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I knew I was trying to win the losing Hate War but I won't give up till the end. 

A warm tear slid out of my eyes as I remembered that day again. It has been two weeks since he said those words to me and tore the power of attorney papers in front of my eyes. He tore my last hope in front of my eyes two weeks ago and it still feels like yesterday he shattered my soul.  

After he left me alone in his bedroom I grabbed my bag and left for my apartment. On my way bracing myself to face any problem he created in my life. I knew how cruel and determined he is in getting what he wants. He will do anything to get me in his inescapable trap and I need to be prepared to get out of it without harming myself. He has been patiently waiting and building his trap so he could trap me but he doesn't know I was prepared for anything. I took one more deep breath to come out of my hurting thoughts. 

"Nina, are you done reviewing the documents?" I heard Ava's voice as she came inside my new office while looking at her iPad. I hurriedly wiped my tears and took the documents to wipe some tears droplets fell on them. 

After that day I immediately shifted to my half renewed office as I didn't want to share anything with him. When I was taking all my things back to my new office he was looking at me with a hard void look in his light brown eyes and set jaw. He didn't stop me for once and kept looking at my every moment with keen eyes. It made me scared and self-conscious at the same time as that look in his eyes was new and it gave birth to the bad feeling inside me. As he kept observing my moment I kept ignoring him and got out of his office with tear-filled eyes without sparing him a glance. 

I had been ignoring him since that day and I didn't even look in his direction because I knew it would make my life more difficult than it is. I have realized that the feelings I feel for him were now invincible. It was not in my power anymore to stop myself from feeling like that towards him. I knew something was striding inside me as he evoked this feeling in me making it difficult for me to suppress it. I can't distinguish what I feel anymore but I can't let those emotions surface into my eyes. 

Only by doing this, I can stop things. I have to keep my emotions intake as I know they are forbidden for me. I should not feel like this in the first place. I'm not the one who should feel like this for him as I'm not destined for him. I let myself flow in the stream knowing they were not meant to be. I am the only one at fault in the end. 

"Nina, are you done reviewing it," Ava asked me again while looking up from her iPad as I was willing the tears away from the document. 

"Yes yes I'm done with it you can move it for legal procedure," I said in my small voice while not lifting my head to look at her and clearing my throat to make my voice sound proper. "Here are they," I said as I drank away all the tears and lifted my head to look at her with a faint smile on my face. Her eyes moved all over my face as she saw my little red eyes. 

"Nina what's wrong," she asked in her concerned voice as soon as she saw my red eyes and a faint smile. I swallowed the lump growing in my throat as she asked me that question. I don't know what's wrong and what is making me cry all the time. Why it feels like everything is crashing into me. It was a still big unanswerable question for me. 

"Nothing, nothing is wrong, everything is good. I just have a little bit of stress of workload," I said in my shuttering voice, still giving her that faint smile. She looked at my face with her soft look in her eyes. She gave me a small nod and took the file from my hand and started going without questing me again. 

I breathed in little relief as I didn't want to answer anyone's questions now and she understood it without me saying it to her. I kept looking at her retiring back when she stopped in her tracks. She was almost at the door and turned to look at me with the same soft look in her eyes and as if she knew what was going inside me. As if she knew what kind of storm I was facing and trying to stay rooted in my sport with the help of crest. I don't know how many blows I will last. 

"Just remember I'm your friend first and I'm here to listen to whatever you want to say without judging you. Don't hold anything into you so one day it'll become burdens to you. You should let it go" she said with a small assuring smile on her face. Her words heaved my heart even more. I swallowed hard and nodded my head in yes. She gave a small encouraging smile and left my office. 

What she said was true. I have to let it go so it doesn't make every breath I take heavier than before but I don't know how to let go of things that are so attached to me. I have to learn it and I'm still in that process. After she left I took deep breaths to compose myself and get immersed in my work. I kept working straight for two hours without taking any break as I knew it would distract me from my life problems. I was immersed in my work when I got a call. 

"Nina Rogers speaking," I said in my monotonous voice as I was still busy pointing some points out of the new site file. 

"I'm calling you to remind you that I have a board meeting in ten minutes" my secretary informed me. I looked at the time it was almost past twelve and almost the time of my first board meeting. I closed the file and kept it away and stood up to go to the washroom to freshen up and get ready for the meeting. I splashed some water on my face and then wiped it with a dry towel. Looking at my reflection I took a deep breath to settle this uneasy feeling inside me. I gave myself an encouraging smile and when I felt a little composed I exited the washroom. I walked out of my office taking all the essential files with me. 

Today was my first board meeting since I have joined the company. Today the whole budget will be decided with our progress from the past two months. I stood in front of the lift waiting for it to arrive. I recited all the report documents for the last time. As I heard the ping of the lift indicating it had reached my floor I looked up to see its door opening. As soon as its door opened my breath hitched Jack was standing inside with an expressionless face. 

His jaw was set as he saw me. I looked away as his predator's light brown eyes moved all over my standing form shamelessly. I swallowed the lump forming in the base of my throat and entered the lift. I still kept looking at files pretending to be busy with them. I could feel his predatory light brown eyes on me as I ignored him more. It was slowly becoming hard for me to pretend as my heart was beating very fast. He was standing just a step away from me and I bet he could hear my fast-beating heart. My palms started sweating as after two weeks I was encountering such a proximity situation with him. 

I should have waited for the next lift and let him go in this one. But if I had done that he would have known that he still affected me. The silence in the lift was running to eat me, making the atmosphere thicker than before. I thought after getting away from him I would feel good but I was feeling more miserable and uneasy than before. His intoxicate scent was lingering all over the place making it difficult for me to breathe. As the lift door opened in front of the board room I walked out of it eagerly with hurried steps as my still fast-beating heart. I took a deep breath in the fresh air in which his intoxicate scent doesn't linger. I started walking again as I felt him walking behind me. I entered the board room and I saw no one was present inside it. 

He too walked inside and I bitter my lower lips as deer caught in the hunter's trap. I flinched in my place when I heard the click of the door of the board room getting closed. If I walked out now he would think because only we were present in the room I did that. I don't want him to be in the delusion that he affects me that he still has the power over me. In the last two weeks, I had made sure to let him know he means nothing to me. Just because of my wrong step I don't want to get him to take the wrong idea. 

Instead, I held my head up while walking further towards the podium to keep all my files on the podium and then check the projector system. I was the first who was going to start the meeting. As I was getting familiar with all the reports I felt a presence behind me. My traitor heart started beating fast as I breathed air-filled full with his intoxicating scent. I tried to move from the side but he kept his one hand blocking my way so I tried to move from the other side but he blocked my other way caging me between his arms. I bit my lower lip as I found a deficit to tell him to move away from me. 

He moved his face in my hair and took a deep audible breath like it will make him reborn. He slowly moved his hands away from the board and warped them around my waist hugging me tightly from behind. I still keep breathing like that and as he kept back hugging me without saying a single word. I didn't dare to push him away from me so I just like that let him hold me as my heart kept crying inside as I knew it would be the last time I would ever let him do this to me. A traitor tear tried to slip from the corner of my eyes but I didn't let it and drank it away. 

As the click of the door was heard by me I  removed his hands away from my waist with my little shaky hands. He was not ready to let me go but I made him. Soon all the board members started to enter the board room one by one. Dad and uncle Richard with aunty Sam too entered the room. They are all very major parts of the board. They all smiled looking at Jack and me standing beside each other. I too offered them a small smile in return. Soon the meeting started and I started giving them reports and all the profits our new venture had made. After that Jack told everyone about our progress and feature project too. I saw many board members moving there hard in approval as sale and all the profit margin has increased in two months. Dad gave me a proud smile followed by uncle and aunty. 

"Does anyone have a question?" I asked as I was done telling all the conclusions of the alleged report. 

"Yes I do," said the oldest board member. I remember his face as he was the one who uproared my eighteen birthday party giving birth to an engagement contract on my eighteen birthday. 

"Please go ahead," I said with a tight smile on my face. I had a slight hint of what he was going to ask. 

"Now that you have joined the company, then when the legal merger of two families is going to take place. You know your twenty-third birthday is in two weeks if I'm not wrong and if you don't do it before your birthday I'm sorry to say Miller and Rogers will go into financial crises" he asked in his firm voice while looking straight at me and Jack. Listening to his words all the board members started to murder within themself. Encouraging the old board member continued his talk. 

"The foundation which was started with both the leading ladies of this company has to continue. You know if you don't get it legally merged as per the government rule the Amelia foundation with thirty persons of the share of Miller and Rogers will be given to the government. If this happens it will be a major crisis for us and even if we will lose our face in the market. It will eventually lead to deteriorating our name in the international market. It will lead to many people losing their jobs and I don't think this company will be able to survive like this in front of our competitors" he said in his firm voice while making all the people present in the room mumble more loudly. I swallowed hard listening to his words. 

"They both are already engaged on the papers so we already have a legal merger so it won't affect if they want to delay their marriage," uncle Richard said while coming to our rescue. 

"If they are engaged in papers what's wrong in getting them legally their name joined now. It makes no sense just because they delayed their marriage we could lose a big chunk of our company to the government and top on that Amelia foundation through which all the charity work our company does" he said in his firm voice making uncle think more and nodded his head as he was right. 

"Now Miss Rogers, you are the legal heir of your Rogers cooperation. You need to take a step. Will you like the foundation which your family is moving from generation to generation to go into another hand? From what I know you are an active member of the Amelia foundation right will you be able to let go of precious things of your late mom because of your delay" he asked in his firm voice while looking stared into my eyes. It kicked all the air out of my lungs as what he was saying was true. I gripped the podium as I felt my legs becoming weak. Before my legs could give up Jack moved his hand on my waist making me stable. I looked at him but he didn't look at me but kept looking towards the board members. I was trying to get away from this arrangement even after knowing I had no escape. 

"Gentlemen I think they need their time to think we can discuss this at our next board meeting after our annual charity event. And we as a family will give our final verdict to the whole board" dad said in his firm voice while dismissing the board. All the people nodded their heads in understanding and started exiting the room. As now all the board members left only our family was present now. 

"Are you ok?" dad asked in his fatherly voice as he came to hug me. I hugged him tightly while bordering my head. I tried to feel the feeling of being safe in his rams but I did feel it. I gave him a nervous smile. Aunty came and stood beside us. She slipped her arm around my waist and hugged me from the side. I rested my head on her shoulder. As I felt Jack looking at me with his light brown eyes. 

"Let's all of us go and have lunch" aunty Sam said trying to lessen the tension in the air. Now we were sitting in the hotel private booth. I choose to sit beside dad and away from Jack. As we were eating our food with small talked in the middle. I was playing with my food thinking about what happened in the boardroom. 

"So what do you guys think of getting married? You both knew this was bound to happen one day and it will only cause loss to us if you delay it more."  Uncle Richard said while looking from me to Jack. His words made me go still in my place and look at him with wide eyes. 

"Richard is right today we made all board members shut but what Morrison said in the meeting was true. Now you guys even live together. I know today's generation thinks before committing to each other but think guys everything we have today is what we built with all our sweat and hard work and letting it go in someone else's hands will be our major loss" Dad said in his firm voice while looking at me and jack. It made Jack look at me with the same expression on his face and I lowered my eyes to look at my half-eaten food. They still think I stay with him. 

"You two stop talking about it now we will talk about it when our charity event is over now all of you eating your food" Aunty Sam said in her firm voice. "Nina darling, tomorrow you will have a dress fitting section. I will message you the address," she said while looking at me, making me give her a small nod in return. 

The rest of the day went with me thinking about everything. The days talk making all doors close in front of my eyes taking all the rays of hope away from me. At night I cried myself to sleep missing my mom the most. If she was here she would have taken my stand and understood my reason to not get married to Jack Miller. The next day I took a half-day and went to my dress fitting for a charity event. I knew Jane was coming but I didn't tell her I was here. 

"Nian you here too" she exclaimed in her cheerful voice as she saw me. We were meeting after so long. "Why didn't you tell me," she asked in her curious voice. 

"If I had told you I would have missed this priceless expression on your face," I said with a big grin on my face. She grins back at me and after some time Hazel too came and we all decided which dress to wear.  My dress was a silk green colored low cut gown. It was hugging my skin like a second skin. 

"Does it look good," I asked Jane and Hazel as I checked myself in the mirror. 

"It looks stunning on you," Hazel said and Jane gave me a pleased nod. As we were sitting to get our gown a little fit. I got a whole lesson on the art of seduction. First I was curious to know why Jane wanted to know that but then I know Zanvil is hard to handle and as she told me he is mad at her. And our teacher was none other than Matt, our designer. I learned many new things that day. 

Now I was getting ready for the charity event I had to reach there early as it was for Amelia foundation. I let my long hair down with soft curls at the end to hide my exposed back. I couldn't do anything about the low cut in front of my dress which was exposing my cleavage. I applied red lipstick on my lips and took my purse and cell phone left for the event. I was checking all the arrangements when I felt burning familiar eyes on me which made me self-conscious of my appearance. 

I didn't turn to look at him. All the guests started coming. Jane and Hazel too came after some time followed by Matt. We were all sitting at the table when I asked if her plan worked but from the look on her face, I knew it had flopped. She needs alcohol the most so I gave her alcohol without telling her. Matt joined us after some time. Jack and Skyler come when we're laughing at something. It made me look at him subconsciously. His predatory eyes moved all over my face making me swallow hard. 

"You have made even ugly ducklings look like a swan," he said while looking at them with a smirk on his face. He was saying it to Matt while still looking at me. Skyler said the same thing while looking at Hazel. I knew he was trying to say this to get my reaction but I didn't say anything and ignored him as I was doing it for the past weeks. Soon the charity event was done with all people enjoying the party now.  Zanvil had taken Jane when she called him gay. I think she has drunk more alcohol to drink her sorrows and now she has caught herself in a difficult situation. 

From time to time I was feeling Jack's eyes following me. He was observing all my moments with predatory light brown eyes passing all kinds of shivers to my spine. As I was busy greeting all the guests and some of the board members I heard my name being called. Morrison was calling me. I gave him a tight smile and said hello. 

"Don't take me, wrong child, my words are harsh but I speak what is best for our company's well-being. Your mother was my friend and she loved Amelia foundation more than anything and I'm keeping my promise to my old friend" he said with an all warm smile on his face. 

"I understand you think best for our company,"  I said with a genuine smile on my face. As we were talking I heard my name being called by Jack. It made me look at him with furrowed brows. 

"Nina please come on stage," he said, making me look at him with a deep frown on my face. I saw Dad, uncle Richard, and aunty Sam was already present on the stage. I walked towards the stage as I was standing in front of him. He grinned looking at me with eyes shamelessly moving all over my body. "Before saying anything just remember one thing your answer will affect so many lives" he moved the stray hair away from my face while saying it to me in his hushed voice. Making me look at him with a confused look. I looked at everyone standing on stage and they too looked clueless. 

"Can I get everyone's attention? I have an announcement to make," he said in his firm voice making the people look at him. He came and stood in front of me and before I could take out anything I saw him taking out the velvet box and he sat on his one knee making my eyes widen in utter shock. 

"Nina Roger I am asking you this in front of everyone gathering my all courage. Will you marry me and make me the happiest person alive" he asked with an evil grin on his face, making all people gasp and cheer for him. His absurd act pulled away all the ground under my feet. I lifted my shocked eyes and looked at Dad, uncle, and aunty, they were shocked but they were happy as they saw him proposing to me. 

I looked at all the people and my eyes felt on Morrison as he looked at me. Things he said that day came rushing to me. I looked back at Jack and he grins looking at my face. He purposely chooses this day and event for this. He knew I couldn't refuse him in front of our family and all these people. If I refuse him everyone will turn to me and blame saying I don't think about my responsibility. He smirked as he knew he had caught me in his trap. I swallowed hard the lump forming my throat as I knew I had no choice or escape. People were still cheering for me to say yes. I gasped for air with a heaving heart as I moved my shaky hand and he didn't waste any time and slipped the ring into my finger. He pecked my lips making the crowd cheer in happiness. He moved his mouth near my ear and said. 

"Didn't I tell you I will attach you to my name permanently this time with no escape!" he whispers in his evil voice in my ear making me glare at him. He has chosen to attack me in the most vulnerable situation It made me look at him with my angry glassy eyes. He again took the mick as Dad and uncle aunty came to hug me. 

"You all guys are invited to our wedding which will be held this weekend don't worry guys you all will get your invitation soon," he said with an evil smirk on his face. He had already planned everything. I didn't wait for anything and started walking as everything was suffocating me. As I was a little away I started running towards the backstage holding my gown. No one was present there so I let my tears slide from my eyes. I wanted to run away very far but my hand was held in a tight grip and pulled to the hard chest. 

"Where are you running away soon to be Mrs. Miller," he said with that same evil grin on his face. His words made the volcanoes of anger erupted inside me. I pushed him away from me with all my might and slapped him hard. He looked at me with a set jaw. 

"How could you do this. How could you? You knew my reason for not getting married and still, you asked me in front of so many people. By pulling this absurd thing you have made the heat I feel for you increase even more in my heart" I said in my angry crying voice. 

"I told you this before and I'm telling you again that reason doesn't matter," he said in his angry voice while looking straight into my eyes. 

"Why doesn't it matter to you anymore.  Why don't you love Amelia Rogers, your first love, and my beloved sister anymore?" I said in my angry voice. Listening to my words. His brown eyes became hard and his jaw clenched even more.  

He didn't say a single word listening to my accusations and his silence was enough to answer my question.

Because I knew he would never be able to take Amelia out of his heart and it made my heart sink to my stomach. 

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A/N
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