Disowned Ch.10
"Kaiba…" Riley said slowly. Seto held his breath. 'Does she know what happened earlier?' Kaiba was panicking on the inside. "How long was I knocked out?" Riley asked.
Seto let out a sigh of relief.
"Well, it's 5:30 Castaneto. I was so focused on my work; I honestly don't know when you decided to sleep aka, slack off."
"I did not slack off." Riley crossed her arms and pouted. "I was giving my mind a rest."
"Still slacking off in my opinion." Seto said in a matter of fact tone. "I think we should just end it here today. I expect you to review the rest of the documents on your own and have something presentable to me by Tuesday night. Send me what you have on Tuesday and I'll let you know if it's good. Thank you for your hard work today Castaneto, you're dismissed." Seto sat at his desk and resumed working on his laptop.
"Um…" Riley said nervously.
"I said you're dismissed." Kaiba said harshly. "I have other stuff to do too you know. You can find your way back on your own can't you?"
Riley didn't reply.
"Mokuba has shown you the guest room how many times already and you still can't find your way back?" Riley winced at his harsh tone.
Riley pressed her index fingers against each other nervously. "Um, I'm really bad at directions and reading maps." Riley gave a nervous smile.
"You've got to be joking."
"I would say yes, but unfortunately in this case, no."
"Ugh, fine hurry up." Seto stood up and hastily walked out the door.
Riley followed behind Seto feeling a bit nervous. Not nervous because she was near him per se, but the conversation that she had to have with her mother. She didn't know how the conversation would even go.
With her being so distracted from her thinking of various scenarios on how their conversation would play out in her mind, she wasn't paying attention as she was going up the stairs that she tripped up the stairs and ran into Seto making him lose his balance a little bit.
"Hey watch it!" Seto turned around and glared at her.
Riley winced. "Not my fault you got too many damn stairs."
"Maybe pay attention where you're going next time." Seto rolled his eyes.
After a little bit of walking down the hallway, they entered the guest bedroom.
"I'll wait here. With your sense of your direction, who knows where you'll end up in my mansion." Seto crossed his arms. "Hurry up and make it quick."
Kari
She double checked to make sure she had everything she needed for the trip. She sighed. It wasn't even a month here in Domino and she had to relocate somewhere else to do some training.
She walked to her bedroom and took a picture out of the drawer. It was a picture of her, Haru, and Riley as a baby. She held it close to her chest and after smiling sadly, placed it back in the drawer.
"Mom, I'm home."
Kari jumped a little and rushed out to meet her daughter. Without saying a word, she hugged her tightly.
"I'm so sorry anak, I'm so sorry." Kari broke down in tears. "I didn't mean what I said yesterday. I was just so upset about that phone call, getting demoted, and being separated from you."
"It doesn't give you the right to take out your anger on me you know mom." Riley instantly changed her expression from one of a neutral one to a colder one. "I know you're trying your best. I didn't mean to steal your job; he just decided it on his own."
"I feel like the worst mother in the world. I can't believe I got upstaged by own daughter."
"What? I didn't even want your job. I just wanted to help you and cuz of you I'm forced to work with someone I really hate." Riley replied defensively. "Mom, you could've declined the training you know." Riley turned away from her mother. "You could have done something else. Kaiba Corp isn't the only company out here in Japan you know." Riley put her arms around herself trying to prevent herself from crying.
"I know anak, but if I declined the training, how would I provide for you?"
"I could've found part time work mom." Riley said a little harshly.
"Riley, I don't want you to work. I just want you to focus on school; I'll handle all the expenses. After this project with Mr. Kaiba is done, I expect you to quit the job and dedicate full time to school."
"Who are you to tell me where I can work? I'm old enough to start providing myself." Riley snapped at her mother.
"Don't take that tone with me young lady." Kari glared at her daughter. "Who is the one who provided everything for you huh? Who is the one who gave you a roof over your head? Who fed you? Who take care of you when you were sick? Who bought you your clothes and games huh? It was me! As long as you're under my house and my rules, you're expected to follow them."
"I don't have to follow your rules if you're not even around to enforce them."
"Don't act smart with me. I'm the one paying for the rent and utilities for this place. If that's how you're gonna be, for real this time, I'm kicking you out of here. I don't give a shit what happens to you. I didn't raise you to be disrespectful."
"At least I got a job now so I can provide for myself." Riley snapped back.
"Good, now get your things and get out." Kari said angrily. "I'm not drunk this time, I'm 100% sober. Get out of here. I don't want to see your face until you learn some respect and manners young lady."
Riley bit her lip. The words stung really badly. She wanted to cry so hard, but that wasn't an option for her at this point.
"Get out now before I throw all your stuff on the street." Kari marched on over and started throwing Riley's clothes and other belongings outside the living room.
"Mom stop!" Riley tried to stop her mother.
"I said get out of here now or this shit is going in the trash!" Kari was going hysterical at this point. "Get out of here you crazy bitch that I unfortunately have as a daughter! From this day forth, you are no longer my daughter, get the fuck out of here!"
"Fine, I'll go if that's what you want. Just know the minute I walk out this door, I don't consider you my mother anymore." Riley said with a cold expression.
"Yeah whatever, I don't need a disrespectful, job stealing daughter like you. Now get your shit and leave."
She gathered all the things she could carry, and without looking back, she walked out the door.
Kaiba Manor
Seto went up to his room to freshen up. As he was drying his hair, the kiss replayed in his mind.
"Hey Seto, come downstairs!" Mokuba burst into Seto's room snapping Seto out of his thoughts.
"What is it Mokuba?" Seto asked his brother concerned.
"It's Riley. I saw her walking and she has a lot of stuff with her. From the looks of it, it looks like something happened with her mother again."
Seto was in disbelief. 'Did she really get kicked out of her house again?'
Seto went outside with his blue silk pajamas with Mokuba and what he saw astonished him. Riley had a couple of bags with her, a blank expression on her face.
"Rei!" Mokuba ran out towards the front.
Riley seemed to not have heard as she kept walking right on by. Seto rolled his eyes and he followed after his brother and grabbed Riley's arm.
"Castaneto." Riley looked up with the same blank stare.
"What do you want?" Riley asked in such a monotone voice.
"We better get you inside." Mokuba grabbed Riley's other arm and the trio walked into the mansion.
"It's like déjà vu." Riley tried to crack a smile, but she failed quite miserably.
"Rei, what happened?" Mokuba asked worried. "Did you and your mom fight again?"
"She kicked me out." Riley laughed sadly. "She kicked me out for real this time." Riley closed her eyes and put her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry to keep intruding like this, I better go." Riley hastily turned around; she felt the tears starting to come to the surface.
"Castaneto, where the hell will you go with all this baggage?" Seto crossed his arms. "Despite the problem with your mother not being my concern, I can't have you wandering around in that state. If something happens to you, wouldn't you think that would devastate your mother? Plus, do you know hard it is to find a replacement in a few days time?"
"Is that all you can think of? Your damn job?" Riley retorted back.
"Didn't you even hear what I said?" Seto said frustrated. "I can't have a woman in a bad emotional state wander around the neighborhood with all this stuff. You know that would attract unwanted attention right?"
"Let's get you some water. We'll take your stuff up later to the same room you were staying in before." Mokuba led Riley to the kitchen with Seto following close behind to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. Her stuff was in the middle of the entryway.
Kitchen
Her heart felt like it was being stabbed. The words kept replaying in her mind. She felt thankful that Mokuba gave her the glass of water. She downed it so quickly the glass was empty in less than a minute.
"Do you have any alcohol Kaiba?" Riley asked putting her head in her hands. She wanted to numb the pain, even if it was temporary.
"Castaneto, drinking isn't going to solve your problems. Deal with it like a grown up and move on. Your mother will come around eventually, just rest up for the night." Seto said with unreadable expression. "Mokuba, you go on up to bed, I'll help her with her things. Go on now." Mokuba yawned and nodded.
"Don't kill each other." Mokuba said as he left the kitchen.
"Don't worry about the cup Castaneto, just put it in the sink. Hana will take care of it tomorrow." Riley just nodded and she walked like a zombie out of the kitchen.
The pair went out to the entry way to get Riley's things. Riley grabbed all the bags, but she was having a difficult time.
Seto sighed and narrowed his eyes. "Here." Seto grabbed a bag and walked up the stairs.
"I don't need your help I got it." Riley said defiantly.
"Fine, have it your way." Seto just dropped her bag in the middle of the stairway.
Riley was having a struggle going up the stairs will the all the bags she tried carrying and putting on her shoulder.
"Hurry up Castaneto, we'll be here all night if you keep going at that pace." Seto looked at his wrist as if he had a watch.
"Fine." Riley sighed in defeat. "Can you please help me?" She looked away from Seto not wanting to look into his eyes.
Seto didn't say anything and grabbed two bags from her and proceeded to go to the room she was staying at previously.
Guest Bedroom
After Seto helped Riley set her things by the bed, there was silence.
"Look Castaneto, don't get comfortable here just because I've given you a place to stay for the past two days."
Riley didn't say a word. She just nodded with the same blank look. Seto sighed. He wasn't good in the comforting department or anything like that. Riley wanted comfort. She wanted someone to tell her everything was going to be ok. She wanted someone to hold her. She felt like her chest was going to burst from her holding in all her tears that she wanted to release. She felt so alone.
"Thanks Kaiba, you can go now." Riley turned her back towards Seto.
Seto knew what she was doing. She was trying to keep her emotions at bay and the moment everyone is gone, then the crying begins. He knows since that's what he did when he was child after being worked so hard by Gozoburo.
"Look Castaneto, everything will be fine." Seto said softly which made Riley's eyes go wide.
"Thanks for being nice, even if you don't mean it." Riley wrapped her arms around herself. She was ready to break down. She really wanted Seto to leave the room. He already saw her vulnerable once, she didn't want him seeing her vulnerable again.
"Please leave me alone. Please." She pleaded. "Just go!" Tears were starting to from the corner of her eyes.
Seto heard the crack in her voice.
"Castaneto…."
"Can you just please leave me alone for tonight?" Riley really was ready to cry full force and at the same time was tempted to hug Seto because she needed that immediate comfort.
"Just don't destroy my guest bedroom." Seto turned around to walk towards the door.
"Whatever just get out."
"Excuse me? This is my house. I can do as I please."
Riley was really getting frustrated because she wanted to cry in peace.
"Can you please just kindly leave me alone? I need a moment to myself." Riley was running out of energy. She fell to her knees with her arms around herself, her head hurting from all the emotions she has been holding back.
Seto sighed. He went back to help her up so she could sit on the bed.
"Why are you doing this?" Riley asked softly. She couldn't bear to look him in the eyes.
"Like I said before, I can't have an emotional wreck like you walking around town in this condition. On top of that, who would present my project?"
"Can't you do that yourself?" Riley looked at him defiantly.
"I could, but as the CEO, I have other responsibilities." Seto replied. "Look, just go to sleep. You got work to do tomorrow."
"Wait." Riley looked at him with pleading eyes. "Stay with me for bit please." Riley bit her lip.
"I need my rest too you know. I have to get up early." Seto turned around but Riley grabbed his arm.
With Riley not being emotionally and mentally stable, she didn't really care anymore and she wrapped her arms around Seto. The tears she held back came pouring down like a river.
"Please." Riley clung on to Seto. "Stay with me a little bit." She rested her head against his chest.
The warmth was something she craved and holding Seto's body closer to her provided that warmth.
Seto wanted to push her off badly, but he knew she was in a bad mental state and he knew the feeling of wanting comfort when none was available. Seto just stood there as she cried until she couldn't cry anymore.
Once she stopped, he felt her go limp against him. Her breathing wasn't as even due to the amount of crying she did. He gently carried her to the bed where he tucked her in. Despite her eyes being closed, he saw all the tear streaks on her face. He gently brushed a couple of stray strands from her face.
"You really are a piece of work Castaneto." Seto sighed. "I can't believe I got dragged into your mess."
Seto sat on the edge of the bed and stared at woman before him. As he stared at her, he wondered how she got to be the way she was. She was fiercely independent, stubborn, assertive, and she didn't seem to express her emotions much until well the past two days. He also wondered where she got her fearless attitude from since no one ever challenges him ever. She was something else alright. Seto shook his head and stood up. He turned off the lights and walked out of the room.
What both teenagers didn't realize at this time was that this would be the day that their friendship would start to blossom as well mark the beginning of their love story.
Thanks everyone. Please review.