She'd been young, just a child the last time they had been together as a family. That didn't mean she had no memories of that time though. They were few and far between, but those she had she cherished all the more because of their rarity. All of those memories had been of Taavi though, walking with them, taking them places, watching out for them in the ways that their parents likely should have been... but all too rarely found the time to do so. She'd never once, not in her youth and not in her adult years, blamed Taavi for what had happened. No eight year old could prevent what had happened. It had never been his burden to bear. Horrible but so far from his fault.
That said, she didn't expect anyone to take care of her now. Didn't expect it but maybe some deep seeded part of her hoped that someday she'd have that sense of security with another that she'd had with her brother once up on a time. She tried to dismiss it as foolish and living the life she'd had... it was a ridiculous notion. But hearing it from her brother, the words spoken so clearly. Jerzy was to be protected and she was on her own... still hurt. Only a small flash of pain swept across her pale eyes before it was hidden away,s he'd become skilled at hiding her pain over the years. Her head raised and the cold face she was so well known for wearing was back in place. "I understand. I wouldn't want Anthony near either one of you. The decision is up to you..." she finished with the shrug of one shoulder.... as if the words were carelessly said. That couldn't be farther from the truth.
The money remained on the table glaring back at Eliina as he still refused to take it. She knew there was no convincing him to take it and with slow wooden movements she finally reached forward and gathered it back up, returning it to her pocketbook. "If that time ever comes..." she left the offer on the table, rather certain that such a time would never come. Her brow arched upwards as she looked up from her purse, setting it aside. "So you get to know whatever you'd like about my life and I can wake up tomorrow and wonder if this was just some alcohol induced hallucination with how little I know about yours?" She wanted something, anything to prove to herself that this was true and real.
Eliina's home wasn't without some magical protection, she hadn't lived with Lorenzo as long as she'd had without picking up some tricks. Anthony wouldn't find it easy to wander his way into her condo. It was that he found so many other ways to goad her out and she would never remain in her condo, trapped by the safety it might provide, but trapped nevertheless. But it wasn't the words on aides and wards that caught her attention, that she knew. It was... everything else. Words that hurt to hear, that he was so easily able to see how she hid from the reality of her life, even worse the suggestions she'd never thought of such as actually hiring someone that had always just reminded her too much of Lorenzo and his own guards. She'd hated them lurking around. But the merit to having them really did glare her right in the face.
Worst though was that she was such an easy target. She was. She knew it. That particular revelation showed loud and clear on her face. Part of her wanted to balk and insist that she wasn't, that she was doing everything she possibly could. But deep in her heart she knew she wasn't. Instead all Eliina was able to do was nod her head silently. Swallowing down his words heavily.
"Don't do anything that could you hurt or arrested." She finally said. That he'd let either of those happen regardless she doubted, but she needed to say the words either way.