Olivia hid her amusement and contained her smirk as she observed the head of the French delegation from her elevated glass enclosed translation kiosk. She had almost a bird's eye view of the delegates at the two U-shaped tables they utilized, facing each other. She would hear them clearly too, once they switched on their microphones. From his body language and the way, he was throwing his hands around, she could tell, he had not gotten the mandate from his government to relax the terms of their negotiations. Clearly, he felt cornered and did not relish conceding to the Germans. Somebody from the German delegation signaled to her, smilingly. She nodded, clipped on the head phones and readied herself to begin translations.

After lunch, there seemed to be progress. The Germans were laughing, she could detect reluctant smiles from the French.

Yes! We are getting somewhere.

After the tea break, there were handshakes, smiles, and finally a signed agreement. Olivia was delighted that these translations were coming to and end. It had been a strain, when the parties were more reluctant, than accommodating and it just soured the mood of the deliberations, but finally, it was all over. She was happy to head home.

As she was about to leave, she noticed the senior manager of Around The Globe Translations (ATGT), the organization, she was contracted to, waving to her to get her attention. Olivia wondered why the big boss was here. Her work was professional, of the highest standard. She always arrived well in advance of the time she was required and only left after clarifying from all parties that she was no longer needed. She wondered if perhaps the French had laid a complaint about her, for her senior manager to be here in person. He almost never left his office, almost never attended any of the deliberations. He focused on strategic matters and left these activities to his middle managers. She swallowed uncomfortably, hid her anxiety and walked to him. She looked calmly confident and poised as she walked to him.

'Hi Mr. Braddock.'

'Went well,' he waved to where the delegations were packing up.

'Um ___ yeah.' Olivia was not sure whether he was asking or relating the outcome to her.

'I believe you are available for the next two weeks,' his hand at her elbow, he guided her away to talk to her.

'Yes.' She nodded, thankful the big boss was here for future work and not about the one just completed.

'Good. The Russians have requested you personally to___'

'Ru___Russians!'

She began to get palpitations. She was having difficulty breathing.

'Yes,' he smiled enthusiastically. 'You have worked with them previously. Fedor Zykov has specifically asked for you to be their translator.'

I bet he asked for me... the cold-hearted pig!

Absently, her palm rubbed at her throat. She couldn't do it. She couldn't face him again. For heavens sake, they'd been in a relationship for almost eight months. He'd taken her virginity! How could she stay focused translating for him, knowing their history and she was still in love with him! ATGT would just have to get another translator!

'Mr. Braddock ___'

'Jack! Olivia. Call me Jack. You've been working for me for almost three years!'

'Mr. Braddock, you need to find another translator. I can't___'

He gripped her arm. 'Olivia. You don't get it. If you don't do the translation. They go to one of our competitors. We lose the income. I don't have to tell you, the Russians pay the price we demand. They do not haggle.'

'I can't ___'

'But you just said, you were available for the next two weeks! Do you know what that kind income does for our bank account? We have overheads Olivia and staff's salaries to consider!'

She squirmed slightly embarrassed at her unprofessionalism. 'Okay,' she conceded weakly. 'When is the pre-negotiations meeting?'

'Thank you,' he exhaled heavily. 'Zykov wanted me to make sure, you were available, and I am delighted you are,' he placed his palms on her shoulders, appreciating her availability. 'The meeting is tomorrow afternoon, with this lot,' he pointed to the Germans. 'As you know they're engaged on that gas pipeline project. So, it's onto Phase Two now.'

Tomorrow evening! Seeing Fedor again. After nearly four years. God have mercy! I need your help. I can't deal!

Olivia went home in a daze. It was a good thing she had not driven her own car, she would have had trouble concentrating and negotiating the rush hour traffic.

Gosh, what am I going to say to him? All I can think about is our naked bodies entwined on his bed! You are a professional Olivia. Treat him as the assignment. Stay detached!

Easier said than done, when you are still in love with the jerk! What if she became distracted, whilst translating? What if she lost her train of thought?

'You okay?' Sophie looked at Olivia questioningly. 'You look like you've seen a ghost!'

'I'm fine thanks. Just tired,' she smiled at Sophie. 'Hey darling!' she extended her hands to Rebecca. 'Come give mum a hug.'

'Mummy,' Rebecca rushed into Olivia's arms. 'I had ice cream today.'

Olivia smiled, kissed her lips. 'Because you were a good girl?' she checked.

'I wiped the wall.'

'Oh.' Olivia looked around, wondering on her daughter's industrious activity.

'We used the wall as drawing paper,' Sophie grinned.

'Ah,' Olivia raised her eyebrows. 'Darling you must only write and draw on paper, nowhere else.'

'Yes mum. So I scrubbed the wall with Sophie and she gave me ice cream.'

Olivia smiled, 'so you won't be drawing on any walls again right?'

'Yes mum.'

'Good girl. Shall we have burgers for supper?'

'Okay,' Rebecca nodded.

'I guess that's my cue to head home,' Sophie grinned.

'Thank you Sophie. Oh I have an afternoon assignment tomorrow, don't know what time it will end.'

'I got you covered,' Sophie winked. 'Just let me know what time you want me to come down.'

'Thank you Sophie. Let me get supper started.'

'Bye Rebbeca,' Sophie waved.

'Bye,' Rebecca waved her tiny palm towards Sophie.

Olivia bathed Rebecca. They played a nonsensical game with their fingers, that Rebecca had just invented. Olivia laughed and gave up, because she kept forgetting the sequence. Rebecca agreed to a bed time story, but she fell asleep halfway through it. Olivia sighed heavily and kissed her daughter goodnight.

'I don't know what to do darling. Your daddy is here in London and I don't want him to see you. I know you would love him as I do, but he is a chaotic force, and we are better off without him, for the sake of our sanity!'

Olivia could feel her hands shaking. She clasped them together to keep them still.

Gosh! I think I'm having an anxiety attack! Oh God! Can you find a reason to send him back to Russia? Can you perform a miracle, so that I do not have to meet him ever again. Please.

The following afternoon, Olivia was a nervous wreck. Deliberately, she put on her most formal black suit, and a black shirt. She pinned her hair into a pony tail. She tried concealer to hide the ghastly shadows under her eyes.

She'd hardly slept the night before, and dozed off, just as the sun rose. She'd probably had about two hours of sleep, before Rebecca, all energetic, demanded her mum, wake up and make her pancakes.

Sophie arrived on time, expressed her concern, noting the anxious look on Olivia's face.

'I'm just tired... I barely slept last night.' Olivia sighed.

'Why don't you cancel? Ask somebody else to fill in for you. We can make popcorn. Watch one of Rebecca's favourite movies.'

' I wish I could,' Olivia groaned softly, ' but I cannot get out of this one. So,' Olivia faked a bright smile, 'I shall see you later.'

Olivia left an hour early. She decided to take her car. She wanted a quick getaway, after her dealings with Fedor. She commanded her brain to pay attention as she weaved through the traffic, mindful to obey the speed limit and be a law-abiding citizen. She arrived at the hotel with thirty-five minutes to spare.

Inhaling heavily, she proceeded to the designated conference room. ATGT had emailed her the folder of documents. She knew there would be individual packs of the position paper for each delegate.

She was surprised to see the German delegation was already there, caucusing, before the meeting. The men stood, smiled, pleased to see a familiar, competent professional that would be assisting them.

'Good day,' she greeted. 'Anything I can assist with?' She queried in German.

The head of the delegation smiled. And in very thick accented English informed her they were all good.

She nodded, picked up a pack of the Russian transcript and walked to the far corner of the room, to quietly peruse the document and familiarize herself with it.

She was impressed with the Russians' initiative and felt unjustified pride in the progress Fedor has accomplished. This was no mean feat. It was a huge, bold, daring initiative undertaken by Fedor Zykov. When they were courting, Fedor, had vaguely mentioned his uphill battle with his government.

He had pitched a proposal to his government to build under sea pipelines to export gas across Europe, all the way from Russia to Germany. His government had brushed him off, telling him it was suicidal, too dangerous, too much of a risk working against the elements under sea, but he had persevered. He had his legal team, draw up the contract, where he accepted total responsibility and full liability for all the risk.

He had successfully lobbied EU banks to finance his project. When the Russian government noted his tenacity, progress and sheer determination to get the project going, they cautiously came on board offering him fifty percent of the funding, that translated to billions of U.S. dollars.

Essentially, he would develop and construct the gas pipeline running under the Baltic sea, to bring natural gas from Russia to Germany. The Russian government would supply the natural gas to Fedor's company to manage and transport the resource across Europe, where needed. Olivia recalled the numerous media calls Fedor had fielded from around the globe for a whole forty-eight hours, when the press release had gone out from his company. He had taken many of those calls in bed, going from lover to business mode, due to the differing time zones around the world. And every call had been a marketing opportunity for his organization, she could hardly have denied him the 'free airtime.'

Now during this Phase 2 negotiations, the German regulators would be reviewing the paperwork, before approval is granted to Fedor's company to go ahead with the supply of the natural gas. Olivia smiled inwardly. She commended this amazing initiative by Fedor. His proposal was impressive. The Germans had to agree with his opportunistic view. He always thought big. He did nothing in small measures. He always pursued the big global picture.

'Hello Olivia.'

She stilled, holding her breath. Her fingers tightened to a death grip around the papers in her hand. So engrossed was she in reading Fedor's bold proposal, she had lost track of time and more importantly, her normally alert antenna had not even registered his presence. She quickly looked at her watch and was relieved, there was still five minutes to go.

Slowly she turned around to greet the man that had tortured her heart and mind over the last four years. She'd forgotten how good looking he was___almost. He seemed to look taller. His shoulders were definitely broader. His sexy russet eyes made her forget who or where, she was ___almost.

'Fedor,' she breathed softly, her eyes holding his unsteadily.

'You look beautiful,' he murmured, in Russian.

She looked down. She would not receive his compliment. She commanded her body, he was off limits, and more importantly, she had to stay focused. She was here to work. At her peripheral vision, she saw the Germans taking their seats.

'Shall we get started?' She meant to walk away.

He gripped her arm tightly. ' Have dinner with me,' he reverted to English.

'No. I am here to work. After that, I am going home. Alone.'

He smiled. His eyes raking up and down her body. She felt heat suffuse her cheeks. Clearly, he was trying to riddle her composure. His hand was still tightly holding onto her arm.

'It is time to start,' she reminded him, knowing he was a stickler for punctuality.

He released her arm and began walking to the table, leaving her there. She took a huge gulp of air and followed him at a slower pace.

Olivia noticed an unfamiliar, unsmiling blond female, amongst the Russian delegation. There were two gentlemen from the Russian embassy she was familiar with, and another senior official from Russia's trade ministry amongst Fedor's contingent. She was surprised to see Fedor occupy the seat that indicated the head of the delegation, that was normally reserved for the most senior official representing a government. She walked up to his colleagues, greeted the men, with a handshake. They stood, smiled with friendly cheer and returned the handshake. Olivia introduced herself to the female, who introduced herself as Luba Gusev. Apparently, she was Fedor's executive in charge of global marketing, not a government official, it seemed.

Olivia smiled inwardly. Luba meant, a loving woman, how contrary! Olivia pressed the record button. Fedor started the meeting, acknowledging her. He introduced each of his delegation, which she in turn translated. As the meeting progressed, she forgot all about Fedor and professionally and accurately translated all that was spoken. On occasion, Olivia looked Luba's way and caught the woman staring at her unsmilingly. And Luba felt no qualms to stare Olivia down. Olivia made a conscious effort to avoid Luba. When she was listening, she kept her head down, focusing on what was spoken. When she translated, she gave her full attention to the Germans.

It was eight pm when Fedor closed shop. Both parties were happy with the proposed agenda and talking points. She walked to the German contingent, enquired if they were happy and needed her for anything else, before she departed. They answered in the negative telling her they were good with everything thus far.

She looked the Russian's way, tempted to escape without saying goodbye, but her good manners and professionalism would not allow that. She dragged herself to that table, ignoring both Fedor and Luba, she conversed with the Embassy's delegates that she knew. They were very friendly, courteously invited her for drinks at the hotel's bar. She politely declined. She said goodbye, making eye contact with Fedor and Luba and quickly turned away. Annoyingly, Luba was curiously observing her, with folded arms.

As she picked up her handbag and walked away, Fedor caught up with her, as she knew he would.

'Olivia, have one drink with me,' he demanded

She cast her head sideways at him, 'I said no. Now leave me alone!' She hissed.

'You said no to dinner, not a drink,' his palm at her elbow, he grinned, charmingly.

She commanded her heart to be still. Ordered her feet to keep walking.

'Just one drink, Olivia.'

She brushed his hand off her arm. Curiously, her eyes shifted, to where Luba was still standing and still staring at her, now it seemed with more evident curiosity.

'Fedor, I'd appreciate it if our interactions continue only for business. Just stay away from me!'

He gazed at her, his eyes holding her prisoner. He could feel her heavy breathing, could see in her twinkling eyes, the magnetic attraction between them was still alive. He could feel the heat and scent of her body, could sense, if he touched her, she would melt in his arms, like she always used to. He saw the silent plea in her eyes, saw her lips quivering. Before he made a fool of himself, he shifted, returning to his colleagues.

Olivia inhaled heavily, closed her eyes for a millisecond, then hastily escaped. In her car, she locked the doors, gripped the steering wheel with shaking hands. She cursed him silently. Cursed that she still loved him, that she still found him irresistible. She almost made a fool of herself, silently, hoping he would kiss her.

Gosh what an idiot I am!

She closed her eyes, thinking of the first day she's set eyes on him, four years ago ..

                                                              -end chapter 2-