There Is No Lie In This World Chapter 8: The Chosen One

I didn’t get much rest after the photo shoot. Maybe fifteen minutes at most.

I looked at the marvelous ancient clock that stood on one side of the wall, the suffocating craftsmanship of its chanical workings on full display. It was definitely taller than . I could tell even looking at it from distance. Although I was fascinated, I didn’t dare to get any closer to it.

Luc stood by the window with her usual quiet grace, looking outside - looking down at the cityscape; looking down because amongst all the gigantic towers of corporate beasts, my office was closest to the sky.

I wondered what she was thinking, and rembered her ’gaze into future’ and ’gaze into past’. There was sothing impossible about her. My first impression of this enigmatic lady was that of a knight in a black suit. But that was sothing about her presence, and more impressively, the lack of presence that elevated her into sothing grander, but in a most understated fashion.

"Miss Roen," she finally spoke, without tuning around.

"The Council has requested your presence."

If I had any strength left in my backbone that would have made sit up. But I didn’t.

"Requested? Like - I can’t say no?"

Luc turned, tilting her head slightly.

"It is customary. Not compulsory."

That just added even more weight to the request.

"I guess I can’t say no then."

Luc didn’t correct .

My palms were already damp. I stood and wiped them on my trousers, and imdiately regretted doing it in front of her, like a child who just wiped her snotty hands on her cloth.

She looked observant, but not judgntal.

"Co in."

Luc then suddenly spoke. It couldn’t possibly have been loud enough for whoever was outside the door to hear, but the door clicked open anyway and two n walked in.

They were both dressed in sa elegant black suit as Luc.

I stood up as a reflex, not to be impolite as I received the guests. To my surprise though, after walking toward in dignified but distinctively heavy steps, they stopped about four steps away from and knelt on one knee in a perfectly synchronized motion.

"They are Cain and Abe."

I bowed my head as deep as they could go down with my inflexible body, and greeted them a little too loudly with a broken voice at the sudden show of reverence that I knew I would never grow into.

"Ni-, nice to et you, too!"

I didn’t know which one was Cain and which one was Abe, but if I had to bet I’d have picked the shorter one who just suppressed a giggle as Abe.

"Abe." Luc called out authoritatively.

"I apologize for my insolence."

So I was right.

"Rise."

Luc commanded and both of them rose in an impossibly smooth motion, again, synchronized.

I looked over at the only other lady in the room. She knew what I wanted to ask.

"They are bodyguards. You can trust them. For now."

It was a rather puzzling way to be introduced to bodyguards, but sothing clicked in my mind and set off an alarm.

"Bo...bodyguards? Why?"

Luc said nothing.

"What is this ’Council’ that I am requested to attend? Isn’t it... a corporate eting? Why do I need bodyguards?"

Adjusting her cuffs, she approached with slow but purposeful strides.

"In case there are so dogs that bark, or worse, try to bite."

My imagination went wild and now I was visualizing a room full of Dobermanns dressed as cardinals.

"Let us move on."

Although Luc’s voice was calm, the sudden appearance of two n unsettled . I felt tense. I was scared. But led by the knight and flanked by the guards, I managed to make my way to the elevator.

Luc pressed the button. The elevator doors slid open with a dully cheerful chi.

"This is... just a welco eting, right?" I tried again. "No formal stuff. Just tea, maybe a danish?"

Abe let out a little more successfully suppressed giggle again, which made Luc stop. I could only see the back of her head, but I imagined that she was frowning.

I wished that I could see that face soday.

———

The corridor leading to the boardroom was longer than it should have been. My shoes tapped against the carpet that was soft yet firm. It felt like I was walking being led to a courtroom where the trial had already been decided.

The double doors were impractically massive. Cain, the much bigger blacked haired man than diminutive Abe with blond hair - how can a bodyguard be so small and slim? - effortlessly opened the door.

Luc paused before entering the room as if it was part of a ceremony, then walked in first. Missing a beat here felt like ssing up a wedding march. I took a deep breath to hold my nervous heart in place, squeezed by my bloated lungs.

The room was absurdly large - high ceiling, long table, chairs spaced out like sothing above the First Class on a luxurious airline. There were at least twenty people seated. All in gray suits. They all turned toward in perfect, quiet unison.

And then—they stood.

All of them.

Bowed. Deeply.

I froze but Luc whispered without turning around to face .

"Please go ahead, Miss."

So I walked.

I shouldn’t have expected anything else, but the empty seat, a seat that was distinctively larger and raised higher than other seats, was at the far end of the table.

I sat slowly. The chair adjusted itself beneath with a chanical sigh. I glanced behind . Luc didn’t sit. She stood just behind my right shoulder, perhaps a little closer to than she usually does.

I tried to clear my throat and nearly swallowed it instead.

The man nearest to -a slender older gentleman with a sharp jaw - nodded once.

"Miss Roen," he said. "Or do you prefer Chairwoman?"

I panicked.

"Erm... Lin is fine."

He smiled.

"We’re honored to finally et you, Miss Roen."

So it was decided that I would be Miss Roen after all.

Another executive nodded. "You wear the weight well."

Weight?

A woman with silver-blonde hair and eyes like glass marbles added, "We’ve been waiting for this presence to return to the room."

Oh no.

Another leaned forward. "You remind of the founder."

"Do you still see them?" asked the old man with watery eyes in a brittle voice.

"I-, what?" I was confused.

Luc spoke smoothly behind . "Only in her own reflection."

The board nodded solemnly. I didn’t understand a single thing that was happening.

They weren’t asking about policy or visions, let alone asking to introduce myself in anyway.

Yet, they were... admiring .

But I knew it wasn’t . It was the image of . The idea.

"We hoped it would be you," soone whispered.

"We were told it would be."

Each complint felt like a trap I didn’t understand.

"I - I’m honored to be here." I tried my best to reciprocate.

A woman on my left smiled. "The honor is ours, Miss Roen. We would all be lost without you."

I sat there, heart pounding like it was trying to escape out of my body yet trying to hide from all these eyes at the sa ti.

Then soone stood.

He was younger than the others. Thirties, maybe. Sharp suit, impossibly sleek hair.

He approached and placed a small box on the table in front of .

"This belongs to you."

I opened it slowly.

Inside was a silver brooch, a crest. Simple, elegant, polished like it had been treasured for centuries.

I stared at it.

"Please stand, Miss Roen." I was startled as Luc spoke from my right side.

I duly obliged and turned to face her. She then picked up the brooch from the box, placed it on her palm and angled it toward the seated n and won so that everyone could have a look at it. I looked around nervously and found that everyone was smiling, and so of the older ones even had teary eyes, as if they were deeply touched in their heart to witness this mont.

Without any further words, Luc carefully pinned the brooch on the left side of my suit jacket, and gently turned to face the table again.

"Rise."

Everyone rose. It was as if Luc was the master of ceremony here.

"The new leader of the Roen family has been chosen."

With her announcent, a thunderous applause erupted.

I smiled nervously, bowed, waved hand, and did everything I could to convey the gratitude for their welco. I’d never been so welcod by anyone like this in my life.

But as I looked around, I noticed that there was a younger - relatively speaking - woman and man who sat on the right side of whose smiles didn’t look as genuine. It was extrely subtle, but the entire life spent with social anxiety allowed to spot such things.

After the ’ceremony’ was over, Luc led the way again and I left the room with Cain and Abe following from behind.

Once the door was shut behind us, Luc suddenly stopped and spoke without turning around.

"Cain. Abe."

"Yes, Ma’am." The two n behind responded.

"Remove Kim and Joanna."

"Yes, Ma’am."

With that, they no longer followed us and stood firmly by the door as Luc and I walked away.

"Wha... what was that about?"

"It is not for you to worry, Miss."

"Remove? Who are Kim and Joanna? What did they do wrong? What do you an remove?"

I was starting to freak out.

Luc then stopped again, turned around, and looked into my eyes. I saw both sympathy and rage at the sa ti.

"They did not smile."

All I could do after that was to follow her lead to the elevator to go back to my office.