Side piecePov: WinstonMaddie was forty five minutes late and counting.I huffed and paced about wildly in the section of my floor that had been reserved as her office. After the whole thing went down with James and she started working officially as my assistant, I had made the whole thing seem like an impromptu decision but I had actually thought long and hard about making her my assistant and having her close to me, especially when I was making business deals, or when she had to let down a few investors easy or when there was a problem with my schedule.Maddie had proven herself excellent at the job. She understood the assignment, during charity and fund raising events, she was quick to fish out the politicians or elites with the fattest pockets, start up a conversation with them, get them to like her and become genuinely with her and she would sway them to me, and this tactic had boosted my popularity among the inner circles of old money and politician families. Her rare ability t
Office gossipPov: MaddisonI was aware of the sneaky glances and snarky gazes as I walked into office the next day.I stopped for a chat at Olivia's desk but she was stiff and awkward with me. A tight lipped smile stretched her lips."Okay, out with it!" I commanded. "What's really going on?""What do you mean?" She blinked, or tried to blink innocently at me."Everyone is acting weird..." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Including you."Olivia sighed tiredly. "Anna got fired. It sparked even more rumours especially since we just went through the first wave with James. A lot of people are talking. Your popularity rate has shot up a bit... But for all the wrong reasons."I waited for the drop in my stomach. The nervous twists in my guts. The heavy lump in my throat. But nothing came. I was numb to the gossip."And Lois is spreading rumours about what really went down in Seattle. She said you were two timing the Van–tech hire AND Mr Winston at the same time. And the Van–tech princess had a
Good news and dealsPov: MaddisonMr Winston had been holed up in his office for hours, dealing with the shrewd investors from Milan who decided they couldn't have a zoom meeting like every other foreign investor.During the more delicate matters of the process, Mr Winston sent me off to do whatever and it's either because he didn't want me witnessing the grueling process of trying to sway loaded investors into your filling your pockets or supporting a project.. OR, he just read into my body language and realized I was sick and tired and bored of just standing there like a very effective ice statue and not trying to talk about the booger in one of the bodyguard's nose. It was honestly RIGHT there staring right at me, as if trying to annoy me further and I was beyond irritated and annoyed at the hunk of muscle for just standing there and looking menacing with a booger in his nose.The investors left after the very successful meeting (I can tell that it was successful because Mr Winsto
RoommatesPov: MaddisonMr Winston had been true to his words and let me off early, just to get me used to the fact that I was going to be working closely with Lady Donatella and give me some time and space to deliberate on and settle into the idea of modelling for the brand.I found Olivia also clocking out at her front desk and stopped. "Hey, you're off early."She seemed to have just gotten off the phone with someone and she had probably just had an argument with that person because the light cinnamon colour skin of her face was red and heated and her eyebrows were etched into an annoyed scowl.When she realized that I was talking to her, she sighed and shook her head. "Ugh, it's just my roommate. She's been flaking out on paying the rent for a while, coming up with one excuse or the other, so I usually cover up for her and pay her share of the rent before the landlord comes knocking. And now, my neighbor called that he saw THIS BITCH leaving the apartment JUST NOW with all her thi
Slumber partyPov: MaddisonShe came to open the door, her usual golden hair in tight spirally coils were piled high on her head and tied up with a bandana to keep it in place. She was wearing a black teeny tiny crop top that only covered her breasts and stopped just below it, covering only half of her ribs, her nipple piercing pushed behind her shirt. And very loose gray pants that dropped low from her hips, exposing her very toned stomach and belly piercing.Olivia was very beautiful. All shades of gold and brown and this was the first time I was seeing her out of office and really in her comfort zone.She had an exasperated look on her face and sighed, "you're late!"I paused for a moment. "I am?""Yes!" She opened the door wider and ushered me in.I lugged my carry on bag with me and dragged my trunk behind me, entering into the foyer with her. She closed the door and locked up, looking at me when she was done and sighing again. "Kat was right. Lois kicked her out."Whuuuttt?!I
An unexpected visitorPov: Maddison"Maddie?!" I heared Olivia call out nervously from the sitting room. "Someone's here to see you!"I paused from where I was folding my clothes and stashing them into a cupboard in Olivia's spare room.I walked out of the room, past the hallway, past the living room and into the foyer where the door was left ajar and Olivia was talking with someone."She'll be out in a minute," she was telling the person."Can't I come in?"I froze, realizing the voice and resisting the urge to run and hide from him. My heart attacked my rib cage mercilessly."You can't," Olivia said, her voice firm. Leaving no room for an argument. "Maddie has to recognize and identify you before I let you in my house."That soft chuckle like light rain and soft sunlight. "If I wanted to force my way into your home, I would have pulled a gun on your head the second you opened the door for me.""I'm not defenceless. I know jujitsu.""Hot."I didn't see it but I knew Olivia rolled her
RevealPov: MaddisonI hadn't seen Gwyn in a while, so you can imagine my shock and excitement when she walked into the C-suite, reserved for me and Mr Winston, her six inch heels, clicking on the marble floor."Hey Maddie!" She greeted first, smiling warmly at me. She was ethereal. So beautiful, she seemed to glow. There were pearls of water droplets on her hair and shoulders, probably from the light rain that was pouring outside. She was wearing a snow white cashmere sweater, tight fitted skirts that stopped at her thighs and showed off her beautiful, flawless legs and two solid gold bracelets rattled on her wrist as she raised her hand to wave at me."Gwyn!" I cried excitedly, standing up and pulling her into a warm hug. Hmmm. She smelled so nice. Like something sweet snd spicy, like butterscotch and vanilla.She leaned into the hug, her arm clasping around my back."If you're here to see Mr Winston," I started immediately, because the man didn't have much time left before his next
ScarePov: WinstonA hand banging on the hardwood of my desk right in my face caused me to raise my head up at the intruder.Gwyn's eyes were blazing with terror and unbelievable horror. "Winston, what did you do?!" She asked, her voice deathly quiet, her face, deathly pale."Gwyn," I said, raising an annoyed eyebrow at her, before going back to going through a request to extend paternity leaves by an extra month. "Do we have a problem?""You revealed your true nature to Maddie?!"I froze, my pen hovering over the spot where my signature was meant to be. "How did you get this information?" I asked, trying to restrain how anxious I really felt."Maddie!" She exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air and pacing about my study. "Maddie told me that she saw YOU transform. Are you trying to fuck this up for yourself?! For the rest of us?! The entire clan?! Are you trying to scare her away?! We're on the verge of an attack and a possible seige. In case it hasn't occured to you yet, we need o