While Anya was reunited with her family, Harper Johnson was receiving shocking news one after the other.
The first news was, Anya Owen escaped the sniper at neck time and she was under the protection of the military.
Harper went wild demanding Anya's information without understanding how a mere assistant general secretary could have military protection.
As if it wasn't panicking enough, the next news he received was all the shooters were caught. So Manager Payne and Vice-captain Berwick weren't shot to death. However, according to the news of his spies, they didn't find those two men with the other guests and staff.
The Johnson shipping company tried to contact the captain and Security chief of the ship but they refused to speak anything stating they were traumatized.
What a ridiculous excuse.
Thus Harper instructed his company staff to go and claim the ship immediately stating they weren't aware of the hijacking incident. Nevertheless, the military handed over the ship to the cops. His men tried to reach the higher officer but no one disclosed who was in charge of the case.
His men failed to negotiate prices with the cops who were investigating the case. Hence all Harper's arrangements to get the videos against the ministers were on the brink to get to the hands of cops.
The sky was getting dark so was the face of Harper who was sitting by the parlor of his mansion, with a smoking pipe and alcoholic drinks.
His secretary was drenched in a cold sweat trying to handle the situation. However, the news of Johnson's PSR Cruise ship was spreading like wildfire from the evening.
It was like somebody planned the time and flow of events. Before the PR department of Johnson companies could take complete control, another news broke out. HarperJohnson's every bank account, passport are frozen. The reason for it was unrevealed causing the whole media to hype the situation, linking Harper with the hijacking incident.
The media who had played on Harper's power and money started using the chance and threw dirt on Harper, making creative reasons for Harper's situation. There were even speculations that his house and company will be seized as well.
The panic in the business started soon. The shareholders and investors were gathering for an informal meeting in clubhouses. They were afraid that the share price of Johnson companies would start dropping from the next day.
The secretary deliberated for a long time before he suggested, "Chairman Johnson, how about we call President Johnson back to the country to resolve this situation?" Because Harper's hands were being tied down and they won't be able to handle both sides.
President Johnson was Harper's son. As the Johnson companies were spread far and wide, President Johnson was busy with different projects in different countries. He was known as a tricky, calculative person but he hardly joined any events in the country Narnia. Growing up and studying abroad, he preferred every country but his own.
Harper glanced at his secretary. Asking his son is like accepting that he was old and fearing the situation. There were complications but Harper wasn't ready to give up so easily. Harper wanted to wait for his men to kill the two men and see how anybody could pull him down. Hence he stayed silent.
The secretary could only sigh hearing the silence as a response.
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At Oasis mansion,
Anya got fresh and changed to comfortable wear. She prepared a bath for Zane who preferred to take bath on his own as he had heard Alvin mention Anya was tired. His mother indeed looked weak anyway.
Meanwhile, Anya sat and spoke with her parents. They understood her and reluctantly agreed to her, hoping it was just a few days as Anya told them.
Of course, Anya didn't forget to speak with Krystle who was worried sick about Anya and seething in anger at the news.
At the dining table,
Anya entered the dining area and led her parents while holding her son's hand. As soon as her eyes fell on Bernard, her eyes narrowed at the man who was shocked before he masked with a calm expression.
Anya appeared distant. She looked at Alvin who was lazily sitting on the head of the table. Alvin was a smart man, Anya knew Alvin was aware of her duty and her suspicions on Bernard. So she couldn't understand what his motive was to make them dine with Bernard.
Stopping her?
Impossible.
Was Bernard there with a motive? She considered it.
It was the first time Catalina and Dennis were seeing Bernard face to face. They identified him easily. However, they weren't excited to meet the President of the country. They were strangers and as per the conversation with Anya, they didn't have a good opinion of Bernard.
Zane had met Bernard a few times. However, Zane looked at Anya first. The latter sensed his eyes and behaved, "President Collins."
Then Zane flashed a faint smile and greeted the old man, "Hello, grandpa Collins."
Bernard nodded at Anya and smiled at Zane. "Zane, how are you?" He asked politely.
Zane didn't let go of Anya's hand and walked slowly with her, "I am good Grandpa Collins, Thank you. How are you doing?"
Alvin turned to the source of the voice. His eyes landed on Anya who was masking her expression and trying to hold a smile glancing at her son. His eyes shifted to the Little Brat. Alvin wondered if this little boy was so obedient and sweet.
Aren't children supposed to play and be unruly?
After the greeting and brief introduction of Anya's parents, everyone sat down and dinner started.
The dinner was chicken steak with salad and wine unlike filling the table full of food. She picked Zane's fork and knife and started cutting the steak into small chunks of his bite-size.
When Anya was done, she noticed her father's hand freeze a second while swapping his plate with Catalina. Dennis met Anya's eyes before he sat straight without a word.
Anya felt it was odd and thought he was uncomfortable with the other unknown men around. She served salad for Zane and turned to her plate.
That's when she saw her steak was cleanly cut and the fork was placed on the plate. She glanced at the person at the head of the table to her left. Alvin pretended to be minding his business while cutting another steak. He hadn't done this when they were on the PSR. She couldn't understand what changed now.
She didn't dare to look at her father. She was sure Dennis thought something was happening between them at least for a second.
Alvin was actually copying Dennis when he noticed Catalina waiting and faintly smiling at her husband. So he was changing plates as Dennis did. So despite sensing Anya's eyes, he focused on the steak.
Whereas Linus was struggling to hide his grin while Bernard had frowns watching the same. If Bernard didn't know Anya well enough he would have thought she was seducing Alvin for money. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to focus on dinner.
Dinner continued in silence except for the clinking noises of spoons and plates. Occasionally there was a low sweet voice of Anya directed at Zane who was responding to her sweetly.
If not anybody, Bernard realized Alvin's motive for that dinner. When the dinner hadn't started, Bernard tried to speak, but Alvin bluntly cut him off saying after dinner. Bernard was getting confused seeing the other four sets of cutlery on the table and Alvin waited patiently for ten minutes. It only meant Alvin highly regarded the Owen family. He was silently announcing the importance of the four.
Bernard glanced at Linus who hadn't told him about the Owen family.
Linus was aware his father likes Anya but doesn't like her for having a fatherless child. So he assumed his father was angry at him for supporting his brother to be with Anya. He gently shrugged at the orthodox opinionated father and focused on the dinner.
Meanwhile, Alvin was unawarely keeping his eyes on Dennis's actions. Dennis was serving his wife as well as making note of Anya's appetite. And Anya made sure to help her son. Although they didn't speak, it was a heartwarming sight.
Bernard, who had his eyes on Alvin, broke the silence, "Alvin, where is the hard disk?"
Anya smoothly ate her steak without showing any expression. However, Alvin frowned and plainly answered, "Let's have dinner first, Uncle Bernard." The lesser the Owen couple knows, the better for their peaceful days.
Bernard merely hummed and gritted his teeth watching Alvin's eyes shift at Anya.
Alvin recalled the microchip in Anya's mouth. Hence his eyes shifted to her lips which had turned red due to the spiciness. He swallowed hard when he caught the pink tip of her tongue licking her lips.
He stared at her when her lips parted slightly and slowly kept the fork in her mouth. He felt his lower body twitch while watching the fork tips grazing her lips.
His eyes moved up when he saw her cheeks turn pink and she became very conscious about her actions. Then he earned a kick under the table.
Who would dare to kick him?
Anya had forgotten the kiss after seeing her son. She controlled her urge to cover her lower face feeling his eyes on her while she found herself back in a heap of questions and embarrassment. She kicked him because it was making her extremely uncomfortable, especially when her parents were right there. She won't be able to respond to their questions when she doesn't know what was happening between her and Alvin.
Alvin was taking his eyes away when he was caught by Dennis.
Alvin: "…"
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