"You need to take care of your sister for me. You're all she has now".
Andriana nodded holding her mother's hand, tears stinging her eyes as she tried to hold them back.
Her mother's cold hand squeezed her, "You can't ever forsake her, don't be like your father....don't be like your father ", she emphasised.
Andriana avoided her weak, dead gaze, but her grip pulled her lower to her stiff, cold, bold, "Look at me and promise me you won't be like him ....don't be like your father ", she yelled as the darkness around them seemed to engulf her.
Andriana bit her lip in fear as she tried to pull away, her tears finally falling.
"Mom, please let go ", she cried out, but the grip tightened, and Andriana could feel her hand start to hurt.
The darkness had gotten closer, and as everything disappeared, she closed her eyes, crouching down as she cried out.
"Andriana, Andriana " she heard someone call. It wasn't her mother now, but a different voice. It was a gentle and calm call to her.
"Open your eyes, it's just a bad dream "
Andriana flung her eyes open to see Karlye.
He was holding her hand calling her name, her weak gaze met his as tears escaped her eyes.
"It's alright, I'm right here ...it's just a bad dream " his voice was calming, and his eyes looked back at her softly.
Quietly, she raised, hugging him; he could hear her sniffing as her tears drenched his shoulder.
Slowly his arms embraced her.
After a few minutes, she pulled her head away low.
"Feeling better ?" he asked.
She nodded.
She felt his hand touch her chin and raise her head to face him.
"Your face is a mess now " his fingers wiped the tears off her face.
She sniffed pulling away as she tried to wipe the tears off her face.
He smiled watching her.
"Well, now that you're awake, how about that dinner?" he said.
She looked up blinking.
"Dinner? " She muttered and he nodded.
She looked around to notice it was already dark.
"Huh, how long was I asleep and when did I ..." she frowned.
"You slept the whole afternoon " he said.
She gasped, "What I need to go back to work, I didn't let them know about ".
He stopped her, "It's too late for that and I let your friend call them so there is nothing to worry about "
She breathed, wondering how she had just called her asleep like that.
"What did you do to me ?" She looked back at him.
"Huh!?" he raised his left eyes down.
"I can't just have fallen asleep like that ...most especially around a crazy stranger like you ".
He chuckled getting up.
"I guess if I want to get to know you I need to accept my fate of being blamed for everything that happens to you ".
Quietly, she stepped out of the bed, following him back to his office.
"I don't think you're in the mood for dinner, so why don't I drop you home?" he suggested.
"No, thank you, I can take care of myself ", she grabbed her bag.
"I am sorry, but I am going to have to insist. Your friend specifically told me to get you home " he leaned back watching her.
Andriana glanced back, "Mira did ?".
He nodded, she called while your where asleep so I answered "
She checked her phone to see the call received from her friend.
She heard him walk to her, "Shall we "he got to the door.
Andriana nodded.
Quietly she followed him through the glances of some of his employees.
She noticed the black-suited man who had led her up to his office open the car door for them.
Karlye stood back so she could get in and went in after.
Andriana kept her eyes glued outside, gazing through the cat window.
"When will you be free ?" he broke the silence.
"I am not sure, after missing today, I will need to stay in the office till late to catch up on my work ", she said.
"Hmm, then what about the weekend ?".
"I need to go somewhere "
He sighed, "How come you seem busier than I? "
"Cause I do my job and mind my own business " she muttered.
He scoffed, she was back to being cold to him.
The car came to a stop. "We are here, " announced the driver.
Andriana didn't waste time jumping out of his car.
"Thank you for the ride home ", she said and turned, rushing away.
Karlye's car didn't move until she was safely inside the building then drove off.
Andriana rushed to her home, closed the door and dropped into the couch.
Her heart was beating so loudly. Grabbing her phone she called Mira.
"Mira, something weird happened " she instantly let out.
.....
Andriana rushed out of her apartment , she was late again.
The moment she got out she heard a car honk at her. She stopped looking back to see it. The same car from last night, it was his.
He stood out and met her angry gaze.
How could a person look so handsome effortlessly
, she thought .
"Get in, I will drop you off " he said.
"Huh?...no "she turned to walk off.
"If you don't get in this car, I am going to have to consider that apology from yesterday ". He yelled.
She stopped, looked back angrily, then quietly turned and walked to his car.
He moved opening the door for her.
The angry Andriana got in, with him snickering.
"Did you have nightmares anymore?" asked Karlye as they drove off.
"None of your concern "she muttered.
He didn't ask questions anymore or bother her for the rest of the drive. He was busy on his tablet looking at something.
"We are here ", the moment she heard Andriana open the car door.
"Thank you for the ride....again" then got out.
It wasn't until she was in the elevator that she realised the weird glances from the other employees, so she looked back to see Karlye and his two bodyguards behind her.
She flinched back glaring right at him.
"What are you doing ?"
"You didn't give me a chance to say anything before you jumped out of the car, I'm coming with you, "he muttered.
Andriana felt her anger rise.
"Coming with me where ....you don't work here or have any business being here, so why are you following me? Please leave ".
He chuckled watching her little protest. Ignoring her, he got into the elevator, and she realised no one else dared to enter.
"Won't you get on ?"
She sighed entering the elevator with him. They reached her floor, and she got off. She could hear him right behind her as they headed to her office.
She walked in to hear her boss yelling.
"Oh my, you finally showed up ....do you think this company works on your schedule?" yelled her boss.
"No, I'm so sorry about yesterday, assistant manager. I had an emergency" she said.
"You always have one, do you think you're the only one with problems, Miss Davison?" yelled the manager.
"No, but I'm going to catch up on my work today ", said Andriana.
The man scoffed, his ugly unproportional nose raised with his mouth as he glared at her.
"And how will you do that if you can't even come early to work ?".
"But assistant manager, Andriana was the one who handled all the last projects. She pulls all-nighters just to finish your work," one colleague said.
"She has been doing that for the last month, the least you can do is let her off those once, "anotherersaid.
"Shut up if you don't want to get fired with her " he shamelessly yelled.
Andriana sighed , she was used to this type of treatment. He found it amusing just picking on her cause she never replied or reported him. He had kept piling all his work on her, and the reason he was angry now was that she had not finished the project he had assigned her, which was supposed to be handled by him.
She glanced at him, his angry eyes glaring at her. He must have gotten in trouble cause of that.
The doors behind her opened and they all fell silent. She noticed and looked back to see Karlye.
She had forgotten all about him being there. Had he heard everything, she sighed avoiding his gaze.
"Mr....Mr. Lockhart ?" the manager stammered.
Karlye moved closer to Andriana, noticing her trembling hands he looked back at the stunned man.
"It was my fault that she missed work " he said.
"Huh!?".
"I didn't know she was busy handling your work when I asked her out on a date. I promise it won't happen again " he added.
Andriana looked up at him, feeling her gaze he looked back.
"You okay ?" he asked.
She bit her lip nodding.