Her fear for something to happen did not result as per expectations rather it arrived in gifts sent by the Prince, which were so abundant that special protocols were implemented to check the aircraft and its items being sent on the London soil. Almost the whole drawing room was filled with them and Ella forbade the gifts to be reaching her room no matter how pretty or how expensive. The arrangement for matrimony started progressing day by day until on the fourth day Ella locked her door and didn't come out the whole day, for receiving any invitations or interviews or anything else.
Until night when she was hungry and tired of sleeping the day off with boredom. The oil supply for this month was duly received before time, which let off the prime issue of the country leading to no meetings and ample rest for everyone. Yesterday, Carl showed her presence too attentively with her slit-fashioned clothes, hurrying Ella to attend her friend away from the parlor. Entering the kitchen, she had the food warmed from the night's dinner, enjoying herself in the peace and calm of the patio, which was supposedly the only retreat in being yourself.
Munching the cake as dessert she gazed outside longer, lurking her eyes at every light and every dark part of the city. Of course, her sight graced the lighter ones more, but she didn't let go of the darker areas too. Only after squinting a little too much to the area where she had been a few nights ago, did she see the faint yellow light. She blinked her eyes to see closer, it was the church where she had gone to earlier. Since that night, she would look at the church every day to find anything as a message to meet with the woman, but she tried and found none. There was no light yesterday, but it was visible tonight, Ella didn't need another confirmation that the woman wanted to speak to her.
She was at the place within half hour, panting and looking behind her back numerous times to check whether she was followed. Roy's words might seem tricky but they had their effect on her to be aware and alert. Walking over to the usual spot, hands on her waist staring at the broken ceiling until she heard it, "You are late." She whirled around to the woman who presented herself from the front this time. The black woman continued, "There is nothing too worthy to find from the records. All the times oil is supplied without anything else smuggled." "If you had waited to hear me out you would have known what to look for exactly." Ella declared.
"You are saying that my services are futile," the woman said slowly stepping forward to her. Ella started, "The oil contracts have been changing routes based on the geographical locations. The ancestors before us were using other means of procuring it and now we receive it from the Saudis." The lady tilted her head as was understandable through the cloak, but Ella was sure that the woman would be looking bored at her history lectures if she had been able to see her face. Continuing, "I believe that the routes were changed since the day they have been demanding for more money. The cost-effective way would be to pass it through Africa and through the canal, and it would cost more if used the European nations to pass from. Now my question to you... woman, is, were the routes changed between the span of two years?"
The answer came after a long while, "Yes. There was a change of route back then by transferring the supply contract to another party." "How can they do that?" "The law allows it for a seller to endorse a contract to the one he owes, in return of paying debts." "I hate it when I'm right at moments like these."
"You looked in the correct direction. It isn't your fault to be inquisitive around." Ella sighed and muttered, "That way they demanded more money for the plausible causes and now they are negotiating by just changing the routes." Thinking a bit more Ella asked her, "If they have endorsed the contract, it might be that I'm having this current contract with the second supplier." She heard the woman nod which was visible when she moved her head answering, "It also could be that both the people are same or work for the same person."
"What should I do now?" Ella asked herself but both knew she was asking for a fair advice in the situation she had gotten herself. "I am a protector of the Kings' family. Making me an advisor would increase my scope, I don't think I'm at the liberty to make that decision alone Heiress," that woman came to her position. The Heiress narrowed her eyes arguing, "You already started advising me the moment we met. As you and your people are the protectors of the family for so long, I assume you have better ways of indulging yourself in this world. And listening to your wisdom in matters like this, I believe you are working as a Lawyer or close to it to avoid unnecessary exposure." The next second a knife threatened at Ella's neck with enough pressure to stop her from opening her mouth.
"Careful Heiress. Protectors can be as deadly when turned on you. I believe my work is done for now. Try not to pry too much. Not everyone appreciates it." With that she was thrown backwards, when Ella turned to look at the woman back, who had disappeared. Skimming her fingers around her neck and the shoulder that woman grabbed, Ella got up on her feet to depart from the abandoned place all the way remembering the woman's words and most importantly thinking of ways to avoid this wedding. There was no need for any alliance as there was never anything lost to make amends for. In fact, she was tricked by these men who were part of the Faceless. Was Prince Khan the main benefactor of the Faceless? Even if she wanted to search about it, she couldn't ask the internet to tell her where to find a covert society formed so hideously that internet has no record of.
The girl was in her thoughts while rubbing her neck, her hands folded around herself that she didn't notice a man following her. She felt something moving along her shadow in the dim street lights as the man neared her, she moved around searching for her knife, when she remembered that the woman had taken it while 'showing off' to her. But that outcome wasn't needed as the man covered her mouth, rendering her unconscious.
She was awake in her senses but her eyes felt too tired to open. Strange, she had slept the whole morning and yet she felt sleepy. When she tried opening her heavy eyelids she looked at a mattress in her line of vision, blinking a few more times she was able to move her neck to feel the ache on the back as if she was carried uncomfortably. The ache followed with the events of the night that she had endured- the woman, the light, knife, a man chasing her, kidnapping her. Her eyes fluttered open at the word 'kidnapping', fidgeting herself she found to be sitting on a chair. Not any chair, it was familiar, the surroundings seemed familiar. Her heart felt relieved and stressed at the same time. What was she doing here?
"My men helped in bringing you back from another walking expedition of yours." She didn't need to turn her head to know who it was that brought her here. Not bothered she replied, "I was on my way back." "Were you? Because as my men found you, you were being drugged and dragged by someone until I interfered." That made her look back at him in shock. "The city was never safe for you. How you managed on your own the past years is a mystery to me!" He continued irritated at her as if she called the people to kidnap her. Gulping while his eyes made holes in her face she asked, "Who were they?" He was quiet then stood up from his leaning position on the window pane, taking long strides towards her he placed his hands on both sides of the arm chair handle, inclining himself forward which made Ella dig her skull deep in the soft of the sofa, as much as it allowed. The intensity of his expression made her realize he was very angry at her and she had to tread carefully if she wanted to get out of his clutches.
One look in the man's furious eyes said otherwise. he was so angry that she risked her life like this but mostly he was angry because he didn't know the blazes why he couldn't stop feeling the need to protect her now. Especially when she had given herself to the other. The old heir might have not given Ella to him but he had surely given him to her, as if he was bound to stay by her side. "I wanted to kill you so badly for your recklessness that those men bore it on your behalf. And I am grateful to them for that." This close Ella noticed few droplets of blood on his shirt, she was about to point out that it was hurt, when she grasped that it was the blood of those men and not his. She was relieved he was not hurt but she didn't know how to do that with him vexed like this.
Ella closed her eyes whispering, "I'm sorry." Her words sounded loud in the empty room with only their breaths audible to them. She bit her lower lip and opened her eyes to find him no more hovering on her. Widening her eyes, she searched for him, who was standing on the other side of the bed with his fists clenched looking away from her. His muscles were tensed and he was having a hard time keeping up with that, she could tell. Taking courage Ella went near him to face him and said, "If it wasn't important I wouldn't-" "What could be more important Ella? Are you seeing someone? Nick is held up I know. Is there someone else?" He shouted still holding back and controlled. "There is no one else," Ella clarified. He scoffed, "As if you would tell me. When have you ever told me anything Elle? It was me who had to look for you always!" "We shared everything with each other." "Exactly! We 'shared'. Now we don't." He said, sadness evident in his tone.
She cupped his face in her hands consoling, "We can change that. Tell me what is it? W-We can share our knowledge and fight this together." He looked contended with her suggestion, wrapping his broad fingers around hers he kissed her palms closing his eyes simultaneously. Ella was happy that he would help her with this, she was dying to let him know that she didn't want to marry but that thought shattered when he uttered coldly, "There is nothing to say. I've already told you everything." Ella's lips wobbled when he let go of her hands to her side with his eyes still closed, she was on the verge of tears as she knew he would not say anything yet. She knew he was hiding something which decided her to stop from letting him know what she had found recently.
"If you say so. I see that we can never be on one side." Ella confirmed her emotions stepping back from Roy, stepping back from entrusting herself with him.