Chapter two

Ivory blinked a couple of times in rapid succession. She knew her entire face morphed, housing a ridiculous expression. In hope, she wondered if she had heard him wrong.

"Excuse me?" She echoed, her eyes no longer capable of holding his stony glare.

He inhaled sharply, "You. Are. Late." his tone as sharp as knives.

She was confused again. "I am sorry, can you remind me of who you are?" she questioned respectfully.

Raiden raised his brows at her. He found her inquiry absurd. How was it possible for an employee of this company to be unaware that he would be visiting today.

"I am Raiden De Ville, the new owner of Blaxx." every word deliberate and course.

Her lips made an O. Instantly, Ivory felt feverish. She couldn't believe she had the luck to have offended this man. She tried to think back on what he was saying prior to her hiccup. She was late, yet she grew confused. She was certain her being late should not have been an issue, she had rightly informed Emery and further Emery knew of the particular circumstances that contributed to her tardiness.

Seeing that Ivory was silent even after his recital Raiden grew annoyed. His first impression of her was already shaky, yet this encounter was diminishing any respect he may have had for her.

"Am I speaking in a foreign tongue?" she wasn't sure how it was possible yet his voice grew darker and deeper.

Ivory became startled by the change. She instantly steeled. "You posed a statement, not a question," she responded boldly.

Raiden stared at her for a second, his anger dissipated. No one had been so brave to take any sort of tone with him, he was taken by surprise. It was then he took the time to truly look at her. she was attractive in an understated manner. Her skin was clear, yet he detected the faintest hint of makeup, leading him to believe she was either a novice in that arena or she didn't care for artificial appearances. Her hair was pulled to the back of her head untidily and secured. He couldn't help but think it worked, she looked childlike, one thing was certain he wasn't sure he could ever take her seriously, not with such a youthful appearance.

"Why were you late?" he rephrased, waiting for her response. He was certain he saw the look of confusion re-appear.

"Didn't Ms. James inform you?" Ivory questioned.

"How can she if she, herself, was never informed." he countered.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"You should be." he countered, switching the context of her inquiry.

Ivory began to grow weary of this man's wrongful impression of her. Before today she had never in her five years of employment been late. "I am not at liberty to-to divulge the reason behind my tardiness, I am truly apologetic. It was an unavoidable consequence due to unforeseen events to which Ms. James is aware," she explained as much as she was permitted to.

Raiden stared at her, trying to consider why she would lie. He would have been more forgiving if the mistake was acknowledged and apologized for yet the excuses and blame on one's superior was daunting. He was about to speak when they were interrupted.

"Ivory, I have the approvals for Ms. James." another employee walked towards them. Upon seeing Raiden the employee stopped midway in astonishment. It was a consequence he had long grown accustomed to ignoring. Although he would be dishonest if he said the attention wasn't flattering.

Ivory rolled her eyes at Cooper and silently hoped that she didn't have that same dumbfounded expression when she first saw this man. To break the awkward aroma she walked out from behind her desk to collect the files.

Raiden's eyes followed her every movement, his jaw clenching of its own volition. He made a mental note to revoke his comment of her being child-like. She wore a figure-hugging dress that kissed her knees. Her arms were shrouded by sleeves that ran to the crease on her elbows, buttons ran from the neckline in a curve down to the hem on the right side. The outline of her body was very....womanly and he had the desire to see every concealed crevice bared before him. She wasn't tall nor leggy, a stark contrast with the woman he had just met, Emery James, instead she was shorter and contained curves in all the places a woman should.

He quickly shook the thoughts away. He hadn't known how his mind wondered about those thoughts. He blamed it on the fact that he had formed an early and mistaken opinion on her appearance. A mistake, he guided himself, not to commit again. It had never let his lust run wild professionally and he was certain there was no such risk. Raiden believed he need not draw out any conversation with this woman any longer, he had already made his professional assessment. Without further acknowledging Ivory or the other employee he walked away.

Ivory gazed after the careful and elegance of his strides wondering if it were possible for someone to have such an exaggerated sense of their own importance. She admitted he was the most perfect guy she had ever seen, in appearance at least, yet she held off on the assessment of his character. As much as she wanted and desired to demolish any residue of hope of him rebuilding her respect for him Ivory decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, first impressions may prove wrong and how silly would it be to have misjudged someone. She inhaled deeply and decided to free her mind of any grudge she may have held against him, she would consider it as him being a professional acting for the sake of his business.

"Was that who I thought it was?" Cooper questioned, reminding Ivory that he was still in her presence.

"Depends on who you think it is," she responded with a smile as she pulled the files out of his hand and walked back to her desk.

Ivory checked her cell for the hundredth time that night. She breathed heavily, her mood deteriorating with every passing second. Disappointment soon turned into anger and she had then convinced herself that she couldn't be bothered anymore, she just didn't care. This lack of emotion, however, didn't hinder her from checking her emails and other social accounts, yet there was not a hint of the person she wanted to hear from.

Beyond annoyance, Ivory decided to focus on work. Emery usually gave unrealistic deadlines and God if help her if she missed them. She wondered if she should try to secure alternative means of employment, then again, anyone would question her competence at the fact of her being an assistant for so many years despite her qualifications and she held no delusions on Emery's intentions. It would take seconds for her to ruin any chance Ivory had alternative employment. Her review alone would ensure that Ivory never worked in this industry again.

Ivory sighed, silently praying that she would somehow, by some miraculous act of God, realize the fruits of her endeavors. She was exhausted being someone's doormat, yet she felt as though she had no other choice. It was just her luck. Rotten!

Braylen picked a file from Raiden's desk. He barely saw the name, his eyes glued to his watch. He was certain she would be mad at him, the very thought of her glaring at him silently waiting for his explanation made him smile. She was never angry at him for long, how could she be?

"You seem to be in a good mood." Raiden drawled, his brows raised.

Braylen exhaled. "I am impatient to be done with such tedious tasks," he answered honestly. The sooner he was done the sooner he could see her.

" Almost finished. The list of layoffs is not that long." Raiden returned his attention to the file in his hand. He had been holding onto it for longer than he intended. He thought he had decided what to do with this Ivory Remington yet her image and their conversation flooded his mind. He read her file countless times, he wasn't certain what he was hoping to find. At best she seemed mediocre, the company usually handed out promotions easily yet she held the same position for five years, no added duties or responsibilities were even given to her as an on a trial basis. From these records, he was forced to conclude that she was not the right level of competent for persons he usually employed.

Then what was the delay? He pressed the index of his right hand to his temple. He couldn't settle on a decision and it unsettled him.

Braylen gazed up at the desk, intending to get a rough check of the remaining files, his eyes glimpsing the file opened by Raiden.

"Ivory Remington is on the layoff list?" The file in his hand becoming unimportant.

Raiden looked up at the mention of her name. "You know her?" He ensured he appeared unattached, yet he wasn't sure why it required effort.

"As a matter of fact. Why is she on the list?" He questioned passionately. Raiden immediately realized the level of attachment on the part of his associate. This realization....he didn't know what to do with it, it astonished him. He had known Braylen for years yet he had never heard him mention affection for any woman seriously. While his words didn't overtly disclose his affection for Ivory, his tone and body language said it all.

"A number of reasons. For one her lack of punctuality this morning, for another the fact that she is yet to prove any real asset to the company." Raiden recited.

"Her punctuality is impeccable, I can vouch that today was out of her control." Braylen defended, he wasn't sure of the details but he knew that she had been at the hospital the night before with an elderly relative of someone she knew, she didn't dare tell him who.

"Yet she failed to inform her superior. I don't dispute that there are circumstances that may be out of one's control, yet it's the way it's handled that's important. In addition when she questioned I found her version contradicted with that of her superior." Raiden explained. Braylen had much to say on this topic yet he was sidetracked with another thought.

"Wait, what do you mean she isn't an asset?"

"She has been an employee for five years yet her superior didn't find her competent enough to add to her responsibilities or attempt to promote her. It speaks to competence."

"I can attest that Ivory Remington is a credit to her profession, she just needs to be given a chance. The efforts of an employee will only be recognized if there is an employer willing to recognize such." Braylen defended. He knew Ivory, she was committed and brilliant. She was easily overlooked due to her quiet nature yet she was brimming with potential.

Raiden raked his fingers through his dark hair. This conversation making it no clearer on what he should do with regards to Ivory Remington. Braylen felt anxious by Raiden's silence.

"Please her give her a chance, you won't regret it."

Raiden finally closed the file. "We are associates and your opinions hold weight, as such, I will honor your view and provide her with one chance. However, if she fails to impress me I can't promise to secure her employment." he paused, "It's late, how about you leave first? I have forced these late nights on you for too long, I will finish up."

"I am grateful." Braylen exhaled the breath he was unconsciously holding in. His shoulders feeling lighter instantly.

Raiden stared mindlessly at another file as Braylen exited his office, once the door was closed he gazed straight ahead. He knew that if he wanted to exclude this woman from being his employee no one could change his mind, then why did he allow himself to be swayed?