Searching For Her

"Thank you! Thank you lady!" Asher could believe that he had got his properties back so easily. "I have already given up hope!" he beamed with joy but Ana's face only turned gloomy.

She felt pathetic! She could not believe that she had to take the support of the name of the man whom she was trying to ruin. She closed her eyes and cursed.

"But I never knew that you knew his highness!"

"I DO NOT KNOW HIM." the voice came out through gritted teeth with so much pressure that Asher flinched.

"Anyways, I have fulfilled my promise. So it is time to fill yours. I want half of the rights of your cloth shop and profit of every deal you make." she cleared her voice and asked calmly when he nodded.

"But I think you have made a bad deal, my lady. I do not know how you got the impression but my shop did not earn much. Otherwise I would have been able to pay the loan. I am still trying to run it because it was the dream of my mother that we have our own boutique shop." he sighed "commoners could not afford much and nobles only go for big names. I have only gotten a few orders by chance."

He did not want to fool the woman who had saved him and his shop. "But if you feel that you are not getting enough profit, I am ready to pay you the amount in installments." he swore, he was not there to cheat anyone when Ana laughed.

"I do not lack money! And as far it is about getting orders. I promise that I will make you the greatest designer of this century. All you need to do is make clothes. Did you get it?" he blinked, confused and then laughed.

"Do you think I am joking?" her brows knitted when he tried to control his laughter but his face was still amused.

"No, no! How would I dare." he bit his lips to control his laughter, " I will do as you say, my lady."

"Tsk! I will meet you in a week in your shop with an order. Be prepared by that time." She gave one last look to the man before leaving and mixing in the crowd while the man kept staring at her in a daze.

"What a strange woman! I didn't even know how she looked. '' he stared at the papers in his hands and hugged them while closing his eyes, "thank you god! For sending a savior."

..........

At the shop of baron Jones..

"Did you check the carriage too?" the knights nodded when Diana's face turned ugly.

Ana had said that she was going to the washroom but had not returned for two hours. They have already checked the whole building, nearby shops and carriage. Where in the world did she go!

Could it be! Her face twisted.

"I do not know how! But I need my daughter right now. I did not care if you needed to evacuate the whole plaza, find her." she commanded when the knights exchanged glances.

"My lady.. We understand your concerns but it would be.. We will go and look again." they bowed and turned to search for Ana again. But…

"Oh miss! Where did you go?" They were relieved to see Ana walking towards them with a smile on her face.

Diana ran and hugged her daughter. She held Ana so tightly that it made the young girl flinch. Only she knew how many thoughts were running in her mind since her husband got into an accident.

"Where the hell did you go?" The royal family had waged a war against them and she was roaming freely without any knights in the plaza. "Don't you know the consequences of roaming alone! Good lord! You are going to get married yet you are so careless." she kept scolding Ana as tears started to spill her eyes when And did not reply.

"Mother! I am fine! See! Nothing had happened. You do not need to worry so much." she assured but it only raged Diana. She smacked the hands of her daughter away.

"Ha! So should i be waiting for something to happen to worry about you! You are so rash and careless that I want to lock you in your room." Ana hugged Diana despite her struggle until she claimed a bit.

"I was feeling stuffy, so I went to the washroom. But I felt nauseated so I walked out to get some fresh air but I found a young boy lost. So, I helped him in reaching the nearest knights. I apologize that I did not inform you." She lied with a soft face as she could not tell her mother that she had gone to help a rising designer who was soon going to be the biggest designer of the empire.

She was going to use him against the viscountess whose family is in the clothing business. The first pawn that had destroyed her in previous life.

Slowly… she would make sure that all the pawns would fall. So that when she would reach the princess and Garrison, they would have no one to ask for help. She wanted to see them so helpless that they kneel and beg from her.

"You could have asked the knights to help her. Next time, do not do something like this." Ana blinked and then smiled at her mother and nodded her head.

"Did you find something worth gifting?" she asked when Diana took a deep breath and nodded,

"Yes, I have chosen sapphire cufflinks that will look good on your husband and I have chosen the matching cufflinks for Rowan and a pendant for you. It would look like you were wearing matching jewels." she smiled when Ana's eyes dimmed but she smiled too.

All she wanted was to strangle that man.. But gifting him was good! He must believe that she was harmless so that she could cut his roots slowly.