"Who were those men that attacked me last night?" She asked the first question from her list that she had prepared in her mind. He made his way slowly to get his coat off, hooking it on the arm chair near his bed, "I told you I didn't wait to ask." "But you knew who they were. I suppose that is why you didn't wait to 'ask'." He unbuttoned the top three on his shirt and the cuffs, making himself comfortable he spoke, "Those were the gangsters who had been ruling their area here far too long to gain a reputation. It was obvious they were hired by top forces in power, unable for them to defeat. And with the country coming together with the Middle-east, it was a good bargain for them to... extend their reputation."
"The Middle-east were behind me then. But I had agreed for the alliance, then why would-" Ella realized then, "They know I was digging into something I wasn't supposed to." "I guessed that the night of your first excursion. Those steady little walks of yours to an abandoned area no high-born like you should be found at, was too easy to be suspicious about. Even the Arabians suspected," he stated his inspection.
The pieces were connecting slowly in Ella's puzzle, she murmured, "I found out about the routes being changed twice. Once when they had asked for the increase of prices back then and now recently. They were building an alibi for induced prices in a common thing like oil, so that I agree with their wishes as they wanted whenever they wanted." The room was silent after that, both in their thoughts, when the silence became too bearing Roy took out scotch to accompany him in situations like this. He thought to offer her but she was too engrossed to notice, hence helping him to a glass he was surprised at her question, "What else has happened deliberately?" Wincing after gulping the drink too quickly he swallowed the rough texture, "Everything happens deliberately."
"That's not my answer." "If you go on complaining for every damn thing you feel wrong, you will be lost within." "I already feel lost. Helpless. Even when I know what wrong is going around, I am unable to stop it in my power," she said exhausted. "You have stopped this. The news will be out the first thing in the morning and you do not have to marry as a compromise."
She couldn't have asked for much as she was saved from being drowned in the lies and plots of... of everything. She didn't know who to point out exactly. If she had married that Prince, the throne would have directly gone under his control and the Faceless too. How can she be such a dimwit to even consider that? Tired the woman lied on her back with her legs dangling from the bed, hands clasping together on her belly.
Moving her legs forward and back alternately, she hummed, "Now it is over. But it will come again in different ways. This time it was Middle-east later it would be others. At a point I think I will run out of ways to fight." Listening to her and going through her form to her face which wasn't sad but blank in realization, he followed to her side lying in the same position as her. "Then we will fight," he said looking at the ceiling just like her continuing, "We always have." Time passed until the both of them stayed among each other's company, drifting off to hope a better tomorrow.
"What about the bridge that was in construction, Mrs. Pemberton?" Ella inquired while going through the list provided to each member present in the meeting hall. The days passed by with her indulging herself in her work completely, ensuring to look after all the matters which require her presence. She didn't want them to remain helpless in further situations similarly to what happened with the oil industry. The market had dropped down due to the bad publicity in the city.
"The project is due to be completed in next six months at most. Its all working smoothly down there."
"The money is due to receive for the past months. Are they billed for this?" "The magistrate had insisted to full payment only on completion, Miss Kingsly." Mrs. Pemberton replied to her as she was the one actively engaged in the contract with Paris.
Ella frowned at that, "You do know that it is a contract sought by a foreign nation. We cannot entrust completely on their ability to pay duly. There was supposed to be such a condition mentioned." The room was alerted as their Mistress spoke about it, each one thinking about their own tasks of whether they had done any similar mistake.
"If we portray this condition suddenly, they might not like it. They are one of our reputable customers, Miss Kingsly." The woman tried to reason, fearing to lose the contract. "I'm sure they are. Have you read the recent uproars of an instable market which is showing only uncertainty around. Who do you think will the workers there listen to most- Us or the magistrate of Paris?" The answer was clear. No matter where you build your institution, the support of people working for you was necessary to manage it. And the policies of both the nations would be definitely different, where the workers there might search for an earlier payment for their work.
"The magistrate of course, Miss." Ella turned to the hall meeting every person's eyes, "We have to tread carefully here. From now on please ensure to make arrangement of procuring timely payments from our debtors."
The meeting was adjourned for the later notice, which would be probably next month as they had enough share of meetings for the existing one. Ella was striking off the points she had gone through and was underlining the ones she deemed important in a proposal received for the corporation to start a hotel. She was engrossed in her work but she was aware that Roy was seated in his chair even after the hall had been vacated.
Seeing that she was not saying anything herself he helped, "You have been solving all the problems that you neglected the most important one." She paused in the middle of reading the merits and thought about what he was talking about. Her mind fogged up with finding important problems but she was having a difficulty placing a finger on, "Which important ones? I thought I had gone through all the points displayed." He leaned to her, his face close to her as if telling him a secret, "I am talking about the most important one!" Ella's eyes went dull and spoke, "Your statement is still the same, giving me no clue to what you are talking about." She was shaking her head and going back to resume her study when he took hold of her arm, grabbing her attention to him, "I didn't get anything for saving you from the evil Prince!" For a moment Ella believed he was to speak about something very dire, she also suspected it to be about Faceless; but never she thought to see a pouting face complaining her for something that had happened weeks ago.
"I don't remember telling you that I will give you anything Roy. Rather I remember that you seemed too eager to willingly ensure that I don't get married to the Prince." Even when she made a thoughtful expression on her face, she was smiling deep down at his actions towards her. He might not be trustworthy, he might not be predictable, but it was him. He never hid himself from her, showing his true nature in each path of the way. Would any other man had done that? Accepting his true nature, however dark it might be.
She was turning the page when she felt him move close to her dragging his chair, his legs trapping her chair evidently touching her knees. Finally turning her head to him Ella put away the papers and her pen, posing her chin be supported on her fingers. "What is it?" "You are to pay your debt, Miss Kingsly," his voice came closer to her. "I do not believe I am in any." She spoke biting her lower lip fighting a smile. "Oh you are, indeed. The burden of the debt has been overdue which needs to be paid with an increment." His voice was husky now, eyes watching hers to her lips, still not touching her but putting her on flames. She didn't find out what was he going to do next as there was a cough in between, Ella thought that he was suddenly coughing but his face was not making any such action to define that. Moving from him she found the source to come from the door.
"I did not want to interrupt Mistress, but this is important." Smith stood there with his face down, roaming around anywhere but towards them. Ella motioned him to enter and waited for him to say, he didn't, rather he was giving glances to Roy now and then. The man took a breath and uttered, "May I speak to you alone Mistress?" "No you may not. What business is such that you cannot say in front of me?" His cold voice deterred any confidence the man had built to voice his request. The man was about to give in to Roy's command but Ella interfered, "Go. I'll be back soon," she said to Roy. She saw he wanted to protest but her eyes insisted, which he reluctantly agreed to follow, screeching the chair back loudly. Mr. Smith squeezed his eyes at the sound, knowing his CEO was displeased, which was further felt by him when Roy Knight glared the whole time, he rounded the hall to exit the room.
Not once did the man look up to meet his furious eyes, and let out his breath in relief after he heard the receding footsteps. In his troubled mind he had almost forgotten why he was here in the first place. "I-I am sorry to keep you waiting Mistress." "You look disturbed Mr. Smith." She pointed and was shocked to hear his next words. "There is someone demanding to meet you. Says he won't leave until he met you. And... he claims to be your brother."