''Nat, is me your sister. Is Alice, I'm not going to hurt you, you're safe with me.'' Alice said but Natalie shook her head as she moved further towards the wall.
''I will be obedient, don't hurt me...'' Natalie kept speaking incoherently as she shook her head.
Alice wiped the tears in her eyes and knelt in front of Natalie trying to hold her hands.
She felt so devastated seeing her sister in that state but what hurt her more the most was the fact that against the people who did this to her sister, she was powerless. The world was indeed unfair to them.
Alice calmed herself down and stretched her hand once again towards Natalie. She decided to use a different method this time.
''Yes, Natalia is obedient. No one will hurt her. Good girls are doted on, right?'' Alice said and Natalie nodded her head.
''Don't hurt me, please. I will be a good girl.'' Natalie kept saying as she held Alice's hand.
''I won't hurt you. Let me sing a song for you since you're obedient. Would you like me to sing a song for you?''
Natalie nodded her head. A knock came from the door and Niania said to Alice.
''Someone is at the door. She is a colleague of your sister.'' Niania said.
''Let me in, you can trust me, I am Natalie's colleague. I came with her bag.'' Lucy said worriedly.
"Let her in!" Alice replied and the door opened.
Alice had already done her investigation on Lucy and knew she was a good friend of Natalie.
''What…what is wrong with Natalie?'' Lucy stepped back in shock when she saw Natalie curled up in Alice's embrace.
''Now is not the time to explain. Is that my sister's bag?'' Alice asked.
''Your sister? Oh, yes. This is Nat's bag.'' Lucy had found another secret of Natalie by accident.
''Open it, you will find some eggs there, remove one for me.''
''Okay!'' Lucy quickly looked into the bag and took out an egg rolled in a paper bag. As she peeled it, she heard Alice murmuring a song softly into Natalie's ears.
Row, row, row your boat...
Gently down the stream...
Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream...'' 2x.
Lucy removed the egg and noticed Natalie calming down as Alice sang the song. She handed over the egg to Alice with a look of confusion in her face. She didn't know what was going on but when she saw the tears in Alice's eyes as she sang the song, her heart moved.
''Look, I brought you a gift, since you're such a good girl. Eat this.'' Alice fed Natalie the egg and she ate it and calm down falling asleep in her arms.
''I'm sorry but, what was that all about?'' Lucy asker cautiously.
''Now is not the time for questions. We need to move Natalie out of this place before someone sees us. Can you help with that?'' Alice looked at Lucy and she nodded her head.
''Yes. Now is lunch time and most of the workers are down at the cafeteria.''
''Okay. Niania, give me my phone.'' Alice said and Niania entered inside with her bag.
''Here!''
Alice took the phone from Niania and dialled Xia's number and spoke as soon as Xia answered.
''Natalie had a relapse. We need a way out of Janice without raising suspicions..''
''Give me ten minutes. I'll be there!'' Xia's soft voice replied and Alice hung up and Niania took the phone back.
Alice looked at Natalie who was now fast asleep in her arms. They were sitting on the floor but Alice didn't have the time to feel gross because of the situation. She only cared about her sister's health.
''I will check the elevator first and talk to the head of security.'' Lucy said.
She realised she couldn't help in any way except to find a way to make sure that they were out of the company.
''Thanks, Lucy.''
''You can sign an autograph for me later on. I am a fan.'' Lucy said and went out of the washroom.
A few minutes later, the whole company experienced a moment of blackout and when the network and light came back on, the head of security was already at the car park with Natalie in his arms. He carried her as the others followed and they went to Alice's van.
''Thank you so much Matt.'' Lucy said after the head of security placed Natalie safely into the van.
''You promised me 15 autographs, so we are good.'' Matt replied and turned to Alice.
''Yes, I will send them to you by tomorrow. I hope this will be kept a secret?''
''Don't worry, I already stopped the CCTV of the elevator before coming down. There won't be a problem at all.''
''Thanks a lot. I'm Kim Xia, I work for Today Newspaper. This is my card, if you ever need anything, call me.'' Xia added as she sat inside the van holding Natalie.
''Thank you. I'm glad to be off help.'' Matt and Lucy stepped aside and watched as Alice joined the van and the driver drove away.
Lucy smiled and turned to Matt. ''Thanks so much, Matt. We wouldn't have known what to do without you.''
''You're welcome!'' Matt nodded his head.
''Let's go.'' Lucy said, taking the lead.
When they entered inside the elevator, Matt said to Lucy. ''Lucy, can I ask you for a favour?''
Lucy looked at him confused. It wasn't because he was about to ask her for a favour but because she didn't know that he knew her name.
''Consider it payment for what I did?'' Matt said.
''Did you know my name already?'' Lucy asked and Matt chuckled making her blushed.
This was the first time she was seeing him smile. It made her heart flutter for a reason.
"Sure. Go ahead'' Lucy nodded her head.
''Have dinner with me as my girlfriend!''
''Huh?'' Lucy suddenly hiccupped and her face turned red. She looked at the elevator which had coincidentally stopped at her floor. Without saying a word, Lucy ran out of the elevator leaving him stunned.
Lucy sighed and heaved a relieve when she got to her desk. She touched her chest and murmured to herself. ''What was that? So suddenly asking me to have dinner with him. Why? Why would he ask me to have dinner with him? Is that not the same thing as going on a date with him? Oh my GOD, is he asking me out? That's not possible. I am way down the food chair and he is so high up the food chain. It doesn't make sense.''
Lucy giggled.
''Lucy? Why are you talking to yourself?'' Jason asked as he walked towards her desk.
''I was just having a prep talk, are you looking for something?'' Lucy calmed down and asked.
''Where is Natalie? I searched everywhere for her.'' Jason's voice was laced with worry.
''Natalie, she went home. She picked her bag and left 10 minutes ago with her friend who came to pick her up.''
''Really? How was she? Did she look sad?''
''She looked okay, I guess...''
''Okay. I will call her.''
''Jason, can I asked what happened inside there? Natalie looked flustered when I saw her''
''She got into a battle of words with Eunice Gardener.''
''Eunice Gardener. Did they know each other already?''
''I don't know. I will see you around, Lucy. I'm going to meet with William.''
''Sure!'' Lucy sat down when Jason left. She sighed and suddenly flushed when she thought about Matt again.
''Get your head together, Lucy. That was probably a prank.''
Jason stepped out of the elevator and saw Amy looking anxious by the door of William and he asked. ''Amy, what are you doing there?''
''Finally, Jason. Eunice and William are inside looking like they're about to tear each other apart. Where did you go to?'' Amy became relieved after seeing Jason.
''Alright, I will take a look.'' Jason said and opened the door.
William sat in his chair while Eunice sat on the couch and they glared at each other, none wanting to back down.
Jason entered and closed the door behind him. ''Natalie went home.'' He announced.
William's eyes flicked and he turned to Jason and spoke. ''Mimi Song is already disqualified. Do you have any objections to that Jason?'' He seemed to have made that decision and was waiting for Jason's reply.
''On what basis?'' Eunice banged her hand on the table as she asked.
''On the basis that you brought her here to intimidate other artistes and also disrespected my employee in front of me.''
Eunice chuckled. ''Are you supporting that sly phoenix?''
''You had no right to speak that way to Natalie. She is my employee, not yours. What you did is bullying and harassment.''
''You speak so eloquently. You don't even know anything about that girl. I know everything about her. Isn't the scandal about her enough to make her stop working here? But just as thick-skinned as she is, she still worked here. I am telling you this, William. I am your mother's best friend and I watched you grow; I won't allow you to be fooled by that pretentious bitch.''