"Are they in yet?" I wonder at Charlie, who looks up from her computer to smile at me

"Afternoon angel." She chimes, tucking her pink hair behind her ear

This was obviously her kind way of chastizing me for having no manners whatsoever

"Afternoon Charlie. Johnston and Harris, are they in yet?" I pry, smiling back at her

"Not yet love, but his grace said to let you in as soon as you came bye." She offers brightly

Over my dead body!

"No thanks. Be a darling and let me know when they do come in." I chime back, turning for my desk as Lucas opens his office door

"Funke... a word...please." He announces loud enough for everyone to hear

This must be the part where he tries to make me feel guilty for being mad at him, when he tells me his version of it wasn't that deep charge it to the rivalry. I take in a deep breath and clutch my tablet, spinning around and walking past him into his office. I look for the furthest corner from him, opting for a window that I estimate I can wedge open and shimmy out of. I stand there, as defensively as I can as he closes the door. Great job making everyone think we're in here fucking you dick wart!

"Is this about the project?" I demand as coolly as I can, glaring at the floor because I'd promised my self I wouldn't look at his devious face if I absolutely didn't have to

"No." He says

"Because if it's about the project you can pass your notes through Charlie, yeah?" I point out, crossing my hands properly over my chest, in case he hadn't gotten the memo

There was absolutely no reason I should be in here plotting my escape through a window! I pick a book out of his shelf for good measure, so I can have a weapon to throw at him if he tries anything funny.

"I'd... like to apologize." He says softly

"Well, the first bit of that is... you actually have to be sorry, mate." I shrug, studying the book

Frank Lloyd Wright: The Houses. If I don't have to lodge it at his face in my defense, I think I'll keep this book actually. Who didn't love Frank Lloyd Wright?

"I am sorry." He vows

He'd have to have some kind of conscious, not even a guilty one just some kind of conscious to be sorry, and I was sure he didn't. I'd already concluded the amount of words I had spared for him in a day and so naturally I turn to the window, wondering if Johnston and Harris were coming at all or if this had all been a setup. What was it? What did he want other than for me to quit everything and retire to the countryside never to be seen again? Or did he just want me here long enough for the rumour mills to work towards making my life worse than it already was in this office?

I look to the window, trying to estimate how fast I'd have to leave through it before he tries to stop me.

"I understand that I... crossed some boundaries..." He says as if I was going to stand here and naively consider his plan and the boundaries he'd crossed.

When I set out to steal some of Lucas clients, I knew the ones he didn't favour, among those I chose the ones I could work with. If anything Angus was the most ambitious I'd gotten with Lucas' clients, and even then I knew the firm had enough commissions that they wouldn't go under if I got this one.

In return, what Lucas had done, what he'd set out to do to my life, my relationship and my career... the way he had gone about it...there was no heart to that at all. There was nothing to forgive so I continue to stare at the floor.

"I... bought you a gift... an apology gift..." he says as I sigh

"Keep it. I'll be back when Johnston and Harris come in." I decide cracking the window open and sliding out of the room

The nerve of him, I couldn't bare it. He couldn't buy my forgiveness even if he was sincere with it, and he wasn't. What was he even apologizing for? Which part of this entire mess was he actually sorry for? I'd done just about everything by myself now, with Johnston and Harris the construction documents would be concluded and we'd go right into construction administration. God I was vexed! So vexed I was shaking as I made my way round the office and back to my desk. What kind of torture! The nerve of him to think he could just buy me a stupid whatever and we'd be back to being chums! As if receiving a gift from him wouldn't just confirm the rumours! I wouldn't trust the air out of his nose let alone accept some stupid gift!

He must've been timing his evil shenanigans too because tomorrow was the Aubry gala dinner I was dreading the most. The likelihood of Luna slagging me off for fucking Lucas was so high I considered not going at all. I had to go for it though, I didn't have the luxury of being a scorned woman estranged from society with a scarlet A on her forehead. I was trying to put together an architectural firm, to be taken seriously, to make something of myself. I put the book on Charlie's desk with a soft shaky smile, making sure everyone in the office had seen that I was no longer in his office. I didn't want anything that belonged to him anywhere near me. I didn't want any of his gifts or apologies or trinkets properly placed so the accusations can flow much easier. I'd had just about enough of Lucas Roland, and if I were to never see him again it'd be too soon!

What perfect timing for an apology, just so we can look like old chums who were fucking when we bumped into Luna tomorrow night! Just so his angry french bulldog or whatever Marie Frances was to him can cause drama in front of everyone and let them know I was sleeping my way to the top! It would've been the perfect opportunity to slag me off in front of all the prospective clients and collaborators of the architecture world. He really thought I was naive enough to bite! The cheek of him! The bloody bastard! This was all games for him! My life was bloody jokes!