Aniya glanced up from her desk as River approached the reception area, looking slightly overwhelmed by the bustling office environment on the lower floors. Today Marwick Garner’s secretary Theodore Panks took her for introducing to other employees. He told her about the different floors Garner offices occupied. "Hey there! How's your second day treating you?" Aniya asked her with a friendly smile. River sighed, running a hand through her shoulder-length hair, "It's been quite a ride. Trying to wrap my head around everything and to remember everyone's names." Aniya chuckled, understanding her confusion all too well, "Oh, I know that feeling. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it soon enough. You will find everyone around here quite friendly." Yeah. Everyone except, Chad. River thought and leaned against the reception desk, grateful for a momentary break, "These different software systems are like a maze. It's like learning a whole new language." Aniya nodded sympathetically, "Te
All she remembered was her boss who could know her reality. But the leech who was sitting confidently near her, was giving her dirty looks. “So how about we become friends and forget what happened yesterday.” He offered with a friendly smile, but that only made her nauseated. She felt disgusted by his presence. His closeness was giving her the creeps. Chad, with a smug look on his face, slid closer to River, invading her personal space. River's heart raced, and she instinctively shifted away from him. "So, River,” Chad leaned closer to her, “Do you like my suggestion? Let’s forget what happened yesterday. Hmm?" River's stomach churned at the deviousness in his voice, and she fought back the urge to gag. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to keep her guard up. She managed a weak smile, her voice strained, "I think it's best if we maintain a professional distance, Chad. I am not here to create problems for anyone. Let me work in peace." Chad's friendly smile faltered a littl
“You wanted to discuss something?” Chad asked his boss with a pleasant smile but inside he was fuming. Mr. Garner snatched the golden chance to get to know the timid boy. Marwick Garner had a shrewd look in his eyes when he gestured for Chad to take a seat, "Yes, Chad. I've been observing a few things in the office, and I wanted to discuss them with you." Chad's smile grew wider, masking his frustration. He tried to show himself as an attentive employee, eager to give the impression that he respected his boss and his perspective. "Of course, Mr. Garner. I'm all ears." Marwick Garner leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable, "As a director, I expect you not to go to the subordinates, looking for work. You arrange files, sitting on the floor with River. We get VIP visitors on our floor. What type of message are you conveying to them?” Marwick kept his gaze fixed on his face, “River is merely a boy and still in the learning phase. Aniya and Theodore are there to help him. W
River was applying the solution to get rid of her brows when the door of her hotel room got knocked. “Hell.” She muttered under her breath when the solution bottle dropped from her hand. Though she was quick to pick that up there was a little mess on the carpet now. She did remember to put a DO NOT DISTURB sign outside on the doorknob. Weren’t the waiters of this hotel trained enough? Applying the solution on her eyebrow she slowly peeled it off her face. Just then the door got knocked again. “What?” she shouted in frustration and scurried to the door. Thankfully she remembered to look through the peephole. Shoot! It was her cold-hearted CEO. What was Marwick Garner doing here? “River?” Marwick knocked again. At the same time, her phone started ringing. He was calling her. “H…hello?” she spoke in her phone, “Mr. Garner?” “River. I am outside your room. Are you in there?” he asked her, and she was flattered. She wished she was a girl. No, she was already a girl. She wished she
It had been a week since Marwick crashed into her room. He used to get up early in her sleep and used to leave for the office. River used to get up, a little while after her boss, and then after getting ready used to go to the hotel’s restaurant. “Don’t tell me. He is staying with you, and you are telling this today?” Aniya asked her when she told her and Gerald how Marwick was staying in her room. Gerald was the head of the IT department and, like Aniya, was also a very good friend of Ashley Deluca. He was a g*ay and the moment his parents came to know they disowned him. Ashley asked her brother to offer him a job. He was initially hired as a supervisor and but later due to his intelligence and a good degree, Marwick gave him the well-deserved designation. Like Aniya he had also become River’s good friend. River enjoyed being in the office. The biggest reason might be Chad’s absence who had gone to Kuala Lumpur to meet his sick grandfather. “So… Is he sleeping beside you?” Aniya
In the bathroom stall, River was sitting on the toilet seat and was crying her heart out. She was missing her friends. Keanu and the other one whose name was forbidden for her. She could not let the name slip from her lips until and unless she wouldn’t cross the border. “Keanu. You there?” She typed the message and sent it. “Yes. I am here. You, ok?” “No. I am not ok. I am missing you. I am missing all of you.” “Oh, dear. My dear. Please don’t be upset. Your hard work will be wasted, love. Remember? You are the bravest among us. Please don’t do it. Control your tears. Control your emotions.” “Will we ever meet in the future?” “Yes. Once you will reach there. We will follow you there. We will definitely be together, love.” Oh, Keanu. She smiled to herself and wiped her face. She stood up, flushed the toilet, and slipped her phone into her pants pocket. The moment she opened the door, she was pushed back against the wall brutally. Someone hauled her and made her turn to face the
“Aniya. Where is River?” Marwick Garner asked the attractive receptionist who was just placing the receiver after getting done with the call. “He was with us in the cafeteria. But then went to the bathroom. Is there something I can do for you until he returns?” She offered him and moved her laptop. “Yes, please open the Garrison’s file, and then let me tell you about some changes.” He walked to her and stood right behind her. Aniya’s heart almost stopped beating when she got the whiff of his Ah-mazing scent. Oh, God. If I will tell him how his presence affects me, he will fire me. If I need his closeness, I need to show that I don’t care how close he is. Oh, Marwick. Why are you so handsome? “Open the damn laptop, Aniya!” Marwick demanded and took a revolving seat beside her, “Switch it on.” “I don’t know what got into it. It never took that much time to fire up.” She remarked and patted her laptop, but the screen was blank. “If the laptop was having problems, you should have ca
After reaching her hotel room, River got rid of her glasses, fake nose, and brows. She was unusually happy today. Chad who was going home for a few months was now sent home permanently. Marwick had promised him to pay his salary for one year but after that, he was on his own.Marwick was expected to be in the hotel room late at night. But River was not worried about his unexpected arrival. Being a gentleman, he never barged into the room. Having a keycard didn’t mean he never knocked unless he was sure that River must be sleeping like a dead. She stood under the shower and rubbed every part of her body like a freak. She could feel Chad’s hands roaming around her body and all she wanted to do was take her mind off him. The room service served her dinner, and she indulged in it hungrily praying that Marwick could get a separate room tonight. She was licking her plate when her phone started ringing. “Hey! Keanu! My friend!” “Is Mr. Marwick there with you?” he asked River cautiously
(2 years later) “I went to the school today. The management is quite happy with Mimi’s progress,” Arabella told Jeff’s partner, Fione who moved to their house for her girls’ better education and job opportunities. Two years back, Marwick had offered Fiona to join his company. Even if she wouldn’t have moved here, Marwick had promised her long ago that he would take responsibility for Jeff’s family in his absence. Whether his girlfriend wanted to do a job or some business or even if she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. He had promised himself that he would support the family as much as he could. There was an annex at a little distance from their giant house that was built especially for the family. “You should start dating, Fiona. You are still young,” the girl smiled and shook her head. There was a sketch of Jeff’s older daughter that was made by Arabella as promised to Mimi’s father. “Where are the twins?” Arabella asked her, looking around. “Oh, they just went to sleep. You wer
(Aniya: One month later)“Finally, we are here,” Aniya told Derek who held her hand and leaned to kiss her cheek.“Yeah. Finally!” He looked happy too. It was almost a dream come true. His dream girl was at last by his side.They had just landed at the Sydney Airport and they both knew that their fate had brought them here. The same fate that brought them together.Aniya took out her phone when it vibrated. She had received millions in her bank account. Her mouth was hung open.There was a message from Gerald.“Take it as your gift from Garner Empire. I know you will never accept it. But this is a joint gift from me, Ashley, and Marwick so that you can start your life without worry.”Aniya felt strange. As a director, Derek did receive a good chunk of his due funds after he resigned. But why Gerald, Ashley, and Marwick were giving her so much money? For God's sake, this meant only one thing. Now she was a billionaire.“What’s the matter, darling?” Derek asked her while walking to the
“What? Resign?” Gerald was looking at Aniya open-mouthed, “Are you nuts? Who makes such impulsive decisions, Aniya?” “I do!” Aniya lifted her chin up and there was this stubbornness evident on her face, “I have decided to follow him.” She flipped back her shoulder-length hair with style. That same Aniya style. Her smile did waver a bit when she felt Gerald’s pointed gaze on her face. “What?” She sounded defensive, “People do leave jobs and shift to other countries. I need to accompany him if we want a future together. I am quite sure my happiness lies with him.” “You were quite sure when you followed Marwick here and packed up your cleaning business. Just to be a receptionist in his office.” Gerald pointed out and that brought rage on her face. “Mr. Gerald Oliver. Are you questioning my decisions?” she cocked up a challenging brow at him. “No, Aniya,” Gerald leaned back in Marwick’s seat. After he left for Turkey, Gerald was taking care of everything behind him, “I am your frie
“Yes?” Ashton just got done fuc*king a dame and now he was smoking while scrolling his phone when he got this call.“Sir. I have bomb news.” The man on the other side told him with excitement. “Shoot!” he pressed the cigarette between his finger and thumb and flipped it towards the ashtray on the nightstand. The girl beside him was sleeping without bothering to cover herself and Ashton's hand was stroking her a*ss after getting rid of the cigarette. “It’s about your son, Mr. Ashton. Marwick Garner,”Ashton threw a quick glance towards the girl and decided to leave the room. He came out while knotting the robe around his gown.“I told you not to bother me about my son. I just wanted to know about Arabella Den. She is fuc*king eighteen and I was thinking that Marwick must have gotten rid of her by now.But no. She is still residing there.” Frustration was evident in his tone. “Or maybe my son is also taking advantage of her beauty,” Ashton said with a low chuckle. Arabella Den. E
From a very young age, he had been taking care of his business. His father being a womanizer could never pay attention to the family.As a result, Marwick had an indecisive mother who could never take a stand for her husband’s cheating.Marwick Garner started acting like a man of his family from his teens. His grandfather started trusting him and did something that he could never do to his son.He gave the business reins to Marwick without any interference. Ashton Garner got furious. He could never enjoy his father’s money this freely. And just when he thought he would soon have everything. All the wealth was handed over to Marwick Garner on a silver platter.Marwick worked hard and took the business to an international level. He had this knack for business from a very young age. Nobody could manipulate him that easily.But this girl River Brown?She took advantage of her sickness. She used him as a pawn and convinced him to go to Turkey. He thought, the couple really needed help.How
“So, are you seriously going to Turkey? Just to settle the couple?” Gerald asked him when Marwick was putting his passport in a leather pouch, “I can’t believe it. Don’t you think it’s an absurd demand?”“Sir. I have packed your bags.” Marwick’s butler informed him, “Please let me know if you need any more assistance,”Marwick dismissed him with a slight shake of his head and looked towards Gerald.“I have a very trustworthy staff, but I would really appreciate it if you stop mentioning the country repeatedly. The newly married couple might be dead due to your carelessness,” Marwick hissed but Gerald knew why he was frustrated.“Are you scared that you might bump into her?” Marwick zipped the pouch as if he wanted to zip Gerald’s mouth.“Nobody knows which city she flew to. She didn’t even inform River or Keanu about her whereabouts. I am not going for her. I am going for River and Keanu. Will help them initially and return. I have a business to run. Remember?”He went into the bathro
Aniya frowned and looked at Derek when someone whispered from behind, “The bride seems to be a cancer survivor. Such a brave girl she is.” That was the moment Aniya noticed her newly grown short hair under the veil.“Derek,” she breathed after leaning towards Derek.“I know, love. I know. We will talk about it later,” Derek kissed her hand lightly and looked ahead to witness the vows. ***“You may now kiss the bride,” The priest announced, and River kneeled in front of the wheelchair, where Keanu lifted her veil with a teary chuckle and bent down to kiss the bride.The small audience started cheering for them.“I love you so much,” Keanu almost choked on his tears. River wiped his cheeks and chuckled.“I love you too, Mr. Keanu. I am lucky to have you in my life. As my lover and as my husband.”“Not lucky as me, Mrs. Keanu,” He bent again to kiss his bride. They both were not embarrassed to cry and kissing each other again and again in front of a bunch of people.“Thank you so much.”
(1 month later)Aniya was standing before a full-length mirror pouting at her image. She lifted her black hair off her neck to examine herself, “I think a bun at the top will look more suitable,”The bathroom door opened, and Derek stepped out with a towel around him. He ran a slow gaze at Aniya who was wearing a blush pink gown that flowed just below her knees. The off-shoulder neckline that was lined with lace was giving her an ethereal look.He tried his best to take his eyes off her and started dressing up. After buttoning up his tailored charcoal gray suit jacket, he smirked.She was still confused about her hairstyle.“Whatever style you will decide, believe me. You will ace it.” He said and started brushing his fingers through his partially wet hair.When she didn’t respond and the pout stayed there on her lips, he walked up behind her and placed his hands on her bare shoulders. “What’s the fuss about?” he muttered close to her ear, causing goosebumps on her skin.“I can’t deci
Marwick and Keanu got busy with River. They used to feed her bone broth, fruits, and veggies. The daily multivitamin intake was a must. River had to be strong enough to get the chemo. Her next head shave was also due. The first one was done by Keanu. Garner Empire was still bustling with people and business. Gerald was taking care of all the meetings and Aniya was managing all the online commitments along with Mr. Penks. They wanted to give maximum time to Marwick so that he could spend most of his time with River. “River. Now don’t act like a bratty kid,” he heard Keanu’s stern voice who was trying to feed chicken corn soup to River. “I can’t. It’s been so many days since I last ate a burger or a pizza,” she had been puking everything and the doctor had asked them to feed her soft food. At last, Marwick who was working on his laptop got on his feet and placed the laptop aside, “Give it to me,” Marwick reached out to hold the bowl, “If you have any errands to run then you can g