F**k obstacles.

Maria angrily made the third cup of coffee for her boss whom she so desired to smack across the face. If this was her only path to success, then she had to put up with his ill-treatment.

"But why?" She soliloquized, "why is he taking out his anger on me just because I walked in on him and his lover?"

She had apologized, so why was he being unnecessarily mean? The electric kettle beeped, snapping her out of her thoughts and she poured its content into the teacup, making sure it was the perfect amount, she didn't want to come back into this kitchen. His kitchen alone could house seven people, filled with expensive utensils—half of which she had no idea how to use or had never seen.

Is this what it felt like to be insanely rich? She thought, carrying the coffee into the tray and heading out of the plush kitchen. She was stunned by the presence of another gorgeous lady who stood akimbo in front of her boss.

Oh great, he was a casanova too, she concluded internally. Her conclusion withered immediately after the lady approached her with loving eyes and a wild smile. In an instant, Maria was pulled into a big hug by the lady, who smelled like a goddess—if she knew what goddesses smelled like.

"Why didn't you tell me you had someone, son?!" She exclaimed with her hands to her cheeks which were already a light tint of red.

Maria's eyes widened with disapproval as she politely broke free from the tight embrace.

"Mother!" Jackson protested as he sprung up.

Maria repeated it in her head again, mother? She was wrong about her boss...for now, she concluded. But how was his mother so young?

"Uh, nice to meet you, ma'am. I'm Maria Gracia, Jackson's new PA," she said politely and watched the woman's face fall, flushing with disappointment.

"Oh," her arms fell to her sides and she turned to her flustered son. "So, you treated Theodore that way for nothing?!"

Maria had been in so many uncomfortable situations today but this was the worst of them all. Instead of being absorbed in a relaxing sleep, she was standing like a zombie in the middle of a mother-son feud she had no details of.

"Mom, I am not gay!" He punched the air. "Why do you keep doing things that frustrate me?"

"Then are you impotent?" His mother asked like she had not just crunched her son's ego.

A snicker escaped Maria's lips, then she quickly glued her eyes to the ground, not ready to meet the angry eyes of her boss or his mother's.

"What? That's absurd. You need to stop doing these things or I disown you, mum. I. Disown. You!" Enraged Jackson yelled at his unshaken mother.

"Then get married and get me a grandchild! I'm sick of this Celebrity and paparazzi hullabaloo! I don't have anyone else after you and I want to be a grandmother soon!"

Oh well, Hello. Did everyone forget she was standing right next to them with a tray in hand? Maria thought, partially enjoying the drama she wasn't quite sure she should be. So, Jones Jackson had a mildly obstreperous mother who was desperate for a grandchild but was unsure of her son's sexuality, the kinds of deets Netizens would love to chew on.

"Mum," he exhaled, his expression going from angry to stern, "stop giving random strangers the password to my home, stop trying to pair me up with anyone. I'd get married when I want to, soon maybe but not if you keep gnawing at my life this way. It's exhausting and irritating." Maria thought he was finished but he wasn't done yet.

"Why do I have to deal with everything else then this too? You know how I get around people and you still keep doing the same thing over three years. Stop it, mum, please."

Mrs. Jones' eyes glistened with tears as she fiddled with her fingers, her lips quivering like she sought a reply to what her son had just said.

Was this a dramatic family or what? Maria observed—with the cold coffee she held.

"I know, I just- you're right, I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to have kept invading your privacy in that manner. I was just confused and I want the best for you. You know I want the best for you, right?" She moved closer to her son and caressed his cheeks. "And you'd listen to me, I'm your mother after all."

Oh, the blackmail card she had always seen on TV. Parents manipulating their kids into actualizing their wishes by reminding them of their birth and how much they suffered to grow into the gentleman or ladies they now were. She'd love to know what it felt like for a person who stood as a motherly figure in her life to say that to her. She never had one; just Andrew.

"I'm not a kid, and things like this only comes naturally." Jackson said, "but I'd work on that."

"Good, thank you, son. Now, why do you need a PA? Did you finally sack Harry?" She spat out like she bit into a lemon. "Or did he finally get tired of babying you and run off to the Netherlands?"

"Because I need one, especially for situations like this and I didn't sack Harry, neither did he get tired of 'babying' me," he air quoted, "I don't even have the authority to, A.C.E chose him cause he was one of their best."

"Good then, at least I know I have someone responsible around you."

Why would Mrs. Jones think a person as lovely as Harry could be sacked by her morally diminutive son? Maria shrugged and reannounced her presence by handing the coffee to her boss who now stared at her like she made Bella choose Edward over Jacob.

"I asked for that years ago, have it for yourself if you take lukewarm coffee wherever you're from." He shot back harshly.

"Son! I'm beginning to think I didn't raise you well," Mrs. Jones protested before turning to Maria. "Just discard it dear, should you be working this late?" She asked glancing at her wristwatch.

"Yes, boss, should I be working this late?" She echoed the question— with her left brow raised— to her boss who now looked like an overly ripe tomato. His face red from the shock of her response.

"You know what? Just leave, you'd resume by 7 am tomorrow since there's something important in my schedule." He announced and Maria almost cussed, a little relieved he didn't take her sarcasm beyond control.

"Yes, Mr. Jackson," she hummed and headed to the door.

What a great and fulfilling day, she heaved a sigh and made her to her new apartment.

She completed her arrival by jumping on the very cozy bed, dreading the new life she had just gotten into. Of course, it was amazing being there in person but there was a lot she was unsure of. The chances she had taken to get her mustn't go to waste.

It was funny how one day, restricted and bound, she felt, in an old town in Spain but here she was; thriving in her little way, the thoughts alone was accompanied by a lot of warmth. She pressed the pillow tighter against her chest.

Was she missing something? Had she forgotten something?

Oh, she had forgotten someone, Andrew. She didn't miss any part of him even though she was miles away. It had occurred to her that way since she arrived although she had been too scared to admit that she needed him less and less as the day went by. With brought another question to mind, did she love him? Or had she done all that she had out of appreciation for him?

She was grateful, they had strived and struggled; sharing a little bit of intimacy on the way. Late nights of tough lovemaking and some more unfortunate nights where she had curled up in a ball nursing a new injury he had given her out of imminent anger. Her hand grazed her waist and she jerked at her own touch, a stinging pain still lingered from a kick she had gotten about a week back, just a day before she had gotten the acceptance email. He apologized, blamed it on alcohol as he had always done and she, of course, accepted out of fear— not respect, not love. It was clearer to her now.

Was she stupid for letting him treat her that way or had she just cowered in fear because no one else could treat her the way he had?

She was a little more confident now, the reason she wasn't just a few days back was something she couldn't answer to.

Fuck him, she cussed. Fuck obstacles, She was Maria Gracia afterall—a lady who had got nothing to lose.

It's now or never. She'd pave her own way.

She picked up his complimentary card and dialed the number on it, it was a little after eleven pm, the period ungodly things happened. A period where bonding and manipulation took place to its immeasurable depth.

"Hello? Who am I speaking with?" Harry's voice came pushing from the other end.

"Hi, Harry. It's Maria."

She could pretend to have questions about Jackson's schedule, anything that brought her closer to him. She needed all the help she could get to achieve her dreams.