I turned the knob and walked in. There he was sitting behind Jax's desk, writing something down. He looked so attractive. He was wearing a black dress shirt and a silver tie around his neck. A deep frown was on his face as he concentrated on what he was doing.

The CEO genes were running through his blood for sure.

Yet I could see he was frustrated a bit. His tie was loose and his hair was messy as if he had run his hand through his hair a thousand times.

He looked up and his eyes lit up instantly at my sight. "Hey, beautiful." he greeted me with a beautiful smile and pushed the papers away to open up a place for the tray.

"Hello," I smiled as I placed the tray on the desk. I bent down and pecked his lips before jumping up and sitting on top of the desk. "Where is Jax? I thought he would be here like yesterday."

Chris groaned while placing a napkin on my legs and another on his. "The fucker is having the time of his life." he grumbled. "He is making sure I work my ass off while he uses the opportunity to rest as much as he can. It's his well-deserved holiday as he put it. He has taken the day off and planned to take Emmy out on a picnic."

"Awwwww," I gushed and my eyes soften. "That's so romantic. He is so sweet."

Chris stared at me shocked. "We will go on a picnic after work." he said determined and put his hand on top of mine. "We can stop at my house to pick a few things for our picnic."

I chuckled and ran my hand through his messy hair, trying to tame it a bit. My heart melted every time he was trying to do things that I liked. "No need for that." I said. "I didn't mean it like that. Plus, I should take Daisy shopping. She needs a few clothes."

"But we will go one day." he said as he handed me my plate of food. "That's not negotiable."

"Okay." I smiled and we began to eat in comfortable silence. I used my time to look at Chris as he ate and at the same time check a few things on a laptop.

"How are you?" I asked softly.

Chris looked at me a bit startled by my question. "I'm fine. thank you, angel." he answered. but I could see through his lie.

"You seem a bit off these past two days." I said gently not wanting to push him much. "Everything is fine?"

He sighed and leaned back on his chair and rubbed his forehead. "I don't know, to be honest." he groaned.

"You know you can talk to me, Chris." I said softly, really wanting to help him somehow. "Maybe I can't help, but I will listen without any judgment."

Chris put his plate back on the tray and rubbed his face aggressively. It broke my heart to see him frustrated like that.

"The coach talked to me and Chase after Friday's practice." he began and looked at me. "It was something about the next Saturday's match. It's a very important game for us that can lead us to the state's tournament if we win."

I nodded and he continued. "The coach said someone very important will be there." he said and ran a hand through his hair. "It seems a coach from one of the best college teams that play in the NFL will come to watch the game. It seems he is coming to see mine and Chase's play. We are so likely getting a scholarship to enter their college and play in their team."

"Whoa!" I responded stunned. A large smile came to my face. "It's wonderful. Isn't it what you wanted? God! Chris! We should celebrate."

"Hold the horses, baby." said Chris suddenly sounding tired, and gave me a weak half-smile. "It's not as easy as it sounds. At least not for me."

"I don't understand." I frown confused. "Wasn't this your dream?"

He dropped his eyes and looked at the table. I could see the conflicted emotions in his eyes.

"I'm not sure if I want that path anymore." he said and my eyes widened. "Maybe I chose business for my future. Just like Jax."

"But you were telling me how much you hated this business thing." I said confused.

"I still do. I hate this." he said and threw his arms around showing the office before turning to me with desperate eyes. "But, you don't know how things have changed at home, Eleanor. You don't know how my father has changed."

I sat there silently just staring at him. Suddenly pieces of the puzzle were placed together and I saw the picture, I saw the reason behind his conflicts, behind those desperate eyes.

Chris looked away and his eyes turned sad and he smiled sadly. "The night after I went home on my first day here as Jax's special assistance, dad was waiting for me." he said, lost in the memory. "You don't know how much his approving sparkling eyes were refreshing for me. It was the first time he was looking at me like that, like I was worthy."

He smiled wider and continued, certainly remembering another good memory. "And yesterday when we had a family dinner and Jax had come home," he said. "I wasn't feeling like an outcast. I didn't need to leave the table. I finally had something in common with them. I could talk with them, with dad, without any argument."

He then looked at me and his eyes sparkled as he grabbed both of my hands. "For the first time he looked at me with a hint of pride when he found out from Jax that I had managed to close a deal that will have a lot of profit for us." he said. "You don't know how refreshing it was. It felt so good."

I just stared into his eyes. His eyes were sparkling, but I could see his soul through his eyes. He was suffering and sad. It was not fair. He should have sacrificed his dream that he had worked a lot on just for his dad to approve of him.

His smile faded and his frown was back when I didn't say a word. He dropped his head. "Don't look at me like that." he said bitterly and released my hands. "Like you pitty me. I know how fucked up it is and how pathetic it might sound. But yes, I'm willing to fuck my future and do what I hate just to have my family's approval. Just to be able to mingle with them normally. Just to be able to have a normal family dinner without thick fucking tension in the air."

I came down from the top of the desk and slowly pushed him back on his chair and sat on his lap. His hands instantly went around my waist to keep me there and he looked at me with desperate eyes, needing me to tell him something.

"I told you that I won't judge you." I said softly and kissed his cheek. "I just want to see you happy. It's okay that you want to feel accepted, to have your dad's approval. All of us feel this way. It's okay."

I paused for a second and cupped his cheek with my hand. "It just pains me to see you do something you don't like and put your dream aside." I said. "I've seen how talented you are in football and I know for a fact that Jax and your mom support your dream as well."

"What should I do?" asked Chris desperately.

"I don't know." I sighed and pressed our foreheads together. "Just think about it more. Don't take hasty decisions. We still have time at least till next week."

Chris nodded and buried his face in my neck, taking deep inhales, trying to calm down himself. He let out a bitter laugh. "He is sure one hell of a father." he said. "He always knows how to ruin me and get what he wants."

"Don't say it." I responded and ran my hand through his hair soothingly. "He is a good man and wants the best for you. You just have to prove to him what is best for you."

"He doesn't understand." sighed Chris and pulled away to look into my eyes. "I tried for years. He doesn't want to understand. He has a mindset that whatever I say is bullshit."

I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him to me again. "We will figure it out together." I said and kissed his forehead. "I promise."

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Soon it was Saturday and the time for the big match. Chris was so silent and conflicted than before. I still could remember our conversation that morning when he dropped me at the hotel.

I glanced at Chris beside me with sadness. He had the day off because of the match. As much as I had told him to not come after me, he was there in front of my house waiting for me, telling me that he needed to see me in order to stay calm and sane.

Yet he was far away from calm. He had placed his elbow on the door and was rubbing his jaw with his hand while clutching the steering wheel tightly with the other. His knuckles were white and he had a deep frown on his face.

I sighed and put my hand gently on his arm. He glanced at me and faked a smile. "Talk to me, Chris." I said gently. "What's wrong?"

He pulled over and parked the car in front of the hotel. He then sighed and rested his forehead on the steering wheel, both hands gripping the steering wheel. "I think I'm going to fuck up in today's match." he mumbled.

I rubbed his back trying to comfort him. "Did you tell your parents that they can come and watch the match?" I asked.

Because of the importance of the match, it was going to be held in a field in the city and other than students from both schools, families of the players could join. So I had persuaded Chris to tell his parents, hoping they would come.

"Mom and Jax will come." he answered. "Jax will bring Emmy too."

I bit my lip and asked the obvious. "And your dad?"

His knuckles turned white again because of how tightly he had gripped the wheel. "He said it is waste of time." he said bitterly through gritted teeth. "And I should not waste my time as well. That my working is more important than something that has no future."

I closed my locker and sighed. How could his father say that? Chris was still a teenager and his son. Many of the boys his age were playing different sports and many of them become successful in that field in the future.

I wasn't able to calm down Chris that morning. He was seething. I was desperate to help though. It was killing me to not be able to help. I looked at my reflection in a small mirror in the changing room of the restaurant.

Maybe I could help.

With a new idea in my head, I grabbed my bag and walked out of the room, and headed to Jax's office, hoping to find him there. It was Sunday and his secretary wasn't there. I knocked on the door and opened it once I heard Jax's voice.

"Hi, Jax." I greeted him and closed the door behind me.

Jax looked up and smiled. "Hey, Eleanor." he greeted. "How can I help you?"

"You will come to today's match, won't you?" I asked nervously. Rose and Jax's presence was the only comfort for Chris, making him feel that somehow his family accepted him.

"Of course, I will." answered Jax with a smirk. "I won't lose the chance to watch that bull play in the field and beat up asses."

I didn't even smile at his joke. "Will your dad come?" I questioned.

Jax's smirk faded and he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't think so." he sighed. "You know, he has a kind of strict mindset. He is a busy man as well."

"But it's Saturday." I reasoned desperately. "You are a busy man too and you are coming."

"I really don't know what to say, Ella." said Jax guilty. "He must be in his office now, drowned in work. I don't think I can change his mind."

I dropped my head and pondered my idea. I would do it for Chris. "Maybe I can." I said and looked up into Jax's surprised eyes. "Can you give me the address to your dad's office and perhaps schedule a meeting for me?"

"You want to talk to my father?" asked Jax stunned. "To persuade him to come and watch the match? No offenses, sweetheart, but that's an impossible mission. He loves my mom and yet she can't change his mind."

"I will try." I shrugged and looked pleadingly at Jax. "Will you help? For Chris? Please, Chris needs this."

Jax thought for a few seconds before standing up and closing his laptop. "I will take you to his office." he said. "Wait for a minute so I get ready to leave."

So 45 minutes later, I was standing in the elevator of a big skyscraper, heading to the top floor with Jax by my side. Even on Saturday there were employees still working in the building. It was crazy. Did all of them need money as I did? Who would ruin their weekends otherwise?

I gulped as the elevator dinged and we stepped outside. I wasn't sure now if it was a good decision for me to be there. I was in debt with that man in the office and still, I was going to demand him to do something for me.

Not for me. For his son!

I straightened my back and clenched my hands to stop them from trembling.

I was doing that for Chris.

"Mr. Harrington." greeted a young man who came out of a room and shook hands with Jax. "I told boss that you are coming. He has 20 minutes before his meeting starts."

"Actually, Ronald," said Jax and pushed me gently forward. "It's not me who will go inside. It's Eleanor who wished to talk to dad."

"Oh," said the man and looked at me a bit confused, probably trying to figure out why a teenager wanted to talk to his boss. "Okay, young lady. Remember you have only 15 minutes. This way."

I nodded to Ronald and glanced at Jax for support. "You won't come?" I whispered a bit frightened.

Jax smiled softly and squeezed my shoulder. "Don't worry. He won't bite. I hope so." he chuckled. "And no. I won't come in. I will end up in a fight if I go inside. We always end up fighting when talking about Chris. Now, go. This is your chance."

I nodded and walked to where Ronald had stood beside a leather door waiting for me. "Ready?" he asked me out of sympathy and once I nodded he pressed a button beside the door and opened it a few seconds later.

I walked in and Ronald closed the door behind me after he mouthed me good luck. I looked ahead and saw Chris's father sitting behind a large table, signing a few papers. The wall behind him was made of glass, giving a beautiful view of the city.

"I don't have much time, Jaxon." he said without looking up, his voice deep and mature. "What is the matter that you couldn't talk about it on the phone? I have a long meeting with some associates in a few minutes."

"Will you not come to Chris's match then?" I blurted out suddenly without thinking, my tone holding disappointment and a bit of accusation.

Mr. Harrington frowned and looked up and his eyes widened when he saw me standing there.

"Hello, sir." I said quietly and dropped my head shyly.

"Hello, Eleanor." said Mr. Harrington surprised. "Forgive me if I'm surprised. I didn't expect you see you here at all. I was waiting for my son."

"I know. Jax helped me to meet you." I said and took a few steps forward. "I wanted to talk with you about something important."

He leaned back and his chair and his intense gaze never left my eyes. He looked like an old version of Jax and Chris, only more strict and holding more authority. "Tell me, dear." he said. "How can I help you? Forgive me I don't have too much time. As I mentioned, I have a long meeting in a few minutes."

I bit my lip nervously. "Today Chris has a very important match." I said. "Parents can come and watch as well, you know, supporting their children. Will you not come? Your wife and Jax are coming."

Mr. Harrington looked back at his papers dismissively. "If that's the case you shouldn't have wasted your time." he said. "I have told Chris already. I won't come."

"But why?" I asked desperately and take a step ahead, now standing directly in front of him. "Don't you want to watch your son's playing? He is a great player. He had worked hard to be where he is."

"He should have spent that time to achieve something more valuable." answered Chris's father emotionlessly. "That useless school activity won't have a future for him."

Okay. I was getting frustrated and angry. How could he think like that?

"With All due respect, sir," I replied firmly. "I think you should be proud of your son to put so much passion and effort into something he loves. You should support him to achieve his dream."

He looked up at me and I unconsciously took a step back at the sight of his cold eyes. "I don't think you are in a place to question me about my ways of raising my own son, Miss. James." he said coldly. He stared at me for a second before going back to his papers. "I won't change my mind. So please leave. I have so important matters to attend."