Matt introduced the new Security Consultant,"Rose this is Arthur Roy, the guy my security team had been chasing to come work with us since quite some time and it's a happy co-incidence he was available now."

"His jobs are so discreet no one except him can tell you about them but he won't, confidentiality, NDA, what-not!!"

"Is that right, Mr. Arthur?!" Rose asked stressing the word Arthur for a second too long.

The handshake they shared felt like both were testing each other's hold.

After a few seconds both let go and had the most formal indifferent expressions on their faces.

For a second Matt thought they knew each other but he thought it was all the disappointment so far which was making Rose doubt anyone and everyone.

"Mr. Flinthart, you may rest assured Miss Tyler is now my responsibility even more than you now. I believe she's in the centre of it all?!" Arthur asked eyeing Rose.

While looking at Arthur's face, Rose's phone dropped from her hand at the statement right on Arthur's foot making his face go red for a moment with pain but he picked and returned her phone in a gentlemanly manner.

"Do you really think am the cause of this mess?" asked Rose looking pointedly at Arthur. One could see her jaws overworking with anger.

"Am just confirming reference points." Arthur responded plainly.

"We don't have any information in addition to what's already been shared with you by both of our teams." Matt responded trying to stop the escalating atmosphere ,"which is where you come in, Mr. Roy."

"Please call me Arthur." Arthur responded looking at both Matt and Rose professionally adding, "I'd like to have a word with Miss Rose alone to know her point of view too in this situation."

Matt responded with some reserve, "If she's okay with it, definitely." and moved to the study to speak with Robert.

Arthur and Rose moved to the balconies overhead to get an audience-less conversation. No sooner had Rose turned to face Arthur than a mean punch landed on Arthur's jaw, "So you think am the reason behind this mess?!" hooking her arm around Arthur's neck.

"Rosey, Rosey, let go. Is this the welcome I get for putting aside my professional standards and swooping in to check on my favourite sister?!"

"Am your only sister!!" Rose gritted through her teeth tightening her grip.

"Your grip has gotten stronger!! The training with Soph is paying off!!" Roger Thomas Tyler managed to say between coughs and restricting breath.

"But am still the best!!", with that he grabbed Rose's waist and pulled his throat free pushing her to the ground, straddling her and holding her hands above.

"Haha!!" His laugh was barely out of his mouth when Rose gave him a head-butt which made his grip weaken on her hands, punching and grabbing his throat again Rose threw him down and was straddling him when Matt ran in with a revolver pointed at Arthur.

"Let go of her before you end up losing an organ or two."

If Rose and Arthur were not tangled throughout the interaction, Matt would've taken a shot.

"Easy does it!! Get up!! I was surprised when after years of chasing you agreed now to come work for me. I was suspicious when you wanted to speak with Rose alone."

Looking at Rose, Matt said, "Am really sorry you had to experience this! Are you okay?"

"Move away from him we'll take it up from here!!" Matt directed Rose.

Rose spoke first softly as if guiding a child to hand over the gun, "Matt, Arthur had been apprised of my self-defense training and he was giving a surprise check. That's it!!"

"Do not shoot!!"

"Hand me over the gun, Matt!! Am all fine, this is not what it looks like. Arthur is not attacking me."

Matt looked from Rose to the lying-on-the-ground Arthur with doubts still written on his face.

"I don't remember this Beretta in the firearms list you shared with me," Arthur observed from the ground.

"Really, you are auditing guns when you could be shot by one?!" Rose questioned with a pointed brow.

"For the very reason, I am sure even though I've been chased Mr. Flinthart doesn't trust am here for everyone's safety."

"I don't!!"

"Matt, please stop pointing the gun, he's not the enemy here." Walking upto Matt, she eased it out of his hands. 

"Let's have a conversation to clear out where we stand. I think even though you wanted Arthur, his hands-on approach is not something you liked immediately."

"Even though I have shooting practice, am anti-gun so please don't pull any until and unless absolutely necessary!!" Rose said with the plainest expression.

"The reason why it may have seemed like I knew Arthur is because my brother is in the same line of work and he has interacted with him and they were about to liaise but it fell through. The name Arthur provided was different then so I might've come across angry and acquainted with him. That's it!!"

Rose had fingers crossed behind her back, praying that Matt trusts her story else everything thus far would fall apart like a pack of cards.

Matt looked a bit sold to the story but still skeptical.

"The surprises keep coming. Am willing to continue Arthur based on what Rose is saying now but you still are not an ally I trust."

"You won't regret it." Arthur responded confidently.

"I didn't expect everything to be so eventful. Ryan wanted to have lunch with us. He called me last night, since we had safety concerns I invited him here. The police are looking into the break-in at your place and Ryan wanted to fulfill his mayoral duties about our safety and to make sure we are still in for the project- Regalia." Matt said looking at Rose.

"Are you okay with it?"

"Absolutely! I wanted to speak with him about the project myself before I got it but I didn't know we'd have an outsider bulldozing his way into it" Rose smiled at Matt trying to lighten the situation.

"Did you know Ryan and I were classmates for a couple of years before I changed scho- .. before I moved away." Rose's tone changed from teen nostalgia to adult maturity in an instant.

Matt noticed it but smiled it off. "Then am glad you're at home with him coming in too." Matt finished looking back at Arthur who had a blank expression.

Ryan Rutherford had to be the simplest and most accessible person anyone could come across - warm, friendly, frank and you wouldn't believe off the bat that he was the Mayor of a city with such rich heritage and huge responsibilities but said responsibilities had been shouldered well by him for the past few years. Born and bred right in a family with strong political roots had it's benefits but his disarming smile and chocolate-boy looks were from his now-estranged non-political mother. Somehow even that won him hearts and votes.

Everytime he met Rose once they'd completed their studies and found their footholds in society, Ryan would make it very clear he was interested in her but Rose kept brushing it off as harmless flirting. It was funny though there was no known interest reflected by Ryan towards other females of the town who were all hawk-eyed for him. This particular trait made him a person Rose respected a bit.

Rose wondered if Matt knew that. He must since Ryan and him were college buddies. She was no one to come out and share this with him. Him and her were nothing yet...

Professional colleagues, yes...

New acquaintances, yes...

Potential love interests, maybe...

Close enough to share everything... that seemed to be a far-off unrealistic dream right now.

The lies and secrets were piling and it seemed to be happening from both ends. Do such acquaintances have a future? Her mom was the hardcore romantic in their family. Seeing the sunshine in the bleakest of personalities.

So this too had improved to a maybe...

An hour later Ryan arrived alone with just his cellphone for company clad in navy blue jeans and a crisp shirt donning matching dress shoes, belt and his trademark dimpled smile which made ladies of all ages go aww.

Giving Matt a tight hug and shaking hands warmly with Rose, his eyes trailed to Arthur who was trying to blend into the background, Ryan asked with squinty eyes, "Do I know you?"

A/N: Uh-oh!! Boy, do the surprises keep coming.

What do you think will happen next?!

Until next chapter, stay safe and take care.