CHAPTER 13: WELCOME TO HELL, MATE

Beatrice POV. 

“You have to be kidding, sir. How is he the CEO?” My voice quivered as I watched him sit there with his shoulders squared but Alpha Lee didn't seem bothered. He shrugged his shoulders and then stroked his chin.

“Nice question, Beatrice, but this is my company, and I'll rule it as I deem it first.” He bellowed, then laughed dryly when Xander gave him an eye. “Sorry, I mean, was my company. Besides, Mr. Xander here was nice enough to take this shithole of my palms. Too many debts. Phew!” He sighed. “I’m free.” He added a cackle.

“Sir, you can't be serious about letting him take over the company. Can't you see he has a motive? He has a motive, sir. You cannot do this to us. You can't do this to me.” I was shaking as I spoke. I was on the verge of breaking down. Things were spiralling too fast, and somehow it felt like the goddess was mocking me.

“My decision has been made, Beatrice. He is the new CEO. I will be in the background to coordinate everything to ensure this collaboration succeeds.”

I felt the world closing on me. I felt as though the earth was shaking beneath my feet. I was losing my mind. Everything started to seem like a dream. His mind was made up. Xander seems to be having a good time. Smiling like he just won a fucking lottery. Somehow, it felt like my life just went from being a ten to being a zero.

I knew this was the part where I called it quits and resigned, but I could not bring myself to. I watched as Alpha Lee Drakon stepped out of the room happily. He was dancing as though life had just gone from being the worst to being perfect for him. I couldn't blame him, though. He had a lot of debts on his hands, and this seemed like the best solution for him, but not for me.

“I don't know what you think you're doing, but this will not work. You have to call it quits now. You should not be here. You should not be back here trying to mess with my life. You should not be here. Xander, you don't belong here.” I yelled as I paced up and down the room. Anger surged through me. And yet, all he did was smirk as though my pain gave him joy.

“I love it when you look pissed, Beatrice.” He stood up from where he sat, walking around the room as he trailed his finger over every surface he saw. He looked so relaxed and composed. His black jacket gripping his back tightly and carving out his muscles. The image of him naked flashed through my mind but I shook it off. “It shows you can show emotions. Well, I am your new CEO now, So you're stuck with me. Newsflash, you can’t run from me because I will find you.” He sounded more like a threat than a statement as he turned to look my way with a bright smile on his face, and I stormed out of the office enraged, slamming the glass door so hard that I wished it was his face and he was in pain.

This was not just about resigning anymore. If there was one thing about Xander that I was certain of, it was that he would cross to the end of the world to make my life a living hell, crawl into the hole and pull me out. He wasn’t the type to give up.

So now, this was about survival. About fighting him with all I had in me. But how? How was I to face a monster like him?

Make him hate you.

The voice in my head rang. 

If he hated me, then he would let me be, right?

As I breathed, I splashed water on my face, trying to balance myself from shaking with rage. I refused to let Xander dig his claws into me. My sanity. He wasn't going to get the best part of me. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was standing in the restroom hoping to wake up from this nightmare. Even as I pinched myself, slapped myself across the face, I was still stuck in this nightmare.

The second I returned to the office, I saw Vera twirling with her hands in the air. She blabbed about how Xander was the new CEO. I caught Pearl eyeing her occasionally, and I could tell she wanted him, too.

“I know you want him, but he's mine, so get your claws off him.” I heard Pearl say, and I looked up to see her eyeing me badly.

“Trust me, darling, you can have him,” I responded and continued to type on my laptop. If possible, I could ordain their wedding, then I would. Anything to get him far from me and my babies. My fingers were trembling because deep down in my gut, I could feel his eyes glaring at me. When I raised my head to look in his direction, I was right; his eyes were glued to me. I shivered and looked away.

Long agonising minutes passed, and I still could not complete the document, not because I was incapable, but because I could not think straight, knowing he was now the new CEO. 

Was this document even useful anymore?

A few minutes later, I felt a tap on my table, and I raised my head to see Xander standing right before me. All eyes were on me.

“Get me a cup of coffee.” He ordered and started to walk away.

I froze, staring at him in disbelief. My anger flew over the top. Was he really serious? Was he being real right now?

“But that isn't my job, sir. It is not my job to get you a coffee.” I yelled.

“It is now, Beatrice, so get to it!” With this, he walked into his office. I could imagine the smirk on his face. The happiness bubbling in his chest, the excitement that came with pissing me off. But not today.

I forced on a smile and adjusted my orange sleek top, squaring my shoulder.

I won’t let him have the last laugh.

“Do you know the CEO?” Vera asked out of the blue, and I laughed awkwardly.

“We just met him, Vera. How can I?” I lied and excused myself.

****

The queue at the coffee shop took longer than I expected and after twenty minutes of failed attempts, I finally got his coffee. A bead of sweat trailed down the back of my neck as I ran through the hall leading to the elevator.  

“Hold the door!!”  I yelled, running towards the elevator's door and luckily, a good Samaritan did. I heaved a sigh as I stepped in, and muttered a thank you. He nodded and tried to strike a conversation which I was uninterested in. He seemed to sense it because he stopped talking. 

The queue at the coffee shop took longer than I expected, and after twenty minutes of failed attempts, I finally got his coffee. A bead of sweat trailed down my neck as I ran through the hall leading to the elevator.  

“Hold the door!!”  I yelled, running towards the elevator's door. Luckily, a good Samaritan did. I heaved a sigh as I stepped in and muttered a thank you.

I was breathing heavily as I walked towards his office. I knocked on the door and pushed it open to see Pearl adjusting her white blouse. Her skirt was shorter now, and I couldn't care less.

She eyed me badly and stormed out of the office.

“This is your coffee, sir,” I said, stretching it towards him. 

His finger brushed mine on purpose, and I caught a mocking gleam in his eyes. I rolled my eyes in disgust and wiped my palm against my White skirt.

“I will take my leave now, sir, since you have no use for me anymore,” I said and started walking away.

“Stop!” He roared, causing me to halt in my tracks. “Didn’t Lee tell you, or are you proving stubborn again?” He raised a brow.

My heart raced out of fear of what he might be hinting at. My body trembled, and the clock ticked clearer. 

“You are my Secretary now, and your job is to be next to me, mate.” The last came as a whisper, and everything around me stopped. 

“Your what?” My voice shook.

“Welcome, mate, to hell.” He laughed.