"Papa! papa! papa where are you!!!" I ran from one room to another 

"where are you.." and now tears were welling up, "where are you......!"

"ahh! THIS GIRL WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF YOUR VOICE!!!"

"MOM, mom!...I...I...can't find papa"

"oh ho ho, where would he go if not in his garden on terrace, AND stop acting like something happened to your father, its not good!!!"

"yes! yes! " I quieted down my mom.

"did you even listen to me, this girl always doing something extraordinary"

I ran up the stair crossed the hallway, and the rooms in the way, for the first time ever this hallway felt soo long.

I pushed open the door and there he was.....watering his plant and his sweet smile on his face, that was always there...until....until that incident when our company was finally had no way out, I had not seen him smile since then on, no.....no...I am not going to let it happen all over again. more than people I loved, I need to protect all those who loved me, all those who never left my side, not even when they knew it was all my fault, this time just let me protect you ok.

"just what are doing holding that door daughter...you have been staring at for a whole five minutes. what's wrong?"

"papa!" i cried out and ran and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"papa, papa!!" I was constantly crying as I was holding him, tears were flowing down my cheeks and it wouldn't just stop.

"what, what happened, what's wrong daughter" he separated me from him and looked at me, his eyes had a dim light in them, his eyes were half closed as he looked down at me.

"tell me who bullied you and i will make sure they pay ten folds"

"no...no one, I....I..am just so grateful to have you  papa!", tears fell down my cheeks

"oh my daughter, what are you grateful about, I will always be there, its my duty to protect you"

"yes..I know"

"ok ok now go freshen up, your mom has already prepared food, now since you are already here let's eat together, ok?"

"yes! sure"

*************

This is giving me a headache, the business relations between our families runs deeper as our friendship, they...they are everywhere, just when I thought I would break all of the ties with him, here I am, entangled with these businesses with him, how could I forget all this, ah this is driving me nuts and again I have to see that face again and again while I deal with these, I CAN'T JUST LET GO OF THE DEALS LIKE THAT, CAN I? I can't afford to mess with the business for my personal feeling...

why can't i just get rid of him! once and for all!!! 

and then there was a knock

"who is it?"

"ma'am you called for me"

"Charles, its you. come on, come inside"

"yes ma'am"

"what is the name of the project we are currently handling with Hannes's company "

"Its the expansion of Starry & Co. in other countries, we are currently at the stage of field research and data collection, so we can know our customers  better there"

Expansion project, isn't the one, oh I remember, that day it was raining so heavily, and Hannes was on field tour, I was so worried about him, pacing here and there like a headless chicken but when worry took over me I took out the car and went straight to him only to see him taking injured Sira in his arms and leave past me and there I stood all soaked in heavy rain, the water at that time ran chills inside my body, I was not able to tackle the cold and was down with heavy fever resulting in loosing the contract with Aser Group, I mean there were other people from the company there but Hannes had to himself take her to the hospital and to the point where...where he just walked passed me without even acknowledging .

He knew that I was not supposed to be there and even in such heavy rain, carrying an umbrella and not using it but..but he still did that, he ignored me, ignored my existence, because of some girl he barely knew!!

"ma'am, ma'am!" I heard Charles making me come out my mirage of past life.

"ah! yes" i replied finally out of my trance completely.

"Mr. Adams called in the office saying he could not get to you"  

"Da..Daniel Adams"

"yes, ma'am"

"lets go, hurry up"

"bu,,but aren't you.."

"afraid of him" I completed Charles sentence

"yes, he is so scary, no one affords to mess with him"

"stop! yes no one affords to mess with him so we should go even more when he asked for us, GO!"

*****

"Miss Dennis" acknowledged Daniel secretary as he led me to him.

crossing the chairs and happy people laughing and talking in the cafe, i saw him, sitting alone, in a corner, with his one leg folded over another and sipping the coffee, i walked towards him when something got in my way and i fell!!!!

"ahhhhh!!"

OH, ah i am falling, whoah i...i don't feel the pain, what..what happened, my eyes were closed as I touched the sturdy object that supported me, what is this someone, no its someone's hand, whoah such strong muscles.

"Miss Dennis!"

came Daniel's voice slicing through my embarrassment,

"oh no", came out my voice and i opened by eyes instantly ,and "its Daniel! " shouted inner voice

just as I opened my eyes, that's when I felt the pain. ah this man!! he...he just dropped me!

"ahh"

 I can't confront him so  I had to eat this embarrassment through gritted teeth.

This man, he...had forced me to break up my engagement with Hannes, he had locked me in his houses, not letting me out, he controlled everything that I did, but all of it came clear when I breathed my last, I understood each and every word he had said to me.

"you are not allowed to step out of this house!!!" he shouted at me

I looked at him with all the hatred that could develop in me, "why! you forced me to marry you and now! you even control what I do with my own money"

"you are not allowed...TO....DO...THIS"

"why! why!!!JUST WHY" I cried out lying on the floor

"just stay here and reflect"

I wish....I really wish I had listened to you then Daniel, I knew very late that you loved me, you cared for me you knew that Hannes did not love me so you took it upon yourself and became  a villain yourself to save me, oh how much I hated you, I hurt you in every possible way, I shouted at you, embarrassed you in public meetings but you never retaliated but only protected, you were killed but i was so cruel, i did not even care to find out what really happened, but this time let me atone to you"

"Miss Dennis, you are zoning out"

"I apologize, Mr. Addmas"

His lips curved into a half-smile, devoid of warmth. "Apologies are unnecessary. You're merely an inconvenience."

An inconvenience. I clenched my fist huh you words, even when I know whole of this façade but his words never fail to hurt me, do they.

"why are you here?" he asked

oh no when I heard that he called then I just rushed to meet him, i knew where was he was mostly and came here, oh no what do I say to him, why am I here, what for.

ah my stupid brain!!!

"speak up"

"ahhh! i came to marry you ok!!!!"