Chapter One

“To Qynvilee!” 

Glasses clinked in the air. 

In a restaurant sat five women at a table full of all kinds of delicious food and alcohol-free drinks. There was a state of euphoria in the air, an efficacious ecstasy that left a brilliant smile tarrying on the ladies’ faces. All five moneybags gussied up fabulously.

“I couldn't be happier when I heard your company finally hit 5.6 billion dollars today. My man thought I'd gone crazy. If Qynvilee fashion company keeps thriving like this, it will be celebration all the way,” said Imani, a swarthy, dancing.

“Jones is planning a family trip to Paris in two weeks. I really want to miss you guys so hard,” said Sonia, a ginger-haired, pulling up a grimace expression. Sonia wasn't minding the ‘you don't mean it’ look on her friends’ faces right then. She twigged they realized the grimace on her face was faked.

“What makes you say that?” asked Nora, a dark-skinned lady with the raven-black curls stopping nigh her shoulder.

“Whatever is stopping our dear friend Kayla from getting married made me say that.” Sonia pouted childishly, staring at a cinnamon-brown haired Kayla, who seemed a bit withdrawn. “You really need to think hard, honey. But make sure you're including your relationship status in your thoughts.” She earned Kayla's attention with those words. “You’re twenty-seven, Kayla. Done with your master's degree, got the whole money in the world. But your fingers lack an engagement ring. Isn't there a hope? How long has Mr. Anonymous decided to hold up?”

Kayla uttered the most uneasy, bashful and noiseless chuckle in her throat, flicking her hair behind her ear. She was at a loss for words. Now this was why she hated hanging out with her friends, Sonia especially, probably because after Sonia's age directly came hers. The carrot top worried so much about her being single. For her relationship, she wasn't sure — it was quite over her head.

“Kayla’s family wants her to get married to Nicolas Hudson for her family business. Right, Kayla?” asked a platinum blonde Kiran.

Kayla threw that over her dead body, she'd never marry Hudson. Instinctively, she shook her head with one hell of a forced smile on her face. Christ, she needed to escape her friends now. Luckily, her phone rang. “I’ll take this.” She left the table. Returning was to carry her purse. “I’m really sorry, guys, I have to go. You know, my mom has been out of the country for eight fu— months, and I must see her today when she finally comes home.” There was regret in her voice. “Do enjoy yourselves. I'll be on my way.” She waved them goodbye.

Soon as Kayla got to the parking lot, she stood near her driver's car door, closed her eyes and sighed for having escaped her friends. Sonia, Sonia, Sonia! Opening the car door, her phone rang. She looked to see it was…. Okay, her heart just tumbled into an ecstatic spin. She smiled. It was Chax, the Mr. Anonymous.

________

All members of Jonathan family gathered in the large, opulent sitting room. Three ladies sat on one couch, Kayla and Sam, a raven-haired boy in his late teen, sat on another couch. Mr. Jonathan, their father, sat on the single sofa. There was absolute silence in the room, the faces of the three ladies creased with jealousy as they listened to their mother’s voice speaking over the phone which laid on the table. It'd been long since they gathered as a family, their first gathering was to listen to a spitfire defending her favorite girl.

“I’m not letting Kayla marry some billionaire I barely know, Jonathan. This family business rather collapses,” June, their mother, said on the phone.

“What!” the three ladies whispered to themselves, stunned to have heard June say such a thing.

“Special girl,” a brown-haired Maria mouthed with perceptible jealousy, and tilted her head to the left with her brow quirked.

“Jonathan! There is a sad story about my father's company getting bequeathed to someone else today, yet I’m not worrying over spilt milk. Hudson is only there to fund your business, Linksway. Not my father's. So he shouldn't be making a choice in my house. I'll advise you tell Nicolas to pocket his money and let my daughter be.” 

“She keeps using the word ‘my’, Dad. And you do nothing about it,” complained a tomboyish Tally.

“But what if Kayla wants to marry Nicolas? Maybe we can begin the arrangement.” Jonathan glanced at Kayla.

“Kayla, would you like to marry Nicolas Hudson for the sake of our business? Oops, your father's business.” June asked Kayla. Maria rolled her eyes, Pinky sneered, Tally shook her head —all in distaste. Because Linksway was crumbling, June now called it Jonathan's business instead of the family business.

Kayla became edgy about giving an answer to June's question, her sisters shot her that shrewdest gazes that sent her to yet another uneasy trip. Jeez, she couldn't breathe. If Kayla followed the gazes from the jealous bimbos, she might end up agreeing to marry Nicolas. But as said, over her dead body. “No, Mother. I can't marry Nicolas.” Easier said. 

Then there was a blast of disappointed silence.

“That's my daughter. Should Pinky have been Kayla, I know she'd agreed to marry Nicolas.” Excitement graced June's voice.

“I have a boyfriend, and he's well-off,” A blonde Pinky defended, frowning at the accusation.

“Mom’s coming back home today after the meeting in Wilshire Blvd. Wait for me.”

“Wait. You're home already?” Stunned, Sam asked, a grin widening his face.

“Of course, sugar, I'm home,” June assured. “Goodbye, lovelies.” June ended the call.

Pinky stood up, and glared at Kayla. “Special girl.” She walked out of the sitting room, swaying her hips as she went.

Maria swaggered off, spreading her angry vibe in the air. And then Tally had something annoying to say, Kayla sensed it through the distaste on her face as she was approaching. Kayla wouldn't sit back and listen, she stood up and brushed past Tally as she flounced away. The tomboy always had something disgusting to say about Chax and her. Sam laughed at a embarrassment eating up Tally's face.

________

Mild noise from shareholders filled the conference room. Men and women discussed with each other in a low, dignified tone. 

Mrs. June Jonathan sat alone. No one cared if she were there, almost like an empty chair sat there. June owned the upper hand when her business was in the shelter of incomparable riches. People feared her then, and avoided her because she was arrogant and aloof innately. This time, their sidestepping her didn't mean they feared her, but rather meant mockery.

June could see people pointing scornful fingers at her and laughing. What can she do? June wore a smile on her cold face, her cherry lipstick could still draw some unsatisfied men as her beauty still popped. June had stood tall for long enough, she was that master people respected; so her setback wouldn't change nor cripple her now.

“Mr. Anthony Kings is here,” a man announced from the door.

All shareholders stood up to greet.

It took June a lot to conquer her pride and get up. Her business was about to be taken away by the man who bought every single share in the business. A man she had barely seen — she sees his secretary more. Had it not been her mismanagement and scam, she would have been whacking everybody in the conference room, this god-damned Anthony would not have seen her shoes.

A bronde-haired man in a navy suit walked inside the conference room with three men in black suit following behind him. One of the men in black carried his briefcase. 

June's pride refused to let her look at the man. But when he was walking past the back of the people who sat opposite her, her eyes trailed him. 

She only saw the side of his face, and with the little she saw, she knew he’s good-looking. However, his vibe was quite unwelcoming and domineering, the young man might be a die-hard. Of course, he's a die-hard because he didn't intend to shake hands with anyone unless someone holds out a hand to shake him.

June's eyes stopped to trail him, she wouldn't adore a Prince Charming when hers was waiting at home.

Asrijet’s new chairman took his seat; everyone took their seat as well. June beat down her overloaded dignity, flicked her shoulder-length beige blonde hair, and slowly sat down. 

Everyone, except for Anthony, noticed June's overbearing movement and flared up within them. A woman had to roll her eyes in anger.

“A heartfelt greeting to you all. And shall we begin?” a smooth, deep, husky voice broke the silence in the room. Following Anthony's voice, the business tycoons started to flip through the pages in the files they had with them.

Anthony flipped open a page in the file before him and asked, “Asrijet petroleum company will finally be bequeathed to me today. I hope Lady Bossy is here?”

June wanted to say a word, but on hearing the name, ‘Lady Bossy’, her voice got trapped in her throat — she was struck dumb by fear.

June wasn't looking at the man who just called her that name, and she didn't want to anymore. Her mouth dropped open, but didn't utter a word — she was afraid to have heard Anthony call her ‘Lady Bossy’.

Only one person calls her that name, and that person was someone she made sure never to remember nor see again. She hoped she wasn't dreaming because if this was her reality, she and her family will be done for; the family business he bought would vanish; her daughter, Kayla, will die.

That one person who called her ‘Lady Bossy’ was a big enemy from the Kings family. Her family and Kings family were big rivals in business. 

The boy who called her ‘Lady Bossy’ was sent to jail by her family many years ago when he was a child, and he died in prison.

The boy who died in prison years ago has come alive? If so, then a mighty enemy is back. Her family is in big trouble. Kayla’s life is in grave danger. This must be a dream. Someone should wake up!

Plucking up the courage and hoping it was her mind playing games with her, she looked to the right to see the man who just called her that familiar name.

Upon seeing him, her heart skipped several beats and fell in a chaos. Her eyes widened with terror, as she gaped at the man she thought was dead and gone. The man who would definitely punish her family. The man who Kayla apprehends.

No way! This must be a dream! Clinton Kings, now called Anthony Kings, is back. He's back to put everyone in their places.

June vividly remembered the words Clinton said after the judge gave the final verdict, and the police marched him to the police van to send him to jail. “I’ll come back for you. For all of you. I will kill you, Kayla! For betraying me, I will kill you. Mark my words.”

Right now, June was gaping at the man who swore those words to her family; the man who made such promises to Kayla. And there he was, gazing at her with a mysterious smile on his face. 

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, June Christopher,” Anthony said.