"Tony?" Jessie said softly from behind him, he stood immediately and turned to face her with a sad smile on his face.

"Hey princess." He replied.

​​

Her face fell and she pouted out of habit. "Princess? Did I do something wrong?" She asked, Tony only called her princess if he was going to scold her or give her bad news. The latter which she was very unlikely was going to happen, how much worse could her life get. And she was almost sure Karma wouldn't be too cruel, she only just found a moment and few as there were of happiness. Surely she couldn't have only a few hours of happiness right?

"What do you think? How could you leave the hospital and not call? Do you know how worried I was?" He asked his lips in a tight line.

She almost breathed in relief, part of her was expecting bad news, goodness knows she was privy to it this days. "I've only been out of the hospital a few hours, it only barely-" she looked up. "Noon."

"Although..." she continued interrupting his rant. "I'm sorry I should have called, I was preoccupied." She said her voice losing tone at the end.

Tony eyed the small parts of her exposed neck. "I can tell." He most positively winked at her.

Jessie cheeks burned red for the hundredth time that day. She pulled the hood over her head and looked away.

"I never thought I'd see the day you be flustered quiet. Too bad it took all of this for you to finally fall for someone." He laughed, causing her to shrink further into the hood.

"Oh please, you're pretty pleased I couldn't cause a scandal, I never got into trouble." She shrugged.

"Except that one time." Tony reminded her.

"That was not my fault!" She huffed. "And you know that, gosh the day I met that insufferable reporter, someone better be there to stop the murder I would most likely commit." She gritted her teeth, shivering with pent up rage.

"What were you even thinking? Touching a guy like that?" Tony laughed at the memory.

"That wasn't anything! His hands were occupied and it would be mean of me to leave him to his own devices when his zipper was down. Besides there no way I could feel like that for someone who was basically like my younger brother." She pursed her lips and crossed her arms across her chest.

"He is neither you brother nor younger than you but I will leave you to think what you must." He stated sitting back down.

Jessie followed his lead and sat besides him on the sofa. Still pouting.

It killed Tony to have to ruin this innocent fun. She really seemed happy, a little starled but happy. He always knew how she behaved when she was happy and this was... beyond his wildest dreams. He began to curse himself for having to tell her this. But it would be better she heard it from him first.

"Jessie" he started his tone suddenly falling serious. Her eyes flew to his, she was smiling! Not for long though, the smile fell of her face when she saw the serious look on his face and instantly her heart began to hammer in her chest.

"You didn't come here to scold me for not the hospital did you?" She asked slowly.

"I really wish I did, but I'm sorry Jess." He stated with so much emotion Jessie feared for her consciousness.

Wasn't there supposed to be a limit of bad news a heart could take? If there was she was sure she was at the limit. What else could possibly happen again?

"Just say, don't beat around the bush, you know I hate that." She choked out.

"I never intended to. Very soon you'll receive a message from the court, several actually." He started and she sat perfectly still allowing him to explain. "I'm truly sorry to be the one telling g you this but it's better your prepared. All the projects you've done, all the advertisements and the ones you were to do, that were publicly advertised." She swallowed already dreading what came next. "Including the agency, they are suing you for damages and defamation."

She nodded slowly, shutting her eyes for a bit. "How much?" She asked.

"What?"

"How much Tony? How much are they using for?" She asked.

"Twenty million." He replied and she let out a strangled sob.

"I don't have twenty million." She shook her head. "At most, last I remember I have about 5 million in my account."

"I know," he paused. "But you worth twenty million."

"What?" It what her own turn to ask.

"All your properties, jewellery, designer item combined to the money you have in your accounts all amount to Twenty million." He said.

She shook her head. "They can't take my house Tony. They can't take my house." She said her voice barely more than an audible whisper. A stray tear fell down her cheek.

"I know you won't want to, ever. But I'm sure if you ask Jason-"

"No! I'm not going to ask him, I couldn't." She shook her head, leaning down on her knees she placed her hands on the gap between her eyes. Stopping the tear that fell from touching her cheek. Instead they rolled down her hands.

"Why do you guys seem so serious?" An overly familiar voice called out from behind them and she looked at Tony in alarm, turning away to quickly compose herself she was on her feet almost immediately. Not giving a chance to Tony she smiled at him.

"Jason!" She squeaked. "Didn't see you there."

"Well if you weren't so engrossed in your talk I can only imagine what is so serious?" He looked at her expectantly.

It took some moments to realise he was waiting for an answer. "It's nothing really, just reminiscing about the old days." She said awkwardly clearing her throat.

Tony could only watch in despair, she should be in front of a camera acting. How quickly she was able to transition from a blubbering mess into pure definition of joy. And Jason was eating it up.

"Mr. Kang." Tony also rose, greeting him.

"That's chairman to you." He frowned.

"Ah... I see."

"Jason." Jessie frowned.

"Don't worry, he's just mad I encouraged you leave his manor the last time." Tony smiled at him, making Jason feel petty about holding a grudge.

"She would never have been hurt if she hadn't left." He said.

"And she never would've confessed her feelings to you otherwise." Tony replied.

"I beg your pardon?"

"She needed to be away from you to realise just how badly she needed you." He said expertly.

"So you're saying this was your plan?" Jason asked but before the older man could reply Jessie put a stop to the annoying back and forth.

"You do realise 'she' is right here." She said bringing the attention back to her. "Let's just agree to disagree." She stated.

"Going to work?" She asked eyeing his navy blue suit, his comb back hair.

"Please tell me not to go. I'll stay if you want." He gave her a mischievous grin that made her belly jump for some reason.

"You should go to work." She said bluntly. "Don't worry about me, Tony is here."

Jason looked back at Tony with a frown. "I'd rather be the one here."

"But then we don't always get what we want do we?" She bit out, her voice sounding sharper than intended. "I'm sorry" she apologised when he raised a questioning brow. "Just... I don't want to cause you any trouble with your work, you should go."

"Fine, since you insist." He agreed. "But first-" he walked up to her, his hands going around her waist her pressed his lips to hers with such frevensy she couldn't help the whimper.

Tony had to cough awkwardly when he wouldn't let go. Bringing Jessie back to her surroundings she tired to push him away, finally letting her go. He almost groaned outwardly when she but her swollen lip awkwardly and looked down with pink cheeks.

He decided that he liked her flustered. It was too sweet.

"I'll be back before six." He whispered in her ear, her shiver not unnoticed. With a quick nod to Tony he walked out of the room.

"Jessie y-"

"Don't, I'm not telling him. I just can't, it's too embarrassing. I will not have him paying for this. He has already done enough." She stated firmly.

"What is wrong with you? Since when did you get shame? You've never had a problem with it before." He said.

"Yeah because I could afford every luxury I wanted. What ever I bought or was given I would always think, another time, another situation I could but this for myself. I wasn't helpless I was just in an unfortunate situation." She cried. "I could accept it all because I felt I deserved it, I worked just as hard and I had my own money as well. But now it's feels like such a burden to stand in such a grand house, when I don't even have a roof to my name."

"Hey, Jessie..." Tony sighed as she broke down before him.

"I couldn't bare it if Jason found out, it would be too uncomfortable. Please." She sobbed.

He pulled her into a warm embrace as he let her wet his shirt with what he hoped was only tears.

She didn't deserve this, no one did. All she ever did was work hard, harder than most people wanted to believe. And now she only could watch as everything crumbled, fell right through her fingers. He felt immense rage it was almost unbearable.

He vowed to himself then that he wouldn't make sure that the people, the person that did this wouldn't get to be happy. As long as he was alive.