Chapter 16**Andre's POV:**After Ms. Williams left, I thought about where to put Stanley. Ms. Williams was going to be working for me, and the office was already crowded.I recalled how Stanley got his job as my assistant. Five years ago, he came to the company for another job but was denied the position after the interview. I was having a bad day, but I saw how good he was at helping me organize my stuff, so I hired him as my assistant.I knew he wanted a better job, so now was the time. I waited for him to come back to the office before telling him the good news.He looked weary as he walked in, fixing the documents from today's presentation on the shelf before coming to stand in front of me and give reports. "Sir, I extended the meeting date with the investors. We have more time to finish the project, and also, you have a meeting with the governor relating to the demolition on Friday.""Ok," I said. He had always been good at his job, and I didn't know why I was replacing him with
Chapter 17Vanessa's POV:I slinked out of the boardroom, feeling like I'd just been put through a meat grinder. The humiliation from the presentation was still fresh, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of incompetence that had settled over me like a dark cloud. Why couldn't I do anything right? I asked myself and then remembered that I have never worked in a place like this and then thought of how not to be harsh with myself by reminding myself that nothing here was my fault; he's just doing all this to torture me for ruining his car.Back in the office, I sat on the white plush sofa in the room, my mind reeling from the mocking faces I'd seen in the board room a while ago. I couldn't help but wonder if I could survive working here. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Stanley, the boss's ever-watchful assistant, appeared in the office with a scowl on his face."Ms. Williams, You wasted a lot of the boss' time today, do you know how much he hates tardiness?" Stanley s
WARNING ⚠️⚠️⚠️ This chapter contains drug use.Chapter 18Vanessa's POV:I held the shirt in my hands, frustration bubbling inside me. How did I end up in this situation? First, I gave a poor and embarrassing presentation, leaving me anxious about facing the judgmental boardroom. Then, my clumsiness led to me spilling coffee on his white shirt. It seemed like everything I did only made things worse.Gosh, how did I end up working here? I complained, stumping my foot on the floor while ruffling my hair.I needed to find a way to remove the coffee stain from that expensive white shirt without a trace. I took a deep breath and turned to Stanley, who observed the situation with a neutral expression. "Hey, do you have any suggestions on how to remove the stain?" I asked, hoping he could offer some insight to salvage the situation.Stanley sighed and approached the boss's desk, rifling through some files before selecting a few and leaving. He was quite an arrogant individual, seemingly unca
Chapter 19Andre's POV:In the dimly lit, luxurious car, I gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled fury. My frustration with Vanessa's refusal to accompany me spilled over, and I angrily slammed my hand onto the horn, the noise cutting through the stillness of the street.I then called on the secretary to cancel my remaining schedule for the day as I was going back home. Not necessarily back home, but to a place where I can cool my mind and then think of ways to silence the little imp. For real this time. I couldn't shake the thought of what she'd done as I drove. The anger and irritation gnawed at me, and, in my fit of rage, I hit the steering wheel again. The horn blared, giving voice to my simmering anger. Vanessa was pushing my limits, and it was time for her to learn a lesson.As I continued driving, I suddenly felt something wet under my nose. I touched it, only to find my hand smeared with red stain, blood. Cursing my misfortune for not having rested properly before rece
Caution: This chapter isn't meant to criticize the police or give a bad impression about them. The work is solely fictitious. Enjoy.Chapter 20 Vanessa's POV:"How do you like my weekend gift, Pompom?" His voice sounded excited over the phone. This was all his doing. Victor didn't know him at all; they'd never met before, yet he chose to punish my brother."You're quiet; got nothing to say?" He asked, and I stayed silent because I couldn't figure out my feelings."I warned you, Ms. Williams, but you thought I was joking and went to the police to report me, just to prove how courageous you can be." He tsked pitifully. "Let's see how they help you get out of this mess.""Why are you doing this?" I asked, "Please, just let my brother go. He doesn't know anything. You can do whatever you want with me.""Why? Does going to jail bring back old memories?" He chuckled. He wanted Victor to experience going to jail again."Sir, my mother will go crazy if she hears about this. Please, release h
Chapter 21Andre's POV:On Thursday morning, I sat in my chair, reading reports from the previous month. I also signed a few papers that required my approval. It was then that Stanley knocked on the door."Sir, there's a lady outside causing a small commotion about meeting you.""Send her away," I replied nonchalantly, tapping my pen on the desk as I studied the paper."We tried sending her away as we noticed she isn't someone you'd know, based on her appearance butt she has refused.""Do you know who she is?" "I don't know; I'll go outside and check again," Stanley said, quickly leaving the room. I got up from my seat, went to the window, and lowered the blind to see for myself who it was. It was a young lady who looked quite ordinary, and I doubted I'd seen her before. I usually didn't do business with people of her standing. A few moments later, Stanley returned."Sir, she claims she's a friend of Ms. Williams and she has something to speak with you about." I thought for a while,
Chapter 22Vanessa's POV:"I want to resign," I said sternly."What do you think my response will be?" he asked nonchalantly, briefly glancing between the road and me until he found a suitable spot to park the car by the side of the road."Huh?" I asked, a little confused at his reply, did he not take me seriously? I truly want to get away from him and I need him to let go."Let me guess, you're following a script, right? I should know my part of the dialogue to play along. Do you think you can quit on me?" He chuckled, tilting his head to the side."I supposed you didn't read the contract you signed, Vanessa Williams. Do a review of it once you get home. There's a clause that has the penalty you'll receive if you decide to quit halfway through paying back my money. I guess you enjoyed your stay in prison so much that you want to relive that experience."His eyes moved to the undone belt and he hissed, "There's hardly anything you can do right." He moved too close to me without notic
Chapter 23Vanessa's POV:The drive from the store to my house was an all-too-familiar one. The city streets had a certain rhythm, a pulse I had missed more than I could admit. After spending the last week in prison, I was relieved to be back.He dropped me off a few houses down from my own, reversed, and left with a reminder of tomorrow night's event. I couldn't help but feel a mixture of relief and trepidation as I walked the remaining distance.I reached the front gate and took a deep breath before entering. As I approached the door, I felt a growing knot of guilt in my stomach. My mother had no idea where I had been, and now, I had to tell a lie to shield her from the harsh reality of my recent ordeal, I doubt I'd keep a straight face to lie to her, I never told her lies but ever since I met that man, I've turned something else with concealing truths.I pushed open the front door, and there she was, my mother, sitting on the living room couch with Claire and Victor by her side. He
Chapter 60Vanessa's POV:I sat stiffly at the round table, the heavy silverware shining under the warm glow of the restaurant’s chandeliers. The conversation between Mr. Garcia and his business partners flowed smoothly, but I felt like a decorative piece—smiling when expected, nodding politely, and pretending that I belonged here.I tried to stay invisible, focusing on the perfectly cooked steak on my plate and avoiding too much eye contact. But of course, things never stayed simple around him.As I reached for my glass of water, Mr. Garcia leaned forward slightly, a playful look in his eyes as he assisted, passing the water to me.“Ah, young love,” Mr. Laurent mused, smiling as if he’d just discovered our biggest secret.I nearly choked.I set my glass down quickly and glanced at my boss, hoping—begging—he’d correct the misunderstanding.Genevieve chuckled softly and placed her hand over her husband’s. “It’s lovely to see Andre with someone who makes him… human. You bring a softness
Chapter 59Vanessa's POV:Later that night, back at the hotel, I tried to keep my distance. But he was everywhere, partially suffocating my space.I was barely out of the shower when there was a knock at the door. I wrapped the robe tighter around me before opening it slightly, only to find him standing there, hands in his pockets.“Did you forget about the dinner?” he asked, his eyes scanning me briefly before stepping inside without invitation. “You need to get dressed.”I gestured to the dress I had already picked out. “I’m wearing this.”The dress I had chosen was a simple black one—elegant but modest.He gave it one look and dismissed it with a shake of his head. “No.”Frustration bubbled. “What’s wrong with it?”Instead of answering, he lifted the shopping bags with him. I blinked. He had lots of bags, and I wondered if he picked half the store."I got more than five dresses. Try them on.”“You expect me to try all of these?" He didn't respond, so I started opening the bags and
Chapter 58Vanessa's POV:He smelt of cigarettes. Sounded like the “something important” was smoking. My lungs were a bit relieved that he was considerate enough to do it outside.He paused in the doorway, expression unreadable, staring with lazy eyes, and in a nonchalant voice said, “What are you doing?”“Sleeping,” I said, fluffing a pillow.He let out a dry laugh. “Get up.”“I’m fine here.”His voice sharpened. “You're not allowed to do that here. We're sharing the bed, and that's final.”He did look serious. I swallowed. There was no room for argument. Slowly, I stood.I climbed into the bed, keeping as much distance as humanly possible from the other side. He disappeared into the bathroom. The sound of the running shower lasted minutes before the door clicked open again.I couldn't help myself. My eyes flickered over to him, despite my best intentions to look anywhere else. And there he was—standing shirtless, with a towel tucked loosely around his waist and another in his hand,
Chapter 57Vanessa’s POV:The moment I stepped onto the plane, I knew something was wrong.Or, more accurately, something was too right.First-class? I had mentally prepared myself for the stiff seats, the cramped legroom, and the congested space. But here I was, standing in front of a seat so luxurious I almost didn’t want to touch it. Plush cream-colored seats, ample space, and an actual menu? This wasn’t just an upgrade. This was a full-blown Cinderella moment—except my fairy godmother was a sadistic CEO who got a kick out of seeing me squirm.I turned sharply to face Mr. Garcia, who was already settling into the seat beside mine like he owned the entire plane. Which, knowing him, he probably did.“You didn’t tell me we were flying first-class,” I asked, arms crossed.He gave me a slow, lazy smirk. “Would it have made you come willingly if I did?”I clenched my jaw. He didn't tell me he was kidnapping me in luxury.“This is unnecessary,” I muttered, gripping the armrest like it mig
Chapter 56 Andre's POV:The door opened, and she walked in. The intern followed closely behind her, holding her hand, and then departed the moment my eyes lingered.He walked away from her side to stand beside his team manager. My fingers curled into my palm as I watched her approach. She leaned toward me slightly, her voice a soft whisper."Sir, coffee."I took it without a word, refusing to acknowledge the warmth in her tone. I took a sip, and somehow, it tasted more bitter than usual. I frowned and pushed it back to her."Get me a new one," I ordered.She passed me a pissed-off glare before leaving the room.Soon, the meeting ended, and everyone gathered their documents and left. Vanessa moved to pick up my copy of the proposal, but I stopped her. I got up, trapping her between the table with my hands."Sir?" Her voice was low, cautious, and her face held a frown.I tilted my head, watching her carefully. "What? You didn’t have this face downstairs when you laughed at whatever tha
Chapter 55*Obsession-2*Andre’s POV:I ran a hand down my face as she stormed off, exhaling heavily. A part of me felt relieved watching her go—like shedding dead weight. There was no passion, no real connection. Just another failed attempt at something that was never meant to be.Signaling the waiter, I ordered a bottle of whiskey. Tonight, I needed to drown in something stronger than my thoughts.The moment I dropped the bottle, my phone buzzed, and I picked up without checking."How's your date going?" Ethan's voice carried amusement. I exhaled. Sounded like he called just to mock me. I didn't respond, just sighed a second time."Come on... Tell me about it, Andre..." Ethan dragged."Fucked. I broke up with her, and she left."Ethan laughed. "I knew it would end this way. You're that ass who doesn’t know what he wants.""And you do?""Better than you do." He jeered."You alone?""Still at the restaurant, yeah.""Let's drink together then."I leaned back in my seat. "And Sarah?""S
Chapter 54By the time evening rolled around, Vanessa gathered her things and stepped out of the building.Andre stood in front of the glass window, arms folded, watching her leave. The sight unsettled him in ways he refused to acknowledge. The way she carefully balanced the box in her arms, her delicate fingers gripping the edges as if afraid to drop it—it held his attention longer than it should have.She was almost at the gate when someone stepped into her path.The intern from earlier.Andre’s jaw tightened. His eyes sharpened, drinking in every detail of the interaction between them.Vanessa said something, and the guy laughed. His smiling face grated on Andre’s nerves. Then, without hesitation, the intern reached out, offering to take the box from her. Vanessa hesitated for a moment before handing it over, a small, appreciative smile tugging at her lips.Andre's fingers curled into a fist, something dark and restless brewing inside of him.What the hell is she doing?His vision
Chapter 53Andre’s POVI should fire her.The thought came as I leaned against my desk, tapping my pen against the glass surface.It had been hours since I handed Vanessa the reports, and there had been nothing but silence—no updates, no questions, no remarks.A part of me expected her to come running, maybe complaining that she still didn't understand the corrections, but she hadn't.Curiosity won over patience, and before I could talk myself out of it, I stood and made my way out of the office. She had her small desk a few steps away from my secretary Grace's desk in the second office.I pushed the door open and found her there.Head down, resting on her desk.Asleep.I stepped closer, the irritation I'd been preparing slipping through my fingers.Her chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks. Strands of hair had fallen over her face, and her lips were slightly parted, as if she had fallen asleep mid-thought.She looked... soft.A far
Chapter 52Vanessa’s POVThe car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the company building. Mr. Garcia stepped out first, not even glancing in my direction. He walked ahead, his long strides confident with his expression unreadable.I stayed seated for a moment, gripping the strap of my bag tightly. I inhaled. Exhaled. I could do this. I had spent the last few weeks away from here, so much so that I almost didn't remember what it was like to work in this kind of setting.After my small mental prep, I finally stepped out—only to meet his gaze, pinning me in place."Scared of going in?"I shook my head quickly and got out of the car. His warm hand found mine, his fingers slowly pressing against my cold ones. "Let's go."The air around me shifted. Everything felt blurry as I tried to understand why he was holding my hand, walking beside me so naturally. But I found no reason.The moment we stepped into the lobby, everything seemed to pause. Conversations lowered to whispers, eyes turned t