His Devious Rule

Entering the room, Anya breathed in relief. If she doesn't anger Alvin or melt him when he is angry, she could push through these days and complete her work too.

Without letting herself demotivate, Anya looked at the 'guest' room. She was speechless. Probably her whole little villa takes less space than the room she was standing in. 'Who calls this a bedroom? This is so huge,' It looked like a mini ballroom. Anya laughed at her thoughts.

She thanked the lords for not giving her a royal Moroccan-style room. She would have gone crazy thinking she woke up in a different era. This room was contemporary and minimalist. There was a huge shelf for the books that acted as a section divider for the study table and the sleeping area. 

There was an armchair and foot stand next to the bay window. The knitted blanket on it and the cozy floor mat underneath made it look warm and cozy. 

Anya tilted her head in confusion. Though the color or chair style was different, somehow it reminded her of her home. She had the same setup in her home. She used to wrap her Little Bun in a warm blanket when he was hugging her to sleep or he was sitting on her lap to study with her. 

She felt like Alvin noticed in her house and arranged in this room. However, she instantly shrugged off her thought. "When did he start caring about others' needs?"  He also had no reason to be so good to her. It was common to have a cozy armchair on a mat with a warm blanket on it. 

Who was going to tell her that Alvin planned for that look and chose the spot because he had seen it in her house?

She went inside as she looked at the bay window. Rich knows how to live. Everything looked exquisite but lifeless. She understood no one lived in that room before her or they changed the room to look that way. Anyway, she enjoyed the beautiful sight outside. Far away, small lights were flickering like stars in the dark sky.

Craving for a hot bath, she wondered if there were any clothes to wear. There she wanted to faint. She ran out and knocked on Alvin's door without letting him ignore her.

'Knock... knock... knock...'

Alvin, who had just showered, heard the knocks and went to the door in a bathrobe.

"Alvin, did you perhaps point to the wrong room? There are somebody's things inside." She asked straight away, without caring to admire the man's dripping wet hair, muscular chest peeking out of the robe.

Alvin then realized he overdid it. Her bewildered expression clearly showed her uncomfortableness to use somebody's room. He itched to lie as somebody used to live in that room and she should use those clothes. 

On second thought, he admitted, "Those are for you."

Anya: "..."

Even if those clothes are for her, one or two would have been fine. There was a whole showroom in the closet. She won't be able to pay for them and she didn't want to owe him either. 

There is no such thing as a free meal. She wasn't going to fall into any of his ploys that would put her in trouble.

Alvin saw her hesitant and chewing her lips, which means she was thinking something. He somehow craved to stop her bad habit of chewing her lips. He decided to think that later and focused on her hesitation. His fingers tugged his jacket she was wearing, "Or… Do you plan on tempting me by wearing my clothes?"

His tug caused her to get closer to him, He loomed closer to her while she pushed her head back to keep the distance. His masculine scent raided her nostrils, his teasing, deep tone sent shivers down her body.

Too bad, she was on a different wavelength than him. She looked at herself and him, "Your taste is weird like you." She was looking like a walking coat hanger wearing oversized clothes. There was nothing sexy about it to tempt anybody.

Alvin: "..."

He didn't mean she has to wear layers of his clothes and look like a clothes' monster. Even if he is in the mood, her such type of appearance would definitely turn him off. 

Who was he flirting with? He turned her towards her room and gave a gentle push, "Go, sleep." He commanded.

'Thud,' He closed the door before she could even take a step.

'Crazy man.' She went back to the room and the closet. She recalled all her clothes were ruined by Harper's men. All the losses would be surely reimbursed so she shopped in the showroom called 'Closet.' Though those brands were expensive, she had no choice. After a bath, she went to bed without thinking much. 

-----

Harper Johnson couldn't rest at ease without knowing when Bernard would do something with the information Bernard had against him. Hence Harper forced Bernard to meet him in the night.

A cafe near the President's mansion. The cafe was deserted without any employees or customers inside. Harper was sitting on a chair in the center of the cafe. He looked at the sign 'No Smoking.' and puffed out a few smoke rings. He placed his silver smoking pipe on his lips and inhaled the smoke through his mouth. That made him look vile and fearsome.

There were three men behind him. One was his assistant and the other two were his bodyguards. They had similar expressions as Harper, grim and merciless.

"Does he think I am a dog?" Harper spat when it was over a minute of the specified time.

The three didn't react and stood like lifeless statues.

A few cars soon approached the cafe. President's security quickly spread out, checked around before giving a green signal for Bernard to get off the car.

"He thinks he is safe with his security." Harper scoffed. Looking at Bernard making his way inside, Harper pitched to knock off the man. 

Bernard took the seat, he was calm and composed without showing any panic or fear to Harper. The latter blew the smoke on Bernard's face, yet he sat calmly.

Bernard lifted his hand to stop his security chief from saying anything to Harper. It wasn't the time yet. He clenched his teeth and pressed his anger.

"Where is the hard disk?" Harper asked.

"I don't know." Bernard thought he lied but in reality, he really didn't know where the actual information that was present in the hard disk was present.

Harper's voice slowly started to turn heavy as his gaze on Bernard and his grip tightened on the silver smoking pipe. "Don't you truly know?"

Bernard knew this meeting could be dangerous for his life. But this is also the time he could find clues. "Who else could be interested in your dirt?" He meant Harper must have stolen the hard disk.

Harper slammed his hand on the table and snapped at Bernard, "Bernard Collins, don't you dare play games with me." His voice sounded clear, loud, and far.

Bernard tried hard not to swallow and glared at the man, "I have a whole country of issues to look into. Do you think I have nothing better to do than your petty situation?" Bernard riled up Harper.

Harper stood up, throwing the silver smoke pipe aside.

'Tan… tan… tan…' The pipe created the tuneful sound but it was buried under the noise of pulling sliders of the guns to recoil the bullet.

As soon as Harper pointed his handgun at the forehead of Bernard, everyone around them pulled their handguns to their hands. When four pointed at Bernard, Bernard's security men were pointing at Harper and his three men.

Bernard was a politician, but this was the first time he was facing such a situation. His heart shuddered violently in his ribs while he clenched his teeth, curled his fist tight, and looked at Harper without breaking his eye contact.

Bernard managed to be calm on the surface. He laughed as if Harper played some kind of prank on them. He stopped laughing shortly and said, "Harper Johnsons, don't you see how many are around you." He had more people to protect him.

Harper didn't fear a bit. He snickered, "Why don't you look, President Collins?" He arrogantly said with a lopsided smile on his face.

Bernard furrowed at his words. He turned to have a look. His eyes widened when saw his security men shifting their handguns at him.. The chief security officer was more shocked than Bernard.