Chapter 01

QUINN

Entering my apartment, I made sure that my double locks were on. When my father told me he would be getting me an apartment I had not expected said apartment to be in the Bronx. However, I had to play the part of a struggling teenager trying to get a job. Unlike other teens, I wasn't working in a coffee shop as a barista or a book store — a place I'd much rather be. No, I was the overachieving eighteen-year-old trying to pull off being the personal assistant to one of the biggest dickheads in the history of dickheads.

My dad truly did have everything planned out for the day of my interview. He paid every person attending to leave, which left me as the only option to be chosen. Gunnar wasn't all too happy with that. My interview went to shit as well. It was one thing practicing in front of my father and a completely different thing when in front of Gunnar Astor. He wasn't only a brooding, arrogant, billionaire CEO but he was also handsome to the point he could probably be a God.

He was probably one of those arrogant Greek Gods in his spare time.

Two months into working with the idiot and I still hadn't a clue about him. Whenever he called upon me I still stumbled over my words and tripped over my feet. I had to quickly adjust and learn how to be his PA. It was a lot more than just getting the boss' coffee. I had to do his minutes, organize his meetings, keep people away when he wanted to be left alone. Assistants got paid too little for the work they did. Honestly, we deserved more credit.

Or maybe that was the eighteen-year-old in me talking.

Venus, my cute corgi, came padding toward me with her pointy ears perked. I walked into my quaint apartment and headed straight into the tiny kitchen. It was rustic, just like the entire place but I had to keep reminding myself that this would be over soon. Two months in was making me highly doubt that but it was what allowed me to sleep at night.

Venus barked, pointing her nose toward the clock that hung on the wall. It was time for her walk but Mr. Astor had worked me to the bone today. I was too tired to even make it up the stairs to get to my apartment. The elevator was forever out of order which left me no other choice but to walk up to five flights of stairs.

"Not today, Venus," I bent down and petted her soft head, "Mommy's tired. I promise we will go tomorrow and I'll even give you an extra hour."

I was proud to call myself a dog mom. No matter what anyone said, Venus was and will forever be my first baby. She was single-handedly the only reason I hadn't gone insane yet. We knew one another so well. She could be demanding at times but when she could sense my irritation and fatigue she always backed off.

Opening the fridge, I grabbed a bag of carrot sticks and made my way to the couch. I was trying to be healthy but I was too lazy to make food. Living off a rabbit's diet for one night didn't seem half bad. Venus hopped up onto the couch with me and curled into my side. I had Lucifer on — Netflix and chill was the only activity besides sleeping I was prepared to do. If I could, I would quit this stupid job. Everyone else did. Gunnar Astor was a royal pain in the ass.

"Maybe he will choke on his dinner tonight and die," I murmured to Venus, biting down on a carrot stick and petting her head. She looked at me and whined, then did this thing that made her look as if she raised a condescending brow at me. I sighed, kissing her on her head, "You're right, that's too much to ask for."

My personal phone ringing was what drew me out of the conversation between Venus and me. I had to have two phones. One for work purposes and my personal one that held all my contacts. The work phone only held one number, Gunnar's. My father's name lit up the screen and I groaned.

"As if I didn't have enough to deal with today?" I grumbled and watched Venus snuggle further into me. She never liked my father, always hiding from him whenever he paid me a visit. I swiped the screen to answer and placed it on speaker, "Father?"

"Quinn, how has your day been?" He asked curtly, showing that this was just a formality he needed to get out of the way before getting to the point.

"I do not wish to talk about it, father," I sarcastically said, glaring at my phone.

"He hasn't warmed up to you yet?" I could hear the disappointment tainting my father's voice.

"No, and I'm pretty sure he's still trying to find a replacement for me," I pointed out uselessly. My father would never let him find a replacement until my job was done.

"You know not to be bothered about such trivial matters," he grunted in annoyance before saying, "your information about his meeting with Asher Holdings came in handy. I managed to get a team to pitch a presentation to him and the board today. I think they might hire us to design the resort instead of Astor Architecture."

"So you're stealing his clients now instead of the other way around?" I quizzed. As Gunnar's assistant, I had to be present during his presentations. I had seen his design for the resort, took pictures of the model and the blueprints, and then sent them to my father. Asher, a man with timeless taste, hated Gunnar's modern eye and lack of emotion. If it wasn't for me being present in the meeting my father would have never known that. He would have never pitched the idea of a resort with a modern style mixed with some dated designs that still managed to pull in the interest of everyone.

"Something like that, Ladybug," he chuckled, finding this win for him and his company amusing, "this is all thanks to you."

At least he had the decency to show a shred of thanks.

"I don't really have anything else to share with you. His meetings haven't changed and I don't think he's heard of his rejection by Asher Holdings just yet," I informed, biting down on another carrot stick.

"I know, he will hear of it by the morning but that's not the reason I called," he softened his voice, turning business mode off and switching to dad mode, "you know your mom's and mine anniversary is coming up. She wants you to get away so you can attend the ball she's throwing."

"I bet mom invited everyone she could, including Gunnar. How can I attend when he will recognize me instantly?" I wasn't one for mom's parties. Any reason to get out of one I would grab with open arms.

"We've thought of that. It will be a masquerade ball, either that or your mother could lend you one of her wigs," he snickered, showing me his softer side, "I doubt he would recognize you, no one's seen you."

"Yeah, but he's going to ask why his assistant somehow snagged an invite to one of the most elite parties of the year," I grinned, knowing that I'd probably skip out on the party to have another night all to my lonesome self. It was better than socializing with stuck-up snobs, "and if you begin to introduce me as your daughter it would cause quite the stir."

"You've never attended any one of your mother's parties after you turned seven. People are beginning to ask whether you're dead or alive."

"Well, let them be stupid I say," I quipped, "of course I'm alive. It's not like you murdered me. I'm just not like Danny. I like my private life remaining private. And anyway, my lack of social presence is proving to be an advantage."

"I cannot deny that," he sighed, "he will not recognize you and you will attend. I'm leaving you with no other choice. You also get a plus one so bring that friend of yours."

"Who, Miranda? She's probably in Bali tanning on a beach. Exactly what I should be doing!"

"I know, I know. Just a little longer, Ladybug."

"Yeah, I know," I yawned, stretching out my muscles, "I'm exhausted and I have an early day tomorrow. Talk soon."

"Goodnight, Ladybug." With that, he ended the call.

Rolling off the couch, I trudged my way I into my tiny bathroom. Venus followed me, my personal bodyguard. She never left me alone, following me even when I needed to poop. I placed my hands on the edges of the washbasin and looked in the tiny rectangular mirror stuck on the wall. My blue eyes shone with tiredness, dark circles rimming them. I had my strawberry blonde hair tied in a neat bun at the nape of my neck. The white blouse I wore hid my figure, one that was too curvy for my liking but it did little to contain the massive puppies sitting on my chest. My high cheekbones made my face look slim and made my entire body look asymmetrical.

Why did diets take so long to work?

Stripping from my clothes, I dumped them I into the hamper and then shrugged into my pajamas. The loose top had a picture of two avocados and on top, it was printed 'I Avo Crush On You'. It was corny and adorable and just my style.

"Venus, time to go to bed," I said, making my way into the bedroom. She followed behind me, heading straight to her bed in a cozy corner of the room, "Goodnight V..." I drawled, crawling under the covers and switching off the light.

Tomorrow Gunnar would find out about Asher's choice of choosing my father's company over his. I could already imagine how work would feel. Only one word came to mind: Hell!