Her Con Artist

CHAP-10

Once we all were done, deciding who will share the room, we all went to get fresh and then came down for dinner. Ordering food, we decided to play a game. It was suggested by Ella. We all were bored so decided to play along.

"What's the game?" Josh asks Ella, who was busy removing stuff from the coffee table. We all were huddled in the living room.

"This game is trending. So i wanted to try it." She said, giving no clue about this game of hers.

Owen and i shared a look, rolling our eyes at her.

"Bring me beer and vodka. Come on hurry." Ella said, slapping Keith's leg.

He sighed and stood up lazily from the sofa. Dragging his feet he went into the kitchen.

"Where is the tape?" She asked Eric, who had his head laid against the sofa and watched her with boredom.

"In the drawer." He said, pointing at the drawer of coffee table.

She clapped her hands in excitement and pulled it out of drawer and a scissor.

"Help me." She said, looking between us.

Sighing, putting my hands down on the carpeted floor, i crawled towards her.

"Here, hold this, stretch it and tape it on your side and to the table in a straight line." Ella said, opening duct tape and passed me it's end and stretched it back towards her, i pressed the tape so that it is taped to table in a straight line.

I got it now. She was making rows horizontally with a tape and leaving spaces between them. We repeat five times.

"Give me your dice." Ella asks Eric who raised his eye brow in question.

Putting his hand into his pocket, he pulled it and gave it to her nonetheless. Keith came back with beers and vodka bottles, helping him i stood up and grabbed half of them from his hands.

"Give me these." Ella said, extending her hands at us.

We both were standing with bottles in our hands and so we put it beside her.

"Now come on everyone! Sit down here." She said, patting the carpeted floor besides her. She placed beer and vodka in the spaces between the tapes at the side.

I sat cross legged beside her and Keith on the other side of her. They all followed and soon were sitting in a small circle surrounding the coffee table.

"Okay. So listen. The dice will be placed at this corner of table-" she explained, placing the dice at her side of table. Which was at the start of the table.

"Then hit it with your finger. Your dice needs to stop in any section and if you do then it you will drink your chosen drink. And if the dice stops on the tape, it doesn't count then you have to wait for your turn. Got it?" She explains looking at us.

We all nodded our heads in agreement. It sounded like a fun game, so i was eager to play it.

"I will go first." Ella said, raising her hand in the air.

"Second!" Called Josh, i looked at him and understood his scheme.

"Third!" I called out with a raised hand a big toothy smile.

"Th-.. aah shit." Russell said, rolling his eyes. He was about to say third but he was late.

"Fourth!" Owen beat Eric to it as he opened his mouth to speak but Owen had already shouted the number.

"Sixth!" Lexi said with a giggle.

"Last." Eric said, plainly. With a look of annoyance on his face. It found it funny and chuckled at his expression.

Upon hearing me, his eyes made contact with my hazel ones. His eyes were hypnotic, they pulled you to their depths and makes you lose in their spell. Some say eyes are windows to your soul and i found his blue eyes doing the same. Trying to break my walls that are built with concrete. His eyes had a emotion of admiration which confuses me. Blinking, i looked away from his penetrating eyes and realized my heart was racing behind my chest.

"Okay let's start!" Ella shouted, with Josh whistling and Owen joined him.

"Ahh. Hey! Stop stop." Russell growled at them to which they both shut up.

For once, i liked Russell's doing. Anyways.

Ella flicked her finger at the dice and it went rolling and stopped in between the section which had beer in it. I grinned and clapped for her as she hooted.

"Chug! chug!" Owen started chanting, soon we all joined.

Ella did a dramatic bow and said thank you. Filling the whole cup with beer she drank it one go. Clapping and hooting for her were done.

Next was Josh. He came to sit next to me, taking the dice and placed it on it's starting point, he got ready to hit it.

When Lexi decided to disturb him, by poking fingers at his sides and he laughed out loud. He was ticklish. Lexi winked at me and mouthed me to do the same. I nodded my head and pursed my lips from laughing.

After he calmed down, he warned us not to disturb him, we all agreed and smiled at each other mischievously. His eyes focused the dice, he finger neared the dice to hit it, that's when i neared my finger towards his side too. As he was about to flick when i tickled him and he threw it in the wrong way that it flew over the table, making us all laugh.

"Monica!" Josh said, with a pout.

"Whatever. Move." I said, poking him again to which he groaned, erupting another round of chuckles.

I heard mummers around me, knowing they were planning something. But i was not ticklish so they can do whatever they wanted. As i was about to hit the dice, i felt fingers poking at my side. I lowered my hand and gave them my grin.

"i am not ticklish. Suckers!" I said, and hit the dice before they could anything.

My dice stopped near vodka bottle, so i was drinking vodka.

Nice.

Clapping and hooting was going around me as i picked my glass. I made eye contact with Eric, as i drank my drink. His eyes got darker with emotions, making me feel butterflies at the same time.

It's Alcohol. Yes. I don't like him and no way in hell attracted to him. It's surely alcohol messing with my system.

Ding dong.

The ringing of bell was the only sound which all of us made run towards the door recklessly. We all were so hungry to think straight. Huddling in the living room, we ate and drank to our full. It was late and some of us were quite drunk, so we called it a day.

I sat cross legged, with my elbows propped up on the table supporting my head with my hands. My vision was a bit blurry but blinking rapidly made it clear, smiling as i could see properly.

"You should go to your room too." It was Russell who said as he passed me carrying a drunken Lexi. Who was talking incoherently.

Nodding my head drunken, i stood up with much effort and started to climb up the stairs. My vision was blurry and so my steps, i was stumbling here and there and finally reached my room.

The lights were out, i walked towards the nearest bed and throwing my jacket on the ground, i just laid on the bed with a thud.

I sighed as soft mattress hit my back. I found a big pillow beside me, without opening my eyes, i threw my leg over it and my arm caging it. I felt my pillow moving and frowning as my sleep was getting disturbed, i tightened my hold on it and it stopped moving. Smiling in content, i went to deep slumber.

Waking up next morning, i found out i had slept in Owen's and Eric room. I was sharing a room with Ella while the couple- Lexi and Russell got a separate room. Josh and keith were sharing a room too. The one empty room was made meeting room and their electronic stuff occupied the room.

I was alone in the room and heard shower on. Feeling guilty to sleep at someone's place, i went back to my room which was empty as well.

I guess they all woke up except me.

Taking a shower and changing clothes, i went down in the kitchen.

"Hey." I greeted them as i entered in.

They all looked back and waved. Taking an empty seat beside Eric, i looked at everyone. They all looked worse at close, the hangover was getting to them, even me.

"What's today?" I asked our chef aka Russell and Josh.

"Hangover soup." Josh says, handing up bowls of soup.

Nodding my head in relief, i dug in.

"You slept quite well, huh." Eric said, beside me.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand as soup was dripping from my lips, i looked up at him, watching me with narrowed eyes.

"Um yeah. I had a good sleep. What about you?" I asked as i went back to my soup.

"Someone took my place last night, so had to sleep on the cold floor, isn't is lovely?" His says,sarcastically.

My open mouth closed as i was about to put my spoon in and put it down.

What the hell! Out of all people, i have to sleep on his bed!? Like really!

My guardian angel was probably busy doing drugs or went on a vacation leaving me alone with the devil.

I bit my lip in embarrassment and looked around and found no one listened to us.

"I am sorry, i was drunk and didn't knew it was my room." I said, sincerely as i patted his arm.

He looked at me with blank expression and gave me a nod.

"It's fine." He says softly and went back to his soup.

We all slurped our soup and gathered in the living afterwards to discuss the final things. I made myself comfortable by putting by crossing my legs and back resting against the sofa as i watched them.

Ad they discussed about their plan, they were looting the Green Land tomorrow. I was lost in my own thoughts to focus what they were discussing.

I was sitting alone as they were crowded around the coffee table, looking at the map of the their building. I decided to do some research of my own, taking my phone out, i typed in the embezzlement of TSB Construction. I found many article and on top was the one which i was looking for.

Phoebe and George sentenced to 7 years of prison due the embezzlement of money from TSB Construction.

I clicked on the link and found photos of them being handcuffed and dragged out of the company building. I looked closely at their pictures and frowned.

I feel like i have seen them somewhere but where?

Taking a screenshot of their pictures, i read the whole article. After reading the article, i closed the link and laid my head again the sofa. It was disturbing me, i knew them from somewhere but where.

Sighing in frustration, i sat straight and looked at the others.

"Are tou ready for tomorrow?" I asked, initiating a conversation.

"Yes!" Ella said with a excited look in her eyes and a wide toothy smile on her face.

"Heck yeah. Can't wait for the fun." Josh said with a chuckle,

"Babe, we were born ready." Owen says, winking at me. I cringed at him for calling me 'baby', rolling my eyes at him i chuckled nonetheless.

Owen got hit my Lexi and Ella for his cringy comment and he was complaining about it. I looked at Eric who was sitting silent deep in thought, looking troubled.

I wanted to ask him what was troubling him but decided not to.

After sometime, they all went out to get some stuff for tomorrow and i preferred to stay. I had some work to do.

I need paper. Paper...!

I found some blank papers lying on the table, taking a seat down on the floor, i grabbed one and a pen too.

I started writing:

Con Artists

Company where i work ,

George and Phoebe

Green Land

They all have a connection to TSB Construction.

Is the main target TSB Construction? As they George and Phoebe worked for the company and now they- con artists, are targeting Green Land.

So what about the company i work in?

What's the relation they have with it?

I wrote my thoughts and connections between all of them.

It was 4pm when i was tired after using my every single brain cell to solve this puzzle. My stomach was making noises, complaining to me to feed it.

I was in the mood to cook something myself, entering kitchen, i opened the cabinets and fridge to see what i can make from the present ingredients.

After looking at the ingredients, only two dishes came to my mind. One- white sauce pasta and second- Brussels sprouts ceasar salad.

I decided to make food for everyone, they have been feeding me from day one and took good care of me. This is the least i can do for them. Taking my phone out, i send a quick message to Eric and Ella that i was making dinner so no need to eat outside or bring food. I received a message from Ella right away, saying she can't wait to eat. Choosing a song and put it on loud volume, i started my work.

Taking out frozen chicken pieces and brussels, i put the chicken to boil. I decided to make salad first. I was almost done with salad only one thing was left which i decided to do at the end. Taking a pan, i cooked garlic and then added chicken, chilly sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, salt. Left it to get cooked, i put pasta to get boiled.

While these things were being boiled, i sang and danced to my favorite song- Butter by BTS. I had my space and privacy so i used to my full. Squeezing lemon and added it's juice in the salad and mixed it. The salad was done, coming back to pasta, i made white sauce in another pan. I heard a car pulling up, it must be them. Stopping the song, i pocketed my phone. Lowering the heat under than pan, i let the pasta soak in the white sauce as i quickly went upstairs to a quick body shower. I was sweating after all the cooking so i didn't want to smell my sweat. Quickly changing my clothes, i ran down to turn off the stove.

I was running down the stairs when u saw them sitting in the living room.

"Relax, i turned it off." Russell said, with a roll of his eyes.

I stopped and sighed in relief.

"Thank you." I said and walked in the kitchen to see myself.

Opening the lid, the pasta was done and smelled good.

"Come on let's eat!" I called them, turning around.

Owen and Ella walk-run to the kitchen and helped me set up the table with plates. I waited as they all were trying pasta, i looked at every single one of them.

"Umm.. its so good. Really so yum!" Ella said, with hands waving in the air in excitement.

I smiled at her for her compliment.

"Moni, it's so delicious. I could eat all of this by myself." Owen said, giving me a thumbs up.

Thanking him, i made eye contact with Eric. I waited for him to say something.

"It's good." He says sounding genuine. I smiled at his compliment.

They all loved both of my dishes and we all ate to our full.

Eric and Owen washed the dishes, Lexi and Ella cleaned the table. I was putting the remaining ingredients back to their places along with Josh, who seemed lost in a thought.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked him,

He was holding cabinet door with one hand as he was lost in his thought. Startled at my call, his hand left the cabinet door, which didn't get closed and opened, i quickly stopped it from hitting his head.

With a frown at looked at him as he blinked eyes noticing that door was about to hit him straight in his face.

"Ah thank you." He said, holding the door, retracting my hand he closed the door.

"You okay?" I asked again, looking at his tired face.

"Yeah, just a tired." He said, sighing.

I nodded my head, pursing my lips.

After we were done cleaning and organizing the things we all went back to our rooms to get rest. Ella was taking shower as i laid in bed, listening to songs.

"Change the song you have been listening to this from past days nonstop." She said, coming out of the shower with a groan.

Chuckling, i turned to my left where my phone was plugged in for charging. Changing the song, i just watched her, brushing her wet locks.

"

What did you buy?" I asked her, laying on my stomach.

She turned to face me with a look of liveliness. She started showing me clothes which she bought for tomorrow. A collared shirt with slacks.

"Here you go." She said, passing me a bag.

Raising an eyebrow at her in question, she nodded her head with a smile as i grabbed the bag. Looking inside i found a blue dress. Taking it out, i laid it out in front of me and it was a navy blue floral print wrap maxi dress. It was gorgeous.

"This is so beautiful." I said, in awe as checked the material of the cloth and it was a soft linen.

"This is for you." She said, sitting beside me,

"Why?" I asked in confusion. I didn't ask them for any clothes.

"You didn't have much to wear and it's not a big deal. Consider a gift from your friends." She said, patting my hand with a kind smile.

My heart swelled with love. No one except Dalton and Zara has done this for me.

I couldn't control myself and leaned forward and hugged her. She was surprised as i had never hugged before myself. She was the only one who used to hug me. Soon, she wrapped her arms around me and giggled.

"If i had known you could be won over like this, i could have done this a long tome ago." She said, teasing me.

I chuckled and cleared my throat, trying to stop the emotion building up.

"Thank you, Ella. It's really pretty." I said softly, looking down at the dress.

"You should thank Eric for this not me." She said nonchalantly, rocking her hanging feet back and forth from the bed. I froze as words left her mouth, blinking i looked at her with surprised look

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice in doubt.

"I wasn't supposed to tell but noe it had already slipped my lips so let me tell you. He wanted to make sure you are comfortable here." She said, eyes shining with joy.

"I will make sure to thank him." I whispered.

I was enchanted with his idea of comfort. This act of kindness done by him meant alot. I lips turned up into a smile at the thought.

They all slept earlier than their usual time as they had to wake up early morning the next day. I was feeling bored and insomniac so i decided to go out in the lawn. The lights were off and i couldn't see anything im the dark. Turning the phones flashlight on, i put my feet in the shoes and tip toed around the room and opened the door gently. Making my way out of the door, i was hit with cold chilly air, but i was too lazy to go back to my room to get a sweater.

I closed the door behind me closely when i heard crackling and popping sounds which seemed similar to wood burning in fire. Upon taking a left, i saw someone sitting on a chair and wood was indeed burning in the fire pit. The fire pit was located to extreme left of the lawn near the wooden fence wall. The tree and swing was located at the right side of the lawn. I decided to join the person and absorb some warmth from the fire as i was freezing in this cold weather.

Whoever was there didn't hear me or was so lost in thought to notice someone approaching them. When i took a seat in front of them, they looked up at me and i found those blue eyes. It was Eric. His large black hoodie cap was covering half of his face, it was the light of fire which made it clear for me to see him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Couldn't sleep." He said, looking at the fire.

I nodded my head and leaned back against the chair. Looking up at the sky, i found galaxy of stars across the midnight sky that left me awestruck.

"Woah." words left my mouth unintentionally, as i was amazed at the scenery in front of me.

I felt eyes on me and looked at him to see him smiling softly as he looked down.

Was he smiling at me?

Shaking my head, i leaned forward and extended my palms towards the fire to feel some warmth.

"Thank you for that day."I said, looking at him for his expression.

He nodded his head and stayed silent.

"You seemed to know what to do, like you have done this many times now."I stopped at the end, waited for him to say something, to open up about himself.

"My mother had anxiety disorder, my dad used to calm her down by doing this, so i watched him and learned."He said, there a hint of sadness and longing in his tone. I just nodded my head, respecting his privacy.

Though i was curious about his past but i wont ask him questions unless he is ready to tell me by himself, which didn't seemed to be the case right now. He was opening up a little so i don't want to mess it up by my curiosity.

"I want to ask something...."I waited for him to give me his attention. He looked up at me and looked at my face and nodded his face.

"Go on."

"Whats the reason behind stealing money from my company, i need to know." I said, my tone stern.

He sighed when noticed determination on my face and that i would not back down until he gave me answers.

"Okay. First of all- we don't steal their money, we steal money which belongs to us. About your company, the CEO- Edgar Malcom- i have some grudge against him and he has our money which he considers to be rightfully his." He said grinding his teeth as he balled up his fists. His blue eyes had got darker with anger.

"But that's not true." I said, trying to figure out what was this puzzle about money was.

"You dont know anything." He said, chuckling with a scoff as he looked away from me.

"You dont know everything about me as i do. But i assure you, i know every single thing about CEO." i said, with a hard look on my face. With narrowed eyes, i clicked my tongue at him in disapproval.

"Lets test you then." He said, removing his hoodie cap, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs as he had his hands intertwined. I was able to see his face completely, messy hair moving slightly with the chilly air, eyes glistening with curiosity and mischievousness.

"You know what happened eight years ago?" He asked, giving me a sly smile. I grinned to his question and opened my mouth to speak,

"A year has 365 days and.."

"I mean, do you know any event that caused a havoc in the industrial world within the country and it also involves your CEO, which happened eight years ago." He said, cutting me off and had a curious look on his face, with eyebrows pulled together creating crease on the forehead.

Only one such event had occurred eight years ago and it involves..... No! It can't be.

I looked up at him in confusion but concealed my expressions from him.

"Huh! I knew it, you were just bluffing--"

"Edgar, Ella's mother- Phoebe and Lexi's dad- George and some other people were kicked out of the TSB Construction. George and Phoebe were sentenced to jail while Edgar was charged on criminal charges for stealing 14,000 files for self-driving car technology and taking them to a startup later acquired by some other company. They ripped off £ 3.2 billion from him and he was nearly bankrupted. Later, he cut all ties from them and started his own company. But in reality, George, Phoebe and Edgar had nothing to do with this, it was all planned by them, to execute them all. " I elaborated him with facts and figures which i knew.

He had eyes opened widely, eyebrow raised and arched up in surprise. He slowly nodded his head, trying to process what i said.

"How do you know all this? Only a few people know about the real truth behind this?"He asked, his tone held certain doubt and surprise.

I cant tell him about my past now, even if i want to but i cant. He wont believe me and might not trust me even if he came to know. Its better to keep quiet.

"Basically, he took me in as my family kicked me out. He was our neighbor so i had known him since childhood. So i know everything that had happened in his life."I told him half truth.

It was true that Edgar took me in after my dad kicked me out the house. He was a colleague of my dad, so he took pity or empathy on me and kept roof over me until i was able to stand by myself. That's why it was more of a responsibility than guilt, i had to return the money by myself. I dont want him to think of me like my dad.

"That's why you were hell bend on finding us and take the money back.. Right."He talked to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"I am so guilty for what i did. He practically looked after me like his own kid and that's how i returned his favor." I whispered to myself, realizing its been so long i had talked to him.

"Its not your fault. It would have been another person if not you." He said, sternly.

I just stayed silent and pulled the hoodie closer to my body. In between our conversation, Eric gave me his hoodie saying its too cold outside and i wasn't wearing anything warm. I took his hoodie without any objections.

"I will return the money, until i see the proof myself that Edgar had no involvement with my dad." He suggested, after sometime. He had unreadable expression on his face.

"Your dad? What about him?"I asked and got a hard look in return.

"Nothing. Go to sleep, it's late now."He said, quickly standing up and left.

I remain seated as i looked his walking figure, perplexed.

There was more to this puzzle than i knew. And now i have to find what it is.

~~~~~~