chapter 2

"you are so lenient, how can you let her leave the office without you granting her permission? She behaves as if she is a princess or boss", Eileen said scoffing at Mr parker, her cousin as she banged her fist on his desk when he didn't react.

He gave her a cold glare which was followed suit by a harsh outburst,

" you've been living off me, pestering me but note this down woman, that I won't marry you, you have to get up on your pair of old legs and look for a man, as for Ann, although her aura and demeanor is overwhelming, I'll get her and make her my woman then she'll pay for refusing me all the time".

" is it money, I can spoil her with all my money, ha", he said still in deep thought.

"don't you think her life record is so clean?", she asked but he stared at her harshly, " you even carried out a background check on her, just how ambitious are you?, well only someone as lazy as you would have time to do that but let me make something clear, Even though our tradition allows intermarriage between family member and kinsmen, I'll never marry someone like you, disgusting ", he said picking up his coat and pack of cigarette and walked away.

" you'll marry me, one way or the other", she said as she sat on his chair, relishing the heat his body made as she swivels around and schemes. " just wait I'll remove that love charm from your eyes".

Later in the meeting room, " the sunshine law firm is ready to pay you to double what we pay and because of our rivalry with them we need you, miss Ann, they sent you a job offer ", one of the members of the board of directors said.

The room became silent, even though they don't like Ann, she is still one of the best lawyers, and losing her will be disastrous to the company, they all anticipated her answer. " yes, I knew about their offer, I once took up their case personally ", Ann said calmly and seemed unaffected by their whispers, " ha, I told you that this woman is unfaithful and rude, fire her now parker", Eileen screams.

" shut up you disgusting thing", parker said. " Eileen I'm gonna pretend I don't hear you, Mr parker, you do low that all of your workers hold a grudge against me, and besides this company is lacking sufficiently, so I quit ", Ann said with crossed legs.

" you can't do that", parker ordered, " well there is no rule or contract that says I can't ", she smirked standing to sign the papers.

" you can't just walk.....", Ann interrupted him as she stared at him, the temperature of the room got colder, " you might all be shocked, why is she talking to the boss?, especially Eileen, the shameless woman who wants to marry her cousin, well, he degraded himself by using cheap antiques to get me, so that is that, see you guys later and thanks for the tortuous years I've spent here, here is my resignation. I'll be paid for my pro - bono cases, so I'll be leaving with my assistant today, bye and good luck Eileen ", Ann said grinning evilly.

she walked to her office and was shocked.

"How did you know we were leaving and packed all our stuff?", Ann asked, " I've packed everything and I'm set to go with you, you are my only family and I'll cling to you till the day I die", Veda said and Ann was touched. Veda flicked her forehead mischievously.

" I'm touched by your tears". " that's coming out of your salary young Lady ", Ann said jokingly as she rounded up her work, submitted the copy of the job offer, packed some stuff into the car, and drove home.

" ring, ring", Ann answered her ringing phone, " hello", "hello miss, Mr. Ambrosio has already bought a flat and two cars at crescent queen road, a villa, and you are to live there from now on", the caller said.

" hey dude, who the heck are you to tell me what to do, now, tell your boss that I agreed to work not become a charity case and I don't agree to move my belonging to some dumb new house, take it or leave it", she said as she hung up.

" dude that girl is badass, she refused your offer", the caller, Stephen reported to his boss, Mr. Ambrosio, who just smiled, " still as stubborn as always but no worries, I know how to deal with this".

Stephen informed her landlord not to give her access to her apartment and make sure all her belongings are transferred to the new house, I'll be living in the opposite building ", Mr. Ambrosio said.

" I told you to run tigress that if I caught you I won't let you go away at all", he said as he drank his coffee focusing back on his work after setting an alarm.

"useless men, I agreed to work not to become a puppet", Ann grunted as they both stepped out of the car only to see their apartment sealed and a note that says their property has been transferred and a phone number under.

" what the heck", Veda screams as they both ran up to the landlord's house. " how can you throw us out in the middle of the night?", she questioned the landlord.

" no need to worry ladies, your rent has been paid but you can't stay here", he said fidgeting a bit, " can you do this, it's against the tenants-to-landlord contract rule we signed and we are gonna sue you for everything you have", Veda threatened in anger.

"Please just go, I don't want trouble and besides the forces behind all these happening are powerful and dangerous ", the landlord said, and then Ann remembered the number that was posted on the letter stuck to their apartment door.

" Emily I need you to track this number now", Ann said and within 3 minutes, Emily sent the report to Ann.

" Mr. Callie Ambrosio, owner of Ambrosio corp, fashion industry, and the greatest sunshine law firm". Ann read Emily's text, " do you have pics?", Ann asked. " yeah", Emily said sending her the pics.

Ann paled as she saw the so familiar picture, " oh no, Callie", Ann muttered under her breath in fear, " what's the problem Ann?", Veda asked worried about her friend's mood swings which were filled with fear. " we need to get out of here, let's go to my aunt's place", Ann suggested dragging Veda's hand to the car and sped off.

" hmm, she sped off to her aunt's place", Stephen informed as he emerged from the shadows, " okay", callis replied, he was disappointed. " why didn't she run to fight me like before? I thought she would just like the old days when she talks using her fist, doesn't she love me anymore? is there someone else in her life? I can't let that happen, Ann belongs to only me", he screams in the darkness smashing his glass of champagne on the floor.

she drove fast not wanting to recall the past but the past always finds a way to resurface. Being the cold and aloof girl in school, her character was always categorized as rude, snobbish or wicked not like she even cared until she fell for callis, who was the heart rob of all girls and Playboy of the western world, she confessed her feelings but got rejected, the most heartbreaking moment for her was when she saw him kissing her rival, Jessy on their sign out party.

She was furious not that he even claimed he loves her and he saw nothing wrong with his behavior, but he kept on hurting her despite him knowing how much she loves him, he just treated her as a friend. she decided to focus on her academics and as fate should have it, he fell in love with her, he fell so deep that he became obsessive and possessive of her, and she refused him.

Callie refused to be rejected, son of Mr. Ambrosio, one of the prestigious and aristocratic family, never takes no for an answer but he gave her a chance to run away from him if he ever catches her he'll never let her go.

As Ann recalled all those memories she shivered as tears plopped down her cheeks, now she was on the run from her family and now Calli.

Veda just observed in silence, connecting the dots and arriving at the conclusion that Callie Ambrosio once held an important part in Ann's heart, but who was she to make the great Callie Ambrosio run after her?

That was the only missing dot, something was very wrong with the situation but she chose not to imagine things and arrive at conclusions, she would wait till Ann chooses to tell her.