Forever & a day

In a plush conference room on the 30th floor of a skyscraper in Chicago's downtown business area, a group of men sat nervously around the conference room table. The meeting room was opulent with an enormous mahogany table and plush leather chairs. The innumerable awards and plaques awarded to the company and the previous CEO adorned a display cabinet. The view of the city from the meeting room was remarkable. The meeting attendees had no opportunity to enjoy the view outside the window. They looked everywhere else but at the raging mad CEO in front of them.

Suddenly the very comfortable Italian leather seats felt extremely uncomfortable and the cool air from the air-conditioning did not seem to bring down the rising temperature in the magnificent boardroom. The man at the head of the table was expecting answers that they were unwilling to give because they knew that the unfortunate soul who ventured an answer would be sent to collect their pink slip.

Their CEO, Mr James Aslan, was a hot-headed young man who took over the family business, FA Pharmaceuticals from his father, Ferret Aslan who had pioneered the company for over thirty years. James was a ruthless man both professionally and personally. He wanted things done his way. No questions asked. James, although professional and hardworking had a different management style to his father, and when he took over the company a few months ago, the staff and management took some time to adapt to their new CEO's mannerisms and expectations.

James was the second of three children, at almost 30 years old and heading up the pharmaceutical business while his older brother Luc was spearheading the other family business, the surgical equipment business and their younger sister, Grace was dabbling in jewellery design together with their mum, Jill Aslan. James loved his family and would sacrifice everything for their happiness. James' heart was closed off and relationships were not something he made time for. He never dated. He had many one-night stands with models, actresses, and socialites. The press would always spot him with a new lady on his arm every fortnight. He never made promises and he never fell in love, since his heartbreak a few years ago.

His mum was always worried about his reckless behaviour with women and like most mothers, wanted him to find the right woman to share his life with. So much so that she started inviting James over for dinner and tried to set him up with daughters from other affluent families. The Aslan family was well known in the business circles with the senior Aslan being an eye-catching man himself. Jill's concern for James stemmed from his previous track record with women and the incident which left James scarred and bitter toward romantic relationships. Luc, the older sibling was more settled with a wonderful marriage to his high school sweetheart, Vicky, and expecting their first bundle of joy in a few months. James was a tall man, standing at 1.8 meters, with dark hair, like his father and deep blue eyes like his mother, making him a perfect blend of both parents.

"Who's responsible for this mess? I want a name and I want it now." James' voice echoed throughout the meeting room. Mr Berns, a veteran in the company who had been working with the Aslan family for years cleared his throat and wiped his brow before attempting to answer James' question. "Actually Mr Aslan, Mrs Parks is on an extended maternity leave which started a few weeks ago and her second in charge is responsible for all license applications therefore she would be the best person to answer you." before Mr Berns could continue, James yelled at his assistant, "Simone, get that person here right now." Mr Berns was surprised at James' coldness, but he still tried again to explain that the person responsible for this submission must have had a good reason for not submitting the dossier on time, however, James just gave him an angry look and turned to look out of the window.

Simone Clarke had worked with James since their internship days, many years ago when James took over the assistant manager role at their New York branch. He continued working with James when they returned to Chicago therefore, he was quite familiar with James' every whim and snort. He had never seen James this angry since that day a few years ago. Simone understood the significance of obtaining approval from the medicine's council for the production license before their major competitor and James' rival, AJ One Group. AJ One Group is another pharmaceutical company that is a relatively new player in the market.

Headed by Alex Johnson, a playboy and arrogant son of a politician in Chicago. His main intention was to snatch everything that James valued or held dear to him. They had gone to the same high school and were rivals ever since however, very few understood the real reason for their rivalry. Alex's success was largely attributed to his father's support and his strong network connections. He heavily relied on socializing with major players in the market to advance his career. In contrast, James at FA Pharmaceuticals preferred a management style that involved working through the correct channels to achieve his goals.

Alex was a calculating man. Although handsome, he had a cunning look that often-scared people. His father was the mastermind behind the business and Alex relied a lot on his father's guidance. Alex was envious of James ever since they met one another in middle school on the basketball field. James was popular amongst his friends and all the girls would swoon over him. James however only had eyes for one girl. Alex wasn't into girls however he wanted to be the best without putting the effort into anything. He thought that his rich status and his father's reputation were all that was needed to get ahead. While James was winning matches for the team, Alex was left sitting on the bench as a substitute. James would win the best student award while Alex was struggling to pass his exams. This didn't sit well with Alex however this continued until high school. Alex vowed that one day, in the real world, he would rob James of this success.

Maya's POV

I am famished. My eyes feel like someone just threw a handful of sand in them after I spent all morning reviewing clinical trials on a new drug that we are planning on launching in the market. My workload has intensified since Suzie went on maternity leave but I'm all too happy to step in as it will do wonders for my career, and I love Suzie to bits. She is like a big sister to me and since I joined the company as an intern a few years ago, she took me under her wing and taught me everything I know today. I lift my head to find my office empty. One glance at my watch and I realize that it's already 12:45 pm and I promised Nelia that I would meet her for lunch at the diner across the street at 12:30 pm. In a huff, I grab my purse and head out of the office only to meet a very irate Nelia glaring at me over the menu.

"I know, I know, it's the third time this week that we tried to get together and I've either cancelled or in this case, been late. I apologise and yes, lunch is on me today." Nelia is my good friend. We first met in the neighborhood where I spent my childhood. We met on a cold, rainy evening when life seemed to have lost its color and Nelia was there to offer a supportive shoulder to lean on. She is a nursing sister at a private hospital that is around the corner from my office but with our hectic schedules, we only get to see each other briefly on occasion before we must rush off again.

Our catch-up session is long overdue, and I want to find out the latest gossip about her long-time boyfriend, Dan who suddenly proposed to her. "Thank you for making me wait, my lady. I have already placed the order, so there is no need for you to do it. You're welcome so no need to say thank you, but you are not forgiven. Maya Sharma, you are running on empty and heading into a full burnout if you don't slow down." Nelia said with a stern face which I couldn't help laughing at. "I know Nelia, but this is my chance to prove to management and that freaking newly appointed CEO that I'm worthy of a management position within the regulatory department," I said.

"Maya, hold your horses, you have worked there for the past four years now, and your chairman can vouch for your potential so why do you still have to prove your worth to that scumbag. I bet he doesn't even remember you," said Nelia. The truth is that Nelia hit the nail on the head. James didn't even remember that Grace, his sister, and I had been friends since junior high and all through college. We had met one another at meetings and ran into each other in the elevator and common areas at the office however he didn't seem to recognize me or acknowledge any of my greetings. "Well, he did only get back a few months ago after being away for years so I can't blame him for not remembering me," I said trying to sound convincing. "Whatever makes you sleep at night, Maya," Nelia smirked at me.

She continued to rattle me, "What about the welcome home party which his parents threw him? Did he even acknowledge your presence?" Nelia asked. "Although Jill and Grace invited me to the party, I just couldn't shake off the other commitments for that evening and I politely declined," I muttered. Just as our food arrived, my phone started beeping but I ignored it until we just couldn't ignore it after what felt like the twentieth call.

"Hello," I say to the receptionist, but she is huffing on the phone stressing that I need to get to the office as fast as I can otherwise someone is going to get fired. "Sorry Nelia, there's a crisis meeting, and I am required urgently so I must love you and leave you. I promise to make it up to you, love." I said with a pitiful look on my face. She pouts her lips and gives me a tight hug before shooing me off.

Most of my life has always been this busy and not an idle moment in sight. All through college, I had part-time jobs and volunteering programs. My parents passed away while I was still quite young, and I grew up with my maternal grandmother and aunt who did the best they could to give me a proper education with the little income they had. Things got tough when my uncle, my mother's only brother suddenly died leaving my aunt Ria and my cousin, Sheetal devastated. We came together, and our love strengthened our resolve to achieve our aspirations. I'm not just trying to prove my worth to the new CEO, but I am grateful to the Aslan family for offering me a paid internship which lessened the burden on my already hefty student loan and living expenses.

The internship wasn't a walk in the park with other promising interns vying for the same full-time position as I was, hence, I spent weekends at the office reading through piles and piles of new product developments and clinical trials. I tried to sift through to find products that the company could develop and penetrate the market with to make them market leaders. There are numerous pharmaceutical companies around the world which dominate the market by being the first to market a drug or the first to market an already existing drug at a fraction of the cost. It is our job in the regulatory affairs department to ensure that we produce safe, cost-effective drugs which meet all health standards and exceed market demands.

This is a challenging job which requires 200% concentration because we are dealing with huge financial costs while trying to improve the lives of millions of people. Before products are launched into the market, they go through a stringent set of approvals and tests to ensure that they are safe for use and meet all health and safety regulations. Mr Aslan Senior didn't afford me any favours because of my relationship with his daughter and I put in an enormous effort to show my gratitude and prove myself worthy of a full-time position which he offered me after my internship.

Mr Aslan was a great, progressive leader with a kind temperament and gave his employees space to make decisions and take responsibility for those decisions. After his second heart attack, the family decided that he would step down from his CEO functions and act as Chairman until his son James comfortably occupied his CEO position and was prepared and able to take on the responsibilities of the Chairman's role as well.

As I ran over to my desk to grab my notebook, I bumped into Mr Berns who was waiting for me. He was sweating profusely. "Maya, oh thank goodness you're back. Mr Aslan wants you in the meeting room immediately." He said and turned to walk ahead of me into the elevator towards the meeting room. I walked in and immediately felt the cold gazes of my colleagues and the hair on my neck stood on ends. I held my head high and walked in with only the sound of my stilettos echoing in the room.

I always wear professional attire to the office which some may find boring, but I prefer comfort over fashion and why take the risk of being labelled into categories because of your choice of clothes? Boring office attire helps to fly under the radar and not be noticed too much. I walked over to the only empty chair which was in between Mr Berns and Simone Clarke, assistant to the CEO. Simone was a handsome young man, around my age. Although he was cold and aloof, he was much more approachable than his boss. I had met Simone briefly at meetings however we never really conversed with one another much. I found him to be very smart and professional.

Before I could take my seat, the CEO Mr James Aslan walked in to take his seat at the head of the table and pointed his finger at me. "So, this meeting had to be put on hold to accommodate your lunch date and you don't even have the courtesy to apologise!" He yelled. For a split second, I was dumbfounded and couldn't reply.

Mr Berns, who was still visibly nervous, tugged at my sleeve to get my attention and whispered that I should introduce myself to Mr Aslan. I cleared my throat and tried to speak but he opened a file and threw it on the desk in my direction. "Would you mind explaining to me why you failed to adhere to my instructions by not submitting the product license for approval before the deadline?" He screeched. I picked up the file with as much confidence as I showed when I walked into the meeting room and glanced at the product details before lifting my head to meet his beautiful blue eyes which were laced with venom. I start by introducing myself, but he doesn't wait for me to even state my name when he rudely cuts me off and says "I don't care who you are or who you think you are. You are here on my time to follow my orders and do your job...that's who you are." He ended.

"Well, Mr Aslan, if that's who you want in this position then that's not me because I will not be bullied into doing things that go against regulations and the well-being of this company." I howled back at him only to find everyone with their eyes wide open. I was getting tired of this man's arrogance and rude behaviour. Mr Berns tried to intervene, but I respectfully stopped him with a hand gesture and continued staring at the man in front of me. "Suzie, excuse me..., Ms Parks handed this file over to me on the day she went on maternity leave, after which, I studied all related material and trials and found this proposed drug to have poor efficacy and inadequate performance when compared with the standard. I took the decision not to submit..." before I could finish, he interrupted me again. "So, Miss Genius decided to overrule my instruction and didn't submit the application. Are you aware of the potential repercussions of your actions? If you brought this to my attention, maybe I could have helped you consider the possible outcomes before making a decision.?" Before he could say another word, the door of the meeting room was pushed open and in walked Mr Ferret Aslan and his assistant. They took a seat and didn't utter a word.

I was livid and knew that I had to get my point across to this madman. "Mr Aslan, it's my responsibility to submit applications which meet all criteria for approval. I am qualified to make this call because I have a degree, which respectfully, you don't, therefore it's my call, not yours. You may be the CEO but it's my responsibility to ensure that our products are safe for use, and that we don't embarrass ourselves by submitting products for approval which is not close to registration." James' eyes bulged with anger, and he slapped the teacup off the table and yelled at me, "You are fired. Gather your stuff and leave now!"

I straightened up and retorted, "You can't fire me Mr Aslan." Everyone in the room sighed and suddenly there was a loud clap from the other side of the room. "Ms Sharma is indeed correct. She can't be fired for doing her job even if the CEO doesn't agree with her decision." Mr Ferret Aslan said with his hands in his pockets. James looked away from Maya to his dad with confusion while Maya smirked at James and gathered her things from the desk. "Well, Mr Aslan, if there's nothing else, I will head back to my office because I have two workloads to get through," I said in a hurry.

End of Maya POV

The colleagues around the meeting table were dumbfounded and looked everywhere else but at their CEO. James hurriedly dismissed the meeting and walked over to his father to discuss what just happened. Ferret explained to James that Maya was very experienced and had been working with the company for many years. She is dedicated and responsible and she would never jeopardize the company's reputation therefore he respects her decision and James should also do the same.

Ferret knew exactly why this registration was so important to his son, so he placed his hand on James' shoulder and tried to comfort him, but James was still livid at Maya's cockiness and her smart retorts in front of everyone. He lost his chance at fighting back against his rival and he was humiliated in front of so many people because of a low-level staff member. He must do something to get his revenge on Maya for the insult and humiliation she caused today. Ferret left James' office and went straight down to the regulatory office where Maya was attempting to soothe her frayed nerves. She gazed out the window trying to gather her thoughts before going back to the piles of paperwork on her desk when she heard a faint tapping on her door.

She saw the kindness in his eyes, and it instantly calmed her down. "I thought you might need this," he said as he handed her a cup of green tea. "Thank you, Mr Aslan, not just for the tea but for what you did for me in there." She said to Ferret. "You know Maya, although family is the most important thing in my life, I have always been fair in business. I know my son can be hot-headed and impulsive at times, unlike my other two children so I apologise on his behalf." He said. Maya immediately stopped him as she didn't want to embarrass him for his son's rude behaviour.

She said, "I'm not even upset by what happened because I don't expect an ounce of respect from a person like James. After years of being in and out of your home and at numerous functions and gatherings, he still doesn't acknowledge me so why should I expect anything less." Ferret had also realised that when James had been introduced to the staff members during his first week at FA Pharmaceuticals, he had not recognised Maya.

Ferret recalled the day that he had taken James to Maya's office to meet her. They were doing their rounds in the regulatory department however when they stepped into Maya's office, they couldn't see anyone around but piles and piles of boxes and files were scattered all over the place. There wasn't an open space in sight in which to step onto. Ferret wondered how anyone could find themselves in and out of the office in this mess. Ferret lightly called out, "Anyone still alive in here?"

Two faint voices could be heard from behind the boxes. A young girl popped her head out and greeted, "Oh, Mr Aslan. How are you? Sorry for the mess. We are trying to codify these files so please forgive the mess." Ferret laughed and said, "Oh Milly, I thought that you were turning this office into a storage unit. Well, I won't disturb you further, I just wanted to introduce the new CEO to Maya." Milly's eyes opened wide when she saw the man who was standing behind Ferret. Milly, who was Maya's assistant was a young girl with a pixie haircut. She was adorable with a sweet smile and a shy temperament. Although the man was glued to his phone, Milly could tell that he was a handsome man.

Suddenly another head popped out from behind the young girl, "Hello Mr Aslan, give me a minute and I'll be right there." Maya tiptoed around the files and boxes and quickly wiped her hands with a wet wipe which she had handy. She smiled sweetly at Ferret and softly said, "Sorry, I'm a bit of a mess." Ferret smiled and said, "Don't worry about it. I wanted you to meet James who will..." Before Ferret could finish his sentence, he was interrupted, "Dad, sorry. I've got to go. I will catch up with you later." James didn't even look up from his mobile phone while talking to Ferret. Maya looked at Ferret and shrugged her shoulders while the two of them watched James walk away without even glancing at Maya. Ferret pulled his thoughts back to reality when Maya gave him a pat on the arm and said, "Don't worry. I won't take it personally and I'm not upset."

Ferret gave Maya a knowing smile and waved her goodbye as he turned and walked out of her office. Maya immediately got down to reviewing the files on her desk and the next thing she knew; the office was dead quiet and completely dark aside from the lights in her office. It was already

10-30 pm when she switched off and headed to her car which was the only one left in the parking lot. She accelerated out of the office building unaware that all her movements were being carefully watched by two pairs of eyes from the office foyer. James frowned and said, "I want to know everything there is to know about that woman called Maya Sharma." "I'm on it sir," came the reply from a deep manly voice.

A few minutes later a blue sports car hurriedly left the office building and dashed through the streets until it got to Blue Neon, a high-end bar owned by James' long-time friend Walter Hew. James stepped into the VIP room where Walter and a few other people were drinking, together with beautiful women who were skimpily dressed and swaying their hips to the sound of sensual music. Walter took one look at James and realized that it was going to be one long evening and called upon Ria, his most talented hostess to serve James a bottle of the best whisky in town.

As James sat down, Ria appeared with a glass and a bottle of whisky and sat down on his lap trying to loosen his tie, but James pushed her hands away from his chest and snatched the glass from the table and gulped it down in one go. Ria was stunned because James being the playboy that he was, was always flirting with the women at the club.

"Someone had a tough day at the office, I see." teased Walter. James gave him one look and Walter threw his hands up in a "I give up" gesture and they continued drinking and making small talk for a few more hours before Walter put James into a taxi and sent him home. Walter knew that James was extremely disappointed with his plans for the project he was working on because that project meant a personal defeat of his demons. No amount of words could describe James' disappointment and Walter sensed this the moment his friend walked through the door. The next day James woke up with his mind buzzing with plans and ideas and he was focused on putting his plans in motion.

A few days went by, and Maya was completely swamped with work that she didn't even notice someone standing at the doorway of her office. James had found a way to keep her extremely busy and he demanded precision and attention to detail on all tasks handed down to her. Simone Clarke knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for Maya to respond. He threw some files on her desk and said in an arrogant tone, like that of his boss, "Mr Aslan would like you to review this information and prepare a report for him in the next three hours." He knew that this task would have taken Ms Parks, Maya's boss, at least a day to complete. Maya was stunned and before she could even contemplate a reply, Simone turned around and left her office. Not to be out done, Maya yelled out, loud enough for Simone to hear her "I will have it back to you within two hours." Simone continued walking but thought to himself that this wasn't going to be as easy as his boss thought it would be. In exactly two hours, Maya brought the file to Simone's office and in the same manner, threw the file on his desk but before walking out she turned around with the sweetest of smiles and said "Mr Simone, if there's anything else your boss needs, please do feel free to call upon me. With that smile still plastered on her face, she walked away.

James on the other hand witnessed everything from the other side of the passage and he clenched his fists in anger at the woman's arrogance. Just the thought of her having his father's support made him even more furious. Simone had been tasked to increase Maya's workload by giving her impossible tasks with equally impossible deadlines however for the past few days, she had not faltered once. Before James could walk out of the office, he received a call from Bethany Smit who was one of the women his mother had introduced him to. She was a blonde woman with a dashing personality and incredibly sexy however James always felt that she wasn't very sincere and not his type at all. Jill regretted this introduction however she couldn't stop the persistent Bethany from pestering her son. James needed to let off some steam after witnessing Maya's pompous behaviour, so he accepted Bethany's invitation to meet at a wine bar for drinks.

Most staff members were knocking off for the day and for once, Maya also left the office early. As usual, she was in a terrible hurry with her mobile phone stuck to her ear. She didn't notice the man walking in her direction and she collided with him in an instant. She briefly apologized without making eye contact with him and turned to leave however the man was livid and yelled out for everyone to hear him, "Next time, watch where you're going!" Maya turned around with apologetic eyes only to be met by James' furious blue ones. She ended her call and looked him in the eye and said loud enough for people around them to hear her, "It was an accident Mr Aslan, and I did apologise so no need to get all worked up about it. Anyway, enjoy your evening!"

Maya gave him a brief look before turning around and walking out of the office. James couldn't believe that Maya would talk back to him, again, in front of all his staff in the foyer of the office building. Everyone around pretended that they had not just witnessed the banter between the CEO and their colleague and scurried away. In fact, most of them were friends with Maya and knew her to be extremely friendly and kind. They also knew that their CEO was temperamental and unreasonable at times. James stepped out of the foyer and stared at Maya as she drove out of the parking lot. Maya just shook her head at him as she drove past him.

She dashed home for a quick change of clothes and rushed over to the hotel where she was due to meet up with some of her college friends. They had planned this get together for some time and she was looking forward to it all week. She wore a short dark blue dress with a plunging neckline and pulled her hair back with a touch of makeup to accentuate her eyes and cheek bones. She wasn't one for fancy jewellery and heavy make-up nor did she spend her hard-earned cash on prominent branded items nevertheless she still carried herself with poise, class and charisma. She ran towards the elevator and stopped it just before it closed only to find 2 people entangled in a deep kiss. Her eyes opened wide when she realized who was in front of her. She thought, "Of all people in the world, why did it have to be him. Twice in one day."

The moment she cleared her throat and walked in, she received a deadly stared from the blonde woman and an irate look from the man who was none other than her arrogant boss, James Aslan. He had to look twice at the woman before he recognised the beautiful woman standing before him. She was stunning in a blue dress which held her sexy curves perfectly. Her beautiful eyes were accentuated by light make-up and her hair was pulled back giving him a better view of her beautiful facial features. "Good evening Mr Aslan. Please, don't let me stop you from giving your companion mouth to mouth." She said with a sly smile on her face. "Jealous Miss know it all?" James sneered while Bethany refused to be ignored so she held tightly onto James' arm and pulled him close to her. He immediately felt repulsed by the scent of her perfume however he indulged her just to get a reaction from Maya however the later completely ignored their presence continued typing away on her mobile phone.

The elevator doors pinged open, and Maya elegantly stepped out into the classy wine bar at the top of a famous 5-star hotel. Her attention was immediately stolen by four people at a nearby table hence she sauntered over to them with a bright smile. James didn't take his eyes off her since she stepped out of the elevator, and this didn't go unnoticed by Bethany. Maya ignored them and walked out. "Maya Sharma, you vixen...long time no see and you look as ravishing as you did the last time, I saw you." The man walked over to Maya and gave her a peck on the cheek and a warm hug. "Raj, you scoundrel, you came to town, and you didn't contact me once." Maya retorted with a pout. James turned his head in Raj's direction and saw Maya hugging the man.

Raj and Maya met at a conference two years ago in New York and since then they kept in touch and became incredibly good friends. Calling upon one another when they had professional questions to ask one another or wishing one another well over religious festivals and celebrations. Raj was happily married to Glenda, and they have two beautiful daughters who, Maya met on her last trip to New York a few months ago. Since then, Glenda and Maya had also become close and chat to one another often via video calls. "I'm sorry Maya-ji, this was a last-minute business meeting, and we are flying off on the 2:00am flight to Zurich so we zipped over for a quick dinner and off to the airport. I promise to call you on my next trip. You look great. Hot date?" He asked. "Yeah right, with my schedule, dating is not top priority. I'm meeting a few friends from college for drinks. Anyway, I won't keep you. Have a safe journey and kiss the girls and Glenda for me." With that Raj waved Maya goodbye and turned back to his table where his colleagues sat chatting comfortably.

Maya walked towards the veranda seating area and was warmly greeted by her girlfriends. "Maya has never broken her track record of always being the last one to arrive so tonight she must be punished." said Grace, Maya's best friend since high school and James' younger sister. "Grace, you know that your brother is a slave driver and there's no way I can leave the office early." Maya scoffed. "Well, why do you think I chose to work with the cooler member of my family.... my mum." She said laughing loudly. Grace was an extremely warm person with a bubbly personality, and she absolutely adored Maya. She was a beautiful girl with a small frame and gorgeous blue eyes, just like her brother James. She wasn't aware of the strenuous relationship Maya had with James, however she could understand what Maya meant because even at home, her brother wasn't the easiest person to get along with. Although she felt his love for their family, he was always short tempered and difficult to talk to. To make matters worse, she was keeping a big secret from James and every time he came home, she felt on edge that he may find out and give her a hard time about it, so she tried to stay out of his way. Grace didn't know that he was at the bar and Maya didn't say a word to Grace about it as she didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to him.

James and Bethany were also seated on the veranda and from where James sat, he had a good view of Maya. The table was obscure, therefore he had failed to see that his sister was also at Maya's table. Although Bethany carried on and on about something or the other, James continued to stare at the beautiful woman at the far end of the restaurant. Although he found her extremely attractive, his hatred for her was overwhelming. He kept thinking back to his encounter with staff members in the past few months however he just couldn't remember seeing her before. Her insolent behaviour irked him however he couldn't fault her work. In the past few days, she had responded to all his queries meticulously in addition, she made clear arguments and assessments on proposed projects. He was certainly impressed with her abilities however he had to rope her in. The verdict on Ms Sharma was still out therefore he had to keep his eye on her.

The ladies were having a great time when Maya received a call and walked away to take it however just as she ended her call a waiter dashed in between her and another man. Maya dodged the glass of wine from splashing onto her dress however she got a bit of it on her beautifully toned honey-kissed legs and the man's shirt was slightly stained. Maya leaned forward to look at herself while the waiter apologized profusely. Maya just shrugged it off but the man was a bit upset and tried to reprimand the waiter however when he saw Maya in front of him, he changed his stance and asked her if she was ok. Maya looked at the stranger and gestured with her hand that she was good. Just then the man extended his hand out to Maya to introduce himself.

*Maya's POV*

"Hi, I'm Alex and I'm really sorry about this." The handsome man said to me with a sweet smile plastered on his face as he grabbed the serviette from the waiter and handed it over to me to wipe away the wine from my legs. I shoot him a wide smile and before I could say another word, I felt a warm hand grabbing my arm and yanking me away from Alex. "Isn't this a cosy meeting, huh Maya? How long have you two known each other?" James barked at me. "So, you are the Maya Sharma at FA Pharma," Alex chirped. "Nice to finally meet you Ms Sharma. I have heard a lot about you, and I must say, the report on your beauty was underrated. You are a rare beauty with brains, I see." Alex said while staring at James. To say that I was confused was an understatement.

These 2 men, both of whom were good looking and had a strong aura around them were staring one another down and I was standing there like an idiot not knowing what was happening.

"Mr Aslan, I don't know what you think is going on here, but a waiter just bumped into the both of us and Alex here was just lending me a helping hand." Maya tried to explain. "Alex. So you two are on a first name basis. Come with me right now." He yelled at me and yanked me towards the elevator. "Where are you taking me, you monster? You have no right to...." He shut me down by holding onto my jaw and lifted my head towards him. "You are truly something Ms Sharma. Playing all innocent and professional but how do you explain your relationship with that man. Huh? I'm waiting. What happened to that sharp tongue of yours?" I tried to clear my mind and think about all that just happened before the elevator doors opened to the top floor of the hotel.

James pulled me out of the elevator and dashed towards one of the rooms. He fished out a room card from his coat pocket and opened the door. As soon as we walked into the room, I was thrown onto the big luxurious bed of the suite. My head was still spinning from all the wine I had just drunk. James yelled once again while coming closer and closer to me. "Start talking Ms smarty pants. What were you doing with Alex Johnson of AJ Group?" I was stunned and tried to get off the bed, but James threw himself on top of me and held my hands above my head. His cologne and beautiful blue eyes were making me feel weak at the knees, but I had to fight the urge of getting lost in his dreamy blue eyes. I finally gathered my thoughts and yelled back, "Let go of me, you asshole. I'm not one of your cheap women who you can just command." He swiftly leaned in and kissed me furiously. I had never been kissed like that before. I felt my body levitating off the bed and drifting off. It could just be the effects of the wine.

I felt like my lungs were going to cave in from the lack of oxygen. I bit down on his tongue, and he immediately released me looking furious. "Firstly, I didn't know who he was until a few minutes ago when he tried to help me clean off the wine stains on my dress and secondly even if I did know who he was, you can't stop me from talking to him or anyone else for that matter. You are my boss, not my lover, now get the f&*k off me and don't you dare touch me again." I yelled at him at the top of my voice, but he refused to move and continued to stare at me. His stare was cold and piercing. I was still reeling from the domineering kiss however my anger towards him was stronger than my desire to kiss him back.

*end of Maya's POV*

James was furious and didn't want to back down now. He needed to know if Maya was indeed working with Alex and if that was the reason she sabotaged the new product registration. With venom oozing out of his mouth he said, "You are just his type of woman. A cheap flirt. A weakling just like him. What did Alex promise you? Money, property, love. What are you getting from that man? Tell me before I fire your ass and destroy everything you hold dear to you." Maya was confused, "What are you talking about? I have never met that man before in my life. After the meeting we had, I found out that AJ Group was also submitting a similar dossier for approval and our strategy was to get the registration earlier so that our company was first to market. But please believe me whe..." James cut her off by asking her to stop pretending to be innocent.

He didn't believe that she knew nothing about the rivalry between the two companies. Now Maya was even more confused as she had absolutely no clue about what the rivalry between these two men or the company was about. She knew very well that AJ Group was a new entrant into the market and that they were a normal business competitor, but she didn't know that this was personal. James felt distracted by the woman underneath him. She was beautiful and intoxicating and her eyes were so deeply captivating that he feared that he may get lost in them. Earlier, he couldn't stop looking at her from his table while Bethany was busy chatting away. The moment he saw Maya leaving her table with her phone in her hand, he made up an excuse and left a disappointed Bethany at the table.

He suddenly got off Maya, straightened his jacket and walked towards the door. He turned back to look at Maya before his hand touched the doorknob and said, "If I find out that you were working hand in hand with Alex to sabotage my company, you will regret the day you met me, Maya Sharma." He slammed the door shut and walked towards the elevator in long strides. As he arrived at the foyer, his driver was already waiting for him and hurriedly left to get the car. While, upstairs on the veranda of the wine bar, Maya walked back to the table where her friends were sitting, and she gulped down a glass of wine before turning to Grace. All eyes were on Maya, and everyone was wondering where she had disappeared to for such a long time. "Grace, we need to talk in private." Maya said and took Grace's hand in hers and gave her a look which sent shivers down Grace's spine. She had never seen the graceful, cheerful Maya this worked up before therefore she immediately agreed to go with Maya.

The next morning, just as James was about to walk out of his home, he received a call from Simone, "Boss, you made the headlines once again." James stopped in his tracks and rushed back into his study to turn on his computer. He was met with articles and pictures from all angles of him holding onto a woman and walking into a hotel room the night before. The woman was none other than Maya. The headlines read "Aslan playboy at it again," "Is there ever an end to his fooling around," but the last headline got him really upset "Office fling or the real thing."

Maya and James didn't realise that someone had secretly followed them to the hotel room and took pictures of them entering the suite together. The pictures which were uploaded on various internet sites show two people in a warm embrace and in another shot, it looked like James leaned in to kiss Maya's lips, with Maya closing her eyes.

James immediately instructed Simone to get their PR team to remove all articles from the web and to pull all print media from this story. His phone continued buzzing in his ear, so he hurriedly ended the call with Simone and checked his phone screen only to find a call from his mum and dad simultaneously. He felt a headache coming on and sat back on his chair before picking up his dad's call. "Dad, it's not what it looks like. I can explain if you just give me a chance." Ferret just laughed out loud and said, "It only took you a few years to notice Maya, but your mother and I are overjoyed by these news articles and what's more, the board members will be happy to see you settling down with an intellectual and kind hearted woman."

"Dad, what non-sense are you talking about? The press has spun this rumour so it's nothing more than gossip which I'm going to put a stop to. I have nothing to do with that woman. Not now, not ever." James tried to explain but his father chuckled and ended the call. James didn't give what his father said a second thought before rushing out of his apartment and driving towards his office before an idea entered his mind. James banged his palm on the steering wheel when the idea of Maya working with Alex popped into his mind. "She planned all of this. May and Alex planned this whole damn thing. They are working together to destroy my reputation. I will not let that happen." James hissed between clenched teeth.

Maya didn't have a sound sleep since her talk with Grace last night. Maya relayed to Grace all that happened between her and James since they met in the boardroom. Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath in before giving Maya's hand a soft squeeze. "Maya, I don't have to tell you about James' personality because we have been friends for so many years and you have witnessed his behaviour over those years. What you don't know is that after James left to study in New York, he continued a long-distance relationship with Lia Smith. They would meet over holidays and long weekends for a while however when our company in New York faced a major financial crisis, James had to step in and help at the office while still completing his studies. Lia wasn't the most understanding or supportive partner and she cheated on James with his rival from school, Alex.

Alex and Lia met once when she went to New York to spend the week with James. They somehow managed to hook up several times during her stay there, while James was busy trying to salvage the company. James became even more closed off after Lia's betrayal and he swore never to forgive the two of them. Alex never stopped trying to take what belonged to James. First Lia, a few months later, James went to an auction to purchase a piece of land that dad had his eye on for warehousing space however Alex managed to bribe an official who leaked James' bid price to him, and he increased his offer, which was accepted and James lost the piece of land. The dossier you worked on was important to James because it was the first big project since the loss of the bid, and he didn't want to lose to Alex again that's why he was so angry and suspicious about why you didn't submit the dossier on time." Grace said apologetically.

Maya decided that she had to meet James this morning and try to explain to him again and let him know that she will assist in any way she could to ensure they launch a product that is even better than the one they were planning on submitting. As Maya walked into the office building, she couldn't help noticing that people were giving her the eye and whispering to one another. She brushed it off and got into the elevator however as soon as she walked into her office she was greeted by Ferret, Jill and Bill Marlow from the PR office. All three of them greeted her but Maya was still confused as to why they were waiting for her in her office so early in the morning. A thought crossed her mind and she asked in panic, "Mr Aslan, is there a quality issue with one of our products or a customer complaint? If so, please don't worry our team will work with the PR department to address these as soon as possible." "Maya, we take it that you haven't seen this morning papers or checked your social media feeds yet." Jill said with concern in her voice.

Maya quickly took her phone out of her handbag and realized that it was switched off. She quickly turned it on and was taken aback by the number of missed calls and messages she had from Grace, her grandmother, Nelia and of course James. As she was wondering why he would call her, James barged into her office and slammed the door shut. He was taken aback when he saw his parents and the head of the PR team gathered around Maya. "You sly vixen, what have you done?" James screamed at Maya and placed both his palms on her desk. "What's going on? I don't understand what you're so upset about." Maya looked around the room for someone to reply but no one moved a muscle. "Mr Aslan, do you mind explaining to me what's happening right now?" Maya asked in confusion. "Oh, she's good. Dad, you were right. She's really good at what she does. Now you're gonna play innocent after you helped create this mess." James hissed and threw the newspapers on her desk.

Maya's eyes widened in absolute disbelief. She covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming profanities and turned to James. "Why would you think that I did something this vulgar. Are you insane?" Maya asked with tears forming in her eyes. "Mr Aslan, Jill, I would never do such a thing. This goes against my principles, and I would never do something to hurt the reputation of this company, its CEO and most especially my own reputation. Oh, my goodness, my family. I need to talk to them before they think that this is true and..." before she could finish her sentence James said "That's enough of your drama. You colluded with Alex last night, didn't you? Now it explains why you were at the same hotel at the same time as me. Oh my! You overheard my conversation when you bumped into me at the office, so you knew where I was heading to, and you followed me there! Just admit it or are you afraid of damaging your perfect reputation in front of the Chairman who thinks the world of you? Dad, I told you before and I'm telling you now, I don't want her on my team. I want her fired." James sneered.

Maya couldn't take it any longer, she walked over to James and pulled his collar and said, "You jerk, do you think I'm so idol and desperate that I would want to follow the likes of you all over town? Think again. You have no evidence of any wrong doing on my part so you can't fire me! I quit." Ferret couldn't stand this anymore and interjected, "James, that's enough. I don't want to hear another word against Maya from you and Maya, you are not quitting. We are here to help you fix this situation because the board members and our new investors are already calling to find out what's this story about. James, I think you know how they feel about your recent casual relationships and the impact they have had on our company image. The company is just turning the corner thanks to your contribution but it's not enough and we need to give these investors assurance that you are the best person to spear head this company.

Your mother and I have been brainstorming with Bill on a few responses and we think that its best for you admit to having a romantic relationship with Maya." "What?" Both Maya and James said at the same time. Jill and Ferret nodded at one another and walked forward. Ferret took James by the arm and dragged him out of Maya's office together with Bill, while Jill gestured for Maya to come over to the couch. Jill started off by saying, "Maya you have been a part of our family for a long time, and you know that we have always wanted the best for you. We are proud of all that you have achieved, and we will continue to support you in your ambitions and dreams. Right now, we need you more than we have ever needed you. I know that James is a difficult man to be around but deep down, he is truly an amazing soul." Maya chuckled and thought that only a mother would think so, but she bit her tongue and didn't speak out her thoughts.

Jill understood Maya's reaction and she gently smiled at her. "My son needs someone to support him and give him back the confidence that he once lost. Grace told me about your chat last night, so you understand what he has gone through over the past few years. He turned to alcohol and women to shut out the pain and emptiness he felt. He is trying his best to continue his father's legacy and while we are proud of him, we feel that he could achieve greater things if only he managed to settle down and find some stability in his personal life." Before Jill continued, Maya stopped her and asked, "So, you want me to pretend for the sake of the investors and board members that we are in a romantic relationship with one another?" Jill nodded her head in agreement. Maya couldn't believe it.

She opened her mouth to speak when Grace walked into her office in her huff. After a few minutes of persuasion, Maya relented and agreed to Jill's request however she told them that she would only go along with the plan if James also agreed to it. In another part of the office, Ferret was having a similar conversation with James however the latter was not having any of it. While his father sighed in frustration, James' phone kept ringing. He pulled it out of his pants pocket and looked at the screen. He excused himself and stepped out of the office to take a call which he was expecting from his private investigator. He listened attentively to the reports from the man on the other end of the phone, who promised to email him the full report within the next two minutes.

James walked into the office with his hands in his pockets and agreed to his father's plan. He asked Bill to work through the logistics of the press briefing and to draw up the press release. He didn't care if Maya agreed to the plan or not because he would find a way to get her to comply. He had one goal in mind and that was to get revenge. Get revenge on Alex and his accomplice.

Ferret's phone pinged with a message from Jill stating that after a long discussion, Maya finally agreed to giving a statement that she and James had been in a romantic relationship with one another for the past few months and that they kept this private for the sake of their professional relationship. Jill was letting her thoughts run away with her when Grace pulled her out of her thoughts and reminded her that this was just a pretence and that they are not really in love with one another. Jill still couldn't stop hoping that one day they would develop feelings for one another. She always saw Maya as a part of her family, and it would be wonderful if James would get to know Maya and give himself a chance to have a meaningful relationship again.

Maya on the other hand was pacing her office thinking about how to break the news to her grandmother and aunt especially after complaining to them a few days ago about her maniac of a boss. Just then her phone rang, and it was Nelia. After speaking to Nelia and explaining the whole situation, she decided to switch off her phone, lock herself in her office and crashed onto the couch thinking about the mess she just got herself into. Something just occurred to her, and she cursed herself for not thinking about this. How long would she have to pretend to be in a relationship with James and to what extent would she have to pretend? Would she have to be seen with him on a regular basis or just special events and occasions? She plopped herself back onto the couch and decided that she would make a list of questions she had and discuss them with Jill later in the day.

Maya kept thinking back to her discussion with Grace where she explained the depression that James sunk into after Lia's betrayal and his efforts in trying to prove to everyone that he could fill his father's shoes as CEO of the company. Grace cried for a while before Maya hugged her friend and comforted her. Maya knew only too well what it felt like to be betrayed by the one you love therefore she understood why James reacted the way he did when he saw her with Alex.

Maya packed up her stuff and headed to her car, just then she received a message from Jill saying that she had explained everything to her grandmother and aunt and they had no problem with the situation. Maya's eyes opened wide in disbelief when she read this message as she knew that Jill must have worked hard to pacify her strict grandmother.

She drove to her grandmother's home in a panic only to be welcomed by her in a warm embrace. "Maya dear, I'm so happy you came to see dadi. Come, let's have dinner together. Sheetal and aunt have just prepared the table for dinner. Let's eat. Thereafter, we can have a nice little chat." Her grandmother said while showering Maya with kisses. Sheetal shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Maya. Maya went close to her cousin and said, "Clearly grandma doesn't know what a player he is so don't say anything to her." Maya pleaded with Sheetal. The latter zipped her lips and gave Maya a hug. Maya is third generation of Indians who settled in America years ago. With no siblings, Sheetal, her cousin was 2 years younger than her and was the closest thing to a sibling and they got on well with one another. Maya's paternal family didn't quite acknowledge her because Maya's mum was from a poor background while her dad's family were quite rich and well known in the business circle. The family was against the marriage but because Maya's father was the eldest son and the main heir, the family gave in and allowed them to register their marriage, however they never made the marriage nor Maya's existence public. That was the family condition and her parents complied because they were happy just being together that it didn't matter to them.

On Maya's first birthday her parents went out to get her a birthday present and decorations for the party which was to be held at her maternal grandmother's home, however they met with a fatal accident and was pronounced dead at the scene. Maya met her paternal family a few times while growing up, but they didn't acknowledge her nor did they try to foster any relations with her until she turned 21years old a few years ago. She got a call from her paternal grandmother who was the only family member to care for her, inviting her for coffee at a nearby restaurant. After that meeting, she was convinced that although her life with her grandmother and aunt wasn't an easy one financially, she was truly loved and cared for and they put her happiness ahead of everything else.

The four of them had a wonderful dinner and grandma explained to Maya that she was worried when she saw the article, however Jill explained that it was just a misunderstanding and that both James and Maya were never intimate with one another. Although Maya and James had been dating for a while, they took things slow and respected Maya's culture and values. "If only Dadi knew that all these were lies, she would skin me alive." Maya thought. As with most Indian families, they were very conservative. Many people still practiced no sex before marriage therefore Maya felt relieved that Jill understood this and explained to this to her grandma. Maya's family knew the Aslans very well because her grandmother would only allow her to go out with people she knew and trusted therefore when Maya first met Grace, Jill came over to introduce herself to Dadi, and asked if it was ok for Maya to visit their home on a regular basis since Grace and her were such close friends. Dadi reluctantly agreed but after a while she really warmed up to Grace's parents. She had met Luc once when he dropped Maya off at home, however she never met James nor had Maya ever spoken of him at home, so her family was shocked when they heard that James, the second son was taking over the business a few months ago.

Dadi held onto Maya's hand and said, "You deserve a love as strong as the love your parents shared. No one could shake their bond and just like that, they left together. They loved one another unconditionally and their status didn't matter. Your father stood firm against the world and supported my daughter. That was true love. Maya, I pray that you and James find the same love in your relationship." Maya's sense of guilt increased ten-fold however she shyly smiled at her grandmother and nodded in understanding. Dadi continued, "Although we agree in principle, we still need to meet this, James. I must see for myself if he is as handsome in person as he is in these newspapers. The ladies at the senior's club are hungry for gossip. Finally I have some news to share with them." Maya laughed and agreed to bringing James over to meet her family.