“It’s fine… come… let’s have lunch. Mr Adalase, General Addison, please join us.” Steve invited everyone into the kitchen. Dana ignored Ben and Lara and walked in following Steve. Ben and Lara followed guiltily while Shadow followed trying to hold his laughter. Although he didn’t know the specifics, he knew Boss had messed up big time.Steve played the perfect host, ignoring the previous episode. However, Dana didn’t seem to want to let go, she glared shifting her gaze from Lara to Ben “Don’t you two have something to say?”“Eh?” Lara lifted her head guiltily “Steve, I am sorry. I thought…”“Don’t worry. It’s forgotten.” Steve smiled.Dana glared at Ben.“Ahem…” Ben cleared his throat… this was more difficult than anything he had done.Shadow watched with a face full of schadenfreude. He didn’t miss to message Frank and Ed “You have missed an epic moment- Shadow.”“Steve, I am sorry.” Ben wrinkled his forehead.“No… no… you two don’t embarrass me.” Steve waved magnanimously.“Steve, t
Dana asked Steve to leave his car behind and rent one for the month. She didn’t want anyone to track them…even though the chances were slim.Ben and Shadow helped Steve and Kim move. Ben shamelessly took a ride with Dana saying his car was crowded.“Wow…. This place is awesome!” Kim’s eyes shone with a bright light as she got down from the car. The front garden was beautifully landscaped. The centerpiece was a fountain which had two dolphins posed in shape of a heart with water sprouting from their rostrums.Kim ran around in enthusiasm as she explored.“Let’s go in. You have plenty of time to explore.” Dana shook her head helplessly.Steve and Shadow bought their luggage in while Kim pulled Dana and Lara to continue her exploration inside the house.Shadow sat down dutifully to follow Dana’s instructions on network accessibility. He connected Steve’s personal laptop and phone to the network and set it so that it required a password to access every single time.Once they were settled
Dana went to set the table while everyone was drinking tea.“What the hell is this?” Lara looked curiously at the items on the table.Steve and Kim also looked curiously at the items.“Let’s create our masterpiece, eh?” Dana rubbed her hands excitedly. She felt a little heartache at a small corner in her heart. She wanted Ben to be here. She shook her head at the little thought that popped up and turned to look at Steve, Lara and Kim.Steve, Lara and Kim looked like deflated balloons; all their curiosity had been washed away. They didn’t know how to paint.“Can you paint?” Lara asked even more curiously.“Kinda” Dana shrugged.“Those paintings we have at our place” Lara asked slowly as if she was enlightened “Did you do them?”“Um. But this is something all of us can do.” Dana added enthusiastically.“Have you seen me draw? Even kindergartens would start laughing if they saw mine.” Lara twisted her lips in disdain.“Mine too” Kim rolled her eyes.“I had to outsource all my lab records
On the way back, Shadow offered to take Lara canvas shopping while Ben took Dana away.Ben got Scar to drive them to David’s kitchen.“I forgot to remind her to buy some plastic sheets.” Dana sighed as she took her phone and messaged Lara in a hurry.Ben sat quietly watching Dana before leaning back to close his eyes.“Ben, would you be able to spare someone to monitor Kim and Steve when they go shopping tomorrow? I want to prevent Kim from contacting anyone.” Dana asked as she thought about her schedule for tomorrow.“Scar, get Scholar to organize this and let me know once it’s done.” Ben didn’t need to think to indulge her requests.Dana sat back and closed her eyes; as she rested, she thought about a problem. Whenever she needed something, she would flagrantly ask Ben; She felt like she was using Ben. This was not fair to him. She needed to stop this unreserved, unbalanced liaison.“Ben, I need to talk to you.” Dana looked seriously at Ben as Scar parked in the parking area.“Um” B
Dana smiled and toasted.“Want to see them spewing fire?” Lara laughed mischievously; Dana nodded.“Ask you fiancé to cooperate with me.” Lara spoke with an insidious grin.Dana didn’t take much note of Lara’s tease, she turned to Ben who had his lips curled up in a smile. Although he was conversing with Ed and Frank, his ears were tuned into Dana’s side. He had heard Lara, but what made him happy was Dana did not refute.“Ben” Dana leaned close to Ben.“Um” Ben turned his head, leaning down towards her.“Lara wants to make mischief. Can you ….” Dana pursed her lips upwards; she couldn’t actually say the rest. ‘How awkward?’“Do you want me to?” Ben whispered. He was sure the candidates could not see his intimate action from the angle they were at.“Um”“Okay.”Dana looked at Lara and nodded giving her the ‘all okay.’Lara smiled seductively as she stood up and walked over to Ben “Mr Adalase, let me toast our friendship.”Dana had her head down, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.E
Sarah took Dana and Lara to their private room on the second floor.“What is going on?”“I am a dead duck…. Ben is going to kill me.” Lara muttered as she sank into the sofa.“Why should Ben kill you?” Dana asked in confusion.Sarah and Lara looked at Dana like they were looking at an idiot…. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing…“What?” Dana pouted.“Nothing… my dear friend.” Lara hugged her affectionately.“YUCK…. Stay away from me … you’re smelly and sticky” Dana pushed Lara with a disdainful expression.“What? You despise me???” Lara put her hands on her hips with a threatening expression before chasing after Dana. Dana ran around hiding behind Sarah pulling her into the ruckus before dodging and running around with Lara tagging behind.Scar informed Ben that Dolce had left just as Sarah walked out; Ben, Frank and Ed left the room under the pretense of Shadow organizing the room for audition. Frank led them to their private room on the second floor.Dana ran aroun
“Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I will inform your managers if you are successful. Please feel free to stay back and enjoy our hospitality.” Shadow announced as the audition was completed.The participants wanted to curry favor with the big bosses; they circled their way around socializing. Ed sat with Dana in the corner, he hated the hypocrisy of these occasions. Lara came fluttering like a butterfly towards them. Ed watched Lara coming over as lively as spring’s first breeze, his lips curled up subconsciously only to be disappointed, he wasn’t the target of her attention. He looked at Dana with a slightly resentful gaze.“Bored??” Lara asked as she pulled a chair close to Dana.“Nope” Dana was still reading an article. Lara pulled her phone out with a pout “What are you looking at when you have such beautiful company?”“Puchi…” Dana pursed her lips into a lopsided grin “What’s that got to do with me? Here, perhaps you two can bicker.” She pulled Lara’s chair closer
Dana and Lara drove back soon after Lara found Dana in the restroom. Scar followed them in the dark.Lara found the bracelet and put it on as soon as she got home. Ed had told that it was water resistant and did not have to be taken off; She was never going to take it off. Although she pretended to be carefree, she was scared silly.“Dring… dring….dring…” Dana had just laid down to sleep when her phone lit up with ‘King of Pestering’.“Hello”“Baby, its me. Have you slept?”“Then wouldn't I be sleep talking?” Dana retorted with a playful smile on her face.Ben pursed his lips upwards; she wasn’t annoyed with him anymore.“That Putnam guy came looking for you.”“What’s that got to do with me?” Dana rolled her eyes although she knew he couldn’t see her.Ben snorted in displeasure and then changed the topic-“I heard Ed say that you were browsing for activities requiring high energy expenditure.”“Um”“I can think of one…shall I come over?” Ben’s face was bloomed with an evil smile.“No