After the cops arrived and had the guy apprehended, they asked Daisy a few questions before taking the thief away.

She sat in her living room now fully dressed up, wondering who could have done that to her. She can't recall making any enemies but mentions ones that would want to harm her.

"Hey," Ethan strutted to her, and she jumped away, turning to meet his gaze.

"Hey," She mouthed, thankful that he was here to save her today. Only God knows what that man came for but now, she was very scared.

"I'm sorry about that," She looked at him, and smiled as he rocked on his feet, his hands in his pants pocket which were molded to his skin. She looked away, ridding her mind of such mundane thoughts when he was only concerned about her.

"It wasn't your fault," She shrugged and stood from the couch, walking towards the bar. She didn't call Amanda because she knows if she does, she would have to leave her house and rush down here at once thereby obstructing her evening with her girl. Daisy didn't want that.

"I should have been here to protect you," He insisted.

"You did that..." She mouthed sincerely. "I don't know what would have happened if you weren't around to call the cops. I don't even know how he got in here," She looked around. "It's impossible for anyone to get in here unless someone aids them."

"I thought so too..." He forged, striding after her.

"I think it's one of the maids... I will have to fire all of them. I can't work with betrayers!" She reached the bar and sat down on the stool. Her son has been sent to bed on time and Ella was curled on his feet in his room. They both had a rough evening and deserve the rest.

"I don't think you should take that, Daisy." When she fired him with a dark eye, he lifted his hands, "maybe a little, if you want." He corrected.

She ignored him and poured a wholesome amount into her glass. This thing was used to be her only comforter and no one, absolutely no one would tell her otherwise. She brought another glass and dropped in front of him if he wanted to indulge.

Seeing that she wasn't going to adhere to his admonition, he drew the second stool closer and sat on it, taking up the unpacked invitation. Silently they drank from their glasses, none knowing what was going on in the head of the other. Sometimes, the best remedy to despair is silence.

When Ethan checked his phone, it was getting late, and he should get going. He didn't want her to think he was trespassing by wanting to stay maybe till tomorrow when she was safe by herself so, he dropped his glass and jumped down.

"I have to start going," He said slowly, "will you be okay?"

Daisy sharply looked at him. It's not like she wanted him to stay, but she was still shaken from what just took place and knew there was a slim chance of her getting any sleep tonight, so she looked at him imploringly. "Why are you leaving? I mean, you can if you want but I was thinking..." She paused, her lips quivering. She didn't know what she was doing..

"Yes, I will stay if you want me to," Ethan quickly chipped in, before she changed her mind.

"Okay," She mouthed, "thanks."

He nodded.

She looked around, realizing they should probably have their dinner since it's already late. "Let's head to the dining room. I think they have served the food by now," She pointed in that direction.

He made way for her as she jumped down from the stool and they began making their way out of the room. Entering the room, the scintillating scent of macaroni and goat sauce went through Daisy's nostril, informing her of how hungry the event of this night had made her.

They sat down and she dished their food into their plates and started eating. Often he found her eyes trailing to him and when he looked up, she looked down. Ethan caught her on not more than one occasion doing that and she equally caught him sneaking unbeknownst peeks at her.

The air was very dense. She didn't even know that she asked him to stay back. She could very well sleep by herself without his protection and now he must be thinking he was weak and can't stand a bad night with some stupid list sheep that might have probably come to... "My design!" Her eyes widened.

"What?" Ethan asked in confusion..

"I think that guy was sent by someone to steal my design!" She jumped up and started dashing out of the room. Ethan caught up with her at the stairs and they finalized the remaining rungs.

"How could you be certain?" He asked out of breath.

"When I came out of the bathroom, I saw my laptop open. Normally, we designers often try to steal our designs so as to replicate them. The best way is to steal the blueprint. That way they would replicate it without being pointed at." She entered her room and went to her laptop. There is no way that guy would have collected it because her blueprint was on her laptop. They were in her iPad that she often carries in her bag. "With the show coming up, they wanted to steal it so as to launch it before us! Gosh!"

"Does that even happen?" Ethan found it very appalling.

"It will shock you how much people are willing to do for the spotlight! I worked hard on that design, I swear I won't let anyone do that to me!" She clicked through her laptop, confirming it when she logged in and saw that the pages he opened were all where her initial designs were stored. Suddenly she started laughing and fell onto the bed.

Ethan was bemused. "What now?"

She tapped his shoulder as she reeled with more laughter and when it receded she said, "I find it so amusing myself that someone would go to this mile just to get our samples. Do you know what that means?"

"I swear I still can't relate. I only know of companies stealing other best workers just to make them use their ideas to bring more productivity to their own company, not for someone trying to steal others' creativity! That guy must say who sent him!" He stamped and Daisy was surprised at how resolute he was for something that doesn't concern him at all.

"Don't worry, they didn't get it "

"They didn't?" His belly knitted in relief.

"Yeah, they didn't. Let's just say, we anticipate these things and make sure I work towards avoiding them."

"Oh," He fell beside her in recourse. He thought someone had taken her hard-earned design. He would have made sure they paid earnestly for it.

"It's okay..." She told him. "I'm sorry I made you leave your dinner." Concern touches her forehead.

"It's not a problem. I wasn't that hungry," He said. "Maybe we should go down so that you can finish up..."

"No! I'm full. The entire race and adrenaline rush has engulfed my belly."

"Oh, okay..." Silence.

"So what now?" He asked her. "I mean, what are you going to do with the guy?"

Daisy thought about it. "I don't know for now. I guess I will leave him there until I decide what to do with him."

"What? You know that's not possible," He told her and she broke out laughing again. Ethan watches her, saving this moment of freedom with her before she remembers she hates him and turns cold towards him again.

"I'm just kidding, I will go there tomorrow and make sure he says who sent him. That way I can know who to avoid in this industry."

"That's the smart thing to do. Maybe it might even be someone you are least expecting."

"Very true." Daisy quickly agreed, her eyes stylishly taking him in. The best thing would be for them to leave, but no, here she was carrying on a discussion with him as if they were best friends!

As though reading his mind, he jumped up and pointed towards the door. "I think... I should go to the guest room now." She jumped up and nodded.

"Yeah, let me show you to the room, I still have to do a few things before I head to bed."

He cocked his brow, his lips twisting to the side. "Like what?"

"I have to work, Ethan. I have a mega runway show coming up, I have to be up to the booth if I need things to go smoothly. No sleeping!"

"Oh...Kay!" He quipped and they walked out of the room. She showed him to the room that was next to hers and then came back to her room when he was settled in.

Entering her room, she lapped against her door, her hand going to her heart to quell her breath at her wild thoughts. God, why was her body betraying her like this? After everything that Ethan did to her, just one night with him and she was feeling this hot in his presence. As she stood there, the only thing going through her head were the images from the other night.

Her hand went lower to rest on her center and when she pushed it into her pants, she felt how wet she was. Lord! She needed immediate release. Work indeed! As if she was ever going to concentrate and get any work done with him sleeping under the same roof with her.

She pushed away from the door and made for the lamp stand to retrieve herself and for the first time, doubted it was going to do much for her tonight. She needed something real and if she goes on with this, it will be like telling herself a lie.

Annoyed with herself, she fling it back in and went to her wardrobe to pick out her swimming gear. It would do her well to use the swimming pool. When she exhausts herself, she will come up and find sleep, she told herself.

"Just tonight!" She meditated, changed into a bikini and wore her robe to leave her room. Everywhere was quiet which was what she needed as she made her down.

Somehow she reached the living room, she nearly changed her mind and went back to the room in fear that the hoodlums might find her in the pool and choke her. But, the need to forget her present torment overpowered her fear and finished what she started.

Disrobing the bathrobe, she dives into the pool and proceeds to swim. She swam from one end to the other, her body getting familiar with the cold liquid.

"And I thought I was the only one who needed this," She heard Ethan's voice and surfaced with dull force.

"Ethan!" She reeled. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep and thought instead of disturbing you, maybe I could get a swim..."

"Oh," She fought for words. "I.. I kept thinking of the incident and decided to, you know, swim to get it off my head," She lies through her teeth. She would rather eat her eyes than tell him the true reason for her swimming.

"Then, you don't mind if I join you?"

Oh, God, that would be the worst. She mused.

Imagine her going through tough space thinking of him and then he appears by the poolside wearing a robe and to worsen it, he removed it to expose nothing but a short brief underneath his brief. "Daisy?" Ethan purred, relishing in the way she was rendered speechless by him.

"Yeah! I mean, of course! I was just about to leave..."

He delved in and swam to her, stopping her before she would leave. "I meant with you..."

"Ethan..."

"Shhhh, it's okay..." He circles his arm on her waist and tugged her close, every form of reasoning leaving Daisy's head.

....