My lips parted. The air I was attempting to inhale got stuck in my throat, and there was this familiar feeling of fear washing over me. My heart nearly dropped to the pit of my stomach as I watched David walk in.

There was a satisfying smile placed on his lips, but as his eyes landed on me, his expression changed completely. The door behind him closed, and I was in the middle of these two bitter man and I had no idea how to get away.

The shock caught me off guard. My legs went weak. I thought I was going to pass out from the sudden adrenaline pumping in my blood. I could literally feel my heart-beat in my throat.

"David," Mr. Bonner's deep voice interrupted the sudden tension. I couldn't blink, I couldn't think, I couldn't move. I stared at David, frozen on my spot, and waiting for whatever was about to come.

A smirk was placed on his lips when his eyes landed on me. Goody. He remembers me. Of course he would. I was his fiancee for over a month. A forced fiancee. If I followed my uncles' originally plan, I would be long married to David right now, I would be rich, and I would have at least 4 kids, with a man that I barely knew. I man that I never loved.

However, David never had a problem with that. He was all about tradition, and following his family's orders.

His hair was still the same. Slicked back and the lightest shade of brown. Almost golden. His eyes were wide and arrogant, slick, and filled with unreadable emotions hiding behind that strong emerald color. The last time I saw him was a few days before our wedding... However, I never got to the wedding.

He nodded his head at Bonner, greeting him with a silent, "Ash," There was no concentration in his voice. I almost choked on my breath when his eyes landed on me again. My brain slowly registered his words. Ash Bonner... I've heard that name before.

A small step from David interrupted my thoughts, as he walked a bit deeper in the room. "And who do we have here?" He smiled. A confused expression started growing on Mr. Bonner's face. "Miss Nelson. Back to hunt Richwood." His thick accent was always soft, yet that arrogant tone held so many things, so many memories that I didn't want to remember.

"What are you talking about?" The cold tone interrupted, dark furrowed eyebrows and that murderous glare was sent towards David.

I noticed how considerably he looked at Mr. Bonner. He got a little closer, almost like he was trying to protect him, but the simple thought was so ironic and humorous that I almost laughed out loud. They were both over 6'2 inches, and he was trying to protect him from me?

"She didn't tell you who she was?" He said, looking at Bonner. There was still that confused expression on his face, and I couldn't help but tense my muscles. I hated those edgy gazes. That eyes filled with hate... Why did he hate me so much? He didn't really believe that I was going to marry him at the age of 18.

He just continued with the same tone. "I guess that the whole Nelson family was never familiar with telling the truth."

"I'm not a Nelson." I whispered, almost choking on those words. It was still hard saying them, even after 5 years.

"Where's your pride, Anastasia? I thought that you were always taught to be proud of your name."

Mr. Bonner took a few steps forward. "She said her name was Anastasia White."

"Don't believe anything she says, Ash. She is the daughter of the one and only Richard Nelson. Remember him?" He turned around slowly, facing Ash.

My feet went cold. I did. Now, my father was rotting in jail. He deserved it, but whenever his name was mentioned, I couldn't help but get chills all over my body. I swore that I was no longer his daughter. And David knew that better than anyone. He just wanted to piss me off. And it worked.

I suppose Mr. Bonner found my father's name familiar. Who didn't really. Everyone in Richwood knew him. Hated him. That is why he ran thousands of miles away, across the seas, just to get away from the law. "Is that right?" He asked, but I wasn't sure if it was really a question.

"You're here to get a job, Miss Nelson? Still haven't found one?" I didn't answer to his words. If I did, it would probably be yelling at him, and cussing, and I would end up dragged out by the security.

I released a small breath, mentally counting to five. I didn't have time for 10. "Not at the moment. And my last name is White." I repeated my mother's family name for about a hundredth time. I hated being called a Nelson. I was just happy Jenny didn't remember our father as well as I did.

"You don't have a job. Probably no money... And from what I know, you're dragging your seventeen year old sister around with you."

"Jenny is doing completely fine with me." I answered straightly, looking him directly in the eyes.

"Maybe, or maybe not. Your family's already done a lot of illegal things to this town, so I'll tell you how this will go, Miss Nelson." He took a few steps towards me, putting his hands in his pockets. "You're gonna come with me back in Richwood, and we're going to call the social workers from there. Let's let the professionals be the judges of your current situation."

I felt the anger boiling up inside me. "This is none of you business!" I snapped back at him. "I'm not letting you take her away from me." I shook my head, speaking more calmly in order for them to understand me.

He got another step closer. And another. There wasn't space for me to walk backwards. I stood in place. With his hands in his pockets, he continued. "See, that's where you're wrong. You can't be the judge of that."

"I haven't done anything wrong, David. I'm not going to let you do this."

I kept repeating this thought in my head, Was this some kind of a trick? Was this a game to him?! However, he ignored my statements, and continued. "It's really on you Miss Nelson. You can come willingly, or we can call the security." I glanced at him, but I did everything to escape meeting his eyes. He saw me as nothing else than a traitor. Because I escaped marrying him unwillingly. I broke a tradition.

I could feel myself getting weak. I knew he was working in Richwood. I just always thought that the chances of bumping into him were one in a million. However, there he was. Lecturing me, and attacking me once again. "Your pretty eyes don't work on everyone, you know. You out of all people should know that there's no running from the law. And I'm pretty sure that you're aware of the consequences on not having a job,"

Fifteen minutes in this building, and I got the worst thing there was. Instead of a job, I found David. Talk about bad luck.

A deep voice broke his, and I was almost unaware of where I was for a second. "Actually, Miss White is not broke." There was a hand placed on David's shoulder from behind as he turned around. Well, Mr. Bonner finally broke this war, but I don't think he was aware that I actually was on the edge of being broke.

David's face slightly soften. "Ash, I understand that you were born and raised here in Richwood, but you weren't there when her family ripped this town's heart out. I think it would be the best for you to let me handle this. I have a little more experience with the Nelsons."

I thought Bonner was going to walk away from this. They seemed pretty tight. Ash, David, nothing formal. Instead, David was simply fixed with that cold gaze of Mr. Bonner, furrowed eyebrows, and a slight confusion hiding behind that edgy grey.

"I thought the question was if Anastasia was broke or not. If she had a job or not... Not about the past." If I was David, I would've just walked out of his office after that unbelievably scary tone. I realized that Bonner had a very dark character. I didn't understand why he was taking my side though. I was very rude before, and kind of obnoxious.

After a few beats passed, David still haven't had given up. "Don't get involved in this, Ash."

A sharp, bold statement that almost interrupted David caught me off guard. "She has a job. She's working for me."