“Wait!” 

My breath hitched when I heard his husky voice behind me. I felt as if butterflies were tickling the walls inside my tummy, making me uneasy. “Damn you!” I cursed nobody but myself. I got irritated by how my body reacted to his voice or his mere presence. My head snapped towards him but he was not looking at me, rather I found his eyes on Aria. 

“Uh, what now?” Asked Aria in her vexed tone. I raised my eyebrows at her, confused because of the unfriendly behaviour towards him. 

“No no no, it’s fine. It’s nothing!” Mr Stone came in front of me in hurried steps, hardly covering Zearo’s boost body. 

“Well then, let’s get going,” I responded, finally decreasing the tension between Aria and Zearo who were throwing daggers at each other, I don’t honestly know why. 

“No! Wait Liara, I’ve something to tell you.” Oh my, not again!. I felt my blood gushing through my cheeks when I heard my name rolling down his tongue in a deep, husky tone. 

“What is your problem? What do you want? And she is Ms D’Waner for you!” Spat Aria in her never so firm voice. I never saw her this angry at anyone. 

“Oh really? I will call her whatever I want to. Am I right? Liara?” Oh oh, he is doing this, my mind throwing insightful pictures of him and me of that night and me encouraging him to call me ugh! Moma? Really Liara? And thank you so much my brain! I cussed myself, taking a deep breath. 

I looked at the man who was smiling triumphantly at me, raising his eyebrows which did nothing to lessen the rhythm of my heartbeat. 

“Asshole!” My inner self screamed inside my brain. I frowned at him as hard as possible, but this only broadened his smile, burning my body. 

Avoiding his hot self, I concentrated at Aria, “It’s fine,” I replied to my assistant and saw Anthony throwing me a questioned look. “Now I’m in trouble”  I stopped myself from facepalming. 

“What happened?” I inquired, glancing back and forth between Mr Stone and Zearo. 

“Oh dear, it’s ummmmm” Zearo covered his mouth, pushing him behind. He took a step ahead in my direction. I raised my eyebrows at him, even if my inner self was panicking. 

“Look, I know I’m an outsider. But this old man has helped me a lot and--” we are not here to listen to your awful stories Mister!” Aria jumped in again, cutting him from completing whatever he was going to say. 

“Aria!” I glared at her as her unprofessionalism started bothering me now. 

I saw Zearo taking a deep breather and then he continued, “You have to make it fast and pay him the money within a day or two as his daughter is at risk!” He declared without even giving a break. 

“His what?!” My mind whirling in confusion as I understood nothing. 

“He has a debt to clear and if he doesn’t, then they threatened him they will kidnap his younger daughter and you know, yeah” My mind doing various flips as I looked at the man who was standing behind Zearo, shoulders slumped and his vision blurry showing how helpless he was at this moment.

“Why don’t you report this to the police?” Anthony inquired, eyes blazing with anger as I saw him clutching his fists hard. 

“They warned me not to. I’ve lost my older daughter because I trusted the government more than their actual self. My older daughter Mira was bullied by her colleagues and she complained about this to the police. We mediocre people cannot spend an ample amount on guards.” A sob left his lips, tearing my heart into a million pieces. 

“She thought they would protect her, they did! Until we paid their fees. But then one day I received a call, they said that my daughter’s body was found beside a lake in the farther end of the city.” I overheard a loud gasp behind me, I turned my neck facing Aria who covered her mouth teary-eyed staring at Mr Stone. My eyes got fuzzy when I learned this. This old man suffered a lot and the poor girl didn’t have to go through all those tortures. 

“What did the police do?” I urged, my voice betraying me, lips trembling with the heavy flood of emotions. I felt a presence behind me, peering back I spotted Anthony. His hands on my shoulders, squeezing a little to provide some comfort. He knows that a few years back I received the same call that took my precious people away from me. 

“They did their best searching for any clue as I was told but never answered my questions. Can-can you please try to pay me a little before the time?” He asked pleadingly, wiping the tears from his face. 

My heart clenched with pain when I heard about his suffering. “Aria, how long do you think you can complete this project?” I asked, glancing back at Aria whose eyes were wet.

“I can wrap it up in 20 days? Ma’am, I’ve to redo all the agreements and enter the details I was given today.” I nodded at her, understanding her condition. I couldn’t ask her to work 24*7 now. 

“So that will do, you will receive your check after ten days,” I said and strode outside not bothering to waste any more minute standing there. 

“No, wait!” 

“What now?” I asked, glancing back at Zearo who came running behind me. Anthony holding my hands in his protective stance. I rolled my eyes at his protectiveness. I saw Zearo standing in front of me, only a mere distance from my body. His body heat consumed me along with the manly scent hitting my nostrils, suffocating me. 

“Mr Stone, this is so unprofessional now. I don’t approve of such behaviour from my associates!” I hissed when I watched Oliver walking out of his office towards me.

“I know, I know. I’m so sorry, my child. But I am helpless now. I’ve already given them all the money I had, but that didn’t satisfy their hunger. I just couldn’t lose another precious daughter. I’m sorry!” He sobbed, getting on his knees. 

“If you couldn’t pay back the debts, then why in debt yourself so much that could cost you more than money?” His incompetent behaviour outraging me so much so I could slap this man here as his inability is costing his daughter her life!.

“I’m sorry! I’m ashamed of what my family has endured because of me!” Aria hurried towards the man, hugging him comfortingly.

“I will try my best to complete the work in time Oliver.” Said Aria looking at the old man who was crying now in Zearo’s shoulders. 

“Aria, you sure?” I asked, unconvinced as I know the burden that she is going to feel.

“I will help her if that lightens your mood?” Chimed Anthony beside me, glancing at Aria now and then. 

“And who will protect me, huh?” I asked, raising an eyebrow accusingly when I noticed a unique connection bubbling between the two. 

“Well, uh” Anthony glanced at me apologetically, brushing the back of his neck. His cheeks shone in deep pinkish colour and so was Aria. 

“Uhrmmm” somebody broke in our mischievous debate bringing us all back to reality. 

“I can be her escort if you will qualify me to,” Zearo uttered, shrugging his shoulders.

“And why do you reckon we will allow you, a stranger, to protect our CEO?” Asked Anthony in a full irritated manner. My eyebrows rose and lips parted with astonishment when I understood what he just proposed. My hands felt moist and gut uneasy when I thought of him safeguarding my self and wandering in front of me now and then. 

“We have an enormous organization of patrols in the corporation. You don’t have to fuss about it.” Anthony said harshly that jabbed my heart like a needle. 

“Okay then Mr Stone, you can come to the office to collect the cheque after ten days,” I said to Mr Stone not sparing a glance at Zearo even once even if my eyes threatened to look at him. 

“I’m so thankful to you! I owe you, my life, Child. You are a true angel!” Mr Stone clasped my hands ever so softly, eyes shimmery with tears in it. 

I pulled out my hands away from his hold and frowned at him, “This is the first and last time that I’m helping you and if you continue like this, then the treaty will be invalidated from our side.” I warned him, permitting no room for justification. 

*******

The next few days tired me so fucking much that I couldn’t even take daybreak. Dima and Mia took proper care whenever they could. As I lay on the leaning chair of my office, all I could think of was the desperate face of Mr Stone. My body was still in a lot of pain now that I definitely had to go back home and rest. 

“You have guests, Ma’am,” Reported Aria knocking at the door softly. 

“Who is that?” I got frustrated as my body was giving up and I didn’t have the energy to deal with any more shit now.

“They suggested that I address them as 911.” 

“Angelwings!” I whispered that could be heard only to my ears. “Let them in and don’t permit anyone inside when I’m talking to them,” I declared and sat back drumming my fingers on the desk, my restlessness and excitement mixed giving me a headache.

After an eternity, I saw five silhouettes entering my cabin. Their eyes glossy, nose flaring with anger and frustration written all over their faces. I stood up lightly gathering myself and clutching the nearby table for support giving them a small and genuine smile but they returned it with a scowl tempting me to roll my eyes but I refrained from doing so. 

“Vikrant, Agnes, Shan Li, Aaliyah, Chloe” I greeted them all at once but instantly I found myself buried in a group hug where I was in the midst and all of them surrounded me hugging different parts of my body making me uncomfortable.

“How could you not inform us that that bastard attacked you?” The statement was accompanied by a whimper from Aaliyah. “Do you even know I was going to have a heart attack at such a young age?” Desperate voice of Vikrant made me laugh, but I couldn’t because I was squeezed in the middle, unable to breathe. “I cancelled my honeymoon for you good damn it!” I heard Chloe surprising me along with every other member in the room.

“Chloe, you are fucking married? When?” Charged all of us in unison breaking the hug and staring at her.

“I’m not married yet but soon will be by the end of this year and I was discussing the place we were planning to go for our honeymoon when I received a call about Liara’s accident.” She said laughing her ass out, making us more bewildered than we already were. 

“I fuckin cancelled it yelling at my fiancee that ‘you can take whoever you want to this place, Imma go visit my boss. You men are assholes’ And I slammed the laptop at the desk nearby!” She said covering her face when we burst into laughter hearing her reaction. 

“Okay, geez Chloe, my stomach hurts!” Said Agnes hugging my back and my head rested on her shoulder. 

“Guys, thank you so much for showing up. You didn’t have to, though. I’m fine now.” I stated in all sincerity as them rushing from so distant places just to see me wasted their time and money so much. 

“No can do lady and we came prepared this time to wrap up the incomplete task from our previous visit.” Shan Li put his hands on my shoulders, squeezing it tenderly, reassuring me. His eyes showing so much passion, I had to look elsewhere from the intensity of his gaze towards me. 

“Then who are we waiting for? Let’s get back to business, shall we?” I suggested clearing my throat and getting back to my chair.

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