His Devious Rule

Outside Anya's office, the Johnson shipping branch in the coastal city didn't have a legal team. All legal procedures were taken care of from the capital city. So Harper's secretary was trying to reach their legal team from the capital to reach quickly but those were on the flight.

Inside the office, Anya kept the things away and sipped water. She breathed a long sigh leaning on the desk. It was risky for her if Harper's son stays away and plans anything against her. So she has to bring him to the country soon and deal with him accordingly.

She could still feel her heart beating erratically. She doesn't usually put herself in the spot of hurting herself. If she wasn't confident, she wouldn't have pulled on this stunt.

The discomfort around her neck caused her to grimace faintly. Turning around, she checked her reflection on the glass top of the table and saw a faint redness around her fair skin.

The mark was enough to say how much Harper hated her and wanted to get rid of her.

She carefully caressed the redness with her slender fingers hoping it would heal before she meets Zane in the evening.

Suddenly she heard the door open without a knock so she turned around and saw Alvin walking in. Confusion clouded her mind without understanding why he hadn't left the police agency yet.

She looked behind Alvin and panicked, taking a step towards him, "Alvin, Zane?" She didn't want Zane to be alone anywhere.

Alvin strode closer and pulled her to his arms. "Goofball!" He couldn't believe she didn't care about herself.

Anya was stunned by his actions. 'So he isn't here to give me any bad news.' That relaxed her tensed shoulders.

"You saw?" She doubtfully asked as that was the stupidity she just did. She turned her head to look at his side profile, pondering if he was angry. If he was, then he wouldn't let her work but force her to go with him.

Alvin didn't show any of his emotions so he wasn't angry. She concluded they were on the right side.

"You trust me too much. Don't you?" He sighed, glancing at her gaze. It felt good, but at the same time, it was a big responsibility.

Anya pursed her lips hearing him. She does trust him too much. She boldly went against pissing off Harper because she wasn't alone this time. Since she accepted Alvin to protect them, she went all out to quickly solve the case. She didn't want to be his burden for long.

Alvin sensed her hands clutching his jacket at the sides before her chin rested on his shoulder without pushing him away. He itched to pull her hands around him but he didn't. She was relaxing, if he does something, she will push him away.

"I can't wait for his son to plan and attack." She confessed her reasons behind her actions.

Alvin unwrapped his arms and gently pushed her to lean on the desk. He pressed his hands on the desk at either side of her and looked at her calm petite face.

The fierce Officer Owen had become a little kitten in front of him. He liked how she dropped her guard down.

"His son won't attack you. Probably he will be busy at the different branches." He mused. She was smart in how she wasn't just focusing on Harper but the possible trouble that might arise.

Anya tilted her head in a dilemma. She voiced her thoughts, "How could business be more important than a father?"

Alvin lifted his hand to touch her neck and her body involuntarily responded by flinching. He sighed silently and caressed her bruised skin.

Anya Owen, he knew fears the pain. Her eyes were filling up just for the pinch on her cheeks or poke of a sharp object. He had heard her grimace when the sharp edge of a new book sheet hurt her fingers. Her body reaction was still the same, it's just her mind had grown stronger.

"You think I care to help Chairman Matthews if he is dying somewhere?" He meant to say not everyone cares about family and parents.

Anya: "…"

'Heartless man!' She thought without voicing it. Anyway, she understood his intention so she responded by shrugging her shoulders, "Then President Johnson should come here. He could claim the whole company for himself and enjoy his wealthy life without the restrictions of his father."

Alvin took his hand away, straightened his back, and narrowed his eyes at her. Her dialogue could fool everyone but him.

Anya bit her tongue, looking away from him. She had forgotten Alvin was aware of the dirt she had against Johnson companies. If Harper's son steps into the country, he will be immediately detained for an indefinite period for the investigation and questioning of money laundering and other illegal acts of Johnson companies.

She again asked to know Alvin or a rich male's perspective, "Then will he give up the business in Narnia without helping his father out?"

Alvin shook his head in resignation. She hasn't changed. Her questions kept popping up but he wasn't annoyed. He corrected her, "It's not helping, Sweetheart. It's cleaning up the mess of his father." And giving up one branch was better than losing the whole business empire.

Anya nodded to herself while planning her next steps. If Harper's son doesn't return, then she could close the case sooner without worry. If he returns, the case will be dragged for many days.

"How are you so sure?" She questioned Alvin because only a few knew the content of the hard disk. Even Harper wasn't completely aware of it.

It is Alvin who is playing behind the scenes to get rid of the pests for her. His lips curled to a playful smirk and teased her, "Thank me, I will tell you."

Anya took the literal meaning of the words without perceiving his intention, "Thank you, Alvin Matthews."

Alvin: "…"

Was she dumb or was she playing him?

He smacked her, "Where is your sincerity?"

Anya: "…"

She doesn't even know why she was thanking him, how was she going to show her sincerity?

She looked around confusing Alvin. Was she going to wire him money again? He swore in his mind to kiss her if she took her mobile out.

Anya's eyes fell on the welcome bouquet she received from the Commanding officer of the police agency. She quickly pulled a tulip from it and held the flower in front of him, "Thank you." She adorably said as if grateful for receiving her favorite chocolate.

Alvin: "…"

He controlled himself from facepalming. He was being playful and this woman was dumb but… Sweet. "Goofball."

Anyway, he took the flower and went towards the couch. He collected Zane's backpack from there and that's when she realized why he returned. Then Alvin went out of the room silently.

Anya grabbed the files and ran behind him, "Alvin, you didn't answer me."

Alvin shrugged as he lied, "I don't know." He didn't feel it necessary to tell, just like how he didn't bother letting her know he gave up his dream, his start-up company in trade for her livelihood.

Anya pouted and was about to stomp her leg grumpily in retort when Captain David returned after handing the reporters.

Captain David's eyes brushed on Alvin who was holding a flower and little backpack. He felt like handsome people looking stunning holding anything in hand.

Shaking off his thoughts, he looked at Anya with a bit of perplexity, "Officer Owen, why haven't you left yet? Then his eyes widened. The red strangling mark around her neck was too obvious on her milky fair skin. "What happened to your neck?"

Before David could think as Alvin did something, Anya responded plainly, "Harper Johnson is in the cellar." She tried to cover it with the collar of her shirt but to no use.

She pointed towards the exit for David. The latter walked next to her pondering what might have happened and how she could be so cool.

David didn't leave the agency first as the reporters were still outside. He watched Anya wear a facemask and go to her car. The handsome man wrapped her neck with a knitted scarf to hide the mark. She was zoned out watching the handsome man who left soon.

She indeed caught the attention of the reporters, some even took her pictures but her face was covered so it doesn't matter.

Once the sports car left, David followed her quickly with the other two junior officers.

—————

At the Matthews Companies,

Casper was busy in a meeting yet his secretary, who checked his mobile ran up to Casper and whispered to him, "Chairman Harrison, the Second Master is at the coastal city police agency."

Anything about Alvin in these five-plus years was reported to Casper immediately without any delay. To Gianna, it appeared like fatherly love and concern but Casper was just keeping an eye on Alvin so that he could control his second son soon.

Secretary Harrison passed the iPad to Casper by opening the same pictures he received on his mobile.

Casper lifted his hand to stop the speaker of the meeting. The meeting hall fell into deafening silence as though the meeting attendees were even afraid to take a breath and offend Casper.

Casper looked at the screen. It was a picture of Alvin carrying a little boy in his arms. The expression on Alvin's face was cold but one could feel how carefully he was carrying the boy in his arms.

Casper was displeased because the face of the young boy wasn't clear due to the angle of the picture. His men couldn't be obvious while taking pictures as Alvin will get to know

Then there was a picture of Alvin wrapping a scarf around a lady's neck who was standing next to a sports car. Alvin's half of the face was visible whereas they couldn't see the lady's face due to the mask.

Casper's eyes darkened without understanding anything by the pictures.

Who is the kid?

Who is the lady?

Anya Owen?

Did they finally locate her?