Chapter 1-Two Different Worlds

Chapter 1

Hands quivering, pulse in hysteria. A female employee of a life insurance company, Sertain Life insurance Co., couldn't help to perspire a lot in fear while standing in front of her boss, who was busy tapping hastily on her keyboard.

Isabelle Cortez is the president of the Sertain Life Insurance Company. A company that is known to its ugly prestige for being a failing and deficient insurance company.

Her father was the owner of the company, but due to unforeseen misfortunes and betrayals of his business partners, the company met with disaster that led to an unrecoverable loss. He suffered from depression and had decided to give up the company. He chose to just settle down in another country to live a peaceful and simple life with her mother. Isabelle doesn't want to let her father's business go downhill and be buried completely, so she persuaded her father to revive the company and handle it. 

She wanted to make up for all the undying love and support her parents giving to her, that's why she is motivated to get their business back on track and reign as a leading insurance company in a country. By her incessantly appeal, her father eventually bestowed her powers to carry on her goals.  She was grateful that her father came to trust her. But long after, she came to realize how difficult and complicated it is, she began to think that she shouldn't have tried and sworn in the beginning, she seemed like regretting her choice to restore her father's company now.

Her employees regarded her as a fiery, terror and apathetic boss. Her prickly and unpredictable personality is so opposite to her angelic and charming appearance. She has indeed a very pleasing visage and a luscious body that can make all men go crazy. However, her obnoxious and intimidating character makes most men hate her and she doesn't give a slightest fck. She does upsetting and detesting things in order to ward them off in her life. She can be a goddess and a wicked witch at the same time. She can make all men bow to her, as well as curse them to death if they try to mess with her.

The brightness of her laptop screen was flashing on her thick rectangular eyeglasses. 

Her looks today gave off a dreadful and gloomy atmosphere in the office. She looked like she will going to attend a funeral by her all-black outfit; black gloves, black coat, black skirt, and black stocking, no glimpse of her snow-white skin could be seen, all covered up. 

The female employee stood stiff anxiously while watching her boss at her table doing her usual stressful work. She looked visibly tensed up. Her forehead has now covered with tiny driblets of sweat.

"Madam, here are the annual reports of our investors..." she said in a shaky voice.

Isabelle suddenly stopped and ran her eyes to her hands holding a pile of papers with her sharp glare. The female employee jolted. Her eyes were so murderous that could give chills to whoever meets her eyes. 

Isabelle held out her hand to get the papers, the lady immediately handed them over. 

She looked at the contents of the papers and her brows suddenly furrowed. The female employee began panicking internally because she seemed to have predicted what will happen very soon. From her disquieting reaction that drawn on her face, she knew that it was a very bad sign like a bad omen. She knew that all of them will be doomed any minute.

" What is this?" She threw her steely gaze at her. Her sarcastic tone made the anxious female employer jumped on her feet. She was tongue-tied, terror started to engulf her over. Her predictions were already happening. 

" Do you have other reports to show that there's an increase? Honestly,  I'm so sick of hearing and seeing the same terrible reports like these!! I've never seen any changes and developments in the status of our investors! Can't you all do anything about this?! "she uttered in her sharp tone. She flipped the pages while her face was visibly crumpled.

" What are you all doing? Why are these the only investors we have this year?!!" she looked up to her. The female employee couldn't speak, she was now quivering in fear. Isabelle pinched the middle of her brows in frustration and anger. 

" You're all getting my nerves! You all seem to want me to explode!! don't you?" she exclaimed with her gritted teeth, refraining her voice to go higher. Isabelle stood up from her seat, there was a dark chilling aura emitting around her body. 

xxxx

In a plain and messy part of the company, an office where her employees commonly work, there was a chill and lax vibe surrounding the room, completely different from other offices that are too heavy and toxic due to the tensed and hardworking employers who were too serious and eager to do their job done as quickly as possible. But the employees of Sertain Life Insurance Co. are downright far from those employers, they are slackers. 

Some were just dawdling around, chatting with their colleagues, eating, playing games on their computer and sleeping. 

The door suddenly banged open and threw off a short girl who looked so stressed and haggard.

" MS. TERROR IS COMING !!!" right after they heard her high pitch voice and the word "Ms. Terror", everyone began to freak out, tidied themselves up and worked their ass off, pretending all busy and serious about their work.

The door slammed open again and this time it was Isabelle who was standing at the door frame along with the female employee who was following her behind.

A hostile expression flashed across her attractive face, her eyes were terrifying as if she was shooting a deadly laser beam that can kill someone who dares to gaze at her brown jewel eyes. Her fairy-like visage changed into a grim face. 

" All of you! what the fck is the meaning of this??!" Isabelle bawled out, her angry voice rang inside the room. She stomped the papers she was gripping on the desk in front of her, giving a loud thud that shook their nervy hearts out.

" For twelve months these are the only investors you had been able to come up with? " she said seething in anger. 

" Do I need to train all of you or enroll you in some special class so you can learn how to attract people to invest in our company?! Are you really doing your job properly?! I don't hire all of you to slack off here and wait for the clients to come here to invest! I'm paying all of you to move your ass ! to hunt for investors! And make our company be known!!! " her voice rattled around the room that awoke their senses and attention.

Some were beginning to feel guilty by their irresponsibility and others were displeased and thinking that it was their company's reputation that's why people don't bother to know about this company. Its name has been tainted for so long, people still think that their company is a scam and has many pending debts until now. About the debts, Isabelle doesn't deny it, because she is still struggling to pay the debts his father left. But about the scam reputation, it was all lies, her father will never do such terrible things, she knows that he loves his company like his own child and those people who trusted his company.

But the mass tends to listen to the opinions of others who seem reasonable and poignant, choosing to be deaf to hear the truth from the other side. 

The countless censure that defiled the company seems hopeless to wipe out like a scar that will never be erased completely. 

" This is my warning to all of you, if I don't see any increase in the reports for the next few months, pack up all your things and leave this company!!! " she said furiously and threw the papers in the mid-air, the papers scattered as they fell down. She turned around, leaving her employees frozen in fear. The clacking sound of her heels walking away made them breathe freely from the suffocating dreadful atmosphere a while ago. 

While she was walking in the corridor alone, heading to her office, she felt a tinge of pain in her heart. She knows that it is all her fault that this company is experiencing a crisis. She blames herself again for being too weak and incapable. Her tears were about to dribble down from her captivating eyes but she wiped it out quickly. She doesn't want to be cry baby like before, she knows that her tears can't change anything, but hard work and perseverance do. She clenched her fist and fixed her stance in a confident manner. 

She believes that she could only rely on herself that's why she needs to be brave. It was her choice to fight for this company after all, she's aware that there's no turning back. She could only move forward. 

x x x

It was 10:00 pm, Isabelle was on the rooftop of her workplace, smoking. In the first impression, most may think that she is a very firm and proper lady who doesn't have any flaws and vices, but in fact, she actually does. In truth, she's a peculiar and mysterious lady like a complicated puzzle that one will find hard to decipher. She has too many secrets, no wonder why she's that aloof and distant. 

The cold and chilly air of the night touched her pale delicate skin, her long wavy chestnut brown hair was being billowed by the cold breeze. 

She looked over the fence of the rooftop and saw the sight of her employees who were already heading off work in groups. She noticed that they were already closed with each other. It was a tough day but they still managed to laugh and smile as if they weren't scolded by her. By watching their carefree and merry faces, she couldn't stop herself to feel envious. She thought that her position being a president isn't so satisfying and exulting as others may think. Especially, if you're trying to revive a company that has been dead for so long. A streak of regret plunged her heart again. If she hadn't insisted to fight for this company, she wouldn't have been living like this, miserable and strained. She may have been living the best day of her life now and could laugh without any worries like her employees.

'Lucky bastards' she thought. She shifted her eyes off them and stared at the starry night sky, she drew on her cigarette and exhaled the smoke. The cold chilly wind didn't seem to budge her, she was more bothered by her depressing thoughts inside her head.

'What should I do?' her mind was now flooded with worries and problems.

She looked at her phone that was on her left hand and turned it on, the white brightness of her screen flashed across her dainty face that accentuated her smooth snow-white skin. She began tapping and scrolling on her list of contacts.

Is this the only option I have?

She looked at the specific name on her contacts. A strand of her vein irked in annoyance while peering at that particular name; Rey Dickson.

That man isn't just an ordinary businessman, he is one of the rich and successful entrepreneurs and shareholders in the business world. He runs his own herbal pharmaceutical medicine business that is really a hit all over the country. He was also known as the master of the stock market, he seems to have a special ability to foresee the businesses that will have the highest share of stocks. He was indeed a very talented man in terms of business, but this man is what Isabelle despises, he's not just an old pervert but also a cunning and mischievous man.

He had approached Isabelle once to invest in her insurance company but since she hates a kind of freak like him, she rejected him and refused to hear his proposals for helping her to save her dying company. But things became more complicated now than before. This time, not only the company is at stake but also her future. She is now desperate to do whatever it takes just to change the destiny of the company, she won't allow her efforts and struggles to go to waste.  She thought that if she really wants to achieve the outcome she's yearning for, she needs to take a risk and be brave to face the consequences. This life is a gamble, one must be fearless enough to make a bet, win or lose, there will always be a plan b. 

"Sht, swallow your pride btch! save this company!!" she bit her lower lip in frustration. She put the phone on her right ear, she closed her eyes while her brows arched. The ringing sound on the other line made her heart quickened. There was an inner voice in her head telling her to put down the phone and refrained reaching for that sly man who she rejected back then, but the thought of her company crashing down was too hard to push away in her mind.

'Dmn it!!! I can't believe that I will run to this old sht to ask for help!'

Thereafter, she finally heard that her call reached through the other line and she heard the familiar husky voice of the man.

" Haha! Hello Ms. Cortez! " the man said sounding sarcastic and mocking.

She didn't expect that this man still has her number, he might have thought that she would eventually run to him to ask for help. That thought made Isabelle really pissed, feeling defeated.

" Mr. Dickson, about the deal you offered to me, I think I might reconsider it. I'm willing to talk about it again. " she said. 

" Oh darling, you really made the right decision to call me, I'm overjoyed to hear that you finally realized to acknowledge me and call to negotiate with me haha! I know this day will come where we will cross paths again! This seems like fate! Isn't it?" 

Bullsht! Whatever! 

She remained silent and didn't bother to answer. She felt gross out by him.

" So when is your preferred date to talk about this deal? " she asked, sounding impatient. She was fed up with his nonsense blunders.

" I'm busy this week darling, so I guess we can meet on Saturday at Aphrodite's Haven," he said oddly lewd. 

'Where the hell is that Aphrodite's Haven?' the place he mentioned didn't ring a bell to her, it was her first time hearing such place. But since she was determined to end her conversation with the man on the other line, she decided to not ask about it further from him and just agree, she will just figure it out by herself instead. She ignored the thought of the dangers of the place because all she cares about is their deal and how she will able to save the company. 

"Yes...thank you very much…I'll meet you there on Saturday." 

" I'm looking forward to seeing you my darling.." he said daringly, making Isabelle uncomfortable. Then she immediately pressed the end button with force and put her phone down. She looked up while her eyes shut, looking so pissed. 

" Dmn! I'm going to see that Mr. D*ck again!! "

x x x

The name "Aphrodite's Haven" that fixed above the front premises of a club, shone brightly in the dark.

This club isn't just an ordinary club like any other, there are no days that it's not crowded and bustling. People who always go there seem not to know what tired means, they are always rocking relentlessly. 

It's hidden but visited by a lot of people, not only by thirsty and noisy party animals but also rich and professional people, especially well-off women. It was their unusual dirty secret haven. Indecent as may others say, who would woman with professional title, good reputation and name will hang out frequently to that kind of place?

 No one, not until they discover the 'HAWKERS'.

They are the living Adonis of the night, who entertain and serve rich women, whom they called elites, in exchange for money. They never force them to hook up with them, they are willingly and voluntarily picked by them. 

The most famous hawker whom the elites' favorite and hawkers' idol is none other Xian Rivera who is also known as the Great Seducer, the real living Adonis. He is a very handsome man whose eyes can capture many hearts in one glance. Tall, deep green eyes, pointed nose, red soft lips, and luscious sexy body. 'Delicious' others might think.

He's loaded with so much sex appeal and charisma. Despite his adorable captivating face, he gives off a dark and delinquent vibe from his few tattoos and scars on his body, which oddly added on his charms. 

He has a lot of women wrapped around his finger, but still, his paramours are fine with it and not even complaining about him being promiscuous. He's fully aware that all of them can't deny how irresistible he is. 

There are no women he can't bewitch, once he makes eye contact with them, he knows that they will definitely be smitten by him.

Disco and laser lights dominating the whole club, lots of people were waving and shaking along with the loud beat and techno music, everyone was so hyped and wild.

A tall fine waiter walked across the crowded people who were dancing wildly on the dancing floor. He skillfully carried a tray of five tequilas in his one hand. Girls shot him with their pervy eyes, flickering their lashes at him, trying their luck to get his attention. He's good looking, that's why it's no surprise that he receives a lot of stares from babes. He sent them his heart fluttering wink while biting his lower lip before passing through them. Girls turned lustful by his gaze, they followed him through their stare.

As he reached the red door, he opened it with his empty hand. A long narrow corridor appeared before his eyes. It was illuminated by dimly red lights. He walked past many doors before he stopped at the door placed at the end of the corridor. The upper part of the door has a V.I.P word that infixed by golden letters.

He opened it. Inside of it is a room with a red and white combination of painted walls, there are two long red couches positioned in L-shape, being occupied by a few rich women playing poker.  Along with them, there was a very attractive sexy man sitting in the middle of them. They called him Adonis, the Great seducer, Xian Rivera. He looked so fine and sexy with his black leather jacket with a V-neck shirt underneath and his stripped jeans. His silky hair dyed with ash brown and fixed neatly in a brush-up style. The long portion of his hair falls on the side of his face that made him look very flirty. He has a bewitching large brown eyes, pointed nose, and sexy teasing lips. 

At first, one may think he's such an innocent and sweet guy because of his tender eyes. He appears to be soft at first glance but has a dangerous and dirty side. Cunning yet tempting. 

That's one of the reasons why lots of women get crazy about this young man, they thought that he's such a feeble and weak man whom they can fool to make their possession or a pet, but they don't know that once they discovered who really he is and his other dark side, they would totally be dumbfounded about how potent and impacting he is to them that would make them be submissive to him. 

The room was filled with the fragrance of expensive perfumes, liquors, and fresh fruits.

The dainty waiter made his way toward their table and put the tray of tequilas he has been carrying earlier onto their table and left right after. 

"Royal flush" he uttered confidently as he put down his five cards. A woman who was wearing an expensive-looking dress and eye-catching jewelry suddenly shrieked in delight. 

" Omg! darling!! You're so great! we won again!! " a middle-aged woman flung her arms around his neck. Opposite to them were their opponents, the elite with a hawker beside her was starting to get upset because they have been playing for hours yet they still lost for a fourth time already.

He gathered all his opponents' chips by his arms and swept them toward him. He looked at his elite customer and shot her with his lusty wink. The woman went hot and heavy, dazzled by his charms. She couldn't help but be head over heels for him again. Xian turned his striking face to her and smacked her lips with his, leaving her dazed and stupefied. He could see her face turned as red as a tomato. 

x x x

Outside of a certain room in a luxury hotel were two hot and steamy figures exchanging an intimate and lecherous kiss. Their body was burning, pulling each other's body incessantly onto their own, and exploring each intimate body parts through their playful hands. 

'Oh god, this man is like a drug, once you get a taste of it, you're going to beg for it more and more!'

'Where has this lad been all my life? If only I knew that I would meet this such fine boy, I wouldn't have married my tasteless scummy husband! And just dote this boy all my life!'

The woman couldn't wait to get laid by the sexy and irresistible young man in front of him. Having able to touch him for this night made her feel very young and fresh.

The memory of her teenage years where she sneaked every night to run off with her secret lover, the tingling feeling tickling her heart and the butterflies in her stomach she felt at that time were all coming back when she was with him. 

The woman couldn't hold back anymore, Xian knew it as he glanced at her set of eyes that flashing a gleam of lust towards him. 

He smirked. She is not the only woman who gazed upon him that way, he met a lot of women like her before and they are all the same, thirsty of him. Sometimes, he saw himself getting sick of them. Feeling bored as fck. All of them aren't challenging enough to pursue, he seemed to have an unbreakable cupid spell within him that automatically makes all women fell for him effortlessly. Nevertheless, he can't be tired, because he needs them for money. 

Love for him is just a delusion and a mere desire for flesh. He never knows what love feels like. He just knows that it's correlated with sex and that's all it is. 

Looking at the impatient woman, he kissed her again tenderly that made her stupefied. His mind was full of image of money. From his many experiences with women, he has come to the point that he only sees them as cash cows. He is no longer attracted to beauties, he only has eyes for money. Only money.

He knew that he hit a jackpot again, the woman clinging onto him is the wife of the owner of one known business. He knew that this old btch would lash out her money just to please him.

There's no doubt about that, he thought confidently. She's no different from other women. 

I, Xian Rivera, the living Adonis, have never been turned down in my entire life. I can make all women wrapped around my finger and make them bow down to me.

The droughty woman swiftly unlocked the door of her luxury room and tugged Xian into her arms inside the room. 

"Easy my darling....I'm all yours tonight " he whispered alluringly at her right ear, the woman flushed in embarrassment and looked at him in desperation, couldn't wait to eat him whole.