Chapter One

Chapter One.

                      Inez

I'd never wanted to strangle someone so much as I did at that moment. I lowered my gaze and knelt to arrange the papers that'd been pushed out of my hand.

“Bitch, are you blind?” Evane snapped, smacking the side of my cheek. My skin smarted from the impact and I longed to scratch at her face.

“I-I’m sorry-” I muttered, without making eye contact.

“Look at me while I'm talking to you.” She ordered, raising her voice a notch higher. A little crowd of our colleagues were now forming but none of them tried to help me. I could even hear sneers and snorts from the side. 

“I’d rather not, Evane.” I whispered. I finished arranging the papers and pushed off the floor. Standing in her heels, Evane was taller than me.

“You dare call me by my name?” She rasped, her eyes narrowing.

Flustered, I tried to apologize but the words died on my lips as she grabbed a fistful of my hair. Tears pooled in my eyes but I forced them back. I'd rather be dead than give her the pleasure of seeing me breakdown.

“Stupid bitch. My name should never come out of your ugly mouth.” She warned, pulling at my hair harder. I yelped in pain and tried to pull away.

“What is going on here?” A calm collected voice called out, and she moved away from me in a flash. I didn't need to look to see who it was. 

“Dexmond dear,” Evane fawned, going over to him with a pitiful expression. 

I clenched my fists and remained mute. I knew how it'd all end. Evane would pin the blame on me, and I would get a serious berating from the CEO. I was after all the ugly and incompetent employee who always got in the way of his beloved- Evane.

As I stared at my husband looking affectionately at another woman, I wondered how I ended up in this position. Oh right, I'd been desperately seeking a job. Years later, a secretary to one of the most successful CEO’s, I regretted every bit of decision.

“Apologize to her, Inez.” Dexmond was now saying, his eyes hardened.

“But I did nothing wrong. I-” I paused and looked around to see everyone sneering at me. “I am sorry, Miss Evane.” I bowed my head.

“Get to work.” Evane waved her hand, and pulled Dexmond along as they headed to his office. I followed them at a slower pace, holding tightly to the neatly arranged papers in my hands. 

Evane was dressed elegantly today. Too elegant as compared to me. As Dexmond had ordered, I was always dressed in a tulle dress and putting on extremely horrendous makeup. I caught my reflection in one of the glass doors as we approached the elevator, and winced. The person in the reflection looked nothing like Inez Qyler. The person who looked back at me was a total stranger. A woman who'd been caged by an uncaring husband while she watched him being intimate with women at work.

A pathetic woman.

“What do you think you're doing?” Evan's high pitched voice pulled me back from my momentary journey down memory lane. 

I stared in confusion at the both of them who were now standing in the VIP elevator. 

“You are not qualified to take this elevator. Are you daft? Take the employees’ elevator or the stairwell.” The elevator doors slid close, leaving me standing there and feeling like an idiot.

Feeling exhausted, I took the stairwell up to the floor that housed the CEO’s office. Evane was cuddling up with Dexmond when I walked in. My husband barely spared me a glance, his attention on the woman straddling his hips. My chest constricted and the office suddenly seemed tight.

“Here are the files as requested, sir. I've scheduled a meeting with the Chief officer of Kyles Jewelries.” I informed him, placing the documents on the table.

“Good. You may leave.” He said, dismissively.

As I pulled on the doorknob, Evane’s voice made me slow down my footsteps.

“You seriously want her to attend the business party tonight?” She asked, her voice laced with contempt.

“She’s my secretary. She has to be there.” Dexmond simply replied.

“She’s ugly, and clumsy. I wonder why you haven't fired her, honey.” Evane whined.

I hurried out of the office, unwilling to hear more of their conversation. I knew why Dexmond hadn't fired me, of course. I was the brain behind his company. I did all the work, while he took the credit. 

A lone tear slipped down my cheek and I heaved a sigh. 

                           **

The venue for the business party was an exclusive hotel known for its opulence. And its elegance I might add. La Pacifica lived up to its name as the place where only the high class in the society could afford. The entire hotel had been booked for the event and guests loitered everywhere. As I walked through the door after showing the guards my invitation card, I felt out of place and underdressed amongst other guests. I searched around for my husband with my eyes as I walked in deeper. A knot clenched my gut as I spotted Dexmond saying something to a business associate. I knew the man- we’d done so many businesses in the past together, the ones where I had to go in place of Dexmond of course.

Evane rounded up to them at that moment, smiling as brightly as she had never done before. She was dressed in a beautiful floor-length green evening gown with a split back. I knew I should be the one standing next to Dexmond as he interacted with the guests. It was my right. 

As his wife. Then as his secretary.

I pushed back the tears just as Dexmond grabbed a microphone and successfully drew everyone’s attention to him. 

“A good evening to everyone present here today. It is with great pleasure that I…”

I tuned out the rest of his words, held on to the purse like my life depended on it, then headed towards an obscure place to sit and observe without being observed.

Dexmond was still talking when I returned my attention to him. “Tonight is a special night for me. And no, it’s not just because of the fact that we cinched a great contract with the biggest conglomerate in Europe. Tonight is a special night for me because of a special woman. Without this woman, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

My heart felt light, and the happiness which I hadn’t felt in a long time consumed me. 

He hadn’t forgotten.

He never did. Our anniversary.

My sweet sweet Dexmond.

As he looked around-  certain he was searching for me- I fondled my wedding ring. His present was in my purse, and I couldn’t wait to give it to him. I had gone to great lengths to acquire the wristwatch which he had coveted for a long time. I’d even emptied my savings to do it, while convincing myself that it was worth it. As it turned out, it was.

“I’d like to call that woman to join me here on stage…” Dexmond was saying when I tuned back in.

A sudden panic engulfed me as I practiced on what to say. I wasn’t usually nervous in front of crowds, but this was different. Damn. I suddenly regretted my choice of a dress. I should’ve gone for the sapphire blue gown, instead of purple. Although the one I was dressed in wasn’t bad, I felt extremely conscious.

I held my breath and waited for my husband to call my name.

“Evane, can you please come forward?” Dexmond requested.

I gasped, my body going still. I forgot how to breathe, as I watched a smiling Evane go over to my husband. In the same position, I watched as my husband went down on one knee and brought out a ring from an exquisite looking box.

“Evane, I have waited for this day since the first time I set my eyes on your angelic face. Will you complete me as a man by accepting this ring from me, and become my wife?” Dexmond asked solemnly.

I turned my face away just as Evane squealed “yes!” 

My legs felt wobbly and my steps were unsteady as I stumbled out of the hall, and out into the open. My eyes burned with unshed tears as the cool night breeze fanned my bare shoulders. I’d been so certain I was the one Dexmond was talking about. I’d been so certain he remembered our wedding anniversary. I’d been so certain that Dexmond loved me.

I bumped into a wall at that moment- a sturdy chest rather.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out, without bothering to look at the face of the person I’d bumped into. “I wasn’t looking at where I was heading to.” I apologized.

“And where are you heading to?” He asked, and in spite of myself, I jerked my head upwards, my eyes holding his. His voice was manly, yet warm. I couldn’t place it, but there was something about him which commanded respect. As I admired his facial features, I declared that it was illegal for someone to look so sinfully gorgeous. His high cheekbones complimented his face so well, and his hazel eyes pierced into mine. I felt a sudden urge to look away, yet I didn’t want to.

“Anywhere but this place.” I finally said, in response to his question. My eyes strayed down to the glass of wine in his hand, and I wondered how the content hadn’t spilled over when I bumped into him.

“I see.” He nodded.

I bit down on my lower lip hard before hesitantly asking, “Can I have your drink, please?” 

If he was surprised by my request, he didn’t show it, but simply handed his glass of wine to me. I gulped down its content in one go.

“You look like you can make do with another. Wait here.” He ordered, and disappeared through the door. He came back almost immediately with a full bottle. When he held onto my hand and led me away from the entrance into the hotel, I didn’t protest. I didn’t even question where he was taking me to. It was almost as if my rationality had disappeared just as my body had gone numb.

Yes, numb. Numb would be the perfect term for how I was feeling at that moment.

Numb, yet my skin tingled beneath the handsome- rather gorgeous- stranger’s touch.

“This is a calm part of the hotel.” The stranger announced as we rounded up into a beautiful garden with seats arranged to face each other.

One glance at the setting, and I made a swift decision. I did what I’d never done in my life. 

Ask for help.

And from a stranger at that.

“Can you drive me home, please? There’s something I need to do.” My lips were set in a determined line as I waited for his response. Even if he refused, I could take a taxi back home. But there was absolutely nothing that could stop me.

“And why should I help you?” The stranger asked, staring directly into my eyes. I suddenly felt bare, almost as if I was naked and he could see right through me into my soul. My skin pebbled, and it had nothing to do with the cold.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “But it would be a great favor to me.” 

“I don’t do favors. What do I stand to gain?” He asked in a calm voice. It was calm, yet dangerous.

“I’ll do whatever you ask of me.” I regretted the words immediately when they left my lips.

I could’ve sworn I saw his eyes darken. He closed in the space between us in one short stride. As his breath fanned my face- from which I detected a hint of a woodsy and clean scent- I wanted to run my fingers along his chest to feel its sturdiness again.

“Careful what you wish for, Daffodil.” His voice lowered towards the last word. My heart skipped a beat at the familiarity of the name. It was the first time someone had likened me to a flower. Yet a part of me felt like I had heard it before. I shook my head.

“Will you help me or not?” I had nothing to lose.

He regarded me for some seconds and if it was my determined stance that convinced him, I’d never know. In the next moment, he led the way. “My car is parked that way.” He said in a barely audible voice.

Throughout the drive back to Dexmond’s mansion, we didn’t say a word to each other. I muttered a robotic ‘thank you’ as I got off his Mercedes, and with the same robotic steps, I headed into the mansion. I knew where Dexmond kept the divorce papers. After all, he’d shown it to me himself.

I signed my part, placed it on the table and without taking a single thing from the huge mansion, I left.

Surprisingly, Mr Cold Aura was still waiting for me outside the gates. It was almost as if he knew I would come out once more.

I slipped in through the passenger door, and sat down.

“My word is my bond, Mister. It’s my turn to fulfill my end of the bargain. What do you want me to do for you?” It was a silly question of course. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that this man was wealthy. And not even in Dexmond-my ex-husband-kind-of-wealthy. This man was more than that.

Without looking at me, he replied. “Be my wife.”