Chapter One

“Mum, I got the job!” Astrid yelled, going over the email notification on her laptop with a swirl disbelief and happiness.

“What job? Did you apply for a job?” Rose, her mother, questioned absent-mindedly as she stirred the vegetable salad she was preparing for dinner.

Astrid sighed in exasperation. “I’ve been telling you about this for weeks. Have you not paid any attention? Anyway, I’ll be leaving for work in two days.” Astrid announced, waiting for the happy look on her mother’s face.

“Really?!” Rose's face brightened up in response. “My dear daughter, I’m very proud of you! Just wait until I tell your father the good news.”

“You're not going to ask me who I’m working for and where?” Astrid raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised that her mother was not as curious as usual, that evening.

“Oh, right. Who exactly is your boss? Do I know him or her?” Rose inquired, placing a large turkey in the middle of their dining table, making sure it was strictly placed exactly at the middle of the table.

“It’s Darius Titan!” Astrid announced loudly. The glass bowl of vegetable salad Rose had prepared fell out of her hands as she heard what her daughter had told her.

“D-Darius Titan?” She stuttered, her hands trembling as she took a seat to aid her weak legs.

“I know what it is you’re going to say, mum. Trust me, you’re really just worried for nothing.” Astrid shook her head and laughed, trying to clear the air of the thick tension looming between them.

“You’ve heard the rumours! They are not what should be said about a good person. Darius Titan might be a big name in the world of fashion, but the man is no good.” Her mother informed her.

Just then, Caleb—a tall and handsome man in his early fifties—walked in. Caleb was six feet and two inches tall with hazel eyes, black hair with a sprinkle of white strands here and there, and the heart of a child. He put a lot of fathers in their neighbourhood to shame with his confidence and physique.

“What’s going on here?” His deep voice resonated in the walls of the kitchen.

“Caleb, please talk to your daughter.” Rose told him worriedly.

“Rose, what's wrong?” Caleb asked her, noticing the vegetable salad on the floor and making sure not to step on the mess.

“I got a job today, but mum doesn’t want me to accept it. How’s that even fair?” Astrid said in her own defence before Rose could answer Caleb's question.

“Do you want to know who she wants to work for? Darius Titan!” Rose raised her voice with a tone that made it seem like the name was an abomination.

“Darius Titan of Titan Fabrics? That’s huge, Astrid. Congratulations." Turning back to Rose with confusion, he asked: "What’s wrong with that?”

“Haven’t you heard about what he does to the women who work for him? Is that who you want your daughter working for everyday?” Rose asked.

“Aren't those just rumours, Rose? Look at your daughter, she’s happy about this. Plus, I trust her enough to know that she won't do anything wrong.” Caleb defended his daughter in a soft tone, so he would not annoy his wife in the process.

Rose stared into Astrid’s sapphire blue eyes. They were full of hopes and dreams. She was sad that those hopes were to work for a man she had heard and read terrible things about. Her daughter was an innocent person, and she was only trying to shield her from the heartbreak of the world.

“If he tries anything with you, come home immediately.” She told her daughter. Astrid smiled toothily, knowing what it meant. Her mother would let her work for Darius Titan.

“Thanks, mum. Thank you, dad.” She giggled at them. After sweeping the salad off the floor, they decided it was best to have a peaceful dinner together.

.

It was finally time for Astrid to leave. She didn't think it would be that hard to leave her family, but she cried as much as someone going through grief. At the hangar, a private jet had been arranged to take her away.

Nervousness started to kick in as Astrid boarded the jet. She didn’t know who exactly she was meeting, where she was going to stay, or what she would wear. She was only told to take just the basic things, as everything else would be taken care of.

When the flight took off, it was just her and the two attendants who took turns to ask her if she needed something every hour. Getting bored of the routine, she fell asleep twice before they got to their destination.

As she alighted the jet, there was a black Mercedes Brabus waiting to pick her up. She was relaxed a little bit. Maybe everything would be taken care of, after all.

She got into the car, where there were two men in black suits sitting on either side of her. They looked like the stereotypical bodyguards seen in modern-day Hollywood movies. The drive was almost as long and tiring as the flight, only more disturbing. The men never turned their heads, not even to look out the windows. They just sat there like robots, and it only irked and disturbed Astrid.

Finally, they got to a large, black gate that linked the walls towering over them. The whole front of the place was intimidating and eerie.

Astrid started to wonder what it would be like, seeing Darius in person. The closest she had gotten to him was with her television screen between them. How she was lucky enough to be selected out of thousands of applicants, she didn't know.

The car halted in front of a large castle-like building. “Is this where Darius lives?” She asked nobody in particular, looking at the house in stark awe.

“Yes, ma’am. Come with us.” One of the men answered, leading her towards the front door.

The place looked like a Victorian castle. It had a large fountain in front of it, where four angel-like figures were placed. The house was grey, with black vine designs on them. Astrid never thought that such a unique and unsual design could be that beautiful. Darius sure had taste.

As they opened the front door, Astrid stopped walking. “Ma’am?” One of the bodyguards called out to her. Astrid couldn’t move from her position. Where exactly was she? She was scared of stepping her feet into the house.

Everything—floors included—looked like they were made of glass and lights only, contradicting the outer view of the place.

“Please, do come in.” A woman's voice broke through the silence as she approached them hurriedly. She bowed in front of Astrid, getting the already stunned lady even more speechless.

“This is...” Astrid couldn't find an appropriate word. What could describe it?

“Is there a problem?”

Just then, Astrid concluded that she had to be in heaven, or a replica of it on earth. The man who had asked if there was a problem was approaching, and Astrid shook her head with a shy smile. He had to be an angel, and nobody could convince her otherwise.

Standing in front of her was the man she would be working for. This time, there was no television screen between them. He was real.

Darius Titan.