Vengeance Meets Love

Rebecca's POV

With my head filled with contempt and hatred, I stepped into the towering skyscraper. With my heels clicking against the polished marble floors, I could hear it sounding so loud. I tried my best to reduce the sound, but it seemed that the more I tried, the worse it became. I looked to my left and then to my right to see if anyone thought I was odd, but all I could see were smiling faces that looked like they were relishing my beauty and elegance. Yeah, it had to be my elegance. I was wearing the white and black skirt that Sara and I picked last weekend; it was indeed a piece of elegance.

The cool air from the deep air conditioner enveloped me, filling my lungs with a sense of determination. I knew that I must be confident about this; I must get this job; failure is not an option. This was supposed to be the threshold at which I gain what I want, and indeed, it was the beginning of my journey, the first step towards my ultimate goal.

As I approached the front desk, the receptionist's smile faltered as I requested to meet with Nathan. She was so sarcastic-or should I even say she was cynical-that I could see the skepticism in her eyes, the assumption that I was just another young, ambitious woman seeking a shortcut to success.

"Oh, how I wish she could read my thoughts; if only she knew that I wish to disembowel her boss." so I thought to myself, seeing how she looked and addressed me.

She truly never knew that I was different. I had a plan. One which was definitely not good; I was not here to work, I was here to ruin the company as her boss did to my dad's.

The receptionist made me wait in the lobby: "He will be out soon; he will see you; he said he would rather meet with you here." So she said to me still in that annoying manner, and in that cursed smile of hers, I could see through her fake smile what she thought of me, but that was her business, not mine.

So, as I waited in the lobby, I observed this bustling atmosphere around me. I was not the only one who was tense; it seemed like everyone was. The executives darted back and forth, and it was almost as if they were all waiting for a death sentence. Their faces are etched with worry and stress.

"Hmm. This was indeed a company in crisis, a company that had lost its way. I see that I don't really have to do much." So I thought when I noticed the countenance of the staff.

Yeah, for real, I would love to help destroy this. I would gladly be the catalyst for the destruction of this hellhole called a company.

Finally, the devil arrived. Nathan emerged from the elevators. He was a proud man; he walked like some kind of Alpha, and his commanding presence filled the room. He was not the smiling type, and when I saw him, I almost lost my confidence. It became conspicuous to me that it would be hard for me to break into such a rigid, tough-looking man.

Seeing him, I stood tall, my expression calm and collected, masking the fire that burned within me. I had to be confident, or at least I had to appear to be confident. I can't afford to miss this opportunity; it is definitely the threshold at which I can get my vengeance.

"Ms. Johnson, what can I do for you?" He said this to me with my file in his hand and his eyes darting directly to mine. Nathan's voice was smooth, and his eyes were piercing. He was the embodiment of power and the symbol of everything that I despised. He almost tempered my confidence with those sharp, searching eyes of his. My eyes flickered, and I fought tooth and nail to keep them from falling off. I kept the contact despite the strong urge to bow like the leaner creature.

Before I came here, I had already made up my mind; I was determined. I would play his game, and I would win. Whatever game he brings, I will definitely play, and I will win him in his very own game.

"I have a proposal for you, Mr. Nathan." I spoke with confidence, my words were carefully chosen. "I believe that I can be a valuable asset to this company. "I have the skills, the knowledge, and the drive to make a difference." I said it with confidence, still maintaining contact with him.

Nathan's countenance shifted, his eyebrows arching in curiosity. He was definitely a thief, so I thought at this moment.

"Go on." He said to me that he looked very interested in whatever it was that I had to say.

"I want to work for you, Mr. Nathan. I want to be your right-hand woman. Or I could say, "Your right-hand man," just as our society will like to put it. "And in exchange, I expect your full support in my endeavours." I said to him.

Nathan studied me for a moment-it was quite a while-his eyes roaming over my features. He looked at me from head to toe; he channelled his eyes to my lips, then to my boobs and my curves; he was very detailed with his viewing. I held my breath, waiting for his response. I was scared he would reject my offer, but I prayed in my heart and had faith that he would have to accept it. Well, it was not like I left him with any options; I used a tip I got from the famous book written by Robert Greene, "48 Laws of Power." In the book, there was a section that said that if you want something from a person, you should not plead for their mercy, but rather make them see that it is to their greatest benefit to fulfill your desire. That was the strategy I applied.

Finally, the son of a bitch nodded.

"Very well then, Ms. Johnson. Welcome aboard." So he said, and he sounded almost like he had forgotten my name. Well, I won't be surprised; he was a dummy, an entitled bastard, so I thought about him.

You see, with that response from him, my plan had begun. The first step towards my vengeance, towards my redemption

The Power Play

That very Monday morning, I woke up very early; it was a big day for me. I knew that I had to make an impression, and I couldn't afford to be known as the lady who started work on her first day late. That would be a bad impression. So, I rushed into the shower and washed up right, and then I went into my wardrobe and handpicked the best clothes and shoes that I had. After dressing, I stood before the mirror and bled out a satisfying smile. I knew that I was good to go.

"Dad, the journey had just begun," I said as I took to my heels, walking like an assassin on a mission.

I entered the corporate jungle, and I noticed that it was a world unlike any I had ever known. The office was sleek and modern, with gleaming glass walls and polished floors. Everywhere was like a mirror; I could see myself through the far corners of the hall, the walls, the floor, and even the ceiling. This was indeed a place of power, and every person inside was determined to climb the ladder to success. It was like a gladiator arena, where all the people in it, both men and women, were the gladiators, ready to kill anyone for the price of success.

Looking at the place and the people on it, I somehow felt this sense of inferiority, but being the tigress I had always been, I quickly swept that feeling of weakness off. I walked through the halls, surrounded by men and women in expensive suits and designer shoes. I realised that everyone here moved with purpose; no one moved because they felt like it; they all had one significant reason or another. The sound of high heels was consistently clicking against the floor, and the murmur of voices was constant in the air. There was a tension that hung over the office, a palpable feeling of ambition and competition. Everyone seemed to compete with each other; it was conspicuously shown on their faces and their countenance.

I walked directly into my office and sat on my desk, which had been prepared for me even before I had arrived. As I sat on my desk, my eyes kept scanning the room. I watched as the monster Nathan strode in, his tailored suit emphasizing his broad shoulders and chiselled jaw. Hmm, he was quite handsome, but there was something about him that often swayed me whenever I set my eyes on him, almost making me forget that I had a plan. He exuded power, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. I wouldn't lie, and I must confess that I somehow felt his authority getting on me, but I tried as much as I could to never let him truly conquer me; my respect for and fear for him must only be a facade and not a real one. And I have this special weakness for men with authority, and he was the definition of everything I needed in a man. He carried himself with so much pride.

"What a proud fool, wait till I am done with you," I thought to myself.

As the days passed, I navigated the politics of the office, learning how to play the game. I knew that I was not equal to the competitors I met at the office. And like my father will always say, "Realising your weakness is not a sign of weakness; it is only strong people who could, because they need to know the part which they are not good at so that they can work on them and become better."

So, I tried my best to learn more, including more about politics and even how to do some of the jobs; I won't lie, and I don't regret it, but I had to use a couple of weak staffers whom I could find, most of whom were males.

As time went on, I listened to the whispered conversations in the break room, gathering information about Nathan's wrongdoings. I smiled and nodded at my coworkers, all the while plotting my next move. I was sleek about it; no one ever suspected what I was up to.

I was always at the meetings with Nathan, so, in the meetings, I watched and relished the feeling I got when the executives sparred with each other; they were very formal with their combats; no one threw their first; it was a war of words; their words were sharp and calculated, always hitting their target with a strain velocity, like a dart thrown by a professional. It was indeed a dance of power, with each person vying for the upper hand.

Well, I found myself drawn into the world of the office, my very own hunger for success fueling my drive. And one other thing that made me suspect that I might be falling for the enemy was the fact that I now enjoyed his company; even though I know that he must taunt me, I will still want to spend my time around him, looking at his sexy body, which housed a bag of an arrogant bastard. I knew I had to get to the highest point if I were to achieve my goal. So, I followed in the footsteps of the ones I was already perfecting in the field, and I worked long hours, poring over spreadsheets and memos, with my mind constantly throbbing with ideas, which even Nathan saw as impressive.

But as I dove deeper into the world of the office, I began to see the cracks. The ruthless pursuit of power had led to a cutthroat environment where backstabbing and betrayal were the norm. No one really cared for anyone here; the people in this jungle called office only cared about their selfish gain, and this is what I now found myself in.

I realised that I didn't want to be like them. I didn't want to play the game at the cost of my own integrity. But I was in too deep, and I knew that there was no going back. The office was a world of power, but it was also a world of secrets. I knew that Nathan had a dark side-just what I wanted to know-and I was determined to expose him. But I wished that I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. As I dove deeper, I realized that the price of vengeance was higher than I ever could have imagined. It now seemed to be more than I bargained for. But there was certainly no going back; I must avenge my father. Nathan has to pay. He must pay for what he made my father go through.

One faithful day, as usual, I went to work, and Nathan, in his usual way of taunting me, asked me to retrieve a file from the highest level of the cabinet, towering over me like a skyscraper. I looked at him to see if he meant it, but yes, he does; he meant it. When I realised that he meant it, I quickly scanned the area for something to stand on, but the only solution was to climb a ladder. I ran to grab one. There was a ladder right outside; the gardener uses it once in a while, and I have seen him using it, so I rushed out to get it, eager to fulfil Nathan's request.

However, after I had reached for the ladder and brought it all the way back inside the office, he appeared and snatched it from my grasp. At first, I thought he was going to reprimand me for bringing a dirty ladder into the office. Of course, it was not dirty; I made sure it was clean before I came back with it, and that was probably the reason I was late.

His countenance was twisted with anger, his tone harsh and biting. "You're so lazy and useless, all you're good for is looking pretty," he sneered at me. He was actually going to climb the ladder by himself.

"Foolish man," I thought to myself. As he began to climb up the ladder, I wished he fell from the ladder and lost his life; I hated his guts, and I know he hated me too, but it's ok, it's not like I cared. He killed my father, so I washed him away to a worse death.

The atmosphere in the office turned tense and sour for me, with his words lingering like a toxic mist. I felt my blood boil with indignation, but I remained silent. What more can I do? I have to remain silent; I can't afford to let him know of my utmost hatred for him, not until I get what I want from him. Well, I'm almost there; he will surely pay.

As I watched him climb the ladder, I couldn't help but feel a deep hatred for him. But then something strange happened. The ladder began to shake; it quaked, and he shook along with it. I could see fear all over him, but the bastard was too proud to call for my help.

I stood below, watching the surreal scene unfold before me. My anger dissipated, and I was left with a sense of calm. The world had shifted, and the ugliness of Nathan's words no longer had any power over me. The ladder was very high, and he was at the top of the ladder; he might not survive if he happened to fall from there. Yeah, I know I wanted him to pay for what he did to my father, but not that way. I might really want his death, but not now, and definitely not this way.

At that moment, I saw him for what he truly was: a small, insignificant figure, trapped in a world of his own making. As the ladder swayed gently in the wind, I had the urge to help him, and yes, I could have helped if I wanted, but I changed my mind-what if I just let it end this way? What if this was what fate had in store for him? What if I do not even have to do anything to punish him? So I thought, and I chose to turn a blind eye to him.

Nathan was indeed a proud bastard; he never asked for help; he kept on dangling on that ladder till it finally slipped out from under him, and he fell to the ground with a sickening thud. The fall was hard, and even if Lucifer were there, he would have compassion for Nathan, so I also couldn't help but feel bad. I rushed to his side, and my heart was pounding as I tried to assess the damage.

He groaned in pain, and I could see the blood starting to pool around his head. My hands trembled as I fumbled for my phone, calling for an ambulance. I might be a tigress, or so I like to call myself, but I have never seen anyone bleed that much. Yeah, it's true, I remember how much pain my dad felt; I knew he bled a lot, but that was only emotional bleeding. My mind was a whirlwind of panic and fear as I watched Nathan slip in and out of consciousness. I feared that he could die in my hands. But as I sat by his side, I couldn't help but feel a hint of joy; it was like a cocktail of joy and compassion. Nathan had always been so cold and callous towards me, and yet here he was, vulnerable and in need of my help.

As we waited for the ambulance, I screamed out for help, and in no time the office was crowded with staff; they were all in panic, asking me what it was that happened; they all knew who he was, and they knew how annoying he can be.

But before I called out for help, there he was, sitting on the ground with his head on my hand. I couldn't help but ask myself: should I take this opportunity to get my revenge, or should I give in to the growing feelings I had for him?

Nathan was taken to the hospital but was unconscious; he spent weeks in the hospital in a coma. The staff waited for his return, and days turned into weeks, and Nathan remained in a coma. But he finally recovered after six weeks, and when he finally awoke, he was a different person. He was no longer himself; he had lost his memory, and he began to behave strangely. He was no longer the cold and distant CEO, but a kind and gentle man who knew nothing but to look at me with eyes filled with love.

I was conflicted and unsure of how to proceed. Was this just a game to him, or did he truly feel love for me? Or was it the fact that he had lost his memory, or was he even playing a game with my feelings?

As time went by, I found myself getting so used to the new Nathan; he was quite a cutie; he was caring and nice; and he was extremely soft and emotional; he was definitely the opposite of what he was. As we talked and shared our thoughts, I couldn't help but feel the walls I had built around myself begin to crumble.

Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for us to find love and happiness together. But for now, all I could do was take care of Nathan and hope that our feelings for each other were real.