Gone Bad?

"I don't get it... with your genius you could have everything you want."

I stared at my grandmother. I was the only one who visited her nowadays. Eric had made sure she remained locked away in a glamourous institution, but institution no less. There she was, confined in her own expensive villa with all her servants and her nasty smirk, but still confined. Eric, as a special payback for her years of bringing misery upon others, had managed to closet her in, basically sealing her from the world. She was given permission to go out solely for her many galas, so as to pretend that she still had the freedom she once possessed. The other members of the Delton family were to scared to visit her even then. Even Eric, with all his charm and being the head, did not dare come to her face to face after her official "lock down".

And grandmother always possessed a unique self-esteem: brilliant, deadly, elegant, and with a sense of properness no one could compete. In more ways than one, I found her admirable, because she could take on business titans and not blink. She always kept her position, and even though many called her "pure evil", I always considered she did things to purposely seal herself from others. My grandfather adored her; surely there was something she must've done well.

"I already have everything I need." I answered softly. She was also the one person I trusted would never use my secrets against me. After all, I could use all of hers against her. Ironically, she seemed to only person I could truly talk with. No one would be more blatantly honest than she was. "Saying everything I 'want' is somewhat greedy."

"Please, greed has nothing to do with this. If you had even the slightest bit of greed you wouldn't be playing robbers and policemen. You'd be hunting bigger fish." she twisted her fingers in the air.

"You mean, like you hunted grandpa? Is that it?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"Why is it that you must always be like that? As though your life were a giant guilt trip. Please, Lucille Marie. If you die at 48, you will already have wasted half your life."

I blinked at her. "Whoever said I would die at 48!?"

"I'm giving you the big picture sweetheart, setting some parameters." She smiled at me, and I knew that sparkle in her eye all too well. "Lucille... do you want to know what I see when I look at you?"

"I get the feeling you would answer even if I said 'no'."

"I see a scared little girl. Your mother is dead, Lucille. No one will hug you at night if you feel like you're going to cry every other day." She rested her head upon her hand. "I see a girl who thinks her life is all about 'karma'. Oh please, you're not that important that God would pay that much attention. You've done many things in the past... honestly, If I hadn't seen your true potential that one time, I'd think you're as useless as your other female cousins."

"Just because I'm trying to see the positive things in life..."

"Oh no, my dear grandchild, you are not seeing the positive aspects in life. You are trying to hide your pain and anger behind a facade. Your friends might be deceived, but you certainly don't trick me. I doubt even your brother knows just how much of an angry person you can be."

"Anger... Pain... those are nothing more than negative feelings. You don't get anything out of them. Rather than have the power which I know you speak of, I'd rather live a happy life, like I'm living. I'm doing what I like! I love designing and I love computers.... and..." I stared at her. "What?"

"Aren't you tired of following the things that already have been written?" she asked one of her butlers for a cosmopolitan. "Nothing is preordained, my dearest. What you were is already in the past. Is this what you truly want? You are still young, you can still change everything. No one can judge you for doing so. Tell me right now that you don't want to do it." she laughed "Pretending you committed suicide to start anew. That was brilliant if you hadn't been as pathetic as to do the exact same thing you were doing before. How do you end up in the same circle?"

I crossed my arms. It felt chilly. "I don't know what you're trying to imply."

"Lucille... you like risk. You cannot deal with a routine and you know it. This is your chance to thrive, this is your opportunity to throw it all away. If it should become a big mistake, then you will have years to remedy that. But... unless you do fall once or twice, you will never learn."

"...I can't.... I.... don't want to."

"You're too comfortable? Lucille..." She stood up before I could see her standing. For an old lady, she was quick. "YOU could be the next Delton leader. You could change this 'male' order. You would be a great challenge to your brother."

I pushed her slightly away. "But that's something I wouldn't do because I love Eric." I stared at her rather nonchalantly.

"Yes... those eyes show me what you would truly be capable of doing."

"Grandmother." I was angry now, and truth be told I was calmer than ever. "Do not use me. Do not think that I will get Eric to withdraw his little 'lock down' game. I rather enjoy visiting you here."

I walked towards the door. "My anger, my fear, my hate... will get me nowhere. It is a path I rather never take. If one day I should go for it, God save my soul, because the first people I will hunt will be the Deltons for bloody giving me such a hard time." I slammed the door behind her, and heard her chuckle.

Bitch.