"It's not that hard, try it again. You just need to focus. Even Grandma can do it." Noelle urged, handing her uncle another puzzle piece.

Billion sighed in annoyance and took the piece from the eager girl. He wished it was his heart and mind he was putting into place as he twisted and turned the lego into the correct position.

Maybe I should end this madness once and for all.

With all his might, Billion wished he could sit her aggravating ass down and spill everything to tame her wild heart, but they had come too far and he was not going to lose HOPE by acting on his feelings.

"See? Easy!" his niece chirped when the final piece clicked into place.

"Very easy." Billion left a peck on her forehead, though his mind was far away from the walls of his grandparents' home.

"You missed my ballet class last week and Grandma said you traveled with your princess. Am I not your princess anymore?" she asked, peering at her uncle in sadness.

"Of course you are. You'll always be my princess. The only one actually," Billion said, tugging her into his side.

"So she's not your princess?" Noelle asked curiously.

She belongs to another man.

"Elle?" their grandmother called from the kitchen, saving Billion from answering the conflicting question.

"Yeah..." the little girl drawled, knowing what was coming next.

"It's getting late. You've school tomorrow. Off to bed hon," Penelope said. Noelle's lips pulled into a pout and she fell onto the rug in a mock sleep.

"Oh no young lady, you've school tomorrow. Now come on," Billion scooped his sulking niece into his arms.

"Will you stay today?" she asked as they headed up the stairs.

"No, princess. But I promise to be back on Saturday..."

"Come with your princess OK? I want to have a tea party with her," she said giddily.

Billion scoffed at the request but in order not to upset her, he agreed. "Sure." her smile widened at the response.

After tucking her in bed, he asked, "What are we reading today?"

"Princess and the frog!" Noelle said, waving her teddy in the air.

As usual. Billion rolled his eyes and pulled the over-read book from its place on the shelf. He sat at the foot of the bed and delved into the Disney world for a whole five minutes. His niece was asleep halfway into the story as usual and that was his cue to end the tale.

Billion shut the book and put it back on the shelf. Switching off the bedside lamp, he kissed her on the forehead and strode out of the room.

His grandmother met him when he descended the stairs into the living room. "Leaving?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'll call you."

Penelope nodded. "I'm glad you're finally going home. I was beginning to think you were hiding from someone," she said with a knowing smile.

"I'm not hiding." he grabbed his cardigan from the couch and pulled it on.

The old woman huffed at the obvious lie. "You don't fool me, young man. You've been moping around since you got here yesterday."

"I've not been moping, Penny. Stop interrogating me..."

"This has something to do with this Emery girl, isn't it? Are you two having problems?" Penelope asked worriedly.

"For God's sake, stop interrogating me. We're fine," Billion drawled.

Penelope fixed him a stern look and said, "Just tell her how you feel, Miles. It's time you let someone in and-"

"She's in love with someone else, Penny," Billion snapped. "good night." he kissed the dazed woman on the forehead and pranced out of the house.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

Emery came back from work to meet an empty suite. There was still no sign of him.

He had not slept in the bedroom after their tiff last night and it sure looked like he didn't come home at all.

Neither had he returned any of her calls or replied to her messages.

She had spent the entire day at work, thinking about him and his whereabouts. That almost earned her a scolding from Dean since she was not paying attention during their meeting.

Emery had just turned to head to the bedroom when the front door opened.

She released a shuddering breath to calm her throbbing heart when her gaze fell on him. He had also come to a standstill upon seeing her.

Knowing she was the course of his red mood, she was walking on eggshells around him now.

"Hi." She only received a curt nod in return as he sidestepped her and made his way to his study.

"Can we talk?" Emery asked but was once again ignored. "Billion?" she called after him.

"Later." he deadpanned and shut the door after him.

Emery looked forlorn at the empty room, her heart clenching for some odd reasons. Clearly, his snub hit home more than she could imagine but she dared not go after him and marched to her bedroom.

The evening wore on and still, neither bothered to take the first step to call a truce. Well, she had definitely tried her part but he chose to stonewall instead of mending fences.

After taking a bath and pulling on comfortable clothes, Emery ordered some food and when it arrived, she was conflicted as to whether to invite him or not.

She had not heard from him after his snub earlier, and even thought he had left again. However, she chose the latter decision and headed to his home office.

"Billion?" She gave the door a light knock. When there was no response from the other side, she knocked harder.

"Bill-" The door swung open, cutting her off.

"I said later..."

Emery cringed at the brashness of his voice, her heart racing out of nerves. She swallowed down the hurt that assailed her at his ill-treatment and met his hard gaze again.

"I...I ordered some food and thought to ask you if you'd like to have a bite. I mean, just in case you haven't had dinner yet." she blurted, wanting to be away from his penetrating gaze as soon as possible.

"I'm not hungry." he made to shut the door but against her better judgement, Emery placed a foot there.

"Look, I'm trying to make up what I did OK? I know I breached the contract and you probably don't trust me anymore, but I'm sorry," she said in all sincerity.

"You're right, I don't trust you anymore. And if I had my way, I'd find someone else for this job." Billion seethed and shut the door on her.

Emery's mouth hung open as his words worked their way into her core. Hot tears pricked her eyes on the spot but she quickly blinked them back and shambled back to the bedroom.

His words hunted her for the rest of the night and though she did her best not to dwell on it, it was difficult not to.

If I had my way, I'd find someone else for this job. Her heart clenched painfully whenever his words came to mind.

How could I have forgotten this is nothing but a contract.

After hours of just staring at her laptop in the name of catching up on work, she called it a night.

He didn't come to sleep in their bed either. His bed, not theirs. Emery corrected.

I want out of this madness anyway. Emery thought before sleep laid her to rest.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

Morning came, much to Billion's relief. His waist ached from sleeping on the couch last night. That was his damn fault.

He could have gone to bed once she was asleep but he chose to sleep in his office as a punishment. Yes, denying himself the comfort of being with her was punishment enough for him.

Dragging his aching muscles out of his home office, Billion made his way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

Shit. He cussed when he walked in on her in the living room. He was really hoping she would be off to work so he wouldn't have to deal with any drama.

She was on a call and since she had her back towards him, Billion took that opportunity to stalk away.

"I'll pass by the hospital on my way home. Yeah I know, take care. Love you more bro." Emery hung up and turned in time to see him.

"Hey."

There was no escaping her.

Billion might have taken longer to respond because she took that as another cold shoulder and walked out of the suite.

Billion's gaze flickered from the door after it shut behind her and dragged in a deep sigh.

The heavenly aroma of Bacon and cheese engulfed him as he sauntered into the kitchen.

Hi, I made breakfast. The small pink sheet plastered on the fridge read.

His eyes roamed over the cursive handwriting for another second before he rounded the isle to the covered food tray.

That was when he saw the brown paper bag. In her haste, she had forgotten her lunch.

Billion shrugged in nonchalance and went ahead to eat his breakfast.

· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·

"Can I ask you something?" Tracy asked, regarding Emery who was busily sorting through files behind her desk.

"Sure," Emery said, all the while tending to her work.

As long as it isn't another office gossip that'll waste an extra minute of my time.

"I heard something yesterday in the coffee room and I just wanted to confirm." Emery nodded for her to continue with her nose still in the papers.

"Are you really Billion's would-be bride? The girls were adamant yesterday that you're the same girl from the news but of course, I didn't believe them. No offense." Tracy said with a light chuckle.

Emery finally turned an eye on her. The last thing she wanted at the workplace was for her colleagues to pester her about her relationship with Clifford's notorious boy.

The urge to refute Tracy's words so as to get her and the others off her back was strong but before she could make good on it, another colleague joined them.

"Good morning, ladies," The woman greeted.

"Hi Celine," both ladies said in return.

"This was dropped earlier for you, Em."

"For me?" Emery asked curiously. She took the brown bag before realization down on her.

"Who brought this?" she asked just to confirm her doubts.

"Some hunk. Says he's your fiance," Celine said with a low whistle. "Damn girl. Quite a catch." Celine gushed.

"You're married, Celine," Tracy said with a chuckle.

He brought my lunch? Wow.

"Where's he?" Emery asked, getting up from her chair.

"Probably gone. He dropped this a minute ago so I can't really tell," Celine said.

"Excuse me," Emery gave them a sheepish smile and dashed out of the office.

She ignored the stares from curious workers as she trekked the corridors, trying to get a glimpse of him.

She had just stepped into the first floor when she saw him talking to Dean at the main reception.

They were surely doing more than talking if Billion's stiff features and Dean's smug look was anything to go by.

The click-clack of her heels announced her presence and both men turned to her direction.

"It's still five minutes before Lunch, Emery," Dean reproached.

"I'm sorry sir, I-"

"Don't call my fiancee by her first name," Billion warned. "and it exactly 12:30, lunchtime," he added.

"Please stop," Emery said to him and sent an apologetic smile her boss's way.

"I don't want to see you hovering around, Dekker or else I'll call security on you," Dean warned before walking out on the two.

"He's my boss. The least you can do is to not get me into trouble with him," Emery chided.

Her breath hitched when he took two gentle strides towards her. "What are you doing?" her cheeks warmed since he had reached out to pin some stray hair behind her ear, her heart flipping when his fingers lingered on her skin.

For a moment she stared at him in daze until she came to terms with the fact that he was being sweet because they had an audience.

The smile wiped off her face when reality hit her, and she stepped out of his hold discreetly.

"Um... I received the lunch thanks. I have to get back now. See you later," she jumbled, looking anywhere but at him.

Throwing one last glance at her, he walked out of C&D without another word.

"Oh my gosh, it was really him and she's really the girl from the news," a distant voice said.

"Among his numerous models, he went for plain Jane?" another one added.

Emery didn't bother to look in the direction of the gossipers and strode towards the elevator.

Unquestionably, she knew a day would come where others, especially women would belittle her because of her relationship with Billion Miles Dekker, so if this was the time then by all means, they should pound the alarm.

"Oh, it's you alright!" Tracy squealed the second Emery walked into their office.

"Excuse me?" Tracy rolled her eyes at the question and strode over to Emery. She grabbed Emery's right hand and raised it up.

"I'll remember this ring anywhere, all thanks to the media, and I might have taken a peek through the window. Oh my god, you're really Dekker's fiance!" Tracy gushed.

"That might be me, I guess," Emery said sheepishly and tugged her hand out of her grip.

She's more enthused than I am.

"Wow, he is really getting married," Tracy said. "Whatever happened to, I don't do relationship," she muttered, grabbing her purse from her desk.

"You know him then?" Emery asked. A gnawing feeling crept into her chest at the thought of her co-worker being anything to her man.

"Nothing personal," Tracy mumbled.

"Oh OK," Emery said with a half-smile.

"It's an honor to work with a future miss Dekker. Joining Celine and me for lunch?" Tracy asked.

Emery almost declined just to save her ears from further hate comments but she couldn't hide forever so she agreed.

"Sure." she grabbed her lunch pack and the two strode out to the cafeteria.

Emery could still feel the warmth of his lips on her cheeks, but she steeled herself not to think of him.

It was just a PDA to him after all.

────────────•••───────────────
Special shoutout to Stellabonita @TianaMarc and @Enockito for their unflinching support.

From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you all for the support.