Author's Note:

Dedicated to @maspionku and @Brind2y2 mention a user

Thank you for your love and support.

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I walk out of Ethan's office and collect the credit card for my expenses from Elizabeth. I am exhausted so I decide I should eat first. I find James parked in front of the office building and he tells me he was asked to drop me back home. I ask him if he can take me to any cheap diner nearby. When I used to work here, I have been to many restaurants in the area and they were expensive.

Fortunately, James drives to a little diner called "Down by the alley" which as the name says is tucked in an alley. Though the alley has potted plants, artistical painted walls and nothing like the alley I was in the night before, the very thought of walking through an alley raises my hackles.

As I kept staring at the alley nervously, James walked around the car and opens the door for me. I really hate when someone got my door. Chivalry or not, I feel its a simple enough task that one can do it themselves. Ethan had cajole me to let the chauffeur get the door in red carpet events and when media was present. I tell myself that I need to be more attentive, James has already got my door twice. I step out and thank him and don't make effort to move. I decide I would rather stay hungry for few more hours than walk in through an alley.

"I am not that hungry. I have work in the area. Thank you for the ride", I say without looking at him and trying to sound confident and failing miserably.

"Ms. Green, I haven't had breakfast and the place has delicious pancakes. Can you please accompany me? I hate to eat alone", James says softly. I don't know if he really is hungry or doing it for me. But I feel a little better. He is the only person who has been kind to me all day. So, I agree and walk by his side to the diner. Every step I take weighs me down yet I keep going fighting my fears. When we finally make it inside, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and it feels like I climbed Mount Everest. I take a couple of more deep breaths and look around.

"Down by the alley" is a cute and casual place. The decor is modern. James tells me the place used to be part of a restaurant but it was shut down when the restaurant owners where not able to make a profit with the increasing costs. Now the front of the place is converted to office space and the back part was rented out by a couple who own this place now.

I order an apple pie pancake with vanilla maple syrup with coffee and James orders a cinnamon roll pancake. Once the order is placed, the awkward silence fills us. I was never the person who can start a conversation unless I knew them well. James seems to feel the same and starts telling me about him. James's father owned a cctv installation company in Jacksonville. He had helped his father since he was 12 years old and when he was 18, he decided to join the Navy and was a Navy seal for 10 years. When his parents died in a car accident, he left the Navy to take care of his baby sister then 14. His sister is a child prodigy who graduated high school at 16 and got accepted into Stanford. He didn't want to leave his sister alone and stay in the other side of the country, so he moved here 8 years ago. He worked his way up and now he is the head of securities at Harris Software Pvt Ltd.

While James told me about himself, I cleaned off my plates of pancakes and downed my coffee in no time. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I took the first bite of the yummy pancakes I have tasted in a long time. It made my eyes water. God, I missed eating full stomach. Even when I was in the orphanage there was enough food for everyone and we never went hungry. But the last few years had been so excruciating that I only got enough food to keep myself going.

James didn't agree on splitting the bill though I insisted many times. When I felt I was offending him, I backed off and let him pay. When we get back in the car I ask him to drop me off at a cheap motel I found while he was in the restroom. The motel is about half hour south of Bay area. The pictures on the websites are nothing like the original motel in front of us. Its a rundown place and probably used for a lot of illegal activities. Even though its doesn't look safe, I decide to stay here since it is the only place I can afford and I am not ready to go back to my apartment. The thought of going back there churns my stomach and makes me want to throw up. As I thank James and walk to the reception, James stops me.

"Amy, this place doesn't look safe", he says warily looking around like he knows someone would jump out to mug us.

"Its only for a day. I will find a place tomorrow", I lie but he catches on it immediately.

"You are a bad lier", he say chuckling.

I remain silent because I don't know what to say to him.

"okay, my sister stays only a few miles from here. She has an empty room. Why don't you stay with her?", he offers

"what about rent?", I ask hopefully. If it is something I can afford, it will be great. After yesterday's incident, I would love to stay at a place I know I am safe.

"It's free. She bought the place with her inheritance. And doesn't rent it out.",

I can't thank James for everything he is doing for me. I had this huge imaginary family when I was little with brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, cousins, grandparents. In that imaginary family, my big brother was someone like James, protective, caring and sweet. I thank him and let him take me to his sisters place.

While we drive to James's sister's place, James tells me about his sister, Kate. She seems like a very nice person and I could really use a friend right now.

The apartment complex is clean and elegant. James lets himself in with a passcode and leads me up the stairs to the second floor of the building. He knock on the door and a few minutes later a girl opens the door. She hugs James immediately and drags him inside,

"I just was about to call you. There is some problem with the shower."

I don't think Kate saw me so I invite myself inside carrying a bag of the essentials I bought in Walmart on the way here.

James wrestle to get off her hold, for a small girl, Kate seems to have enough strength to hold down James who is twice her size.

"Kate, while you stop for a minute"

Kate doesn't let him continue and I hear them arguing in the bathroom. I stand awkwardly by the door not sure what yo do. Kate continues to talk not allowing James to say a word.

"I have a presentation tomorrow for my Aritifical Intelligence class. I can't be late. I have been boiling water in the stove for a bath. You.. Know the apartment manager.. He is as useless as a bag of dicks. He hasn't brought the plumber yet. I need this fixed today, I can aford... ", she stops mid sentence walking back to the living room.

"Who the hell are you?", she asks angrily.

I stammer to get the words out.

"I.. James.. Room rent.."

James lucky comes back,

"Will you calm down for a minute", he says to Kate.

"This is Amy Green. She will be staying with you for few days".

"No she is not. When did I give you the permission to bring one of your wh*re to my apartment", Kate screams angrily and the siblings start arguing among themselves.

Why did I think this would be good idea.? If I was in Kate's place I would be upset too. She was not given any notice. She could be living with a boyfriend. I didn't bother to ask James that.

"I am sorry. This was a bad idea. James I am sorry. I will find a place to stay. Thank you everything you did today."

I leave the apartment. But James rushes and stops me.

"Amy, just give me a minute. Kate is one of her mood. Let me talk to her".

James POV:

I leave Amy at the door and take Kate to her bedroom so I can talk some sense into her. Kate is the most friendly person I know and I don't really understand why she is reacting like this.

Kate walks into her room and gives me the stinky eye. I can't help but roll my eyes.

"I think Amy is in some kind of trouble and she really needs a place to stay. I offered her your extra bedroom for few nights. I am sorry I should have asked you but it slipped my mind. Please can you just let her stay for few days?"

"Who is She? I have never seen you so concern about any one before.", she says glaring at me.

I didn't want to tell her who Amy was but I don't have an option.

"She is Ethan's ex-wife", I say

"Oh my God.. Ethan, you mean your boss Ethan. As in.. My Ethan"

"For fu** sake, you haven't even met him ones.".

This is why I didn't want to tell her. Kate has been crushing on Ethan since I started working for him 2 years back.

"That's because you won't let me", she argues.

Kate has been asking me to set them up and I have been ignoring it. It is not because Ethan is a bad guy. I have worked with few rich guys born with a silver spoon and everyone of them are stuck up snobs who treat the rest of the world like filth. But Ethan is a decent guy. He doesn't make unreasonable requests or micro manage everything, though after today I am not sure about that with the way Amy is being treated. The problem I have in introducing Kate to Ethan is their age difference. Ethan is much older than Kate.

It also makes me a hypocrite because I can't stop thinking about Amy. I only met the girl this morning and she stole my breath away the second I met her. She is so beautiful, it took a lot to stop staring at her. I didn't even know she was Ethan's ex until I spoke to Elizabeth. Elizabeth said that Amy may look innocent but she was nothing but. I have known Elizabeth for 2 years and she has never been this hateful to anyone. But I have this gut feeling that she is wrong. There is a big misunderstanding. And also There is something going on with Amy today. I don't really know her and can't say anything about her character yet, but she is in some kind of trouble and she is so close to breaking down. So I am going to help her atleast until she can pull herself back together.

"Kate please. Can you please let her stay? She really needs our help."

"If I let her stay, its like betraying Ethan. I can't do that"

"Oh mg God, can you stop fangirling and help a girl in trouble"

Kate stops talking and starts thinking. I knew if I threw in the girl needs girl angle she can't say no. Kate believes women has to stick to one another to kick men's asses. She would always a women in trouble. Finally, she nodded.

"Only on one condition"

"What is it?"

"Only if you fix the plumbing"

"Fine, deal"

We shake hands and I ruffle her hair to annoy her.

"And Please for god sakes, don't bug her about Ethan"

"No promises there.", she says.

I should have taken Amy to my place instead. This is going to come bite my ass.