The rest of the time spent in the office was done in silence. Lena kept her focus on her work so that she could get closer to getting caught up as she knew it wouldn't be long before more paperwork and events requiring her attention would start piling up on her desk.

Samuel was quiet partly because he was focusing on working through some more of the financial paperwork and looking for any other signs that someone had been messing with the numbers. Mostly it was because he was thinking about Lena had said to him. It really did sound much heavier hearing it out loud than it did when considering what their engagement in his mind.

​​

Considering it from a more heavy perspective didn't make him want to change his mind about the engagement. He had already made the decision and didn't think that there was a reason to step out now that he had committed to it and both of their families had accepted it.

It also didn't help answer anymore questions for him either. He knew that what he was getting obvious was an engagement to a woman who was part of a well established and most likely feared mafia group, that much was obvious. But the reason why they were feared or what they had accomplished to get as far as they had was what he was interested in knowing yet was the one thing he wasn't being told.

He understood the risk that was associated with finding out more about the illegal side of what the Red Scorpions did, but how was he supposed to decide if he didn't want to go through with the engagement if that was the one part he wasn't being told. He would have to find an excuse to talk to Zane about this though he wasn't sure how that was going to happen.

Jeff had managed to make it on time to pick them up after the princes had messaged him and told him that they would be ready to leave by the time he got there which past seven in the evening. The sun was beginning to set and it was rather dark outside by the time they were driving back.

Since it wasn't that long of a drive back Lena didn't mind the fact that it was a rather quiet ride though she didn't miss the fact that Samuel had been being more quite after their conversation earlier.

She didn't consider herself having said anything that was out of turn. She had just been being bluntly honest about the situation that he was in and why everyone was being careful not to say too much around him. Even if it didn't seem like he was going to change his mind and back out of the engagement, they couldn't be too careful.

She knew earlier that she made it sound like he had a choice in the matter, but the fact was he really didn't. Especially not after she had given him her parents' rings. Technically before that even before that actually.

The way everything was being handled was more of a polite formality. The truth of the matter was that the moment he stepped foot onto their estate and stayed, he had pretty much lost his chance to back out of everything even though he went back to spend the time with this family.

It was one of the things that her father had wanted her to explain to him originally when she went to go visit him for his birthday, to let him know that while he was allowed to have that bit of freedom, the moment that Lena agreed to go through with the engagement, Samuel lost the ability to back out of it.

Of course Lena wasn't going to say that to him, especially not around his family. Meeting them she could read the atmosphere enough to tell that if she said anything along those lines and they ended up overhearing it, it would cause any even larger problem because it was obvious his family was protective of him.

Lena also didn't bring it up because she didn't quite think it was fair. The whole thing in the first place wasn't something that she was thrilled about. Her father had the authority to do it because of the situation Samuel's family had been in and really, she may have been the one who was going to take everything over, but until that point the princess didn't have the authority to go against her father if he truly wanted to force her to go through with the engagement.

Zane didn't do that of course though. He knew well enough if he tried something like that with his daughter that she would've rebelled. Plus, his own parents might've believed that such a strict handling of situations even among family members in the group was the right way to go about everything. Zane however didn't share their sentiments and preferred to allow his children a touch more freedom unless it was necessary for him to intervene and make a decision whether they agreed with it or not.

They were both going through with the engagement for different reasons. Samuel because of his family and not wanting to put a unnecessary burden by reject Lena which would most likely require them to repay their debts. For Lena it was mostly to humor her father and partly because she found Samuel to be an interesting person.

In terms of emotions- she wasn't sure that she actually felt anything for him beyond interest and amusement. Samuel certainly wasn't as bad to be around as her brother or a number of other people she had to deal with growing up. That didn't automatically mean that she liked him or had feelings for him. Not only that, but she felt that they hadn't spent enough time together yet for her determine what her feelings were towards. She didn't even know how Samuel felt about her.

"If I'm not planning on changing my mind and I intend to stick this out, can you talk with your father and see if he would be willing to tell me more?" Samuel asked as they got closer to the estate.

"We can talk to him, but I don't think that he's going to change his mind just because you say that you've no intention of stepping out of our engagement." Lena replied with a slight sigh. She thought that she had already explained that to him earlier.

"I know that you said, but I still would like to get the chance to talk with him about it myself and see what he says about." He replied. He really didn't want to have to wait however many weeks were left until they became officially engaged.

"If we do, it would have to be after dinner." The princess told him. She honestly wasn't even certain if her father was going to be around that night. Most evening he had to elsewhere for business that he couldn't finish up during the day.

"I don't mind that." was the response in reaction to this news.

"You certainly can be stubborn when you want to be little Chickadee." Lena commented as they pulled up to the estate. Jeff stepped out to open the car door for them, starting on Lena's side so that the princess could step out first. He was going to get Samuel's door for him as well, but the other man had already let himself out.

Much to Lena's surprise her father was stepping out of front door as they were coming up the steps. She didn't expect to be coming back about the time that he was getting ready to leave.

"Lena, Samuel. I see you came back late today." He commented as he stepped to the side so that he wouldn't be blocking the door for them to go inside.

"There was a lot of work to catch up on and a possibly a little problem that need to be handled, but nothing serious. We can talk about it later." Lena replied as her father nodded his head in response as a sign that he was listening.

"We can talk about it tomorrow. I have too much to do so I probably won't be coming back until late tonight." he told.

"Alright. Samuel also wants to talk with you when you come back. He wanted to know whether you would be willing to change your decision and allow us to talk more openly about the more underground side of things that we deal with." She told Zane, stopping her father before he walked too far away.

He stopped for a few seconds before he turned back to face both of them.

"That can actually be handled now. I can understand your position since I presume you have no intention of stepping of the engagement to my daughter now that you've committed to it this far, but the answer is still no. It's nothing personal. It's just better if you don't know about it right now." After Zane had finished speaking, he didn't wait for Samuel's reply before he continued to walk away.