11 - Truths

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"Prick," she mumbled. She couldn't believe he had the nerve to act like this. Did he think this was going to make up for everything he did? Did he really think so? This obnoxiously large bouquet of fancy flowers? Everything he had put her through - was putting her through? No, hell no. An it certainly wouldn't make her forget.

With some struggling due to the sheer size of the bouquet - the obnoxiously large bouquet - she managed to move it off her desk, and ended up settling for putting it on the floor in the corner of her office, the only place with enough space for it. "For God's sake..."

"Audrey!" Her boss's sudden voice made her jump and almost step on the flowers. Carol appeared in the doorway, wearing a very large smile. "I just had a call from Mr. Lord's assistant-"

Oh, boy... Fantastic...

Perfect, just perfect.

"And get this-" Carol paused for a moment for effect. "-He's upped his donation!"

This was certainly not what Audrey had been expecting to hear. "What?"

"He's added to his donation to our department!"

"What? B-but, it was already such a generous donation."

"I know! So imagine my surprise and excitement when I got the call! I'm shocked and overjoyed! Isn't it just amazing?!"

"Yes, yes, it is..." Amazing indeed - and strange, very strange... "And is it still only to our department?"

"Yes! Clearly your tour left an impression on him!"

"Yeah... Was there any mention about the Stone?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, just the absolutely generous donation!" Carol didn't seem so concerned about the Stone now with talk of the donation. "And you haven't seen Diana anywhere have you? She's not into work yet and that's not like her."

No, that wasn't like her, not at all. "No, I haven't, sorry."

"Hmm, okay, maybe I'll give her a call after I call Mr. Lord-"

"I'll call," Audrey offered. "You focus on Diana, I'll deal with Mr. Lord." And deal with him she would.

However, she didn't end up calling right away. Rather, she sat at her desk, phone in one hand, twirling the cord around with the other thoughtfully, lost deep in a trance of thoughts.

What had she been hoping to achieve with Max?

Had she actually fancied herself in love with him?

This sudden thought struck her - um, okay, no, no. Smitten, maybe with the slightest of crushes but - oh come on, she had to draw the line somewhere. This was a business partnership after all.

But was it? Was it really?

And had it ever been?

Business friendship, she mentally corrected herself, her own terminology, her own words and everything for God's sake!

Oh, this was a mess - she was a mess.

She was in a mess, and she was a mess herself. Messes all around!

Focus, she told herself. Focus. Take a deep breath...

In... Out...

Good. Now, what to do next? What was the next step?

Are you really in love with him?

Oh, boy, this was going to be difficult, much more difficult than she had already anticipated. This had the makings of another long day written all over it - she just knew it.

She couldn't reach him. Either the phone lines were busy or she was told he was too busy working to take her call. She wasn't about to leave a message - this was all too urgent for that.

And the next time she returned to the Black Gold building, she was met by chaos. There was no way she was making it inside - chaotic crowds had amassed outside, barely held back by security.

"Look you need to stop sending me flowers and cards and just give back the bloody stone! And you'd better not be hiding from me, and you'd definitely better not be ignoring me!" she wanted to shout.

She was so tense upon returning to work - she needed to calm down. She had never been so stressed at work before.

Luckily, she was in one of her favourite places that never failed to make her feel at ease no matter what she was feeling: a museum. Such a place had certainly offered her solace after leaving London and her upset (to put it lightly) family behind. And, luckily for her, D.C. offered a vast array when it came to museums.

She started in the lobby, one of her favourite sections, a mere taste and tease of what was to come in later galleries, the further one went, the deeper inside they ventured. And, just as she was hoping, the stress she was under lifted - some. But that was enough for now.

"Dr. Audrey Laurel?"

She turned, finding three men in suits standing behind her. "Yes..."

"White House Security-" They flashed their badges. "We have been ordered to bring you along."

"Along where?"

"That's classified."

"Well then whose order?"

She had been expecting the obvious answer: The President. She had not been expecting:

"Mr. Lord."

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :) We're nearing the end now!