DAWN POV
“There are 70 participants to the auction and none of them look like a threat or at least that's what I believe according to the books. Plus, we have a budget of 2 billion which means we will secure the project.” My assistant, Andersen Morgan informed causing me to pause and stare at him for a good second.“W-what?” He asked furrowing his brows. I let out a small huff and pulled my hand from my pocket, then pointed at him,“You talk a lot for someone who just got off a plane.” I pointed out causing him to smirk.“And I know you love me for that.” He taunted and then walked forward, adding a little sway to his hips. I shook my head and followed him as we descended down the carpeted stairs that led to the entrance of the Grand Hall.“Mr. Bede, welcome to the auction.” One of the ushers called out and then gestured for the guards to open the huge double oak doors, revealing the inside of the hLIZA POVThe moment I stepped into the hall, the auction program had already commenced and the MC was giving a quick rundown of events. I was taken aback by the number of the people who have swamped up for the auction, despite it being brought further to sieve out the crowd. That only proved the preponderancy of this project, and plunge a stake through my heart if I wasn't excited.I was so buoyant that my body trembled as the adrenalin coursed through my veins making my heart thrum rapidly. These kinds of activities always sparked that competitivity and the overheated effeminateness deep inside me.I was competitive and ambitious by nature, and thanks to that, I was one of the business elites in the United States at the age of 27. To some, it may have not been something to pop a champaign for, but to a little girl born in the outskirts of Vermont, inside a small cottage and sharing the bedroom with her 3 siblings, that was a feat of the years. And that was just a boo
DAWN POVThe skirmish continued raging and none of the warring sides seemed to be backing down anytime soon. It wasn’t because I enjoyed the cat-and-mouse game, but I was so drawn in and I wanted to see how far she would go.It was in the way she sat there, all so poised, glaring at me with that stare that told me she wasn’t going to cave in any time soon, undoing all the granites I thought I had in place. In all my life, I have never, trust me, I swear this on my mother’s grave; I have never met a woman who challenged me head-on like this one. Who made me stand on my toes because of how unpredictable she was. She was everything you wish for, the mystery, the elegance, the beauty, the svelte posture. And her sweet, sweet voice. I just… I knew I was being reckless when I continued bidding and bidding without actually giving a shit or two about the price which was now above the building itself.At this point, I wasn’t bidding for the
LIZA POVA tremor of excitement coursed through me when the words left his mouth.I stood facing the door for a good minute, trying to calm the fuck down. I wasn’t going to show my excitement, not in front of the two men who had just undermined me in ways I have never imagined. I had to keep my cool.I turned swiftly and walked back to the boardroom table and placed the files and devices, then sat down yet again. I felt his soul-piercing eyes boring holes on my skin, and I was very aware of his presence because of how heady his cologne was on my senses!“Well, since the deal is closed, I shall leave you two to it. Thank you so much for this. Those people are waiting to hear from me.” The jittery old hack fidgeted and nervously laughed as he got out of his seat. He walked to me and stretched his hand. I wanted to ignore it but knew I couldn’t let my emotions get the best of me. So I got up and plastered a very professional, work-friendly smile and shook his hand.
DAWN POV“You mean you felt her hand?”The pitchy-squeaky voice called out from behind me causing my eyes to shift and fall on the reflection of my stupid friend/assistant who was sprawled on the bed with an open magazine in front of him. He was lying on his stomach with his legs raised in the air, his arms cradling his giant head as his eyes followed every movement I made.I had no idea why he had the magazine open!“Yes. That's what I am saying.” I replied focusing on my reflection in the mirror as I fastened my tie and fixed it in place and then tugged the lapel neatly under my black dress shirt.I turned and raised my hand for him to assess. He pursed his lips before shaking his head and gestured to my tie with his boney finger, making a small rotating motion.“Too much?” I asked staring down at myself. I looked pretty good, and I didn’t know what he meant.“If you want to get the girl you &
DAWN POV“Dazzle me.”The words left my mouth and she looked at me as if she was asking through her eyes whether I was ready for what she was about to dish out. In response, I gave her a simple one-shoulder shrug before placing a fork with a heap of a steak in my mouth and chewed on it softly, waiting for her to begin.“I am not complaining, don’t get me wrong. I am very grateful for the life I am living, but my life revolves around my work. My company.” She shrugged off casually and bit into the roasted potatoes, taking time to chew them with her lush lips closed together.“Family? Boyfriend, lover, or fiancée?” I probed taking a bite of my own food, then savored the meaty flavor of the steak and nearly led out an embarrassing moan.A beautiful woman across me, a nicely cooked steak in the most unperturbed atmosphere... Talk about bliss!“A family of 6, mom and dad and 3 siblings. I am the eldest o
LIZA POVThe alarm went off on the nightstand, and I turned to give it a stink eye before stretching my hand and switching it off angrily. Then resettled in my position and stared at the white ceiling of the hotel room.I hadn't slept a wink because my mind decided to go on patrol the whole night, and even in the morning, it was still reeling at what had transpired the night before during dinner. It was meant to be a business dinner, where we discussed the project and whatnots.But no! That's not what happened, like at all.Instead, this fine ass, damn drop-dead sexy beast of a man decided to give me an analysis of myself, my life, and what I need. Just who the hell did he think he is huh? Just because he was handsome, cancel that, insanely hot and handsome with a five o’clock shadow kind of thingy didn’t give him any right to… analyze me. I was fine by myself, I didn’t need the danger and beast and whatever crap he went on about.
LIZA POVMonday came by and I woke up with a start. I arrived at the company feeling so reinvigorated and active, so excited to break the news to the whole company. I know how much this project meant for them and we prepared so hard to get it. Not only did we win it but we also made concessions with Blade Inc.Now, that one calls for a grand celebration!As soon as I stepped inside the building, I gave out the word that we should all meet in 20 minutes for an emergency meeting. Gail wasted no time spreading the word like wildfire during the bad dry season and soon, the hall was swarmed with everyone, all ready to hear what I was about to dish for them. I mounted the podium and looked at the expectant eyes of my people and gave them a dazzling smile.“Good Morning everyone. I trust you all had a lovely weekend with your loved ones.” I paused and sucked in a breath,“I come bearing good news for you all. I know that what I am about to share with you is mainly for CCR, b
LIZA POVOut of sheer inquisitiveness and the hype I got from Gail, I found myself walking into the spa lounge Tuesday evening right after clocking off from work.The spa was open 24 hours, and I called the manager to reserve me the one at 7. When the doors of the spa opened, I gave out a small puff of breath, then took in a giant one and calmed my overheated nerves. I had to do this. And I was going to do it for the better cause.The manager came running out of his office to welcome me. At 50, Mrs. Baldwin was so lively and always up and about. She understood me more than anyone and I knew for a fact that she wasn’t going to judge me for this one. From what Gail told me, she had been the one in charge of the interview and she chose the masseur all by herself. Our personas were more alike in a lot of ways than one, and I swear she used to be one hell of a wild cat back in her days before Mr. Baldwin claimed her.“President Forbes.” She cal
EPILOGUE3 YEARS LATERLIZA POV“We need to be quick before everyone starts spilling in here looking for us.” Dawn breathed against my neck before his tongue darted out to latch on my earlobe.I moaned in agreement before grinding my hips against his hand that was buried deep inside my panties, despite the heavy bump which was hanging on my front.“I know. But I need to cum first.” I said breathing out heavily as his skilled fingers continued exploring my love lotus, feeling me with so much desire.“I know just a thing to get you to cum.” He commented before scrunching in front of me, then hoisted my heavy leg over his shoulder and delved into my dark valley, tearing a satisfied moan from me. My hands found my sore nipples and I toyed with them through my sheer chiffon dress.His skilled tongue swiped expertly up and down my snatch as his fingers came to assistance. The world seemed to fade and for a moment there, I forgot we sneaked out from the gender reveal party planned for us, to
DAWN POV“ARE YOU SURE THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, SON?”My father’s voice boomed from the other end of the speaker. I nodded to no one in particular since I was alone standing on the balcony, just a few minutes before the sun came spilling from behind the horizon.I looked back into the bedroom, on the bed, where an angel was sprawled comfortably with her black curls spread all over the pillow. She had one small, smooth, and velvety hand covering her eyes, shielding her face from the morning sun. I don't know how she managed, but she had to be beautiful even without trying.“I cannot think of the perfect time to do it. And there’s really no one I know who is worthy enough to run it than her.” I replied to my dad and turned back to where I was standing,“Hmmm. If that’s what you want, then okay. I do know that it will be in good hands, and I trust her, just like you do.” He stated, and I could hear the relief in his voice. I smiled to myself and looked down,“Thanks, dad.” “Oh, it’s
LIZA POVTWO WEEKS LATER“AND YOU DIDN’T THINK OF TELLING US WHEN YOU WENT TO GET THE MARRIAGE LICENCE?” Mom seethed from across the table causing the whole table to fall into murmurs of agreement. I looked around at the angry, disappointed faces of my people and felt a little bit of sadness tugging at me. A strong hand sought mine from underneath the table and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze, reminding me that everything was alright.“We decided on a whim to get that. We were doing all that needed to be done to save the company.”“And it was my idea,” I added to Dawn’s explanation, eliciting a few disapproving grunts.We were back in Los Angeles and now we were faced with the interrogation of everything that has happened. This all began as soon as we hopped off the plane; my family was waiting at the airport with angry glares. Their main concern was why in the hell did we drag Crystal across the country while she wasn’t even a month old, so we had to cool them down for just a b
DAWN POVIt was over!Good God, it was finally over. I had a full claim over Blade Inc. My mother’s legacy; that was left to her by her parents and ancestors before them. A dynasty that carried the blood and sweat of all the Blades. And it was all thanks to the world’s most badass woman I have ever known.I may have tried to save the company all on my own, reach out to some contacts and use favors that were indebted to me, use all of my connections and Adamson’s, now that he was atoning for his sins. But knowing that Elizabeth went all out and beyond to help save something I held so dear, despite everything I have put her through, was so humbling.It was not a strange fact that I had disrupted her life, and dumped something she wasn’t ready for, because of my greed. My selfishness. Forcing that pregnancy on her was something that made me feel small with every passing day. Although it led to the world’s most beautiful little girl with a head full of thick black curls, the little one tha
LIZA POV“Oh really?”I voiced up softly pulling all the attention to me. The whole focus shifted as my eyes landed on me where I have been seated this whole time rocking my baby in my arms and just minding my own business. I waited until everyone was quiet and handed Crystal to her dad before stepping out of my seat.“W-what? What do you mean? I have all the shares here with me.” Janelle replied from across the room where she was standing. I wasted no time and walked towards her, then yanked the folder in her hand and went through it. This happened with everyone as still as death as they all watched the drama unfolding in front of them,I scanned the document and made a small countdown in my head. Right after I shut the file close, the door slid open, and in came a lady who was dressed neatly in a black office suit, her brunette silky hair pulled tightly in a low bun.The room fell into yet another fit of commotion as she took her place where Gail and Andersen had been standing, poli
DAWN POVThe time was a little after 9 am when the car stopped in front of Blade Inc. headquarters. We were well 7 minutes late but nothing inside of me seemed to be unnerved or let’s say; out of place.I had all the evidence I needed to mask down the bitch and her cabal of snakes that she slithered with, so no one or nothing was fit enough to fill my mouth with a bitter taste.That and the fact that I was holding a jewel in my arms, with my queen by my side. So yeah, that's all about it. Surrounding myself with the people whom I’d walk the line for was all I could possibly need. Even if today didn’t work out like we had hoped, despite all the evidence I had against Janelle and everything needed to claim my rights over the company, I had everything. My wife and my child. That was the only trophy I needed!The door to my right opened and I stepped outside, shielding my sleeping daughter in my arms with her gazillion shawls, and then pulled her closer to my chest. When she was locked an
LIZA POVA BABY! MY BABY!Of all the things I ever dreamed of having; none of them included a living 3.2kg with the world’s greyest eyes and a head covered in the thickest black curls in the world. And to sit here watching as it laid in its daddy’s hold while he cooed softly to it and sneaked kisses all over its being, made me feel like I was kind of trapped in a time bubble or something! None of it felt… real.It has been 10 days since Crystal Star Forbes Bede came to earth and truth be told, I hadn’t really gotten used to the idea of her presence. Mostly because she spent more time in her daddy’s arm than she did in mine. The only times I held her was when I was feeding her or helping bathing her, from then on, Dawn would be all alpha on her not letting anyone even a foot near her!As soon as my tanks broke in that boardroom, the word got out and everyone knew that I had given birth to a baby girl; even though her father didn’t allow anyone near her. The world was happy regardless
DAWN POVAs soon as the words left Gail’s mouth; I swear all the reigns of hell broke loose!In all my life, ever since I descended to this unfortunate earth, I have never felt that kind of panic! Like ever. I was so shaken it was as if the baby would drop at the very instant. And God help me if that happened; I am sure I was going to pee my pants right in front of everyone!After the announcement, all I could think of was getting Liza to the hospital, or somewhere suitable for her to bring our baby to the world. Every word that was said after that all sounded like a hollow stream and everything that happened was blurr. Nothing in this world mattered! Not the riches and the unwavering hatred, nothing!Now here we were, nine hours later in the hospital with her dressed in a long white hospital gown, her big belly pushed outwards with me hugging her from behind. Her tummy was cradled safely in my hands as I tried to lift the weight from her. She was debilitated, definitely out of it and
DAWN POVThe meeting commenced as soon as Elizabeth and I took our respective seats at the head of the table. Cortez and his team had a presentation prepared to fill us in on the occurrences of pre-and post-explosion; and the more he flipped that little remote through pictures and clips containing the evidence of everything that transpired, the more bloated I became. I kept rising further and further in my seat, and Elizabeth’s hand was the only thing that was gluing me down to sanity! Had she not been here, I would have exploded a long time ago and ripped the motherfuckers off their high horses.THAT SON OF A BITCH!I cursed under my breath as I shifted in my seat, my face so stoic I felt like I was going to crack a took from how hard I had my teeth clenched!“Get Hunter here. He has some explaining to do!” I cut off Cortez who was standing in front of the screen, mid-sentence. Ander shot out of his seat and took off with Gail behind him. A smooth hand landed on mine and I looked to