"So you ignore my texts and now you ignore my existence?"

Victoria was fuming. She was beyond fuming as she stood with Andrew in the corridor of the Geography and History department in the college. Everyone had gone into the Geography lecture hall as Victoria left her History lecture. She had grabbed hold of Andrew by the arm, dragging him away from his friends as they entered the lecture and he told them to go in without him.

He stood back, his arms folded and his eyes set on Victoria. She stood before him in her simple black dress, a grey blazer on top of it as her brown satchel hung off of her shoulder.

"And you ignore the fact that you have a boyfriend," Andrew responded, moving a hand through his messy blonde curls as his girlfriend remained annoyed with him. "Or was the latest entrepreneur just too good to resist?"

"What are you saying?" Victoria snapped back. "I didn't do anything with him. Christ, I had one drink with him. I had one drink because I didn't even want to be at that event in the first place. He was trying to cheer me up."

"And that's all he was trying to do?" Andrew wondered. "I saw the photos, Victoria. I saw him running his hands all over you."

"He pressed his hand against my cheek," Victoria snarled. "It's more than you've done recently."

"Meaning?" Andrew hissed back to her.

Victoria shifted on her heels uncomfortably as she heard a roar of laughter leave the lecture hall behind her. She kept quiet for a few seconds and Andrew waited patiently for her to explain herself to him.

"Meaning that you barely touch me anymore. You barely want to hold a conversation with me and you hardly reply to my texts to let me know that you're still alive. Do you know how that makes me feel? Do you have any idea how difficult it is?"

"There are two of us in this relationship," Andrew reminded her. "You are to blame as well as I am for us drifting apart. Don't even try and deny it, Victoria."

"But I don't know when it happened!" Victoria yelled louder than she had intended. "I don't know when we ended up like this. I never thought you would doubt me like you are doing. I would never even consider cheating on you."

Andrew could see that she was hurt. Not that he could blame her particularly. He didn't want to doubt her, but he knew that the dynamics of their relationship had changed ever since her mother had ruined her life. Not to mention that his parents wanted him to move back to California and at this moment in time the prospect seemed alluring.

"I know," Andrew replied. "I know things have changed...but...I didn't know how to tell you...or why to tell you..."

Victoria's brows furrowed as she heard him and Andrew pushed his hand through his hair again. It seemed to be a nervous trait which he had developed. It was something he couldn't particularly shake.

"I've been offered a job in California in the USGS," Andrew said.

Victoria's mouth gaped as soon as she heard the news and Andrew shook his head.

"I didn't say anything because it all happened when you were under enough stress." He told her. "I didn't think that I would get in, but they've offered me a place. I can continue with my degree in California on a part time basis starting after Christmas, and they pay for it too."

Victoria could feel her heart beat in her ears. She could feel her mind turning fuzzy as her hand gripped onto the handle of her satchel that little bit tighter. Andrew could see that she was in the middle of hyperventilating and he attempted to say something to calm her down. He moved his hand to rest delicately on her shoulder and Victoria snapped out of the trance she had seemingly gone into.

"You should have told me."

"You had enough to deal with-"

"-It doesn't matter," Victoria responded, interrupting him. "Is that why things have changed? You were keeping this from me?"

"Partly," Andrew said, not wanting to carry all of the weight for the breakdown of their relationship. He watched on as Victoria shrugged his hand from her shoulder. "I haven't made my decision yet."

"It's a good offer," Victoria nodded. "You get a job and a degree from it...that's if you want it..."

"I thought that I wanted to stay here and finish my degree before concentrating on finding a job, but...I don't know...I know that it is difficult to find a job these days...what with the economy..."

Victoria could feel tears well up in her eyes as she listened to him. She knew that he wanted to take the opportunity and she couldn't blame him. She couldn't keep him with her forever and stop him from doing what he wanted to do.

"You want to take it," Victoria said. "I know you, Andrew. I just wished that you had said something to me before."

Andrew looked around awkwardly and then back to Victoria. "I know. I know things have been tough, and I still do love you, Vic. I always have done, you know that...and maybe we can try a long distance relationship..."

Victoria nodded a lack of enthusiasm evident in her motions. Andrew sighed loudly and jutted his chin out to the lecture hall.

"I should go in," he informed her. "My lecture is probably underway."

"Yeah, of course," Victoria agreed lamely. "So, I'll see you...well...round?"

"I'll come to the trial if you want me there?" Andrew promised her as she began to walk away. She wished she hadn't said anything. She didn't think she could turn back around and look at him as tears streamed down her face. "It's on Thursday, right? When you have to testify?"

Victoria turned her head over her shoulder. "You don't have to. I have my dad and Ana. I'll be fine, honestly."

Andrew opened his mouth to say something to her, only to leave it gaping. She had turned around and rushed off before he could say anything further to her.

...

Dominic Chattel had become the bane of Christian's life without any action on his part. Christian grew bored as he attempted to go for a normal lunch. He had asked Ana to meet him at the small salad bar during her lunch break. She had agreed, but she was running late. It was then when Dominic Chattel made his appearance.

Christian kept his eyes on his watch, only looking up when he heard the door open. It was only when the door opened for the fifth time did Christian see Chattel enter the restaurant. Christian resisted the urge to snap as Chattel looked around and then noted the CEO.

"Mr Grey," Dominic spoke, "how nice to see you again."

"Yes," Christian forced out, his tone curt and stiff.

Dominic offered his hand and Christian reluctantly took it as the entrepreneur took the seat which was meant for Ana. Dominic undid the button to the blue suit jacket he wore. He folded one leg over the other and looked at Christian was a small smirk.

"What brings you to this side of town?" Christian enquired. "Mikelson and Co is downtown."

"It is," he nodded back to Christian. "I was on the way to meet an old friend when he cancelled so I thought I would grab a salad to take out before I left for the office. What brings you here? Meeting your daughter for lunch?"

Christian moved his hand to rest on his upper thigh, his fingers clenching into a fist. "My fiancé," he corrected. "Ana is currently running late but she should be here in a moment or two."

"Then I won't let her seat go cold," Dominic spoke back. "So, how is everything at Grey Enterprises Holdings?"

"Well enough," Christian replied.

Dominic laughed, finding Christian's curt manner entertaining. "Why don't you just say it?" Dominic wondered. "I can see that you're pissed off, Grey. I trust you saw the pictures in the newspaper."

Christian inhaled sharply and shook his head, not particularly wanting to talk about it to him. He knew full well that he could possibly say something which he didn't mean.

"The one with you providing my underage daughter alcohol before running your hands all over her?" Christian spoke his words slowly and in a feeble attempt to be collected.

Dominic laughed heartedly and shook his head. "I was hardly running my hands all over her. Trust me, I can scarcely help that she was blushing at being so close to me."

Christian looked over Dominic's shoulder to see Ana stood there. She must have snuck in without him noticing. Dominic followed Christian's gaze, moving to stand from her chair once he saw Ana. She remained on the spot, watching the two men with intrigue as she did so.

"Is everything alright?" she checked between them.

"Perfect," Dominic said, holding Ana's chair out for her to sit down. "I was just speaking with Mr Grey about how I had no intent to anger him by spending time with his daughter."

Ana looked unimpressed as she dropped her bag onto the chair. "Victoria has a boyfriend," she reminded Dominic, her voice innocent as she did so. "Perhaps it would be best just to avoid her at the next event? I am sure you don't want people to gossip. No one likes a gossip."

Christian arched a brow as Dominic looked at Ana wearily, trying to size her up before he shrugged and began to walk to the counter. "I suspect no one does."

Ana watched him go, her eyes glaring after him before she sat down.

"I don't trust him," she suddenly said and Christian poured her a glass of water from the jug which sat in the middle of the table.

"You're not the only one."