Merrick

"Need any help?"

"What the hell?" I frown, looking at the smug smile on Zelina's face, and sense something fishy. I then turn to look at the tire of my car and back at her. "You did this, right?" I shake my head in disbelief and accuse her without even looking for other possibilities because it's so fucking evident that she is behind this.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I saw you struggling with the car, and I just came here to check if everything is okay." She says, taking a concerned glance at the tire, which I know is absolutely fake.

I scoff. "You want me to believe that? And how on earth you'll explain my car getting a flat tire standing in the middle of a secured parking?"

"Sorry, do you expect me to know that? I was just passing by and couldn't bring myself to turn a blind eye to a damsel in distress." She shrugs calmly, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

"Ohh...how generous." I exhale in frustration and cross my arms. "But Miss. Miller, let me make something clear. Your explanation doesn't seem as convincing as you are trying to make it sound. Now step out of that mask of innocence and tell me why you did this?" I ask her with annoyance, almost cringing at how dramatic my tone is. God, she is a real pain in the ass.

Zelina scans my face with an amused look, obviously enjoying the expression I am giving her. I wait for her response, but she ignores my question and reaches to check her phone. "If you want, I can be your ride back home."

I stare at her in disbelief and shake my head when she looks up at me, putting the phone back into her purse. "Miss. Miller, why can't you understand? This is ridiculous. How old are we?"

"So it means you are coming with me?" She nods and then puts back on her shades.

Jesus! She really is wearing away my patience. Why can't she just understand? I run my hands through my hair and then groan. "Zelina, what you are doing can ruin our business relation."

"How would me asking you if you need any help with your ride ruin our business relation?" She arches an eyebrow and asks.

"Come on, Merrick, I don't have a hidden agenda. I am just trying to help here."

I stare at her face for a moment and let out a tired sigh. I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but I don't have a choice. "What makes you think I'll get in a car alone with you?" I ask her, finally giving away my major concern and permitting her to know how big a pussy I am. Anyway, the truth is I don't want her anywhere near me, especially when we are alone. Why? Simply because I don't like her intentions.

"I don't find a reason you shouldn't." She points.

"Oh, sorry to disappoint you, but I do have one." I cross my arms and shoot a glare at her. "I don't trust you."

"And you think that's my fault?" She leans back and asks innocently.

"It's all your fault." I sigh and blurt. "Miss Miller, let me remind you that you get too touchy for my liking."

She gapes at my face for a minute and then laughs. "Oh, Merrick. How do you expect me to take advantage of the situation while I drive?" She smirks. "I wish I could, but it's not possible."

Then she looks into my eyes and says. "You have to believe me."

I gulp, looking at her chocolate brown eyes. She seems genuine with her words this time and before I realize what I am thinking; I say it. "Promise me you would keep your hands to yourself during the drive." Seriously, Merrick? You are considering her offer while knowing that she is the main culprit?

"I won't touch you." She assures, still bearing my gaze and for a second I forget what we are talking about. I watch her as she reaches slowly to hold my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. I look at her and she smiles amusedly, bringing me back to this world.

I quickly retrieve my hand and narrow my eyes at her. "That's it. I am not going with you."

"Okay, sorry." She says quickly, a cloud of worry shadowing her face. "I was just kidding. Promise, I won't do that again."

I clench my jaw and close my eyes. When my eyes fall on her again, I sense she isn't going to let me go. At least, not today. So I accept my defeat and agree to her offer with a heavy heart. "Fine. Let me just call someone to pick my car." I say and reach for the back handle, but before I can open it, Zelina locks the doors.

"You are not going to sit in the backseat." She says when I frown at her. I roll my eyes and walk to the passenger's seat.

After I inform Sarah about my car, I get into Zelina's car. She drives off and I look out of the window. The fire on my skin feels so real from when she touched me. I don't know what it is, but her touch just ignites something in me which I know isn't good. Shaking my head, I try to get that thought out of my head. I don't know what game she is trying to play with me, but this looks really dangerous.

I try to avoid her gaze as she drives back into the city. "Will you even let me know your address or do you want me to take you to my home?"

I turn to look at her and realize that I haven't told her where she needs to drop me. "Drive me to my office." I instantly turn my gaze back to the window and say. I don't know why I am feeling so hot despite having all the windows down.

"Are you sure you are talking to me?" Zelina mocks and her tone indicates that she is having too much fun here.

I exhale in frustration and look at her. "You had been to my office. Do I need to tell you the location?"

"You can't be working on Sunday." She frowns.

"I do," I say. "I love my work and the reason I have come this far is that I never consider Sunday as a holiday."

"That's bullshit. Stop lying, Merrick. Just admit that you are scared to let me know where you live." She smirks as she turns her gaze back to the road in front of her, leaving me staring at her in astonishment. How the hell did she know what was on my mind? I wasn't lying, though. I indeed made that shitty excuse up to not let her drive me to my home.

"Come on Merrick. I am not that crazy stalker. I am not going to stand in front of your house holding 'I love your sexy ass' banners. Trust me." She turns towards me and her lips quirk up a little. "Though that seems fun."

My eyes widen but I try to suppress my shock because I had enough of embarrassments with Zelina for today. "Okay, whatever," I say, connecting my GPS, and she drives through. I have my attention outside, so the rest of the ride doesn't seem as tense as I assumed. When the car halts at a signal, I notice green ash across the road. It's a big tree and when my eyes take in the dried leaves at the bottom, I immediately get out of the car and cross to walk towards it. I can hear Zelina screaming my name behind, but I don't care as I grab a dry leaf from the foot of the tree. Just before the green light could hit, I get back in my seat again.

"What were you thinking while doing that? A truck could have run you over." Zelina huffs as she hits the ignition again.

"I don't need to explain anything to you," I say, turning to her.

She definitely looks pissed by my answer, but she doesn't pry. "Fine," she says and there lingers a weird silence between us after that.

After some time, I look at her and ask, trying to ease off the awkwardness in the air. "That woman isn't your sister, right? The owner of the bar. She lied that day to save you." After the first meeting at my office, I did a little research on Zelina and found that she didn't have any siblings. And it took me back to the night at the bar where that woman claimed to be her sister. It's not like I am interested in Zelina's life. I just want to clear my suspicion, that's it.

Zelina takes in my face for a moment and chuckles. "And somebody was calling me a stalker." I feel my face grow hot with embarrassment and I look away instantly. God, why did I even bring it up?

As soon as we reach my home, I get out of the car quickly, trying to run from Zelina. "Isn't that a bit rude, Mr. Addington? Not asking me to be your guest?" She says, motioning towards the enormous gates of my mansion. I could have preferred letting her in, but I'd rather not.

I clear my throat and try to smile, knowing that I finally made out of that dangerous territory. "Thanks for the ride, Miss Miller."

She looks into my eyes and bites her lip. "I am just waiting for my chance to say that back to you." It takes me a moment to realize what she said and when I do, I almost choke on a cough.

"Goodbye, Zelina," I say and hurry towards my house.

"You know I am not going anywhere. See you in the meeting, Merrick." I hear the amusement in her tone and dread what I have gotten myself into.

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Zelina

After dropping Merrick at his mansion, I go to the rehabilitation. I called here earlier to check if I could come and see my father. After having a chat with the nurse, I walk down the hallway towards my dad's room. I push past the door and my chest tightens when I see him sitting in the wheelchair next to the window. Faint rays of the sun hit his face, and I realize how old he has grown in the last couple of years. A tear threatens to roll down my cheek, but I brush it off. My dad got here two years ago.

All this started after the accident he had when I was nineteen. I feel the pain all over again when I think about the moment I discovered his paralysis. My entire world changed with his accident. Everything was so good before it. My dad was a happy-go-lucky person, a great businessman, and a good father. He never expressed his love through his words, but I knew I was the most precious thing to him.

I feel the lump grow bigger and bigger in my chest and within minutes it takes the shape of pure anger fuming my entire body. I would never forgive the person behind this. The person who broke my trust. The person who I probably hate more than my mother now. I believed it was just an accident until I overheard his conversation one night. That was the reason why I decided to stop my company's ties with him. That was the reason why I started despising him. I don't know why he did so, but I am damn sure I am going to find the reason behind it.

I always thought that he was just another filthy businessman with whom I slept, except he wanted to be with me again and again. Something I never gave to any man other than him. I never had any feelings for him, but I won't even deny the whore I was to enjoy the sex with him. I wondered how he was probably in his fifties and still kept himself fit and appealing. Little did I know it was a trap. Things between our companies were fine until that one night. That revelation was something that blew my mind. How could he do that? Why would he do that? I need answers. I want to know the real reason why Ashton Grey played a game with me.