Diana was exhausted from the jetlag and the amount of hours that she had to travel country to country to chase Nicholas.

That guy really knew how to avoid someone in style. He flew with his private jet, messed up his business schedule that Cloe arranged for him just to get away from Diana and drove her crazy in the process.

She had visited the company branches from Dubai to Singapore but she always missed by a few hours from his last business meeting. And when she finally got the latest tips from Cloe, she instructed her pilot to fly her back to Sydney, furious with how James had played her.

He was literally circling the world to avoid her and now he was back to Sydney? He took over the Sydney's branch and sent Garry to London? How convenient!

What the fuck did he want? She cursed inwardly, slamming the door of her five-hundred-thousand-dollar car and entered her office.

She saw all eyes following her when she rocked out the lift looking stunning in her designer dress accompanied by her high heels that click-clacking against the marble floor. First time she was back to the office from her long holiday, from the unexpected announcement.

She bet the whole office knew the latest story, that the humble receptionist was in fact their boss' daughter now.

She was a bit nervous but she quickly shook it off. She didn't have time for it, she wanted to find Nicholas now and would make him regret for rejecting to talk to her and running away from her for a week.

"Welcome back Diana. Congratulations." Mike waved from his desk and followed by a bunch more. Some of them raised their thumbs up and some of them held their laughs.

Diana rolled her eyes. She knew what they meant. That news must have spread like crazy after that mad blogger Ray Wood posted her window-scene photo in the Internet and it went viral till today. It even went into the TV news and decorated the first page of newspapers around the world. That bastard Ray Wood..... There was no use for blocking him entering the party, he got the best shot from outside the gate!

"Hey Diana... " Wilson called out, "Where are you going? Up to seduce the new boss?"

The last comment made her stop walking. She slowly reversed her steps until she was standing in front of his desk.

"Whoooooaaaa dude..... " someone yelled.

Wilson clearly was too drunk to remember what was going on in the pub a while ago, and since nobody bothered to tell him, he thought he could still harass Diana, like he harassed other girls.

"What did you say?" Diana asked.

"I said, why are you dressing up like that, are you going to seduce the new boss?" He repeated his statement.

"Where were you for the last three weeks Wilson?" Diana asked, more curious than angry of how Wilson didn't know the latest news about her status.

"Thailand, I just got back today... why?" He looked confused.

But she smiled instead, she took a deep breath before talking so gently toward him, "Wilson listen to me carefully. Google who Edward Wellesley long lost daughter is. Oh no, don't bother, let me tell you, Edward Wellesley is my father and that new boss in that office is my fiancé. I practically own your ass. I would be careful if I were you."

She tapped his desk lightly with her index finger as she saw his face went pale, "So, from now on, try to be more professional or I will do something about it!" and without even waiting for his reply she continued to search for Nicholas.

She walked further into the secluded area at the end of the floor, and stopped by Cloe's desk which was next to the door into the CEO's office.

"Hi Cloe, is he inside?" Diana greeted Cloe who nodded and signaled her to go ahead.

***

"NICHOLAS JAMES STRATFORD!" A loud too familiar female voice echoed in Nicholas' office followed by a bang from his door that slammed against the wall.

Nicholas, who was sitting on his leather CEO chair, startled and lifted his head to meet the owner of the voice that he secretly wanted to hear.

He missed her like crazy. He knew that he should let her talk to him, to explain everything and to find the solution, just like his father wanted him to do when he kicked his ass back to Sydney. But he knew Diana would yell at him one more time and told him that she was happy with Patrick and he wouldn't be able to bare the pain.

He had expected her to yell at him but not like this, not here in his own office. She surely never ceased to amaze him.

Diana looked angrily at him, "Why are you avoiding me like a plague?!" She spoke rather loudly across the room and Cloe quickly closed the door. She didn't want anyone to see her boss' ass being kicked by the Wellesley girl. Not that he didn't deserve it though, but still, it wasn't a good view for the rest of the staff.

Nicholas heart skipped a beat. He knew this time would come, Diana Wellesley, the only girl that took his breath away, was here right now demanded his answer. And she looked stunning! The navy dress matched her complexion and her red lipstick perfectly. She looked like a model who just came out from a fashion magazine.

"What are you talking about?" He pretended.

Diana approached his desk and threw her five-thousand-dollar purse carelessly on it as if she was ready to go to war. "Says the guy who ran off from his own engagement party? All I want is talking to you but you've never given me a chance! I literally flew around the world chasing you. Too good to talk to me now?"

"Nothing to talk about!" He left his chair, pushed up his tie and buttoned his suit. Diana cursed inwardly, why did he have to do that? He looked so gracious on his every move and she hated it right now. She wanted to stay mad at him a little longer but his sexiness made her knees buckled a little.

Nicholas walked closer to her and only stopped when he was two feet away. Looking down he stared at her with his blue eyes, trying to intimidate her. But he knew perfectly that his tactic wouldn't work on this particular girl, his spitfire princess.

"We have plenty to talk about! What are you doing here anyway?" She challenged his look. Her petite body was clearly smaller than his but her glare could take him down easy and that was she did to him right at this moment. Nicholas kicked himself mentally. She was clearly scared the day light out of him.

"I am here because my father wants me to take care of Sydney branch, what else?" He leaned toward his desk and folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh really? Last time you were here also because your dad said so? Nicholas Stratford doesn't have a backbone!" She mocked him, "What a character... "

He looked hurt, but he didn't say anything. His fascination toward her tantrum made him smile. Diana, his princess, looked as beautiful as ever, standing here in front of him, yelling at him like she always did in the past.

"What are you smiling about? You jackass!"

"I am smiling because you're being ridiculous." He lied. "You see, you chose Patrick over Nicholas and now you can't take it when I ignored you."

"I didn't choose anyone! I went out with him because you, Nicholas Stratford, couldn't even bother to tell me the truth when he got the chance!" she glared at him.

He squirmed a bit. She was right. Nicholas Stratford was a coward. The amount of time that he wasted was unbelievably stupid. His desire to make her love him before telling her the truth had caused him dearly. He didn't want to risk it, being rejected by Diana before it even began that was why he decided to wait, but then he was too scared to admit anything to her till that day when she kicked him out of the house.

"Oh yeah? How's that weekend trip anyway?" he refused to be blamed.

"There's no weekend trip." She replied shortly. Nicholas tilted his head to the side slightly, as if her answer was the most important answer in his world.

"What?" He asked for confirmation.

"There was no weekend trip. I... " Diana's frown disappeared and her voice softened. She stared at him. "I broke up with Patrick that day and went right back to talk to you. But you were already gone... " A painful sigh escaped her lips.

"But... why he was there in the party?" Nicholas' stern face turned into confusion.

"Oh for god's sake, he went there as Amanda's date. Is that why you jumped out of the window like a lunatic?" her eyes turned into a mere slit and he stood still losing his ability to speak.

After all he did to avoid her, it turned out that Patrick wasn't her boyfriend anymore. Then what she wanted to talk to him about? His heart beat faster. "Ana... " He breathed out her name, too scared to keep his hope high.

"I miss you James... " She said almost a whisper, her eyes went down to the floor.

Nicholas took a sharp breath.

"And I am sorry........." She trailed off. She lifted her gaze to see him. "I hurt you didn't I?" she asked. "That's why you left... and you didn't want to talk to me anymore." She blinked away tears.. "I understand if you don't want to pursue the engagement... " She continued meekly.

One drop of her tear and Nicholas' arrogant stand changed, "Ana... " He came closer to her.

"You were there all along and you saw everything....." she suddenly quivered.

"Ana... No... Ana... don't cry... " he begged, and seconds later he took her in his arms.

He made her cry. What was wrong with him? He wanted her so much that he swore he would sacrifice everything just to be with her and when he got the chance he ran away and left her alone?

What kind of man he was?

"Ana... Shhhh....... I am sorry..... I am sorry...... " he whispered in her ear.

"I hurt you didn't I? I hurt you everyday for months." She muffled against his chest and her hand clutched his suit tightly.

"Hey..... It's okay, I am fine, aren't I?" He tried to lighten up the situation. His hand caressed her hair gently.

"But I hurt you again and again... Oh god James.... " She rested her head against his chest. She had no idea how wonderful it was to be back into his arms. That he wanted to hug her again and talk to her. How precious his touch was to her.

"I love you." She finally dared to breath out the words. The three words that she desperately wanted to tell him since that day when he left her mansion.

James didn't react and it pushed her to look up to search for an answer in his blue eyes and those blue eyes turned glassy.

"You do?" he asked shakily.

"Of course I do, how could I not?" She reached up to capture one tear from the corner of his eye. He looked lost, too shock to her revelation. How could he not believe that? "I always love you, I just.... I just didn't realise it till you left... "

She waited for his reply but his lips didn't move, only his eyes that gazed lovingly at her.

"James?"

"Ana... " He pushed her back onto his chest and hugged her tightly as if his life depended on it. "I love you too... " He hid his face inside her hair and stayed quiet for a minute enjoying their togetherness and their feeling toward each other.

Nicholas shook his head, amazed of how beautiful it turned out. Diana chose him after all. "You chose me?"

Diana looked up, "I've chosen you long time ago, always....."

Nicholas simply smiled at how she told him about her feeling. He somehow knew that Diana loved him but he had never believed it, he was too scared to accept her love because he experienced the pain of a broken heart.

This time she smiled bigger, she tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand but Nicholas stopped her.

"Now... now... Miss Ana, let me do it for you... " He reached a box of tissue from his desk and carefully dabbed her tears.

"And you are still calling me that, you silly!" She couldn't help laughing in between her cry.

"You're always be my princess, Miss Ana... First time I see you cry like this over me Ana." He cupped her cheek in his palm and gazed lovingly at her.

"James... " She covered his hand with hers and called out his butler's name. To her he would always be her James. "I am sorry I hurt you."

"And I am sorry for leaving you. I guess we're even?" He pressed his lips on her forehead. "I love you."

"Yeah, I guess we are... " She smiled. This time she circled her arms around his neck. "Please stop talking and kiss me now."

"Is that an order Princess?" he asked before tilting his head slightly and lowered his face toward her. Slowly he claimed her lips and Diana whimpered.

He liked the sound of it and her soft lips sending shivers on every joint of his bones. He felt the length of her body pressed against his longingly. Her arms pulling him closer to her and her fingers tangled inside his blonde hair.

She parted her lips when his tongue asked her to taste the inside of her mouth and again she moaned. He was lost in her kiss and he didn't know how he could find the strength to stand still holding her while he felt his knees buckled and his body burned with desire.

Diana knew how to awaken his heart. He was heartbroken for years and even when he started to fall for her, he didn't dare to let her take his heart fully. But now he was surrendering to her.

"James... " she clearly ran out breath and pulled out. He grunted in protest.

"Hmm... " He replied, his lips now exploring her neck.

"Where did you disappear to for two weeks?"

He stopped, "Disappear?"

"Yes, you were gone without a trace. I was worried, everyone was worried about you."

"Ah that. I went to Africa, volunteering."

"You? You went to Africa for humanitarian work?"

"Hey..... Are you mocking me?" Nicholas sulked.

"I am sorry... " Diana laughed.

"You've taught me a lot Miss Ana." He admitted.

"I am impressed Mr Stratford. And thank you... "

"For what?"

"For the hostel." She said.

"How do you... How did you find out?" he looked confused.

"Oh James... " She took his face in her small palms, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to find out about Nicholas."

"You're silly, you know that? And this Nicholas guy, you don't have to worry. I think I love him too." She whispered.

"Yeah?" He raised his burrows, listening to her calling him as a third person.

"Uhu... I like his blonde hair and I can see his beautiful eyes clearly without glasses." She gave him a small laugh, amused of how silly he was trying to disguise himself.

"And I like successful and powerful man who dresses up in expensive tailored suit... " She ran her index finger along his jacket, down to his arm and stopped at his Rolex watch, "Sexy... " She grinned, she wanted to tell this particular prince that she wasn't scared of his wealth and she would accept him completely as a gentle hearted James or as a powerful man Nicholas. "I promise, I will not run away from you Nicholas Stratford!"

He looked at her, overwhelmed by her confession and unable to say a word.

"Can I tell you a secret?" she continued, pressing her palm against his toned torso, "My butler is a hunk and I want him too. Do you think I can have him?"

Nicholas chuckled, "You want to have us both?"

"You see..... He has this fantastic abs and I think I like the pervert side of his."

This time he couldn't hold his laugh, "Deal!" He caressed her hair. His blue eyes never left hers. "I will let you sleep with him too." He teased.

She beamed, "I would like that... "

Nicholas sighed contently, relieved of how wonderful everything had turned out for them.

His memory went back to that particular day when his dad barged into his office angrily and punished him to be Diana's butler. He thought his life was over.

Or when he saw Diana for the first time, how ordinary she was, how randomly and silly she behaved. Deep down inside he was kind of attracted to her but he fought the hardest not to let that feeling clouded his decision to rebel against the arranged marriage.

It turned out that Diana was the best thing which had ever happened to him and her love for him was the only thing that made his life perfect and now he wouldn't dare imagining his life without her.

His attention was back to her who was still clinging to him and gazed into his eyes lovingly. He pushed her hair behind her ear and dropped a kiss on her forehead, "I think I have something for you." He said. "Wait here." He let go of her waist and walked toward his desk. Opened his first drawer, he took out his wallet and fished something small out from its pocket.

Diana bit her lower lip when she saw what it was.

"I remember you said... " he took a stance in front of her and went down on his knee, "... till I am down on my knee and propose to you, you will not let me call you mine. So, Diana Rose Wellesley, will you marry me and spend the rest of your life with me?"

Diana, lost for words, she stumbled down and flew into his arms almost knocked him down flat on his cold marble floor, "Yes... yes James. I will marry you." She sobbed.

He pushed the diamond ring into her finger and telling her one more time that he loved her before giving her a mind-blowing earth-shattering kiss.

~ The end ~