Chapter one

"I'm sorry miss, there's nothing more I can do for you, medications won't hold you up for long, it's only a temporary pain relief, you need immediate surgery."

The doctor's words from earlier today echo in my head as the sound of my name being called snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Hannah Francesca Evans." the receptionist gestures for me to go in and I nervously stand.

In the interview room, there are six individuals seated, scrutinizing me. I sit through my latest interview for a new job for over 20 minutes before a man walks in interrupting.

"I'm sorry I'm late, I got caught up in an important meeting." The man vaguely explains before sitting in the middle of the board members.

"It's no problem, Mr. Maverick, we weren't waiting long." a slightly older woman politely tells the man.

Right as he looks forward, my world spins around me, it's like my breathing is being seized as I look at the man in front of me. My nemesis, my pain, looking all furnished like he's got life going more than good for him. I storm out of the room, not stopping at the sound of my name. Oh how my head burns at the sound of my name coming from his filthy lips.

"Hannah, wait." He grabs my arm and I flinch, the part of my skin he just touched burning irritably.

"Do not touch me, ever again." I tell him through gritted teeth.

"Okay, Okay, I've been searching for you for years." He surrenders slightly holding his hands up, I scoff at that.

"Why? you weren't satisfied? you missed me so much, you wanted to continue from where you stopped, how sweet." He looks shocked by my outburst, not used to this side of me.

"No, not that, I wanted to apologize, for everything, I promise." He says composing himself. I don't believe him.

"Well too bad, it's too late." I turn to walk away but he still rushes behind me again, squeezing a business card in my hand.

"The job is all yours Hannah if you want it, just please, give me a chance to properly apologize." I notice I'm already causing enoscenescene.

I eye him suspiciously, "who the fuck are you to decide that alone?"

"I own the company." I'm breathing so hard. I don't say anything, I just walk away, with old memories I want to forget playing in my head.

I sit down on a block at night, why the hell is this happening to me? the tears won't stop. I desperately need this job, but asking that man for help or being anywhere near him would kill me even more. I have just one choice to make as I take out the business card and dial the number on it, sniffing. After three rings, he picks.

"Luca Maverick speaking." His gruff voice vibrates through the phone and fear clouds my chest. "I'll take the job." I managed to speak firmly. He's quiet for a while before speaking.

"Hannah, you don't know ho-"

"I do not need your apology, we do not know each other, I am just an employee, you do not stir any conversation to anything beyond work. Can you do that?" I ask to cut him off.

"Yes." He says, sighing. I end the call before he can speak further.

And that's how I found myself in a multimillionaire company, working for my toxic high school bully.

"I heard Mr. Maverick canceled the entire interview for her." "Who is she even?"

"He appointed her himself."

"For the first time ever, Mr. Maverick had his Personal Assistant's desk transferred to his floor."

These are all the whispers that will not stop since I resumed my new job today. They all have done nothing but analyze me like I'm some sort of new project.

"Miss Evans? Come with me please." A beautiful brunette lady instructs.

"This will be your temporary desk, till you have learned and mastered the scope of things here, then you can move upstairs after." She says scowling. She knocks past my shoulder and walks away and I'm confused.

"For what it's worth, don't pay Sarah any attention, she's just angry and jealous she got replaced today." A blond lady says, poking her head from her desk stall.

"Replaced by who." I ask curiously. "You silly." She softly chuckles. "What do you mean?" I ask carefully.

"Mr. Maverick wants you to be his personal assistant, the lady who just bumped past you was his personal assistant and now she's being transferred to the front desk." I try to make sense of her explanation.

"But I applied for the post of an accountant?" The blonde lady eyes me.

"Yeah well, I thought you would know the answer to that." I shake my head, this probably increases my salary but I'm still not happy about it.

I don't see Mr. Maverick and I'm grateful for it. The blonde lady introduces herself as Myra and she leads me to lunch but I see the lady whose job I apparently stole glaring at me. I don't know if I should apologize but she makes the decision for me.

"Who are you to Mr. Maverick?" She asks condescendingly. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"I said who are you to Mr. Maverick to have cajoled him into giving you this job, you probably don't even deserve it." She says looking me up and down.

"Are you sleeping with him? Is that why?" I look at her disgusted.

"I don't know, are you?" I meant it as a fleeting comeback but the way she flushes before her face twists into anger tells me all I have to know.

"Leave her alone Sarah." Myra counters.

Sarah suddenly smiles wickedly at me. I go to walk past her towards the stairs and I notice my heels slip and before I know it, I'm falling flat on my face, but I don't fall, strong arms hold on to my waist tightly and cradle my head.

"Hannah? Hannah, are you okay?" Mr. Maverick asks, looking concerned and I jump from his hold like he burned me.

"I'm fine sir."

"What is the meaning of this Sarah?" He asks menacingly moving closer to her.

"I didn't mean to, it was an accident, Hannah are you okay." She runs towards me pretending and looking very scared.

At least something shuts her up.