As the doorway closed behind and Amelia heard Zach's footsteps behind her, she ran hurriedly inside the reception area and rolling a hand vaguely at Sofia, Jacob's receptionist, she entered into the ladies room to pile up some breath into her scheme.

The entire elevator scene was going over her head like a panorama, especially the way Zach looked at her and how it made her feel. She felt ashamed and chagrined about it, but there were more things left to be mortified about. Now that she knows the stranger, she met on the elevator knew Jacob and is on the same floor and they might probably meet again if what she suspects befalls to be true.

How on earth she would face meeting him again?, She thought not sure what she should be worrying about the most. The way he made her feel with his probing gaze or the fact that he knew Jacob. Time is really being cruel to her, her heart saddened at the thoughts.

Talk about horrible timing. Just at the same moment, her phone rang.

It was Jacob.

She almost panicked. She cannot find words to utter to him right away but she dare miss his call when she knew what it is all astir. She breathed in and out twice and picked the call.

"I expected you to be here by now," Jacob barked without greeting her.

"I am here. Just on the way to your office," she said in a rush as she hurriedly left the ladies room.

"Meet me in the boardroom. And, soon. I cannot keep my client waiting forever." Jacob said angrily and clicked shut his phone.

"Another storm?," Sofia asked as she read Amelia's expression.

Amelia gave a sad smile. Her face all pale now. "I'll be fine, Thanks." Amelia said as she ushered towards the boardroom.

She paused then and turning back at Sofia asked,"Is Jacob's client already here?" She needed to be sure if she was right and also if she is to meet him at the boardroom. She has to prepare herself on the way to face him.

"I guess so, if you are talking about the most gorgeous man I ever set eyes upon," Sofia said in a pleased tone.

Amelia narrowed her eyes at Sofia which made her blush. They both laughed at that.

"Is he in the boardroom?" Amelia inquired.

"No, Jacob ordered me to direct him towards his office."

Amelia thanked her and made a rush towards the board room, to bear witness to the awaiting torment meant for her.

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It had been one hell of a tormenting ten minutes of her life. Jacob had been fiercely angry at her being late and for making his client wait, but then he got down into what he had to talk to her about and his tone changed from an angry one to a dominating and persuasive one, which was just as dangerous because she was trying to talk him out of his plan of selling her part of shares. A futile and fruitless attempt, though, which only led to Jacob grabbing hold of her neck.

"Jacob, you are hurting me." Amelia cried in pain. It was hard to breathe.

"It serves you right for trying to teach me what I am suppose to do and not with my money," Jacob said furiously as he let go of her.

Tears formed in her eyes, but she refuses to let them fall. She shut her eyes and turned away, grabbing hold of her bag, searching for a tissue to wipe them away.

Jacob banged his hand on the wooden table and said in a hissed voice, "Don't ever try to come in my way or you do know to what lengths I can go with you."

"I was only making suggestions for the good of our future..." She said softly in a teary voice.

Jacob gave her a look of frustration and Amelia stiffened at that warning, backing off from making any conversation.

Yes, she did knew. He is an animal. Of the worst kind.

A tear fell at that thought and at the pain of the bruise that was now encircled her neck because of Jacob brutally holding her neck. She couldn't see it, but she went through this all a plenty of times to know what to expect.

"If you are done with consoling yourself over your misfortune of having me then prepare yourself to meet my client. He has more important things to do than to wait for you." Jacob remarked angrily.

Amelia knew what he meant. She nodded helplessly, lightly brushing her neck with her fingertips, where Jacob's hands had left fingerprints. She covered the bruise with the scarf she had in her handbag for such occasions. Knowing Jacob, she used to keep herself prepared to save herself from embarrassments such as this, in public. The scarf matched the white shirt she was wearing beneath a gray colored jacket paired with a gray color skirt that fits her shapely legs too well. But, Her eyes looked sad and blood-shot because of the unshed tears.

Before exiting out of the boardroom, Jacob grab hold of her waist and walked outside together, saying softly in her ear,"If you do as I say, you just might make me consider over your orphanage plans."

Amelia couldn't believe if she heard right. She looked at his face in shock. He gave her smile for the benefit of the moment, hoping this would help her calm down and present herself well in front of her client.

Taking in his smile, Amelia almost gushed into saying,"You really mean it?"

He said nothing and looking straight as they walked in his office said, "Just do as I said."

Amelia nodded.

Her heart was thudding so loudly with everything that has happened since she walked into this building. She was anticipating Zach's reaction of meeting her again and of her own anxiety for the same. But, more than that she was blooming inside that the fruit of all these sufferings is worthwhile. Her dream is finally going to be real. Her own orphanage. So many kids. The thought made her smile as she imagined about it, but then another thought struck her mind.

What if it's all a farce? Why would Jacob suddenly change his mind? Her mind was racing through all possibilities, but found none except that he might be toying with her hopes again to achieve what he has in his mind.

She wanted to cling onto the hopes he has given to her, but, the number of her hopes which he had crushed again and again tells her that she would be naive to believe it, until it happens for real.

She settled with the thought that she just has to wait and watch what the future holds for her.

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Zach McCord was sitting on a comfortable sofa in Jacob's Office waiting for them to make an entry and was still accepting the fact that unknowingly, he just had a little scene with his client's wife. Yes, that is what she is now – His client's wife. He should get this into his head clear. He really is trying to focus on it, but the only problem that is blocking him into letting this thought penetrate into his mind was the look on Amelia's face as she told about Jacob. He had a strong feeling ever since that something is not well in her paradise. Amelia was faking to be happy, she really wasn't happy, if he is to believe in his gut feeling.

The thought was more torturous than the fact that she has married. He had given up on her because he thought she will be happy. He understands that life doesn't come with a guarantee of a forever happiness and no soul is always happy on earth but his instincts told him that there was more to this than meet the eye. He was adamant on finding it out. He would have done it for anyone he knew then this is Amelia. Someone he had selflessly loved ever since he set eyes on her, two years ago at the Orphanage. He was still not over with that amazement and twist of the fate that shocked him to the core by bringing her face to face with him. But, knowing that she is married to Jacob says a lot about just what might Amelia's problems might be like. The man is a jerk. And he expects him to participate in his little games by buying Amelia's shares. Not to mention, the things he has heard about his philandering ways.

What on earth had Amelia seen in him to marry him? He thought deeply as his minds kept coming up with all sort of possibilities for her to get hitched to him.

He failed to understand why she would want to do so as doing this would loosen her hold in the company. Perhaps, she is one of those wives who likes to party hard, not caring about the finances. Though he actually didn't believe the idea for some strange reasons. Amelia looked someone from a very different league to him.

Maybe he is over-judging, he wondered. Maybe, Amelia wants to sell them off in her own will. But, somehow it does not appear to be so. If anything, she looked distraught. Not a sign of someone who is happy with things in her life.

Precisely that same moment, the door opened and Amelia made an entry with Jacob, who immediately began apologising to Zach excusing their absence, saying that he got delayed because he had to deal with some emergency related to his wife.

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