Chapter

"Where are you taking me? Leave my hand. I said leave my hand." says Anna gaping for breath.

"No, don't do it. I don't want to go. Listen to me... No...! "

And with a thud she fell on the floor, covered in sweat, out of breath, pounding heart that can be heard out loud. Struggling to breathe she tries to sit up and move on to the bed but her body feels numb. Giving herself a couple of minutes she gathered some energy to help herself up. Sitting on her bed she recalls the nightmare which gives her goosebumps. What does this dream means after all she haven't thought of anything like this before sleeping. Also she didn't read anything too, then what was it all about? She keeps wondering. This thought keeps roaming in her head the entire time she got up until she reached for breakfast at the table. Her eyes are swollen and red, her face is pale more than usual and she is not interested in having breakfast. Isabelle serves her coffee, toast with butter and stood next to get waiting for her if she wants anything else. But Anna is spaced out again with stirring spoon in her coffee.

"Madam, I think you didn't slept well." says Isabelle putting her hand on Anna's shoulder lightly.

This shook her a bit and she came back which makes Isabelle more worried and she asks, "Are you all right? Should I call your doctor?"

Looking at her with lost mind and eyes she scratches her head and replies, "I'm fine. Where is Liz?" and then took a sip of coffee.

"She still is asleep Madam. I am just going to wake her up otherwise she'll not be able to join you at breakfast."

Anna nods and Isabelle left.

As Isabelle was about to knock the door, Liz opens it up with a cute smile and they both accompanied each other back to the table. Isabelle serves Liz her breakfast which includes cornflakes with mild warm milk, raspberry jam on toast. She taking a bite of her looks at Anna and notices her dull face.

"Why are you like this?" asks Liz with her mouth stuffed with toast.

Anna sighs, looks at her in a funny angry way which makes Liz ask, "What's with this look now?"

"You spoiled my sleep then cursed me to have nightmare...!" Anna says pointing the finger towards Liz.

Liz burst into laughter and Isabelle trying hard to control herself from laughing because of the way Anna said all that. She has such funny innocent facial expressions that can make anyone laugh.

To show her anger more she got up and walked towards the exit door when Liz calls her from behind, "At least put on your make up sissy. You have forgotten today..!" And they again start chuckling.

Anna paused for a moment narrowing her eyes turns back and gave a stern glare which made their laughter stop for a moment but as she moved out they agan started giggling.

Moving towards her car she mumbles to herself, "Whats with them laughing? Am I a joke to them?"

" Good Morning Madam !" Said Peter,the driver as she entered the car.

"Good Morning." Anna replies.

Her phone buzzes and Jim's name flashing on screen but she is a bit irritated to answer it. But Jim keeps on calling her and she keeps ignoring it.

Within twenty minutes they are at the office and as Anna enters the office every employee greets her rising from the seats. Nodding and answering to each of them she head towards her room. Suddenly she stops and starts smiling because Jim is already standing there with hands folded, his back resting on the door, raised eyebrow and a frown. Walking towards him she said sheepishly, "What brings you here at this hour?"

Opening the door for her to enter he says, "I took such pain because someone was not bothering to answer my call." and they both enters the room closing the door behind.

Taking a deep sigh, "What makes you call then?" she asks.

"Do I need a reason to call? Or have I ever called you just to waste your time? You know I value your time more than you then also you keep doing this." and his blabbering starts.

"Stop !" says Anna flipping through the pages of file.

" Were you awake the whole night? " he asks going closer towards her face from across the table while her head was down in the file. As she lifted her head their faces were in front of each other, their eyes met and his heart started racing. He instantly shifted backwards and Anna looks at him puzzled.

" Did you said something? " she asks.

" No. I mean yes !" he stammers.

" What is with you Jim? "

" Nothing. I just asked were you awake last night? " he asks wiping his forehead with the handkerchief.

Laying back on her chair she says," Yes. It's a long story. "

" I'm in no hurry. " he smiles.

" Well long story short Liz arrived last night around 3 or 4 but before that an unknown number kept calling me and when I answered it the voice was night clear. I only was able to hear that I'm coming. Now I was unable to figure it out as to who was coming at that hour so my sleep just flew away somewhere. " her way of saying all this makes Jim chuckle.

" Shut up.! "

" Sorry. What happens next? "

" Then suddenly the door bell rang and it kept ringing every few seconds ago me and Isabelle went and then we discovered that it's Lisa on the door and moreover afterwards she told me it was her wo kept calling me the entire night to inform me about her arrival, lost of old number." she took a deep breath as she ends the story.

" And did she received a prize for it? " he asks mischievously.

" Surely she did. I gave her a good beating." and they both laugh.

"You both are still the same. None of you grew up." says Jim smiling.

" I'm not the same as I was but it is Liz because of her the old me is still somewhere deep inside. And with her mess that she creates every now and then, the old me come out. "she says and sighs.

He again is looking at her and smiling and as looks at him he just shift his eyes and says," Then I should be thankful to Lisa for being the way she is and I'll surely tell her to remain like this. "

She smiles, and says," You know last night when I scolded her she says, I'm a big girl now. And believe me it was so funny at that moment that I cannot keep myself from laughing but I did manged not to laugh. " and then she laughs.

" Excuse me ! " she says as her phone rings and she answers it.

"Yes Uncle Maxwell." she says getting up from the chair and moving towards the window on the right of her table. She had a big room with a large full wall window on the right of her office take which is in the middle of the room. The room is colored in dark brown, golden brown with a tint of hazel in wallpaper strips. The window films the entire room with sunlight making it more bright and lively.

Jim keeps looking at her with his soft eyes while she talks on the phone.

"Is everything alright?" she asks.

"Anna, there is an issue over here about that kid of Marcel. " he sounds worried.

" I'm listening please go ahead. " she says slowly.

" Marcel left as you know too six moths before and left his son in here. Now he is here and since yesterday he is making a fuss about his wife and child that why is she still not awake and he is insisting on taking his child. I know that he is the father and he has all the rights to take his son but by judging his past behaviour of getting away without his son at that time and now coming back and showing all this fatherly love is not acceptable by me. "

" Yes. So what is right according to you Uncle." she asks with a frown.

" If possible can you please visit me so we can sit and decide on this matter with Marcel. " he suggests.

" No. Uncle I don't want to face that person. And my opinion in this matter is that let him do whatever he wants to. " she sais trying not to sound rude.

"But Anna he can't be trusted. "

" Who knows it better than me, Uncle. "

" Yeah. Fine then I'll do as you say." he says convinced.

" Thankyou so much. " softly she replies.

" Take care dear. " says Maxwell and the call ended.

Jim has been looking at her this entire time watching her expression change from confused to angry. As she turns back he asks with nod of his head about the matter. Coming back to her chair she sat and and looking at him smiles.

"Why did uncle called you? Is there any problem with you or with him?" he asks concerningly.

" Nothing everything is fine." says she.

"Until when are you going to say it's fine and bear all this alone?" he says softly looking at her.

"I'm not bearing anything." she replies calmly.

"Fine then I'll take my leave." he smiled and turns to leave.

" Stay." she says and his feet stops where they were. But the she says it makes him sure that something is wrong.

Turning towards her he looks at her and silently taking his seat at the couch in the left most corner of the room says, "I'm here. You now finish up your work then we'll have lunch together."

She smiles and nods in agreement to his proposal. While sitting there he keeps watching her knowing that something is off but she is trying to avoid it herself and hence is not telling him either. He knows her much more than anyone. Her behaviour might be visible to everyone but he can sense that whether her behaviour is genuine regarding the situation or she is behaving and feeling differently.

And that is why today also he didn't presses her to tell him about the call or the reason for asking him to stay. He is contented that atleast she is willing his presence around her when she's disturbed.

She is busy with her files, calls, secretary while he is just sitting there with her, for her, watching her when she's not looking at him and at the moment she turns towards him he shifts his gaze to the magazine, showing that he's reading it.

Anna is feeling his eyes on her but she don't want to share anything at this moment in her workplace. She called her work more than herself, her peace of mind and even her life. She never compromised with her work no matter what happens. This has been the reason why Marcel was attracted towards Fiona in the first place as Docs was always available to party, hangout, dinners, movies and all other stuffs that couples do. But Anna was available after her work time only as she had to handle the business after her mother passed away after her graduation. Instead of supporting her in fulfilling her mother's dreams Marcel took things the other way and blamed her for being materialistic.

But Jim has always watched over her back and supports her in all her decisions.He knows what her mother wants and how much dedicated Anna was towards fulfilling her late Mother's wishes of taking over the business and making it reach new heights of success Anna did all that in the past 7 years with her blood and sweat.

He recalls all those memories from the past while watching her and when she looks at him he just smiles so sweetly and lovingly that she can't help but smiling back.