Be My Escape.

Chapter 28

*Niall's POV*

Before Anna's father could belittle me anymore I walked out of his office and out of that damn mansion. The snow was really coming down and I hoped our flights for tonight wouldn't be cancelled. I was all packed and ready to go home, but above that I couldn't wait for the rest of my family to meet Anna. As I drove back to my tiny apartment, I thought. What if she ever found out? I shook my head at the silly thought, but my subconscious came through again. It's really not that silly, after all. Harry does put some suspicious thoughts into her pretty, little head.

*Anna's POV*

Pulling into the long paved driveway, I noticed fresh footprints in the snow. I thought, had Harry been here again? No, he wouldn't dare come here when my car wasn't in the driveway... Too risky.

Still jittery from my two cups of coffee, I stomped the snow off my feet on the matt inside.

"Anna?" I heard my father call.

Shit. He heard me come in.

I took off my heavy boots and walked into the large office.

"It's really coming down out there, you might not be going to Ireland after all." At his words, a wave of relief washed through me. After reading most of the journal, I was really suspicious about Niall. My subconscious poked through, Don't forget the fight with Harry... They're hiding something Annabelle.

"What a shame..." I mumbled, but he'd heard me.

"You know, you just missed Niall. He tells me he wants to resign. Funny thing... He was lucky to have this job in the first place."

"Niall was here?" The look on my face must've been priceless. "He wants to resign? Why would he do that?"

"I guess you could say he feels that he isn't right for the position anymore."

I changed the subject, "Did you even notice that we didn't put up a Christmas tree? You didn't even say 'Merry Christmas' to me, dad." My heart actually broke for him, the sick man who was ruining my life just to preserve his. He hasn't gotten even an ounce of what he deserves in this life. Suddenly, the wrinkles on his face and the dark circles under his eyes became visible to me. I had this image in my mind of my father, the powerful man that could make any problem vanish with a signature on a check.

Silly me.

"Annabelle, you're not a little kid anymore. We don't need to engage in these silly things anymore."

"Dad... Not everything is about business and being professional."

"What's this really about?"

"I know about The Locked Plan." I blurted out.

Shit. I really shouldn't have said that.

"You mean to tell me, that you know about what's been going on?" He lowered his eyebrows and suddenly looked a lot more intimidating. "So you know ALL of the details?"

I shook my head. And I thought, Tell me. You better tell me, or I'll find out some other way.

My father turned his attention to me before lighting a fresh cigarette and then spoke.

"Good."