"The worst way to miss someone is when they are right beside you and yet you know you can never have them."
~Anonymous
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I stare at myself in the mirror wearing a long red gown while trying to tuck my slightly protruding tummy by pulling in my muscles and stretching my back a little.

Mitchell happened to be a guy contrary to my first thought and he brought out the red gown, telling me it would be perfect and when I put it on, it further proved his point. He picked out a silver scarlin shoe and a red clutch out and they went with them perfectly. At my request, he brought out a silver coloured glove which I know Anna would love.

My face has about the right amount of make up it needs and thank God that I was already good before I met Anna weeks ago otherwise I wouldn't have been able to catch up as fast as I did. I dug my feet into the three-inch sliver scarpin shoe before I put on the silver gloves and pull them up to my wrist.

I feel nervousness deep in my stomach that I can't help. I'll be meeting the governor and his family soon, so it best to bring up my "A" game and once I finish I begin to parade around the room using the rest thirty minutes I have to rehearse over what to say and how to react in the way and manner that Anna would.

This may not be her plan but I don't think she would forgive me if today goes anything but perfect.

Thirty minutes later, a car sounding like my Lexus horns from downstairs and I have to get myself together and knowing that my thirty minutes rehearsal were through.

I carefully make my way downstairs as graceful as I can be and make my way out of the penthouse where the car is parked waiting for me and Hassan the driver, standing beside the opened door, just waiting for me to get in.

"Good evening, Hassan," I greeted casually.

"Good evening, Ms Wilson, I heard you're going over to the governor's home at ZONE 4?"

I nod then realise that he may not know the place, "Yes, do you know the address?"

He nods with a small smile, "Yes, I got the address from Gabriel when he brought you home earlier."

Oh cool, I thought, because I didn't even think of how I'd get there all the while I was dressing up and preparing myself.

"Here." I hand him my documents in a sealed red file which he would take back to the mansion for me. He takes them already knowing what to do.

We wallow into silence and these are the times when I'd like to plug in my earphone and listen to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" over and over until my battery runs low, but I know that's probably not what Anna would do. She would seat quietly and just stare through the window with a bored look on her face.

It was a boring way to live but it was who she trained herself into.

She may have been annoying and evil and egotistical but there has to be a reason why Eli fell, something really good, something more to her than looks because Eli doesn't seem to be the superficial type and also he was completely blind when he first met her, so he couldn't have known she was a gorgeous lady.

Flashback; second day of the training.

"We met at the fundraiser exactly one and a half year ago at the fundraiser party at the British Council. I was there to meet some prospective clients to introduce A&W to because by then it was just coming up and according to Eli, he was there to donate because the fundraising was meant to build a school and a hospital in Northern Nigeria and it immediately caught his interest. He sat at the bar during the meet and greet and wouldn't go on to meet the rest, and I didn't know he was blind and so I made my way to him so I could sit beside him and order a glass of Martini. We said our hellos and I began to speak to him, he wasn't really interested in talking, just quietly listening. I told him I had a fashion line I wanted to launch and after over half an hour of telling him about A&W, he said I was at the wrong party and speaking to the wrong person. He proceeded to introduce himself to me as Eli Wilson and I knew him, he had had a terrible accident a year ago and lost his sight as a result of it and then told me I was the first person to talk to him since he came in for the fundraiser."

"What? You realised who he was and decided he was better than nothing?" I asked because this felt like a pity story where you don't get what you want, so you settle for what's available. When she remained quiet I continued, "You said it yourself, you were looking for investors and clients who would invest in your fashion line and you weren't successful all night and although you approached him with sincere intentions, after realising who he was and what had happened to him you saw an opportunity and took it."

It would make sense to me why Eli's mother didn't like her because she felt she was after his money. She made Eli feel special and Eli thought that was genuine and fell for it.

Anna got up abruptly slamming her hand on the table, "I've had it with people like you who try to judge me like you were there or you are in my head. I never went after him for his money and someone like you should understand." I had pissed her off and maybe she went to him with good intentions, but why then was she doing all of this? It only shows she had something to hide. "We will continue tomorrow, go back to retake the other training while I watch from up here," she ordered and I got up, went downstairs and did as I was told.

Flashbacks end

"We are here," Hassan announced and got down from the car to come and open the door for me while I wait.

As the door opens, I step out, wondering if Eli is already here waiting for me or if he is still on the way. I looked at the big, white mansion with many stairs leading to the front door and a few guards at different positions.

The governor wouldn't have thieves visiting, that's for sure.

Hassan said Eli would be here waiting, but I can't see the sign of him anywhere making me a little edgy with all of this.

"Did I keep you waiting?" I hear Eli asks from behind and I turn around to look at him.

He's wearing a black suit and matching trousers with a red bow tie and shoes. The few stubbles I had spotted on his face when he came by earlier is gone. Nevertheless, a beardless face still looks good on him. He doesn't touch his hair though and only seems to have brushed it to make it look kempt.

"The stubbles are gone," I pointed out with a silly sad pout.

He chuckles, "That was a result of me not having enough time to myself." his eyes narrow, "you don't seem too happy about the change."

I smile, "I'm just kidding, I think you look great."

There comes a smile on his face as well, "Thank, when this is all over, I will grow a full beard for you, but the award for who's killing it tonight goes to, Anna Wilson."

I roll my eyes but still manage to smile, "Where did you come from?"

He turns and points to the back, "I came a minute early and was waiting for you, once I saw you, I approached." he places his hand on my exposed back and I freeze at the shivers that break out in my body at his touch.

Eli being the sensitive one notices and withdraws his hand before turning to look at me. "You okay?"

His eyes are worried and I look away and brush it off, "I am okay, just edgy that's all, plus it's quite cold for 7 p.m."

"It is," he agreed, but doesn't put his hands around me anymore instead he offers it to me. "come let's get you inside, they are already waiting."

I take his hand and together we make out way into the governor's mansion.

We are received with smile and happiness and there is more warmth inside the house. The Governor, Mr Tunde Carter and his wife Hawa seem to be very welcoming people and had open arms towards us.

They have a son Timothy Carter who just turned fifteen years old and a nine-year-old daughter Sarah Carter, both polite and seems to be well mannered as well.

They may have been the governor family but they appeared to be normal and causal or maybe it was because they were meeting Eli who happened to be a Billionaire scientist and philanthropist and couldn't treat him like a commoner or it was just me taking it all to my head. After about five minutes of pleasantries, we see ourselves to the massive dining table with more than a dozen chairs around it. I remember the first time seeing Eli's dining and telling myself it was too big even though I knew that the chairs were according to the numbers of those who were to be sitting around. With more than a dozen chair for a family of four here, I don't know what to think.

Eli pulls the chair out for me and I sit down before he takes his seat and the Tunde asks for permission to say grace and Eli shrugs. He says the grace and we began to eat. The dinner is fried rice and chicken sauce and it was delicious, it was one of the best I've ever had, but as much as possible I try to conceal the look on my face even as we say our compliment to the cook.

Tunde picks his serviette up and cleans his mouth also. "Again, thank you for joining us, Mr and soon to be Mrs Wilson."

Eli also picks up the serviette and wipes his mouth before replying, "We are glad to be here, it's not every day you get invited to have dinner with the governor."

"That's because I think you've done a marvellous job, Mr Wilson, I believe you're the type of hero this generation is looking for, not the kind that dedicates himself only when there is something for him in return, like most of us, but one that persists and commits not just to better one or two but as many as he can. And you do it without asking for praise or attention."

"I'm no hero, govern-" Eli barely finishes before Tunde cuts in.

"Please call me Tunde."

"Well Tunde, I was a man who had everything taken away from him without warning. When I lost my sight two and half years ago, I wish I had died instead and so many months passed with me praying and hoping for death because I didn't know how I was ever going to be able to live like this. I did try to end it a few times but something always stopped me and that was my mom. Then I met Anna and it became even better and after the success of my surgery and I got 70% of my sight back, I wanted everyone to have the gift that I had and for more than 8 months now I've dedicated myself to doing that. I am just happy that it is a success and hope it can be received as such."

Oh, wow! I thought Tunde and his wife were going to be the ones to knock me off my game at dinner I didn't know the man who would do that was with me all along.

"Your story is so inspiring, and to have her beside you it's remarkable." Hawa chimed in with a radiant smile as she stares at us.

Eli's hand drops on top of mine and he squeezes mine which turns out to be cold even with the gloves on and he glances at me silently asking what was wrong.

I am trying to keep it together so I don't end up crying at the table because of how sad his story is. He's been through so much and here I am, putting him through another pain. Lying to his face and deceiving him.

Get a grip Quynn! Anna wouldn't be crying and that's who you're meant to be, so dismiss that emotion right now! The voices in my head scold me.

I clear my throat and force a smile at him before mumbling, "cold" to him as an excuse.

In response to my words, he gets up immediately, takes off his suit and put them around me, leaving him in just his white long sleeve.

The guilt penetrate my heart even more at his kind gesture and I mumble a thank you, before turning to Tunde and Hawa and I find them staring at us in awe and adoration.

I almost roll my eyes. It was guilt plaguing my heart, not love.