CHAPTER FIVE

~Elizabeth ~

"You're still not answering me." My boss crossed his arms and I gulped.

Why, again did I come here? Oh wait, my mum.

"D-did you...." I shivered.

"Get in." He stepped aside and I obeyed.

I gasped out when I entered the house. I've known him for years but never have I entered his house. It was big and with blue and white theme. The parlor setting alone was breath taking. The furnitures, everything was just...right. Beautiful. And neat.

"Great you're dripping water on my floor." I snapped back to reality at the coldness in his voice.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on staying for long." I wrapped my arms around myself trying to warm my cold body.

"So why are you here. I'm sure I didn't call for you." He asked and I rolled my eyes earning a scrawl from him.

"Why are you sending gifts to my mum." I went straight to the point. There was a pause. None of us saying anything to each other.

"Excuse me?" He raised a brow. He was acting so relaxed and I was getting impatient. I mean why wouldn't I, I'm in someone's house, to be specific, a man's house. Alone.

"You heard me." I lowered my voice.

"So, let me get this straight, you came all the way here, under the rain, just to ask me a silly question?" He took a step forward but I replaced it with one backwards.

"So you admit you brought the gifts." It wasn't a question but it sounded like much.

"Yes. So?" He admitted and I found myself sighing in relief.

"Why?" I asked and he snorted.

"Why not?" He asked back. I was seriously not in the mood for his attitude. I just wanted to go home and pass out on my couch.

"Please just stop." I sighed out trying not to sound offensive.

"I won't." He shrugged already stirring my anger inside.

"I've told you to stop prying in my personal life." I raised my voice slightly and he chuckled.

"This is what you don't understand. Since I know your mother and the condition she's in, means I'm involved in that part of your life. So me not caring is just not right." He still sounded and looked so relaxed and it made me so frustrated.

"You know what, I regret coming here. I'll just leave." I tuned to go. The picture of my cozy house lingering in my head. And how I'll lay recklessly on my bed as I sleep.

"Leave to where?" I froze at his question. His voice was cold and scary, giving me wrong ideas.

"M-my house." I began to stammer in fear.

"You're not going anywhere." He said with a frown. That's when I lost my senses. Fear overtook my whole body and I trembled. "I'm not going to let you enter that rain." He added taking another step closer but as usual, I replace it with one backwards.

"Relax, I'm not gonna bite you." He raised his hands in defense. "Just, take that stairs, the very first room at your right. Go in and take care of yourself. I don't want my PA catching pneumonia." He said still relaxed. I don't like the fact that he's relaxed. It's not making me at ease.

I still stood there staring at him and he waited patiently for me to make a move. But I didn't. My legs couldn't move, fear was still dominating over me. I was too weak to even stand straight.

"Are you planning on going to the room?" He asked and I gulped audibly. "Wait are you scared of me?" He asked, the relaxed face turning worried all of a sudden. I still didn't reply. Just stood there.

"Elizabeth." He called my name and against my own will, tears clouded my eyes.

I hated feeling so weak. And I tried my best not to but no matter what, whenever I find myself in a situation like this, I become so powerless. And it's driving me insane.

"No, don't cry. Did I say something wrong?" He moved forward and I tried to replace it but I was already leaning against the wall behind.

"Please, don't come closer." I whispered out as the tears flowed out of my eyes. He listened to me and stopped. He just stood there, looking at me with shock written all over his face.

"Elizabeth." I could hear the worry in his voice.

"I'm sorry." I blinked and sniffed out. I wasn't supposed to be seen crying. Especially not by my boss. "Where again did you say I should go?" I wrapped my arms tighter around myself.

"Up the stairs. The first room on the right....you sure you're okay?" He asked and I instantly nodded already leaving his presence.

************

~11:28pm~

I rolled to the other side of the bed. Still not finding sleep no matter how I tried. I remembered how all I wanted was to lay recklessly and sleep. And now that I've found a warm room and soft king sized bed to sleep on. I can't find sleep. And that was mainly because I was in someone else's house. Which was a lot uncomfortable.

After running away from David, I showered under the steamed water and I'm wearing a grey baggy shirt and a short that I'm sure belongs to him. He didn't even bother me, but I made sure to lock the door behind me as I entered the room. And also close the windows. Maybe by dawn, I'd run away before he woke up.

I turned again and slept on my belly and it growled. I'm hungry in a strangers house. Oh lord help me.

Trying to ignore the growls, I turned again and this time it got louder and I got hungrier.

With a loud sigh, I got out of bed, tip toeing my way out of the room and trying to find the kitchen.

The whole place was dark but my eyes had adjusted to it. And it's by grace I hadn't bumped into anything.

"May I help you." I jerked up with a scream at the voice. I turned to see David staring at me with a raised brow. God, it felt like my heart was about to come out of my mouth.

"I got hungry." I looked at my feet nervously. He had all right to be mad. I shouldn't be going around like that in his house.

"Okay, come with me." He turned and I smiled softly. Only because I knew food was coming my way soon.

I followed him behind, it was still dark but I saw his masculine figure and I followed it. Soon he turned on the lights. That's when I realized where we were. His kitchen. It was huge.

Still in silence, he opened the refrigerator and turned to face me. "What do you want to eat?" He asked. I met his eyes and you'd realize he was wide awake. "Um....anything available." I mumbled and he chuckled.

"There's a lot available. You just have to choose." He said and I stared at the open fridge. My jaw dropped slightly when I saw what was inside. Every possible perishable goods. Arranged.

I would've taken a lot from it, but I'm a well trained child, so I just grabbed the bread and butter with it and also a bottle of water. "That's it? That's all you need?" He raised a brow and I shrugged nodding my head.

.............

I ate my late dinner in silence. David was leaning against the fridge opposite me and I could sense his eyes boring into me, and I dared not look up to meet his gaze. I'm afraid I might run away. Again.

"How's your mother doing?" I paused. My teeth stopped chewing the food in my mouth. Then I swallowed hard.

"She's fine." I replied keeping my eyes glued on the bread. There was another moment of silence between us and I tried not to make much noise with my food.

"Elizabeth." I held in a breath again when I heard my name. You know if he just shortened my name it would reduce the tension.

"Sir?" I swallowed again and he removed his weight from the fridge and walked slowly towards me making my heart beats increase. I adjusted slightly and he paused.

"Why?" He asked and I frowned slightly. I looked up to meet his eyes and it held confusion. "W-Why what?" I stammered looking down again.

"Why are you so afraid of me. A few hours ago you were yelling at me because of a dress now you act like I'm holding a gun. Why?" He took a step forward and I whimpered making him halt again. When he realized I wasn't going to say anything about what he asked, he hissed out.

"Look at me. Elizabeth look at me." He ordered and slowly, I obeyed.

I stared into those dark brown eyes and it made me more uncomfortable.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." His voice grew soft. "I'm not. If I wanted to do anything to harm you I would've done that five years ago." He explained taking slow step towards me like I was a prey and he was the hunter.

"You know me more than anyone else does." Wait. I do? "You're my PA. And no matter how much we disagree, I trust you enough to let you know almost everything about me....now I want you to trust me. Trust me enough to know I'm not gonna hurt you." He said to me and I swear his eyes held emotions. Those eyes that used to be as cold as ice held warm emotions in them and it made me believe him. "Okay?" He asked me, his eyes still boring into mine. I made a finally gulp and nodded my head slowly. "Okay." My voice was just above a whisper now but he heard me.

"Do you want to go back to bed now or....watch a movie?" He asked and a small smile appeared on my face.

"Movie." My voice was louder this time around.

~DAVID~

We both watched Tomb raider in silence. I've watched the movie before so my mind wasn't totally with it. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about why she was so scared. At work, she acts like if she was given a chance she could possibly send a bullet through my head but now, she looked like she just saw me kill someone. Her body was shaking with fear. And when I saw her cry, something in me broke. I felt so down, like a huge weight was placed in my stomach. And it confuses me more to know I made her feel scared and insecure.

"Elizabeth." I called out subconsciously but she replied, turning to face me. "You know you can just call me Lizzy or Beth or Eliza." I heard her mumble and I was relieved to know she was back to normal.

"I'm sorry if it's wrong that I asked. But why were you acting, different...scared with me?" I asked her and I watched her zone out on me again. Like she was in a deep thought within herself. Lost in her world.

"Elizabeth." I shook her and she blinked to face me. Her eyes were glassy again and that's when I knew something was wrong somewhere.

"I...I can't....it's nothing. I just don't usually go to peoples house. I was just nervous." She stammered. She lied. It made me mad at her, but the tears in her eyes didn't make me say anything.

"You have a weird way of showing nervousness." I said and she gave a thin smile.

Since I didn't have anything else to say, I faced the television again. She did the same. There was this awkward silence between us. There was always an awkward silence between us. Till she broke it. "Why are you being nice to me?" Her voice was so quiet that it took me some seconds to understand what she said.

And when I understand, I had no answer to give. Even I don't know how I manage to be nice.

"Well...." I trailed off, trying to form the right words in my head. "I blame it on my brother." I said truthfully and she frowned turning to face me.

"What does he have to do with this?" She raised her brows at me.

It was actually good to talk to her when she wasn't being all formal or scared with me. She looked....normal.

"He kept going on about how rude and bossy I can be." I explained

"he's not wrong." She mumbled and I smiled.

For some reason, I couldn't bring myself into being upset about what she said. Not even a bit.

"So I promised myself to try to be....at least nice. To you especially. You've been a really good assistant. That's why I bought you that dress today and took you to the hospital to meet your mum.....I'm just trying to be less rude." I explained and she listened.

Her big golden brown eyes were staring earnestly at me. It was rare to see someone actually listening to me. Fine at work if I made an order they do it. But this was different. I was being me and she listened. Even Sandra never did this. She was always talking about herself.

"How's that going? You trying to be nice, hows it working out?" She asked almost too innocently that I almost believed she was mocking me.

"Well considering that we fought today, it means it's not working out well." I sighed shaking my head slowly and she laughed. She laughed out and I felt funny in my stomach. I didn't even know when I joined the laughter.

"But be honest. I changed right?" I tried to subside the laughter.

"Well...a little but not much." She shrugged and I made a pouting face. "Hey, baby steps. I can't just be good all of a sudden." I said and she rolled her eyes. And I still didn't find any offense in it.

"It's not like you're not nice, you just  have an issue when it comes to controlling your anger." She said. And it was true. Since I was a child, I got upset easily.

"How about you help me." I suggested. "What?" She said with a scoff. "You know, like help me control my anger." I added and she laughed.

Okay that was hurtful, but it's okay.

"I don't think that's a good idea." She shook her head as she crossed her legs around herself on the couch.

"Why? I don't see...." I was talking but she interrupted. "If I help you, that means no matter how upset you are, you'd have to relax. And I'd tell you the truth about your attitude no matter how hurtful it is. And....you're not going to fire me because I corrected you." She said and I nodded.

"I'll try my best." I said and she shook her head. "No, you have to promise me that." She insisted so I raised my left hand up and placed my right hand on my chest. "I promise." I pledged.

"So you won't do anything if I did this." She said and I frowned. "Did what-" I was cut short when she hit me with a throw pillow.

I paused. I was still processing what just happened. Did miss Adeyemi hit me with a pillow?

"You're upset aren't you?" She began to feel sorry and I smiled. "Just a little pillow  won't break me."