Monday

It was 7:00am, the sun was already glaringly bright, the sky was clear and the air was fresh. It was another Monday morning in New York. The street below was already buzzing with morning joggers and coffee chugging professionals kicking up a storm. It was the beginning of a new week and like the saying goes 'New week, New Day, New opportunities,' it's time to get hustling.

Anai-ya yawned while stretching her limbs, squinting at her alarm clock that was going off. 'Here we go' she thought. She got up to shower and get ready for work. There was a lot to do today and she had to mentally prepare herself. She loved Mondays. She liked that it was like a fresh new start for every week where the shenanigans of the weekend and problems of last week could be washed away. However, on this particular Monday she was somewhat dreading it because she had back-to-back meetings and a "date" with a certain devil. A lot of mental strength along with patience would be needed.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror admiring herself. She chose a tailored pantsuit in dark purple with a white v-neck tucked in with a thin black Chanel belt making her waist appear much smaller than it already was. Pairing it with pointed black vegan leather stilettos and her hair straightened she gave off work lady vibes. She tended to go makeup free most of the time except for mascara and lipstick. Her face was bare and smooth. She had great skin. It was bouncy and soft like a baby's.

Smiling, she grabbed her purse and iPad and walked out of her high rise apartment. Slipping on a pair of stylish sunglasses she headed down to the coffee shop around the corner for her daily coffee fix. She was going to need all the caffeine she could get.

-

"Mr. Xing, this proposal is faulty; there are too many unknowns for me to confidently sign off. Redo it." Anai-ya said grimly. This Mr. Xing had been slacking off on his work lately his proposals were at most passable: she didn't accept just *passable* work. She had been working on the Skyline project for 6 months, and in order to get the city to sign off on the project she needed an air tight proposal and she was very disappointed.

"It's like this CEO DeMari, with the city clamping down on big corporations the materials that are city approved are not of the quality we usually use. There's nothing that can be done unless the city loosens it's restrictions-" Mr. Xing was sweating through his suit, he knew the boss was very displeased with him as of late. Her gold amber eyes were emitting rays of fire narrowing dangerously. Her face remained expressionless but it was very obvious hell's gates were on the verge of opening and ready to burn him into nothing.

"I don't pay you for excuses Mr. Xing. I pay you for results. Are you rolling over playing dead? Is Renal just any company?" Her voice was getting low, her eyebrows furrowed as she drummed her fingers on the table. The whole room was eerily silent, the tension was escalating. The table was full of men and women clad in expensive work clothes, each of them holding important positions in the company. They eyed the woman sitting at the head of the table warily, she was younger than all them but they respected her immensely while at the same time fearing her.

"CEO DeMari, if I may?" A woman in an Armani pantsuit with a tight bun on the top of her head spoke.

Anai-ya shifted her line of vision directing her intense stare at the woman. Elise Li the head of acquisition: capable, stern and honest. She had a good impression of her.

"I can work with Manager Xing with getting our materials through sanctions. I have connections in the mayor's office. I can get in contact with them today." Elise said respectfully in an even tone. She wanted to get the project up and running as soon as possible she knew how much it meant to her boss and disliked disappointing her.

Mr. Xing threw a complicated glance towards Elise, he knew she wasn't helping him out of the goodness of her heart. It was rumored she liked to 'dip her feet in both waters' so to speak. He could see the infatuation in her eyes when she looked at the CEO.

"It's settled. I want this proposal by Friday. Meeting adjourned." Anai-ya strode out of the conference room; the air around her had plummeted and her face was cold and frigid.

The room full of executives let out relieved sighs, that was close. They were expecting hell's gates to open. CEO DeMari is a genius but she was extremely cold and ruthless when displeased. They all directed their grievance filled stares at Manager Xing, they knew it was just a matter of time before he disappeared from his position. He was lucky she let him off the hook so easily today; there would be no third chance.

Renal was a huge corporation that was created from the ground up by CEO DeMari at 15 years old. It's influence reached far and wide with subsidiaries in many industries ranging from fashion to food and tourism, it's main field of expertise was in cybernetics and surveillance equipment. It was a prestigious company with an impeccable reputation employing Nobel prize winning scientists to genius strategists famous in the industry. It was truly a goldmine and it was still just a baby company spanning 10 years, most of its potential was still untapped and it would only get stronger with time.

Every single person who worked here whether it be the main branch or it's subsidiary companies were very proud to be able to say they worked for Anai-ya DeMari. It was competitive to step in because it's wages and employee benefits. Each department down to the cleaning crew enjoyed high salaries, Anai-ya firmly believed everyone deserved a living wage and she wouldn't allow her employee's to suffer on that account. She may be cold and ruthless but she wasn't a money hungry CEO who cared only for profits and not people. She had seen too many of those kinds of people in the business world and it disgusted her, she wasn't in need of money nor did she care too much for it enough to deprive her people of a good paycheck. It was for all these reasons and more that her company thrived and had an impeccable reputation. It also helped with keeping an air tight lid of high level projects because her employee's weren't disgruntled nor seeking revenge; they stood behind their boss not wanting her to take a loss.

Anai-ya took her private elevator to her office, she was in no way happy after this meeting. She tried to suppress her anger in front of her executives. She didn't want them to view her as a monster but she couldn't accept half-assed work. Especially now this project meant a lot to her, her mother and father had worked on this idea when she was a child and she wanted to bring their creation to life since they were no longer around to do it themselves.

Her parents were renowned in their fields: her father was a brilliant scientist specializing in human anatomy and her mother was a highly sought-out product designer. They both were extremely intelligent and well respected in their fields, they were a powerhouse couple. It was unfortunate they died so young. She wanted their designs to live on in the world they were no longer a part of, she wanted to make them proud.

Stepping out of the elevator into the top floor a chorus of "CEO" and hellos echoed as she walked by her secretarial department into her office. Once she stepped inside her office after hearing the lock click she threw her suit jacket on the floor in anger cursing under her breath as she vented her frustrations with her eyes closed and back against the door. Feeling extremely upset that the project was delayed once again she pinched the space between her eyebrows and let out a sigh.

"Upset?" a charming voice called out from behind her desk.

She whipped her head up in feigned vigilance reaching for the blade in her back pocket ready to fling it at the figure on her desk. No one was allowed in her office unless specified directly by her, and she wasn't notified of anyone stepping in her office earlier. However, she knew one person who didn't care about her personal space and following proper procedures.

It was him. Andre Michaels: her nightmare.

"Tsk.Tsk. Darling you're too cute thinking that silly little blade will do anything to me." He said, a devilishly charming laugh came from his mouth. The chair swiveled around revealing a handsome man clad in a tailored black suit with gold rimmed edges, a white ironed shirt with the two buttons on his collar undone and handcrafted Italian leather shoes. His head was propped up on his hand and his evilly handsome face sported an amused look.

Pearly white teeth peaked out from his nicely shaped lips, his black eyes sparkling with mischief. His tanned skin was smooth, his jaw was sharp and his eyebrows were full and dark. His face put even the most attractive male models to shame. His hair was styled and neat making him look young and hip. He was a male god; his black eyes were deep and fathomless like an emperor. All in all his entire person looked like it was crafted by the gods. Men and women threw themselves at him constantly, his charm was alluring like a moth to a flame. Perfection. That is what people used to describe him.

"Andre?! It's you! You're here." Anai-ya said feigning surprise. Her blood had run cold the moment she heard his voice. Nevertheless she smiled prettily, shoving the blade back into her pocket and straightening her body walking towards him.

His black eyes followed her every step as she approached him with her dimples showing as she smiled at him. He looked into her eyes the color of gold; she was perfect just like him. He stretched out his arm and pulled her onto his lap drawing her close. A sweet fragrance traveled to his nose, it was her signature womanly scent that drove him crazy. He loved the way she smelled, how she smiled and the way her soft body felt in his hands. Squeezing her tightly in his embrace he buried his head in her neck taking in that wonderful smell.

How he had missed her. Every time he was away it would feel like an eternity, he was in love with this woman. He had loved her for over ten years, watching her transform from a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. She was his, it had always been this way since the moment they met. Time hadn't diminished his infatuation for her.

He wasn't a good person in any way but when he was with her his heart would melt and he'd turn into a lovesick puppy who hadn't had his dose of loving from its master.

"Mmm. Did you miss me?" His voice was muffled against her smooth neck, his hot breaths drawing goosebumps on her arms. His lips grazed her skin as his nose breathed in heavily. His wide calloused hands encircled her small waist bringing her even closer to his body.

"Hmph. Who missed you?" she huffed angrily as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She took the initiative to draw them closer as she slipped her small slender hands into his luscious hair slightly pulling it in defiance.

He chuckled and lifted his head up to meet her breath-taking face. Her dimples were showing as her full red lips held a sexy smile her eyes twinkled as her cheeks turned a light pink.

"You didn't miss me? Who else has the right to miss me if not you?" his voice sounded dotingly, that charming voice of his was rich and deep.

"Absolutely not. I'm a busy woman. I had no time to miss you," her voice was sickly sweet as she grinned, " It was you who missed me." She said with her chin out.

"Is that so?" his voice was tinged with slight anger after her first sentence. His aura changed instantly after hearing it. He didn't like it when she said she had no time to miss him, although he knew she was messing with him he was still displeased to hear such words come out from her pretty mouth.

He tightened his grip on her waist and lifted one of his hands to pinch her chin and leaned in to kiss her defiant mouth. Sucking hard on her bottom lip in punishment as his eyes narrowed into slits. The sweet taste of her lips was seeping into his mouth enticing him and he continued his invasion of her mouth.

After a couple of minutes of tasting her sweetness he released her swollen lips and smiled at her. Her cheeks were red, her eyes were misty as they looked at him in submission. Arousing his primal instincts. It stroked his massive ego to know that she liked his 'punishment'.

"Petty man" her voice was slightly hoarse. She poked his face as she licked her swollen lips. She fixed her hazy gaze on his face purposely showing her delight in his brutish actions. Her lips ached. Showing him what he wanted to see while spitting in disgust inwardly she leaned her head on his chest letting out a soft coquettish laugh against his sturdy chest.

Knowing he would react this way, she had said those words on purpose, she wanted to deviate the conversation from the sweet nothings she'd have to endure through if they continued the topic. His abrupt appearance in her office deeply disturbed her making her blood run cold. This was the man she hated most and having to put up with him constantly on top of all her other problems was tiring. He liked to have his ego fed and his sick infatuation appeased; she had to endure him for now.

He wasn't supposed to be here for another two hours which meant he arrived ahead of schedule to check up on her. He was paranoid and possessive that way, not being able to stand being away from her for too long thinking that in his absence another person would take his place he liked showing up unannounced or ahead of time. He would guard her like a dog, he was weary of everyone including her friends.

"Are you hungry? I ordered food and it should be here soon. You're done for the day right?" He asked, twirling her silky hair.

"Yes, I'm starving. I've been in meetings all day. My lunch is probably cold. It's probably spoiled now." She said.

"I'll speak to that stupid secretary of yours, you need to relax and have breaks in between. I don't like you working too hard." His voice sounded upset, he disliked it when she skipped her meals for work. In all reality he hated her working at all, it meant she was around others all day as they breathed the same air as her and looked at her perfect face and sexy body. He wished he could have her by his side 24/7 so only he could see her and could control who was allowed near her.

"Okay babe, I'll be more careful next time it's not her fault I'm the one who wanted to get all these meetings out the way I have deadlines I want to meet. Don't scare my little Jen Jen okay?" reaching up to caress his face she could feel the hard lines of his jaw and smoothness of his skin.

"Don't call her Jen Jen. I don't like it. Her name is Jennifer." He huffed. She could only call him by nicknames. No one else.

Anai-ya secretly rolled her eyes and lifted her head reaching for the intercom. She had to inform Jen Jen to cancel the other appointments. Work was done for the day since the great devil was here and ignoring him for work would mean another round of disgusting intimate actions.