Chapter 2

Lliyah pov

As a child you continually predict a perfect future for yourself. A happily ever after where a girl find her prince charming, get married and run away into the sunset. But as you age truth hits like a hurricane; the fairy tale which you read about and picture yourself in most likely belongs to the one in books

Knock! Knock!

I was pulled out of my thoughts after I heard a faint knock on my office door "Come in" I referred to the person beyond my office door.

Entering the room, stood my secretary. She hurried to my desk, placed the cup of espresso on the desk took a step away and proceeding with her morning brief.

"Morning, Ms. Price. Your agenda for today is as follows:

-You have a meeting with Mr. Smith about the contract signing at 9:00

-At 11:20 a coffee meeting with Mr. Thompson about your upcoming partnership.

-After which at 04:30 you've got an appointment concerning the improvement of-"

A quick glance chanced in my direction and she stopped mid-sentence.

"I know what my agenda is Ms. Cole. I simply wanted my espresso. You are dismissed," I stated with a wave of a hand she quick walked out of my office

Minutes later I peered up from my desk at the sound of a very familiar voice. I sighed.

I wasn't in the mood for company. I grew agitated as the door to my office swung open to reveal Zander.

"You" I scowled.

"Yes dear sis it’s me" He replied cheerfully.

"What?" I growled and he grew even more amused.

"Damn it! I don't the time for such insolence!" I continued.

"Is that how you speak for your big brother?" He toyed innocently. It amazes me every time to think that he is the CEO of one of the biggest companies, but yet he acts like a 4 year old turning everything into a joke. It's becoming more irritating than when we were younger.

"What do you want Zan?" I began tapping my fingers against my desk.

"Someone's more crabbed than usual. What happened?"

"Nothing's happened." I stated in an annoyed tone. "Okay baby sis" I rolled my eye at the reality that he still calls me that.

"Aren't you supposed to be running a big company? Yet you find time gallivant around." I narrowed my eyes to him.

"Yes, but what’s a little fun?" As he spun the globe on my desk.

"What do you need?" I leaned lower back in my seat and watched as my brother took a seat with his ankle on his knee and a glass of whisky in his hand. His once playful face turned to a chilly and serious appearance.

"So what are your intentions" speaking directly

"What do you mean?" I replied

"I know you Lliyah stop pretending" he said firmly

Before I could answer him I was interrupted by my secretary paging me .

"Speak" I growled

"Ms. Price your 9 am appointment is here" I looked at my brother with a 'can you leave' eye but all he did was sip his drink and look away.

"Send him in" I told her cutting the line immediately after.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a young man entered

"Can I assist you?" I said flatly

"Yes! Are you Lliyah Price" He asked

"Yes I am. And you are?" I asked throwing back a question "My name is Oliver I'm Mr.Smith's Vice Chairman.

"Ok. Can you enlighten me why you're here?" I retorted

"Well then..... We're con...?" He started out but was cut off with my words

"Mr. Oliver I meant as in why am I seeing you here by yourself. Where is your boss? The man I was actually doing business with?" I could feel his anxiousness from across the room.

"Mr. Smith couldn't make it. I am afraid he has sent me to finalize our deal." Mr. Oliver replied.

'Hmm' I frowned

"Mr. Oliver four concerns I have when it involves business" I said as I stood from behind my desk. One: When people tell me the way to run my enterprise.

Two: When my staffs recommend a strategy with no data to support it.

Three: Excuses

AND MOST OF ALL

SURPRISES.

When I am given a date and a set of reports, I work with that.

To be most sincere I hate being given one assurance and plans change, like what's happening right now.

I was told Mr. Smith himself would have been here to finalize this deal and certainly you are not him." I said with anger in my voice

"Ms. Price I understand what you're saying however....."

"Mr. Oliver I don't think you do" I cut him off walking back to my chair and backed him

"Mr. Oliver you're quite busy today I assume?" I faced the man. He looked up at me while Zander was watching me from the corner of his chair.

"As a matter of fact, I have several meetings to attend after I am finished here." He responded courtly

'I see" I smiled my most dreadful of smiles.

"Then you may leave now." I pointed to the door. He appeared startled. "Don't we have to finalize the deal?" he probed.

"Consider the deal revoked." I spoke back dismissively. "Revoked?" he spat out the word as though they have been something that left a horrific taste in his mouth.

"Unprofessional behavior is not something I tolerate in my building Mr. Oliver." I raised my brows at him.

"You can't do that, our enterprise will lose thousands and thousands of dollars" he pleaded

"Well that's so terrible but I just did. " I shrugged my shoulders.

"One character I refuse to accept is aligning me and company to human beings that do not value my time." Pausing to catch my breath.

"Now get out of my building or do I need to call security?" With angered cheeks he welcomed the horrified experience and turned away.

"This is business Mr. Oliver." I smirked with a warm heart. After the doors of my office slammed

"I don't understand why you needed to do that" Zander spoke with confusion in his voice.

"What's there not to get? It not tough to understand what I just did. It's strictly business nothing else" I said with an emotionless face

"Do you really think I like what you're doing? Or the manner you acting?" He shouted

"I've been watching you and I realized you're only doing this to get back at-"

"Don't even go there Zander!"

"Sometimes I hate how much it pisses me the fuck off. So don't feed me that 'it's strictly business' bullshit" He spat running his hand thru his hair in frustration.

"It's simply the way life is and business is no different" I grumbled as I crossed my arm and walked over to my office bar.

"Do you think this business would be doing this well if I wasn't a crude bitch?" I slammed the glass on the table.

"That's no longer the way business works, it just the way you pressure yourself to be. I don't understand how you could get your revenge this way....." He exhaled slowly.

'Don't you dare judge me" I turned from the bar and glared at him.

"I didn't select this lifestyle like you would in your precious games. Your perfect world is not the way everyone else's life is."

"Some of us have to be harsh, strict and cold to get what we want in a messed up world like this. So my lovelies bother, if you don't like the way I do things-

"Fuck off! That’s the way I address my business." I echoed the room in frustration.

So reserve your judgments to yourself" I stated storming to the door. Before I knew it my head was braced into a chest. His chest to be exact.

"I hope you understand that all I'm telling you is for your own good sis" Whispering slowly in my ear he squeezed me even tighter.

"I don't know why the past was so hard for you to let go but you have to let the it fade away and stop mixing business with your personal life." Somehow I wanted to cry and spill my guts then he went even further.

"It's okay to ask for help sis you know mom and I are here for you even dad and Melody(stepsister) is too." My body tensed up at his words. Then I immediately pulled away far from his grip and glance up at him with pure hate and anger in my eyes.

"As I said. It's . Strictly. Business." I whispered harshly

Before storming out of my office.