She is mine!

It was Wednesday. Stella was at work.

She had works to do, but she couldn't concentrate. Her mind was in disorder.

She was so worried. Since she and her sweet man got back from their trip to Dubai, on Sunday evening, she hadn't heard from him. Sam had left for his own place that Sunday evening and had been unreachable.

Stella was already falling sick from thinking of what could have happened to him.

On Monday, she had thought he was probably busy at work and had decided to give him space and not be too clingy. But when she had returned from office and had nothing to do at home, her mind had wandered off to the wondrous moments they spent in Dubai, when they would be tucked in, all covered up with the luxury, love-filled blankets, on the luxury bed of one of Dubai's expensive five stars hotels, and Sam's voice was fulfilling her girlie's fantasy. Then she was forced to try his number just to hear his voice.

Just his voice and she would hang up, so as not to disturb him, she had assured herself.

But his number had been unreachable, since then.

Looking back to when they were in Dubai, she could recall that they didn't have any issue. There was no disagreement. There was no misunderstanding. There was no single action of hostility.

They had wined and dined in love, and with love. Love filled the room to the brim.

Love filled everywhere. Because there was massive display of love.

Sam made her felt what she wanted to feel. He made her felt loved. He made her felt wanted and needed. He was everywhere with her. In the kitchen, in the bathroom, on chairs, on bed, literally everywhere.

They were like a newly wedded couple who were on their honeymoon and couldn't be separated.

And in return for his love, she took him to different fun places, showered him with gifts, made him collected everything he wanted or she felt he needed, and spoilt him.

While, he pampered her with his love and attention, she pampered him with everything she had. Her money, attention, and love.

So, they had no issue that would make one to be avoiding the other. And that meant something was wrong somewhere for him to be unreachable.

After 48 hours of his unavailability, she had thought of thousands of things that could have happened and she was losing her cool.

She didn't want to believe what her mind was suggesting.

Her stubborn, unrelenting mind was insisting it was either she had just gotten dumped or something bad had happened to her sweet man.

She wanted none of those two options. She kept shaking her head whenever the thought came up, as if to shove it away, but it kept coming back.

It was one of those silly moments, when she was busy shaking her head, with a big frown, that Peter knocked her door and entered the office before she could say jack.

Stella took a glance at him and hissed loudly. Peter didn't come alone. He came bearing gift.

The usual package from the anonymous sender which usually comes in by 1pm.

"Take that back, I don't want to see it." She gritted out.

"Well, I'm positive about this package, today. You should check it out. I think the sender wants to pass you some sort of relevant information. It's wrapped differently, this time around." Peter stated, persuasively.

"Peter, please! I don't care about what's in that. I don't want to know. Just take it out of my sight. Do whatever you wish, with it." She maintained, harshly.

Peter frowned. He noticed she wasn't okay. She looked upset.

"Ma'am, hope everything is fine? You don't look okay..." He pointed out, with concern.

Stella heaved a deep sigh.

"I'm okay. Everything is fine." She stated and batted her eyes lids, repeatedly. Peter knew she was lying. And she knew he knew. She knew he knew her better.

"Hun, okay. May I sit down for a moment, please?" He requested politely.

Stella wanted to refuse but when she saw his look and posture, she knew Peter had entered the concerned friend's mood, and she couldn't say no, because even if she did, he would never leave her alone, until she opened up to him.

That was how close they were.

They knew each other very well. They had been working together for more than five years and their relationship had grown from mere partners to friends. So, they knew how and when to switch from working partners to friends.

Stella sighed again, then nodded. Peter gave her a small smile and took a seat, opposite her.

"Hey, boss! What's going on? You know you can't deceive me. Something is wrong with you and I want to know it. And you know I won't leave you alone until you tell me. You know how adamant I can be." He stated, firmly.

Stella looked at him and chuckled. She had loosened up a bit, Peter was pleased at that.

"Yeah, I know. Mr adamant! So, something is actually wrong. I'm loosing my calm. I'm worried. I'm so worried." She started, in a rush.

"It's about my lover, Sam! I haven't seen or heard from him since two days, ago." She informed him.

Peter's countenance fell. He looked angry. He couldn't believe what he was concerned about, was all about the man he loathed.

He was angry that she was already addressing him as her lover but he was angrier that Sam had the nerves to be hurting the person he cared so much, about. So, he flared up.

"I knew that man was going to hurt you! I swear down, I am going to deal with him mercilessly, that he'd regret ever hurting you." He vowed, furiously.

Stella rolled her eyes, at his outburst.

"Jeez! Chill, concerned parent that do not want his child to get hurt. He didn't do anything to me. We didn't even fight and that's why I'm really worried. Something has definitely happened to him. He isn't that kind of person." She stated, calmly.

Peter exhaled deeply.

"Since we got back from our weekend trip, I haven't seen or heard from him. His number has been unreachable. And it's not as if we fought, so definitely something has happened to him. What if it's something really bad?" She expressed her concern, agitatedly.

"What will I do if something bad has happened to him? What will I do? Oh, my God! God, please! Please!!! What if history is about to repeat itself? What if...? I don't want to experience that again. I don't want my heart to pass through that torture, again." Stella stated, agitatedly, as she thought of how she had lost her former lover whom she was betrothed to, three years ago.

Peter was there when she was going through the pain and agony. He remembered it all and he couldn't help but found her pitiful.

"Wow, let's take it easy. Let's calm down. No history is going to repeat itself. Your heart is never going to be tortured like that, again. Not when I am here, by your side. I won't allow it, I promise you." Peter assured her.

She looked at him, with uncertainty. She couldn't say anything but her eyes were sad, as if she would burst into tears, any second.

That was torturous for Peter. Seeing her all sad and down was torturing Peter's heart and he knew he needed to do something to cheer her up.

"I will go and look for Sam if that will calm you down. I won't allow your heart be tortured, ever again." He had blurted out the statement before he realized what he had said.

Stella appreciated him and even gave him her car key so he could go with it.

Peter didn't understand what he just volunteered to do. But he knew why he said that to her. It was because he couldn't be watching her looking so troubled and sad.

He had gone out of her office, closed the door behind him and had even taken few steps away from her door, before he rethought his decision.

"Peter, what's wrong with your brain? Why must I go and bring that man back to her when I'm here?" He yelled in his mind.

"This is the best opportunity for you, Peter. Let's go in there, and do the needful. She's mine. I need to make her mine before someone else would come and toy with her heart." He muttered to himself and braced up.

With every step he took as he walked back to the door, his confidence was diminishing. He was becoming really nervous and his breathing became noisy.

Yet, he was determined to bare his mind to her that moment and kept approaching the door.

He finally got to the door, but his hands were all sweaty and shaky as he placed his right hand on the doorknob.

Shakily, he opened the door and immediately he stepped a foot inside, he closed his eyes, and then opened his mouth.

"Stella."