Amanda's POV

After bidding farewell to my family, I consumed an aspirin. My head hurt from over thinking. I rested for a while by burying my head on the pillow. It was almost 1 pm. My birthday happened to be a full package of surprises. I was scared, because it wasn't over yet.

When my phone vibrated, I checked it and realized that it was an unknown number. I thought for a while and picked it up after 3 rings. There was complete silence on the other side of the phone. My innumerable 'hello's' were unanswered.

The line got disconnected so I assumed that it was a wrong number. But suddenly, I got a call from the same number. I picked it again instinctively. "If you're not interested in talking with me then please don't call and waste my time", I ranted towards the person on the other side of the phone.

Was it Mr. Reynolds? Considering the fact that silence was his special talent. "Is it you Mr. Reynolds?" I interrogated annoyed.

"Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday dear Amanda

Happy birthday to you"

It felt like my word collapsed when I heard the voice. It wasn't just of a familiar person but also was from someone whose name scared the shit out of me. My hands shivered and so did its grip over my phone. My tongue felt numb, it felt like I lost words and was unable to speak.

"You", I broke the silence and accepted the situation with equanimity. Without any doubt, anyone could guess that who was on the other side of the phone. It was James, the only person who haunted me, even with my eyes open.

"Miss me? Baby girl" I flinched so hard on hearing 'baby girl'. It scared the shit out me.

I practiced silence for a while and answered "Why-What-How- I mean Why did I- I mean you called me", I stammered with fear. Agitation could be felt in my voice.

Fixing my broken voice, gathering all the courage which was left within me, I heard him "I want to meet you. Gift you. Kiss you"

I was taken aback by his voice. He continued "I know you hate Aaron. Why not team with me instead? I'll wait for your call baby girl. I have a proper revenge plan ready on the go", he cancelled the phone instinctively. My mind couldn't stop but think about the lines he said which was more or less of an offer.

James literally was a swine. He couldn't stop playing dirty with the man who once considered him as a brother. My heart raced and his words echoed in my ears. I took a sip of water to calm myself down. I rested my ass on the bed and examined the number from which he called. To my discontent, the number was unavailable. The only thing which could be seen was the prefixed country code.

Suddenly, a thought escaped my mind. How was James aware of the fact that I hated Mr. Reynolds? Was someone spying on us? I made a list of people who worked here in my mind. Aunt Red topped the list but it was certain that she wouldn't be the one.

I had to find out the person who was playing a double game with us but first I had to alarm Mr. Reynolds regarding the phone call. It was very clear that I had to keep the 'Hate Game' alive.

What if James came after me again? What if I couldn't confess the love I was dying to express since a long time? What if I could never meet him again? Innumerable questions which started with 'what ifs' started arising in my mind.

I was pretty sure about one thing today. By hook or by crook, I was going to disgorge the words out of my mouth. I knew that he loved me too.

After putting on a decent one piece dress, I rushed downstairs. I reached towards the main gate of the house where I was blocked by two security men. "Please take me Reynolds's Associations", I literally begged them. I was more cautious than ever, which is why I decided to take the men along with me.

I had to give up on my childhood and clumsy nature one day. Maybe, that day was this day. They, without debating any further, removed one the cars from the parking and engaged themselves in the driver's and the passenger's seat.

I comforted myself on the back seat. The security guard and the bodyguard looked dangerous, very dangerous. Their bodies were healthy yet muscular and they held a poker straight face like they were deprived of emotions.

"This isn't the route", I interrupted the one who was driving as the route I was taken to, was something I was unfamiliar with.

He kept silent, concentrated his attention on the road and kept driving. My fear level got raised from 0 to 10. Maybe, they could be the one who were involved with James. I felt extremely stupid for making a bad decision again. Whenever, I thought that I was doing something right, something wrong was obvious to happen.

"Drop the brakes right now", I warned him but he didn't listen to me again. His personality was shady and so was his behavior. My eyes widened when he pulled off the brakes whilst he halted the car on one corner of some place.

I peeped through the windows and realized that I was at a place where I was destined to be. "Took the short route", he finally spoke up. I looked towards the ground realizing that how badly I made a fool of myself.

"I'm sorry", I apologized. He nodded, waited for me to enter the gate and drove off. My mind was surrounded by pessimistic thoughts which needed to be controlled. Every person that crossed my path was found suspicious by me. I needed time to get over it but most importantly I longed for a calm state of mind.

When I rushed till the seventh floor, I peeped through his cabin. He wasn't visible. I tried looking around but was very disappointed when I realized that he was nowhere to be seen. I took the elevator at once, and pinched on the ground floor.

"Where's Mr. Reynolds?" I questioned the receptionist.

"Hey Amanda, long time no see", no please, answer my question first.

"Just was a bit caught up lately, where's Mr. Reynolds?" I repeated the question again.

She furrowed her brows, showing her curiosity and answered "He's in the conference room with some foreign clients"

"Well thank you", I turned around and made my way towards the conference room which was on the third floor. "You can't get in there", I heard the receptionists voice so I pretended that I didn't hear it at all. I kept going.

When I reached the third floor, I met eyes with Sonia and Dan who were busy making out at the corner of the floor which was three cabins away from the conference room. Sonia gasped, eyed me for a while and then marched towards my direction. "Hi there" she waved.

"Wrong timing Manda", Dan interrupted. Damn, I hated it when he called me Manda. Gross!

"How are you here today", Sonia punched Dan playfully on his stomach whilst questioning me.

"Had to complete something I left incomplete back then", I smiled ear to ear.

"Well, all the best with that", Sonia winked and Dan hugged her sideways. "Get a room please", I surrendered my hands up in the air. They laughed looking at each other, and exited the floor, hugging me one last time.

After turning the doorknob carefully, I peeped through the room. It was one of those boring meetings in which a host was explaining the slides briefly. When I opened the door, I couldn't have a control over my feet. They just marched in without any invitation.

All the men present in the meeting looked at me, like I was some criminal who sneaked in to rob all the money they've got. Mr. Reynolds's expression was plastered with shock. He looked at me, arched his right brow and mouthed a 'why'.

I was offered a chair by the senior-most member present in the conference room. I didn't need one, what I needed was privacy. "Please give us a while Miss Waters", Mr. Reynolds tightened his tie and refocused his attention towards the presentation.

"I can't wait. We need to talk"

"Sure, we do. Just a couple of minutes more to go", he responded.

"I don't know if I can wait any longer", I shrugged.

"We're just three slides away", he clenched his fists, and rested his chin on it.

I didn't really intend to do what I did. I did the strangest and weirdest thing ever. I strolled towards him, just so that we were one hand distance away from each other. People present in the meeting murmured things, which was clearly audible.

"I love you", it wasn't as difficult as I imagined. It felt like taking off the burden I was living with since a long time. I felt easy, very easy.

But the environment around didn't look much easy. People had their jaws drops, eyes widened and necks turned in my direction. Mr. Reynolds gasped as he stood straight. He looked at the people sitting on the round table and ordered them to leave. A couple of women glanced at me, examined me from head to toe, and left chitchatting with each other.

Mr. Reynolds pushed the chair back in its place, bridged the gap between us, making it just an inch, and interrogated after making sure that everyone left the room "What did you just say"

"I love you", I breathed out. A small smile took birth on my lips, and a tear flicked through my eyes dissolving the ethereal view in front of my eyes. Mr. Reynolds smiled as he looked at me and marched closer. Our bodies collided. The cologne he was wearing was attractive, very attractive.

He pulled me closer to him, as he curled his hands around my waist. Our foreheads touched and so did our nose "I love you", I repeated "And there's no going back", he wiped off the tear which traveled through my cheeks releasing his grip over me from my waist.

"I'm sorry", I continued.

"What for?"

"Throughout my life, I quoted Chuck Bass's quote from the gossip girl", he arched his brow "You don't give up on people you love", he pushed the baby hair behind my ears "All this time, I felt helpless, like someone has been stinging my heart continuously. I tried my best to hate you, to unlove you. I couldn't even when I tried my best. I gave up on you, on us", my eyes were blurred because of the formation of tears under my waterline.

He cupped my cheeks, placed the pointer finger of his right hand on my lips and mouthed a 'shusssssh' . My eyes were locked with his and so was my heart. Without thinking any further, he slowly and smoothly placed his lips on mine. We smiled as we did the same. He tucked away the hair behind my ear and kissed me more deeply.

I licked my lower lip whilst capturing it again with his. His hands traveled through my back. I dug my hand closer in the back of his hair as an attempt to pull him close.

This was something I craved for. The desires my heart gave birth to were only satiated by his touch. The love I longed for was something I demanded only from him. He wasn't just another illusion. He was the illusion I wanted for real. And this was it. It was the most beautiful reality ever.

After pulling away, I gasped and breathed hard. I couldn't control blushing, my cheeks fumed. "Sorry for that", I apologized.

"Sorry for what?"

He stroked my cheeks with the back of his fingers. It was really difficult for me to speak, because, of all the beautiful things we could do with our lips, we chose to speak. "Sorry for ruining the meeting you owned",

"You heart is all I want to own", he drew me closer to him again and kissed me softly. I could kiss him all day and not even regret if for once.

No, he didn't say an 'I love you too' to me and to be honest I didn't expect it too. I knew that he loved me and it was enough for me. Confessions are not always necessary. True feelings are the key factor to any relationship and I knew that what he felt was true. His eyes spoke for him. He was an introvert, it's really difficult to open up with people when you're one and I was well aware of it.

I could wait for him to say those magical words to me. What mattered was that he reciprocated those feelings.

I gave him a small peck on his cheek "I'm sorry again".

No, I didn't confess about James's call because I didn't want to spoil the moment I had waited for, since a long time. Eventually, I had to tell him. But that time wouldn't be now. It'll be sooner though. I couldn't anticipate his reaction to it.

**********

No, the story didn't just end. There's a lot more drama.

How about a love making scene? YAY OR NAY?