Eder walked slowly casually over to her and bent over her. He placed a hand on the arm rest of his own chair and the other on the top of the back rest where she was leaning. She kept looking away unbothered. She just continued to sip her wine unfazed. He stayed without talking just looking down at her. None of them spoke for a while. until Dahlia finally put down her empty glass.
When she put the glass down, she looked up at him. Their faces coming close to each other. Eder looked closely into her eyes and felt that feeling again. It was the same every time. he wondered if she felt it too.
"lost your tongue?" She asked once again.
"you can't make changes without my consent" he said not really focused anymore. Her closeness was having its effect on him.
"had you been there you would have known. I did what you were not capable of" he heard her say, pulling him back from his reveries. His gaze became serious and searching.
"what do you really want?" he asked with slightly narrowed eyes. Dahlia's stoic face which seemed to be lite turned serious. She gracefully put her legs down and leaned forward, closer to him, so that her face was just an inch away from his face.
"I told you to stay away from my sister and I. I want you out of my company and our life" she whispered.
"and I told you, that I am not going anywhere." he husked.
"I don't think you have a choice"
"I always have the choice. This..." he pointed at the folder on the table ".. won't stop me from coming closer to you" his voice was soft and husky, his silver eyes gleaming slightly in the dark.
"what do you want, Mr Galann?" it was Dahlia's turn to ask. She couldn't understand why he didn't seem affected at all.
"I only want to you to let me in" he replied truthfully. A slight frown appeared on her face "I don't know why I feel so drawn to you and ever since that bidding night, you became my obsession" he explained slowly.
Dahlia's eyes widened a bit. She surely did not expect this. She thought he would be angry and throw a tantrum like a child or anything, but this. She was completely caught off guard ad she wasn't used to this. She was used to be in control and now, she was shaken so much that she couldn't find her voice to answer him.
"so know, that nothing you will do, will make me stay away. I will only get closer… until I understand the mystery that you are ms Quinn" He saw something flash in her eyes so very fast. She seem surprised, but she was so quick to hide her emotions that he wasn't sure. Then her gaze turned hard on him and she stood up without breaking their eyes contact.
"if you think of me as one of your preys, forget it immediately because you might loose more than what you think." she spoke coldly. She didn't like what he made her feel at the moment, the chills, the weird feeling in her stomach and the fact that she liked his breath close to her. So she subconsciously, automatically went into defensive mode.
"no, you are not a prey" he corrected. "you are just a big tigress that needs to be tamed" he said casually with gleaming eyes looking directly into hers.
"and what makes you think you can?" she narrowed her eyes menacingly at him.
"your reaction is enough" He looked at her with a kind of cheeky smile that made Dahlia feel like smacking him.
"we will meet tomorrow at the meeting" she said simply and walked out. Eder didn't try to stop her. He just let her leave quietly.
He walked out of the office a while after her and climbed straight into the car in which Matt was waiting for him. As soon as he was in the car Matt started it and drove away.
***
The next day, Dahlia and Eder met at another meeting. They both sat face to face on the two end of the long meeting table. They would occasionally glance at each other and Eder would flash that annoying smirk to her. They were discussing the appointment of new directors to replace the ones who were fired.
When Siara was done, stating the decision Dahlia took, Dahlia looked at Eder.
"Do you have anything to say, Mr Galann?" she asked him.
"yes, I also have a list of proposition for that." he said simply.
"good" was all she replied there was no change in her demeanor nor aura. She was calm.
They gave out the identity of the various people who were chosen for the empty posts and each of the CEOs gave their reasons for choosing. Rather, their personal secretaries did. In the end, most of the chosen people were from her list.
After discussing the various, matters regarding the company's evolution, the meeting was dismissed. Everyone went on to carry out their work. Eder went to her office was again. She was having a pen in her hand and writing something. When he entered unannounced she stopped and looked at him with her calm and cold usual expression.
"I wanted to know one thing" he started and Dahlia leaned back in her chair to listen to him. "you really plotted all this?" she did not reply but he already knew the answer. "why?"he asked. She looked at him.
"I think I was clear enough yesterday" she said calmly.
"the rogues" he started but she did not say anything nor showed an expression. "you sent them? Knowing your sister was around?" he continued.
"what makes you think that?" she asked calmly.
"this is not a coincidence. It is clear that it was masterfully plotted and to your advantage"
"if you say so" she said with a shrug.
"are you perhaps jealous that I might like your sister?" she did not change her facial expression and it even felt like she was mocking him. She couldn't understand what was wrong with this man at all. What was he looking for?
"I won't get jealous over a beard teddy that is seeking every possible ways just to receive hugs" she said and then she ignored him and went back to her work. Eder chuckled silently to himself and leaned with his palms on her desk.