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15.

"After everything that's happened, what if he decided to come back, to claim you and love you again, would you accept him back?" My father asked as we sat in the lounge of my home, he had decided to have one of his unceremonious arrivals much to the pleasure of my children.

"I don't think I want that anymore—, no dad, I don't want him anymore, with everything that happened, the divorce, the eviction letter, him even cheating in the first place, I had been so comfortable with making concessions for him that I forgot that I was ny own before I was his, —years of marriage gone and he didn't care, so when and if he decides to come back in my life, I will be honest with him and myself, it's over." I told my father who smiled my way and held me close.

"I'm so proud of the person you're becoming, you seem a lot happier, and your children couldn't be more so happy, —and don't worry no one is ever going to take my grandchildren from me, these two come from a long line of brave, truly terrifyingly beautiful men and women, so be rest assured your family is safe." He proclaimed causing a smile to spread widely on my face. "I know you'll kill for us." I exclaimed and he chuckled. "I won't even get the opportunity if I tell your brothers." He mused and we both laughed to that statement, it was true, my family they would always be there to defend me first.

"Time to get some shut eye sweetheart, so you can tackle this new world that's full of opportunities." He accosted and I narrowed my eyes in him. "Are you telling me to go to bed?" I questioned and he winked my way. "I'm not a child anymore dad, I have kids of my own!" I protested with a note of amusement.

"I know that but you're still my baby, now get going, leave the glass." He added and I gasped in shock. "Monster." I accused lightly. "Yeah I am." My father admitted playfully. "Goodnight you old sap." I sweetly pressed a kiss to his cheek before leaving him in the lounge. "And Ceres!" He called out just before I was out of view. "You're my heart."

Ceres Beau.

"Tell me he didn't kill someone." Derek announced as Maya, Hugh and myself walked into his office, it was so spacious which was the inspiration for most offices at Beau Cosmetics and KleinTech, but his statement was aimed at Hugh since he still looked a little pissed. "No but he tried." I replied one of my closest friends who came around his desk, went to a cabinet and brought back a first aid kit, handing it over to me I began to dress Hugh's slightly bruised knuckles. "Please tell me it was he who makes me sick." Derek added propping himself on his desk looking as refined as ever.

"You're right on the money." I retorted earning a snicker from Hugh. "Not a word from you, — I'm not defending him but you could've killed him." I muttered as I finished putting a gel that would help his knuckles heal better. "He should've, that cockroach deserves it." Derek supported and I glared at him. "Don't support him, —Maya get us some tea okay, that special blend of yours and make some for Derek, it seems he's annoyed for some reason." I explained turning our attention toward him, with his tall almost bulky frame in a form fitting suit. "On it Ceres." Maya responded leaving the office whilst Hugh narrowed his eyes on my COO.

"I'm not annoyed, —I'm pissed off, that idiot Craig Talbert keeps blowing up my phone, and I've been trying to get him to back off but that only seems to rile him up even more, its so frustrating, and I'm so sorry, he asked me where you were and I tried to be evasive by saying you were at a construction site, I didn't realize he was resourceful enough to figure it out." Derek explained and I couldn't help the lopsided smile that came onto my lips.

"Hey, it was bound to happen, at some point I was going to encounter Drake, but like Hugh also definitely wants to know, —do you perhaps like Craig, I mean he is Drake's friend and all but they're not the same person." I pointed out and Derek had the most apparent offended face he could make.

"No!" He yelled out loudly. "Is that so?" Hugh muttered lowly causing Derek to falter. "I don't know okay, maybe, —I mean he's cute, has a stable job, smart enough, has a good sense of fashion and he's persistent, I mean really persistent, I can't be sure because I don't if he's hung though." He expressed and I couldn't help dropping my jaw. "Derek!" I complained and he looked at me flatly. "What, —I'm not wasting all this on someone whose not Gavin hung okay." He defended gesturing to himself. "I can't even with you right now." I stated as we laughed even Maya who had walked in with the tea.

"I'm just glad you're okay, —and even more so glad that you're around Hugh, I need a huge favour, can you set up a meeting for me with Miguel Lord?" Derek asked already taking advantage of Hugh's presence for a business opportunity, I couldn't and wouldn't reprimand him, he was the one stepping in as CEO of KleinTech soon leaving Maya as COO but neither of them knew that yet, it was my surprise for both.

"I think I know a way to get him here but I can't rush him because he had an ongoing project somewhere in Africa, several countries in the south, then Australia, so I can set it up and you can just call him." Hugh explained as I sipped on my tea, it calmed my nerves because I was prepping to meet Deklan, my other meetings had been handled before we had come back to the office.

"Great, thank you so much, and by the way Ceres, Gavin called, —he said to tell you to pick up your phone and that he's staying longer in St Maine, there was an opportunity for business he couldn't miss, so pick up when he calls." Derek stated and I was sad to have missed Gavin's call, it led me to actually rummaging through my bag for it, —lo and behold almost a hundred texts from Gavin alone. He was such a child. "Sir your two o'clock." Maya reminded and I sighed, I was not looking forward to it. "How about lunch first then you tackle whatever it is that is making you this." Derek sassily asserted earning a snicker from Hugh.

"Yeah, lunch sounds great." Hugh chipped in as we all filed out of Derek's office, I just followed along one hand texting Gavin back, the other holding Hugh's hand, Maya chatting away with Derek, I swear those two were two peas in a pod, it was going to be hard not having them in the same building. "Hey, do you know anyone who can hack a secure company server, also I need to find out why three partners to Will's company sued him." I mumbled next to Hugh who hummed in thought. "Yes to the first question and don't you need to track down any one of those individuals to question them or find the lawyer who handled any one of those lawsuits." My cousin replied and it clicked in my mind what I needed to do.

"Why those three partners, won't he have covered his tracks?" Hugh expressed but I refuse with a shake of my head. "He might've yes but I have a gut feeling that these lawsuits lead to something bigger also because one of the partners is missing and I don't think it's a coincidence." I explained to Hugh who smiled. "Oh how I've missed these thrilling escapades of espionage." He smirked but I couldn't be concerned with how unhinged he sounded, Hugh could handle himself, I had bigger fish to fry, but after lunch with the people who made my life worth living.

"Ceres, can I come over later, I need your help with something." Derek chimed in as finally after our short walk we were in a restaurant, seated and ready to order. "I bet you its a business proposal." Hugh whispered next to me and we both laughed. "Hey, —it's not!" Derek argued. "Its guy stuff." He amended as Maya leaned forward. "You mean Craig Talbert stuff." She teased Derek who was now hopelessly blushing. "Shut up!" He hissed whilst all of us laughed, truly I appreciated these moments even if they weren't rare because I knew I had a lot to tackle but it wouldn't drag me under, —not anymore.

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