The door closes softly, the room is silence and I'm scared he might hear my raising heartbeat. Did he just confess he's still in love with me? After everything we've been through he still loves me...but do I do the same? I don't know what I feel for him; one moment I think I do but then he does something that makes me doubt I'm in love with him...after what feels forever he begins to talk, breaking the awkward silence.

"I don't expect you to say it back immediately" he looks away like it pains him. "But know that that is how I feel about you and I will protect you no matter what" he stands up, turning and closes the door but before he leaves he says: "Madison Davis, the company's manager, will show you around"

"Hey" Madison Davis greets me, a bright smile on her beautiful face; she's young.

"Hey" I response, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you Miss Davis"

"Oh, call me Madison and thank you, it's a pleasure to meet you..."

"Emily" I add and she nods.

"Well, Emily, as you know I'm the company's manager and Mr. El Ricci asked me if I would show you around"

"Mateo did?" we walk towards me office.

"No, Lorenzo El Ricci did" she sighs. "That man can never leave me alone" she whispers and I arch a brow. "No, it's not what you think" I smile at her flushed cheeks.

"What do you think I'm thinking?" I ask playfully.

"I don't know but to correct myself, I and Lorenzo know each other because we ran into each other and-"

"-I'm only teasing you, you don't need to tell me the full story if you don't want to" she lets out a sigh of relieve and opens the door to reveal my office.

"So, Emily, this will be your office; our former Boss took his stuff a few days ago already so normally this should be clean and ready for you to move in" she says and I hear the disgust in her voice at the mention of my uncle.

"Can I ask you a question?" Madison turns, leaning against the desk.

"Of course, what's the problem?"

"No, there isn't a problem but I want to know how my uncle was? Did he treat everyone right?" Before I can finish the sentence she scoffs and her answer is clear.

"He, sorry for my choice of words, was, no is, an asshole who only thinks with stupid small brain"

"What do you means?" I'm interested what my uncle did because I want to be better than him; no way in hell I will be the same like that man.

"You need to know that I recently became manager; before me Stephanie did it but she wasn't good. I was Henk assistant for a few years and I doubted if I was Boss or he was. That asshole asks me how we could solve the problems, as his assistant I of course give answer and before I knew he stole my plan and acted like he was the big hero" she shakes her head. "But I got a feeling you aren't like him"

"Thank god I'm not"

"Your Vincent's daughter right?" I nod, my brow raised. "He's the real hero; my mom worked here and knew him well, she told a lot about him...was was called the HERO of this company; guess Henk got jealous"

"Yeah, dad was the best even though I don't remember him much"

"Sorry for your loss" she stands up and claps in my hand, startling me. "Why don't I show you around, get to know new people and all"

"That would be lovely"

3 hours has passed before I finally got back to my office. All the people here are really kind. The old lady in the lobby gave me a huge smile and told a lot about my dad; turned out she and him went to the same school. I also met some people that weren't really kind; they looked down on me but I didn't take their shit. I'm their boss and I'm not planning to leave! Yes, I'm young, don't have any experience in the company but I'm here to learn...besides, Mateo promised he would help me until ProtectPower is healthy...Mateo...What am I going to do with him? Before I open the door, Madison calls me and yells 'good luck' and I thank her but then I spot roses in on my desk...Huh? Could they be from Mateo? I feel butterflies in my belly at the idea of him doing this. Smelling the flowerily scent I notice a note tucked behind some roses; what could Mateo have written? But my stomach falls when I read the card...

----------------

Because it's your birthday I will hold back, no creepy things or dead bodies this time but know that this is your number 2. Count the flowers; 22 in total for my little woman who turns 22 today on her special days!

-Loves, your stalker XXX

----------------

What the fuck! For some stupid reason I count the flowers and indeed, 22...Mateo, I need to tell him. I take out my phone to find a text.

Happy that you really count the flowers.

Fuck...I'm about to call Mateo when someone knocks on the door, startling me.

"Emily, can I come inside?" a familiar voice calls and I'm relieved to know who it is.

"Mateo, yes you can come in" I reply and the door opens, revealing a bouquet of red flowers but he stops to look behind me where already flowers lay.

"Who was before me?" his entire body collapses.

"This is not what you think" I hold up the note and he takes it, reading and curses. "Mateo?"

"Who had access to this office?" he asks, placing the flowers on the desk beside the other set and looks outside the window.

"I don't know...he office wasn't lock so everyone could come inside"

"Fuck!" he puts the note in his pocket. "I'll get this examined, you don't leave the building"

"No, Mateo..." I stop him and he turns. "This stalker could be bluffing, besides he won't do anything today and-"

"-Stop being so stubborn! This person is serious! He killed Scott, remember?" I nod, tears prickling my eyes. "We only have one number left, who know what this person would do!?" he steps closer, cornering me against the desk. "I don't know what I would do if he..." he looks away, not meeting my gaze.

"Hey, hey" I cup his cheek, forcing him to look at me. "I'm here now, everything will be okay"

"For how long, Emily?" his face inches closer and I feel his breath on my face. "That person is dangerous. Even I, a man who lived his whole life in the dark side, am scared...Please Emily, just...Just come back to me, come live in the penthouse where you're safe until this is over" he kisses my cheeks so softly I don't know if he even did.

"I'll think about it" I whisper back, our lips a-lined; I just need to lean a bit forward and then I'm able to kiss him. Before I can make my move, he does, our lips connecting and a zing of electricity makes its way through my body. My hands move to his chest, feeling his raising yet steady heartbeat; finally after so many days I feel him again. His scent invading my nostrils and I'm immediately relaxed...We kiss long, fast, eagerly for the attention and I'm about to wrap my legs around him but then he stops, breaking our kiss I've been dying to taste for.

"This isn't a good idea..." he says in his hungry voice and he can't deny the hard thing pressing against my belly.

"Why? The door is closes and no one can see us" I reach up but he pushes me away gently.

"No, if I take you then I will do it right..." he steps back, grinning. "I know with everything going on like the divorce and all" he stops, regretting his choice of words. "Anyhow, maybe we can go on a diner tonight"

"Like a date?" we never did dates when we were together. I don't even know the last time I went out at all...Mostly I would stay in the penthouse which was my safe-place.

"Yeah, like a date" he looks embarrassed, his eyes looking everywhere but not in my direction.

"I would love it" I answer, my cheeks heating up and I feel hope...hope that maybe after all we can get back together and maybe...maybe he will be happy to find out I'm pregnant...