The kind, good girl expression on Anya's face disappeared as soon as she felt fingers around her wrist. Just when she could resist Alvin's hold, he trapped her against the wall, next to the door. His hands pressed on either side of her and he looked skeptically at her. She could read he was up to no good. His question would either scare her or rile her up.

Thus, "Why does your best friend hate me?"

'So he can understand that.' She thought without averting her gaze. Alvin believed fewer people and he often relied on understanding the reaction rather than words. Though she wasn't good at acting, after five years of struggling alone in the men's world, she learned a few things.

The answer to his question was one night but she chose to respond differently, "Because you are not likable."

Alvin smirked hearing her. He never tried to reach anybody's taste. He enjoys being hated which rather motivates him to do his work better and ignore such people. However, he wasn't likable to her friend, so her opinion would be the same and that irritated him. "Oh.. You prefer men like him."

"..." Anya tilted her head in confusion. She understood 'him' was Earl but did she sense bitterness in Alvin's tone?

'How could he be jealous of anybody?' She just knew he ignores everybody and everything that doesn't concern him. So she wasn't ready to believe what she assessed.

She took her own time and saw him still waiting for her to say something. Was she imagining it? Or was she already wavering after knowing how well he hides behind his arrogant face?

Good lord, she couldn't make the same mistake again. So she lied to get rid of him from keeping her against the wall. "Perhaps.. At least he won't bring another woman to the house while engaged to somebody else."

Even if the man was wrong, it was always the woman who had to bear the taunts. Though there would be nothing between man and woman, women will naturally get the names as a third party. She is most likely to hear such words from Flora.

Alvin's face darkened hearing her. He clenched his teeth disliking that even Anya believed the words on people's tongues. With a frown on his face, he unknowingly explained the situation to her which she honestly didn't want to be aware of.

"Little Donut, when I haven't even agreed to marry anybody, how do you say I am engaged? When nobody even asked my opinion or I proposed to no one, how am I engaged? How am I engaged when that father of mine announced to the world about my engagement without knowing whether I am alive or dead?"

Though he didn't raise his tone, his resentment to his father was etched in his gaze. She didn't know why her heart shuddered by hearing him. Probably she tried to feel the pain which he wasn't ready to accept. Every nerve in her wanted to say something good to make him feel better but she held back with all her might.

She hadn't fallen for his handsome face or money or because he saved her from getting bullied but his stubbornness to hide his pain, hurt, and sadness. If she melts for it again, she wouldn't be naive but a fool.

Meanwhile, Linus was leaning on the wall and silently watched them. He could unquestionably notice Alvin was wholly different when he was with Anya. The things Alvin ignored with others were important when it's about Anya. She called Alvin an acquaintance when she meant more to Alvin.

'I need to find Ean.' He thought because asking Alvin about Alvin was of no use. He and Ean need to brainstorm to understand Alvin and come to their conclusion.

He fetched his mobile from the pocket to look for Ean. He was typing a message to Ean when his mobile vibrated. Before the ring could be hard, he muted and silently fled from there.

He answered the unsaved number, "Hello!?"

"Hey, that b*tch is at the gate. Don't let her see Annie or else I will break your head." The voice was furious and anxious.

Linus was speechless. He took a few seconds to identify the person. 'Annie' 'That b*tch' and a threat.

'The Hotheaded.' A smirk appeared on his face, he had Earl's number so the string number probably belongs to the Hotheaded. He didn't have to struggle to get her number. He could pick Anya's topic to meet her. He patted his shoulder for finding a perfect situation to meet her again in a better place and situation.

historical

"May I know who is speaking?" He played dumb.

"Krystle.. Krystle Lewis." She sounded irritated.

"Krystle.." He mused and played dumb again, "I am sorry, I don't know you."

"What the f- I am Annie's friend who broke your gates." She almost yelled at the end of her words.

He silently laughed hearing her gritting her teeth hard, "Oh!" was his response. Then he spoke about Flora who was at the gates. "That 'b*tch' can't enter the estate, Ms. Lewis."

There was a pause in the call before Linus heard her chuckle, "That's great.. Hey, could you do something for me?" Her voice was livelier.

Linus was surprised at her change without a hint of arrogance. He understood she doesn't like Flora for some reason and Anya was very important to her. He thought to hear her first before accepting whether to do it or not, "And what is it?"

"Throw a bucket of dirty water on her." Then she laughed to herself, "Make sure to send me the video." Then she continued to laugh.

"..." Linus had heard about the petty acts of girls they do for little satisfaction. This was the first time he got such a request to do it.

He could guess Krystle wouldn't care if he said no, but he wanted to know if something could work out between them so, "And why should I do it?"

He heard her hum while thinking before she spoke, "Because we hate the same person. We can torture her whenever our mood is foul."

"..." Linus couldn't believe she even thought of wasting more time behind the disgusting woman. Well, he focused on his good part although he was reluctant to bother about Flora.

"That sounds interesting." Then he asked to confirm if the contact number was hers. It will save him some time from asking others to check on it, "So should I send the video to this number?"

"Yeah, yeah, I will be waiting for your message." She happily ended the call.

Linus saved the number as 'Hotheaded,' while thinking, 'She is not as bad as she makes herself look.'

When the call ended, he quickly reached to check on his brother and Anya, they had vanished from the place. He needed to discuss the further plans but didn't feel he should interfere unless Alvin asked for him. So he dialed the security team and instructed them to splash some dirty water on Flora Dalton.

Meantime he looked for an old video and sent it to Krystle. It was a video of Flora at the gates of the Oasis mansion. Flora argued with the security for some time, then faked her dizziness and fell on the floor. She was pathetically lying on the ground for a few minutes hoping for some sympathy. Then she got up on her own and left angrily.

Krystle replied with laughing emotes and cursed Flora for some time. Thus their chat kickstarted in full swing.

-----

In the study room,

Anya silently worked. She tested the devices, connected some parts, and continued her quick experiment. People use mobile networks on land for communication. For communication with the people who are living on different landmasses or far away in different countries, the communication would take place through satellites.

Similarly, the ship uses marine radios for the communication between the different ships as there will be no mobile network on the ocean. Satellites have to be used for the communication between the ship and the ports or headquarters of the ship.

So to guide the ship back to the country or any port, they need to pretend to be the communication center of Harper Johson. Likewise, they will have to deceive the communication center as Harper's instructions are reaching the ship.

Like changing the contact number in a mobile, she will hack the satellite and change the details of the ship to her remote device. Thus whatever Harper instructs will reach her device. Similarly, she will make sure whatever information the ship has will also reach her.

While she was busy, sitting on the carpeted floor and testing the devices which were on the coffee table, Alvin intently watched her while sitting on the couch, opposite to her. When she was busy with her work, she didn't care who was watching her, what he was doing, or what was happening around her. She vaguely answers if he asks anything.

'Are those devices so interesting?' He wondered seeing her smile occasionally when the devices were working as per the need.

He saw her kneel on the carpet and reconnected some devices at his corner of the table, "Little Donut.." He heard her hum in response, giving him zero attention.

He questioned, "What is your real job?" She was so swift to build software and started testing hardware. It needs years of practice. So he wasn't a fool to assume she was just an assistant-general secretary.

Anya's hand froze. She had forgotten she was just an assistant-general secretary working at the secretariat of the President. Her actions were speaking louder about her work. She wasn't allowed to reveal it, she had the power to imprison Bernard, Alvin, Linus for their actions.

Should she forget about freedom?