MEETING

"Starting this week we will be doing duo performance evaluations and since Chris is married, he will be partnering with his wife. You Killian in the other hand are partnering with Vivian because she has been working for you the longest. And from the way things seem it's the only way for you to participate."

Wow Irina is gorgeous. I know I have to be formally introduced to my husband's parents but I think I'm not yet ready.

"Oh and before I forget if it's revealed that one team stole or sabotaged another team's design, they forfeit their position in the company and their trust fund gets dissolved. You might be lucky If you are still included in the will."

Silence follows. The kind of silence that indicates someone or people are weighing their options.

Edward Carter, Christopher's father, looks over his kids and concludes what his wife was saying, " You both know I love you but this is the only way to make sure we give both of you a fair chance even though Chris is the heir. So both play fair and be humane to each other. Now is there something either of you needs to add?"

"How long have you guys known?"

The question Killian just asked brings confusion to everyone.

"what are you talking about son?" his father asks.

" You guys sure didn't look surprised when Kimberly walked her and sat in Christopher's chair. So when did you know they got married?" he says with bite in his voice.

" Well if you put it like that I would say the same week ."

He nods like this makes perfect sense.

"if you would excuse me, some of us have an evaluation to beat." He stood up and left but not before shooting me a wink. Vivian scrambled to catch up to him.

I stood up to take my leave when Irina asked me to meet her after work. I looked at Chris but he just shook his hand indicating that he doesn't know what it's about. I nod and leave.

....

When we get home after work, I'm internally freaking out because Killian's obsession has started to show and it's only a matter of time before he gets crazed.

Hands wrap around me from the back and I lean into the embrace.

Without meaning to I whisper under my breath, "I hope this isn't a repeat of what I lived before. I can't handle dying a second time."

But unfortunately for me Christopher was leaning his head on my shoulder with his face nestled in my throat and I know he heard what I said because his breathing stalled and his body locked in place.

He slowly unwrapped me from his embrace and turned me to look at him.

" What do you mean by you can't handle dying again?"

I laugh awkwardly and brush it off. "I meant that I always dream of me dead, I can't handle another dream death again and now I know killian is not going to play fair on us."

He looks at me like he is trying to figure out if I'm lying or not before nodding.

I take a shower before I going down to eat supper. Chris always insists on cooking for me all the time and honestly it amazing. Today he did butter chicken with rice and I absolutely devoured it.

"We should be ready to put Killian in his place when he attacks. But before that what are out main designs?"

"I think maybe jewelry should be out main designs and maybe secondary designs would be clothes. And since we have knowledge in those respective fields we could do them separately but coordinate them.

Though it's best we never take our main designs to the company."

I nod and we decide to do rings first. Our wedding rings.

But coming tomorrow I'll be mentally ready to block whatever Killian throws at us.