A pink bike strode down an empty street. The little girl riding it was about ten years old also wearing a pink dress and white sneakers. She stopped by a huge house at the end of the road and saw her father coming out of giant brass gates.
His face was as pale as a ghost and he was mumbling while flipping his hands over each other over and over again. "Father... " it was almost a whisper but he heard it and snappily looked at her.
"That's it! You can replace her! Hurry child, they need your help! " The guard on the gate spoke, "Doctor, it's best if you go home now. The master is not in the mood to entertain any more of your thoughts."
"But my wife... she is still inside." his voice was shaking, his eyes wide with the hint of tears brimming up on the sides. "He-here! take her instead! " he grabbed the collar of her dress and dragged her inside the gates of a huge white house.
"But father! Don't -"
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"Maia... Maia... " Daemon's voice woke her up and she felt the wet tears that had just fallen from her eyes.
"Your nightmares never seem to go away." he said as he observed her on the bed.
"None of your business. And you can leave my room anytime now sir. Thank you for taking care of me but I need my private space." she hastily got up and opened the door.
But Daemon just swept her up on her feet again and carried her on his shoulders. She screamed and tried to fight back to let her down. Her punches were strong enough to place little bruises on his back and her kicks seem endless. As he plopped her down the bed again, she curled into a ball in the middle. "Please don't... don't hit me. " she was crying again with just that action he did and it brought furrows on his forehead.
"Who is going to hit you, Maia?"
"T-the guards... please.. don't tell him I tried to run away." as he looked closely at her face, he saw how her eyes wander from one corner of the room to another. They were searching for something but at the same time, he feels the fear crawling up her spine. "Maia, it's me... I'm Daemon. I'm not a guard. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Dae... mon."
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"The engineering department already protested against the projects to be led by Maia." the people gathered in the meeting room of Stones Inc. with Mr. Vlad on the center.
The fat man cleared his throat as he smiled sleazily, "So you're saying she is incompetent? My previous wife's secretary is... like that? But she lasted for five years here, didn't she?" his smile was not of the friendly ones. it was dark, menacing with a hint of coldness.
"Mr. Stone, years in service won't prove someone's ability in this world.
"Oh, then neither one of you too in here deserves my trust too, right? " those words stopped the chattering inside the meeting room.
"Since the engineering department is so against Miss Maia's rule over them, we might as well try to find other people to work there." Daemon suddenly spoke whilst in a corner of the room. Everyone stared at him. There was a looming cloud over him, making the people inside the room go silent and feel nervous.
"You are nothing but a butler. How dare you impose your suggestions in this important meeting." stated Mrs. Manning, one of the oldest members of the board of Stones Inc.
"If you wish to live peacefully in this company, learn your place." the words came out low like a wolf's growl at an enemy as Daemon unblinkingly looked at Mrs. Manning.