Nelson's POV:

It was too much now.

I can't do this anymore, she slapped me, like literally slapped me.
All these days I tried to be polite with her, tried to help her, protect her but what I got in return was a slap.

Everytime anything happens I remind myself that I am doing this for uncle. But what happened yesterday was definitely not tolerable.

I didn't even say anything insulting, I was just proving to her.
The anger I felt at that moment was intolerable, had it been a man, I would have slapped him back but it was Ella.
Uncle taught me to never insult a woman, he said that flirting is different but you never insult a woman let alone hurt her. That was lesson number nineteen.

You have to be a gentleman.

But now, I have made my decision...I am quitting this job.

That's why I was here, infront of uncle's house at 10 in the morning.

Aunty let me in, uncle was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper, seeing me he kept it aside and smiled at me.
I couldn't smile back.

"What happened?", he asked when I nervously ran my hand through my hair.

"Umm...", I wasn't able to form any sentence so I quietly sat down on the floor cross legged, infront of him while he was on the sofa.

"I can't do this, uncle", I finally said.
He raised a brow at me.

"I mean...I can't do this. I can't tolerate all this. Taunting, mocking, even beating is tolerable but...I can't take this insult."

"What did she say?"

"She slapped me...and I swear I wasn't flirting or doing anything else with her. All I said was that you are blind towards your boyfriend's actions, that he is a gold digger and all that and she slapped me."

When he didn't say anything, I said again, "I agree that earlier yesterday I did flirt with her and she even kicked me in my stomach but that was okay...I kinda deserved that but she slapped me for no reason."

"I quit", I added.

"Nelson...I understand but..."

"No, uncle...I am really sorry but I can't do this anymore. I am giving up. You hire her a bodyguard or something I don't care but I am not doing this anymore. I know you always taught me to never give up in any situation but I can't do this, I am sorry."

I got up then and uncle stood up too.
Aunty seemed to be hearing our conversation as she said, "Nelson please..."

"I am sorry aunty", I lowered my head.

I could see the disappointment in their eyes, the hurt and it really hurted me too.

"So, you won't do it from today?", Uncle asked.

After a long pause, I confirmed, "Yes."

"Fine."

"What about the payment we talked about?", he asked again.

"I said I will take it when the job will be completed but as I am leaving it incomplete, I refuse to ask for anything."

"Okay."

I lifted my head to see aunty looking at him in disbelief, she opened her mouth to say something but he just squeezed her arm, shutting her.

Giving them one last look, I left.

Third Person's POV:

Alveera wanted to stop him but Xanir held her back. She couldn't understand what was happening.

When Nelson finally left, she said to Xanir, "Why did you let him go like that?"

Xanir sighed, "I trust him."

"But...what about Ella?! What will happen now? Are you going to hire her bodyguard or something?"

He shook his head, "No."

"Xanir...what are you upto?"

"Nelson will do it himself."

"What are you saying? He said it just now that he won't."

"I trust him, Alveera. He will still do it. He is just hurt", saying that Xanir turned around.

"What if he won't?"

Turning his head sideways, he said, "Mark my words, he is coming back tomorrow morning."
_______________________________________

Nelson's POV:

With every passing second, the disappointment started to weigh down on me as I drove away.

The look of disappointment in their eyes really hurted me. Uncle trusted me and I broke his trust. I told him I won't do it.

But I am right too in a way. What about my feelings? I also got hurt.

"It was just a slap", my inner voice said.

But I felt insulted.

"Just because you felt insulted, you decided to break uncle's heart", the inner voice said again.

But...he can find someone else for this job too, why me only?
And it's not that she is dying or something.

"What if something happens to her?"

I don't care if something happens to her, it's not my problem.

"Of course, it's yours, you were supposed to protect her and you will care if something were to happen to her."

I was supposed to protect her...what if that asshole does something.
But she is strong enough to fight him, right?

"It's not about just fighting him physically...she trusts him blindly, he can use her trust to hurt her?"

No, he won't.
Or maybe...yes.

Aargh! Why the hell am I even arguing with myself?!

Instead of turning towards my house, I drove towards Matt's penthouse; it's Saturday, he must be home.

I had access to his penthouse, I walked into his penthouse like I owned it.

He was nowhere to be seen; must be sleeping as usual.

I walked upto his room and turned the door knob but it was locked so, I knocked and knocked and knocked and again knocked.

"Who the fuck comes this early?!", the door was flung open by an annoyed looking Matt who stood there with messy hair.

When he saw me, he just turned around and went to his bed and laid down again on his stomach.

"Wake up", I said sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Go away! I am having my beauty sleep", he groaned.

"I need your help, bro. Wake up."

"I am not helping you. It's still so early and you woke me up", he whined.

"It's 11 in the morning."

"So what? I work the whole week, wake up at 7 everyday and when I finally get the time to sleep, you have to ruin it."

Sighing, I laid down too beside him on my back, staring at the ceiling.

A minute later he spoke in a muffled voice, "Don't tell me you are in love, I'll throw up."

I rolled my eyes, "No I am not. I am just disappointed with myself."

"Why? Because you realised that you are gay? Believe me it's not that bad, bro."

"Do you want me to kick your ass?"

"So what happened?"

Taking a deep breath, I narrated him everything and when I got to that slapping part, all his sleep disappeared as he fell from the bed laughing.

"She slapped you", he said between laughter, "Oh God! Why wasn't I there to see it? The captain of Australia getting slapped."

And he kept on laughing untill I said, "I am serious!"

"Okay, okay...", He said sobering up, "So you are disappointed with yourself because she slapped you?"

I pressed my lips in a thin line. "If you are done laughing then I may continue."

"Go on, I am listening", he said sitting up straight on the floor.
So I told him about my conversation with uncle this morning.

"Hmm", he rubbed his beard and got up, and walked towards his washroom.

"Where are you going?"

"Atleast let me brush my teeth", he said before walking inside.

I walked downstairs to his kitchen and made myself a black coffee cause my head was about to burst, and made a cup of coffee for him, just like he likes it, with milk and a good amount of sugar.

Five minutes later, he walks down in a t-shirt and boxers and I hand him his coffee.

"So...what were you saying?", he asks taking a sip of his coffee leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Look...I never wanted to disappoint uncle and I just did that and now I am feeling really bad about it. I have no idea what to do."

"It was just a slap, Nelson..."

"But...I...I felt insulted..."

"She even kicked you before that, then you didn't feel insulted and I am sure that kick hurted more than that slap."

"Bro...that kick in my stomach...I can understand why she did that but that slap..."

"You are exaggerating, Nelson. Just forget it and...try to talk to her maybe she will apologise."

I sat down on the stool infront of him. "But...but..."

"Listen...you did it in the first place for your uncle, you even told him that you won't disappoint him and now why are you disappointing him for something he is not responsible for. Forget it Nelson and move on."

I took a large sip of my black coffee. He was right. I was doing it for uncle then why am I blaming him for something she did.

I gotta agree he sometimes speaks sense.

"Umm...Nelson?"

"Yes?"

All of a sudden he started looking nervous, what's wrong?

He placed his coffee cup on the counter and ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"I want to ask someone out for a date", he stated making me raise my brow.

"Who is that unlucky girl?"

"Come on, don't say like that..."

"I thought you didn't date."

"I didn't but I...actually...umm...you know like her."

"Wow", I commented sarcastically.

"Who's she by the way?"

He didn't reply instead just kept looking at me weirdly.

"What? Why are you giving me that look?"

"Matthew", I warned.

"Delancy", he finally said.

Delancy. Delan--wait, Delancy?!

"Delancy?"

"Your sister", he blurted.

"You are kidding, right?"

He came forward and grabbed both of my shoulders.
"Please bro, listen to me. I really like her, like seriously. And I am first asking for your permission, please, let me date her. I promise I'll be a gentleman."

"You are five years older than her."

"So what? It's just five years, Nelson. Please, please, please", he pleaded.

"Matt...umm...I don't think this is a good idea."

"Nelson, I beg you, please. I swear I really like her."

I thought for a minute before saying, "But...if she sheds even a single tear because of you--"

"Then you can beat me in the middle of my office lobby infront of my employees", he completed my sentence.

"Hmm...nice idea."

His eyes twinkled, "Is that a yes?"

"Yes."

He jumped up in happiness just like a kid and then pulled me in a bone crushing hug.

"And don't ask her out over a text, do it in person", I advised and he nodded happily.

We were silent then, drinking our coffees quietly untill Matt said, "What happened with your date yesterday? Did you like her?"

"No...I mean she wasn't suitable enough to take to the Annual Awards Function. I am not saying anything about her looks but her personality. She didn't have that vibe I was looking for."

"You know that the function is just around the corner."

"I know...but...maybe I'll go alone this year."

"The Australian Captain turning up alone at the red carpet. It doesn't sounds good Nelson."

"I know, bro...", I sighed, "when I went to that function for the first and the second time, I didn't bring anyone with me and felt so awkward cause everyone had a partner and I was all alone."

"Just find yourself a girlfriend, Nelson. You are already 27", he advised.

I went and placed my empty cup on the kitchen counter.
"I really don't like that idea...I mean, you just first date someone just because you found them attractive and you start a relationship with them...I don't like it. I want to first fall in love with someone and make her fall in love with me too...then confess our love for each other and then...I ask her to be my girlfriend."

"I never knew you had such romantic dreams", he stated his surprise and I shrugged.

"By the way, how will you fall in love with someone when you don't even date?"

"Love always finds you in its own way."

He face slammed himself at my sentence making me chuckle.
But then, he smirked, "Are we talking about Ella?"

I groaned, "Not again! I am not in a mood for that, Matt, please..."

"Okay...fine. Anyway...how should I ask Delancy out?"