Within the privileged walls of Depont Real estate, a tortured soul struggles to maintain control. Alexandre Depont, a billionaire haunted by his dark past and insecurities from birth finds himself drawn to Léa Garnier, his unflinching secretary. As their forbidden attraction ignites, they must confront the secrets and scars that have defined them. Will their love be the redemption Alexandre craves, or will the ghosts of his family's legacy tear them apart?
Chapter 1 CHOCOLATE COATED CHAOS
2nd June, 2001.
Dearest Diary,
We had a good time last night, his touch and romance was everything.
He was drunk maybe that's why
Because we woke up on the wrong side too.
Tears are blurring my vision.
I'm bleeding.
My baby.
I can feel my poor child kicking
He said he doesn't want to hear me sob else he'll throw me out.
My elbow hurts..
My finger aches
Ttyl.
With love, Camila.
0600 HOURS.
There were blaring sounds from the sitting room. The little Garniers were already up and watching cartoons.
The kids were at it again.
"Bob the builder, can we fix it?
Bob the builder, yes we can!"
Was blaring wildly from the home theaters.
Léa tossed from side to side across the bed.
Her eyes were still ladened with sleep and tiredness from the hangover she had the night before.
There were still reminiscences of him, though faint.
He was a fair, tall Latina man that had whined her loins to pleasure - she was a little embarrassed now.
How she held him and begged not to stop, how she couldn't control her thin voice shrilling through the cold silent night, how she tried to keep control of her eyes on him but couldn't.
How her legs wobbled after.
She was a comphet, that was her first time having anything to do with a man - a little embarrassing but a win was a win, right?
She had forgotten to set her alarms the night before or maybe couldn't- who could?
When wrapped around muscular arms and broad...
Picking up the side clock by her bed, "Fuck! Shame on you Léa! It's 6 a.m. already, it's your first day at work and you're having thoughts like that!".
Like a dog on heat, she hurried to the bathroom hanging her towel over her chest.
Before you could say Jack Robinson, she was already out.
She exfoliated her skin and dressed up with a blue oversized shirt and black oversized cargo pants, a cross bag and black masculine palms.
She picked up her favorite necklace and looked at it for what seemed like a few seconds and wore it.
It sure wasn't time for emotions though the necklace had a lot of emotions around it, she had a silver wrist watch on too.
She applied her oil on her hair and slipped her hands through it and left it at a messy daring state - she liked it that way.
Victoria's Secret Bare Vanilla was her favorite body mist.
She sprayed this generously over her and took a deep sigh - she was ready to go.
"Sister, can I have some custard please" said Damien ,her last brother.
He had stained his whole body with beverage and custard.
He kept staring at her with teary eyes and his bowl.
"Maël, get Damien custard, please I'm really late".
She bent over , pecked them on the cheeks and patted their heads.
0655 HOURS.
"Why isn't this contract signed, Mr. Martin?". Alexandre snapped in his peculiar french accent.
He was fuming with rage , sweat balls could be seen forming around his face and his hands visibly shaking but holding the telephone in a grip that looked like it could crush the telephone to pieces.
Silence.
"The contractors said you're short-staffed and would be less- efficient, this wasn't..." Alexandre had hung up the receiver.
The door creaked noisily.
"Coffee, sir".
It was his Personal Assistant, Rachel.
A young woman in her early thirties.
Alexandre slammed his fist on the office desk, making the cup of coffee Rachel had just placed in front of him spill over the papers on it.
"Totally crap! That incompetent fool couldn't even manage to get the contract signed?" he retorted, his face red with disdain and contempt.
Rachel stood unmoved, already used to Alexandre's temperamental issues.
"I'll try to reach Mr. Martin again, sir. I think there was misappropriation."
Alexandre's dead stare deepened.
Rachel could feel his eyes staring wildly like it could dig pits in her.
"Misappropriation? The only misappropriation is how someone so inept could end up running a company, they'll all go bankrupt in a few days!".
Just immediately, the phone on Rachel's desk buzzed.
She picked it up, listened briefly, a sly smile escaped her lips, she hung up the receiver and turned to Alexandre.
"Sir, the new secretary applicant is here. Shall I send her in?"
Alexandre waved his hand dismissively. "I don't have that time at the moment. But...actually, yes. Send her in. Maybe she can somehow manage to compete, he said "I'm short staffed and maybe that's true".
As Rachel nodded and left the office, Alexandre's gaze followed her, still sulking, he sipped the coffee that had already turned cold and dead. When she returned with a stunning young woman, Alexandre could feel his anger temporarily falter. Her piercing brown eyes and raven-black hair left him breathless.
"Uhm, Ms...?" he trailed off, expecting her to fill in the blank.
"Léa, sir," she replied, her voice gruff, a sweet contralto.
Alexandre's gaze lingered on her, his expression softening ever so slightly.
"Rachel will show you the files to document, I hope you can use a computer system. Just...try not to mess it up."
Léa's eyes flashed with a trace of irritation, but she nodded and turned to leave.
Alexandre's gaze followed her, his thoughts a jumbled mix of annoyance and admiration.
Léa was documenting all the files while chatting freely with Rachel.
"My employer was crazy, ma'am. Who on earth gives personal duties to his employees?".
"Absolutely crazy, Léa, I could imagine". Rachel said and laughed lightly.
They both could hear Alexandre screaming over calls, banging his fists on the table.
His anger was only getting intensified.
Contracts went unsigned, meetings ran late, and his phone rang nonstop.
Through it all, Léa proved efficient and competent.
She documented all the files and was at his beck and call when he called.
When the office finally emptied, Alexandre stormed out, leaving Rachel and Léa to breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry about him," Rachel said, turning to Léa.
"He's...a handful."
Léa smiled wryly.
"I've handled worse. But I'm sorry, I don't mean to pry...what's his story? He seems...troubled, mentally unstable, maybe"
Rachel took a deep breath before speaking in a low tone.
"He's always been this way. His father's a billionaire, and Alexandre's used to getting everything he wants.
He's not used to failure and having to make too much effort.
But deep down...I think he's scared.
Scared he won't live up to his father's expectations and as an only child" she shrugged.
Léa's eyes widened in understanding.
"That explains a lot."
As they packed up to leave, Alexandre's voice echoed from the doorway.
"Rachel, get me that contract tomorrow.
And Léa... you did well with little smiles here and there, you're not here to smile".
With that, he turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Léa and Rachel to exchange a knowing glance.