"What are you doing there?" I managed to say despite the shock that overwhelmed me."What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm at work." Maverick replied and I blinked at him."Hold on... Hold on, let me get this straight... You're the CEO of Black Empire and you didn't tell me?" I asked pointing at him and he grinned at me."Come here." He said waving his hands over to me."I'm not coming there. How could you not tell me?" I asked and he sighed."I was going to make it as a surprise.""Boss!" I heard and before I could make a sound, a familiar figure dashed in. He didn't spare me a glance as he walked towards the man sitting on the chair."What is all the fuss about?""The Board Meeting. They requested it to be shifted forward.""Request Cancelled.""But–"Maverick finally removed his eyes from me only to glare at Carter. "I'll inform them."He was about to walk past me when he finally decided to notice me or maybe he was truly noticing me for the first time."Ma'am.""Hi." I greet
Immediately, the scent of Freshly Peeled Tangerine filled the room and my eyes widened. I haven't even started to learn the damned Schedule!"Sir." The secretary, I really need to get her name, said getting up from her chair. I stood up after her followed by Carter."Do you need something?" She continued and Maverick's eyes looked from her over to me. I blinked at him and he nodded his head.Without saying anything, he walked away from us. His hand was buried in his pocket and his steps were calculated. His cold aura covered him like a thick blanket and I sighed dreamily."Let's go." She said and I immediately grabbed a book off my table before running after her and Carter."Are we going to the board meeting?""We are and shh! Don't talk while we're walking." She answered."I promise this is the last time, but what's your name? I didn't quite get–"I was facing her and didn't notice when Maverick stopped in his steps and so I ran my head into his sturdy back. "Ow." I frowned rubbing
"Maverick!" A voice yelled from outside and before we could pull apart, the door had been pushed open.I immediately pushed Maverick away with a deep blush. I grabbed my cheeks and squeezed my eyes shut. "Oh... Wow... I didn't know Office Romance was going on. I would have knocked. Sorry.""O-O-Office R-Romance?!" I sputtered turning around to see Ramon's grinning face."What is wrong with your hand?" A cold voice rang out in the room and before anyone could say anything, I slowly walked away from the scene."Stop." Oh, shite!"Answer me, Ramon. What's wrong with your hand? Is it broken? Or paralyzed?""None of the above... It's working perfectly fine." The latter replied waving his hand."Hn. Perfectly fine you say? Come over here for a second.", Maverick said waving him over. Ramon was about to take one step before he paused."Nah. Nope, thank you. I'm perfectly fine over here.""Don't make me say it twice," Maverick warned with a glare and I gulped my saliva."Sir?" Someone call
AVERY"Well, I thought it couldn't be you but alas! It is. Look what the cat dragged in."With a sigh, I turned my head to the inevitable beside me."Always a pleasure to see you, Eleanor Roosevelt." I bid with a tight smile."Oh! It remembers my name. What are you doing here? How did you even gain entry into this place? Now I can't come here anymore, Vermin is all over the place. Gosh." She bemoaned with a scrunched face as she waved her hand around.I said nothing as I looked back at the drawing on my espresso. It looked like a leaf. "Don't you ever say it again. You have to be strong. If you want revenge, you must be strong and cold. No word should hurt you anymore. Don't let anyone talk down on you ever again." A familiar voice rang in my head. Maverick's voice.If I want revenge, I have to be strong. No word should hurt me anymore. I need a shield. A bulletproof vest of a sort. And I knew exactly what to say."Have you looked inward before?" I asked turning my head to Eleanor wh
AVERY I was about to open my mouth when a phone rang out loud. The ringtone was a funky song which made me really curious as to who was using that ringtone. I turned my head to look around the cafe when suddenly, the song stopped followed by a deep baritone voice saying, "What?" I snapped my head to Ramon to see him listening to his call. Hold on, was that his ringtone? "The cafe across." He rolled his eyes and then dropped the phone without looking at the screen. "So, go." "Go where?" I asked blinking at him. "The story of how you met Maverick." "Oh... Umm... It's–" My eyes darted to the door and I saw a figure walk in. Behind him was a man who was looking down at the tablet in his hand. The figure looked around until it fell on me. "What are you looking at with so much smile? Don't kill a poor man, please." "Smile?" I asked then I noticed my voice wasn't sounding like me. I brought my hand to my lips to feel it was spread out. Do people smile without even knowing they we
AVERY "You didn't make this up?" Ramon said suddenly and I looked up my teary eyes at him. "What?" I whispered and he shook his hand. "Sorry for asking that dumb question." I said nothing more and shook my head. My eyes went to the cold Expresso. Such a waste of a sweet thing. "We're leaving," Maverick announced suddenly getting up from his seat. "Why?" I choked out and he didn't give me a response as he took my hand and practically dragged me out of the Cafe. I didn't even get to say Goodbye to Ramon. "Carter!" He yelled and I flinched at the intensity of his voice. "Sir?" "Key." He demanded. "You're driving yourself?" "Do I need to repeat myself?" "Of course not. Here you go." He stuttered and pulled out the car key from his pocket. Maverick snatched it from him and opened the door to the car. He pushed me inside and then slammed the door close. I jumped when the door made contact with the lock. He opened the door to his side and entered the car as well. "Maverick?" I
MAVERICK"You have a nice scent," I mumbled almost falling asleep."I like yours better." That made my eyes snap open. I slowly pulled my head away from her neck to look up at her."Huh?""Huh?" She repeated and I raised my finger to push her head slightly."Ah.""You can't use that trick on me," I stated and she frowned rubbing her forehead."It didn't even hurt you that much," I mumbled to myself."Meanie.""Oh? What did you just call me?" I asked pointing at her."Nothing." She replied almost immediately while shaking her head. She's so cute."You said something about my scent earlier?" I asked and she looked at me before she smiled. That heartwarming smile."I said I like your scent better. It smells like Tangerine."Okay, I wasn't expecting that."Tangerine?" I asked taken aback. She nodded her head vigorously while blinking at me."Why would I smell like Tangerine?""I don't know. All I know is, the first time I was in your car, it was overwhelmed with Tangerine. Even Carter's s
AVERYIn the Cab on the way to Ramon's house, I let out another sigh. Am I being too much right now? Did I overreact? I mean, he was obviously angry when he asked me to leave for Ramon's House. He even said not to come back again! And I actually left.How do I even go back to the house? He definitely won't help me with my revenge anymore. I won't be surprised if Ramon is sacked and loses his title while I get a signed divorce paper simply waiting for my signature to finalize it.Ah, Maybe I'm thinking too much."Miss, we're here." The cab driver said making me look up at a mansion."Right. Thank you." I said pushing the door open. I let myself out of the car and closed the door behind me with a sullen look. I dragged my feet towards the gate when a honk from behind him stopped me in my tracks.Thinking it was Maverick, I smiled and turned around to see the Cab driver waving me over. My smile fell at the sight of his car.I ran to him in a hurry and then he said,"You haven't paid.""P
"It's better," I said. Maverick looked up at me. "It's better since I'm not his daughter. That way, if we later tell people we're married, they won't say you married your rival's Daughter." I continued without looking up from the sock I was knitting."Are you sure?" He asked and I looked up at him."Am I sure I'm ready to leave behind the people I've known as my family my whole life? Am I ready to agree to the fact that he wasn't my father all along? I mean, yes, I am. It actually explains a lot of things. The treatment especially." I replied.A sigh came from him and I chuckled. He stood from his seat and came over to me. He held my jaw and turned my face to him. His thumb wiped the tears that stained my face."You'll be fine. I'm here for you."5 months later.My eyes were glued to the white and black picture on the screen. The cold gel on my stomach was tingling me but Maverick's hand that was holding my hand was radiating warmth throughout my body."Congratulations, Mr. Black. C
AVERY"What is that supposed to mean?""It means, Avery, sitting right there, is not a daughter of the Roosevelt!""What?" I asked in a small voice."It's high time you knew. Yes, my husband found you. You're not our biological daughter. When we found you, you were just a child. An infant. Your mother had abandoned you. Thrown you away. You were useless.""No. No, I'm– No! No." I muttered shaking my head. My eyes started to feel dizzy. I tried to hold on to something when a warm hand grabbed my face and set my ass down on the chair."Avery. Avery, look at me." Maverick said and I tried to look at him."Breathe. Baby, breathe."I took a deep breath and looked up at his face with tears in my eyes."Call the cops. They can take them away." Maverick commanded and immediately the men dragged two screaming women and a silent man out of the room."Hubby–" I called and he shushed me."I know. I know." He pulled me into a hug and I reluctantly hugged him back. He patted my head while I sobbed
AVERY"Current Location?" Maverick asked over his shoulders asking Carter who was only a few steps away from us."An old warehouse not far from the airport," Carter replied looking up from the iPad in his hand."Did you bring the file?""Yes Sir.""Hm.""What file?" I couldn't help but ask."You'll see." He replied mysteriously before patting my head. I smiled and nodded my head obediently."We're here," Carter announced and I stopped in my tracks almost immediately. My eyes looked at the two wooden doors in front of us. Two men dressed in black that looked twice my size were standing at the door, guarding it."Boss." They greeted with a bow."This is my wife.", Maverick said showing them our entwined hands."Ma'am." They acknowledged me with a bow as well."Hi." I greeted them with a light wave. They pushed the wooden doors apart and I immediately stared inside the room. Three figures were seated on the floor, all bound with a rope on their hand and leg."Are you sure you want to do
AVERY"We need to talk."Maverick paused his actions and looked at me on the bed. He resumed looking back at the mirror and he replied,"Hm?""The matter on ground?" I asked and he paused again. He undid the tie and tossed it to the chair. He walked towards me and say himself down on the bed right beside me.My heart was hammering against my chest for what was about to leave my mouth but I couldn't feel more confident. More satisfied."It's okay if you don't want us to do anything. If it'll cost me you and our marriage, then I'd rather let go of my revenge plan than lose you." He declared staring straight into my eyes with his thumb kneading my knuckles. I blinked at him and gulped the ball in my throat."I... I... I want us to punish him. By the Law, of course. He should be punished for his bad deeds." I said taking his hand into mine instead. "You won't lose me or our marriage. I've given it enough thought. He has been cruel for a long time. Ever since back then, he has been doing
AVERY"Shh. Go to sleep.""Lay beside me. Wait till I fall asleep.""Only until you fall asleep." I reminded and he nodded pulling me to the bed. My head was on his arm which acted like a pillow while my whole body frame was hugged by his huge body frame.My eyes looked around our room. It was dark but I could feel the sadness and emptiness looming over the room. The curtains had been drawn obstructing any form of light from coming in. The lights had been flipped off giving the room a weird vibe."I really missed you. I tried everything. I tried to do everything to keep my sanity intact. I tried doing everything to keep my mind off you. To keep me from driving over to you." I heard and I turned my head in his direction.His eyes were open so I reached out to touch his face. I smiled patting his cheeks and he smiled in return moving closer to my hand."I know. I missed you too." I replied snuggling closer to him. He pulled me closer until our bodies merged and then he let out a sigh.T
MAVERICK"Master! The Madam is Gone!" This sentence made me stand up like I had been electrocuted."Gone? Gone where?" I asked walking towards her. I walked past her and headed straight for our room."We have no idea.""When was the last time she was seen?" I asked pushing the door to our room open."Last night. After you left the room." She replied. My eyes looked around the room. She truly wasn't here."Call Carter," I instructed closing our room's door before she could give a reply. I dragged my feet to the bed that was neat like no one had laid on it. She didn't sleep in this bed. I fell to the bed and my hand subconsciously caressed her part of the bed. My hand moved to the pillow where she laid her head and I brought it to my nose to sniff it. Her pillow was doused in her heavenly scent so I took a long whiff.I hugged the pillow pretending it was her and closed my eyes imagining she was in my hands. Safe and close. I should have held her in my arms last night. I never should h
MAVERICK"And the fact that you think I would side with my Father shows how much you trust me. The fact that you kept this from me shows how much you truly love me." She said."Avery–""Get out, Maverick.""What?""Please." She pleaded. I hated the way she was pleading with me. I hated the fact that we were in this mess. I hated the fact that she found out this way. The fact that she's doubting my love for her because of this makes my heart break.It's breaking more than the times I knew she was just a few steps away yet I couldn't bring myself to her. "I'll be in my study if you need me," I said walking away from her. I closed the door behind me and Butler Flora stood in front of me."What in the world is going on?""I'll tell you once it's all solved," I replied."Make sure she eats tonight.""You keep telling me that every day yet you don't eat either. She hasn't eaten for the past week ever since you turned your study to your house and even denied seeing her. She's heartbroken."
AVERY I stared blankly at the golden-colored wall. I refused to blink. I refused to let the cry that had welled up in my eyes fall. Because if I do, more will fall and then the dam will break. My eyes darted to the clock on the side table. It read 10:26 pm. My hand that was holding the duvet clenched further and I blinked. That was my mistake. I grabbed the pillow beside me tossing it to the floor. "Why?!" I yelled tears rolling down my face. I made no move to wipe it off neither did I make an effort to stop crying. "What did I do wrong?! Why?!" I yelled trashing the bed. My throat hurt from crying so much. My cold dinner lay on the dressing table covered. Just like the way Butler Flora had placed it there earlier this evening. "Mistress!" Someone yelled and I turned my head glaring at whoever it was. "Get out! Get out of my room!" I yelled tossing whatever I could grab. If anyone saw me they would think I've gone crazy. I am. I am crazy. I'm going crazy. "Young Miss, please
AVERY"This is good!" He screeched and I shrunk back at the momentum of his voice."You don't have to yell that much," I said taking a sip of the hot cocoa that I made for the two of us."Of course, I have to. This is better than the ones I've made for myself.""Don't flatter me," I said rolling my eyes."Why would I want to do that?" He asked."True that," I replied after a short seconds of silence."I like your necklace by the way.""Yeah?" I asked trailing the sapphire stone with my hand."Maverick got it for you?" He asked and I looked up at him in surprise. "How do you know that?" I asked."He's my best friend. I know his taste in necklaces." He replied and I nodded my head picking up my mug again."Avery?" He called and I turned my head to him. He stared at me for a while before he shook his head and said,"Never mind.""Why? Is something on my face?" I asked rubbing my face."No. There's nothing on it.""Then why do you keep staring at me?" I asked in confusion."Do you want t