"Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison us, it enslaves us. When we try to  understand it, it leaves us lost and confused." - Paulo Coelho

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"Why are you here?" Jonathan questioned, his face blank and fearless.

"To protect her from you."

"She doesn't need protection."

"Stop acting fucking dumb," I faced him, lifting my chin a little as he stood up from where he was sitting.

"What did you say?" he came closer to me and growled.

I smirked, "Stop. Acting. Fucking. Stupid, Jonathan."

He held my face with his hand and looked into my eyes. "You listen to me, kid," he started, his grip tightening with every word. "This is my daughter we're talking about, she is not leaving this house, she is not going with you anywhere, and she definitely doesn't need your protection."

"You can't control her life."

"Oh, but I am," a gin played its way to his thin lips.

I glared at him, holding his hand with mine and moving it away quickly before he reacts. I stood up, towering over him with my height. "Stop eradicating her personality!" I yelled. "What are you trying to do? Kill her presence from society?! Eliminate every option of her living normally?!"

He didn't reply.

"You think what you're doing is healthy? Or at least normal?!"I yelled, throwing my hands in the air. "Everything happens for a reason, and I pray for your reason to be worth what you're doing! I don't know what the hell you've been through, but letting it all blow on her is never the solution! It wi—"

"Shut up!" he shouted, his hands moved to grab something from his back. Seconds after, a gun with an attached silencer, was pointed to my forehead.

His hand was steady around it, and his finger was ready to push the trigger and shoot.

"Don't cross your limits," he said, his eyes never leaving mine. "I can end your life in a blink. One single blink, and you'll only be a dead body in my office."

I suppose I should have feared him. Sweat and shake from how much his gun terrified me.

But I wasn't intimidated.

Not one bit.

I looked at him, numbness overruling my body and expanding in my chest increasingly with the passing seconds. I couldn't feel anything. I don't know if I was breathing, or what I was thinking.

I only remember seeing his lips moving with whatever he was saying to me. I remember seeing his face redden with anger, and his eyes almost bulging when I didn't respond to his threats.

And I remember one more thing.

I remember Rose barging inside the room and standing in front of me, not very close...a technique I learned through the years.

She stood a step away from me, so that the gun's target can be hidden behind her enlarged presence in front of the shooter.

"What are you doing?" my tongue let the words out automatically.

She waved her hand dismissively, silencing me.

"Don't do this," she said to Jonathan, who stood there shocked with what she did. "He doesn't deserve that."

"Move," he said dryly.

"Lower the gun."

"I said, move."

"I would never."

She started backing up, closer and closer to me until she bumped into my chest. Her hands crept to mine in a reassuring gesture.

"Rose—"

"Leave him alone."

"He wants you to go with him."

She was silent. Her body stiffened as she tightened her hold on my hand, her fingers slightly shaking.

"Let him go," she whispered.

"You already have too much to pay for."

"I can handle it."

"You need to pay first."

"Just freaking pile them together, Dad!"

He lowered the gun slowly, and she loosened her hold on me, but her head was glued to my neck, moving every time she would glance to me.

"He can leave," he breathed, his voice so low that we almost heard it.

"Thank you," she rested, pulling me outside the office after he nodded.

We existed the office, I was still in shock of what happened, and my mind still trying to figure out what they were talking about.

"What happened—"

"I don't want to talk about it," she said, a frown on her face. "I shouldn't have told you," she whispered.

"You shouldn't have told me what?"

"Nothing," she shook her head. "Please go."

"I can't leave you—"

"You must."

"But then he'll do it again."

"It will stop eventually," she forced a smile, motioning me to enter my parked car.

"Rose—"

"Ethen," she put her hand on my forearm, shutting her eyes for a moment. "It's fine, alright? Don't come until I tell you to."

"What do you mean?"

"Just listen to me," she said, her eyes looking at her hand that she slowly dropped. "Don't come."

"Rose, tell me what's happening."

"I can't."

"Please."

She held my hands in her as she backed away, running her thumbs over my knuckles slowly. "Stay safe," she mumbled, kissing the palm of one hand.

"Promise me you'll stay safe," she said.

"I can't promise you with something I'm not sure of."

●●●

I went back to my office, my mind still thinking about what had happened earlier. I tried doing extra work, checking on deals that were due next months, but nothing seemed to busy me enough.

I shook my head then rubbed my eyes, trying to re-focus on my computer's screen that I've been staring to for the past hours.

How can I possibly clear my thoughts?

I heard three knocks on the door before Amanda came in, "Sir," she smiled, her pink lips curving to the sides. "You have to go for the interview now; you don't want to be late."

"What interview?"

"The interview with Fiore Clesi," she started then cocked a brow. "You do remember, right?"

I shook my head, "And that's why I have people like you here."

"Good for you," she smirked.

Seeing her smile and happy in front of me really made me feel more comfortable. I really like seeing her emitting her enthusiasm in the bitter, blank atmosphere of my office.

Note to myself: Surround yourself with more Amanda-s.

●●●

"Do you even need introduction?" Fiore smiled cheekily when I stepped in her studio, the audience cheering like every other time.

"I don't, if you need my head to grow any bigger," I smirked, kissing her hand and seeing her blush under my hold.

"Oh well," she rolled her eyes, her cheeks a deep color of red.

After I settled down and she asked about how I was doing, she started the second part of her show.

The Ask Our Guest part that every 'guest' fears.

What people ask is never normal, and I mean it.

"Who wants to start first?" she asked, her head facing the people. "The lady in the green dress," she pointed to a young girl with dark hair.

She stood up and coughed, grabbing the attention of everyone, myself included. "Ethen Hendrix," she breathed, and I tilted my head. "Will you marry me?"

I mentally face-palmed myself.

"Step in the line, girlfriend," Fiore chuckled after she saw my relieved expression.

"How are you?" a guy asked after Fiore let him.

"Fine," I smiled.

"Can I take a selfie with you?"

"After the show," Fiore replied with a polite smile.

"If you wake up one day as a woman, what would you do?"

"Stuff," I smirked.

"How do you balance your busy life?"

"I don't actually, I just live it like it is."

"Who is your celebrity crush?"

"Lily Collins."

"If you can have one superpower, what would it be?"

"The power of stopping time, because I always find myself in need for some time to think."

"What seems more logical, to follow your heart or mind?"

"Your legs," I scoffed.

"Do you take applications for a girlfriend?"

"Oh my God, people."

"Have you ever asked a girl to marry you?"

"No."

"Last question," Fiore said, pointing to a young man wearing a fitted shirt with his name labeled who then stood up confidently.

"We never heard what happened after Rose Smith's incident with Isaac Ashton, are you still in relationship with her, or did they started dating?"

"Ethen, no!" Fiore yelled after me.

I don't know what happened, but next thing my eyes caught was him, the boy that asked the last question, clutching his stomach from pain, and the audience all shocked because of my punch.

Sorry not sorry.

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A/N

Two thousand reads, people!! Applaud yourself, we finally made it :)

I mean, seriously,I need 200 pairs of hands to count you all *insert awkward smile here*

I would hug each and every one of you right now xx

All the love,

Raghad.