Patricia

I get out of the car and hurry inside the house, feeling anxious. After I made sure Zelina came back safely, I drove straight back to the mansion, knowing that I shouldn't be out for too long.

As I make my way through the living room, I take out my phone when I find it vibrating and answer the call. I knew it would be Dr. Faith because I'd called her to check up on Colton, but she didn't pick up. It's been my usual thing to care about Colton's health after that accident but at the same time, I fear being caught.

I assumed that she was busy working, but it's hard not to feel worried doing something behind Ashton's back when I know what a dangerous man he is.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Grey. I was in the middle of something." She says.

"That's fine, doctor. Is he doing alright?" I ask her.

"Yes, He is doing well. Much better than how he was before." She says and I feel a wave of relief wash over my body. "I think it wouldn't be long before he gets back to living a normal life."

"That's great news," I say, feeling so many emotions altogether but trying not to show any of them. I feel like if I try to speak more I'd end up crying so I just calm myself and say. "Just keep me updated."

I know she understood what I meant. There is a pause after which Dr. Faith speaks again. "Mrs. Grey, why don't you let me tell Zelina about you?" She hesitates and I freeze. "She would be happy to know that someone else is too looking out for her father."

"No, please don't," I say, already feeling dread. "Things are just complicated between us. She already has her hands full with everything going around, and I don't wanna add more problems to her plate." I sigh. "Please, Faith, try to understand."

"Okay..." She says, sounding unsure but I know she grasped the seriousness of the situation. After all, she has been Colton's doctor for so many years. "I'll let you know if I see any progress." She says.

"Goodbye," I say before hanging up.

As I am about to head upstairs, I hear a voice coming from Ashton's office. I frown, realizing that Ashton isn't home, then who could it be. I walk down the hallway looking at the glory of the house, thinking that how Ashton has offered me all the luxuries at the expense of the only thing that I needed the most - My happiness.

I stop right next to the door and lean against the wall as I listen.

"You should have seen his face the moment Theodore ended his presentation." The person on the other side laughs, and my blood runs cold as I recognize it's Ashton's voice. What is he doing here?

"He fucking deserved it. Merrick should have known better than to put his head into a lion's mouth. I am going to fucking ruin him." He says and I take a step back, feeling terrified. That's when my hand brushes against the antique kept on the side table next to me, making it fall with a huge thud. I gasp as the sound echoes in the entire hallway. Seconds later, I hear footsteps and before I can do anything, the door opens, and I find Ashton standing right in front of me.

I can feel my heart beating hard against my chest as I look into his eyes. He looks unfazed, but I can tell from his expression that he knows that I've been listening to him.

"Why are you doing this?" I finally manage to say, looking into his eyes.

He looks at me, and I see his lips slowly quirk up in a smile. The disgusting smile that I've witnessed for many years. "Don't you think it sounds a little silly coming from you? After all these years, I thought you'd have known me better." He asks.

"I do," I say. "That's why I am asking how long are you going to toy with us? Aren't you tired of torturing innocent people?"

"Innocent people." He laughs, and the malice is evident in his voice. "Patricia, I've never wronged anyone until it came up to my territory. You see, people have always tried to snatch every precious thing that I have from me."

He shrugs as if he doesn't feel any remorse for what he has been doing, and I feel shame run down my body, realizing that I am married to a man like him. "I am just trying to protect what's mine. You know the extents I've gone to get you on my side, and I don't find anything wrong with it." He says.

I look at his unbothered face, and instantly anger stirs inside me. "We aren't some kind of display objects that you can claim on, Ashton," I clench my jaw angrily as I say. "Everyone will look at you with disgust the day your real face will be out for the world. You wouldn't be the honorable man that you think you are the day people will know what you did to us. To Zelina..."

I can feel my throat constrict as I take Zelina's name. My chin trembles as tears flow down my cheek. "Please stop this. You and Jamie have already caused her enough pain. Stop doing this to Zelina. She doesn't deserve this." I beg him just like the countless times I've done before, somehow hoping this time it would be different.

Ashton's face hardens as he listens to my pleading, and he looks away for a moment. When he looks back at me, I see rage roaring in his eyes. "Do you think I like seeing her in pain? To make her suffer? No, but she doesn't understand." He clenches his jaw as he continues. "That fucking Merrick has gotten into her head. He is manipulating her. He is trying to take her away from me, but I won't let it happen."

I gulp slowly as I look at his fuming face. "What are you going to do?"

"That's not for you to worry." He narrows his eyes at me and then takes a step forward. "Tell me, where were you?" I am suddenly taken aback by his question, and I stare at him in shock. But it doesn't take me much time to realize that I am holding a bag in my other hand, and it has a purpose. I knew I had to be ready with a reason if the guards let Ashton know about me being out.

I take a deep breath and show him the bag. "We ran out of groceries, so I went out to get some."

He doesn't look convinced as he looks back at me and raises his eyebrow. "Don't we have men for it?"

I look at him and gulp, trying to fetch more time for an excuse. "I wanted to get it done on my own. Also, I needed to get some fresh air. I can't stay locked in here all day." I say, not letting fear linger in my voice.

Ashton doesn't say anything, and it makes me nervous. He stares at me for a moment and then nods slowly. "I hope you had enough of fresh air. Now wipe off the tears and go back upstairs. I better not find you roaming around." I let out a breath in relief, knowing that at last, I succeeded in fooling him. I quickly turn around to leave, but then Ashton calls my name and I freeze on the spot.

I turn to look at him as he says. "And Patricia, for your own good try keeping your nose out of my business."

                                                                             -----------------

Zelina

"Are you okay, Zelina?" Steve asks me and I look up at him.

"Yeah...I am good." I nod distractedly and look down at the papers. It's Wednesday and we are sitting in my office going through reports but it feels hard for me to concentrate on anything when all I could think about is Merrick. He has been ignoring my calls since Friday and I can't help but wonder if I pushed him too much with what I did.

As if sensing what's on my mind, Steve clears his throat and says. "I feel sorry for how things turned out at the launch for Merrick. I mean that's pretty fucked up."

I look at him and purse my lips. "I've been thinking about it too. I don't understand who could do that to him."

"What else can we say about this cruel business world, Zelina. You know well that these people don't lose any chance they get at pulling down those who are getting up in the line." He shrugs and I nod, knowing that he is telling the truth but I also being aware that this is something bigger than that. "That's how they stay alive here."

He looks at his laptop for a moment before turning back at me. "Did you hear something from him?"

"No," I answer lowering my gaze again. I can see where this conversation is going so I pretend to get back to work to put a stop to it.

We continue doing work in silence but it isn't too long before Steve speaks again. "Zelina, I don't wanna sound nosy but..." He hesitates and I lean against the chair, already knowing what he is going to say. "I've never seen you getting involved with men publicly. It was a little weird to see you kiss Merrick in front of everyone."

I frown. "For the record, I didn't kiss him. He kissed me."

His eyes pop up a little but he nods eventually and asks. "Okay. So what's going on?"

"Nothing is going on," I say.

"Are you kidding me? You guys fucking made out in the middle of a hall full of people and you say nothing is going on. I don't believe you." He says and I am not sure why he sounded offended there. He shakes his head and when he says the next line, I realize what actually bothered him. "Since when have you started hiding your flings from me?"

I look at him and I know he is a little hurt. It is true that I've been open about my sexual life with my friends and Steve has been always up for my daily dose of gossip but the thing is for the first time I haven't been able to get a man into my bed and as much as it should bother me, it doesn't. What I share with Merrick is completely different from the kind of relationship that I had with other men and it seems difficult for me to put it into words because it's all-new for me.

I sigh as I look at him. "Steve, I am serious. I really don't know what's going on but I can assure you one thing I didn't have sex with him."

He almost jumps out of his seat as he looks at me. "What? You mean you didn't..."

I cut him off, suddenly feeling restless. "Yes, honestly I did go at him with those intentions at first. But as I got to know Merrick..it became harder for me to do my tricks." I close my eyes and Merrick's face comes in front of me and it brings a smile to my lips. When I open my eyes, I see Steve watching me intently. "Steve, he is unique. Before I met him, I didn't know men like him existed."

I shake my head, feeling dejected for no reason. "I just wanted to enjoy my time with him at the conference. I was planning to apologize and mend things with him later but he had to freaking kiss me and ruin everything." I say and try to imagine how different things would have been if he didn't have kissed me. Maybe I could have seen us being friends though that sounds really odd.

"Wow...It's just hard to process considering the Zelina I know is saying all this." Steve says with an amused grin on his face.

"I know." I half- smile. I didn't tell Steve about what happened on Friday because I am sure he is definitely going to freak out listening to it and I am not ready for that.

"So are you pissed because you didn't want him to kiss you or is it because you didn't enjoy it?" He says and I know he is teasing me.

I sigh and then stand up. "Steve, you don't understand. I am pissed because he wouldn't act the same with me now. He's been ignoring me since then and I don't know why the hell it is bothering me so much." I say as I look at him, trying to make him understand what my real problem is.

He stares at me for a moment and then says nodding. "Okay, I get it. This can mean only one thing."

"What?" I ask as I reach for the water bottle kept on the table, suddenly feeling thirsty.

"You like him." He says and I almost choke.

Coughing a little, I place the bottle back on the table and look at him in disbelief. "No, I don't."

"Yes, you do. There's nothing wrong with it." He shrugs.

I look at him and I know he is right. I let out a breath and clench my jaw, realizing that I can't deny it anymore. "But it doesn't matter because I am pretty sure that he doesn't feel the same about me."

Steve leans forward and asks. "Did he say that to you? You can't speak for him, Zelina." He shakes his head and then says. "And as far as I think you haven't even admitted that to him."

I don't say anything and I turn around to look out of the window. God, this is really driving me crazy.

"He kissed you so I guess he likes you too." I hear Steve say as he stands behind me.

"You don't know the real reason why he did so," I say in a low voice still looking out.

"But I know the way his eyes were on you all the time in that conference," Steve says as he places his hand on my shoulder and makes me turn around.

"I feel like I am losing the Zelina I was." I look into his eyes and say defeatedly. "I can't get this weak, can I?"

He smiles at me. I know he understands what I am talking about because he has known me for so long. His eyes soften as he speaks. "It's okay to change Zelina. It happens with everyone. There comes a point when you don't want to be the person you've been in the past. It's completely fine because that's how we learn...that's how we grow." I feel the lump forming in my throat as he continues. "This change is just going to make you better and remember the people that push you to do it...they are special."

I want to say something but I don't know if I can do that without letting a sob so I just nod at him.

He smiles at me but then his phone vibrates on the desk and we both look at it. I can know from his face that it's his girlfriend. He reaches for it and smiles at me sheepishly. "That's my cue to leave. I'll see you later." He says as he walks up to the door. I take my seat again and look up when he stops and turns around.

"Zelina, I didn't receive the revised list of manufacturing liquids." He looks at me and says.

"Oh, I just forgot," I say. "I have the screenshots. I'll send you right away."

He nods before he walks out of my office. I quickly get my phone from my purse and search in my gallery. Before I can find what I am looking for my eyes fall on a picture and I can't help myself from clicking on it. It's a selfie that Archer took when we went out on that picnic. I feel the warmth spread through my heart when I see him grinning at the camera. My eyes move towards Merrick and I can't help but think how natural he is. Does he even have to do anything to look handsome? He is sitting right next to me, holding Archer in his lap and I feel so many emotions looking at it.

I go back in time and think about how he held my hand that day. It was such a simple gesture yet it made my heart flutter. I've never been touched by a man without having a bad intention behind it and it makes me feel overwhelmed thinking how Merrick's touch was innocent, pure, and comforting all at the same time. I stare at it for a long time and that's when I realize what exactly I am going to do.