FROM DESK TO DATE ; A BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

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.

LÉA GARNIER

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.

ALEXANDRE DEPONT

" 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 for some seconds, but his ego quickly reasserted itself. "Well, Léa, I suppose you think you have what it takes to handle the demands of this company?"

Léa's eyes narrowed slightly, something that looked like a frown but she smiled sweetly. "I'm confident in my abilities, sir."

Alexandre snorted. "We'll see about that. Rachel, show her to her desk. And, Léa, You're welcome, I hope your hands work as fast as your lips just did."

As Rachel escorted Léa out, Alexandre's anger resurfaced. "And get me that contract signed, Rachel! Now!"

Rachel nodded and left the office, leaving Alexandre to seethe in frustration. He drummed his fingers on the desk. His Father's words kept recurring.

"You're my last hope son, I know you wouldn't let me down".

Just then, Léa reappeared, her presence a brief distraction from Alexandre's anger. "Sir, I've set up my desk and I'm ready to begin. What are we starting with?"