Chapter 24
"I need for us to tell Cora alone," Blair asserted as she adjusted her curls around her face. "I'm sorry to ask, but would you mind going to the consulate for a while? I think it's best if you weren't here when she finds out."
"Blair, I understand that this is important for Cora, and I wouldn't want to do anything to derail that -" She started to interrupt, but Louis held up his hand to silence her. "So I will leave and give you time to break the news to her, but you've been acting so strangely ever since I got back. I think we need to talk, too. Did something happen while I was gone? You barely look at me…you pull away every time I touch you."
"Louis," Blair sighed, rising from her vanity to take a seat on the bed beside him. "I'm exhausted. Chuck's leaving, and it's going to break Cora's heart. The wedding is in six weeks, and we still have a ton to do. Things will settle down after the wedding." She reached out and laced her fingers with his, trying to ignore the fact that her body didn't react to his touch.
"Cora's not the only one who's going to be upset about his departure, is she?" His voice held a quiet accusation as he pulled his hand free from hers, standing and walking away to put some distance between them. She couldn't completely fault his suspicion. She and Chuck had kissed on three separate occasions now, but she was frustrated that this was the current state of their relationship. Everything between them felt strained and forced; there was no comfort or connection, no warmth or tenderness.
"That's not fair," Blair raised her voice, making her irritation clear. "Your jealousy is irrational. I'm upset because my daughter will get hurt yet again when she has to say goodbye to her father. And if you want me to be honest, yes, I'm upset too because Chuck is important to me. I will not apologize for that fact."
"I want to trust you, Blair," he shook his head, "But you make that really hard when he's around. It's like you're a different person."
"No," Blair tried unsuccessfully to keep from rolling her eyes, "You're clearly threatened by my relationship with Chuck, but there's no reason to be. We were romantic years ago; now we are friends. I've got your ring on my finger." She held up her ring finger to emphasize her point.
He sighed, still not pleased with her commentary. He thought she was deflecting from the bigger issue, but he learned years ago that pushing her resulted in an argument that he couldn't possibly win. She was headstrong, and he both admired and resented that quality in her. His life would be so much easier if Chuck Bass had stayed dead, but, alas, he had to deal with his presence if he wanted to marry Blair. He returned to the bed and prompted her to stand to her feet. Lifting her left hand to his lips, he kissed her knuckle above her engagement ring. "Soon you'll have the band, too. I love you, Blair; I hope you know that."
She forced a smile, pushing up on her toes to peck his lips. "Of course, I do. I love you, too." The words stuck in her throat, and it felt wrong, like she was saying them to the wrong man. She pushed those thoughts aside, unwilling to acknowledge the truth behind them. "Thank you for leaving. I need this to be as smooth as possible for Cora."
XOXO
When Chuck arrived at the Waldorf residence, he was filled with dread. Nothing felt worse than hurting Cora, and even if Blair could convince her that it was for the best, he couldn't bear the thought that he might be the reason for her pain. He almost wanted to back out, but what would his life be then? He couldn't live the rest of his life just waiting for the moments that he could spend with his daughter; he needed a career and a purpose beyond fatherhood. Plus, Blair wouldn't even consider the possibility of getting back together with him if he wasn't perseverant and driven in all aspects of his life, including business. She'd always had high expectations for her partner, and he respected the hell out of her for it.
Aside from his impending trip, his mind had been consumed with his last meeting with Blair. Her eyes had blazed with fury when he kissed her, but her cheeks were warm and red for an entirely different reason. Before she'd pushed him away, her body had melted into his. He felt her hands tangle in his hair, and her lips trembled against his. She was as affected by him as he was by her. Emotions had danced across her face when he declared his love; he could see her sadness, her hope, her weakening resolve. She hadn't returned the sentiment, but he could feel it in her touch and read it in her watery eyes. She still loved him; he didn't even question that fact anymore, but was it a love that was strong enough to last forever, to overcome the odds that were still stacked against them? Could it just be dear affection left over from a passionate relationship? No, he refused to believe that. He loved her from within the deepest recesses of his soul – a love like theirs doesn't fade with time.
She greeted him at the elevator, and he could immediately sense the walls that she had carefully erected around her. It was as if months of progress had evaporated, and she had returned to the cold indifference with which she'd addressed him over the summer. He closed his eyes to gain his composure and stepped into the foyer. "Blair -" his voice was gruff, emotions barely concealed in the way he spoke her name.
"Chuck." She held her chin high, her eyes dark and unreadable. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and she clasped her hands formally in front of herself. Her whole demeanor communicated that she was not willing to discuss anything except their conversation with Cora. She wore an orange shift dress with a cream cardigan, a string of pearls around her neck, and nude Louboutin pumps. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek bun with a few curls framing her face. She was lovely because she was Blair, but it wasn't his favorite look of hers. He knew that every single piece of her outfit was carefully chosen as yet another part of her defense against him, silently reminding him that she didn't dress with him in mind. "Cora's in her room. I'll call her down."
"Wait," he reached out to stop her, and she froze when his fingers encircled her wrist. An electric shock surged up her arm, causing her to shiver, and her eyes immediately shot up to his. She was reminded of Louis's touch from earlier and how her body didn't react at all. He pulled her so that she was facing him. "Give me five minutes, Blair, then you can go get Cora. I won't have another chance to talk to you face-to-face for a while."
"Chuck," she whispered, lowering her head so that she was no longer looking at him, "We…I said everything that I needed to say last time we talked. Please don't make this any harder than it already is; there's nothing between us."
"Look at me," he implored, "Please look at me." She acquiesced, tears reflecting in the corners of her eyes. "You can't tell me that there's nothing between us when you're looking at me, can you?"
She narrowed her eyes at his challenge. Her voice was steady as she focused her eyes on his questioning gaze. "There's nothing between us."
He chuckled quietly and raised his hand to rest against her neck as a means to test her resolve. He smirked to himself when she didn't pull away. "Liar."
"You need to move on, Chuck. This is getting a little pathetic." Her voice remained even, but the erratic movements of her chest with each shaky breath betrayed her nerves.
He stepped half an inch closer to her, and she could smell his cologne – his signature scent that used to bring her so much comfort when she would snuggle into his side. She longed to burrow her head into his chest, but she stood her ground. "You know that'll never happen, Blair," he murmured, brushing her hair from her forehead. His hand lingered against her cheek, sweeping away an errant tear that fell from her eye. "You're it for me." His voice was deep and gravelly, and his eyes melted into warm caramel pools. "If it's not you, it's no one. There's nobody else for me. I love you."
"I -" She wavered, her knees growing weak as a lump formed in her throat. "I -"
"Daddy!" Cora's voice rang out as she took the stairs two at a time. "Daddy!"
Chuck quickly dropped his hand from Blair's cheek, as she turned away to wipe all evidence of their exchange from her face. He fell to his knees as Cora ran straight into his arms, wrapping hers tightly around his neck. "Oh, baby," he whispered against her hair, "I missed you so much." Suddenly the reality of his situation and the truth of those words hit him. It had been a little over a week since he'd seen her, and it was a nearly soul-crushing feeling. Could he really survive leaving her for over a month? He cleared his throat to suppress his emotions as he stood back to his feet.
"I missed you, too, Daddy." Cora furrowed her brow in warning. "Please don't ever stay away for that long again!"
Blair clasped her hands together quickly, ignoring the panic written in Chuck's eyes. "Let's go find our seats at the table. Dinner will be served soon. Cora, why don't you see if Dorota needs any help?"
As the little girl scampered off, Blair hissed, "I know what you're thinking. You're not backing out of this, Chuck. You're going to Japan. I won't stand by and watch you give up on your legacy."
"But -"
"She's a child, Chuck," she whispered, "She says things without completely understanding the meaning behind her words. She will be fine; in the end, she'll be better off with a father who is happy and fulfilled in all parts of his life." She grasped his hand as though it was the most natural gesture and pulled him toward the dining room. "Come on."
XOXO
They ate dinner as they typically did: Chuck and Blair listening intently to Cora's stories of her school day and her dreams for the future. Tonight, she spoke about her vision of pushing a more vibrant and playful assortment of patterns and colors when she becomes the head of Waldorf Designs. Blair simply nodded in amusement as Cora explained her idea for redesigning the signature WD on the garment tags to resemble a butterfly in flight. When they finally finished eating, Blair ushered them into the sitting room, announcing that they had some exciting news. Chuck noticed the way she remained positive, as if her optimism would influence Cora's reaction to her father's trip.
"Ooh," Cora bounced out of the dining room, clearly giddy from her sugar high, "A present for me?"
Blair let out a stiff laugh, not quite as nonchalant as she hoped, "Not quite."
"Then what is it?" the little girl questioned impatiently.
Chuck sat beside Blair, bouncing his leg up and down anxiously. She subtly reached over to stop his movements, and the heat of her touch immediately calmed him. He would forever be in awe of this woman, of her strength and resilience no matter what she was facing. "You know how Daddy was telling you about his father's company, and how it's his company now but somebody else is running it?"
"Yes," Cora answered hesitantly, confused about what Chuck's business could possibly have to do with her.
"Remember how Mommy told you that Daddy is trying to take over the company again?"
"Yup because he owns it."
"Because it's his legacy. Do you know what that means?" When Cora shook her head, Blair explained, "It's Daddy's stamp on the world; it's his way of showing everyone who he is and what he stands for. He inherited the company from his father, but he wants to make it his own. It's important to him, and eventually, it'll become part of your legacy, too."
"Oh, that's wonderful, Daddy," She smiled at Chuck to convey how proud she felt of him, though she didn't completely understand Blair's explanation.
"Because of this, though," Blair continued cautiously, "Things will be different for a little while."
"Wh…" Cora stuttered, looking back and forth between Blair and Chuck, "What do you mean?"
Chuck cleared his throat and motioned for Cora to join them on the sofa. He pulled her into his lap, stroking her back soothingly. "You know how Daddy's company is developing hotels?" She nodded. "The company is expanding to Asia, and Daddy has to go to Japan for a little while to get the process started. It's not -"
Cora jumped to her feet, tears pooling in her large brown eyes. "You're…" her lower lip quivered, and her voice broke, "You're leaving?"
"Not permanently -" Chuck tried desperately to explain.
"You said you'd never leave me," she whispered, tears flowing freely down her ruddy cheeks.
"Cora," Blair reached out for her, but she sidestepped her mother's grasp.
"You didn't try to stop him; you want him to leave," she accused. She turned back to Chuck, "Please don't leave me, Daddy; I just got you back."
"I'm not leaving you, Cora," Chuck's eyes were pleading, "It won't be long, just four weeks or so."
She sniffled again, but she visibly relaxed. "That's a lot of weeks, Daddy. I missed you after just one."
"I know, sweetheart," he nodded, lifting her back into his lap, "But we can FaceTime every night."
With her lip still jutting out into a pout, she asked, "Promise?"
"I promise." He held out his pinky finger to solidify the deal. "But you need to know that Mommy isn't trying to get rid of me. She wants me to do this so that I can build a future for you. You understand that, don't you?" He looked up at Blair, whose expression was still wrought with sadness. He lowered his head so that he could whisper in Cora's ear, "Try not to be so hard on her, okay? She wants what's best for you. She loves you so much, and she will never do anything to hurt you."
Cora glanced over at her mother, and she could see the strain pulling at the corners of the elder Waldorf's mouth. She hadn't meant to hurt her; it was just easiest to blame Blair, but that was unfair. Not everything was her mother's fault, but she'd acted that way often over the past few months. She kissed Chuck lightly on the cheek and slid over to cuddle against Blair. Wrapping her arms around her mother's slender neck, she said, "I'm sorry, Mommy."
"Oh, darling," Blair pulled Cora closer, "You do not need to apologize. Big emotions create a big reaction. I love you, baby."
"I love you, too, Mommy."
Chuck lingered as long as he could, playing dolls with Cora, taking over her bedtime routine, and resting in her bed with her until she finally fell asleep after many hugs and tearful goodbyes. When he was certain he wouldn't wake her, he slowly extracted himself from her little arms, placing a soft kiss against her temple. Leaving her felt like an impossible task, but he finally managed to exit her room with one last glance back to memorize all of her perfect little features.
Blair was waiting in the foyer when he descended the stairs, and she offered him a sad smile when he stepped to her. "Safe travels, Bass," she choked out.
"Blair," he closed his eyes, his chest constricting tightly as he pushed away all of the words he wanted to say.
"You'll be back before we know it."
"About what I said -"
She shook her head, "Let's leave it at this." Pushing up on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug, burrowing her head into his shoulder the way she'd wanted to earlier. He hesitated for just a moment before embracing her waist and pulling her closer. They stood that way for an interminable length of time, neither one willing to be the first to let go. No other words were spoken, but they weren't necessary. Their emotional embrace carried the heaviness of a pair of broken hearts beating in tandem.
XOXO
After two weeks in Japan, Chuck was completely immersed into his routine of overseeing site development, approving budget proposals, and attending countless progress meetings. He was exhausted, but he felt productive. He committed to waking up at 5:00 AM for his daily FaceTime with Cora because it was the most sensible time for both of their schedules. It was 4 pm in New York, so Cora would be out of school but their call wouldn't interfere with dinner, time with Blair, or bedtime. For Chuck, he would spend an hour catching up with Cora before a shower and breakfast. He made it a point to be at the office by 7 every morning as a way of proving his consistency and dependability to the Board of Directors.
He normally arrived back to his hotel suite late in the evening; it wasn't unusual for him to stay at the office until well after midnight. As he walked through the door Friday night, craving nothing more than a hot shower and a nightcap, his cell phone started chirping incessantly in his pocket. He fished it from inside his coat, debating on ignoring it until morning, but the 212 area code caught his attention. It was one in the afternoon in New York; Cora should still be at school, and Blair was most likely at the atelier. He worried briefly that Lily had had a relapse. Everyone he cared about knew that it was the middle of the night in Japan, and they wouldn't call him without urgent need. His heart pounded against his chest as he was overcome with fear that there was an emergency happening to any of the handful of people he considered his family.
He pressed down the 'Answer' button and held the phone to his ear, preparing himself for bad news, "Hello?"
"Hey, Chucky." He immediately recognized the deep tone on the other end, and hair on his arms pricked in irritation.
"Jack, what the hell do you want? It's after midnight -"
"Oh, I know what time it is. Just giving you a heads up - I'll be there first thing in the morning. We've got some things to talk about."
Chuck ground his teeth together, "Like hell you will. I don't want to see you now or ever. If you show up, I'll just have security -"
"No, you won't," Jack's arrogance was infuriating. "You need to hear what I have to say, and time is of the essence, dear nephew. If you don't hear me out, trust that you might regret it for the rest of your life."
"I'm not playing these games with you, Jack." Chuck pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just spit it out."
"Believe it or not, I'm trying to help. Get some sleep because you'll need it."
"Ja-" But the call disconnected before Chuck could say another word. He tossed his phone onto the bed and headed for the bathroom. Things were going too well for him lately, so he wasn't surprised in the least that the universe would send Jack to fuck everything up. He wouldn't give into his uncle's mind tricks this time, though. He was too close to getting everything he'd ever wanted.
XOXO
"Mommy!" Cora yelled from the foyer at 3:58 Friday afternoon. "It's time for our FaceTime from Daddy!"
"I'm coming!" Blair laughed at her daughter's impatience and closed the lid to her laptop. She plucked the iPad from its charger and made her way to meet Cora downstairs. By the time they were both situated on the couch where they typically snuggled up together for their afternoon call with Chuck, it was after 4.
"Mommy, Daddy's late," Cora pouted. "Daddy's never late."
"Hold on," Blair scrunched her nose in confusion. "Let me try him. It's Saturday morning in Tokyo, so he might still be sleeping." As she initiated the call, she grew increasingly nervous with each passing second. She knew that Chuck wouldn't purposefully skip his date with Cora. When he didn't pick up, she grabbed her phone and typed out a quick text: Cora's waiting for FaceTime. Did you oversleep?
She tapped her foot anxiously against the floor in front of her, trying her best to suppress her nerves so that Cora wouldn't worry. "Mommy," Cora looked up at Blair, "Maybe you should call -"
Blair's phone vibrated in her hand, and she turned it over, careful to angle it away from Cora's prying eyes. The text wasn't from Chuck. Confusion clouded her mind, but it was quickly replaced by anger and repulsion. On her screen, she saw Chuck knocked out in a hotel bed, clad only in boxer briefs, a pair of long feminine legs straddling his waist. On each of the nightstands, she could see liquor bottles and what appeared to be drug paraphernalia. A pair of women's lace panties dangled from the drawer of the nightstand. Beneath the scandalous photo, the text message read: He is who he is, Blair. Never forget that. I'm available if you need a shoulder to cry on. -Jack.
Blair felt her stomach rumble as though she would vomit at any moment. She couldn't miss Cora's inquisitive eyes trained on her, so she quickly muttered, "Daddy's sick, so he won't be able to call today. We'll catch up with him soon. Mommy's not feeling well, either, darling, so I'm going to go rest for a moment."
She ran up the stairs to the bathroom and locked the door. After turning on the faucet to drown out the sound, she retched into the toilet, letting tears fall freely from her eyes. He'd fooled her; he'd convinced her with his deceitful charm and suave words. Part of her wanted to think that it didn't make any sense – she'd seen the father he is, how attentive and loving he could be. She had watched him sacrifice himself to save Cora, and this type of behavior felt entirely antithetical to the kind of man she thought he had become. She knew from experience that Jack Bass was a snake who would do anything to get the upper hand, just as he had when he manipulated her into throwing Chuck a brunch after his night of debauchery so that the Board would witness his scandalous behavior firsthand. Jack couldn't be trusted; for all she knew, he could've photoshopped the picture.
On the other hand, though, wasn't this what Chuck always did? He ran off to Thailand when Bart died, he traded her to Jack as if she were property to exchange as he pleased when he was in danger of losing his hotel, he slept with Jenny after his failed proposal, and, worst of all, he ran away to Prague and faked his own death when Blair found out about his betrayal. The evidence was right there. Chuck Bass was incapable of being in a relationship because, as soon as life got hard, he resorted to self-sabotage. She had always been a victim of his selfish benders, but she wouldn't allow the same to happen to Cora.
XOXO
Blair was lying; Cora was certain of it. Chuck wasn't sick. Something else had caused her mother's nearly violent reaction to the text message that she'd received. Blair was a master of unaffected stoicism with everyone else, but Cora could always read her emotions in the lines of her mouth and the corners of her eyes.
She was an intuitive child, and she'd noticed how quickly her parents had distanced themselves from each other when she'd walked down the stairs a few weeks earlier. Blair's moods were unpredictable lately, but she seemed to be happiest when Chuck was close by. Something inside her told her that her mother needed a push, and Cora thought she had just the answer - a solution that could play out one of two ways: Blair's acceptance or denial. Either could result in Cora's punishment, but, at this point, it was a risk she was willing to take. Her parents were too stubborn for their own good, but maybe she could help them find their path back to each other.
She snuck into her mother's room to be greeted by Blair's muffled sobs emanating from the bathroom. Guilt seeped into her small chest, but she pushed it away, believing this to be the best way to help her mother find the happiness that she deserved. Her parents belonged together, but Blair had to find a way to get past her pain and anger first. She was sure that her father's heartfelt words were the only way for that to happen.
When Blair returned to her bedroom, she found a small box sitting on her vanity with a handwritten note from her daughter on top: I'm sorry that I took these, Mommy. Please read them, and please don't be mad at me. Or Daddy.
Blair brushed a stubborn tear from her cheek and carried the box to her bed, curiosity getting the best of her. Why in the world would Cora think that she could be mad at her, and what did she know about Blair's anger toward Chuck? A heaviness shifted into the pit of her stomach as she lifted the lid from the box, immediately recognizing the handwriting on each of the dozens of envelopes inside. Her trembling hand rose to cover her mouth as more sobs racked her body. She was filled with so many questions: when had Chuck written her letters, how did Cora get them, what did it all mean?
She pulled the first envelope out of the box, and, through vision blurred with fresh tears, she read the contents of the letter:
March 20, 2013
Blair,
I can't get you off my mind tonight. It's been almost three years since I've seen you, and I miss you so much that it physically hurts. Earlier tonight, Eva brought up a topic that I had hoped to avoid: she asked if I want children. I was caught off guard because for the longest time, I pictured you carrying our child. I envisioned our future as parents, and it's all I wanted - a family with you.
But I can't picture that with Eva. It feels so wrong, and yet, I feel like I'm betraying her by writing those words because I've been with her longer than I was ever with you. So, when she asked, I said, no, that I don't want kids. I know that hurt her, but the truth is that I don't want children with her. I don't want a family with anyone but you. I don't want anyone except you to carry my baby, and that breaks my heart.
Sometimes I wonder if you've found someone else; if you're engaged or even married already, but I'm too scared to find out. Maybe you've already given birth to someone else's child or you're glowing with pregnancy. I can't bear that thought because I'm a coward.
I hope whatever you're doing and wherever you are, you're happier than I could ever make you. I love you.
-C
Blair sniffled, wiping at her raw eyes, and gently placed the letter back into its envelope. She thought about 2013. Cora had just turned two-years-old, and she'd just started dating Louis seriously. He'd mentioned having more children multiple times, and she recalled having a similar reaction to Chuck's. She avoided the conversation at all costs, or she would deflect with an excuse about how Cora was too young and she was too busy. She never wanted to carry another man's offspring inside of her body, even her fiancé's.
The next letter was quite a bit shorter, but its contents shook her to her core.
November 15, 2015
Blair,
You're 25 today. I've missed 6 birthdays. How did I go from making love to you eight years ago in a stranger's bedroom at your birthday party to writing letters that you'll never read?
In my dreams, we celebrated with a rooftop dinner. No need for candlelight. You were a vision against the soft glow of the moonlight, and I couldn't help myself. I made love to you on the balcony, beneath the stars, where we had the world at our feet. It was so real that I could smell the peonies on the table and I could feel your fingertips brushing my skin. I can still see the soft blush that rose into your chest as you called out my name. Chuck Bass only exists on your lips, inside my dreams.
Your soft whimpers linger in my mind, and I had to inch away from the woman sleeping next to me, the same woman I betray night after night with thoughts of you.
Happy birthday, baby. I love you.
-C
She wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry over the fact that Chuck still thought about her on her birthday and that he had intimate dreams about her while in a relationship with another woman. Truthfully, she'd had similar dreams about him, and they almost always coincided with important milestones in their relationships. She and Chuck were so similar in that way, and it was clearer than ever that their connection was unbreakable.
She laid the letter to the side, thankful that her daughter hadn't read its more risque content, and opened the next one. This one wasn't nearly as neat as the previous. The paper inside was ripped and crumbled, the words were smudged as though the paper had gotten wet and smeared the ink on the page. The writing was frantic, unlike Chuck's typical small penmanship. Her heart slowed as she read the date; this letter was written only a few months earlier.
June 28, 2016
Blair,
I have no words. None. I don't know what to say or how to feel right now. I saw you, and I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. I still can't breathe. You were here in the flesh, and I just stood there. Then when you fainted, God, Blair, I thought that I was dying. I thought that there was no greater hell than living without you, but I was wrong. Seeing you tonight, and not being able to go to you, not being able to take you in my arms - that's hell.
You're so fucking beautiful, and you looked truly happy until you saw me. It's as though you relived everything that I put you through in the span of a few seconds. I hate myself for what I've done to you.
As much as I love you, I couldn't save myself so that I could be good enough for you. You've always deserved better, and I hope you found it. This will be my final letter because it's time I let you go.
I'll always love you.
-C
Blair exhaled slowly, clutching the letter to her chest. His last few words echoed in her mind: I couldn't save myself. He'd hurt her so much that she rarely let herself consider just how dark and destructive his demons were. She knew better than anyone how vulnerable he was, how full of self-hatred he was. To anyone who didn't truly know him, he came across as a self-important prick – arrogant and confident to a fault. But the real Chuck - her Chuck - was still hurting from the sins of his parents, from their betrayal that ultimately left him with feelings of inadequacy. His spirals were typically linked to his parents – or to her.
There was always a trigger to his benders, and he was currently in another country completely alone. She could be angry and worried at the same time, she decided. Whatever he was going through that inspired the picture that Jack sent her, she'd be damned if he went through it alone. Picking up the phone, she said, "Yes, I need a car to Teterboro as soon as possible. Inform the pilot and prepare the crew – we will make a quick stop in Paris and then head to Tokyo."
She hung up the phone and held out her hand to examine her engagement ring. Louis had left for France a few days earlier after she'd insisted yet again that there was nothing for them to discuss. She knew then she'd been lying to his face for months, and it was time to come clean. Scrunching her nose, she forced the garish ring from her finger and placed it on top of the nightstand beside her. With a deep sigh, she texted Louis, "You're right; we need to talk. I'll be in Paris tomorrow to drop Cora off at Daddy's chateau."
She threw a suitcase onto the bed and started haphazardly shoving clothes inside. The next few days would drastically alter the course of her life, but it wasn't time to be timid. Like she'd told Cora when she learned about Chuck leaving, big emotions create big reactions. She was all too familiar with the path down which Chuck was headed, but she believed with everything inside of herself that she was the only one who could do anything about it.