Chapter Two

Daniela's POV

I tried to compose myself, but I was shaking like crazy. Memories of all the nightmares I had had were just flashing into my head. It couldn't be him. No, it couldn't be.

Maybe I was just hallucinating.

But I wasn't.

What if he didn't recognise me, then maybe I'll just tell him that I lost my way and then run out, but then his eyes met mine, and they looked like they wanted to read something from my face. Then they went down to my scar...and then he smiled.

"Well, who do we have here?" he spat out, leaning back in his swivel chair.

It was the same voice. Deeper, obviously, but I still recognised it.

"It's really you, it can't be," I whispered. My heart was beating faster than normal and the fear that I had hidden well for some time revealed itself just like the first time I saw him. I'm sure it's the same fear that made me recognise him after all those years. I could hardly breathe and like always, he was enjoying my discomfort.

"Yeah, it's really me, darling," he laughed, getting up from his seat.

I couldn't stay there anymore.

My hand found the door knob, pulled it open and then I ran, but I think he found a way to communicate with his men because when I got to the elevator, Mark grabbed my wrists.

"Let me go!" I pleaded, struggling from his hold. "Please."

"I'm sorry ma'am. Boss's orders," he apologised and then dragged me back to the big office.

Poor unlucky me.

What was he going to do to me now? Kill me?

Mark pushed me into the office, towards the boss- or now that I know his name, Alexander- until the only thing between us was his work table.

"Take a seat," Alexander ordered and I silently complied, looking down at my fingers. Then by turned to Mark. "I think I've had enough of this interview. Make the next woman after this lady here, my PA. And as for this one," he added, turning to me. "I'll deal with her myself. You can leave now."

Mark immediately went out. At least Katherine got what she wanted. She was going to be Alexander's PA.

So, if she was getting the position, why was I still here? What did he want from me?

I looked up to him and found him staring at me.

He had turned out to be a very handsome man. He had beautiful dark hair, which looked so smooth and soft it almost made me want to run my hands through it. His piercing dark eyes which held a lot of pain and unforgiving memories were staring at me with more hidden emotions. He had a nice pointed nose. My eyes zones down to his luscious pink lips and my breath hitched. I quickly looked up from the view of his smooth skin back up to his eyes, before he caught me staring inappropriately.

Alexander moved from his table and walked towards me. From the full view I could see his body was toned, with the way his suit fitted perfectly to his body. He moved forward pulling me out of my thoughts and spun my chair around so I was fully facing him. He could see I was really scared of him. He was only a boy when he cut me. What was he capable of doing now that he was a full-grown man?

"You want a job, huh?" he asked with that evil grin on his face.

I remained silent.

"Looks like your destiny truly is to be unhappy. That's why fate brought you here."

I think my silence was making him angry because he grabbed my arm and pulled me up. He circled his fingers around my forearm and moved his thumb over my scar.

"Good to see you've been taking care of my little baby here." His hand tightened around my arm and I hissed in pain. I don't know why it felt like a fresh wound.

"Speak!" he barked.

"P-please let me go," was the only thing I could say.

"What's your name?" he asked, letting go of my arm. With how cool he was acting, it felt like he already had his answers and was just playing me. He grabbed some wipes from his table and cleaned his hands.

Did he hate me that much?

"Daniela. Daniela Stevens," I responded.

"Well, it's good you recognised me, Daniela," he started, walking away from me to a small table, and then poured some brandy into a short glass. Then he was in front of me again. "You still remember everything, don't you?"

I nodded.

"You must be wondering how I've become who I am. I can only tell you that it's all through hard work. Daniela, I know that your parents are dead and that you live with your aunt now, and I also know that we met again for a reason."

He put his glass on his desk and was silent for a while. I didn't know whether to speak or not so I looked away.

How was I supposed to get out of here?

"Look at me Stevens," he ordered. "As I've told you, I worked so hard to get here. I have worked so hard to live without the parents that your dad took from me, and now that I've met you, I promise I'll work even harder to make you unhappy, just as you made me!"

I felt a tear run down my cheek from my right eye and I quickly wiped it away before he got the chance to see it.

Whatever he thinks, it's not your fault Daniela, it's not.

But I couldn't convince myself anymore.

"Maybe you'll not be miserable, you'll not feel the pain I felt, but I promise I will never allow you to be happy."

From the anger on his face, I could tell he was serious and I couldn't do anything to defend myself.

"Why?" I whispered.

"You really want to know why? Well, because I can't let you be happy while I suffer every day because of the memory of my parents being killed right in front of me. Do you know how it feels?" he yelled.

"So, what are you going to do to me," I asked, fear lacing my words.

"What am I going to do to you?" he repeated. He pushed me back into my seat and turned the chair around to face his table. Then he went back to his chair.

He put his elbows on the table and started rubbing his fingers. Maybe he was thinking.

Then he started rubbing his fingers and then paused abruptly. His eyes moved to my left hand and then to meet my eyes and then he smiled wickedly again. I knew he was thinking of something really bad.

"Revenge is very sweet," he started. "Murderer's daughter, you're going to marry me."

My eyes popped out as my mind digested what he just said. He didn't think of forcing me to marry him, did he?

No. No, no!

"Y-you're joking, right?" I asked, trying to keep myself from getting a heart attack.

The smile immediately disappeared from his face. "Fortunately… I’m not."

"I'm sorry, but I'm not marrying you," I declined, shaking my head.

"It's not your choice. You'll never find love, Daniela. "

"You can't force me to do this," I insisted. Not knowing where I got my confidence from, I got up from my seat and headed for the door.

"You love your aunt, right?"

At that I froze, and then turned to see him swaying his chair left and right.

I tried to speak but only tears came out from my eyes. How did I end up in this mess?

"If you love her, you're going to marry me," his dark eyes threatened me.

"Will you kill her?" I sobbed.

He immediately stopped moving the chair and looked angrily at me.

"I could easily do that...but no," he whispered. "I'm not your father, Ela. You know, I can take your aunt's job from her, take her house, make her depressed until she just offs herself or something."

I looked at him, feeling horrified.

"You're so cruel."

"I know that, sweetheart," he smirked.

"Listen, I'm not my father-"

"Shut up!" he shouted. "So, what do you say Ms. Stevens."

I tried to swallow my tears but he had already seen them. Could I give my entire life to this stranger? I had no choice because I couldn't ever sacrifice my aunt's happiness for mine. That would be too selfish. She had done so much for me. I wished my dad had never joined that gang, then he wouldn't have had to kill Alexander's parents, and Alexander wouldn't have forced me to do this.

I'm doing this for aunt Bertha, I'm doing this for her.

Oh God help me.

"Okay," I breathed out, wiping away my tears. "I accept."

"Good. Be here tomorrow at nine."

I looked up at him, confused. "Why?"

"You'll find out when you get here. What's your address?"

Still confused, I said boldly, "I'm not telling you."

"Then I'm taking you home."

"What? No-"

"I'm taking you home," he insisted. The look on his face told me not to argue.