Chapter 10

"What do you mean by I will come to know of your intentions with time? if you are playing at making me nervous you could as well just drop the tactics already," she said defiantly.

She continued. "You should know by now, that your tactics don't work on me, not even a bit." That was a big lie.

Of course, he made her nervous, his words and the way he had uttered them, and the devious smile that accompanied his statement both excites her and made her weary.

There was an attribute to him, something exotic and dangerous. Something forbidding, she was not safe around that was one thing she knew.

Maxwell looked at her with a self-satisfied smile on his handsome "Don't tell me you are scared."

it was obvious he was teasing her, but it still made her uncomfortable.

Not waiting for her reply he continued in an emotionless voice "Anyways, I think we should come up with a working system suitable for both of us. I will send my driver to pick you up tomorrow if you're okay with that."

She was surprised by the sudden change in his mannerisms "I have my car, I will drive myself."

Dari finds it exasperating how easily he could switch from an easygoing and approachable personality to someone incapable of human emotions.

He regarded her thoughtfully for a few seconds before he continued. "Miss Williams I don't need to tell you this but it's in our best interest this matter remains a secret." He paused making sure she understood him.

In an impassive voice, he went on. " Should this get out to the media, you will be treated like nothing more than a new hot headline, and your privacy will be invaded, you will find yourself constantly chased by paparazzi and I would not wish that on anyone."

"I can take care of myself," Dari replied quietly.

He nodded slightly in agreement. "I don't doubt your ability to protest yourself, but if wish to keep yourself out of the spotlight and personal life away from the entire world, then it's best my driver picks you up tomorrow, that will ensure your privacy and my privacy too."

After listening to Maxwell intently Dari finally agreed to be picked up by Maxwell's driver and afterwards, she left Doctor Thomas's office.

A few minutes after she left Maxwell left for his office.

Once in his Office Maxwell gave a call to his Private investigator Timothy Andrew and gave him instructions to find out all there was to know about Dari Williams.

The next morning Dari woke up feeling lethargic, she was uncertain how the day would go since she had failed to give Maxwell her home address and no time was fixed for the pickup yesterday, his driver coming to pick her up was debatable.

She sluggishly went about her day, there were house chores to do.

She went over to her window and pulled the curtains apart to let in the sunlight, the room was suddenly flooded with the bright morning sun.

As she looked at her room she was horrified at how messy her room was. There was a huge pile of dirty clothes in her laundry basket, clothes were flung in different directions in the room, Her small dressing table was in complete disarray, with make-up kits and skin care products all scattered about on the dressing table, and her mirror was Dirty, the books on her bookshelf were in disorder.

Dari was astonished at how messy her room was, she went over to her sitting room thinking it will be in a better condition.

Her sitting room was no better, her ancient Persian rug was begging to be vacuumed, and her coffee table needed dusting, there were a few dirty dishes from last night sitting on her kitchen sink, yesterday she had been too exhausted to do the dishes.

She stumbled back into her room, a short while after she exchanged her pyjama with worn-out light blue fitted Jean shorts and a pink cropped top. Slowly but thoroughly she picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and dumped them into the laundry basket.

Next, she grabbed a neat bed sheet and a matching pillowcase from her bedside drawer. She placed the dirty bed sheet on the mountain of dirty clothes in her basket carefully so it does not come tumbling down, She arranged her dressing table next, picking each item one after the other and placing them in their right station.

She went on to put back the books on her bookshelf in their right place.

She continued, dusting, mopping, polishing, and washing. Soon her dirty clothes were washed and in the dryer and her dishes were clean.

With energy she didn't feel, she wielded the vacuum cleaner, she checked the time using her phone, it was a few minutes past 9 o'clock. In another fifteen minutes, she will be done, and then she will take her shower, dress, have her breakfast and wait for the arrival of the driver.

For a man like Maxwell, there was no doubt finding out where she lives will be anything but a difficult task.

Five minutes later the ringing of her doorbell was barely heard above the sound of the vacuum cleaner, she quickly shut it down, wiped her hands and crossed over to the door, she pushed down the growing anxious feeling at the pit of her stomach.

The persistent ringing of the doorbell propelled her to hasten her walk to the door.

She looked through the small peephole in the door, her breath hitched nervously in her throat, the moment she realised who her caller was.

His forceful features could be seen through the tiny peephole. Dark curly hair combed backwards over a grim and forbidding face. Strong facial bone structure. Strong cheekbones and a deliberate jaw. piercing gaze and well-shaped mouth.

Maxwell stood outside Dari's door, waiting impatiently for her to open up, he had heard her turn the vacuum cleaner off, so there was no doubt she could hear her doorbell ringing.

Thanks to the information on Dari provided by his Private investigator Timothy Andrew finding her apartment was an easy task. When Timothy sent the information he had gathered on Dari Williams, he had been surprised at how quickly he had got the information, Her family's Socioeconomic background, her educational background and past relationships, and her employment status.

From what he read about her last night, she was from an average family, the youngest of four sisters. She had no criminal record or history of drug use, her only relationship was with Michael Harrison, they had broken up more than seven months ago but remained friends.

Maxwell's chest had tightened when he read about her past relationship with Michael, he had felt suddenly possessive of her.

She had lived an uneventful life, unexpected for a woman of her age and beauty.

Standing outstanding her door, Maxwell was regretful of his impulsive decision to pick her up himself rather than send his driver.

Nothing he had read in her file prepared him for the state her neighbourhood was in, Dari's Apartment was located in one of the areas populated by low-income earners in the city, her apartment was old, and the foundation looked like it will collapse at any moment from old age and years of little or no maintenance.

From the curious look His car was getting, he could tell that they were not used to high-class visitors.

Just as he was about to press the Doorbell again the door was swung open, and Dari stood in the doorway staring at him with an unmasked surprised look on her face.