I was very much neck deep in my work that I did not realise the time until I got a call from Shar. I picked up the call and heard his low voice answer. "Shut it down."

"Yes sir." I replied and then I hung up.

I saved all my important documents, and pretty much didn't bother looking at the seven emails waiting for me. I shut down the computer and started to gather all my belongings. There were some files I had no problem leaving in this office. Some files, however, required to stay as close to me as possible. I debated whether I should open a mini storage place where I could store all my evidence based data- but then again, I wasn't naive as to my father's consistent eyes on me.

I long ago stopped wondering why my father requires eyes on me as to though I was one of his nemesis.

I walked out my office when everything was how I wanted and bumped straight into my fathers' hard chest. "Sorry," I mumbled, stepping a few steps back.

For father to come down from his office to mine was very rare, and the times that it did happen, it required all my attention. And all my wary of course. I stopped feeling despair at our lost relationship, to a point where I become a shell whenever I'm around him. Strictly business? It might just well be at this point. I was his property. His investment and now he wanted returns.

"I have asked you to look over the Jameson case." He stated, his dark eyes showing zero emotion. He was dressed as sharp as he had been this morning. No lint on his suit, no crease in sight. Appearance was key to his image- even when he lacked any other form of social skill. I have never seen my father laugh. I have never seen him have a humours conversation with anyone. People said what they wanted to say and swiftly moved away from him.

Although he was always surrounded by people, the level of discomfort he gave to people would never go amiss. I always saw because if I was not watching the room, I was watching my father.

"I have."

He raised one eyebrow. "And?"

I heaved my bag further up my shoulder. "And what?" I asked.

A scowl appeared on his face. "Are you downgrading yourself to being stupid now?"

I flinched at his words. "No, sorry."

"Then tell me if you have looked over the case or not." My father said in a low voice. The voice that has made grown me crawl away.

"I have only briefly glanced at it. Nothing more, sorry."

My father's jaw clenched. I noticed he also had his fists hanging by the side and they were clenched as well.

There was a reason why I told him I hadn't looked at the case. Because even though I worked day and night to expose the corruption happening between the main people of my father's inner circle, I didn't have enough ammunition to ensure they were all jailed.

The Jameson case did.

And hell... it did not disappoint.

The more I researched the more I found. And the more I became obsessed with. It was a murder case. And if my father was involved, it was definitely a cover up as well.

The whole case was was like a can of worms. It was like the biggest missing piece I needed. And my father handed it to me on a silver platter.

I wasn't ready for my father to take the case away from me so I deliberately worked on it a few hours a week.

"I need a few more weeks." I added quickly.

My father shown his head. "We have no more weeks left. I need every single thing done by the end of the week."

My heart dropped. I did not have much longer left and that sucked more than anything in the world. The last free years, when I really started to notice how corrupted people really work, I became obsessed with bringing them down. And now I could see my dreams slipping away from me.

I still hadn't found every single thing that I could and I needed to.

"By the end of the week." My father repeated, starting to inch further away now.

"Wait, that is impossible!"

"Why not?"

"I-I- I have to many cases that need my attention right now."

"Further all your cases to one of your assistants. They can finish all of that whilst you give all your attention to Jameson."

"My assistants are trained to take on a whole case. I'm near the end of a few and have no intention of having them fucked up." I countered my father.

"Ellisandra, you will do the Jameson case and have it in front of my by the end of the week."

I knew the finality in his voice. I didn't even bother to argue with him, already feeling depleted at how short my research had come to an end. I just needed a few more weeks to really grab everything I had and make a whole lesson about it.

"Okay, father." I said, putting my head down and showing him how he wanted my obedience to be portrayed.

"May I be excused?" I asked slowly.

After the longest look, my father jerked his chin. I nodded and quickly hightailed it away from him. I ran to the lifts and quickly pressed all the buttons, hoping it would freaking answer on command for once.

***

"What will it take for you to marry me?" Shar asked me whilst staring at me over his sandwich. He still hadn't taken a bite, but here I was already devoured my main meal and on the second already.

We were sitting in a very popular Chinese takeaway shop. Although it was never fully packed, it was always busy. And I loved sitting at this particular seat because I could always see who comes and goes.

"When-"

My conversation was cut short when someone walked inside the takeaway shop. I had chopsticks close enough to my mouth ready to deposit the food in but that was so frozen mid air.

It was like several ice packs were pushing into me. It was like being frozen out but also feeling like you were being suffocated from every single angle.

I slowly moved my eyes from the door and pretended that he didn't see me.

"We need to leave." I whispered to him without looking up.

Shar looked perplexed. "Why? We haven't even finished yet."

I shot him a desperate look and he got the hint. He quickly wiped his mouth and pushed his chair back. I started to gather my belongings and we made it to the door before a deep voice stopped us.

"Running from me?" He asked, a slight chuckle in his voice.

Shar straightened his back and slowly turned around. "Excuse me?"

I closed my eyes and prayed to everything that the ground would open up and swallow me hole. Drag me across the room, if it had to do that beforehand. I was ready and I was willing.

"Want to repeat that?" Shar said in a low, menacing tone of voice.

I heard a slight shuffle until his voice was right above my ear. "Tell your dog to settle down. I want to speak to you and you only."

I turned around on my heel quickly and just about managed to stand in front of him before Shar could swing at him. "Shar, it's fine. I'll go speak to him outside." I said quickly, holding up my hands in front of me to make sure Shar was a good distance away.

Shar was enraged. "Who the fuck is he?" He almost yelled, reminding us where exactly we were. And that was a public placd

I stopped thinking and quickly reached behind me for his arm. I pulled him out the takeaway shop, away from all prying eyes. "I'll be right back!" I said over my shoulder to Shar.

Once we were outside, I dropped the hold I had on him.
I faces him and was taken aback by his looks. I have never seen him in the daylight. What was always hidden by the night, I could now see as clear as day. He had freckles in his eyes.

And those eyes continued to staring down at me, doing what they do best. He held my gaze a few seconds longer until they travelled down the length of my body. I also realised he never saw me in my work attire.

He got the night wear, chill, zero make up Ellie that no one saw at all. Today, he was staring at Elli, the girl created by her father to be the devil's advocate.

His Ellie at midnight wore trainers and baggy clothes.

This Ellie, who was out in the real world, is nothing like that.