Chapter 4 A NEW BEGINNING

Seeing Lilly again was soothing,

like stepping into a familiar warmth Viva hadn't felt in a long time.

They had known each other since high school-Lilly had been her only real friend, the one constant in her life. They went through college side by side, inseparable, doing everything together. But eventually, life had pulled them in different directions.

Lilly had to go back home. And home was West View.

Lilly thrived in the fast-paced world of show business. She loved the thrill of high-profile events, rubbing shoulders with the elite, and making things happen. Organizing shows, setting up exclusive events, and ensuring everything ran flawlessly-she was damn good at it.

If there was a rich man or a powerful CEO in town, Lilly knew exactly how to get their attention. She knew what they liked, what made them tick, and she enjoyed the chase just as much as the result.

Once upon a time, she had dreamed of being a model. But after an accident that left her with an injury in her leg, she had to let that dream go. Instead, she found her place behind the scenes, making sure others had their moment in the spotlight. And surprisingly, she loved it.

For Viva, being back in Lilly's space, in her little world of controlled chaos, felt... safe.

Like home.

The morning of her first day, Viva had just finished getting dressed when Lilly took one look at her outfit and groaned.

"Hell no, Vee. You're pregnant, not lifeless. Ain't no way you're walking into Leo's office looking like that. He'd fire you in an instant."

Before Viva could protest, Lilly marched straight to her closet, rummaged through her collection, and pulled out a striking red dress.

Viva's eyes widened. "Lilly, I cannot wear that." She pointed at her stomach.

Lilly smirked. "Baby, I got you covered." She reached into her drawer and proudly pulled out a belly concealer. "Here, take this. No one will know."

Viva hesitated, staring at the dress. "I don't know..."

"Look, Vee, you're leaving here wearing this. Like it or not." Lilly crossed her arms. "Your job is gonna be full of people who think they're better than you, and trust me, they'll make sure you know it. A red dress tells them you aren't intimidated."

Viva sighed, grabbing the dress. Maybe Lilly was right. She needed to walk in with confidence-even if she had to fake it.

"So, tell me... what's Leo like?" Viva asked as Lilly drove her to work.

Lilly smirked. "Took you long enough to ask." She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "Typical billionaire CEO. Bougie, proud, arrogant. The whole package."

Viva raised an eyebrow. "Sounds exhausting."

"Oh, it gets better. He has a brother-some say he's illegitimate-but they both run their father's company. It's like a never-ending family competition."

"Wow." Viva let out a low whistle. "That sounds... tense. Too much drama for my taste."

Lilly shrugged. "The rich stay tense. That's why I stay broke and relaxed."

Viva chuckled, but then Lilly's tone softened.

"Do you ever think about the father?"

The question hung in the air for a moment. Lilly glanced at Viva, already regretting bringing it up. "I'm sorry, I know we said-"

Viva smiled faintly. "It's okay. I do think about him. I don't think I could forget."

Lilly's lips curled into a teasing grin. "Ooooh, so he was that good, huh?"

Viva groaned. "I hate you."

"Well, I love you," Lilly shot back. "And if there's one thing I'm grateful for, it's that on the night our baby was conceived, my best friend got some good loving." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Better a hot stranger than that jerk, Nathan."

Viva burst into laughter. "You are insufferable."

"And yet, you chose to live with me," Lilly said smugly.

They said their goodbyes, and Lilly wished her luck before driving off.

LD Technology was massive-a towering glass structure that screamed wealth and power. Everything about it was sleek, modern, and intimidating. Viva felt like she had just stepped into another world.

Oh, thank God Lilly picked this dress. She might have felt like a speck of dust in this pristine, high-class environment otherwise.

She approached the front desk, clearing her throat. "I'm here to see Mr. Leo Adams. Vivian May David."

The receptionist barely spared her a glance as she checked the system. "He's expecting you."

Viva was directed to his office, but the moment she stepped in, she froze.

Leo Adams was very busy-locked in an intimate kiss with a woman perched on his desk.

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry, sir. I didn't mean to intrude,"

Viva stammered, quickly looking away.

Leo barely reacted. With a lazy flick of his wrist, he gestured for the woman to leave. "You can go."

The woman huffed but obeyed, smoothing her dress before strutting out.

Viva clenched her jaw, irritated by how dismissively he treated her. No respect whatsoever.

Still, she composed herself and offered a polite nod.

Leo leaned back in his chair, glancing at the folder in front of him. "Miss David, I just went through your file, and it looks like there's been a mix-up. You don't work for me."

Viva frowned. "Oh... I thought-" She quickly pulled out her phone to show him the appointment confirmation.

Before she could get far, Leo's expression twisted in annoyance. "Get that cheap thing out of my face, you moron."

Viva's fingers tightened around her phone. Wow. Rude. Still, she swallowed her irritation and forced a steady voice. "I'm sorry."

Leo sighed, already looking bored. "You work for Damon. My younger brother. His office is just around the corner."

Viva nodded stiffly and turned on her heel, biting back a sharp reply.

Great. What a wonderful first impression.

She let out a breath of relief. Thank God. At least she wouldn't be working under that insufferable man. Leo Adams seemed worse than Goldie-arrogant, dismissive, and outright rude. She couldn't imagine surviving in such a hostile environment.Please, let Damon be different, she prayed in her heart. But then again... they were brothers. There was a chance he could be just as bad. Or worse.The thought made her stomach twist, but she was desperate. Lilly had gone through so much trouble to get her this job, and she wasn't about to let some rude boss push her into quitting before she even started.

Steeling herself, she stepped inside Damon's office.

And then-she froze. Her breath caught in her throat. Her mind raced. Her heart pounded. The man behind the desk... No. It can't be. His piercing eyes locked onto hers, narrowing slightly as if trying to place her. A flicker of recognition crossed his face.

"Have we met before?" Viva's stomach dropped. That voice. She knew that voice. She remembered exactly how it sounded in the dim glow of that club room. She remembered the way it had whispered in her ear that night. Do you want this? Oh, hell. It was him. Panic surged through her veins, but she forced herself to think fast. No. He can't know. He doesn't remember me. She had to pretend.

Viva swallowed hard, keeping her face neutral. "No, sir, I don't think so," she said calmly. Damon leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze studying her. "I hardly forget a face," he murmured, eyes narrowing slightly. "And even your voice sounds somewhat familiar. "Her pulse raced, but she forced herself to stay silent, maintaining a composed expression. After a brief pause, he shrugged. "Well, that's fine." He leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk. "Tell me, do you know how to make coffee?" Viva nodded quickly. "Yes, I can." "Okay, fair enough. Black, one cube of sugar. That's how I like it. "She mentally noted it down, already eager to get out of his office and catch her breath. But then-his next words made her freeze. "Lastly, we work all the time. My last assistant quit because she got pregnant. I hope you don't. "Her heart stopped. Did he know? Was this a test? Her palms turned clammy as she forced herself to breathe.

"Nnn-no, sir," she stammered, cursing herself for sounding so nervous. Damon barely reacted. He simply nodded. "Well then, Ms. David, coffee. "Viva turned swiftly, heading toward the door, her mind spinning. What the hell just happened? as she stepped out into the hall way all she could think of was to call Lilly, as if on cue, her phone rings, and on impulse she picks up,

" girl you wont believe what just happened," "slow down!!" Lilly responded, "you have gone ultrasonic ", "I can't talk now, but he is here, he is my boss, my one night stand is my boss, and I'm getting coffee for him." "Wait," Lilly replied. "I thought you were working for Leo don't tell me Leo is your baby daddy?" , "Well, turns out it's actually Damon, his brother." Just then, Viva turned-and froze.

Damon was standing right there. She ended the call immediately, her heart hammering. He watched her, sternly, closely. Did he hear her? Oh no. Instead, he sighed. "Are you sure I haven't met you before?" . "N-no, sir." He studied her for a moment before exhaling. "Oh well. What's taking the coffee so long?"

"Sorry, on it already!" She turned swiftly-only to realize she had no idea where to go. Finally, she admitted, "I... I don't know where to get coffee."

Damon raised an unimpressed brow. "Well, coffee was in my office, but I guess you had an important call. "He turned and walked away. She gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, "That son of a-"

He suddenly stopped, turning his head slightly. "Were you about to curse me?" Her eyes widened. "No, sir!" She hurried after him. It was clear-this man was a complete nut job.

As she hurried behind him, she couldn't believe her luck-or lack of it. Of all the men in the world...

Damon pushed open the office door, stepping inside with that same composed arrogance. Viva followed, still trying to regulate her breathing.

He walked straight to the coffee machine, then turned to her, arms crossed. "Since you don't know where it is, watch and learn."

She bit her tongue as he effortlessly brewed a cup of black coffee, dropping in a single sugar cube before handing it to her. "Now, go back to your desk and figure out how not to be a complete disaster."

Viva took the cup, forcing a polite nod. "Yes, sir."

As she turned to leave, she heard him mutter, "I swear I know her from somewhere..."

She picked up her pace. This was going to be a long, long job, not too long she had hoped