Despite the episode of "Only Murders in the Building" on the flatscreen television, Lenny Lockhart somewhat pays attention to it while lying on the sofa in the living room of the cottage where she lives with her mother and twin sister.

 

The young blonde woman has a throw blanket that, along with the heat, mildly contains her cold chills from the flu she's been dealing with for the past week or so.

 

As she lifts her head to the sound of footsteps, she sees Elijah Barker, who came over about ten minutes earlier to check on her, entering the room with a plate and glass in each hand.

 

"Toast, lightly buttered, and orange juice," he notes while passing her the food.

 

"No time to freshly squeeze the oranges for the juice," Lenny remarks sarcastically. "No, seriously, thanks. But you didn't have to come over; I'm fine."

 

Elijah sits in the chair adjacent to her, knowing by now that his girlfriend is trying to downplay her being sick and him overreacting, but it won't stop him from caring.

 

"With Tanner at class and your mom at the farm, I wanted to check on you; is that a crime?"

 

"Well, you should know since you're becoming a lawyer." She then chews a small piece of bread. "And anyway, I should be at the farm working, not laying here, seeing if Selena Gomez can solve another murder."

 

Elijah leans forward in the chair, preparing for her response. "Uh, can you humor me with this for a second?"

 

"And what's that?" 

 

"I think you should see a doctor," Elijah tells her straightforwardly, 

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Jacques is thankful that Emma still believes in taking long showers, as the cacophony of knocking on the door pierces through the suite as the shipping scion steps outside, leaving the door ajar once he sees the visitor standing in the doorway.

 

"May I ask why my presence is needed?" Deirdre Covington asks impatiently.

 

The wealthy widow is wearing a black shawl cape with her recently styled copper-red hair and holding onto her clutch handbag.

 

"I have a feeling that your Botox-entrenched frown might turn into a smile once I tell you that Emma has finally seen the light. She and Will are no more."

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Deirdre had contacted Jacques to come to town to seduce Emma away from Will, as she believes the former ex-con is beneath her daughter.

 

"Are you serious?" she asks in the otherwise empty hallway.

 

She remembers Emma being intoxicated from drinking heavily on Christmas day due to the fallout of her sleeping with Jacques. But now, hearing that her daughter has finally removed herself romantically from Will Jackson fills her with delight.
 
"If you want to join me in the shower, better do it in the next thirty seconds."

 

Deirdre instantly recognizes her youngest offspring's voice from inside the room.

 

Jacques grins smugly at the older woman. "Want to come in to see for yourself?"

 

The sheer disgust reflects on her face and throughout her body. "You are one sick bastard. I will have the funds in your account by the end of today, and our affiliation is over."

 

Jacques remains there while watching the woman take off towards the elevators.

 

Although their partnership might be over, he knows that he still has her long-ago affair with Jimmy Saunders at play if Deirdre decides to do something that will cost him his money or Emma.

 

He soon slips back inside victoriously.

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Lenny sets aside her plate of toast on the coffee table while she sits up, glaring at her boyfriend. "It's just the flu going around, and anyway, I'm feeling a lot better."

 

Lenny spots a look of unease on her boyfriend's face, which makes her want to defend herself.

 

"You haven't felt well in a while; remember, you haven't had an appetite lately, and not to mention, your back was hurting on Christmas, and now you're dealing with whatever you have now. We couldn't go out for New Year's." he reminds her. 

 

He and Lenny were supposed to go to The Cliffe on New Year's Eve with their friends and see her aunt perform, but she was too sick to go.
 

For a few seconds, she mulls over what he says. "I probably picked this up working out in the fields or something. I'll be alright."

 

Elijah sits beside her as she moves her feet out of the way.

 

"If you're fine, then at least you'll get your yearly physical exam out of the way," he says openly.

 

She can see the similar determination in his eyes that he often has when he refuses to back down from a challenge, which at the moment comes from her.

 

"Okay, okay, okay, I'll go see the damn doctor," she says while running her hands through her long hair.

 

Elijah forms a satisfied countenance. "Good, now do you think we should finish this season?"

 

The couple turns their awareness to the TV screen.
 

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The woman in her late twenties rises, revealing her navy blue sleeveless sheath dress.

 

"If this is another battle you want to get into, as you can see, this is not the time nor place to do so." Courtney tells him.

 

Things got heated when her aunt got drunk over Christmas, she knew she couldn't spend the day with her family, which pains her, though she doesn't regret her choice to spend it with her husband and his family at the farm.

 

"Let me give you some advice. Do what you can to generate enough business because, trust me, the board might have voted you in, but take it from me. They can be just as quick to rescind."

 

"Well, that is what I am doing, unless there is anything else," Courtney says restlessly.

 

Danel vacates the suite as Courtney still stands behind her desk, furious at her father's supposed threat.

 

He strolls through the expansive hall toward the elevator, where he presses the down arrow button.

 

In seconds, the doors swing open, which he retreats into while feeling his iPhone vibrate in his overcoat pocket, which he quickly grabs.

 

"Hello," he answers.

 

Instantaneously, his mother's voice enters his right ear as the elevator descends.

 

"Remember when you offered me help with getting rid of Jacques Laurent?"

 

"I do, mother."

 

"Grab whatever you can on him because that son of a bitch is getting way too damn cocky for his own good."

 

In spite of not being able to get back in charge, he at least knows he can use his resources to protect his family.

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