Her Strange Secretary

Darren's Pov

I saw her. I didn't want to stop staring. For some unknown reason I just didn't want to stop staring at her. I watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked towards me. I noticed that her cheeks were slightly flushed as she beamed at me.

I stared at the love of my life as she walked towards me. The woman who'd broken my curse and given me a reason to be a human.

Last night, Zoysia, my creator had revealed to me in my dream that I had just a few weeks to become human. My curse was finally broken and I had no reason to remain a vampire any longer. After more than five hundred years of waiting, Zoysia was finally going to make me human.

Thanks to my love, Ava, I was going to live and die as a human.

A human with a heart.

"Walk faster, Ava" I mouthed at her and she beamed her reply, still walking at a slow, provocative pace.

Ava and I had fixed a date for our wedding and we just finished shopping. I had carried almost all the shopping bags and dropped them in the trunk of my car, while I waited for her to join me.

"Why is sister taking so much time?" Ava's five year old sister, Gracie, who sat at the back seat of my car, asked.

"Wait a bit, darling" I said to her. "Your sister is teasing me"

I wore a deadpan expression as Ava made to cross the road.

She wasn't cat walking towards me anymore, She was trying to help a heavily pregnant lady to cross the road.

I smiled at her warmth and unpredictable personality and I could swear, that was my weakness.

I turned to Gracie. "Your sister is trying to help a pregnant lady to cross the road. She'll be here soon"

Gracie nodded innocently.

As my gaze went back to Ava, who was at the middle of the road with the pregnant lady, I felt a premonition.

At that moment, three things happened simultaneously. A huge truck was speeding uncontrollably towards Ava and the pregnant lady.

Fear was the last thing I saw in Ava's eyes as she pushed the pregnant lady towards me.

"Save her" she mouthed and in a flash, the truck crushed her.

The darn truck driver hesitated a little on the road, then drove off but that didn't bother me.

What bothered me to my bones was my fiance, my Ava was....

I saw red as I caught the pregnant lady.

Ava lay unconscious in a pool of blood. As I took slow, dreaded steps towards her, I listened for her heartbeat but I couldn't hear it. Then I knew she was dead.

And most of all, I knew that she hadn't broken my curse.

I had to live alone with this curse, for eternity.

Sloane's Pov

Twenty Four Years Later

I made the music so high that if I had neighbours, they would have called the security on me.

I lost myself in the rhythm as I danced. I didn't want to hear or see anything apart from Derek, my boyfriend who stared at me as I danced. I loved the way his lustful gaze followed my every move. It boosted my ego whenever he looked at me like he didn't want to look elsewhere.

But then, I wasn't dancing because I wanted Derek to look at me, I danced because I was happy.

Last night's memories unfolded in my head and it made me happy. I thought of how I made Luka scream my name continuously. I thought of how well I satisfied him at the hotel last night and it made me happy.

I felt a bit guilty that, after I cheated on my boyfriend, Derek with Luka, I still had the courage to dance in front of him like nothing happened.

But that was me.

I couldn't live without men fawning over me. The fact that I could satisfy any man I came in contact with, gave me immense joy. It made me feel superior.

I only had a one night stand with Luka, though. We weren't dating and I wasn't planning to date him.

Not now, not ever.

Even if I knew that Luka had feelings for me.

All my one night stands always had lingering feelings for me.

I turned to Derek and I realised that he wasn't looking at me anymore. He looked at his phone instead.

I rolled my eyes. Was his phone more important than me now?

I was about to make a snarky comment on how he looked at his phone instead of me, when he suddenly asked;

"Sloane, what's this?"

He showed me his phone.

I didn't have to look closely to know what it was. I put off the loud music.

An article, concerning my love life had been posted.

Once again!

Damn the paparazzi!

Apparently, a photo of I and Luka, leaving the hotel had been taken and some journalists who were obsessed with me, had written a long, scandalous article about me.

I was done for. I couldn't let Derek break up with me because of this article.

I had to be the one to dump him first.

I didn't betray an emotion as I met Derek's cold gaze.

"Who's this guy and why are you coming out of a hotel with him?"

He's the guy I slept with, obviously. I resisted the urge to say that to him and roll my eyes. Instead, I sat on the sofa, next to him.

"Baby, you shouldn't mind these things. They're trying to tarnish my reputation" I placed my hand on his chest, which happened to be bare, and I began to stroke.

I could tell that he liked it. I always had my way with him.

"That guy in the picture is my friend from college. We just had a little reunion" in a hotel room where I satisfied him to the point that he lost his voice from moaning my name.

I didn't add that part. I couldn't risk a premature break up with Derek. It wasn't time to dump him yet.

"They're a lot of girls out there who want my life" I added, to my benefit. "They want to be as famous as I am but they can't. And because they can't, they keep on publishing scandalous and malignant articles about me, out of jealousy. They can't break me, though. I'm the only one of me. They can't get a supermodel as perfect as I am" I brought my face close to Derek's as I declared with an air of arrogance "... and you can't get a girlfriend as perfect as I am"

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

It was an hour or so, after Derek saw my article and I effectively convinced him that I was wrongly accused, that I heard the car honk.

I had stayed snuggled up to Derek, that I didn't know when time passed.

The car now passed through my gate. Maybe it was someone I knew.

I tried to get up from Derek's body but his strong arm held me still. He obviously didn't want to let me go.

"I have a visitor" I whispered to him as I smiled. "I'll go see who it is. I'll be back" I planted a kiss on his cheek and I got up. He didn't try to stop me this time.

I smiled as I thought of how clingy Derek was. I could never cling to a man at all, they were the ones who clung to me.

Distracted, I didn't bother to check who it was at my door.

I unlocked and opened it.

As I saw who it was, my hand slowly slipped from the door handle as I let out a shocked gasp.

This was an example of worst timing.

I couldn't believe who it was.

Sloane's Pov

The only dream I had since I was six years old was to make a lot of money and take my mom very far away from my dad. My childhood was crap! I was born out of wedlock and separated from my mom on my sixth birthday. I was made to live with my dad and his wife, against my will.

My rich dad owned a chain of companies so I never lacked anything except from love.

Growing up, I hated my dad a lot because he made me do things I didn't want to do. Whenever I refused his orders, my biological mom had to bear the consequences.

As if separating me from my mom wasn't enough, he also tortured her because of me.

I never got to see my mom again. Whenever I got the chance, she'd push me away and deny the fact that I was her daughter. I couldn't count the number of times I cried myself to sleep whenever I thought of my mom.

I had a step mom ofcourse. Her name was Hagar. She had a son named Jack but Jack wasn't my dad's son. Jack was from Hagar's first husband. He literally wasn't my step brother. Two years into their marriage, Hagar gave birth to a girl for my dad. They named her Dani.

Not like I cared though, I never bonded with my dad's perfect little family. I was an illegitimate child afterall.

In my second year in highschool, I began modelling. I starred in a commercial which went viral and that was how my modelling career began. Surprisingly, my dad didn't stop me from modelling.

My fan base grew in a short period of time and I was already a celebrity by the time I got into college.

As I juggled my modelling career and my education, I figured I didn't have a boyfriend. I had a lot of male and female admirers and a lot of guys had asked me out, not only because I was a celebrity, but because I was so beautiful. I had a slim figure, my curves were at the right places and I was overly confident.

Which guy wouldn't want to have a gorgeous and confident lady by his side?

I didn't love anyone though. Especially not a guy. I hadn't fallen in love before because I had no love to give. You can only give what you receive, but since I hadn't received any love since my sixth birthday, I knew I had no love to give anyone.

But I wanted to have a boyfriend. The thought of it really appealled to me.

When I finally started dating, I realised that I wasn't satisfied with only one man.

I wanted more.

I began two timing

Sometimes, three timing

I never had four boyfriends at a go but I did one night stands.

A lot.

Not because I was obsessed with men but because I enjoyed the fact that men were obsessed with me.

Nine years into my career, I became a supermodel and I was nicknamed the nation's goddess.

I was literally a goddess among men, so I didn't care. I changed boyfriends whenever I got bored or tired and I just loved the life that I lived.

I dated a lot of men because it took my mind away from my painful childhood and it made me miss my mom less.

And also, because it was fun!

Presently, I had a boyfriend. No, two boyfriends!

One named Derek, sat on my couch and waited for me to come back into his arms.

While the other one, named Harley was standing right in front of me.

I should have looked through the peephole before I opened the door. If I did, then I wouldn't be in this mess.

"What-what are you doing here?" I stuttered. "The last time I called, you said you were on a business trip"

"Of course I went on a business trip, but this --" He pointed the screen of his phone at me. "--made me come back sooner than expected"

Oh no! Not the Luka article again!

Was Luka haunting me today? Or was it karma, because I cheated on my two boyfriends with a one night stand? Why won't the journalists leave me alone? Was I the only celebrity in the world? Was I the only supermodel... ?

No matter what, I had to fix this? I couldn't let Derek and Harley discover eachother. I couldn't let them find out that I was two timing the both of them.

I batted my lashes and I smiled seductively at Harley.

"Baby" I husked "You shouldn't mind these things. They're trying to tarnish my reputation" I repeated the same words I said to Derek. I didn't have time to come up with another lie.

"That guy in the picture is my friend from college. We just had a little reunion" I said

"You had a reunion in a hotel?" He asked, with doubtful eyes.

I had to clear that doubt.

Quickly!

I brought my face closer to his. "Nothing happened between us. Don't you trust me, baby?" I whispered.

I could tell that what I did worked. I had him around my pinky finger.

"I do trust you, Sloane" he said. "but this is the fourth scandal you've gotten into since we started dating"

Ofcourse! My life was full of scandals. And the scandals always revolved around my love life. The internet said I had an active love life and they were right, but I couldn't let Harley find that out. I had to convince him otherwise.

I waved my hand dismissively.

"They're all lies. They're after my reputation, that's all. As long as you trust me, then I don't care about the scandals"

I held his gaze confidently. It was time to finish this up.

Before I knew what was happening, he wrapped his arms around my waist and drew me closer to him.

"It's rude to keep your guest waiting outside, isn't it?"

Oh no! I couldn't let Derek catch us both in this position. I had to do something. Fast!

"Sloane?" Too late. I was done for. "Who the hell is he and why is he holding your waist?" I met Derek's icy gaze and I knew my two relationships were over.

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

I sat on the floor of my wine cellar as I took a swig from the wine bottle.

I was sad.

Not because, a one night stand with Luka had made me loose my two boyfriends at the same time, but because I had no men to fawn over me. I needed another boyfriend. I was The Sloane Anderson. I was a goddess on earth. I didn't deserve to be without a boyfriend.

I usually waited till I found other men who I was attracted to, before I dumped my present boyfriends and it wasn't time to let go of Derek and Harley yet.

I had never been caught two timing before, this was the first time I got caught and it sucked!

Well, at least it didn't hurt. I wasn't in love with either of them. I didn't chase after men, they chased after me. Who wouldn't?

I was the nation's goddess afterall.

I had a list of men who'd been asking me out for a long time. All I had to do was date one or two. It wasn't going to be hard.

I picked up my phone and called Hilda, my manager.

I had an assignment for her.

Minutes later, she was in my house. She knew everything about me, even my door passcode. She'd been my manager since high school and she was like an elder sister to me. She was divorced and lived alone with Joey, her seven year old daughter and her mom. Asides from my two friends, Tiffany and Rivera, my manager Hilda was the only person I could share my feelings with.

She even knew the secret around my birth. Nobody, not even my friends knew I was an illegitimate child. Only my family and Hilda knew.

I was grateful that she stayed loyal to me.

"What's the problem now, Miss Sloane?" She asked as she collected the bottle of wine from me. "Are you worried about the article that was posted today?"

So she'd seen it!

Why wouldn't she?

I was always shocked at the speed in which everyone read my scandalous articles. Like they've been waiting for it to get published.

A mere journalist could get rich in a day by just publishing an article about me.

I shook my head in negation. I was a bit tipsy so I didn't trust myself to speak.

"You never care about the articles so why are you trying to get yourself drunk?" I recoiled at her tone as she scolded me.

"Don't scold me, I'm the victim here" I said

"How? What happened? Is it because of the article?"

"Partly" I breathed. "Derek and Harley broke up with me"

She inhaled deeply, out of shock

"Did you get caught?" She asked

I nodded

"That sucks!" She exclaimed. "I told you not to sleep with that Luka guy, but you did and now your boyfriends have dumped you. You can't change that though!" She said as she helped me get up.

"You have to move on!" She declared.

One thing I liked about Hilda was that, she never for once judged me. I was a lady who had a huge appetite for men. I had an arrogant ass but she never for once criticized it.

She knew why I was doing this. She knew about my painful childhood but she still stayed with me.

"Thanks, Hilda", I was about to say but she suddenly got a call.

She stepped aside to answer the call and when she was done, she had a strange look on her face.

"What's the problem?" I asked her, a bit worried

"It's your dad" She said "He wants you to come back home. You know what he does whenever you disobey him"

The hell I knew!