Lyan tilted his head slightly, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Of course," he replied, his tone clearly showing affection. "What do you need?"
Angela hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the napkin in her lap. She wasn't sure if asking for help was the right thing to do—it had been so long since she'd relied on anyone. But something about Lyan's demeanor made her feel that maybe, just maybe, she could take a small leap of faith.
"Could you…" she began, her voice faltering before she took a deep breath. "I really don't want to be a burden."
Lyan's gaze softened, and he leaned forward slightly, looking directly into her eyes. "Hey… don't say that. You're not a burden, Angela," he said firmly. "Don't worry about that. Whatever it is, if I can help, I will."
Angela bit her lip, her thoughts racing. She wasn't used to depending on others, especially someone she barely knew, "Can you help my mother too? If I stay in hiding alone… they might go after her."
Lyan's expression grew more serious, his brows furrowing slightly as he processed her words. It was clear that this was a delicate situation, and he didn't take it lightly. He leaned back, taking a moment to consider the request carefully.
"I understand," he said, his tone steady but thoughtful. "I'll help you in any way I can. But first, I'll need to know who those people are who want to hurt you.. I wanna know what I am getting myself into."
Angela felt a knot tighten in her stomach, the weight of the question pressing down on her. She wasn't sure how much to reveal—how much was safe to share. She knew those who wanted her were so powerful.
"I'm really sorry, but I can't tell you right now. If it's really hard for you, I will leave first thing in the morning," she said.
Lyan's expression softened as he saw the distress in Angela's eyes. He could sense her hesitation, her need for protection. He wasn't about to force her to divulge something she wasn't ready to share.
"Angela," he said slowly but his voice filled with authority and understanding, "I understand. I'm not asking for all the details right now. What matters is that you're safe, and that we take things one step at a time. If you don't feel ready to talk about it, I won't push you."
He paused, his gaze unwavering as he looked at her. "Okay. I will see what I can do. Now finish your food and get some sleep."
Angela looked at him, a mixture of relief and uncertainty in her eyes. She had expected him to press for more, but he respected her boundaries—and that eased her tension more than she expected.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft but genuine. She picked up her fork again, but her appetite had waned slightly with the weight of the conversation. Still, she knew she needed to eat.
Lyan gave her a nod of encouragement. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we'll start making plans." He put down his fork and stood up to leave the table. His footsteps were quiet as he walked toward the Study door, but before stepping and closing the door, he turned back to her with a small, reassuring smile.
"If you need anything at all, you can tell Mrs Jones. Or call me," he added, his voice calm. "Don't hesitate."
Angela watched him go, the soft click of the door was the only thing left in the quiet room. She sat still, turning his words over in her mind.
After a few moments of silence, she slowly finished the rest of her meal. She started cleaning the table. Just then Mrs Jones entered the room.
She stopped when she saw Angela gathering the plates.
"Let me help you with that," Mrs. Jones said, her voice kind but firm. "You've had a long day, and you need your rest."
Angela looked up at her, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "Thank you, but it's alright. I don't mind cleaning up."
Mrs. Jones shook her head with a knowing smile. "It's not about what you mind, dear. This is what I am paid for. Hurry up; go get some rest."
Angela nodded, her heart feeling a little lighter. "Goodnight, Mrs. Jones."
"Goodnight, dear," Mrs. Jones replied, giving her a warm, reassuring smile before she headed back to the kitchen.
The next morning Angela woke up late. She got down and found Mrs Jones tidying up the kitchen, humming softly to herself.
"Good morning," Angela greeted, rubbing her eyes as she stepped into the kitchen. She felt a bit disoriented from waking up so late, but the comfort of the house made her feel more at ease.
Mrs. Jones turned to her with a smile. "Good morning, dear. I hope you slept well."
Angela nodded, stretching slightly. "I did, thank you."
Mrs. Jones nodded and placed a plate of scrambled eggs and toast on the counter. "I've made breakfast. You should eat before starting your day."
"Thank you, Mrs. Jones," Angela said, grateful for the gesture. She sat down at the table and began eating. "Where's Mr Chandra?"
Mrs. Jones glanced toward the study door before answering, her tone casual but warm. "Mr. Chandra already left for work. Do you need anything?"
"Oh, no... not at all," Angela said.
As she finished her breakfast, she placed her fork down on the plate. "Thank you for the breakfast, Mrs. Jones," she said, standing up.
Mrs. Jones smiled at her, her eyes warm with a quiet kindness. "You're welcome, dear. Don't worry too much. Everything will fall into place."
Angela gave her a small, appreciative smile, before walking to the living room. She turned on the TV, trying to distract herself a bit longer.
Meanwhile, in Lyan's grand office, sat his best friend, Sam Adams. Lyan was done with his first meeting when he stepped into his office.
The door clicked shut behind him, and he immediately saw his best friend Sam leaning casually in the chair across from his desk, sipping from a coffee cup. Sam, with his usual easygoing demeanor, flashed Lyan a grin.
"Busy morning?" Sam asked, setting the cup down and leaning forward.
Lyan dropped into his chair with a sigh, rubbing his temples. "Yeah, as always."
Just then, a knock came again.
Lyan glanced up, his expression shifting slightly as he straightened in his chair. "Come in," he called out, his tone still tired.
The door opened, and Andrew stepped in with professionalism. He greeted Sam with a brief smile and gave Lyan a polite nod. "Sir, I have everything you asked me to dig up last night."
Lyan extended his arm to get the files. He scanned the pages, and his eyes widened—confusion and disbelief clouding his expression. "What? How is this even possible?"