Twelve hours and twenty-four fired employees later...I was still pissed at Vanessa.

Last night felt so special but then after this morning, it just felt like a lie.

I leaned back in my chair, raking my hand through my hair. I was in such a bad mood that I almost kissed away the Aurora deal. Well, it's contract closure was possibly the only thing today that came close to being called a good news.

I picked up the office phone and instructed Mrs. Ludwig to send Bryan upstairs. I could really use a drink or two to get away from all that happened today...plus I was sure he was waiting for an explanation for my meltdown.

A few minutes later Bryan walked into my cabin saying,"Hey! What did you need?"

"Let's go to some bar downtown.", I suggested.

"Umm...that would be great but I have this really urgent work thing right now."

"What work thing?"

"It's a project I have to submit tomorrow.",he said, uneasily.

"You can just say no. You don't have to lie to me if you don't want to hang out.", my anger flared.

"What? I am not lying.", he said defensively.

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, "It's a Sunday tomorrow and it's first Jan, day after. What work could you possibly have, Bryan?"

Since when did our friendship become so hollow that it could accommodate lies? Since when did we start keeping things from each other? First he kept his relationship with Charlotte from me and now...oh wait!

"Hey! I know I am still not at terms with your dating my sister but you don't really have to lie.", I said.

"Wow! I mean thanks. Umm...but I...I am not going out with her tonight.", he said, shifting his weight from one feet to another.

I frowned, "Then why lie?"

"It is a long story and it involves the person who is the reason behind your firing twenty eight employees..."

"Vanessa! Wait how did you...you talked to her?"

"I did. I really wanted to know why you were wreaking havoc here.", Bryan rolled his eyes.

"What did she say? Did she tell you how she called Blake and...", I sighed.

"She did but trust me Adrian, this all looks bad right now but tomorrow it's all going to make sense when you see the bigger picture."

"What is that supposed to mean?", I frowned.

"Just wait for a day, okay! I really need to go now. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Okay. Good night.", I said as Bryan left in a hurry, not responding to my last sentence.

Well, no drinks for me then. I guess a good home cooked dinner will have to suffice.

I picked up my blazer from the back of my chair and then left my cabin. I went down to Bryan's floor, remembering that I had to give him the invite for tomorrow's New Year's Eve party being thrown by the Crawfords. Being my best friend got Bryan the invitation to some of the most exclusive parties in the city.

I never usually brought my plus one so I brought Bryan along. I liked to find my plus one in the party itself though this year I wouldn't be looking. For the first time in my life, I wanted to hold onto someone but unfortunately for me, she didn't have the same desire.

I opened his door only to hear him uncharacteristically cursing, "No! No! No! Shit. I am a God damned idiot! I should never have left. I..."

I cleared my throat to draw his attention away from his rambling.

"You! You, yes. It is your fault! If Vanessa kills me, that is if she doesn't die first, you are the one my ghost is coming for.", Bryan pointed at me and then pushed back his blonde hair in frustration.

"Care to explain?", I said, leaning on a wall.

"No. I can't. I...um...I need to call Steven."

"Who is Steven?"

"Adrian, quiet! I'm thinking.", he said, typing something on his phone.

"I never knew you had an angry side.", I said, amused.

Bryan called someone, "Hey! Steven. There is a problem...ya, the call cut...no, I don't know if he saw it or if it was an accident...I am really confused...did she tell you of a plan C?...oh she did...that is perfect...tell me when you get through...thanks."

Bryan sighed with relief.

"I am still waiting for an explanation.", I crossed my arms against my chest.

"Can it wait a day? Vanessa can explain it better."

"I'm not talking to her. She cheated on me.", I said, sitting opposite Bryan.

"Technically she cheated on Blake since she is his girlfriend.",Bryan corrected.

"Whatever. This is a total mess...I kissed her first but she stopped me as she was seeing Blake, Blake tried to kiss her but she stopped him because she apparently felt guilty about kissing me but then she herself kissed me, only to call Blake the next morning to I don't know...hook up with him? What is wrong with her?"

"If I hear the word "kiss" one more time, I am going to get a headache.", Bryan said as I laughed.

"Oh give me a moment...", Bryan picked up his phone, "So?...well that's great...if you find anything suspicious, give me a ring. I'll inform the police."

Bryan put down the phone to face a very confused me, "Police? What the hell is going on Bryan?"

"It's a long story."

"I have time.", I said, worry looming over me.

"I know you do...but Steven can call me back any moment and I really don't want to leave you in the middle of this story."

"Okay. Can you atleast tell me who the hell is Steven?",I asked, irritated. I should be the first one to know if he is getting himself into some kind of a trouble with the law. And what the hell does Vanessa have to do with all this?

"Vanessa's best friend's brother and...a hacker.",Bryan said guiltily.

"A hack...what the hell are you both upto?"

"Well just know that Blake is the bad guy and we are trying to help Vanessa send him to jail. Rest, you can ask Vanessa herself, okay?"

"No. Not okay."

What the hell was going on?

"I don't understand why you won't t...", I began but was interrupted by Bryan's phone.

"Shit! It's Steven. This is not good.", he said worriedly, picking up the call.

"Put it on speaker.", I demanded and Bryan nodded.

Steven, a really panicked guy yelled, "Bryan, Blake knew the whole time. He has her phone. She is stalling him but you need to get there fast and get the police, okay? Oh god! Why doesn't she listen to anyone. We should never have left Vanessa alone with a psycho murderer..."

"What?", I said, shocked.

"Who is that?", Steven asked.

"Ohkay...bye Steven. Thanks a lot.", Bryan cut the call and then dialled 911 while I just sat there, still trying to wrap my head around what Steven had just said.

"Hello, GPD?",Bryan said

"GPD? Shouldn't you be calling NYPD?", I asked.

Bryan nodded, "She is in Greenwich."

"Connecticut? That's an hour away from here.", I frowned.

"So get a car...while I talk to the police."

I nodded, "Meet me at the roof."

"Roof?", Bryan frowned.

"Roof.", I said, leaving his cubicle to go to the elevator. I called Mrs. Ludwig to inform her that I needed a car arranged in Greenwich. As the elevator opened at the top of the building, I walked out,a gust of cold air hitting my face. I looked at the black beauty before me. No, it wasn't a horse, it was my company's chopper.

I asked one of the guards as to where the pilot was and apparently I had fired him today as I rarely used the chopper.

I sweared under my breath before sitting inside the cockpit and staring at the control panels. Bryan joined me a few moments later, "The police is on their way. Wait? Where is the pilot?"

"I am the pilot."

"Oh no! Do you even know how to fly this thing?", Bryan asked skeptically.

"I did take a few lessons early on, remember?", I said as Bryan sat beside me and closed his door.

"That was seven years ago. You may have a license but you literally have never flown a chopper ever since. What if you don't remember anything now?", Bryan argued as I slowly opened the throttle.

"Then we'll know.", I smirked, depressing the left pedal and pulling the collective upwards.

"When?",Bryan asked, fear visible on his face, as the chopper left the helipad.

"When we crash .", I laughed as Bryan shrieked.

He did deserve a good scare for not telling me beforehand about this mess that he and Vanessa have created.

We flew over the gleaming New York skyline. Skyscrapers rose from the ground, towering over everything else. The view had considerably changed since I had last seen it from up here but one thing hadn't, it was still mesmerising.

Within half an hour we had reached Greenwich. I landed the chopper on the runway of a flying club just five minutes from Blake's house. It was as if fate had already planned for me to fly here. We got out of the helicopter and walked over to a red car waiting for us.

"Thank you for not killing us.", Bryan said, opening the car door.

"I don't forget what I have learned once.", I smiled, sitting in the passenger seat with Bryan.

"Alright, just follow the GPS.", Bryan told the driver, giving him his phone and the driver started the car.

"Listen Adrian. I don't really know what the situation there will be like so just for once, keep your anger in check. Okay?", Bryan said.

"I don't understand why she gets herself involved in things like this. I warned her time and again that Blake is not who she thinks he is and here we are...saving her from a really bad date.",I sighed.

Bryan put a hand on my shoulder, "You will be there in no ti..."

Bryan was interrupted by a loud noise, something that very closely resembled a scene out of movie. This was followed by a scream echoing through the woods. Just like my heart, our car came to a screeching stop.

"Adrian, he has a gun!",Bryan looked at me in horror.

"Drive the car!",I yelled.

"But sir...", the driver hesitated.

"DRIVE IT, RIGHT NOW! I will shoot you with the same bloody gun if something happens to my girl!", I bellowed.

The driver reluctantly restarted the car as we made our way to Blake's Manor.

My heart was in my mouth. I had never been more scared in my entire life. I felt like if something happened to her, I would never be able to forgive myself. Even thinking about it suffocated me.

"Drive faster!", I demanded.

I couldn't lose her. I didn't care if she was with Blake or with anyone else, I cared about her and that was all I needed, to know that I had to be there for her, putting my anger aside.

The moment the car stopped, I ran out of the door and towards flashing red and blue lights. The police was here.

My eyes began to desperately search for Vanessa. I saw Blake getting handcuffed next to a police van and then my eyes fell onto a small dark figure on the road. A female police officer rushed towards it with a bottle of water but the figure sat stiff, unmoving.

I rushed towards her and knelt down to her level, taking my coat off and wrapping her bare arms in it. She turned around and the moment she saw me, her trembling lips parted to draw in a deep breath, as if she hadn't done it for a while. Without a second thought, I wrapped my arms tightly around her.

The lady officer placed the bottle beside me as I nodded, putting my one hand in Vanessa's hair and the other, holding her close to me. I pressed my face against her head and closed my eyes, finally letting relief take over me.

I held her for what felt like years, just absently running my hand through her hair. I didn't know which one of us I was actually trying to console.

A few moments later, she separated herself and tucked her hair behind her ears. I gave her the bottle and she took a few sips before looking back at me.

I frowned when I saw that there was not a single tear that had escaped from her eyes. She was holding back, still.

My attention then went to her neck which was visibly red. I asked, "He hurt you?"

"I hit him too.", she showed me her bruised knuckles with a slight smile on her face.

"Of course you did. You are the strongest woman I have ever met.", I caressed her cheek, pushing aside all the questions I needed to ask her about what had happened.

"Thank you.", she smiled as I helped her get up, off the ground. She dusted her clothes and said, "Can you go get my stuff from inside while I go talk to the police."

I nodded and went inside Blake's house only to find a very disheveled salon. I gulped thinking what must have happened here. I looked around for her stuff and returned back to the road with her bag, her coat and her sandals.

"I am very tired. Can I come tomorrow to give a statement. I don't really think that I am in the right state of mind to do that right now.", Vanessa said.

"Tomorrow...sharp at 8:30.", an officer said.

"I'll be there.",Vanessa nodded before taking her things back from me.

"You, take care of her.", the officer said.

"I will.", I protectively put my arm around Vanessa as she scoffed, "Oh please."

Once the police left with a handcuffed Blake as I sneered at him.

How dare he!

I balled my fists, trying hard to control my urge to beat him to pulp. I wanted to hit him so badly but I knew that right now, I needed to be here by Vanessa even more. I promised myself to go pay him a visit later.

I turned to Bryan, "Let's go home. Call Charlotte and tell her to get Vanessa's room's ready and get a doctor."

"Or I could just go over to a normal hospital and then to my house in Yorkville.",Vanessa suggested.

"No. You did what you wanted tonight but now, you are going to listen to me."

Bryan sang,"Someone is being very protective."

"More like overprotective.", Vanessa rolled her eyes, "And by the way, where the hell were you, Bryan?"

"Um...I know you told me to not leave my cabin at any cost during your entire conversation with Blake but then Adrian called me upstairs. He was firing people every half an hour, literally and I really didn't want to lose my job by refusing him. Sorry!",Bryan scratched his head nervously.

"So you used Plan C to get here?", Vanessa interrogated plainly.

Her face was devoid of any emotion. I knew what she was trying to do, she was trying to put on a brave face but I didn't understand why? Was it because she didn't want to break down in front of Bryan or was it me, she didn't want here?

"Yes. I called Steven and he hacked into the security system of the manor."

"And why didn't you geniuses do that before itself?", I asked.

"To keep Vanessa's cover intact. Since Blake happens to be a hacker as well, Steven wasn't sure that he could manipulate the security cams to record the confession without Blake suspecting. So, this was just a back up if plan A failed."

"Backup, confessions, wow! You have really given a lot of thought into this. What did Blake do to piss you of so much?", I asked obliviously, even though I had a feeling I knew what it was all about.

Given the recent incidents...but I didn't want them to be true. Things were already complicated, as they were.

"Why don't you tell him on the way? It's a long way to New York.", Vanessa told Bryan.

"But you said that you will...", Bryan protested but stopped mid-sentence to look back at me, almost apologetically.

What was so bad that my best friend didn't want to talk to me...unless it was what I thought it was.

I had a very bad feeling about this.

"Let's go." I said, opening the back door of the car for Vanessa but she sat in the front seat instead.

Was she so cold because of this morning or was there more to it?

Bryan sat beside me as the driver started the car. Bryan drew in a deep breath, "Here goes nothing..."

■■■

"The accident was staged for me?", I asked in disbelief," Blake would go so far as to try to kill me to get a project for his company?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before...Vanessa was...Vanessa and I were afraid that you'd lose your temper and do something that you shouldn't.", Bryan said, with a hand on my shoulder.

This was just a little too much to take in. I drew in a sharp breath and tilted my head backwards. My attention went to the girl in the front seat, who hadn't spoken a word throughout the way back home.

Vanessa opened the door and stepped out of the car.

"Go in. We will be here for a while.", I told Bryan and went to talk to Vanessa.

"Nessa!", I said, "We need to talk."

She looked back at me but still said nothing. This was honestly starting to scare me now.

"I am sorry about all the things that I have said this morning. I am so sorry and trust me, you were as much a victim as any of us, you don't have to blame yourself. I don't.",I told her, positive that I had addressed every cause behind her silence but I was wrong.

"Thanks.", She smiled, though it felt more mechanical than genuine.

"What's wrong?", I asked, trying to desperately search for answers in her usually expressive brown eyes but she was doing her best to avoid any eye contact.

"Nothing. I am fine. I will be.", Vanessa smiled, trying harder to make it more convincing.

"No you are not. Is it something I did?", I asked.

In response to this, she looked up at me, almost hurt. She sighed but it came out more like a sob,"I have to ask you something. Say yes or no only, okay?"

The expression on her face scared me. She was about to breakdown any moment and I didn't know what I was afraid of more, her crying or her not crying at all.

I nodded for her to go on.

"You told me that dad and the other board members would choose the next CEO together. Did you know that dad got to choose before them all?"

My heart dropped.

Oh no! After everything she had been through today, I couldn't tell her this. She shouldn't have to hear this at all.

"Vanessa, I thought th...", I tried to find an excuse but she interrupted me, "It's a yes or no question."

"Yes, I knew.", I sighed.

"So you lied to me then?", She asked, her lips set in a hard line.

"I can explain.", I said.

"I'm sure you can. Good night, Adrian.", Vanessa said, before walking away from me.

I wanted to stop her but with what face. No explanation could possibly make her forgive me. She would hate me and she had a good reason to. I lied to her just like everyone else.

Oh no! Oh god no!