Chapter 688 - Six Hundred And Eighty-eight: Game Of Prey And Predator

The third point of view:

"Thanks for your services," Anika winked to the nurse who was quite startled after the strange girl jumped up from her bed and was sound on her both feet.

"What are you doing?" She asked, dumbfounded.

However the girl instead slipped away the glasses hung on the front of her lab coat she was wearing without the nurse noticing her and was out of the infirmary before one could say Jack Robinson.

Very soon Akim's guards would be back for her once they noticed that this was all a plan. Good thing they haven't mastered her appearance so she stuck to the crowd of students and moved with them. She wore the glass and intentionally avoided the areas with camera or simply lowered her head. When she got to the restroom, she pulled out a sweater with a hood and wore it without wasting time.

Once she made it outside, Anika saw the group of security at the gate checking students tactically and looking anxious. A smile crossed her lips, that look could only mean Akim successfully escaped them. She was right to trust him.

"Hi my friend," Anika called onto one of the students a few steps away from the entrance. The truth was that she didn't know the girl but the way she called her seemed familiar and the girl was a junior.

"Let's go," She hooked her arm around the girl who was still stupified by the whole thing. The student didn't know who she was but the way Anika spoke to her made her begin to wonder if they had seen each other somewhere.

"Just keep moving," She ordered the girl. 

Unlike her, Anika kept her face straight and started a conversation with the girl as if she were old friends, passing through the entrance of the gate without the guards giving her as much of a glance. 

Either they haven't figured out that this was a plan with Akim and wasn't in search of her yet or they were blindly concerned with the prince, they forsook her. Either way, it worked for her.

Anika crossed the gate effortlessly and it wasn't until a few distance away, she finally pulled her arm away from the arms of the girl she had used. 

"Goodwork," She said to the girl who still was stunned by the whole thing. 

Now free, Anika headed in the direction of the phone booth when her cellphone rang and it was no other than her mother, Fiona. 

"What are you doing?" was the question her mother asked her. 

"Doing the work of my mother," she answered nonchalantly with a hint of amusement. 

Anika then said to her, "I'm getting the prince out of his nutshell. You should withdraw your people and warn them not to lay a hand on Akim. If I find that something happened to him behind my back, I'll take it that you have no trust in me and our plan," and you don't want to see me get angry, she added in her mind. 

The night Anika kissed Akim, that was the day she began to have her own plans. Her mother could do whatever she wanted to his parents, but nobody was touching Akim - he was hers. However, she didn't let anybody know of her plan. It was better to have her mother on her good side and then bargain. Yes, that was what she would do. Bargain for Akim's safety when the time comes.

"Fine, do whatever you want,"

"Thanks mother," her heart jumped with happiness. 

"But Anika," Fiona suddenly called her.

"Yes mother?" Anika's brows narrowed, noticing the subtle change in her mother's tone.

"Don't ever fall for him," she warned her, gravely. 

"Yes, mother," Anika answered without a second thought, "It's all part of the plan," 

"Good girl," Fiona ended the call, looking out through the window pane of the apartment she was currently residing in. 

"You think we should trust her?" her assistant and trusted adviser asked from behind. 

Fiona rubbed her jaw contemplatively, answering without hesitation, "Yes," She turned to her, "If there's anyone who can pull this off, it's Anika. She's fearless and capable," 

"And unpredictable," Her assistant added, "What if she ends up falling for him like you did for his father? Anika might not be your biological daughter but you trained her for years for this very mission and if there's anything I know, the apple doesn't fall far from the truth. What would you do then, Fiona?" 

"It's all for the good then,"

"What?" The advisor was confused.

"If she ends up falling for him, it makes it much easier. Akim would want to see his beloved and I can easily draw him out with that," Fiona went over the plans in her head. 

"Then," Her assistant blinked, "Why did you warn her not to fall for Akim?" She couldn't get it, "If both plans would work for our good, why tell her not to fall in love with him?"

"Because," Fiona took a deep breath, "She would learn the truth and her loyalty would shift,"

"Oh," The woman nodded, finally getting the point. If Anika's heart remained the same, she would not be shaken even after she learns the truth about the whole thing - she would forever remain indebted to the woman who raised her. However, that would not be the case if she's blinded with love. Anika has seen a reason to remain by her beloved side. 

"You see, love has a way of blinding your eyes and reasoning. It wasn't until my heart broke that my eyes were open and I saw the fool I became," Fiona reminisced about the past. 

"But then," Her assistant had a different view of the matter, "I still think it's advisable to strike now. Anika would only be angry for a while but we would have the prince in our -" 

"And miss the whole fun?" Fiona released a villainous guffaw, "Oh please, don't tell me you've forgotten the main source of enjoyment in the game of prey and predator?" 

"The thrills?" 

"Bingo,"

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