His facade

" No. "

Orion answered instead of Ruth. Enraged with the way Orion was behaving with her ,Ruth looked back at Darius and gave him her answer.

" Ofcourse. "

She took him out of the living room into the kitchen.

" So? "

Ruth trailed. She didn't understand what's with these two men. On one side Orion was impeding her peaceful life and on the other hand Darius behaved different from his natural behavior. He was always in jovial mood and cocky but now he seemed to be on edge.

" Sorry to ask but why are you here? With him?"

Darius was scared for Ruth. He knew Orion was involved in some shady business but didn't actually know what. It was a secret many people , actually elites knew he has some power over the government. Although he has come clean in people's eyes.

" What do you mean? "

Ruth was tired with all the people poking their nose in her business. Why she had to explain herself? Her life, Her choices.

Darius didn't knew what had changed Ruth but he loved her rebellious side. Always had. He didn't know anything about her past life though .

" Just be careful. If you are doing business with Orion. "

He said and gave her time to respond before going back to the living room. Ruth tailed behind him ,confused and decided to ignore what these men say to her apart from business.

Both of them, Ruth and Darius failed to notice the annoyance in Orion's eyes.

Ruth looked to be anywhere else but in Orion's presence, she had not forgotten what had happened minutes ago. They all were seated in his study. She wanted to run her eyes once over his place but couldn't. They dig in to the topic straight when all were seated.

The meeting went on with the brewing tension in the air. Out of them only Mark was keeping the conversation on, who had no idea about the tension between the other three. Orion, straight forward told how he wanted one of his biggest hotel to look. He wanted amazement in the eyes of the people.

Ruth felt as if there was no need for her presence. All they talked was about Orion's hotel. Although she kept her lips sealed. She would confront Orion about this later.

When the discussion got over Darius excused himself saying he has got others thing to do . Mark glanced over Ruth and Orion while Ruth had her face glued to floor Orion had a non- emotional face pulled on. But Mark could see behind his facade. He was anything but calm.

" I will be on my way. "

Ruth grabbed her bag before going out of his study.

" I will drop you to your car. "

" No I will call the cab. "

" I didn't asked. "

Orion seethed. He was running thin on patience on seeing the repeated defiance of Ruth.

The ride to her car was silent, only the song filling the tranquil. Her stomach growled, she had not eaten a piece from morning and it was past the noon. She thought she could stuff her stomach after going to her childhood home, to her father.

Orion halted the car in front of a restaurant. He knew if he dropped her to the car she would run away without eating.

" This is not the place I have parked my car. "

She gritted, looking at the fancy restaurant in front of her.

" I know. "

He went around to her side and asked her to come out, more like commanded her.

Stomping her foot she came out. Orion took her hand, dragging her in the restaurant.

" What do you think you are doing?"

Ruth fumed in anger. No one has ever manhandled her like that before, not even touched her in wrong way.

" I want to have lunch and you are giving me the company. "

He shrugged as if it was nothing.

" You know you have to ask for a company."

A severe headache was developing in her head because of the hunger.

" Miss Ruth Glatzel, will you give me a company for a lunch?"

Orion tight lipped asked her. Ruth couldn't believe he was mocking her . Shocked, she gaped at him.

" Thanks. "

He continued dragging her to the table beside the windows giving the view of city.

" I didn't say anything. "

Ruth argued. She couldn't believe him.

" No? "

He was enjoying the conversation. Orion looked over his shoulder to the pretty face. Her stunned face amused him more.

" You didn't answer so I take it as 'yes' ."

He chuckled darkly. She released his grip from her hands , sat on the chair without his help and took the menu to order something. If they were here, she could take it as a chance to eat.

With a smirk dancing on his lips he took his seat . As on queue a waiter came for their order. Ruth ordered her food , thanked him and waited for Orion to order for himself.

Orion held his hands back to not throw few punches at the waiter who has his lusted gaze running over Ruth. He had his eyes stoned on her chest , the area where her boobs were peeking out a little.

" Look away before I nail out your balls from your eyes. "

The waiter trembled listening his roar. Ruth was equally terrified that what went wrong this time.

With a little bit courage in him the waiter took Orion's order without looking at Ruth.

" Can't you talk without threatening someone every time? "

The moment she had met Orion all he did was giving threats.

" No. "

He growled. Orion hated that Ruth was having attention of every fucking male crossing their paths. The waiter came back with their foods and left it on the table with shaky hands.

" It was not a threat. "

He was serious.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

" I'm okay Dad. Its work load. "

Her father, Noah Glatzel didn't believe her daughter's word . She looked skinny than before, as if had not eaten for days.

They were having dinner and Noah was not having his daughter eat like she was deprived of food. But the reason was she already had lunch few hours prior with that devil.

" It's not okay princess , look at yourself you are skin and bones , you have lost your glow. "

Noah pointed out.

" I'm stressed Dad, a man wanted my shop for his hotel then he suggested we should do business together, thats all. "

Ruth blurted out. Noah was her only family left and she had always confined on her father.

" Its good thing . I mean you can trust that man right? "

" Yes Dad, trust me I can handle it. "

She had many reasons to avoid Orion but the one reason overbeared all the others. The reason that he was now her potential client.

" Are you - are you seeing someone recently? "

Noah didn't like the way she was living, she was not living she was just breathing. She had drowned herself in work to forget her pain. He did the same after his wife's death. But he didn't want the same life for his daughter.

" No. No dad. You know I can't. After - I don't want to. "

Twirling the spoon on the soup she answered, truthfully. Her thoughts unconsciously went to Orion.

" Dad , lets not talk about me, let's talk about you. I know you loved mom and still love her but I want you to find another one, I mean its nothing wrong to date, I can't see you like this. "

Ruth had said her father several times to find a woman for himself but he didn't and never mind her words.

" I'm old man now. Its not my time , its yours, its been two years Ruth, you have to move on. "

Noah insisted. Both of the father-daughter duo were same. Noah didn't want woman other than Lily and same goes for Ruth, she didn't want to move on from Sal.

" I'm trying Dad. "

Ruth mumbled choking back the tears.

" And I'm proud of you, that you are trying."

Noah knew how difficult it could be to let go off the person you have vowed to hold onto for all your life.

" Are you spending the night here or you want to go back?"

" I will stay. I have missed our movie times. So what's say. "

" Ofcourse princess. I will arrange the popcorn can you set the movie? "

" Yes dad. "

The house was two storey house with three bedrooms , an open kitchen with living room and a big yard. It felt homely even if there were only two people enjoying their movie night.

* * * * * * * *

" Did they asked about certain design or type for how they wanted their dress. "

Ruth was back to work after the wonderful weekend she had with her father. No Orion. No workloads.

" No. They said they wanted it done before the wedding. They were in haste. "

Sara explained . Their shop was also known for customized dress. No matter the type. Wedding, prom, dinner -party they make dress how the customer demands.

" Okay let me know if they call for anything. "

Ruth dismissed Sara.

She was responding back to the hundreds of mails that needed to be attended when a frantic knock disturbed her.

" Come in. "

It was Sara.

" Yes? "

" Mr. Vassiliev wanted to talk to you. "

Sara looked as if she was running from a ghost. However he was worst than a ghost.

He must have threatened poor Sara - Ruth concluded.

" Send him in. "

She was free and didn't have any meetings.

Sara nodded and opened the door to let him in.

Orion gave his indifferent smile to Sara before looking at Ruth.

" Why she stopped me for meeting you? "

Orion didn't like it a bit that someone was there as barrier between them.

" Not her fault she was following my orders. She is my assistant not yours. "

Her gaze still on the screen of her laptop.

" Good for her. "

" Excuse me? "

Ruth didn't understand what he meant. He ignored her question and sat at the seat in front of her.

" Care to explain why your steps led you in my office? "

The last thing she wanted was to be in his presence. Whenever he was near her she felt giddy and shivers in her body. He was a bad news!

" I wanted you to meet the interior designer. Have you decided how you want your office to look?"

Ruth had not forgotten yet what had happened last time before they met Darius.

" Last time I checked there was no need of my assistance for anything regarding your hotel. And why so early? The construction has just been started . I don't need the designer now. So please see your way out."

This was her way to say - get out of my office now.

He stood up but instead of walking to the door he strided towards her. Both of them had their eyes set on each other but on one hand Ruth had fear swirling between them, Orion's had fierceness.

" And last time I checked I had warned you about disrespecting me. "

His one hand on the table and with one hand he pulled her swivel chair to him.

The fact that she always wanted to be far away from him burn him to the bones. She never talked to him with the smile which she was having when she talked to Darius. It irked him.

Ruth gulped the saliva suddenly feeling her throat dry.

" I didn't disrespect you. I stated the facts. There's no need for my presence there. "

Her voice now meek.

" I warned you for the first time and I don't do second chances so prepare yourself for the punishment. "