"Sir, Miss Nicole called...again."

I raised my eyes from the documents I was reading to look at my P.A, Scott.

"What did you answer?" I inquired.

"That... You're in a meeting." He replied cautiously like I would say something to him. In fact, I was the one who ordered him to answer that whenever he receives a call from that woman.

"Good, go back to work," I ordered.

It has been four days since I had been avoiding her. Somehow Eloise extracted the number of my P.A and she had been bugging him by calling him in almost every three hours.

I was well aware of what she wanted, of why was she calling my P.A frequently, and why was she seen in front of my office building every day. It was not rocket science to figure that out. Obviously, she wanted to apologize.

And as for me, I was willingly avoiding her. I wasn't angry at her anymore because whatever she blurted out that day wasn't her, it was her anger and in addition, she doesn't know about my family. But I wanted to make her realize that everything doesn't come out her way. That arrogant woman must learn to respect the feelings of others. She must understand how to control her anger.

When I saw her that night in front of my building, I was surprised to see her there and I swear, I would have forgiven her at that very moment if Claire hadn't interrupted my focus. That night, I didn't go out with Claire on a date rather it was a friendly dinner which she was asking for a long time now and it was clear to Claire too but she still made it look like a date in front of Eloise and I didn't even correct her. Why? I had no idea.

But I must say Eloise surprised me with her efforts for asking for an apology. I thought she would give up after I threw back her own words in her face but she didn't give up instead she increased her efforts to get an apology.

I gazed at the flower bouquet resting on my work desk sent by none other than Eloise Nicole. When I came to work I found the bouquet on the desk and Scott informed me from whom it came.

I picked up the note-card which was hanging in between the flowers and read it again.

Mr. Adams, I truly apologize for my misconduct, and to prove my apology I would like to have a talk with you. I would really appreciate it If you could spare a few minutes.

Thank you.

Eloise Nicole.

What a formal apology note she wrote!

I felt the corner of my lips tugging up. She's a strange woman. Sometimes she's sarcastic, sometimes frustrated where she doesn't care about others, and the rest of the time, she's formal. But I knew, all of these sides of hers were not real and I was tempted to see her original side. But I don't think that would be easy as whenever I meet her, my focus remained on teasing her, and that only frustrates her.

Placing back the note-card in its position I rubbed my face with my palms and sighed in frustration.

"Why am I even thinking about her? Why am I making her wait to apologize? Why am I allowing her to bother me? Why I want her to work hard to get an apology? Why everything is about her these days? What is happening to me?" I muttered loudly in frustration.

"What's so special about her that she's overtaking my every thought?" I asked myself. "She needs to go out of my mind."

I shook my head to throw her image out of my head and diverted my attention back to my work.

After lunch hour, Xavier and Sean came to my cabin that too without a knock on the door.

"I wonder what is going in your head that is making you drown in work." This comment came from Sean as he sat on the chair placed opposite my desk.

"You wonder, Sean? Here I am sure that he's trying not to remember someone that's why he's into work these days." Xavier said with surety in his voice as he sat beside Sean on the other chair.

"What do you guys want?" I asked without lifting my eyes from the papers I was reading.

"To know the name of the woman who has made her home in your head," Sean asked bluntly.

I let out a frustrated sigh and looked up only to see both of them were grinning ear to ear.

"Why are you both showing your teeth? I'm not interested in counting them." I mocked but their grin didn't flatter.

"Don't change the topic, Daniel. Tell us the name." Sean coaxed.

"You're being delusional 'cause there is no one. And I have a lot of work piled up that's why I'm working too much these days." I replied giving them a tight-lipped smile. I knew that if they win to see something different in my behavior, they would bug me to the end of the world.

"Oh?" Xavier raised his eyebrows and leaned forward on the desk. "Then who is this Eloise Nicole? Sources say that she's seen outside our office building these days to meet particular someone."

My heart drummed at an alarming rate. I knew about the so-called sources; it's the media. And now they won't let this matter slide easily.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Well, maybe she comes here to meet one of the employees. That's not a big issue." I shrugged my shoulders.

"I agree... it's not the big issue but I wonder who that employee is?" Sean said looking straight at me.

"Why are you guys digging into this matter? Don't you have work to do?" I said annoyingly. They both ignored my questions.

"Hey, who sent you this bouquet?" Xavier asked pointing at the bouquet on my desk.

"Err... A client."

"Which client and why?" Sean asked suspiciously.

"Umm... You don't know about that client." I muttered looking everywhere but them.

"Who is this client we don't know about?" Xavier frowned and stood up from his chair and extended his hand to pick up the bouquet but before he could touch it I took it in my hands.

"I already made it clear that you don't know," I said hastily and in return earned a stare from them.

"That's why we want to know the name of this mysterious client." Sean narrowed his eyes at me.

"You don't have to," I said placing the bouquet below the desk.

"Don't tell me it's a woman." Xavier gasped.

"You're hiding a woman from us?" Sean asked in shock.

"There is no woman."

"Oh, come on, Daniel, you can hide her from Sean but don't hide her from me, I won't snatch her away from you. I'm already married." Xavier coaxed as he came and stood beside me.

"Shut up, Xavier. And Daniel, since when you started keeping secrets from us?" Sean asked in disbelief.

I groaned. "It's the last time I'm saying 'There is no one in my life'. Now both of you. Out."

They didn't budge from their position so I pushed them to shove them out of the cabin.

"Hey, hey, hey, do not manhandle us. We'll go out in a civil manner." Xavier said raising his hands in surrender.

"Yeah, we will. But not before knowing the name of the woman," Sean smirked crossing his arms across his chest.

I was about to hit my head on the wall in frustration when an idea crossed my mind. I smirked and took my phone out of my pocket.

I looked at Xavier. "If you won't go out of my cabin this instant, I'll call your wife and tell her that you're not letting me do my work." His eyes went wide.

I then faced Sean. "And I'll tell her that you cursed."

"You wouldn't dare." Sean glared at me.

"I can and I will," I smirked evilly.

"I'm outta here," Xavier said and turned to leave but stopped and again face me. "Just so you know, we already have our suspicion and we'll love it if you confirm our suspicion. It's high time for you to settle down. Sean, Let's get going."

Obviously, they know!

I sighed in relief when both of them went out. It's not that I wanted to keep it secret from them but when there was no woman in my life and there was nothing serious going on between me the woman they have a suspicion about that is Eloise Nicole then how could I tell them what they wanted to listen?

If I'll ever have a feeling for someone, I won't hide it from them.

After work hours, I exited the building and sat in my car. I drove my car out of the parking lot and drove past the building but suddenly pushed the break when I saw someone in the rearview mirror.

I smiled looking at the woman who was wearing jeans, a hoodie; her head covered by the cap and big, dark glasses covered her eyes. She was trying to hide behind the lamppost. Hiding from the media, obviously.

"When will she learn that she can't hide like that? She still has to learn the technique of making herself invisible." I chuckled. Maybe she could hide from the media but not from me.

"She has done enough struggle to earn an apology. I think it's finally the time to clear the issues between us." I reversed the car and stooped it in front of her with a loud screeching sound which made her step away in shock.

I lowered the window glass and gave her time to recover from the sudden shock. When she recovered from the shock and blinked her eyes several times then I spoke,

"Up for food?"

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