Reyona consciously relaxed her body, as Celia laid her hand on her back on their way to the house.
While she kept a pleasant smile plastered on her face, her mind raced terribly in every other way.
What was she going to do?
How was she going to get the thirty million dollars within one hour?
Though she didn't have all the data in her head at the moment, she knew they did not have up to in the companies' accounts at the moment.
ReyDexter's account had been drawn down recently to cover the expenses of Summit Edge, so she was sure what they had at the moment could be nowhere near that amount.
Summit Edge was also not yielding much yet and what it had yielded so far was still going back into making the company a force to reckon with in all of Australia.
The bulk of her personal money had been mostly used in her recent travels too.
"What will I do?" she thought as she looked at Celia sideways.
She knew the woman could help if she was shameless enough to ask, but how would she explain why she needed the money?
They were watching. The voice had said.
Reyona was not about to take that for granted and put Allysyn's life in danger.
She had to get that money. She had to get it without letting anyone know.
She could apologise to them all after she got the girl back.
Oh, Maxwell!
She almost sobbed as she thought of what he might think if he suddenly found her gone.
The reminder of why she couldn't sob made her remember to keep her tensing body relaxed again.
She smiled at Celia as they entered the house.
"Thank you. I think I will just…"
"Reyona! You came back!"
Copper-wavy hair flying, Junior launched himself at Reyona.
Reyona quickly grabbed him before he could hit her stomach.
"Junior!" she called excitedly as she bent down to hug him tightly to herself.
She couldn't stop the tears that gushed out of her eyes as she breathed his innocent scent in. "I have missed you so much."
"I miss you too," Junior said as he squirmed out of her arms and looked at her face. "Why are you crying?"
"I just miss you so much, and am so sorry for missing your birthday."
"You shouldn't cry because of birthdays, silly," he said as he patted his hands against the tears on her face. "Maxwell said I am a man now that I am five," he said as he thumped his chest. "I had a cool party. Cooler than Allysyn's own. Everybody got me gifts. Did you get me a gift? I will forgive you for not coming if you get me a gift."
That got a short teary laugh out of Reyona. She swiped at her face as she said "Yeah, gifts. I will get you loads of that."
"What a sharp little businessman you are," Celia said as she reached out for Junior's hand. "I am sure you are going to get a good deal out of this, but for now, your business partner needs some rest. Let's go raid the kitchen or something."
Junior placed his hand in Celia's as he said "She is not my business partner, Celia. She is Reyona, don't you know that?"
"Ah, my bad. I forgot. Now, do you want to see what we can talk the chef into making?"
"Yes, yes, please. He gave me chocolate truffles yesterday!"
"Uuhhh, lucky you," Celia said as she walked down the hall with Junior bouncing beside him.
She looked back at Reyona mouthed. "Thank you."
Celia winked at her and turned away.
"Actually… Celia?"
"Yes?" Celia turned to her automatically.
"Can you make sure that nobody comes looking for me in the next hour? That should be enough time for me to rest," she said.
Though Celia had a curious look on her face, she said "Okay, you got it. I will make sure they have breakfast ready by then too. The guys should be done by then. Just rest and don't worry, okay?"
"Thank you," Reyona said with a smile.
Just before they turned the corner, she heard Junior ask Celia, "Do you know when Allysyn is coming back?"
A sob caught in her throat as she rushed up the stairs, "Very soon, baby. Very soon," she vowed to herself.
She was already dialling a number as she entered the room and locked the door behind her. "Hi, how much do we have in the company's account right now?"
She listened to the other person speak, then swore beneath her breath in disappointment before saying, "Send everything to my account right now."
Her eyes narrowed as she said "Did I ask for your opinion? Good. I want it in my account in not later than two minutes!"
She disconnected the call and made a similar one to Sydney.
"Oh my god," she said as she threw the phone on the bed and panicked for a moment as her eyes went to the clock beside her.
Fourteen million! All she had been able to get so far was fourteen million!
It was about thirty minutes already and all she could gather together was fourteen million!
She hurried towards the closet to change from her voluminous gown into something fitter.
"What do I do?" she said while pulling off her dress with one hand and reaching for the jeans with another.
She could tick off all the people she could call on the tip of her fingers and she would get the money instantly, but then they were all too close to this matter.
But then they would all be worried enough to ask why she wanted the money.
And none of them would ever agree to let her go on a dangerous mission alone.
The more time she wasted, the less chance Allysyn had.
Her mind was racing as she buttoned up the slightly tight jeans.
Who else? Who can I call? Oh my…
Her hands stilled just as she was pulling on the voluminous t-shirt she had brought in her duffel bag.
Yes! Why hadn't she thought of that?!
She quickly rushed to bed to pick up her phone and dialled the number.
Her feet tapped crazily as the call went unanswered.
"Oh, please, please, please," she mumbled with tears streaming down her face as she called again.
This time the call was disconnected.
"Oh, no." she quickly sent a message to the number as her eyes went towards the clock again.
"Please, can you give me a minute? I need your help."
Twenty-five minutes left.
"Oh, please, please." she tucked her feet into her running shoes and reached for her phone to call again when the phone rang.
She picked it up instantly.
"I was in a meeting," the woman on the other end said. "What do you need my help for?"
"Sehima, please I need a fourteen million loan. It is very urgent, and I need it in less than twenty minutes. Help me, please."