One: Safina

“How is your department handling the revisions of the proposal Bels?” I ask my roommate, coworker and best friend as we stroll inside the most expensive boutique of the mall.

“We could really use your brains to revise it for Mr. King, you’re the magna cum laude of your batch in college and yet you’re stuck being the CEO’s PA! I mean the other week the CEO approved it and now he wants us to change it because his father doesn’t like it?” She scoffed, shaking her head in disapproval.

“Max doesn’t want to disappoint his dad or veer away from the true visionary of the company and I doubt you need my help, you and the marketing department are doing your jobs amazingly.” I tried to cheer her up.

“Of course you’d say that, you’re his girlfriend and you both try to please undeserving people.” She smiled apologetically at me as she blurts out those words, I smiled back in assurance that it was alright “Speaking of girlfriend, your anniversary with him is tomorrow!” she cheerfully changes the topic

“That’s why we’re here! I’ve been saving up for his favorite scarf since the new year’s and as well as a special surprise at his apartment.” I bit my lower lip seductively at the thought of wearing something that Max would like to rip off of me in an instant.

“Max is honestly the luckiest b*stard in Seattle right now.” She chuckles “He’s bagged a girlfriend who is a very beautiful and intelligent secretary by day… a very sultry and s*xy stripper by night!” she smirks.

“I fully paid off my student loans last month and mom’s $250,000 debts to her friends last year, now I just got to focus on paying the bank on the housing loan so I can get the house back.” I sigh in relief “Maybe I can finally quit showing my body off in front of dozens of people on a nightly basis soon enough and follow my dreams of becoming a writer.” I say optimistically

“With the interest tripled up?” she wonders in concern “Babes, I know how much you want to pay all of her debts but you’ve been working too hard since she died but some things just have to be let go in order for us to move on even if that something meant so much to us.” She smiled weakly and held my hand. “And you’ve always wanted to become a writer even before we met but instead of fulfilling your dreams, you’re always working hard to get your mom’s dream home back, pay her debts and work in jobs that pay well but don’t fulfill you.” She sighs

“I know Bella, once I paid it off I’ll have it renovated and sold! Then I become a world famous author and Max and I can finally travel the world!” I smiled brightly.

“You don’t run out of optimism do you?” she asked teasingly

“Nope, but you love that about me.” I winked

“Guilty as charged, now let’s go find your boyfriend’s Burberry scarf and I think I saw a beautiful silk lingerie on the window’s mannequin, Max will love that on you!” She says excitedly “I hope they have one with my size too.” She added

“Who will you show them off to Bels? Last time I checked you were simping hard for that foreign celebrity or something- what was his name again?” I giggled as she nudges me and gave me a playful glare

“First off, he’s not a celebrity! He’s Crown Prince Alaric Xavier Swann of Valtora, g****e him so you can get why I’m fawning over him.” She rolled her eyes with a scoff “Second, I don’t need a man to buy and wear a lingerie for. I can wear anything I want that shows off my beautiful curves and what makes me feel s*xy as f*ck.” She stated as we headed to the lingerie section “Let’s get ourselves a lingerie for my bodacious curves and for your longtime boyfriend, and it’s my treat! Consider it as anniversary gift from me!” she winks and grabs the exact replica of the lingerie in the mannequin but in my size and it was black before pushing me inside the private fitting room before I could even protest.

I sighed in admiration and shook my head at my best friend’s antics as I locked the door and began undressing and put on the silk lingerie that had beautiful lace details.

Bella had been my best friend and roommate since I was a freshman and she was a sophomore in college, she had been with me through ups and downs and she stuck with me when my mom died and left me with thousands of dollars in debt. She was a little worried about me becoming a stripper at the hottest nightclub in Seattle to help around the apartment but she supported me nonetheless and didn’t judge me for it.

I sighed as I smoothed out the lingerie’s corset before stepping out of the fitting room, seeing Bella’s mouth hang open “What? Is it that bad?” I bit my lower lip shyly as her facial expression turned into a smirk of approval.

“Max won’t know what hit him Safi, it’s going to be a day to remember!” she declares.

It was a day to remember, just not the good kind…

–––

The next day, I woke up early and decided to head over to Max’s luxury penthouse to surprise him, with his scarf wrapped up nicely and my lingerie tucked away in a full body coat. A few of the staff has greeted me cheerfully, knowing that I was his girlfriend and secretary.

“Good morning Pietro! Is Max up yet? I have a little surprise for him.” I told the receptionist with a kind smile on my face

He seemed to have a sad and sympathetic look on his face before turning it into a smile “Not yet, Safi. But what is the special occasion that has earned him a surprise?” he wonders.

“It’s our anniversary and I was wondering if you can hook me up with a spare key? I have mine but I somehow forgot it back home.” I huffed

He chuckled before looking for the key and handed it to me “Happy anniversary to the both of you.” he smiled genuinely

“Thanks, Piet! Have a good day!” I smiled back and head to the elevator and walked confidently in heels, not noticing his look of sympathy and pity as I left.

–––

I smoothed out my coat before stepping out of the elevator, feeling the butterflies in my stomach erupt in excitement that I finally get to spend some alone time with my boyfriend that didn’t involve work. I was about to use the key but the door was slightly open, I frowned in confusion.

“Odd, he always locks his doors before he goes to bed.” I mumbled as I slowly opened the door and carefully shut the door, only to hear mo*ns and giggles coming from the direction of the living room. My heart sinks to my stomach as I slowly walked towards the living room.

“Shouldn’t you be at work today?” a feminine voice purred seductively as I finally caught a glimpse of the woman, fully na*ed and sat on my boyfriend’s lap who was also na*ed “Mhm, I thought CEOs are supposed to be workaholics?” she giggled as Max peppered her neck with kisses, moa*ing as he suckled onto her sensitive skin.

“I can go in late, I’m the CEO of the company anyway.” He says smugly “My secretary does everything for me, I just have to show up and present all the things she did and claim that I thought of it in the first place.” He chuckled as I felt anger and heartbreak rise through me…

“Good morning Mr. King.” I finally spoke kindly as if I didn’t hear anything about his confession, he instantly pushed off the girl off of his lap before turning to face me with clear shock in his eyes.

“Safina! What the f*ck are you doing here?! Shouldn’t you be at the office!” he cleared his throat as he looked at me as if I wasn’t his girlfriend.

My heart broke even further at the tone of his voice but I refused to let him see it. But before I had the chance to speak, the woman that Max took home spoke up and stood next to him as if he didn’t push her off his lap.

“Good, your secretary is here. She can handle all your projects right? So you can spend the whole day with me.” she smiled seductively and traced the band of stripes tattooed around his lower arm, along with the date of our birthdays and the day I became his girlfriend.

A tattoo that he had gotten for our first anniversary.

“I`m actually here to deliver something for him from Miss Brooks, his favorite client.” I walked towards them, his body tensed as he hears my last name but I kept my composure and continued to walk towards him. I looked at Max with so much love in my eyes as his facial expression softened as I was only a few steps away from him. I leaned in as if I was going to kiss him “I loved you...” I whispered before slapping him as hard as I could as that love turned into hurt and anger, shocking the bimbo that he took home.

“Who do you think you are?! You can’t hurt him like that!” She screamed as she got in my face.

I chuckled and dropped the scarf on the carpet “My name is Safina Brooks, his personal assistant… and girlfriend.” I faked a smile before slapping her harder than I slapped Max, making her stumble down on the floor and turned my attention to him “Well ex girlfriend as of today, the same day that he promised that he’ll never hurt me four years ago.” I spat

“Sh*t” realization dawned on him “I’m sorry baby I forgot our-” I cut him off

I let out a hollow laugh “Forgetting our anniversary is the least of your worries Max! You promised me!” I snapped, tears are now falling down on my cheeks.

“You were always busy! What am I supposed to do?! I have needs! I miss you but you would always push me away!” he snapped back, trying to justify his actions of cheating

“I can’t believe you…” I glared at him “I push you away because I’m working my *ss off for you and your f*cking company! I’m working to help you impress your father, seeking for his approval!” I exclaim angrily “Yet everything ‘you’ do will never be enough.” I scoffed “But in reality, it’s your personal assistant who does all the work but you take all the credit for yourself.” I shake my head and wipe my tears.

“Safina baby, I’m sorry. I should’ve been more understanding and I should’ve taken responsibility for the job that I needed to do!” he stepped towards me, completely forgetting that he’s fully n*ked. “I’ll do better and I promise to be faithful to you.” He says softly and held my hands but I pulled away harshly.

“You broke your promise to me Max… How can I be so sure that you’re not going to break that promise again? Until I don’t give you attention because of the work you’re making me do?” I ask him, pushing him away and grabbed the scarf up from the carpet. “I’m done.” I sighed and turned away from him, making my way towards the door.

But not before addressing the girl “Good luck with him, I rarely finish my org*sm so I had to fake it for almost four years.” I smiled and helped her up. She pulls away and looks at me with pity in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know he had a girlfriend. He told me he was single.” she caressed the cheek that I had slapped.

“It’s alright.” I smiled weakly as I kept walking towards the door, hearing my name being called and footsteps following me.

“Safina!” I sighed as I reached the door. “You walk out of that door and I swear to god, you won’t have a job tomorrow! I’ll make sure that no company in Seattle will hire you ever again and you won’t get your mother’s house back unless you come back to me!” he threatens

“Goodbye Max, I’d rather be jobless than be betrayed by you ever again.” I say emotionlessly as I could, slamming the door and leaving his penthouse apartment as fast as I could, rushing into the elevator and cried hard, it was the first time I cried this hard since my mother died seven years ago. I texted Bella to pick me up as soon as possible and drop me off to Fire and Desire without explanation.

Max was the first person that made me feel that I was enough. He never tried to veer me away from my dreams of becoming a writer. I truly became myself around him and he loved me despite my debts and my past. And I loved him back even more than he did…

Until he broke his promise of not breaking my heart.