10. Conqueror

~MARA~

And what is unrequited love?

Well, to her, it's a killer of joy, a bitch, a mood changer, and a destroyer.

For the first time in her life, she'd find it hard to get someone she really wants. Dimitri is a challenge. And guess what? She loves challenges and she won't stop until she conquers him.

She had her eyes on someone who didn't even find her worthy as a love partner. She had her eyes on someone who's as cold as ice. But… that's about to change.

The mail she just opened is her gateway to conquering him.

Her hands fly over the keyboard as her lips stretched into a sweet smile. When she's done, she leaned back into her chair and clutched her cloth over her heart.

“Dimitri…” She whispered.

“My Dimitri.”

Minutes passed before she finally sighed then stood up. Her whole room is covered in purple, ranging from fluffy purple couches, bed spread, wall paper, curtains and carpets. Even the whole room smells of lavender. She opened her wardrobe and picked a caramel cotton gown and brown sandals before picking a matching bag.

She moved to her attached bathroom and after some minutes, she came out, looking refreshed. After dressing up, she picked her car key and stepped out of the apartment.

Mara lives alone. Her family are Asians and she'd came to the U.S to seek greener pastures and one of the greenest pasture is the quest before her—Dimitri.

As the secretary of one of the top three billionaires and the king of the underworld, Mara is everything, except poor. The boys want her, the girls want to be her. But, greed just had to be a part of human nature and the heart wants what it wants.

The elevator dinged when she reached the underground parking lot and she walked towards her black Audi before speeding off towards the Santini mansion.

The guard let her in since they'd been expecting her and soon enough, she found herself in front of that place she'd frequented more times than she could count, both with her boss and alone.

It's late in the midnight. The full moon hung at the center of the sky and the city is covered by a cloak of darkness. Mara squared her shoulders and walked towards Dimitri's replica who stood in front of the door with a hand dipped in his pocket and the other holding his phone which held his attention.

She bowed. “Good evening Mr Santini.”

The man nodded and turned, giving Mara a silent command to follow him. The mansion was just like she'd remembered; an epitome of old money and grandeur. And like always, she acted like she's not fazed by it.

Dimitri's father led her up the stairs and into his study. Mara shut the door behind her, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched Dimitri father sit behind the huge polished and neat desk. She slowly walked towards the chair opposite him and sat down, afraid of being too noisy. This is her first time in his office and the man looks like he could snap her neck with a flick of his wrist. The fruit does not fall far from the tree.

As soon as she settled down, Mr Santini broke the silence. “I heard you are my son's secretary.”

Mara nodded, her legs shaking beneath the table in excitement. “I am. I've been dutiful and deli—”

“I have an offer for you.” Mr Santini said, interrupting her attempt at self praise. Then, he opened the drawer beneath his table and brought out a file. He slid it across the table and it landed in front of Mara.

Mara's eyes shown like stars as she peeled her hand away from her bag which she's clutching too hard. She opened the file and started reading, her eyes grew wide at regular intervals. All the while, Dimitri's father, Luca, assessed her with a silent intensity.

Suddenly, Mara looked up, her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets. “One percent with thirty million dollars?” She asked, thinking her eyes were playing tricks on her.

The man nodded. “Is it too much for such a simple mission?”

Her hands fly before her in panic. “Haaa, no! It's just an egg and I get to be the lady of the house and I get thirty million dollars with a percent of the company. I will definitely enter the top ten lists of millionaires…” she wandered off, realising she’d been rambling.

Luca's eyes twitched as he rest his chin on his palm. He had observed her before he decided she's the right pawn for it. Well, he was right.

Mara cleared her throat in an effort to dispel the awkward air before she asked expectantly. “So… when do I sign it?”

Dimitri's father chuckled darkly. “Can you achieve the task?”

Mara's eyes moved to the figures again and she nodded more times than needed. “Yes.”

To her, it's a win-win situation. She will get the man she’d always wanted coupled with free wealth apart from the one that comes with being Mrs. Santini.

“Good then. Since you'd agreed to the terms, my lawyer will finalise the documents tomorrow. Be here, same time, same spot.”

She beamed and as she stood up, the chair screeched lightly against the tiled floor. She gave Luca one last bow before stepping out of his office.

And, as if the shadows had been expecting her, a hand suddenly dragged her into the dark corridor near Luca's office.

Her eyes widened and she tried to scream but a hand muffled her. Sweats trickled down her forehead before her eyes suddenly grew lax in relief as she turned to the shadow holding her.

That evening, she walked out of the Santini mansion with her head held high.

Three percent shares all together.

The ball is in her court now and she will chose who to play and who to side with. For the first time, she felt like she's in control and that's the case.