His Devious Rule

Near swimming pool,

Linus saw Anya sitting under the sunshade with the hearths on four sides to keep the temperature warm around her. She was facing a mobile that was inclining against the water glass and her lunch was getting cold on the table.

As he went closer, he saw a little boy on the mobile screen doing actions. Further closer he went, he heard Zane's baby voice exclaiming about delicious food on their vacation, Anya was hearing him attentively and responding to him with equal excitement.

Linus expected Anya to scowl at him when she sensed his presence but she was calm. Linus thought it might be because of Zane's eyes on her. Without permission, he appeared on the video call standing behind her, "Hey, Little Prince..." He waved his hand with a cheery voice greeting her son.

Zane dislikes 'Little' so he wanted to ignore Linus. Since it's bad manners, he waved his hand, "Mr. Collins." He greeted Linus just like he had heard his mother address him.

Anya glanced at Linus, she didn't show her displeasure for what happened in the dining hall. She tilted her mobile a little for Linus to adjust on the screen to avoid Linus looming over her.

"Zane Owen, did your mother teach you that?" He shook his head in disapproval, "You should call me Brother Linus or... Bro… Or Linus..." He pulled the chair closer to Anya and sat down to fit into the screen.

Zane looked at his speechless mother. "Mr. Collins, how old are you?" He learned that people around his mother's age are uncles and Aunts. People around his grandparents' age are grandfathers and grandmothers. Linus looked like the former. Brothers and sisters are people of his age, right?

Linus was about to say his age before discerning what this little one was up to, "Little Prince, aren't you too smart for your age? Hmmm… Let's keep my age as five." He spread the fingers of his left hand.

'Little again?' Zane looked at his mother, saying silently that he wasn't little. Anya faintly smiled trying to calm her son so that he could ignore the 'Little.' Zane shifted his focus back on Linus, he knew Linus was playing around saying 'five', so he suddenly grinned, "Little Collins!!?"

Linus: "..."

Zane looked at Anya to make sure she wasn't angry. Then he stuck his tongue out as he adorably giggled. Seeing his mother hiding her smile, Zane continued, "Little Collins, didn't you eat yet? Bad kid."

Anya chuckled looking at Linus getting bullied by her son. Since Zane didn't go out of line and was just making fun, she didn't feel the necessity to stop him.

Linus brought Anya's plate in front of the camera, "Look, there is another bad kid."

"Momma…" Zane's grumpy and helpless voice was cute, "What is lunchtime?" He asked like an annoyed father who was tired of teaching his daughter.

Anya: "..."

Linus burst into laughter hearing Zane nag his mother using her words on her.

The conversation continued for a while. Linus apologized to her when they were still on the call and left her to speak with them. Anya then coaxed her son that she won't be able to call for at least three days, her father was worried, her mother was angry and Zane looked like he was going to cry. It was the first time he was away from her for so many days and now, she won't be able to call either.

----

As soon as Linus got out of Anya's sight and stepped inside the mansion, he ran upstairs to find Alvin, bewildering all the maids who noticed him. He rushed inside the bedroom without knocking. He reported to Alvin who was getting ready to leave, "Bro, I got to know where the Owen family is." He panted for some air and added, "While they were passing the mobile I read the restaurant name." It wasn't intentional, he just identified the place as he had been there. He reported to Alvin first for his opinion.

Alvin wore the overcoat as he turned to Linus. Sending other men to bring the Owen family would scare them. They knew Linus so, "Go and bring them. Make sure nobody is tracking you."

Linus nodded in acceptance. For the problem they caused for Anya and her family, they could only help them by keeping them safe. He thought to disguise and leave the country. "No worries."

Linus was leaving to arrange for his departure, "Linus…" Alvin stopped him again. Alvin wasn't sure how much the Owen family knew about the situation. So he chose to be cautious, "Don't panic or scare them. Just give subtle information to Mr. Owen and bring them straight here." He instructed.

Linus was surprised by hearing his brother so attentive and concerned about the Owen family. Was he overthinking?

He leaned on the door of the walk-in and asked curiously, "Bro... If Chairman Matthews had announced your engagement with Ms. Owen, would you have accepted her?"

Linus smiled seeing his brother thinking about the question instead of getting annoyed. To test Alvin more, Linus again asked the same question by changing the name, "What if she was Ms. Lewis?"

As if Alvin ate something bitter, his face immediately turned ugly at the question.

Linus laughed at his brother and went out as he reminded him, "You have THREE DAYS to think about my first question." He waved as he walked out. Once Anya returns and gets her son, would she bother about Alvin? So Linus hoped three days could clear Alvin's feelings and bring them closer.

Alvin went out of the room while thinking about what Linus probed him. His father could announce Krystle Lewis as his fianceé but Anya Owen. Because his father cared nothing but money, business expansion, and benefits. Nevertheless, he understood what Linus was trying to say. He wasn't reluctant if it's Anya Owen.

Was his fondness more than his protectiveness towards her? He hadn't thought about it by assuming he might be guilty of leaving the country without looking for her and getting busy in his life without searching for her.

Downstairs, he watched her sitting alone, rubbing her arms while looking at the distance without focusing anywhere. He could see the sadness on the visible half of her face. He felt like something tugging his heart, knowing how well she hides her fear and sadness behind her confidence. Sometimes foolishly brave.

Lost in the thoughts, afraid of the safety of her parents and her son, Anya forced her tears back into her eyes with a heavy heart. She knew it wasn't the time to blame her job or cry for being powerless, she just couldn't help but hold herself responsible for the whole situation she brought upon her family.

Why did she have to stupidly accept the job to help people when she couldn't keep her own family safe? She felt like laughing at herself realizing she was still trying to save people.

'Why am I so reckless?' She didn't want any adventures.

She jerked up when she sensed something moving against her. Alvin could feel how guarded she was at his place. He reached out and pulled her to his embrace before she could see him and relax her nerves.

Anya instinctively tried to push him, "Alvin…" Instead of getting angry, her voice sounded like a helpless plea.

"Shh…" He shushed her in an annoyed tone, "If you catch a cold, who will work on the ship?" He reasoned seriously.

Anya: "..."

His woody, cinnamon cologne was easing her jittery heart, his strong cage-like arms were unmovable yet warm and secure around her. His hand on her head pressed her head against his chest while he gently rubbed his thumb at the corner of her forehead. It was like a trap to make her addicted.

She stopped struggling. She wanted to believe his words but he definitely didn't hug her due to the cold. Her body was craving to lean in and relax, her eyes requested her to close and forget her worries for a second and her lungs wanted to breathe in relief. Those were new kinds of feelings. As much as she wanted to listen to her body, she was displeased for having his influences on her.

Alvin expected hugging her would calm her down but it seemed to be reversed. She looked more miserable. If she had continued to struggle, he probably would have let her go. He pulled her away assuming she didn't like it. He didn't know how to use words and coax her to make her feel good. So "Let's go." He said and went inside the mansion holding her hand.

Anya felt exhausted to pull her hand away or speak anything so she just followed him in silence. A maid handed her a dress-styled knee-length coat and placed a pair of heels in front of her. She wore them under many eyes and followed Alvin to the car.

She wanted to cheer herself to face everything strongly but the three days on a ship with Alvin took away the leftover energy from her.