Onika's pov....

"You going to office, right? Can you drop me as well? Am getting late and my boss is not a big fan of late comers." I asked him in a steady voice, proud of myself that I didn't stutter.

Well, I practiced that line for like fifty times.

But Instead of answering he just started looking around incredulously. Then pinched himself. Uh-oh, hence proved he has gone mad.

Tick, tick, tick....Why isn't he answering?

"So it's a yes or no?" I asked impatiently and a bit anxiously.

"Ye...yes..I..I don't see why not." He said looking dumbstruck.

So I immediately sat in the car before he change his mind. But instead of moving in he just stood rooted to his place as if paralyzed.

"Well you better start driving... I am telling you my boss is too rude and I don't want to be his victim for the day." I said teasingly.

That got to him, a lazy smile made its way to his lips as he said" Well I happen to know your boss personally he won't dare to be too rude with you, I assure you." Now his smile turning cocky and I returned his smile with my sweet little inocent one.

He narrowed his eyes infinitesimally at me but didn't say anything. I know he is not buying it....yet. But he will soon. I will make sure he does.

He got into the driver seat. Looking at me intensely with furrowed brows for some sign that will give away what is going on.

My heart started beating fast.

Just relax, take a deep breath and stay calm.

Do not panic.

Do not panic.

You can do it!

Oh my god now this is creeping me out...he is looking at me for way more then required. Why isn't he averting his gaze?

Please god don't let him see through my act. Please.

Has he guessed what is going on? I knew I was playing with fire. I am dead now!

He finally spoke after a long silence of one minute.

"Put your seat belt on." then looked straight and started driving and I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Every now and then he kept throwing side glances at me as if expecting me to vanish in the thin air like a dream.

I finally broke the awkward silence by saying. "You skipped your breakfast today...so I packed it for you."

He moved his head in my direction so fact that I am afraid he must have dislocated his cervical vertebrae.

He just stared at me looking flabbergasted and I just kept shifting on my seat feeling uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze. Awkward!

I finally decided to intervene. "Agustin, you are driving...you should look forward, you know." That broke his reverie.

"Oh..umm..oh..oh yeah!...well thanks for..for...being so thoughtful?" He said looking unsure and flashed.

"Don't mention." I said with a small smile and looked straight to realise we are not even on the right path!

"Agustin you were supposed to take a U-turn." I told him in disbelief.

He looked at the surrounding incredulously and said "Oh Fuck.......I am whipped." The last part was barely a whisper not meant for me to hear but I heard it nonetheless.

This is just the start Agustin De Luca, I whispered to myself.

We finally reached our destination and got out of the car.

Well it went better than I thought. Nice start Onika, I praised myself. At least he is not suspecting anything, or so I think.

We entered the office premises, the guards did a double take when they saw me getting out of Agustin's car and I almost laughed out loud at their dumbstruck expressions when Agustin replied with a nod and smile to their

'good morning, sir.'

I guess normal etiquettes just doesn't suits Agustin.

Similar where the reactions of my colleagues, their jaw almost hit the ground on seeing a cheerful Agustin. I smiled internally. My goodness quite some impression Agustin had created in their minds, no wonder.

As we reached the elevator to go to our respective cabins, I turned my way towards the common elevator as the private elevator is just for the CEO and the COO to use, which would be Agustin and Jacob, but Agustin grabbed my hand making me turn back to him.

" You can use the private elevator, you know?" He said as a matter of factly

Yeah sure, whatever you say for the time being.

So, I nodded my head without any argument and got in with him mumbling a "thank you."

He looked a bit taken aback by my complete lack of resistance. Fuck, I hope I am not over doing it, take slow baby steps, Onika. I scolded myself internally, but he recovered quickly and said

"My pleasure" with a cocky smile, plastered on his lips.

Great, I said to myself.

Uh-oh, spoken too soon, I realized as I saw Jacob entering the elevator. What a great timing Jacob, and here I thought things can't get anymore awkward. Fuck my life.

A pang of guilt hit my gut when I looked up and saw Jacob's bandaid nose.

Agustin and Jacob glared at each other as if ready to slit each others throat any moment and the temperature of the environment surrounding us heated several degrees. By looking at them no one can guess that until yesterday they were best friends...they look like arch enemies at the moment, ready to tear apart each other.

Not good. I hurriedly punched our floor numbers, before they start wrestling.

I saw Jacob's gaze drop to my waist and his expression darken visibly, I followed his gaze, that's when I realized Agustin have his hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to himself as if marking his territory.

It took everything in me not to slap away his hand. I am not your fucking possession I wanted to scream at his face, but refrained myself, not wanting to go back to square one.

The tension was palpable in the air, thick and suffocating.

After what seems like infinity the elevator opened with a ping and I immediately got out of that inferno and got into my cabin, with super human speed, shutting the door behind me and took a deep breath trying to ease my nerves. Phew!

I got to work and nearly after ten minutes my phone buzzed revealing a message from Jacob.

Meet me outside the cafeteria, now.
.
.
.
Jacob was leaning against the wall beside the cafeteria in his White shirt and faded denim jeans, with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"So how is it going? I see you have made quite some progress in just one day...." He asked. He looks....angry?

"He had his hands around you as if you fucking belong to him "he said, this time through gritted teeth.

I looked at him in confusion.

He should be happy isn't it? After all that is what our plan is. Then why do I sense an edge of anger in his voice?

"Well... I don't know..." I said unsure..he was looking at me expectedly for elaboration.

" Okay fine I will tell you the truth...it just doesn't feel right...I am just so scared of him, out of my mind and I am feeling so guilty....oh my god... I am a nervous wreak.......why does life has to be so complicated? I just wish I was never born ...Jesus, I freak out every other minute..Why can't he just let me go? Why does..."

I suddenly stopped speaking as I felt Jacob's lips pressing gently on my right cheek ever so lightly as if touching something delicate and.....of big value?

I just stood there, stunned. What the fuck did just happened? I looked at him incredulously, wide eyed. He apparently looked unaffected by it and just shrugged and asked "what were you saying?"

What were you saying?

What were you saying?!

That is all he has to say in his defence?!

I looked around to check if anyone has noticed his little stunt, if the news goes to Agustin then.....But thankfully no one was there around us.

I sighed in relief and glared at Jacob.

"What? You needed to breath in some air to keep yourself from asphyxiating and with the speed you were blabbering I was afraid you were going to suffer from oxygen deficiency. And I see it worked quite well" He said with a cheeky grin and raised both his hands in air in a gesture of surrender.

"That was your way to quieten me?!"I demanded and narrowed my eyes at him trying to sound intemidating. He just beamed and said "you liked it? Then I can try it more often?" he said with a flirtatious smile on his face, revealing his dimples, causing my intemidating facade to slip away and giving him a smile in return. Well, for sure it worked.

" Just cool it off Onika and forget about wrong and right.. Agustin had brought this upon himself. So stop pitying him. And he has no power against you...abusing a woman is no sign of power its just a sign of cowardice....he will have only as much power over you as much you allow him to have. Don't let him fuck with your mind. Throw his fear fucking OUT of your brain. He is not worth receiving anything from you....not even your fear.

Any moment you feel things are not going well, or something is wrong, no matter how irrelevant you thing it is, you just call me. I will be there the next thing you know. I promise you, I won't let him touch you this time. Be strong. Remember what he did to you? He is not someone to be pitied, okay?"

I nodded my head in agreement and understanding as I recalled all those bitter memories of him brutally torturing me. All my hate for Agustin threatening to resurface again. If he can't even keep a small inocent child out of his foul play then why the fuck I have to sympathize to him.

I was pulled out of my disturbing thoughts as my cell phone buzzed again. This time to reveal Agustin's message.

Can you please come to my cabin? Need to talk to you.

What is it with him and please now a days? He mustn't have said please these many times in his whole life as many times he had in the past one week.

I shuddered and concluded its going to be a long day.

"Agustin?" Jacob asked, looking at me with furrowed brows.

I nodded my head.

"Well then keep going we don't want to keep him waiting..."

"Yep...okay then I should leave and.... thank you." I said, feeling genuinely indebt to him for all his support.

"Bull shit, Thank you for what?...its your fight and you are fighting it.. you are the one who is doing everything here. I haven't done a thing. So thank yourself woman." He said, his eyes showing a mix of sincerity and admiration.

My heart just melted at that.

"Well I was thanking you for.....the coffee." I joked and we both laughed out loud.

I have now started noticing the pattern. I always come to Jacob all worried and end up smiling no matter how serious the matter in hand is. He has this great capability to calm me down and sooth me just by his mere presence. Something about him makes everything feel right though deep down I know things are anything but right.

I sighed heavily and left for Agustin's cabin. Here I come Agustin. Enjoy your fucking good time because it's not gonna last long.
*************

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Until next
Ricky ❤❤