Ryan sat in office not able to concentrate on any other thing than Mia. What was so wrong with him that she rejects help from him?!

Mia spoke due to impulse but as soon as she left Ryan's presence, her legs felt wobbly. She already started to regret everything she had said to him.

   "Why couldn't you control yourself Mia?! He's your freaking boss!!" Mia reprimanded herself.  If he cancels the contract, she was sure Van would never forgive her. She was just going to bear with him for as long as she could. 

   "Whoa." David said as Mia bumped into him. "Are you so desperate to get a closer look at my body?" David smirked at her.

   Mia looked up at him... Yeah, another doofus. She'd been so caught up thinking about Ryan that she didn't see David.

    "What happened to you?! Did you have a bath with your clothes on?" He asked her.

    Mia sighed... "Do you know where the restroom is?" She asked him.

    "Yeah, I'll take —"

   "No no. Just tell me, I'll find it." Mia said to him.

    "First door on your left." David told her. "And here's the interior prints you asked for."

    "Thank you." She collected the papers from him.

             "When you're done, hand it over to Ryan... I mean your boss."

    "No problem."

   "And look," He leaned close to her ear and whispered. "Wet suits you perfectly."

  Mia pushed him gently, glaring at him. "And stupidity looks fabulous on you."

    David laughed richly... "You're cuter when angry. But don't blame me when you're trying to seduce me with," he carelessly waved at her chest. "Those."

   Mia's anger flared up... What kind of people is she working with. "Excuse me." She hissed at him before walking out, leaving David who was smirking.

   Mia walked out, seething in frustration. As she entered the restroom, she turned to the mirror and that's when she saw her perky nipples!! The spilled water on her cami top had outlined her breasts, she was practically naked!! She quickly shielded herself with her jacket and groaned loudly. It was so embarrassing... No wonder the pervert guy kept staring at her boobs.... She couldn't cry or scream as loud as she wanted.

   David walked into Olivia's office...

    "Hello sweetheart." David winked at her before proceeding into Ryan's office. Olivia was busy on her laptop, she only gave a quick glance at him.

    David entered Ryan's office...

    "Man, are you still busy?" David asked him.

    "Obviously." Ryan packed some papers, throwing them into the output tray. "Did you get to talk with your team?"

    "I have talked to my team, they seem to know more than I do. They contribute a lot, they have so many ideas and are fast learners. Even Mia, she's surprisingly able to cope." David informed him. 

   Ryan nodded... "Good to know."

    "Speaking of Mia, she's an event planner yet she's part of the team. How's that possible?" He asked Ryan.

    "Well because she's good." Ryan simply answered.

  "Hmmm... And she's quite a catch too." David told him.

   That alone caught Ryan's attention... "By that, you mean?" Ryan was looking at him.

    "She's so damn pretty and fucking hot, she's —"

    "Don't. Please don't. Don't have those funny ideas about her."

    "Why not?" David smirked... "There's no rule that says I can't date someone I'm working with."

   "Well there is now." Ryan frowned... "I don't want you near her... Or any of my female staffs. Or that will be the end of our contract, I mean it David." Ryan was more than serious.

    David chuckled, "What's with the serious face? You didn't have a problem when I was screwing your secretary."

    "That's different. You weren't working with me then. You're working with me now." Ryan said to him.

    "If you say so." David mentally scoffed. There was no way he was keeping his hands to himself.

    "Promise me David. No flirting with my staffs." Ryan folded his arms.

   "But outside this premises, I could." David grinned.

    Ryan eyed him... "As long as it doesn't affect your work."

    "Great!" David clapped...

   Ryan nodded... "Did I forget to mention that Mia would report to me?" Ryan went back to writing.

    "No? What do you mean by that?"

     "I'll be the one handling Mia since interior decorating isn't her specialty." Ryan told him.

   "Why?"

     "Because she's under me and I have every right to do so, that's why."

    David narrowed his eyes at Ryan. "Is that it?"

      "Should there be another reason?"

   David shrugged... "Maybe you don't want me close to her because you want her for yourself." David leaned on his chair.

    Ryan chuckled... "You've known me for years now and yet you talk like you don't know me. Unlike you, I stay professional and I don't lose my focus over anything. Work is serious business, anything besides that is a distraction. I have boundaries and I don't intend to cross them." Ryan said to David while concentrating on finishing what he was doing.

    Just then Olivia entered...

    "Sir, it's time for the conference meeting." Olivia said to him.

    He looked at his watch... 1:00pm.

    "I'll catch you later. I still have loads of things to do." Ryan stood up and walked away from his chair. He patted David's shoulders before walking out.

     Mia arrived at Van's Events in a new outfit. A crew-neck tee and black skinny jeans.

    "You're here!!" Danny left her post, going to hug Mia.

    "You missed me a lot." Mia grinned.

    "I had no gossip partner." Danny said to her. "How's Mi-Tech? Were you treated like a queen? They surely loved you right?!"

    Mia sighed... "I can't say for sure. I met the CEO, Ryan Webster and we had this weird encounter." Mia told her.

    "Ooh, I like weird. I did my own research on the CEO of the Mi-Tech Empire and guess what?" Danny smirked..

   "What?"

    "He's on Forbes under thirty list! There are so many facts about him that might interest you very much."

    "I don't think there's anything juicy about that guy. Like, I don't care." Mia said. She wasn't interested in knowing anything about him.

    "I've seen his photos. He's hot, so beautiful, he has blue eyes, fucking owns a goddamn Empire. Come on Mia, he's every girl's dream man!!" Danny was excited.

    "He's not mine." Mia rolled her eyes. "Can we not talk about him, I still have a lot to do and I need your help."

    "Whatever you want." Danny nodded.

    "Is Mrs V here?" She asked Danny.

    "Nope."

     "Okay. I need ideas on the project, can you help me? I'll show you the interior prints later." Mia said to her.
✴✴✴✴

    Ryan arrived late... His cousins and Layla were watching a movie in the living room when he entered.

     "Ryan." Dony stood up, going to welcome Ryan. "You look so tired." She kissed his cheeks.

    "I am tired Dony." Ryan managed to smile.

     "Hey cuz, what's up." Bee said but was more into the movie.

    "How do you do it?" Dony asked him.

    "Do what?" Ryan frowned.

  "How do you, with all the stress still manage to look handsome." Dony teased him.

   He laughed... "I don't think it's like that anymore. I've lost the face."

   Dony giggled... "You're right. You already started growing grey hair." Dony said to him.

    "What?! Grey hair?" Ryan was shocked.

     "Got you!" Dony laughed. "I was only kidding."

    "Oh." He chuckled.

   "Your hair is the perfect shade of golden brown, so don't you worry." Dony assured him.

     Ryan nodded. He walked up to Layla, he bent over to give her a peck on the cheek.

    "Hi babe." Layla smiled at him.

  "How are you?" Ryan asked her.

    "Fine." She shrugged. "And Mi-Tech?"

    "It's doing well." He answered.

    "Go freshen up okay." Layla patted his cheek. "I'll tell Tara to prepare something for you."

    "And we're gonna have family time, it's compulsory. Stamped by me because you get so busy that you forget to spend time with us. Do you know how lonely and tiring it is because you prevent me from going out? Even Layla is so bored too." Bee said to Ryan without looking at him but the TV.
   
   Ryan playfully rolled his eyes... "Whatever you want." Ryan said before leaving.

    "Have you told him about your compulsory trip?" Dony asked, joining them on the sofa. 

    "Not yet, but I plan to today." Layla nodded.

    Bee groaned... "What would become of me if you leave? As it is I'm half dead already." Bee said to her.

   Ryan had dinner alone, after that he joined Layla and the girls in the living room. Dony and Layla were talking quietly while Bee was glued to her phone. 

    "Come join us." Layla invited him to sit beside her.

"From the looks of it, you were having a serious conversation. Mind sharing?" He sat beside Layla.

   Dony decided to drop the topic... "It's nothing important."

    "It's girlie stuff." Layla said to him.

    "I wanna know, tell me." Ryan smiled at them.

    "No. It'll bore you." Dony shook her head.

    "Well Dony is pouring out her feelings for Jacob." Bee spilled the beans.

    "Bee!" Dony elbowed Bee in the stomach.

    "Ouch! That hurt, you know?!" Bee glared at Dony.

    "This Jacob boy again? Are you seriously seeing him behind my back?" Ryan asked Dony. 

   "No. I do respect you a lot and I won't do anything rash." Dony said to him.

    "She loves you too much to go against you." Bee smirked at Ryan.  "You know I can't do that. I go for what I want."

  "You're different from Dony. You don't like being told what to do." Layla chuckled. "Classic Bee."

   "He's gonna hurt you Dony, if that happens you'll be heartbroken. I don't want that." Ryan said to her.

    "She can handle herself." Bee rolled her eyes.

    "Don't act tough Bee, you know I don't consent for you having a boyfriend." Ryan frowned at Bee.

   "Alright, spare me the lecture okay? In fact I have three boyfriends." Bee informed him.

    "Three! What?!" Ryan's eyes widened. "Young lady I am so talking to your mom."

   "She's kidding." Dony laughed.

    "That's one reason I don't want you girls leaving the house." Ryan sighed. Bee was just an impossible girl.

    "I don't know why you're always so irked when we talk about the guys we like. From what I know, you were a certified playboy." Bee smirked at him.

    "And who told you that?" Ryan had a small smile because he knew Bee had no idea what she was talking about. 

    "Natalie." Bee said.

   The smile died immediately.. "She did?" He frowned.

     "Yeah. She told me you only dated girls with the letter 'J' initial." Bee giggled... "How crazy does that sound?"

    "Really?" Dony looked at Ryan.

   Ryan cleared his throat... "I can't say I didn't do that. It's all in the past anyway."

     "Tell us what your teenage days were like?" Dony was now curious.

    "It's a whole lot of boring shits. You won't like it." Ryan shrugged.
 
  "I can tell you mine." Layla offered.

      "Sure." Ryan didn't waste time to allow her.

    "Okay then." She was excited to talk about her past with the girls. "Where should I start... Well I wasn't shy neither was I loud, I went to an all girls private school so there wasn't really any boy drama but we had bitches, lots and lots of bitches..." Layla started talking about different stories and the girls listened.

   Ryan had lost track of what she was saying because he was absentminded, thinking about his teenage life, everyone that made up his teenage life.

     His first thought was his mom —Sophie Webster. He still remembered his late mom, what he had been through after her death, his life in juvie camp, his temperament issues. His Gramps— Mr McLeod. His Gramps had played a big role in his teenage life, covering all his mess and flaws. McLeod had helped him recover just like Alex did. Alex was his younger brother from another mother, Alex didn't give up on him. Even Rose, his second mother.

      Sophie Karavagh was another person he would thank for a beautiful teenage experience. He never deserved someone so wonderful and extraordinary like her, he was always thankful that they had crossed paths because believe it or not, Sophie made who he is presently. She was always looking out for his happiness, she was able to break the barriers he was so afraid to lose: the barrier of him and the world. Although their love was short lived, he never regretted loving her.

      He was never the same after her death even though he tried to keep her last wish— for him to be happy. There was no way he could be happy knowing he was the reason behind her death. He spent half of the seven years blaming himself, wishing he could get a second chance. He managed to find peace even though he couldn't bear the thought that he had lost a baby too.

   He never told anyone, but he secretly wished to have a child... A child to make up for the one he lost.

    "Awwwn, Ryan did you hear that?" Dony asked Ryan. They noticed Ryan wasn't even listening to them.

   "Ryan." Bee called him, drawing his attention back.

   "What?" Ryan looked at Bee with no idea on what was going on.

    "Why are you always zoning out? Is something bothering you?" Dony asked him.

    "Me? No no. I jut had a tiring day at the office, don't mind me. So what did I miss?" He gave an curious smile.

     "Work work work. You're not at Mi-Tech but your heart is there." Bee shook her head.

     "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention." He apologized.

   "Bee, cut him some slack. He's been working hard lately." Layla defended him.

     "Anyway, Layla just expressed her true—" Bee was immediately interrupted by Layla.

    "It's okay... It's not important. Forget what I said." Layla shook her head. Dony and Bee gave her a look but nodded, not speaking about it.

    Layla had indirectly opened up her feelings for Ryan, she was in love with him. Yet again, Ryan always seemed distracted when she was about to bring up the topic. She didn't want to sabotage there relationship but she was dying to tell him how she truly felt all the while.

     "You're such a mood popper." Bee pouted... She found pleasure mocking him.

      "Come on Ryan, I'm sure you weren't a nerd or geek all your highschool life." Dony said.

    "You're right but there's nothing so intriguing about my teenage days. But I can tell you a story about a couple I knew back then." Ryan said to them.

    "Alright, let's here it." Bee said to him.

    "There was this boy... I think his name was Eric, I don't really remember. And a girl, Cassie." Ryan exhaled before he continued. "He was a jock and she was—"

    Bee interrupted... "A cheerleader? A nerd? A loner? A bitch. "

    "Should I stop and let you continue?" Ryan raised his brow at Bee.

    Dony glared at Bee before turning back to Ryan. "Ignore her. Please continue."

  Ryan cleared his throat. "She was neither a cheerleader or nerd or loner or a bitch. She was just Cassie... Very beautiful and innocent, shy, smart, kind, humble, an introvert and a crybaby." Ryan chuckled. "Eric noticed her because she looked so much like his mom. You know when they say we all have people who look like us in another part of the earth? That's just how much she resembled his mom."

     "He was so drawn to her but everything he did to get her attention was always wrong because he repeatedly made her cry and soon she hated him. He hurt her a lot of times and that made her keep her distance. It just kinda happened that they became too familiar and to his surprise, she agreed to a whirlwind romance but soon she too caught feelings. They were so in love, he loved her more than anything in the world, everyone in the whole school envied their love. She was the only one that had a particular effect on him he couldn't understand."

    Ryan sighed sadly... "They were happy, at least for a while. Things changed after his grandfather fell ill, he became so busy with the things his grandfather left behind that he didn't know he was slowly driving her away. They got into an argument because he thought she was cheating... His heart knew she could never do that but he chose to believe his mind, he was only jealous, self-centered and furious. He didn't listen to her, talk to her, he was only angry. She tried apologizing severally but he was always being to proud. Then one day... He lost her forever. She was in an accident, an accident that claimed her life." Ryan said softly.