Chapter Seven

Daniela's POV

By the time I was back in the car and enroute to Jackson tower, Alexander’s building, I felt like an entirely different person. No, not in a good way. I didn’t feel like my own person anymore, and it wasn’t entirely an exaggeration. Alexander had total control over me now.

I was different clothes. A light blue business casual dress, whose material alone probably cost more than the monthly rent we paid for my aunt’s restaurant. I had on equally expensive heels and accessories to match. Before that, Mike took me for a skin and hair treatment appointment. They didn’t cut much of my hair, but they added a few curls to the ends. I had a new bag moderately filled with the handy stuff I would need in the day, and a new freaking phone!

In another life, I would have been thrilled, but right now I felt like an imposter. I had complained as much as I could to Mike, but he only replied that they were Alexander’s orders, and I’d have to get used to some things as his wife.

The car stopped at our destination. A wave of nervousness washed over me as Mike helped me out of the car. I thought it would be easy to fit into the role or at least pretend to, with this makeover, but it was not. And Alexander wasn’t making this any easier for me. Well, why would he? This was a punishment after all. Why would he give me any tips? I’ll just have to figure out how to pull this off so I don’t anger him further and at the same time protect my dignity.

“There’s no need to worry, no one’s going to recognise you from yesterday.”

I tilted my head. What did that even mean? I didn’t know if he was trying to compliment me, or insult me, but from how he spoke and how he was looking at me with the same expressionless face as his boss, I knew he was aiming at neither.

I gave him a questioning look. “What?”

“At least the wrong people won’t.”

I shook my head. “No how… why…” I didn’t know how to ask without spilling classified information.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to say more because his next words clarified everything. He stepped closer to me and whispered. “I signed an NDA.”

I froze for just a second and nodded slowly. He knew I was a fake. I didn’t know how to feel about that.

“So as I said, you don’t have to worry. I know how the boss can be, so I’ll help you as much as I can,” he assured me.

I smiled at that, but it didn’t reach my eyes, because I didn’t believe him. Surely, someone who worked for such a devil would have a misguided meaning of the word ‘help’. Even if he was being truthful, there was no way he was going to help me at the expense of his loyalty to his employer.

And yes, I was right, because he left me as soon as we got into the foyer of the building. Maybe that’s how far his help could extend. He did leave me with another guard, but whatever.

I realised he was the same guard that forcefully took me into Alexander’s office yesterday. Today though, he wasn’t touching me. He wasn’t even walking directly beside me. He was a step behind me, walking me to his office carefully as if to make a statement. Mike said the wrong people wouldn’t recognise me. I couldn’t tell what category of ‘people’ he was, but this man was all up in my face yesterday, there was no way a different hairstyle could fool him, a security guard at that.

“Is there something you need, ma’am?”

I guessed he realised I was stealing glances. Conveniently we were at the elevators, so I stopped and turned to him. “Is there something I need, ma’am?” I echoed incredulously. “Yesterday you imprinted your palms on my wrists and today you pretend to be polite?”

“I wish to apologise for my shortcomings ma’am,” he replied easily. So he knew I was the same person.

After that, I couldn’t even think of anything else to say. What did Alexander tell these people?

The elevator doors opened and he gestured for me to step inside. I did as suggested, and he followed me in.

“Never mind that,” I sighed. “And just call me Daniela.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why?”

“Because you’re the boss’s wife, and consequently my boss, so I’m not permitted to refer to you by your first name.”

“Oh,” I simply said and looked away. “What do I call you then?”

“Mark. Just Mark, ma’am.”

The elevator opened. I held my hands together when they started shaking. This was real. This was actually real. Oh lord.

Getting a grip of myself I followed the same hallway I did yesterday to the devil’s office. Mark knocked on the door once and pushed it open.

“Please enter.” That was the only thing he said before he walked away.

I took in a deep breath, turned my gaze forward and entered. But my breath was knocked right out of my lungs before I could fully interpret my surroundings. I knew he wanted me to meet someone, but I didn’t think it would be the second I stepped into his office.

Alexander rose up from the sofa he had been sitting on with an older man and walked towards me, with that dubious smile on his face.

“Fleur, this is the woman I’ve been wanting you to meet,” he said in a tone so humble that I had to crosscheck if he was the same Alexander Jackson I knew. “The reason I’ll have to disappoint you for the first time.” Smile, he mouthed to me before putting his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him as he turned back to the grey-haired wealthy looking man still sitting in the sofa. “This is Daniela. My wife.”