Their End, My Beginning

*Kat's POV

"Why did you hire Raven?" I asked with all seriousness.

"When I met Raven again I wanted to know why she came to me. She looked so broken and worn out. I still remember the way she entered my office. She wore a wrinkled shirt and mismatched skirt. At that time all I wanted was for her to get out of my office. I always hated untidiness. But even under all that layers that screamed her poor condition she held her head high. That was what made me hire her." He said with an empty expression showing that he was living the moments they met, which I don't understand why as it was just an interview. Wait a minute-

"Again?"

"Huh?" He asked tilting his head to the side with that cute confusion face.

"You said again. Meaning that you met her before that interview."

"Yeah." He replied looking back at me searching something in my eyes. Was he searching for jealousy? Well I am not jealous but intrigued. I raised my eyebrows for him to continue.

"I met her during her trial. It was my parents who hired lawyer for her. But since we weren't that powerful that I am today we couldn't bail her out."

"So hiring Martha was because her father was Raven's lawyer?"

"No that was coincidence. I don't do interviews that was under Ryce's department. Since it was the job of being my assistant I took over the interview. Hell, I didn't even know Martha was his daughter until today."

"You eavesdropped our conversation?" I asked shocked.

"Did you know that your office is not soundproofed and that I can hear anything from your office though vice-versa is not possible."

"Sneaky bastard that's why its glass separating our offices. You wanted to hear all my conversations!" He chuckled.

"Okay. Coming back to our previous topic. You were saying?" I asked noticing how easily I got distracted. Damn you Randy.

"I thought you were distracted. Damn." He faked sighed. "Anyways, so I knew her then though those memories are very vague, that was the first time I met her. I didn't know that 18-year-old worn out girl was Raven until I searched for why she was in jail. When I saw that in her resume it piqued my interest and I searched everything about her. That girl when I first saw her was worn out not only in appearance but emotionally and mentally. She wouldn't be near anybody, she was so afraid that she used to be in a corner of her room in our home."

"She stayed with you?"

"Yeah, till the trial was over my parents thought the best safe place would be in our home and after the trial my parents decided to adopt her until she was ready to live on her own but. Well, you know what happened next."

"How did your parents get to know Raven?" I stopped him before he could answer. "Wait let me guess, through her stepfather?"

"Not exactly, it was through Mr. Simon." He stopped me before I could exert my What!! "My parents were good friends with Mr. Simon or why do you think I considered Simiona architects which is a not so famous company for the contract of new building's design."

"Wow I heard too many coincidences today. Mr. Simon, who is my boss, being Raven father. Martha being her lawyers daughter, and now you telling me all this are related to you as well one being good friends with your parents and the latter's father being hired by your parents." Woah my brain is burning. I feel like the Tom in 'Tom and Jerry' with smokes out of my ear.

"Yeah but Raven doesn't remember that my parents hired her lawyer."

"Oh"

"Yeah like I said that girl barely got out of her room. She was traumatized so much that I don't think she remember any of the part of being in our home. We were pretty good with evidences and really thought that the case was in our favour. If not for that bastard called her stepfather we really would have won."

"Well, its better to think everything went well after he died."

"Everything indeed went well after he finally died for good this time." He said without thinking what he said. His eyes widened at realization.

"This time?" I asked feeling my breath stopping.

"Shit! You were not supposed to know that."

"Well, I did and I expect an explanation from what did you mean by 'finally died for good this time'. Wasn't he killed by Raven?"

"No, he wasn't. He was killed by me." He said in a very low tone that if I wasn't on his lap, my ears near to his damn secretive mouth I wouldn't have heard it.

"You killed him? Can you elaborate please?"

"Remember I told you about a Keith Gardener"

"The one that suicided for going bankrupt." I asked not understanding how it is connected to this. This time it was his chance to raise his eyebrows indicating for me to connect the dots. Holy shit.

"Keith Gardener was her stepfather?"

"Yeah."

"But how can you say you killed him if he was- Oh your power covered the news that his death was suicide and not murdered."

"Hmm"

"But this incident happened 3 years ago. Your company wasn't that powerful."

"It was because your d-" He stopped himself before he could complete what he was saying. "your darling boyfriend had a good PR team at that time to change the news from killing to suicide." "But it was said you fired your PR team after this incident." He surely is hiding something from me.

"Yeah that was because I wanted to claim my power in the company and show everyone that I can be cruel and I don't forgive mistakes. If they were good they wouldn't have allowed the news to be spread in the first place." Okay now he surely is hiding something though what he said is somewhat true, according to what my father told me about that news. But something doesn't add up.

Right. He didn't look into my eyes when he said it meaning he lied. He always couldn't lie to my face. The old sweet Ryder couldn't but the new cold Ryder could. Now this Ryder in front of me, more like the one whose lap I am on is sweet caring Ryder.

"Okay but why did you kill him? The better question is who was the one Raven killed as she said she killed him?"

"Okay here is what happened. Keith

or whatever his name was knew

Raven was going after him as he knew about his friends death. So he laid a trap into letting Raven think that she indeed killed him but the truth is that he faked his death. Otherwise how was he able to use his power to keep Raven in prison. I mean if he was dead no amount of his evidences can be against the living evidences presented by my parents. But we didn't know any of that. Years later, I came across him who was living a life with fake identity. He was begging for money from me. I was mourning at that time so I didn't think about anything else but how to grow the company. This bastard laid a trap after convincing me into getting a profit from a deal. But that deal was dangerous one. It was with Black Jack group."

He said that group's name with such disgust that one might think they had done something to ruin him but they are top companies so that option can be ruled out or can it be? Is that disgust for the bastard? He will let me know if I need to know them. Now I will know what is given to me.

"Deal with that group means death. I merely escaped before I could meet that group. And that escape costed Keith's death. I didn't know then that he was Raven's stepfather I only knew about his then family. But it was after much research to redeem my sin that I knew he was that bastard who mysteriously escaped his death. But this time his death was ensured. He was buried in front of me."

"God you went through a lot." I said caressing his cheeks. He leaned into my touch. I cupped his face.

"It was a mistake and a good one at that. But why did you avoid contact with me?" He stiffened at that.

"There was two reasons for that. One being I thought Keith's death was a big mistake and I wanted redemption. Second being you are my weakness."

"What?" I asked breathless. That sentence kicked air out of me. This time it was his who cupped my face.

"You are my one and only love. You

are my strength. You bring out light in my darkness. But at the same time you are my weakness. I was afraid someone will make use of that hence I thought while I was trying

o grow my company it net

better to loose all the contacts with you. After Keith's death I got quite the reputation as the cruel business doing everything in his power to win in the business world so it became easier to bring the company up in the way it is today." He said looking into my eyes.

His blue eyes was sparkling with love making me drown in them. You are my weakness too Ry. Therefore I am giving you benefit of the doubt. I believe whatever it is that you are hiding from me it for my good and that when right time comes you will tell me what you are hesitating to tell me.

"You know I forgot to listen to you after hearing you say you are my weakness." I said wrapping my arms around his neck and brought him closer. When his lips touched mine all the soreness I felt before left completely bringing in a new set of electricity.

We pulled apart breathing heavily. "You are my everything Ry. I love you."

"I love you too baby. I always have and I always will." He once again brought our lips closer.

He pulled back making me whimper. "Speaking of past stories, I remember you were brought here for a reason how is that going?"

"What was I brought here for?" I asked without thinking nothing but his soft lips and ocean blue eyes.

"Kat." He chuckles noticing I haven't yet returned to Earth. Reason I was brought here. God the designs.

"Shit I forgot about them. I will see you later." I got up from his lap brushing my skirt straight. With a last peck on his lip I left his office running to mine. The last thing I heard was his laughter before I closed my office door.

I went and sat at my chair looking to

my right I noticed him staring at me.

I pointing to my desk with his eyes. That brought me back from my dreamy land back to Earth. Hopefully Ry will be open to me soon. He has closed his emotions for a long time. I could clearly see the pain behind his eyes. He desperately wants to keep his walls up but is breaking down at the same time. How do I know that? Well it is same as mine. Lets just hope me keeping my guards down around him wont end up breaking my heart permanently. If we break up for one more time like we did 3 years ago that will be the end for me. And like the Ryder I saw one week back my heart too will be cold. Forever.

*Ryder's POV

I hardened the glass that separated our offices. I leaned back on the chair closing my eyes and heaving a deep sigh. God how could I tell her it was her father who helped me solve my case. And that it was her father who told me to pretend to be a playboy to cover the news and that I took to the heart and became one for real. Will she understand or will it dent our already fragile relationship? How many more obstacles did we have to pass for us to finally be in peace and happy?☐☐☐☐