It was Monday. I woke up early at 6. I had to be at the office at 8. I jumped out of bed and ran to get ready. I had worn a white V-neck top tucked in my black pants and matched the outfit with my black suit jacket on top of it. The top showed a really slight cleavage because it was low not because it was designed to. I had straightened my hair and had put on black eyeliner and red lipstick. I matched the outfit with black boots with small silver rhinestones. I had a red heel. I looked at myself in the mirror and nodded my head. It looked sharp and I loved it. I ran downstairs to see Maria sitting there with my breakfast. It was an omelette with a smiling face.
"Smiling omelette!" I exclaimed as I sat down and ate it. Stefan came after sometimes.
"How are you awake and ready before me?" Stefan asked clearly puzzled.
"First day of work. Can't be late!" I said with a smile. Right now I don't care that I hate him but, I was really happy.
"You will not ride with me and you will not mention that we are married." He said as we walked out.
"Great." I said. He looked at me with eyes slightly narrowed.
"No, I meant as in. Understood sir." I said.
"You will ride with Mal." He said.
"That will be bad because he is already seen as your bodyguard." I said.
"Fine then you can go with Alan." He said, "Alan you will be her bodyguard." Stefan said as we stood outside.
"Yes sir." Alan answered. I looked at the guy. He was an old man with a wife Jenny and he had two children. Both of them working in South Hamptons and settled down. He had one grandson and two grand daughters. He told me during our journey to the office
"Good luck." He wished me as we reached the office.
I walked to front desk.
"I am Iris. How may I help you?" The girl at the front desk asked.
"Oh. I am here for my job as Mr. Black's Personal Assistant." I said.
"Excuse me one moment." She said as she picked up the phone.
"Yes Sir. What is your name?" She asked me.
"Diana Bl—Martin." I said.
"Yes sir. She is here. I will send her up right away." She said and put the phone down.
"You can go up." She said, "On the 45th floor."
"Great. Thank you. Have a good day." I said with a smile. She almost looked shocked at my statement.
"Oh, uhm. You too." She said. I nodded my head and was walking when, "Diana wait!" Iris called out and I turned around.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Mr. Black is a ruthless and really hard person to deal with. But, if you do as he tells you will not face his wrath. Also steer clear of his assistant Dove. Total bitch." She said with a smile, "Also, if you don't mind, you can sit and have lunch with me and some friends." She said with a smile.
"Oh thank you. I will definitely come. If Mr. Black doesn't you know give me too much work." I said with a smile. She nodded her head at me and walked off. I waited for the elevator and saw a gold elevator with the words private written on a gold plate above it and rolled my eyes. I can tell that is an ego problem.
I got on the elevator and smiled. I was excited. I know for a business and law graduate from an ivy league school such as Harvard it would seem like a low job to become an assistant because everyone will think you flunked and didn't have the greatest qualifications to build you own empire or get a high position job at an empire Industry. I hate when they put people down because of their jobs. When I can join a law firm or have any other job but, right now I can never be happier that I was able to join work. I walked into the 45th floor. The floor itself looked pretty. I was looking around and staring at the beautiful sign of Black Industries. The owner of that last name was terrible as hell but the empire he built for himself and the work he does no doubt was remarkable.
"Can I help you?" I heard voice ask. I turned around and saw a blonde girl there. She had these green eyes that looked angry and irritated that I was here. She had lips that looked really fake. But, she had a pretty soft beauty to her. It was like a soft look yet her angry a blaze eyes showed she held her head high and no doubt was strong when people would bitch about her and she knew exactly the words that were spoken. Her attitude would no doubt be the reason people would think she has no idea of their words on her. I smiled at her, "Yes, I am here to meet Mr. Black. I am his new personal assistant."
She scoffed and rolled her eyes, "Alright bratz doll. You can go. Mr. Black already has an assistant and that is me." She said.
"Well, he did tell me---"
"Shut up and leave." She said.
"Dove. Is Diana here?" Stefan asked as he walked towards her.
"Present." I said.
"Sir, she says she has an assistant job I will get rid of her." She said in a sugary tone as batted her eyelashes at Stefan.
"No. That is okay Dove. I did hire her. I need to appreciate you more so I got another assistant. Knowing I can handle a large amount of workload doesn't mean you need to do the same for me. Every one can a handle a different workload." He said. He took the files from Dove's hands and dumped them in my hand.
"Show her to her office and let her begin work." Stefan said as he smirked at me. I smiled at him and nodded my head and followed Dove. He thought I would be affected by getting a lot of work. I was the exact opposite. The rush I got from working and doing business was like riding a bike down hill. The pure joy of the speed.
She showed me to my office.
"This is your office. Mine is right opposite and also, I hope you know how to summarize---"
"File, take points, look through contracts, answer calls, prepare reports, manage databases, filing systems, liaising with staff, suppliers and clients and collating and filing expenses. Yes I can do that." I said with a smile as I looked through the files. She scoffed and swayed her hips and walked out.
I did some of the paper work and then was about to start my work on the computer but, it was password protected. I walked out of the office and tried to look for Dove but, I bumped into someone else. The files in his hand fell to the floor.
"Oh, I am sorry. I was not looking where I was walking. My apologises." I said as I handed him the files back.
"No problems." He said. He looked really good. He had blonde gelled hair and blue eyes. His smile was really pretty as well.
"I am Diana." I said.
"Hayden." He said.
"Uhm... It is my first day at work and I can't log in to the computer. I can't find Dove. Is there any chance you could help me?" I said.
"Oh. Yeah sure." He said. He walked in behind me and logged into the computer.
"The password is common at the start BlackIndustries0001." He said, "You can change your password after this. All the computers are password protected. Safety reasons." He said with that really good smile.
"Right. Thank you. I should suggest that to my D--" I realised what I was about to say, "To myself. I don't have a password on some devices of my own." Hayden stood up from the chair and we were standing really close.
"Diana can yo---" Stefan said. I looked at him with wide eyes. I took a step back.
"What are you still doing here Hayden?" Stefan asked as he narrowed his eyes at him.
"Diana needed help with the password Dove must have gone down to get the fax you asked." Hayden said.
"And I told you to finish the reports." He said.
"I will go do them now." Hayden said as he picked up his files and walked off. He looked back and gave me a smile. I didn't return one because I could feel Stefan's glare bore holes into my skull.
"When a man helps you does he always stand that close?" Stefan asked as he walked forward.
"No. He does not. Hayden stood from the chair and I was leaning close and looking at what he was doing so..." I said as Stefan came and stood right in front of me. I gulped. I really hope he doesn't fire me.
"Make sure what I saw doesn't happen ever again." He said his voice low.
"Uhmhm. Yes Mr. Black." I said.
He took one more step forward and our fronts were nearly touching. I took a step back to avoid any possible touching and fell in the chair.
"Good." He said with a smirk. He took a step back and was about to walk off.
"Wait! Mr. Black." I said and stopped and turned around.
"How do you change the password?" I asked.
Stefan smirked and walked closer.
"I need to sit on the chair." He said I got up and let him sit. He opened an application and clicked on the profile as he logged me in. He opened the option to change the password.
"Great. Thank you. I can change my password now." I said.
He did not get up.
"Thank you Mr. Black but, I can type my own password." I said a little loudly for him to hear.
"Tell me the password. I will type it in." He said not moving.
"You wouldn't want to know." I said. He raised his eyebrow at me and leaned back in the chair.
"Tell me the password." He asked.
"Fine. HaydenroxxStefansuckxx." I said. He glared at me.
"Diana..." He said with anger radiating from his eyes. I bit my lip to stop myself from bursting out laughing. He fisted his hands. That was it, I laughed.
"Okay, Okay. It was joke. Seriously I just met Hayden. The password is IhateStefanBlack." I said after catching my breath.
He actually typed that in. I looked at him confused.
"Did... Did you... just." I asked.
"Type that in as your password yes." He said as he got up and trapped me between him and the table by putting his arms on either side of my body that was leaning on the table.
"It rather be my name or the other man would be dead." He whispered in my ear.
"What if it is was someone you don't know?" I asked,
"My name in your password shows that you will always think of how you dislike and hate me and that will always make me be on your mind." He said with a smirk.
"Well I could say Toddlooksgreat." I said.
He glared at me.
"Todd also happened to be my high school cute boy classmate's dog." I said. He stopped glaring but, continued with the hard gaze and didn't stop trapping me.
"You want to know who the cute boy classmate is, don't you?" I asked with a smirk.
"No. Why are you smirking though?" he asked.
"Well, because you seemed jealous of Hayden and then Todd and now the mystery cute boy high school classmate. I mean you are clearly radiating green jealousy." I said with a smirk, "Because you like me." I teased.
"You are an asset and I making sure you know who your owner is. Now get to work Ms. Martin or it's house arrest for you." He said with a smirk.
I nodded my head and he stepped away and walked off to the door.
"He was gay." I said.
Stefan stopped and turned around and looked at me confused.
"What?" He asked.
"The cute boy high school classmate. He was gay. His name was Colton. We used to be physics partners. Never understood the subject and he always helped. His boyfriend was pretty cute too. They were the best couple at prom. Last I heard they settles down in France and someone says that one of them is going to pop the question real quick too." I said as I looked at the computer.
"I didn't need an explanation because I was not jealous as you called it." Stefan said with a scoff.
"Sure you didn't. I just helped with your mind being at rest." I said.
"Whatever." He said and walked off. I looked towards the closed door and shook my head at it.
STEFAN'S POV:
Diana looked really cute eating the waffles. She looked like the most happy person. I riled her up and went along with the girl I brought home's actions just to rile her up. Truth be told Diana looked amazing yesterday. The dress hugged her in the right way and it looked downright gorgeous and hot on her. She looks sexy when she is angry. When she fought with me the time before I wanted to kiss her. Then in the library the way she was venting was also amazing. I was just staring at her.
She came home late on Sunday after she went shopping. Today morning she was jumping, laughing and smiling like a little who was told she could have ice cream for all meals. She looked so joyful it almost made me smile. Her outfit today was a little revealing but, it seemed professional. She even wore Black. My ego felt proud of it for some reason.
Then I saw her with Hayden so close it just made my blood boil. I stayed calm and I have no idea how I was able to do that. She then asked me to enter the password which had my name in it and I was happy and I don't know why. It really made me want to smile. Once again I refrained from doing so. The entire jealous conversation was true but, I wasn't going to tell her that. Wait, a minute I shouldn't even feel jealous I mean her fathers have paid 3.2 million pounds this month which was adding up to 11.7 more than enough. That is all I have to focus on. Her out of my life as soon as the payments are made. And from what Luis has told me I bet it won't be long. Her fathers business has been picking up and they are making sales and the income is much better than it was before.
That is all. She will always remain the asset, the prized possession of her fathers and our marriage will always be the business deal. She signed a document that said even after our divorce after the money is paid I will get 2/3 of her inheritance. I changed the contract last minute. I smirked to myself in the dark computer screen. I will always win and get the wealth and the business. No one can stand in front of me because I am ruthless when it comes to business. What about the images? A voice taunted me in my head. I growled at it mocking me. I told it was natural. Reactions are achieved no big deal.
DIANA'S POV:
I was working on my files.
"First day he makes you work so much?" I heard Iris ask.
"Hey!" I said with a smile.
"It's lunch I hope you are going to take a break." She said as she walked in and sat in the chair opposite me.
"Just let me finish this last part." I said.
"You know Dove must be really jealous." Iris said.
"Why?" I ask as I continued work.
"You got an office bigger than hers." She said.
I looked up.
"Is that I am coming after you kind of thing?" I asked.
"Not really. But, if she does you can take her on." She said.
"Great." I said as I got up and we walked out for lunch.
I met the other works that were there. There was Garret, Iris, Hayden, Tris. Garret was gay and Tris was apparently the extrovert of the group. Garret was the funny one. Iris was the sensible one and Hayden was known as the hot one in the group. I mean slightly he was hot but, when you see Stefan and him in the same room; Stefan would get all the attention. He has this mysterious vibe to him. Why was I comparing him to Stefan. I mean yes Stefan had a deeper shade of turquoise eyes and Hayden's was light blue. Stefan had a brown hair that could be easily mistaken for black. Stop it! I scolded my thoughts. Stop thinking about him.
"So, after work we usually go and get drinks. Do you want to come?" Garret asked as he pulled me out of my trance.
"Uhm... I will see how much work I would have left for Mr. Black and then I could see if I could come. Where will you all be going?" I asked.
"There is a place called The Barrel. I hope you do come." Tris told me.
"I hope that too." I said as I looked down on my tray exhaling.
"They will embarrass you trust me." Iris said beside me. I smiled at her.
"We don't do that." Hayden said.
"Says the guy who all the girls are falling head over heels for." Tris scoffed.
"I think I did find a person who caught my eye." Hayden said as he looked over at me. I gave me a small smile.
"OOOOO... I need to know who this person is." Garret teased him. I laughed and then suddenly, the entire cafeteria was quiet.
"What happened why is everyone so quiet?" I asked and I looked everyone at the table who were looking at something behind me.
"You guys stop looking like that. You're face looks like the big bad wolf slash boss just walked in." I said as I laughed a little. I looked at Garret who made a face like I just fell into mud. I slowly turned back and saw Stefan standing there a little far away from our table. I sighed.
"What could he possibly want?" Hayden whispered in my ear as he leaned in. I immediately got my stuff and walked over to Stefan.
"May I help you Mr. Black?" I asked.
"Office. Now." He said through gritted teeth as he turned and began walking out. I hung my head and followed him. I was walking to the normal lift when a hand reached out caught my elbow and pulled me to the private lift.
"What?" I asked.
"You will come with me. Not go in the other lift." He said.
I let him drag me to the private lift. We walked in and he let go of my arm.
"What help did you need?" I asked.
"I couldn't find a file." He said simply.
"Really? I believe we live in the 21st century and we all have a device called a phone. I mean couldn't you have asked Dove to help you?" I asked.
"The file was given to me by you. You put it somewhere and I couldn't find it." He said.
I rolled my eyes. "I was really enjoying lunch and getting to know everyone." I said.
"Yeah, I heard." He said in the most monotone way. I looked away and rolled my eyes again. Finally we reached the top and we got off.
I put my bag in my office and then walked over to his. He was standing behind the desk.
"Which file was it?" I asked.
"The latest product of the motor design and summary of the contract." He said.
I went over and looked at his table and saw the file was not there. Then I was about to check the bottom right drawer.
"Don't open that one!" he said loudly. I flinched and put my hands up.
"Geez! You didn't have to shout so loudly." I said as I checked the desk again and then I saw the brown file sitting there on the top of his coffee table.
"I have a question. Do you ever go to the ophthalmologist?" I asked.
"No." he said.
"Well, then I will find a brilliant one in London that you can trust and what not to possibly fix your eyes because the file is sitting here on the coffee table. One file apart from all the rest on your table. One file on the coffee table." I said as I picked it up and gave it to him.
"I don't like being handed things." He said. I bit my lip because he made a Tony stark and marvel reference.
I put it on the table.
"Anything else Mr. Black?" I asked.
"No." He said.
"Okay then I will be leaving." I said as I was about to walk out. I felt a harsh grip on my elbow pulling me back and felt the hard chest behind me.
"Remember rule number six always when you are at the office." Stefan whispered against my ear and my breath hitched in my throat as I felt his warm breath on my neck. I nodded my head slowly.
"Use words Diana." Stefan said as he gripped my elbow tighter.
"I will remember rule number six." I said. He let go of my elbow and I rushed out of his office. I went into my office and took deep breaths. Why did him being so close have this effect on me I thought as I furrowed my eyebrows. I shook my head and decided to push those feelings away as I began to work on the rest of the files I need to work on.
By the end of the day I was slightly tired but, it was a very content day. I walked out of the building and waited for Alan to bring the car around. I heard excited chatter and saw Iris, Tris, Hayden and Garret coming out of the building. Tris recognised almost immediately and waved at me.
"Hey we are going to the Barrel do you want to join us?" She asked.
"Uhm... maybe not today. I worked after a long time so found it a little tiring. I will love to join you another time though." I lied. I wanted to go and grab drinks but, me being a useless asset having no will of my own I couldn't do anything. I have to stay in Stefan's good books otherwise he will put me on house arrest and I knew it. I wouldn't be able to handle it one bit.
"Well, see you next tomorrow." Garret and Iris said.
Hayden walked over to me really close and whispered in my ear, "I was really hoping you could join us tonight." His breath fanned my ear. I just smiled as I looked down.
"Maybe another time definitely." I said with a small smile.
He winked at me and then joined the others. I waited another few minutes until the car came around. I got in and noticed that Stefan was in the car. I was taken aback.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Why should I not be in my own car with my wife?" Stefan asked as his voice dripped with sarcasm while he browsed his phone.
"Nothing. You said you didn't want to be seen around me and I was just taken aback that you want to sit next to your asset and risk being seen with her." I spoke. He looked at me and glared.
"What, did I say something wrong. I am your asset am I not?" I asked again as I matched his glare with the same intensity.
"The windows are tainted black. You forget you are a useless asset." He finally spoke and smirked at me. That hurt and I don't know why it did. I looked away from him.
"And that's all I will ever be." I said as I looked at the city lights.
When we got home I went straight to bed ignoring Stefan even though he called me. I went and changed into my pyjamas and got under the covers. I told Maria I was hungry. I sat there staring at the wall in front of me becoming blurry. I began crying. I wanted to leave him. He may have got me a job after such a long time being coped up in the house. But, I couldn't help it. I wanted to go home. I wanted to sit in my Dad's arms as he ran his hand through my hair and kissed my forehead as he tucked me to bed. I wished I would be safe in his in arms. I wanted my brother who even though teased me and forced me to watch horror movies would always sit next to me as rubbed circles on my back as he calmed me down to tuck me to sleep. I wanted to be hugged to sleep. Because right now I knew I was in my nightmare and the demon was Stefan Black. Even though after I watched Conjuring and the nights I couldn't sleep he would massage my head as he ran his fingers through my hair. His touch electrifying every cell and nerve on my body, he helped me sleep. His arms felt like a shield. I felt safe even though he is the devil and always would be. He would never care. He would take everything of mine until the money was restored to him and I would be trapped here. I cried and sobbed. I picked up Pua and hugged him as my tears fell. I had my back to the door to my room.
It opened and I held my tears. I put my hand on my mouth to muffle any sobs.
"Diana?" I heard Stefan ask. I stayed still and then I heard the door closing, the footsteps retreated back to the room and I cried and sobbed. I really felt alone. I don't know when the exhaustion took over me but, I fell asleep.
STEFAN'S POV:
I wanted to apologise for being harsh with her in the car. I couldn't believe that my body, my heart and my mind came to a decision that Stefan Black hurt Diana Black, his wife and he needed to apologise. I shook my head at how twisted I had become. After eating dinner alone I walked into her room. Her back to me as she hugged Pua. I saw her visibly shake and I knew she was awake. I called out her name. I could hear the soft sniffles and sob she was trying to muffle. The room was quiet and I could hear attempt to seem asleep like looking through a glass window. Transparent. I let her be and walked into one of the forbidden room that I knew Maria must have told Diana about. No one was allowed in here. I opened the door with the key and walked it. I shut it behind me and locked it. I switched on the light and the room saw the exact tools I needed to cool off. I wrapped my hand in the boxing wrap. I walked over to the bag in the room and punched out my frustration. The new pictures and the possibility of the return of my nightmare especially with Diana still around. Diana's sadness always caused by me. Her tears and her broken look in her eyes. Her perfect lips draining of colour like her chocolate brown eyes turning grey and dull when she is sad.
It mad me mad that she wasn't the bright colourful person whose light up when she reads files or talks to Maria and defends Pua. Her smile when she eats. Everything was draining from her face the moment we fight and I say something hurtful. They argument can last minutes and her brightness drains within seconds and she recovery seems to take eons before she is herself. I want to be the one to not destroy her in this endless cycle of pain that I cause. I want her to her not shatter and crack. I might just be the large pouch of tiny pebbles hitting her delicate glass interior that breaks down after every pebble I throw at her. One day it will cause a crack then another and another until she finally breaks and shatters to the ground. Smithereens of her scattered on the floor. No big shards to pick up and put together. Fixing her when she is shattered will cause me to prick myself a thousand times trying to arrange the glass back. Finding the right piece to put together. I would bleed with the amount of the scars on my fingers because of her glass. I would bleed and be in pain trying to bring her back and for some reason all that pain I can't imagine it to hurt. I can only imagine the numb feeling after she breaks. Like it would reflect onto me. Like the pain I seemed to be causing her was like I was hitting myself. What did it mean? Her being hurt causing me to be in pain. Picking up her pieces feeling like a pain worth taking. A pain worth letting myself bleed for. A pain fully deserved. It made no sense to the effect of how her sadness was on me. But, I knew that there was a connection, it had to mean something. Because there has never been something or someone play on repeat in my mind like her moods and her do on my mind. I cared about myself. The room had only me in it. Now in the corner she stood. Doing absolutely nothing but standing there yet her presence in the dim light corner fazed me completely and beyond control it made me agitated not knowing her effect on me in my room.