words but she steadied herself and refused to let her te

offering you because you deserve it, Mer

nd embarrass herself more. She didn't know what she was expecting, following him to his office. It was obvious considering their recent

job is here Merida, I don't work here. You won't have to

es locked onto Aaron's,

d, quickly wiping a stray tear before he cou

her. "How will you p

ck, her heart pounding. Ho

he said, his voice

he office, leaving Aaron sitting alon

e felt a wave of sadness wash over her. This was the most miserable

pathetic, which, truthfully she was. But it had hurt more

he hurriedly walked over to one of the receptionists seated behind the

ve a polite smile,

y, and as soon as she got behind the closed door of one of the stalls, she sank down and let the

rson knocked. The sound startled her and she quickly rose

compassionate gaze of the older woman standing on the other side. She

was gentle as if she feared Merida wou

wiping her tears with

Is there anything y

my leave now." Merida stuttered,

erida to leave. "Take care of yourself." She

#

ked into the office, contempt in her

ur employees cry?" She

loyees, y

humble abode?" She asked s

" He said, drumming his

have an office here, you bel

ou're still the sore loser I've known. T

're here

ill soon be relinqui

before the sarcastic smile set in. "I see you're start

to where she stood. "But it's too soon for that. I'd r

in things for me. You think you're on the clouds now

ed for for a very long tim

ck

closer to her, "I was just pulling your legs. I'm here because my meet

ed as he walked away, his e

it'll give you a bad image." He said

ocuments to get your claws on." He added, briefly peeking through th

Aaron could rile her up

#

face as she spoke, the way she had refused his offer - that was respect what his thoughts revolved around, the reason she refused his offer. He was not faxed by it just at the same

board with all his goals drawn on, and t

is daze and he looked at it, putting o

pe you know that." He sai

," Austin replied over the phone. "Ar

ack from Los Angeles is to set me up on dates w

d not just pick people from the streets for you. These women have all singlehandedl

sent now and there's a forty-five years

te with younger women has been off. I was thinking you might like th

mposing your t

omen across different ages, I was almost tempted to put Oak CEO's eighteen-year-old daughte

re my age grou

hoking. "You're one to talk about types. You've neve

ght," Aaro

d of. In fact, I once saw an art

heck," Aaron replie

, Aaron thoug

ns to refuse those women but the fact still remained that if

truth was that he would never get into a marriage with someone he didn't love. Once he met someone good enough,

that his thoughts tr

#

the house, surprised that it was still o

e house. It was a mess, things were going around, the

the mess, hoping it was not the wor

had never stepped in, searching

lay on the bed while her sister, Clara

lara and at the sight of Merida,

, disdain drawn all over her face. "You've come b

artin's work. She trembled slightly as Clara

en a part of this family for years. Why are you here n

Clara had punched her in the

ed to run away? Did you ever think that the people you would run to had their own live

any of this to ha

re a path of glass and nails shards of glass.

point. "I'll leave." Tears fell down her face

Clara said, going b

her mother's eyes, she could see pain and contempt, like she also wanted Merida to be gone. Merida

#

of the heavy rain on her head or the ache in her chest. She had decided a few minutes ago that she had cried

longer seemed to want her. When her woes became more overwhelming than the rain

ht, staring at the bridge's newly erected streetlamps when

emory trailed to the last time he had seen her at the ridge, the way he'd run all the way to save the person sea

where her misery lay, instead, she was greeted by the figure of a man to

rson she had hated to stay in the same room with, was the same person saving her over and over again. The

eyes

and anguish broke through her soul. Her tears burst out, and she let it freely flow dow

you offered. I need it, please." Her wo

face drawing closer, completely, shi

Merida."