Forty Four.

I wave as Akira buzzes me through the bulletproof wall, "Hey, babe. You've changed your hair colour?" I stop at her desk and ask her.

Her previously jet black hair with purple tips has been coloured caramel blonde. She now resembles your average good girl next door neighbour, rather than the sassy but classy persona she always possessed.

"Yeah," She sighs with a sad look on her face. "My mothers arranged a blind date for me tonight and she insisted that I go back to my natural hair colour." She pouts.

"Oh.." I scrunch my nose.

Mixed emotions lick my skin.

I feel bad for her since she does not appear overjoyed about her date, and I envy her for having a mother who is genuinely concerned about her daughters marital status.

"Please tell me your mother does the same? I'm in my mid-twenties and she still feels the need to meddle in my love life." She props her elbow up on her desk and rests her chin on her hand.

"No, can't say she does." A sad smile crosses my face. "My parents are both deceased."

"Oh, hon!" She gasps with sympathy. "I'm so sorry. You're still so young and-"

I touch her hand. "It's okay, I've been on my own for a while now."

"No siblings?"

"Nope, my mother died when I was young and my father never moved on. He had the odd girlfriend here and there, but, he just never got over my mum." I can feel my eyes starting to water and a lump forms in my throat.

"That's real love right there." She beams. "I want a man like that." She giggles." One that believes I'm irreplaceable even when I've died and gone to heaven." She says in a dreamy tone.

"Your date tonight could be that man?"

"I doubt it. He sounds like an ignorant prick who thinks I'll be on my knees most of our time spent together." She rolls her eyes, sticks her finger in her mouth, and her face contorts into a 'I am going to be sick' expression.

I giggle, "I hope he's brought you some gold plated knee pads then?"

She laughs as she shakes her head, "Did your father ever meet any of your boyfriends?" She asks curiously.

My smile instantly fades from my face replaced by a frown. "Yeah, he hated the prick. He thought I was too good for him and it turns out that he was right. I just wish I got the chance to tell him before he died." My voice cracks.

"Naawww, Clara! That's so sad. Is there a reason why you couldn't tell him? Were you abroad?" I peer up meeting her gaze which gleams with sympathy.

"My boyfriend refused to let me visit my father or attend his funeral. He hated my father with a passion and my father felt the exact same way about him." I mumble with a sigh.

She opens her mouth to reply but snaps her mouth shut and clears her throat. "Mr Burak, Good morning." She greets him nervously and returns to the task she was finishing before I disturbed her.

I curse under my breath.

"Miss Cross," He grumbles. "I don't pay you to stand about and gossip."

I slowly turn around to face him and I lick my lips when my gaze clashes with his. "You're right, Mr Burak. I apologise." I bow, turning away and I start to walk to my office.

I can sense him following close behind and the moment I round the corner, he grabs me by the upper arm and leads me into his office.

He closes the door behind us, releasing my arm and he walks behind his desk.

His eyes gradually wander up my body as he unbuttons his suit jacket and sits in his office chair.

He remains silent and I despise the silent game.

I take out my work phone, open up my email and check his schedule for the day. "You have a meeting at 10 am with the gala organisation, another appointment at -"

"I already know my schedule for the day." He states firmly as he starts typing.

As I look at him I wonder why he's dragged me to his office. He looks super dashing today and it's slowly starting to irritate me.

The thought of him playing happy house with his fake wife, nanny and my son kept me up all night.

Like I needed another dilemma to keep me up.

There are two types of people in this world. A preditor or the prey. You either eat or get eaten and I'm done being the prey in all aspects of my life.

"I'm sorry you never got to say your final farewells to your baba. [father] A real man should never try to distinguish the bond between a baba [father] and kiz evalet [daughter]. It's inhumane."

I nod my head fully agreeing with him.

"How are you holding up?" He asks.

I tuck the loose strands of my hair behind my ears. "I, Ah." I furrow, raising my gaze to his. "I miss Sandro," I say honestly. "He was always the last face I saw before I went to bed and the first when I wake up. But now all I see when I close my eyes is Trent."

"I wish I could say the same, but, all I have is the photo that you gave me." He opens his top draw, extracting the picture frame I gave him with a photo of Sandro I took 6 days before he left with Ace.

"That's not fair." I hiss.

"Nothing in life is ever fair. You best start learning that now. So for future references, you won't be too shocked when things don't swing your way." He smirks.

I chuckle with contempt, "Nothing has gone my way for many years. It is why I'm never really shocked" I emphasise the word 'shocked'. "When things don't swing my way."

He scoffs, "Cute." Rubbing his jaw. "Did you manage to rest after you kicked me out?" He arches a single brow.

I swallow, "Not really." My hand curls into a tight ball at my side. "Everything about that apartment rubs me the wrong way. Castello brought it solely for this mission, meaning he has access to it whenever he, Trent or his goons feel the need to pay me a visit. I've decided to stay at the Zalia Hotel until everything blows over."

I observe him as he rises from his desk and drapes his suit jacket over the back of his chair. He walks around his desk and sits on the edge of it in front of me, folding his arms.

"I offered you sanctuary and declined me." His jaw ticks. "You're pride is your worst enemy, Mila." He states in a matter of fact tone.

"My dignity is all I have left. I refuse to let the Esposito family strip me of that too." I state firmly.

He maintains his gaze on me. Every inch of my skin that his gaze passes over ignites my body.

From what I know. Aydem has a strong connection with the other families and he also has the power to compel them to do as he orders.  He has a distinct charm that Trent and Castello seem to lack when it comes to dealing with other leaders.

For now, I'll be careful. I'll be smart and that means obeying.

I step forward, standing in between his spread legs and I look at him, biting my bottom lip.

"I want you to take down the advert for a wife and a nanny." I lick my lips nervously.

"And why would I do that, askim?" [My love?]

"You know why."

A cheeky smirk curves on his annoyingly handsome face.

"Say it." He demands in a raspy tone as he takes my hands in his.

I'm given two simple words.

But it's a command not to be denied, and the instantaneous hammering in my chest intensifies, compelling me to speak.

"I accept your proposal, Mr Burak." I breathe out shakily. "I'll like to become, Mrs Burak."