Blurb: Holding a pistol, Hailey is torn between choosing Javier or Brad. As she remembered what trauma she's had to go through leaving her brother, she wasn't ready to lose him by choosing her boss. "I'm sorry, Brad." Tears rolled down her eyes as she raised the gun at him. "Hailey!" Nora cried while being held hostage by one of the men. She pulled the trigger and watched him bleed. She was cruel, indeed. But all her life, she'd been running from her father's gang from Valencia, Spain. For reasons best known to her father, she was forced to leave her brother and run to America where she crossed path with a billionaire, Brad Williams. Javier is back but not as the same weak younger brother she used to know. He put her in a tight spot by asking her to choose between him and the billionaire whom she had fallen in love with already.
Chapter 1 1
The phone rang twice before Brad Williams decided to take it. It's been two weeks since his teenage daughter disappeared and he has been trying all he could to ensure she returns safely. He loves Nora too much to want to see her hurt. Holding the phone to his ear, he didn't know what to expect. He was already tired of hoping.
"Hello?" His voice held a hint of fear.
"It looks like you're not willing to cooperate." The husky voice he'd come to be familiar with threatened. "Two weeks, Brad. It's been two weeks since you last saw your daughter and trust me, you don't want to know what we've done to her."
"Please, don't touch her. I have done every single thing you wanted."
"Two million, Brad! Two million dollars or I'm sending a picture of your girl. Dead!" He threatened and immediately hung up.
"God!" Brad fought the strong urge to swear or ram a punch through the wall.
"Sir?" A female voice jolted him back to reality. "Are you okay?"
He looked up to see his employee walk in with a stack of files in one arm. Since he has been told not to involve the public or the authorities, he's had to keep this to himself.
"I'm fine, Cassy. Just drop the files. I'll call you later." She did so reluctantly.
"I hope you are fine."
Thirty minutes later, he grabbed my suit jacket from the hanger and walked to the door. Two weeks of constantly transferring money to these people is not a joke. Pulling it off was only possible because he was a billionaire. He has to pretend for the camera by smiling when his daughter is in the den of kidnappers. But he cannot hide it for long.
Brad Williams happens to be one of the top three richest men in the whole of North America. He got most of his money from inherited wealth and also his knowledge as a business tycoon. He got married when he was twenty one to his high school crush, Asher, but the marriage only lasted three years as she was only after his wealth. In the court, Asher did not think twice about leaving her baby with Brad as she wasn't ready to raise one according to her.
That baby has been his only source of happiness and love. He had raised her with nothing but care. He would tear himself apart if anything were to happen to her. He would plan something that can help her but first, he needs to have coffee.
"Sir?" That familiar feminine voice stopped him as he made to enter the elevator.
He turned.
"What is it, Cassy?"
"We have someone coming over today that you wanted to interview personally." He paused, trying to remember when he said that. "You wanted to hire a personal assistant."
"Oh." At this point, that might be impossible. He can barely trust anyone. Everyone might just be a kidnapper at this rate. "You can tell her there's no vacancy and we are no longer hiring."
Moving out of the company, He was hit with a pang of fresh air. The air was a bit damp because of the weather. No wonder drinking coffee isn't such a bad idea for straight thinking. He drove off to the company's nearby coffee shop, putting on his sunglasses to avoid attention. That did little to conceal his identity because when he entered, everyone adjusted themselves.
He didn't even notice any of them. He just wanted to sit quietly and be on his own.
"Can I have the private booth reserved for me?" An interestingly warm voice asked beside him as he made to order. Who has the audacity to ask for a space everyone know is reserved for him alone?
"I'm really sorry, ma'am, but that place is reserved for someone already." The barista tried to reply politely.
"Who's the person? Is that person so important you get to keep a place for them even before they are here?" That tone was so defiant he was forced to turn to see who it was.
As he turned, removing his sunglasses, the woman he saw made his jaw drop mentally. Long brown hair that cascaded down her waist and surrounded her round face. Her small red lips spoke so fast one could hardly see them move. When she tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear, he was able to spot her dimple. Her curvy body was seductive and he is quite sure they turned heads everywhere she went. Her skin were as appealing to the eyes as milk. He didn't know he was staring until I felt her eyes turn to mine.
His heart squeezed and instantly, he was stunned. Forest green eyes that seemed like they would bore into his soul if he tried anything rash and would break down into tears at the slightest push. Her lashes were so long and curved they acted like a canopy for the eyes.
"I want the private booth, now." She continued to say, even though their eyes have just met in what seemed to be the shortest passionate minute.
He forgot why he'd even come to the coffee shop in the first place.
"I'd like a double espresso, Steven." He ordered and when the barista made to answer him, he could sense rage welling inside the woman beside him.
"I got here first. But he orders and you had to cut the line to answer?" Her voice wasn't raised but it held authority and more like she wouldn't take this. "How much more humiliation do I have to take simply because I want to be hired here?"
Brad looked at her again. "You came here to seek a job?"
She nodded. "Yes. But it looks like a bad idea."
"What would you like to be hired as?"
"Why the question? I don't even know you." She said and when Steven made to say something, he raised his hand. She doesn't need to know.
"To get to know more about each other. What do you think?"
She shook her head. "No."
Steven gave Brad what he ordered for and asked hers. "What would you like, ma'am?"
"A single espresso. I want it extra steamy." She said but added. "And a private booth."
"Ma'am, I told you already. Someone already reserved that space. The rest are filled up."
She grabbed her purse. "Forget about the drink then."
For the next thirty minutes, he couldn't get that woman out of his mind. Her beauty and confidence got to him. Such woman should be a threat to a man's ego but she isn't a threat to his. In fact, she is the type of woman he'd want for myself if Asher hadn't acted like a wuss.
Sipping the last drop of his coffee, he rushed back to the office, ready to think about what he can do next. He needs to talk to someone. He needs someone he can trust. But who?
"She's here, boss." Cassy met him at the entrance, her face worried. "She won't leave even after I told her we are no longer hiring."
"Then, have the security drag her out." He said dismissively.
"Yes...yes sir!" Cassy answered hesitatingly that he was forced to ask who the person was. No one else could pull off making Cassy think twice about following orders.
"Let me see her."
A relieved sigh. "She's in front of your office."
He took the elevator upstairs and walked down the corridor to his office only to see a familiar brown hair. She now wore a fluffy coat to warm herself.
"Miss?" She turned with drooled eyes that widened in familiarity.
"What are you doing here? Are you seeking a job too?"
How could she be so ignorant? He is technically the richest in the continent but she doesn't recognize he is the CEO of the company.
He dug his hands in his pockets. "Do you do this everywhere?"
She tilted her head. "Do what?"
"Act like you're the boss everywhere." He stepped forward while she walked backwards until her back hit the wall behind. "You're in a company where you need to find a job. Act like you want it."
"Actually, I need it." She said. "Plus, you don't get to talk to me like that. Who the hell are you anyways?"
They are now a few inches apart and although he really wants to shut her blabbering mouth up by pressing a hand against it, he strangely enjoyed watching her speak. Their eyes locked for a while and slowly, he found himself dropping his gaze to her lips which she bit nervously.
"I see you met the crazy woman already, boss." Cassy cut in and her last word made the woman's eyes widen even more.
Chapter 1 1
30/07/2023
Chapter 2 2
30/07/2023
Chapter 3 3
30/07/2023
Chapter 4 4
30/07/2023
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