Sin.

“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked, wearing a serious face, one that he’d never seen her use on him before.

Although he heard her question loud and clear, he remained quiet. 

He fondled his food so that his spoon continuously clashed with the place much to Leia's detests by the noise.n

Leia stared at him wondering if this was the right approach seeing how unwilling he was to speak. 

“If I don’t ask him now, he’ll never tell me,” she said to herself. 

It was a now-or-never choice, besides, they were bound to visit the same topic again. 

Since he was going to eat, she too was going to keep talking. 

“Do these documents have anything to do with your arrest? Are you trying to cover for them?” 

“Your family haven’t even bothered sending a lawyer since you got in here, and believe me, it wasn’t easy finding out your exact location,” she said. 

Her eyes like daggers pierced into him so that he couldn’t continue eating. 

Kasen paused as he stared at his plate, “don’t let anyone get their hands on those papers,” he said in a low voice as he finished the last spoon of her delicious cooking.

“What?” 

He raised his eyes and stared at her, Leia could tell something was up when he smiled out of the blue, "did anyone give you a hard time?"

"Not at all, they weren't much of a bother, but that’s not what I’m trying to say,” she yelled, almost as if she had just snapped back to her senses. 

“I know, your visiting time should be up soon,” he answered. 

Confused, she looked at her watch, Kasen was right, she did have less than one minute, so she knew her questions wouldn’t be answered. 

“Kasen,” she called out in worry, it was obvious her husband was trying to hide something from her.

“Hide that file Leia, hide it someplace even I can’t find it,” he whispered when the door suddenly opened and a warden walked in.

“Mr Kasen, it’s time to go,” the man said. 

Reluctant, she looked to and fro between Kasen who just finished his meal and the warden. 

Their gaze never met, almost as if he didn’t want to look at her, “I’ll be going” he said aloud as he stood up. 

He strolled towards the door, and paused when he was just three feet apart, “hey Leia,” he said as he backed his wife, “I love you, don’t forget that.”

Leia frowned at his words, she didn’t like the sound of it, it was almost like saying goodbye, but before she could question him, he was already out of sight, and Leia was all alone, confused and restless, if only, she knew what she was up against.

The next morning was the day of her first meeting. 

As a journalist, she had surely been to meetings but never had she been the reason for a meeting before, it was a whole new experience. 

Bang!

A slam at the table had everyone flinch in fear as their hearts skipped a beat.

"This has got to be a joke, what was Kasen thinking?" one of the shareholders, a man in his late forties yelled with his face red with furry that his cheeks would pump with air and would release them in one go. 

"I believe every businessman started somewhere,” Leia answered, much to the dislike of the others. 

“Are you kidding me, why’d you think business schools were created?” the enraged man asked. 

“To add a bit of knowledge to young businessmen and women, after all, they don’t teach you everything you need to know,” she answered. 

Leia glanced over and crossed eyes with her mother-in-law who just sat still like she had no business being there, it made Leia wonder why she was even present in the first place since she was going to be of no use. 

She couldn’t understand why a mother would try to take down her son so badly, that she wouldn’t even bother supporting his decision.

“What part of you's incapable of handling the job do you not understand, woman,” the man yelled. 

With her face forward, she paid no attention to his tantrums especially since he was the only one talking.

“What is wrong with this girl?’ the man finally yelled as he took a deep breath to calm down.

“Now now gentlemen, let’s not be in a hurry,” a familiar male voice said from behind. 

Leia’s body stiffened from the shock that she didn’t turn around to take a look. 

“I can’t have you talking to my sister-in-law like that, she may be inexperienced but she’s a fast learner, take it from someone who knows her,” he said.

Leia didn’t need anyone to tell her, she had heard this voice too often not to know who was speaking.

His hands rested upon her shoulders, allowing her to side glance at the hands, when he leaned forward, above her head and asked, “isn’t that right, Leia?” 

For the second time in two days, Leia knew fear as her past had come to hunt her with an identity she could have never imagined. 

“Oh, Mark, you’re here, nice to have you with us,” her supportive mother-in-law said with pretentious joy, as she hurried to meet her nephew.

“Good to be back aunty,” he answered as he left her stiffened shoulders as he hurried to meet her.

“It's good then, but I must warn you, my daughter-in-law can be quite a chore to handle sometimes,” she said with a scoff as her assistant and a few others on her side joined the laugh. 

“I don’t understand why you’re turning a meeting into a family drama,” Leia said as she came back with a snicker. 

“Tch! Watch your tongue girl,” the woman barked, barely being held by Mark.

“Enough, we aren't here to argue, currently, who should step down and who shouldn't isn't of our concern,” a man said, sitting at the opposite end of the table.

He looked calm and collected, yet his eyes sent the message to his opponents, his secretary standing by his side did not look like a joke as well, with a dreadful aura, second to the man he served.

“What matters is, are you willing to prove to us that you both aren’t entirely useless? After all, one has a criminal record and the other has no experience in running a business,” the man said with a grin of mystery.

“When do I begin,” Mark asked while a silent Leia observed. 

“Today, I have personally spoken to the CEO and organised training sections, to help you get accustomed to the company for one month, let’s start by testing how quick you are to fit in, it should be fun,” he said as he stood up, prepared to leave without listening to the rest of the agenda.

Just as she buried herself deep in thoughts, her opponent walked up to her with his hand stretched out.

“I hope we can pick up where we left off, dear Leia.”

Leia had run crazy with thoughts as she violently trembled while staring at his hand. 

Mark with his ever-charming smile looked like a fair player in the eyes of the others who grumbled. 

At long last, she took his hand and they shook to the beginning of their cooperation, however just after she shook and turned to leave, she felt a pull by none other than her nemesis.

Mark leaned in closely and her heart began to race against the clock when he suddenly tucked her hair behind her ear. 

" I hope you're ready Leia because I'm about to make you experience hell," he whispered closely.