Chapter 8 BABYGIRL STATUS

Anesha's POV

Work is more tiring than usual. I take a look at clock. It's barely 1 o'clock. My lunch break just passed. I thought about quitting after I signed the contract but the thought of sitting at home, doing nothing didn't sit right with me. I'd rather sit through the endless criticism and my boss's off handed comments than do any of that. Especially after the way he treated me that day. I'm still seething. It's hard not to. We have a moment and all of sudden, I'm an employee? I sigh. I have no one to blame but myself. And Max.

That piece of shit.

My boss barges out of his office and stops by my table. He's yelling at something I can swear I've done. I zero him out like I always do. When I just joined the company as his secretary, he'd always yell at me for the things I did, whether it was good or not. I learnt to have a thick skin after countless tears and wanting to quit my job. No matter what I did, I was the easy target for his bullying so I stopped giving him the reaction he was always looking for.

But today, I'm already pissed. I'm thinking up an appropriate response when the phone rings. I take the call, disregarding his existence. "Hello, how many I help you?"

"Hello. We have a delivery for Miss Anesha Stanford. We're outside your work building. Should I come up?"

"Oh, sure. I'm at the 8th floor. I'll be out in a minute."

My boss eyes me suspiciously but I offer him a smile, an apology and leave. I walk out into the hall way. I didn't order anything. What could it be? Who could have sent it and why? Was it Diana? I freeze at the thought. Surely she wouldn't send in a bomb. There's no reason to be so drastic. I pace the hallway and freeze when I see the delivery man.

There's no way.

He's clearly headed my way. What even is this? There's no way that's for me, right? On cue, he calls out my name. "Yes, that's me." I say, a little stunned.

He hands me the most beautiful bouquet I've ever seen and a small bag with a cute little box inside it. I sign and go back to the office. I can feel everyone's eyes on me so I rush over to my seat and snatch the card off it. What if the card was the bomb? I wave it in the air for some kind of reaction. Certain it won't explode in my face now, I open it. It was a simple note.

Courtesy of Deimos Escarrá.

I flip the note around. That's it?!

I try to stop my disappointment from showing. It's okay. I'm used to this. I hardly ever got apologies. Max never gave me one. If I complained about anything then I was too stuck up, too jealous, too scared, nagging. He certainly never got me flowers. Not even on my birthdays. I try not to get emotional but I can't help it. I open the box and gasp. Were those real diamonds? I take out the earrings, admiring the cut and the stone. Someone gasps beside me. I don't know what to think. He really did hurt me but if he apologize like this, how can I not forgive him?

I pass out in the living room as soon as I get back from work. When I wake up, the first thing I see are green eyes, watching me from the corner. I bolt up, surprised. When I look at the time, it's past 11.

"How was work?" he asks, voice as cold as ever.

I glance at him, reaching for my bag. "It was fine. Thank you for the flowers and the gift."

"You don't need to do that. It's the least I can do. I could get you so much more."

Yes, I know that. The Escarrás are one of the richest families in the world. He can get me an island if he wants. "You don't have to."

"I do. It's in the contract. I have a responsibility to take care of you for the next one year."

"I see." I say through gritted teeth.

"Don't bother yourself on things that don't matter. Ignore my sister and her son as much as possible. Focus on doing what I say instead."

So he still wasn't going to tell me anything. I was a fool to think this was over just because of some flowers. But I was sick and tired of letting the Escarrás push me around. "I understand."

He sighs in relief and nods. "I have been rather busy. It seems I've been neglecting you. I'd like to take you out on a date."

A date? For once I'm pleasantly surprised. "I have work tomorrow but I'll be free when I get back."

"I see. I was thinking we could make our first official public appearance as a couple. If you didn't have work, would you be free tomorrow?"

"Yes?" I say tentatively.

"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow."

I didn't take him seriously. I fucked up. I really should have. He's sitting right in front of me in our conference, wearing the plaid suit he'd worn out the house today. My sleazy boss is all smiles, sweating profusely. I don't know why he's here but everyone can't know that I know this man. Much more that I came from his house. I turn away and focus on the letters on my paper when I hear my boss say, "Mr. Escarrá is the new owner of Newton's Publishing and I will now be the general manager."

I whip my head with so much force, my neck hurts. Did I just hear him right? Judging by the accomplished look on Deimos' face, there's no way I didn't. Owner? Newton's Publishing wasn't even on the market. We're barely floating as is. Buying the company isn't a smart business choice. Why would he do something like that?

"Mr. Escarrá, if you'd like to address the team, the floor is yours."

"Yes, I believe I'll have time for that later." he rises out of his chair. "Anesha?"

Everyone turns to me quickly, questions in their eyes. I focus on him instead, butterflies raging in my tummy. "Yes Sir?"

"Are you free now?"

I can't deny how exciting this is. "Yes Sir."

He walks up to me and wraps my hands around his. "Good girl." he whispers, his breath tickling my ears. My neck reddens and I keep my head bowed to avoid everyone's gaze. "I have a very important meeting with your assistant. That won't be a problem, would it?"

"Not at all Sir." He's out before my boss can finish his sentence, dragging me alone. I grab my bag from the table and rush after him.

"How could you do that?!"

"Do what? Buy your company or walk out of that boring meeting?"

"Both! I was trying"Both! I was trying to keep this under wraps."

"That would be impossible." we head outside the building to where his car is parked. "I intend to make sure everyone knows you're mine."

My lower regions feel hot. My heart beating a mile a minute. I try not to melt under the intensity of his gaze. Even though his words have lit a fire in me and sent my body teetering out of control. He has me pinned to the car, inches apart.

"This is who I am."

"What? Obsessive? Arrogant? A tyrant?"

He chuckles, a smooth sound that vibrates through me. "I'm a billionaire, darling. What did you expect?"

"Where are you taking me?"

He stares at my lips and for a moment, I think he's going to kiss me. "A car." he says, breaking the spell. "We're going to get you a car."

I turn away from him and remind myself that I am still raging mad at this man. It didn't matter if he was this attractive or whether he got me diamonds.

And then it hits me.

No matter who Deimos is, at the end of the day, he's just a man. And a man can be seduced. It was obvious I wasn't the only one feeling the heat between us. All I needed to do was fan the flames and he'd be sitting pretty in the palm of my hands.

The only catch was to not get burned.