Offer To The CEO

Thursday continued ….

"It is not about imposing your will, it is about her making the decision. She is sixteen, almost seventeen from what I understand…"

"Her and her brothers' birthday are Saturday."

"Well that is even more reason for her not to travel until Saturday night. Let her enjoy her birthday, as starting school Tuesday or Wednesday next week in Australia will not matter. I do not start back University for another week, and I only have one class for four weeks until I have my final placement hours. Given the circumstances I will talk to the university to work as much of my placement hours around her schooling so I can be there for a support. Let me ask her what she wants."

"I do not know…"

"Mr Yao if you did not think I could be trusted, this suggestion would not have been considered. All I want to do is talk to her face-to-face, rather than by phone."

Yao Tan paused realising that James was twisting him around. He knew what Anna did to the police, and from Amanda what she did at the board meeting. James was not too different from Anna in that respect. The one good thing was he focused on his daughter and what she wanted which was good for him, in his protective father mode. Resigned, he said "Fine. Where are you?"

"My brother-in-law and sister's apartment."

"OK before you go down stairs tell Butler Ge, that you need a car to bring you to my apartment as that is where Alecia is presently. I will let my security staff know that you are coming."

"Thank you, sir." Yao Tan then ended the call and called his security staff advising them of what was going to happen.

Meanwhile, James telephoned Alecia back, and explained that he was on his way over.

As he made the arrangements with the staff to be taken to Yan Tan's apartment, James stopped himself, and though again as to what he was thinking. He knew he was kidding himself, and his focus simply had to be Alecia before anything else.

Fifteen minutes later.

James was escorted into another penthouse apartment, very different but just as luxurious as Anna and Hou Yi's. It was obvious this was a family home, which he knew Anna and Hou Yi's would eventually become.

As he waited from down a corridor, came Alecia, who grabbed James hand and pulled him along back down the corridor and into a sitting room attached to a bedroom. With one glance James knew this was Alecia's room, and struggled not to groan out loud.

As he tensed up James heard Alecia ask, "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I jut thought we would have spoken in a lounge room."

"And have the staff listening in. They are worse than my father. When I am here, they do not leave me alone, unless I am in my room. I figured that the only way we could talk privately was in here."

Before walking into the sitting area, Alecia turned and shut the door into her bedroom. She figured that she had messed with James enough. Despite her age she knew his reaction and uncomfortable posture told her something. She returned and sat down on the couch, urging James to follow and sit beside her.

"Apologies, I forgot to shut the door, I should have realised it …"

"Alecia, you seem to want to apologise for a lot, you do not need to. This is your space, not mine."

Alecia put her head down and quietly responded "OK".

James reached over and gently lifted her head, "Do not do that. There is no need to be ashamed of anything." With that simple touch, James knew he was kidding himself with his denials about how he felt. However, there was no way he could say it. Alecia had for the last six months been to hell and back due to the b*stard Lu Jinhu. He did not need to add to her situation.

Taking a deep breath, he continued "Alecia, while we were speaking it hit me, all us adults were imposing our decision on you. From everything I can gather your first s*xual experience was taken from you in, and please do not hate me for saying this, a brutal way. I also guess that since then your father and brothers have gone into over-protective mode."

"You have been given little choice in your life since that occurred. When I spoke to your father, I told him, the decision on whether or not to come to Australia for at least three months. Any other considerations should not matter."