Melbourne was the same. Except for the weather, it was hot. So freaking hot, even being in March.

The office was the same. My desk still had a mess, but with loads more mail and samples. Everything seemed like the same old. It was just another year. A new year, a new me.

I entered the office, wearing a simple summer dress, heels, hat and a satchel. Anna was at the front desk. I walked in, took my sunglasses off and looked at her.

"Isla!" She squealed. She ran out and hugged me tight. Something she rarely did to me.

"Nice to see you too," I breathed out. Anna let go.

"I'm glad you're back. It's been slightly chaotic without you." She walked back behind the reception desk and handed me mail and flowers. "They all came, get well flowers and stuff."

I grabbed what I could and walked to my office. It was the same messy desk that I left four months ago. I dropped things down onto my desk and looked at the mess in front of me.

"Just one step at a time Isla!" I gave myself a slight pep talk.

I dropped my bag and went straight to work. First opening mail, filing it and sorting through the mail. Followed by fixing the new samples of clothing and designs, whilst adding my own little touch. The amount of time I spent in my office that day, I wasn't out of it at any point.

It wasn't until my stomach grew louder and the light in my office started to fade that I realised it was night. I sighed to myself and walked to the kitchen. I made a cup of tea, walked back and grabbed some chocolate from my draw.

I worked all night to finish off everything. Running around like a headless chook to desks and the closet. Placing designs and changes and paperwork on everyones desk. I also spent sometime working on my board proposal for the new store in London and the company move to the UK.

I slept on my couch in my office that night.

Jonathon woke me up. I had slight back pain.

"Hey there sleepy head. How you feeling?" He handed my a cup of tea. I sat up on the couch

I took a sip and sighed in relief.

"I'm alright." I took another sip of tea.

Jonathon sat down on the couch and gave me a look. A look of bad news.

"Alright, why did you really come in here?" And taking another sip of tea.

"You know how there is another CEO, well that person is back today."

And then there goes my sip of tea. All over the floor. I spat it out when Jonathon told me that Phillip was back today. I honestly thought I had more time.

I wiped my tea off my chin and gave Jonathon a look of death.

"That was better than I hoped. Thought you were going to actually kill me."

"Do you see my eyes? And this evil death glare I'm giving you!" I got up off the couch and walked over to my desk and placed my cup of tea down. "I am honestly not ready to see him. Can you just keep him away from me at all times? I'll even stay in here and bring the spare kettle out so I don't have to make tea."

"Isla, you forget that we have a meeting today with the heads of each department."

"Fuck my life!" I lean forward on my desk and hit my head onto the top of it. I groaned loudly.

"That wasn't necessary." Jonathon moved over and grab my shoulders. He kissed the top of my forehead. "Go home, have some proper rest, I'll say like you are having personal day or something. Like the being back home brought bad memories from the accident or something."

"I've been away for four months Jonathon, I didn't fall asleep until 3am because of the amount of work which was left."

"Isla, babe, you need rest."

"Rest is for the wicked. I just need to stay in my office and keep focused on my work. If he wants to see me, he is heading straight to you, alright?" I sat up and grabbed my tea. I hugged it, because tea was all that was going into my body today.

"Is there something you haven't told me?"

"No, like what?"

Jonathon moved to the front of my desk. "Well I got worried about you last night, so I stopped at your house in Toorak, but they said you weren't there. And then I realised I have some of your moving boxes at mine..."

Jonathon looked at me. He knew where this was going. I had no home in Melbourne right now. Of course I had my mothers place, but I was leasing that out and the lease doesn't finish until August. It's March.

"Where have you been staying this past few days Isla?"

"Well, I got a room at the Westin on Collins street, saw the Lion King twice. And then I moved over to Crown Metropole to enjoy the morning pool looking over at the city skyline."

He gave me a disapproving look and I knew he was upset.

"Why didn't you tell me you need a place to stay?"

"Because Maggie is almost due and I didn't want to bother you. Plus I have inheritance to spend."

"You have your mothers house, why don't you stay there?"

"Because I don't want to kick the tenet out. He or She don't deserve it."

"Wait what? You don't know who's staying there?" He scoffed at me.

"No, I gave that responsibility to the real estate agent." I took more tea into my month.

Jonathon just looked at me.

"Don't give me that. It was a bad time and I didn't want anything to do with that house. I only have the power to enter the storage box, which is the garage. I could always turn that into something..."

Jonathon sighed and gave up.

"Just do whatever you want to do ok. I'm here for you. Even when you are being a dumb blonde somedays. I still love you!"

Jonathon moved and kissed my forehead before exiting the office.

"Remember, I'm not here according to Phillip!" I yell from my desk. Jonathon motions his hand to say that he got that.

I gave myself a celebratory chair spin.

~~**~~

I actually slept in a bed. Granted it was a hotel bed and not my own. But there is no chance in hell I'm going back to my childhood home anytime soon. I had movers actually move everything there themselves.

I haven't stepped foot in that place since my mother pass away. And I just can't.

Everytime I think about it, I just remember my childhood and all our mother daughter moments. It's hard. Like somedays I miss her way too much. She's the person who was always there for me. She was my best friend. It's hard for me to talk about her. Yeah I know she was my mum and all, but there are days that I just can't talk about her because I'll start crying or I'll have a breakdown.

It's been a week back in Melbourne and I have avoided ever seeing Phillip in the office. It was a relief not to see him at all, every corner I took, I always looked out. Jonathon covered for me for the meeting heads, so I avoided seeing Phillip.

I was currently in the pool. Floating in the water, taking deep breathes and trying not to worry about my living arrangements. It was calming and peaceful until everyone else started to join me in the pool. I swam over to the edge and hopped out of the pool.

It wasn't long before I was back in my room, having a shower, eating some breakfast that was brought up and getting dressed. I decided on black culottes with a red short sleeved boxed shirt. All from a a brand which I had recently fallen in love with 'The Fifth Label'. Pair it up with some heels and I was all set for my day.

My car was parked in the guest parking, but today I decided to use the public transport. I wanted to take some extra time to get to work. I was in no rush. I started to walk out and walk towards the Convention Centre to catch the next tram.

Melbourne was sometimes horrible yet beautiful in March. Don't get me wrong, Melbourne is the most liveable city for 4 years now, but the weather some days kills me. However today it's a good looking day. Though now that I say that, the weather will probably change. We have four seasons in one day.

The tram was packed, I almost forgot how busy public transports is. No matter I decided to push through it.

~~**~~

It took 40 minutes to get to work this morning. Make it 50, since I stopped to get a hot chocolate this morning.

I entered the office to everyone scrambling and running around like headless chooks. Going from office to office, running up and down the hallway, it was chaos in there. I looked over at Anne who was taking phone call after phone call.

"Anne, what's going on in here?"

She looked up for me and her eyes went wide.

"Isla, you need to go and see Jonathon and Phillip like 5 minutes ago. You have visitors."

With that I picked up my pace and jogged the best I could in heels to Jonathon's office. I opened the door to see Jonathon at his desk, my grandmother and grandfather sitting on the other side of the desk, Phillip leaning up against a bookcase and then Henry standing behind my grandmother.

"Mother fuc-..." I said under my breathe.

The door quickly shut behind me as I turned, so I couldn't make a quick escape, like I was planning.

"Isla," I heard my grandmother say, "My sweet, where have you been?"

I take a deep breathe in and then exhale. "I've been busy grandmother."

"Well, you certainly have been. I've heard rumours about the property in Appleton being rebuilt. Might I ask why you are doing that?" She turned and looked me in the eye.

I swear she has gotten scarier.

"Well, grandmother, it's in my name. And I thought if I ever decide to move there, I would like a house, not some run-down barn." I hold onto my bag in my hand tightly to try and calm myself down. But in all honesty, I wanted to run away. "Why are you all here?"

"Well, we are here to discuss about you."

"Me?"

"Yes you." She gestured to take a seat. I didn't take a seat.

"And why do Henry and Phillip need to be here?"

"Apart of our arrangement with the Perkins house hold, at least one of my grandchildren need to wed a Perkins. And since your cousin Lilly has gone MIA since February, so it leaves you my dear."

I took a step back. I started to process what was being said.

Arranged marriages.

"Ok, that is not happeneing!" I put my foot down. "No way in freaking hell am I marrying either one of them. Not after everything I've been through. I'll find Lilly if I must. Because I am not getting married any time soon!"

"Right young lady." My grandmother stood up and I swear her nostrils were flaring. "You are going to marry one of these fine men, whether you like it or not!"

"I am not marrying someone I don't love. And most definitely someone who cheated on me!"

"Isla, I said I was sorry!" Henry arked up. I just glared at him. The tears were starting to form.

"Find Lilly, because I am not marrying anyone!" I was putting my foot down.

"Hear this Isla, you will marry one of them or you are cut off!" She put her foot down harder.

"Alright that's enough!" My grandfather finally stepped in. "Isla, sweetheart, you are not marrying anyone. Clarice, honestly this is the 21st century for pete sake. You can not force anyone to marry. My granddaughter here is going to marry someone who loves her and wants the best for her. Unlike what you were forcing on our son. You already ruined her childhood with what you did to Cormac, don't ruin her life by forcing her into something she doesn't want to do."

"Wulfri, this is none of your business."

"Oh it most certainly is, that is my granddaughter you are forcing your beliefs onto. And you are not cutting off out granddaughter any more than you already have done in the past."

"Can everyone just calm down please?" Jonathon finally stands up. He had clearly heard enough. "If you all would like to leave my office and discuss this argument somewhere else, please go. Because three of use in this room have a business which needs to be run. So get out!"

My grandparents looked at him. My grandfather shook his hand and grabbed my grandmother, kissed me off the forehead, giving a tight hug and left my with evil grandmother. Henry walked towards me and looked at me. He reached for my hand, but instead got my arm.

"Can we please talk?" He whispered to me.

"Not a chance Mr Perkins." I said back harshly to him. I ripped my arm away from his and walked out of Jonathon's office, through the chaos outside and into my peaceful and calm office.

I dropped my bags next to my desk and slumped down into my chair. I swang from side to side waiting for my computer to turn on. I looked through the mail on my desk, trying to distract myself from everything happening outside my office.

I wonder what all the chaos is all about. And then my door swings open with Jonathon pushing through samples.

"We have a major problem."

"Is this why the office is in such chaos?" I stand up and walk over to him.

Phillip enters behind him.

"So we've sold out on everything. After the winter shoot and having your family star in it, it's all gone. Plus people want to know more about Lady Isla and Henry."

"Wait... What? We sold out on everything?!" I was shocked for a moment.

"Yes, everything. We have back orders for days." Phillip was looking through a file.

"Ohmylord. I think we actually need to celebrate!" I take a moment. "After we get started on the new line and making sure our stockists and then I have that board meeting about... "

I don't finish the sentence since Phillip is in the room.

The both of them look up at me to finish that sentence.

"Wait, what board meeting?" Phillip closes the file and gives me a look.

"It's nothing. We better get back to work. Send in anyone that has designs and new looks."

I push them both out quickly. Jonathon gives me that look of 'I need to talk to Phillip', but I ignore him.

The day has gone from calming pool swim to arrange marriages to almost spilling my guts out to Phillip. And it's only 9.45am. It's going to be a long one.

~~**~~

It's a long chapter. I was going to write more, but the next one is going to have more dramaaaaaaaa!

Hopefully you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. Y'all know the drill!

Love,
Your amazingly crap author,
Krystal Waters