Favourable passed the days before I ran into this person. Now, she is beholding my throbbing soul unexpectedly after my eyes landed on her aquatic blue eyes. I used to be the jovial person, but this woman just veered my world into something that I never reckoned I would ever live.

Let me refresh you with whatever transpired before you doubt my mental condition.

*****†*****†*****†*****

“You have got to be kidding me?” Charles barged into my apartment displaying a  newspaper. Confused, I turned my head away from the bacon I was toasting and narrowed my gaze at whatever the hell he was referring to.

“Did you smoke weed early this morning? Why barging into my apartment at this time of the day? Just to hinder my mood of having a decent lunch?” I questioned, feeling annoyed.

 After we sorted the commotion out, I dodged from the place not intending on being identified by anybody who’d link me to my past. Even if my heart craved to know how Liara is doing, I knew I had to keep low after having an encounter with Luchellies men.

Charles said he would let me know if he knew something and now he parades into my house out of the blue when I pushed myself to have a healthy breakfast and take my mind away from the ocean blue-eyed woman.

“Boss, this is not good.” 

“What is?” Without glancing back at him, I kept on flipping my pancakes and placed it ever so lightly on my plate, topping it with extra honey.

“Even if my mouth is watering, inhaling the smell of the food, you are cooking. But this can’t wait. Have a look.” He came barging near the table as I placed my lunch ready to eat them all. But he had something else planned. 

“This better is worth my lunch otherwise I’m going to slash your neck for spoiling my mood over nothing, Charles.” I groaned, keeping my spoon down, and held the journal to read whatever he had to show.

“THE INFAMOUS CEO OF SAMS INTERNATIONAL IS MARRIED TO A MYSTERIOUS MAN!” I read out the title of The New York Times.

“What is this? Did she get married? When?” I was puzzled, not to mention the look on Charles’s face was giving me stupid assumptions.

“They are talking about you, Master.”

“What!” I was stunned. How am I wedded to that woman? 

“Don’t you remember what you did yesterday? Didn’t you fake your marriage!” He pointed out, but I lied to rescue her from giving her properties to that asshole. Not to drill that hole in my head.

“But she knew that was just a lie! Why’d she allow this to happen in the first place?” I asked, getting oh so jittery feeling inside my tummy. I pushed the place full of food aside and stroked my head to find a route to get myself out of it.

“She did nothing. I received the message that she just came out of her unconscious state after two days. Someone might have leaked this out to the public, and as her status is a popular issue these days, the media went and captured this as the cherry on the top.” Charles settled near me cutting a chunk of bacon and shoved it inside his mouth. 

“Delicious!” He moaned. This asshole had the nerve to tease me when I am in trouble? I grabbed the plate full of breakfast and threw the food inside the dustbin as I lost my appetite and I sure as hell wouldn’t let this asshole have my bacon.

“So sad those babies had to end up inside the dustbin and not my belly, they were exquisite.” He fake sighed and then burst out laughing gleefully at my face.

“You have a death wish now, don’t you?” I threatened him that ended up with him laughing even harder. 

“Owkay, owkay, let’s meet her and know what’s all this about. But how do we know where she is?” He asked breathlessly when he noticed I was growing frustrated with his childishness. My phone buzzed inside my trouser pocket as on cue. I picked the call without checking the ID, as I’d always do.

“Zearo, Miss Aria from SAMS International said they are ready to give us the paycheck and suggested that you'd visit their office first thing tomorrow morning.” Oliver’s lively voice drifted into my ears and that had me thinking if that’s how Liara wants to meet me. 

“Okay.” I disconnected the line and took a deep breath.

“Master, You and I know how crucial this is. We have to contact Liara.” 

“She just did.” I cut his blabbering and headed towards my room to throw on a hoodie.

” What do you mean she just did?”

“Liara wants to meet me in her office tomorrow morning and now I have someplace else to go,” I answered when I realised I regret not contacting Julia after whatever happened between us that day. But before that, I needed some alone time. My days have been exhausting, and I needed some time to think straight before I go mad. 

“Wait for me! I’m coming!” He called out from behind. I halted and glanced back, “Don’t you have criminals to arrest? Or did they suspend you after they knew that you are a wanted criminal yourself?”

“Hilarious, but I have to save certain wanted criminals' asses for the moment. So we have to better get going.” He said and ran out of my house, sticking his tail between his legs. I shook my head at his childish nature, reminding me of our time together as the most trusted team back then.

We spent some time at the beach reminiscing about our days together and all the fun we had. I felt relieved and calm, but the sound of the waves slapping the shores now and then reminded me how far I’ve come. 

When it was late in the evening and my time to head towards my job, I got up and dusted the sand out of my pants. Charles left hours ago because of some emergency, and that allowed me to have some time for myself. The children giggling and women ogling didn’t exactly help, but when I looked at the shore and the sun settling down inside the ocean, I felt peace.  

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and then strode towards the Shimmers club, but to my surprise; I found it closed. She never shut down her club, why today? I wondered and called her many times, but she never answered. I went to check on her to her house, but the guard informed me she flew to Florida to meet her family. 

I left a quick and short message to call me back as I was worried about her and headed to Brazins Bar to relax a little. 

***†****†****†***

The next morning, Charles stood knocking into my door earlier than I expected. We then went to The SAMS without delay. We were immediately ushered by a dude named Vikrant to her cabin from the parking lot, away from the hustling and bustling office environment that I was so grateful about. I couldn’t find Anthony or that arrogant tiny little rabbit hopping around in the lobby. This guy creeped the hell out of me as he kept on staring at me the whole time we were caged inside the elevator.

I felt so suffocated that I had to unbutton the hoodie a bit to get some fresh air. As the elevator dinged, it brought me back to the day I encountered her lying lifeless in the pool of blood. I felt goosebumps on my hands and back of my neck and that didn’t help the condition that I’m in right now. 

“Master?” Charles poked me from aside as I was zoned out for too long. I stared at him questioningly, but then he pointed at the other direction. I shifted my head parallel to the direction his hand gestured and settled on her prominent figure standing at the other side of the table.

I took my time studying her attire and may God help me if I don't leave this room with a boner. A sheen creamy coloured short dress covered her body, a cut through her left thigh that made the dress look shorter. A netted transparent part that ended below her elbows with a flowery pattern, in the end. It made her cleavage more prominent. Her posture was as perfect as ever, standing confidently next to a magnificent painting of two powerful women who radiated the same aura as her even from within a mere lifeless painting. 

I then realized that this ocean blue-eyed woman is going to be the death of me. I blew out some air that I felt like got caught in my throat. Someone cleared their throat, and that has to be her because the next second I see a blue file getting thrown my direction.

“Oliver’s paycheck.” Replied Vikrant, who later marched towards her. My palms itched to slap his smug face as he constantly had a fake smile on his face.

“I guess we are done then. We shall get going.” I suggested and stood up but froze when I saw her face. Her eyes spoke volume but then she lifted an eyebrow as I waited for her to speak something about the news that’s spread everywhere.

“I request Mr Charles to hand over that file to Mr Oliver Stone as I reckon today is the last date for him to get loose of that debt. I would appreciate it if you can escort my mate Vikrant with you so he could talk about the terms with Mr Stones.” she broke the awkward silence pointing towards Charles and as she finished, Charles tried to refute but I stopped him and so did she with that guy. 

I lifted my eyebrows, questioning her behaviour, but she evaded my gaze and escorted them out of the office.

“Rachel, please cancel my appointments for the day and don’t allow anyone in without my permission. I’m in a meeting that I wouldn’t like to be interrupted with. Otherwise, you are fired. Do you get that?” She growled at poor Rachel, a redhead sitting at the front desk. I remember her ogling at Charles and me as we entered the lobby.

I suddenly realised that her saying those things meant I’m going to be alone with her for some time. My heartbeat quickened with the thought of her interacting with only me and nobody else in the room, showing me flashbacks of the last time we both were together and alone, both at the same time.

I felt my legs turn into jelly just by picking up a whiff of her lavender smell as she walked past me to the other end of the table. I sat as quickly as she signalled me to. I could see myself as a puppet who dances as per their master’s command. Couldn’t she be a little less dominating? I feel breathless sitting in front of her line of sight.

“Why'd You do it?” She asked. I knew it was hurled at me, but I was still clueless about what she was talking about. My mind a mush the same way as someone high on drugs.

“What?!” I asked, still perplexed. She shifted a little forward, pushing her body towards the table. Hands resting on it and her eyes scrutinising my every move. 

“Why'd You do that yesterday?” Oh, she added one more word. That’s pretty detailed information. Maybe she is talking about why I helped her?

“Oh, that? I was with Charles when he received a call from his peer that Miss Liara D’Waner’s caretaker and a friend were kidnapped. That was insider information, me-“

“Why’d you lie about me being your wife?!” She didn’t let me finish and interrupted again.

“You should ask Anthony this question because he was the one who claimed you were being forced to marry that Johnson guy and I had to buy time so they can rescue your own,” I answered because that’s what literally happened. And I was getting frustrated by the interrogation. 

“Let me rephrase that to you. That redhead is one of your members when you used to lead the Italian Mafias, and when you learned that she was the one who let this happen, you felt responsible and preferred to take things privately. So you showed up with Charles. Not to help me, but to help them get out safely so that your truth wouldn’t come out.” She intoned standing and marched towards me with a pink folder swaying along with her hips. How did she even know that?! 

My heart was about to explode because I never dreamed of anyone knowing it. That’s the reason I took care of Samira and sent her back to Italy as soon as we came back here. 

“What do you even mean by that?” I looked up at the woman who stood mere inches away from me. Her eyes bored my skull and not to mention her intoxicating smell.

She dragged the file beside the table, creeping closer to me. Little by little the distance between the two of us was decreasing, making me edgy. Not in a good way.

“I mean,“ she breathed almost near my neck, bending down a little. The cleavage of her neck in full display. Her creamy dress hugged her body ever so lightly and it did nothing to help me than to tempt my hands to touch those fair soft legs when she made herself comfortable on the table in front of me. 

“I know the reason you are here, Mr Alfredo Zearo Rafaelle.” She finished her sentence ever so slowly, pointing at the pink folder in front of me. Her words merely a whisper to my ears that directly stung my heart, squeezing like a damn lemon squeezer. 

I flipped through the pages and alas; she knew where I came from and why I’m here. 

“What do you want? Because if you were really that kind of citizen then this folder should have been with the cops, not me!” I inquired through gritted teeth because one thing that I hate most in my life is when people threaten me. 

“Marry me.” 

And that’s what I meant when I said that she changed my life like I never imagined it to be. You can’t even imagine what else she had on the plate for me.

**†***†***†***†***†***†***†***†**

PS: One more chapter and then Part one of my dear book will be completed!!!!!!!!!

*squeals* I'm so excited!

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