Emily had just gotten out of a relationship with the only man she had ever loved, Ben. Still hopeful they would get back together, she was hit with the most unexpected betrayal and her hopes were dashed. She had recently gotten her dream job at one of the biggest industrial firms in the country and decided to take a break from everything including love and focus on her dreams UNTIL she met "him", first at a party where they had a misunderstanding and she swore they wouldn't cross paths again. Feeling determined to take a break from all that's been going on off her mind and leave a first good impression. she resumed her first day of work. Little did she know, the handsome stranger at the party was a billionaire and her new boss, Jeff Aston CEO of the Aston industries.
Chapter 1 OUR FIRST MEETING
"Need a refill?" Emily looked up from her almost empty glass and saw the voice belonged the friendly bartender. She smiled and nodded her head in approval watching as he refilled her cup.
"Hey Ems" Emily turned and noticed her friend Sandy who had a big smile plastered on her face walking towards her.
Sandy has always been the life of the party and was a very attractive young lady with her blue eyes and the most beautiful smile ever, little wonder while she never seems to run out of suitors.
They met when Emily had just moved to New York and they've been best of friends ever since. "You've got to get up from here and have a bit of fun, meet people, interact you know" Sandy said with a subtle eye roll while still maintaining her smile.
She then pulled the next stool and sat directly facing Emily and changed her countenance to be more serious and said "Em's you need to forget about Ben, he's a jerk for breaking up with you that way, life's just one and if it's meant to be he'd be here right now asking to get back together and apologizing to you".
"I'm fine, you don't have to be worried about me. I'm over him and I just needed to clear my head that's why I decided to tag along to party." Emily replied in her most lively tone in an effort to make Sandy less worried about her.
"Ems I know but..." Sandy's face turned pale and she stopped halfway staring way past Emily. Emily noticed this look on her friend's face and turned to check what caught her friend's attention
Lo and behold, there he was with his tall muscular figure and well chiseled chin while laughing and talking to a group of friends.
"Ben" Emily said quietly.
Ben was Emily's first love, and she was his or so he said. They had met at a Christmas party two years ago where he bumped into her. He quickly apologized and introduced himself, they instantly clicked off and became good friends. Within a month, he made his intentions known and they started dating.
Her face broke into a look of relief thinking he was here for her, cause earlier on she posted on her instagram and tagged her location that she was at the music festival in hopes he'd come find her and they would be together again.
Ben looked up and his eyes went straight to Sandy and she thought she noticed a look of want in his eyes , then before his eyes went from Sandy's to hers and she thought she'd melt as his deep brown eyes met hers, Ben always had that effect on her.
He made his way towards them and said "Hi girls!" Sandy muttered something inaudible and excused herself leaving Emily and Ben awkwardly staring at each other.
Emily decided to excuse herself also but tripped when she got up from her position, "Easy there" Ben said as he reached to support her holding her waist. Now in his arms, Emily remembers why she fell for Ben in the first place.
His muscular hands holding her tightly, his familiar scent that used to drive her crazy and still do. "Get yourself together, Em's" she thought and held onto the table for support. "Why are you here, Ben?" She asked hoping his presence had something to do with her.
Ben smiled and said " I'm here to have some fun, that's all" his piercing eyes scouting her face for a reaction, which unfortunately for him was met with the opposite.
"Same here, I need to be by myself for now" Emily said and sat down. Ben gave a nod and quietly left while still having a look of disbelief pondering if Emily was truly over him. "Oh well, I've got someone new now anyway" he thought to himself as he made his way through the hyped crowd.
Emily fought the tears back as she emptied the bitter clear liquid in her glass down her throat . "Isn't that too much to be taken in all at once?" A clear voice asked. "Keep your opinion to yourself, Ben!" Emily responded while keeping a straight face , not once turning to face "him".
"Ben? Who's that?" The voice asked and its owner proceeded to sit on the chair closest to Emily. Emily raised her head to look at her new companion and not surprisingly she couldn't focus on the person in front of her, she knew the drink had started taking full effect and she wasn't in the right state of mind to start a conversation with a stranger.
"Not interested" she replied. "Not interested in?" The stranger asked again "Listen here Mr whatever, I'm most certainly not in the mood for small petty talk, so run along and go find someone else to have those talks with cause I promise you I'm not the ONE" Emily said in a clear tone.
"Mr whatever" had a slight frown on his face as Emily could gradually observe the stranger in her front, she noticed he was handsome and had a good body build and for some reasons that angered her the more. "Just don't talk to me" she added and then requested for a glass of water from the bartender.
"As you wish ma'm, but I should let you know I'm here for a drink and have no intention of bothering you or anyone else" the stranger said and then proceeded to request for a drink and they both sat in silence, waiting for their orders. Emily got her glass of water first and she downed the whole glass, and dropped it aggressively back on the bar table.
She then turned to have a proper look at the stranger but he had taken the next two seats far away from her, she wondered if she was a bit too harsh and felt a bit of guilt. She contemplated apologizing for the sudden outburst but felt it was unnecessary for someone she'd probably never cross paths with again.
"They are all the same anyway" she thought. She turned to steal a quick glance at him and thought he looked so familiar for a second. "Where's Sandy?" She thought and turned to search for her friend with her eyes and caught her figure at the distant corner. "Oh there she is and she's occupied with someone, typical Sandy" she chuckled as she observed Sandy with a guy standing far off at the corner of the room.
Emily decided to go say hi to Sandy's new friend and carefully made her way through the tight crowd to Sandy. "You can't be this close to me in public! Emily's here and I don't want her to get suspicious" Sandy said angrily. " I can't stay away from you, I needed to see you and you don't have to worry about Emily, I've broken up with her" He said and leaned in to kiss her.
"What the hell?! Ben!" Emily said out loud and stared unbelievably at them. Sandy gasped and shook in fright "Em's, it's not what you think" she said in a shaking voice. Emily couldn't hear anything at that point, the world around her was shut off and she prayed silently this was all a bad dream.