Levy's POV

The next day was quiet. Redfox had been called out to a last minute business meeting and Juvia still hadn't returned, but we couldn't issue a missing person until she'd been missing for three days. 

Even when Juvia was gone for just one day I worried. I'd only known her for under a week but she was the closest thing I had to a friend there, when she was beside me I knew that no matter what Redfox threw at me, Juvia would always offer her assistance.

"How long has it been since Juvia left the estate?" I asked the man Redfox called Sol.

"Juu-uuviaa has been gone for almost twenty-two hours~!" He said cheerfully but with a sad expression. "I wouldn't worry, Juvia is one of Sir Redfox's best trained employees~!" 

"Trained in kung-fu or something?"

"Close, she was in the Fiore military for almost fourteen years."

"How is that possible?!" I asked. "She's my age, and I'm most certainly not thirty!"

"No no, you see, her father was in the Royal Army so she was trained from a young age. Many others have had the same childhood, or similar in some way. Juvia dear was just one of the lucky few who were hired by Sir Redfox." Sol explained. "You see, Sir Redfox attracts unwanted attention most of the time from petty business owners who he has no time for. People like Juvia do as the butler does, and tidy up unwanted things."

At that point I left Sol due to the fact that he was sounding crazier and scarier after every word. I was unable to leave the estate, but I realised that I hadn't asked if there was a garden of some sort.

"Um, excuse me... Does Redfox have a garden?" I asked one of the kitchen staff who just so happened to be running by. "I was wondering if I could read out there."

"Of course." They responded, "Mrs Redfox, which garden are you referring to?"

"Which?"

"Yes, the private gardens on the roof or the large garden outside."

"I'll check the large one outside," I answered.

"The East garden, South garden or the West garden?"

"Huh...?"

"The South garden is straight through the ballroom." The employee said before rushing off towards the kitchens.

"South, East and West gardens? Redfox is filthy rich." Before I went out into the garden, I quickly stopped by at the library and grabbed a book. Then I made my way outside. 

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In the South garden was a small pond with a bench beside it. There were roses and other types of gorgeous flowers along the edge of the pond, as well as a small path leading back to the mansion. The bench was a pale green colour and was placed close to the pond yet not too close so I could fall in. 

I sat down and opened the book in my hands. The scenery was relaxing and all I could hear was the water, the birds and the serenity of quietness. There were no servants rushing around, no one to tell me that Redfox needed me, I felt somewhat free,

Until that happened.

One minute I was reading a book peacefully, the next some random men show up behind one of the trees.

"You sure we can get in?"

"I'm sure we can get in, grab the painting and then get the hell out."

"But isn't she there?"

"Who that Juvia chick?"

"Yeah, her."

"Don't worry. Boss took care of her."

I left the book and hid behind another nearby tree out of the men's eyesight.

"Heh heh! Good thinking Boss."

One of them wandered up towards the bench and saw my book.

"Someone was here, couldn't've been Gajeel... He's at a business meetin'..."

"Maybe it's his wife."

"His wife? That stuffs real?"

"Yeah, I was shocked too."

One of them began to clap his hands and whistle. "Here Mrs Redfox... We only want to take your husband's most expensive thing and burn it. And get some money too."

"Mrs Redfoooo-ooox~! Sir Redfox is waiting for you in the main dining room!" Sol called out, I smiled when I heard him and couldn't help but fist pump when I heard the guys behind the tree scurry away.

"Coming Sol!"

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"McGarden, take a seat."

Taking the seat farthest away from him (as usual) I looked at Redfox and frowned. "What is it? I thought you had a business meeting...?"

"Turns out it was a hoax. Fuck the Street Punks..."

"That's something I need to ask you about."

Redfox looked at me like he said something he shouldn't have.

"You said to me that you were umm, 'ruler of the streets'. Are you also a gang leader?"

"You shouldn't really ask that direct a question to a gang leader." He pointed out. "Think before you speak Missy."

I'm fake married to a jerk billionaire street gang leader who is also head of Redfox Inc.

Woo hoo.

Go me.

"I really got the short straw didn't I?" I said before holding my head in my hands.

"At least you're not the one suffering from it."

"Oh really."

"Not as badly as me."

"Try me."

"Fine." He sat down opposite me. "Try growing up without your parents taking the time to care for you, so you have to learn to fend for yourself at school when older kids try to steal your money and belongings. Then you mess around with people dealing with guns. After that, you learn your way around the streets, your parents oblivious to everything. But once they find out, it just has to be the day when your father was going to hand his company to you." He sat back in his chair and sighed. "He starts yelling at you, telling you that messing with that crowd is wrong and saying shit like 'I expected more from you', he expected more from a son he never fully knew. So then in order to get the company, my father decides on his death-bed that if I get a wife before he dies, the company is mine. If not, it goes to Rogue."

His confession surprised me. 

"Do you have it harder?"

"N-No..."

"I guess you don't, living in a home with kind loving parents who got you everything you needed, who paid attention to you when you wanted it. Not having to deal with guns..."

"But they weren't my real parents..." I thought aloud. 

Redfox looked at me, his eyes wide.

"I said that out loud didn't I?" I mentally punched, kicked, slapped and basically injured myself for saying something so private. "Forget it, you focus on your situation and I'll focus on mine."

"They weren't yours? But you look similar." Redfox exclaimed, his mouth open. His sharp canines were fully visible, but for some reason... They didn't scare me as much as I thought they would... Heck, he didn't look scary anymore.

"No. I mean, they were family. My aunt and uncle, they raised me like I was their own." I smiled as I began to remember when I lived with them, my aunt and uncle. "They owned so many books, they let me read as much as I wanted... But if they thought it was too easy then they'd put it on a special little shelf for all of the special little books, the ones which I could read within an hour."

"Is that why you love books so much?"

"Yeah,"

"And why you always sneak into the library at night?"

"Yea- Wait," Pausing, I thought back to the past few nights. Then a light bulb shone. "You were the one who took me back to my room!" I pointed a finger at him.

"Obviously. Who else would pick you up and carry you somewhere? The staff would be too scared, they probably thought that if they moved you, you'd get mad and that'd make me get mad."

"Would you get mad?" I asked, he looked at me and tilted his head. "I mean, if I got mad, would you?"

"In what sort of circumstance?"

"Well, umm.... Okay, let's say someone annoyed me and I got mad at them. Would you take my side and get mad at them or what?"

"Hmmm." Redfox thought for a moment. "If I was needed, I'd side with you. But if not, I'd keep out of it."

My heart fluttered slightly when he said that he'd side with me, but I quickly dismissed it. 

"Okay," Suddenly my mind went back to the men from earlier. "Oh crap I should've mentioned that sooner!"

"Mentioned what?"

"There were two guys earlier, I was in the South garden by the pond and these men were sneaking around. They were saying something about a painting and burning it, and they said that their boss had Juvia and was taking care of her."

Redfox jumped up. "Did one of them sound similar to me?"

"N-No..." I said, trying to recall what they sounded like. "One of them had a really strange accent, it sounded like it was meant to be from a different country or something."

"They said they have Juvia correct?"

"Yes."

"That narrows it down to a couple of gangs then, why would they need Juvia? I don't understand..."

"They said that they wanted a painting of some sort, and that Juvia would get in the way. Does Juvia protect something in the mansion? Maybe that's what they were referring to and they needed her gone so that they could try to outwit the rest of the staff and get it."

Redfox face-palmed and made his way to the door. "I'll be gone for another few hours. As will some of my staff."

"Where to?"

"No point in hiding it now, huh?" He sighed, "We're going to go and get Juvia. Don't worry, if those guys do come, you'll have Lily."

"Who's Lily? Is she another assistant?"

Redfox chuckled and opened the door. "Yeah, Lily's a bodyguard. But I have a feeling you'll need Lily more than me." With that, he left me alone in the dining room.

Taking deep breaths, I placed my hand over my heart. I shook my head.

I'm not. I swear I'm not. 

I can't be.

Can I...?

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We're getting to the good bit :D

Sorry it's taken 5 chappies just to get her to think that she likes him.

BUT OMG MY LIFE SHALL CHANGE!

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS ARE GOOD

BUT HARD TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN FRIENDS ARE SILLY

OH WELL

LOVE YOU LOVELY PEOPLE

MWAH THAT WAS A KISS

MWAH MWAH MWAH MWAH MWAH

okay I'll be going now

ninja vanish