"When can we start working again?" I asked Elian when we were eating our brunch on the patio of his estate.

"We will get the clearance today, so from tomorrow, but it's Friday. I don't want the opening day to be the last day of the week—"

"So, Monday. Great," I said happily. "I can spend the next three days, warming up your heart."

Elian glared at me and said, "You can forget about that because you are going back to your apartment after this meal."

I gasped dramatically. "How can you kick me out after sleeping with me last night?"

He flashed me a tight-lipped smile and said, "We just slept on the same bed, Ms. Fleur. And yes, I'm kicking you out. You have your own apartment which you pay rent for. You have no reason to stay here."

"While I'm a self-dependent woman, I don't mind spending a few days at my..." I wasn't sure what to call him, but then an idea popped out. "My kinda-boyfriend's luxurious mansion."

"Again with that kinda-kinda thing?" he groaned.

"Yes, absolutely. Unless you prefer to be my friend?" I offered generously.

"No, thanks."

I still wondered why he still was so opposed to being my friend—

My eyes widened in realization and gasped, "Oh, my God, you don't want to be friend-zoned by me!"

Elian choked on his food and grabbed a glass of water to chug down. "What?" he let out.

"You know very well that once I friendzone someone, I never see them as anything more. That's why you never wanted to be my friend," I connected the dots.

"No, that's not it—"

"God, you're so dumb, Elian. If you really wanted me to not fall for you, you should have just agreed to be my friend," I laughed.

He wiped his mouth with a tissue and said, "I would rather die than be friend-zoned by you."

I giggled and said, "You're such a cutie." I tried to pull his cheek, but he shoved my hand away.

"Ms. Fleur, please mind your manners," he said in a formal tone.

I frowned. "You're really doing that just to annoy me, right?"

He smirked and said, "Do you feel how annoying it was when you used to call me 'Sir'?"

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my avocado salad. "It's different."

"It's not that different, Ms. Fleur."

I huffed.

"Anyway, I'm done eating. I'm leaving for the court now," he announced and stood up. He needed to go to the court to clear out our company's name and make them withdraw the charges.

I quickly put down my fork and said, "I'm coming with you."

"You don't need to."

"As the COO of Storm Dynamics, I want to," I responded.

His lips cracked into a smile as he said, "You really are so stubborn."

"Hey, who do you think is the mole in my team?" I asked when we were in the car on our way to the court.

Elian looked up my team members on his iPad and said, "From their records, all of them are very trustworthy. They even have families. I don't think any of them will take such a risk."

I hummed in agreement. "Can Jace find out from whose computer the military assignment data was copied? Since Blacklist gang members don't know who it was themselves, that's the only way to find out."

"He can break in on Sunday night and check," Elian replied.

"Why not tonight?"

"Oh, he went on a small trip with his girlfriend. I have been making him work too much these days."

"Aww, that's nice," I commented, then a question occurred to me. "Hey, did I used to know Jace and Ashton back in university?"

He nodded. "They used to come over in my penthouse a lot, so you guys used to hang out often and became great friends over time."

"Did I used to know Lance too?" Then, I remembered that Lance put me at gunpoint and only backed off after Elian told him my full name. "Wait, no, I didn't."

"Both of you only knew each other's name and basic information."

"I see. Have I met any of your other family members?"

He shook his head. "I wanted you to, but you said it wasn't fair because you couldn't introduce me to your parents yet."

"The only way I could introduce you to my parents without it being a bloodbath would be saying 'we were getting married.'"

He chuckled and said, "You said the exact same thing back then as well."

I let out a sigh and asked, "Anyway, how long did we date?"

"Two and a half years"

I was genuinely surprised at the long duration. "For that long?"

He nodded. "From your second semester in the second year till your under-graduation."

"Damn, we were serious."

Elian bit his lower lip at the comment and turned his gaze outside the window.

I wondered if I hit a nerve. He wasn't planning to take the next step in our relationship, was he? Like asking me to move in with him or something like that?

I decided to lighten up the atmosphere by asking the driver to put on some music.

When the song started playing, I started humming the song funnily. I even went as far as to rap. But I couldn't hold back my laughter any longer, but luckily, Elian started laughing soon as well.

As I watched him, my resolution to get back with him got even stronger. I would do anything to see him as happy as in those photos, if not happier.

Everything went smoothly in the court trial. Thus, we were officially back in business.

After thanking our company lawyer, Elian and I made our way out of the court.

"I'm officially the COO of Storm Dynamics again. Phew. I had been feeling jobless the last few days," I commented.

"Oh!" Elian let out as if he remembered something.

"What?"

"Congratulations," he said suddenly.

I furrowed my brows in question. "Why so suddenly?"

"I never got to say it after you joined the company," he elaborated, but my confusion only increased. "You don't remember, but it was your dream to join Storm Dynamics, then become the COO."

A smile formed on my lips as I said, "So this is the reason the name of this company caught my eye when I was looking for companies to apply to after my post-graduation."

"Yeah. I couldn't say it before. That's why I want to say it now. Congratulations on fulfilling your dream, Alena. I'm proud of you," he said with a genuine soft, proud smile.

My eyes filled up with happy tears. I threw my arms around his neck and mumbled, "Thank you, Elian."

"You were really serious about kicking me out?" I asked, standing in front of my apartment building.

"Ms. Fleur, it's not appropriate for an employee to stay the night with her boss," Elian said virtuously.

I rolled my eyes. "Can I come to see you then?"

"No."

I pouted. "I guess I'll see you at the office on Monday."

He nodded. "See you on Monday, Ms. Fleur."

"Bye-bye, baby!" I hollered and winked at him while walking inside my apartment building.

Seeing him shake his head at my childish action, I giggled. I made my way to the fifth floor where my apartment was.

I was expecting to see blood spots in my living room where Elian shot down a few cops, but there was nothing. It was all cleaned. Even the door was fixed. It must have been Elian who asked for it.

To be honest, I was a little worried about those police officers being hurt by Elian, but Elian assured me that he framed the Blacklist gang for it.

I relaxed on the couch of my living room and wondered how I should make Elian want me back.

I couldn't remember much about him, so I needed help from someone who would be willing to go behind Elian's back for Elian's happiness.

Definitely not Ashton and Jace. They were too loyal to Elian.

Someone who is a little disobedient to Elian—

A big grin elated my face as I identified the perfect person for the job. I grabbed my phone and dialed a familiar person.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Lance. What's up?"