The Royal Contract

Chapter 10 - Go Around The System

Staring blankly at her work for a few minutes, she stood up and started pacing the room. After a while, she sat back down frustrated. Her brain working overtime, analyzing the events that led her to this point.

"Did he saw me? Did he recognize me?" She mumbled several questions to herself. She finally slumped back on her seat, unable to focus on the work in front of her.

She tried to recall the moment when their eyes met. She wanted to remember if she saw a glimpse of recognition in his eyes. She was not sure, but it would seem that he was just staring at something when he accidentally locked eyes with her. There was no hint that he knew her.

"Why would he remember me?" She kept talking to herself. It was one night more than a year ago. But she remembered him so clearly. That was because she had a sharp memory. Her mind reminded her.

She just hoped that he was a dumb businessman who was not good at remembering faces. But from the way he handled his business, she doubted that.

Checking her natural blonde slightly wavy hair with her fingers, she was sure that she looked different today. That time, she dyed her hair red because she wanted a change. Of course, there was the thick makeup she wore to make her look older.

He would never have recognized her disguised, she assured herself. Finally breathing more normally as she calmed herself down.

Besides, he might have already forgotten about her by now. He probably had several women in his bed between then and now. Therefore, the possibility he would remember her at all was very slim to none.

"No need to panic," She said confidently. She turned around to look at the wall outside her office window as she let her mind wander back to the past.

She could still remember every detail of that night. After that, finding solace in the arms of a stranger lost its appeal to her. She never tried it again. She found herself searching for one particular figure while other men failed to compare.

She heard a knock at the door, making her turned around, and then Jacky's head appeared from the crack. "What's going on?" She asked barging in the room with accusation on her tone. "I saw you hiding behind the cabinets."

She immediately fixed her posture and appeared busy. Returning her attention to the file on her table. "It was nothing. I was just trying to get a look at the man Mr. Jenkins had a meeting with." She said nonchalantly.

She hoped that she sounded convincing. This was not the time for her friend to discover her history with the man. Very short history at that.

"Well, did you see him? What do you think of Mr. Hotty?" She asked inquisitively. Noticeably, Jacky had the hots for him from the way she was giggling.

Jacky sat on the chair opposite her and waited for her assessment.

"I didn't see much from where I was standing." She lied. However, seeing him again reminded her of the view she had of the full package. She suddenly closed her eyes, trying to erase the image once again. This was not the time to be fantasizing about her mystery man.

"Are you sure, because from what I observed, you got a clear sight of him from where you were crouching?" She said mischievously. "Admit it. He is one delectable man. Just look at you. You're like a cherry tomato just thinking about him." She teased.

"No, I'm not." She automatically retorted back. At least Jacky saw her dilemma as a mere admiration just liked hers.

"Anyway, my friend if you're done daydreaming of Mr. Hotty, Mr. Jenkins would like a word with you in his office." She chuckled before closing the door. Leaving her to contemplate on her thoughts.

Not a few seconds had passed when the door opened again, with Jacky's head peeking on the slit. "By the way, Dani, as your good friend I'll let you have him. It's not every day that I get to experience you being this affected by a man."

"Go back to your work, Jacky." She shouted this time, not at all amused at Jacky's teasing. Jacky immediately closed the door, laughing at her reaction.

Alone again, she remembered how she used this mystery man in her lonely nights. In a way, thinking and dreaming of him were harmless since she was sure she would never see him again.

The way he had taken care of her, touched her, and sent her senses on fire had helped her to move on. This man without his knowledge had made her feel alive again. However, the stranger remained nameless no more.

Alexander Princeton was his name. It would seem that she would be seeing more of him from now on. Knowing that their world was going smaller as they both would be revolving around the same circle.

"What now?" She asked herself with a deep sigh.

Composing herself, she shook off her thoughts of him and followed Jacky outside. She proceeded to Mr. Jenkins's office, quickly glancing at Jacky who only gave her a huge grin.

"Howard, why are you in a meeting with Mr. Princeton?" She asked directly to the point. She never liked it to go around the subject.

"Dani, sit down first. I told Jacky not to say anything because I want to tell you about it personally." He said shaking his head in frustration. "Anyway, I heard what happened yesterday with your case." He said, quickly changing the subject.

"Yes, I lost the case. It's one of the reasons I also wanted to talk to you." She said with a slight outburst. "We need more funding for our cases. I know you said that you are working on it, but I am losing cases left and right because I am fighting against those giant corporate monsters who had enough money to twist the system."

"We'll get to that later," Howard said as he ushered her to a chair. "Sit down first, Dani. So, we can talk."

She immediately complied with her boss and got comfortable on the chair across from him while he also leaned on his chair as he tried to think of a way to tell her about what happened in the meeting earlier.

"Does your meeting with Mr. Princeton had anything to do with my case." She finally asked. Remembering that he just bought the company she was suing.

"Yes, the meeting was about your case." Her boss admitted as he opened a file on his table. "It came to my attention that our client gave us falsified documents. He was kind enough to settle this issue without going to court."

"Kind?" She burst out. "They were probably the ones who falsified those documents." She continued, accusing the man of unscrupulous acts.

"Well, we do not have enough proof to prove your claim, but they have. So better close this case before it blows on our faces." Howard commanded her.

Howard Jenkins always liked the way Dani worked. Her determination and perseverance were admirable. One of the reasons he hired her in the first place. He also knew who she was, but he never questioned her about her reasons for staying with them.

He was just glad that she chose to work for him. She was a good addition to his legal team. Although she was right, their ability to raise enough funds was causing them to lose their cases. But he was trying to find ways to remedy that. So far, a solution just presented itself to him.

"This is unfair. How can we expect to win cases? I barely began my case and we are ready to give up." She rumbled to her boss before walking out of his office.

She had enough of talking to someone who already closed his mind to her case. She just had to find a way to help these people. But staying in this sinking ship was not going to do her any good. She suddenly remembered her dad, saying that she had no future in this place.

She should not simply give up if she wanted to help, but she had to find another way. If she needed to go around the system, she would. The balance of justice seemed to be crooked anyway, so better find a way to even it out, even if that meant going against Mr. Hotty.