Sullivan had never thought about Anna and the SD Foundation. Surely he thought about Anna, very often and the SD Foundation also but he never expected them in the same frame.
She wasn't some upright lady who worried so much about the world and others who weren't properly having the standard way of living unlike her. The lady donated frequently but he could tell volunteering wasn't a matter that interested her much.
If her stock wasn't high and perfect and she didn't have the best items in the market to post for her social media, Anna didn't care. If she wasn't taking pictures with her husband and sister in law to show off, she would be at work.
So it came as a surprise to him that she was volunteering. That too at SD foundation. Was the universe trying to fuck with him? A simple sign that nothing happy would go well for him due to his past? Karma maybe?
"Senator Doningman." His tone was stern and he left no room for friendliness. Let this old man know, the enmity between them was still high and far. He turned to look at her and whispered. "Are you done?"
Anna gave a quiet nod and watched the two men stare each other down. She couldn't pick it apart but there was some tension in the air. High and thick tension that made a lump rise in her throat.
The manner to which they even addressed each other made her confused. It was stiff and unfriendly. And the fact that Sullivan was shielding her from the Senator like he was some man trying to snatch her away was more suspicious.
"I never knew you were friends with CEO Harbinger." The Senator comments.
Sullivan didn't respond but his hold on her wrist has a little more force than before. He kept staring at the man, the awkwardness lining the air was as obvious as the veins popping on his neck and temple.
"A lot of people didn't know as well." She answered to save the man from awkwardness. "Goodnight Senator…"
"Goodnight CEO Habinger. I hope we can find some time to finish our conversation." He hints, making Sullivan grumble. He extended his hand out and Anna took it, noticing the coldness of it was more chilling than she would have expected. "Goodnight Vice Chairman Sullivan." He extended his hand to the man but Sullivan turned around with Anna.
He helped her into the car and drove off without so much as another glance at the senator.
"What was that!?" She exclaimed. She had never seen him so rude. Obviously, he was rude like that to others but Senator Doningman is widely loved.
The man literally has no enemies except for the government and horrible people who didn't like the good deed he was doing. And Anna refused to believe Sullivan was one of them.
"What was what?" He had both his hands on the wheel and his expression was still stiff. His tone is a little off as well.
"Your attitude with the senator? The old man was being nice."
Sullivan scoffed, the attitude surprising her more. She had never seen him so out of character. "I detest him." He stated. Clearly and perfectly. He didn't miss a beat admitting to it.
"Micheal!" She exclaimed, his name leaving her mouth before she could control it.
He stepped on the brake in the middle of the road making the cars behind honk at them severally. Sullivan turned his gaze to her, his amber eyes owning a slight hint of gold in them. "What did you call me?"
She avoided his gaze. "I…you will get a lot of backlash for saying that in public." He didn't seem to have any intention of driving and kept staring so she tapped the steering. "We are holding up the other cars."
He drove then, frequently looking at her for the next minute before asking. "Can I assume we are very informal now?"
"Why don't you like the Senator?"
He clasped his mouth tight and stared ahead. "He is not a good person."
"And you are?" She blurted referring to the ones he had killed. Sullivan glanced at her and she froze in her seat.
He didn't look mad, instead, he had a smile on his face when he said. "If you think I am horrible, raise that by a thousand and you will find Doningman at the peak."
It worried her what he spoke of. If he were as horrible as Sullivan said, he was bound to have slipped up in the past but there was not a terrible reputation about him. His records were clean and he was the best man for the country.
But Sullivan was a great judge of character and it started to make her worry as she recollects the interaction between them. The senator looked delighted as if Sullivan's tension and unease was making him happy. Or it could be that the poor old man was just glad to be interacting with someone as he always is with anyone.
"So can I assume we are very informal now?"
She rolled her eyes. "You already call me Anna. And I can make do with calling you Mr Sullivan."
"You just called me Micheal."
"Slip of my quick tongue."
The rest of the drive was silent till they got home and Anna met an older woman who looked to be in her early fifties working in the kitchen.
He said a small greeting to the woman before introducing. "This is Chef Sarki. You can tell her your preferences and she will work with it. Chef, this is Anna."
The chef squints her eyes at Anna, as if accessing her and trying to pick her apart before smiling. "It's nice to meet you Miss Harbinger."
"You too Chef Sarki." Anna thought what sort of a name was that? Sullivan left them with each other as the Chef asked her some questions noting in her galaxy tab and nodding her head frequently. "What does Mr Sullivan like to eat?"
"Humans." She stiffly replied. The older woman raised her head to find Anna looking both shocked and confused. She laughed and shook her head. "I am joking of course. He is not a picky eater. He will take anything healthy actually."
"Oh…" she forced a small laugh and patted her chest. "He must be the best to work with then."
"He is." She paused as she typed something into the tablet before carefully saying. "And we have never had anomalies in the house."
"Anomalies?"
"You." She points at Anna before closing the tab and bringing out some ingredients. "Nobody has ever come to stay here." She looked at her as she grabbed a pot. "Mr Sullivan is a kind person, don't take it for granted."
She couldn't say anything except nod and leave the woman to do her thing as she went back to her room to clean her body and change her clothes. Anna really couldn't tell if the woman was telling her to not stay at the house too long or not play with Sullivan's feelings.
About an hour later, they had dinner together while the chef continued to work on some meals. All through, Sullivan didn't speak to her and picked at his food. He didn't seem to be a heavy eater unlike her who stuffed down her throat every time.
After dinner, she asked to help with the dishes and Sullivan mentioned the chef not liking anyone in the kitchen when she works so she left for her room and was surprised to see a black card on her night stand with the pin written in a sticky note.
'1919'
She picked it up and stared at the black card wondering why he would leave this when he could just get her a job so she would stop being a parasite to him.
Anna decided to ask him this and left the room with the card. Sullivan wasn't in his room but when she opened the door that led to the library in his room, she found the man standing by the window, a mug to his lips. The only reflection in the room was the stream of moonlight squeezing through the window gap and bouncing against Sullivan's silhouette.
"Mr Sullivan..." she called and he snapped his head to her direction, the cup frozen to his lips and his eyes going wide like she had just caught him doing something illegal.