Chapter 1 ANGRY BIRD STRANGER

Arianna felt irritable, she cursed softly to herself as she turned on the shower.

As a designer in one of the famous fashion and beauty companies, the struggle for a promotion was something Arianna's yet to overcome, no matter how hard she had tried.

She thought of Alecia Williams, the highest rated fashion icon in the company.

Alecia is nowhere near Arianna in hard work or potential but she was blessed with unreal beauty, a body stature like a carved goddess of beauty is the number one priority for the company figure.

Apart from the promotion,Arianna had to work tirelessly for the well-being of her mother,who is suffering from terminal disease.

"Gosh,why on earth did I wake up late!"

Arianna groaned out.

She closed her eyes allowing the water to drip down her body not wanting it to stop.

The alarm interrupted her thoughts. She frowned at the interruption and was about to turn off the shower then someone snoozed the alarm.

"Arianna? Honey! Are you okay dear? You've been in the shower for an hour now".

Her mother called out and approached the bathroom.

"Oops! "

Arianna screamed in her mind, alerted.

''Hm...I am shaving mom! What's the time now?"

"8am"mother replied.

"Shit!"

She cursed and pulled the towel over her wet naked body then dashed out of the bedroom.

Her door opened expecting her mom, she cared less.

''Arianna.''

Arianna swung around with a start.

Tianna Harper stood there smiling sheepishly at her. She was wearing her new red hair cut, styled in an attractive way that framed her equally attractive features. Her tanned skin was a perfect match with her very bright emerald green eyes.

Arianna had known Tianna since childhood. Their mothers were very close too, they once told Tianna and Arianna that Arianna was named Arianna because of one year older Tianna.

''Tianna, what are you doing here at this time of the day?''Arainna asked, staring at her friend with intense curiosity.

Tianna chuckled and walked over to sit on the bed.

''You look like thirteen years old with that towel tied around your bosom,how is your digital boyfriend by the way?''

Arianna paused and looked at her with arched brows, Tianna loves teasing her to death.

''He is absolutely fine, thank you Miss Harper''

Arianna snapped back addressing her with her first name.

''I am just being a good friend honey, I mean how can you trust someone whom you've never seen ...not even in a video call,I don't think I can do that online dating stuff, what if he is physically... ..I don't know...invisible? Even worse ...dickless'' Tianna said with a shrug.

Then she got to her feet and walked over to the dressing table to help Arianna with her bra hook without being asked to do so.

''Thanks'' Arianna muttered a bit shyly.

''I am the mom here so I have to take care of my tiny baby or else she will get married to an invisible dickless man''.

Tianna said and gave her the I told you so look and went back to her sitting position.

Arianna scoffed in annoyance.

''Teddy! ....Is not invisible, he is real! Okay?..Look I have no time for this,I don't wanna be late for work" Arianna replied with a hand wave.

She walked over to the wardrobe and picked her outfit for the day.

"Teddy?"Tianna Chuckled.

"That's the name I call him,since our identities and real name's hidden".

"Let me guess..then he nicknamed you...mmm..bear..you know then the couple's name is teddy bear"Tianna said purposely to annoy her.

Arianna narrowed her eyes."You are impossible Tianna".

''Nice underwear though, I'm gonna steal one of those, sad Teddy isn't real enough to get a peek at you wearing those, you know.. before you two get dirty and stuff" Tianna said.

''Okay I don't care if you think I am going crazy or whatever but Teddy is real and he does love me as much as I love him so get a life!"

Arianna barked at Tianna's reflection on her dressing mirror angrily.

Tianna smiled satisfactorily as she's aware of Arianna fury and couldn't help getting her even more annoyed, it's something she loves doing to her friend.

''Alright, what's his last name, let me guess anonymous?"Tianna asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Teddy...boo '' Arianna replied shamelessly with pride.

''Exactly boo with thumbs down, get hold of yourself girl, I understand".

"You're sick Tianna".

Tianna broke into a hearty laughter.

Arianna's phone vibrated with unlimited pop up notifications,she had dropped it on the bed,before getting into the shower,Tianna glanced at the phone screen.

''Speaking of the devil, girl he is really the possessive type, he typed all this in a minute?''

Arianna rushed to the bed and grabbed her phone from her,with a warning look on her face.

"Don't kill me".

Tianna Chuckled.

Arianna shook her head , she sat on the bed beside Tianna and forced her feet into her sneakers before dashing out of the room with fingers glued to her phone screen.

"'Hey I am still here!"'

Tianna yelled.

*************

On her way to the company,she stopped by her favorite cafe to get an instant coffee but then her phone won't stop buzzing from notifications.

"Not now Teddy".

Arianna said about bringing out her phone from her back ,she unintentionally bumped into a man carrying a cup of coffee, she lost her balance and fell down.

The accident eventually led to spilling of the coffee and staining of the stranger's expensive white suit.

Arianna looked at the blurred image in front of her,her head was aching bad, slowly her eyes went to her phone's broken screen.

"Aww,not again".

She cried and picked up her glasses to get a clear view,the man's height was intimidating and his face could pass for the hottest she has ever seen, still stunned slowly her eyes went to the large map of stain on his white suit.

''Oh no! I am so sorry'' Arianna gasped out loud and leapt up to her feet to clean the stain but the stranger stopped her.

''Are you blind? you have four eyes for Christ's sake''he growled loudly, his angry eyes became dark.

In her head, Arianna cursed out loud, knowing fully well the trouble that awaits her.

"This is all your fault Teddy!"

She yelled in her head.

''This is all your fault four eyes!'' .

The angry bird stranger snapped in sync with her.

''I am sorry sir, sincerely I apologize, I was rushing, and texting, I didn't look..."

''Just shut your mouth up dirty bitch!''

"Please let me clean the stain .."

.

"Are you a natural dummy or your momma whore gave you the genes?"

Now offended Arianna snapped back.

''With all due respect sir, this is not just my fault alone, you weren't careful too, hooked to your phone remember? And I won't let you insult my mother,she got nothing to do with this".

Her outburst came as a surprise to the man, but his face was still cold and expressionless.

''You need help, probably a brain and another pair of eyeballs'' .

He drew a conclusion with a gross expression on his face this time,with his right hand tucked into his pocket and left hand dusting his suit.

Arianna stood in awe calculating in her mind like a confused kid.

''Whores...''.

The rude stranger mumbled and walked away past her with an intentional hard nudge,brushed over her shoulder which took off her balance.

''Hey! Who do you think you are! Angry bird?''

She snapped angrily after him but the man completely ignored her this time.

Still cursing Arianna watched him closely, he walked over to the other side of the road, an eye-catching car was parked at the lot, a dressed uniform man opened the door for him with a bow.

''Just like I guessed, an angry bird king, spoiled rotten brat,gosh! I hate him'' Arianna scuffed and shook her head.

As soon as she walked into the company, she rushed to her corner.

"I got worried thinking that you'd never get here".

Arianna swept her hair away from her face and glanced at her wristwatch .

"I'm only 2 minutes late,Max".

She protested with an amused chuckle, while she dusted her desk and sat down to arrange the files breathlessly.

She had a feeling that Max was still staring at her so she tried as much as possible not to meet his eyes.

Through this way she was able to avoid confessing to Mike about her little crush on him for these past years.

"We are going to have a new CEO soon, I don't want you to be the least rated employee in his list too, you have to work on your timing Arianna"Max said to her unapologetically,as a parent would scold a child.

The smile on her face faded when she turned to face her co-worker and friend Max.

Max was wearing a low hair cut,permed and styled in a way Arianna found quite attractive to frame up his equally handsome visual.

His smile was said to be the most beautiful in the company and his emerald green eyes were bright.

Arianna had known Maxwell for the past three years of her employment in the company and them being the same age made them super close with Max being just months older.

He was an easy-going fella and an extrovert, famous and also one of the top designers in the company. Arianna's first day in the company could've been tagged by her as her worst day if not for Max.

"The new CEO is going to be here anytime from now, that's why I was worried but I'm hoping I can persuade to agree to a promo......"

"Wait ....the new CEO will be here today? but isn't he supposed to be here on the 21st?"she snapped back interrupting him, the memory bank in her mind whirling in remembrance, but it failed in this instance to produce the required answer that she needed.

"Exactly and today is....?"

Max demanded with a mocking smirk on his face.

Arianna looked up at him, the look of confusion in her eyes worried Max.

He sighed and smiled softly at her.

"You know what, I think I should leave you for now, don't get yourself worked up, you are going to do just fine".

Max patted her gently on the back and left.

Arianna nodded subconsciously, forced a smile back as she watched him return to his office.

It took a moment for Arianna to recover from her surprise and she continued with her work. She studied on the possible interviews and prayed to be selected among the few that will continue to work for the new CEO.

As an extra employee and least rated employee, all she can do is pray and hope.

The big entrance door opened before Arianna could leave ,she turned to see a man in a black suit entering the building beside him were two serious looking huge men in uniform and black shades.

Her attention was captured but in doubt. Arianna stared back at him for clarification,her mind registering his broad shoulders, small waist and lean hips then her glance settled on his features that unreal handsomely pale face ,his bright blue eyes and pouty pink lips that would be described as prettier than a woman's but yet he looked like he knows nothing about smiling.

This instant recognition made her heart leap wildly against her breast and her eyes widened. A sudden surge of anger simmering up wildly within her.

It was that rude angry bird! Arianna would have known that pale, devilishly handsome face and giant height anywhere.

She could recall that she had bumped into him in front of a cafe just minutes ago.

He had lashed out at her and said all kinds of things to her. Arianna had managed to not get mad at his words knowing fully well that she's also at fault.

She had bowed in respect and apologized to him repeatedly but behind that angelic and flawless face lies a devil of a sadist.

Their eyes met and quickly she forced her eyes off him , uncomfortably she faced her word professor and pretended to be busy with typing.

She wondered why he came to their company and prayed he wouldn't recognize her for her job's sake.

Just then the present CEO , Mr Hamilton walked out of his office and approached him, waving his hand in apology.

"Welcome Mr Andre,I sincerely apologize for keeping you waiting sir, let me introduce you to everyone".

Arianna's heart raced faster.

"What's with the introduction,could he be...."