Not big or extravagant
Esther didn't know what to do. She didn't have the heart to hurt her old and aged grandma, who wanted nothing more than her happiness.
'Why is it happening to me?'
'They know and are aware about my past yet they want to push me more towards my destruction.'
"Star, my dear child, I understand that you are feeling really miserable, you must be having doubts as to why am I doing this all when I could fathom the reason behind your suffering. I am the worst person ever."
"Grandma!! Noo!! Don't say that you are the worst. You are the loveliest person. You have a big and kind heart for all. You always see the good in everyone. You try to help the needy. How can a person like you could be bad?" Esther reprimanded her grandma when she heard her belittling herself.
"Star, then do as per my request, for your lovely grandma. You know that my heart aches for you, even I don't like doing all of this. I don't have a choice. I can't control my death. Time waits for no one and my only last wish is to see you with a compatible partner."
Her grandma tried the most famous and old trick of all the times, guilt trapping.
Esther didn't respond.
'Sigh...I fell in her trap. I shouldn't have underestimated her capability of coercing.'
Her situation was similar to a fish struggling to find its way out of the net of the fishermen. It got cornered by her hunter in her own territory.
Esther too, got imprisoned by her grandma's deceiving words.
"Star, you know my age won't be decreasing with time." She heard her grandma grumbles.
Esther closed her eyes, 'Grandma, you should also remember that I, Esther Ross, is your granddaughter.'
She smirked, "I'll go and meet him but on one condition."
'Damn, I should have seen it coming. I would have been dumbfounded if she agreed without any negotiation. After all, she is my favourite and most extraordinary granddaughter.'
Since her grandma knew her the best, she understood that it was either she accepted Esther's condition or she won't ever go there.
'But one should never forget that the lion would still be known as the king of the jungle even if it gets old.'
Her grandma's face adored an evil smile.
"Tell me, what are your conditions?"
Esther's eyes looked evil and her smiling face gave out eerie and dangerous vibes, "Nothing too big or extravagant. I want you to cancel the special reservation for the private room you made in the restaurant and change it to a normal reservation."
"..."
"Hello? Grandma? Are you there? I think the call got disconnected." Esther said as she didn't get a response from her lovely and tricky grandma.
Esther twirled the paper weight in her free hand as she waited for her grandma to say her thoughts on her condition.
'I want to reward her with a flick on the forehead to break her array of understanding.'
"I agree to it, any other simple request or condition you want to add on?" Her grandma snickered.
Esther could faintly hear cuss words from the other side of the phone call.
'I have successfully annoyed my ever so calm and cool grandma.' She had a victory smile on her ice cold looking face. It was almost invisible.
She cleared her throat, "No, grandma. That's all. I will hang up the call now. Message me the details for the blind date. I'll be going for a shareholders monthly meet up." Esther told her grandma.
"Brat, just wait. You tried to trick your own lovely grandma! But you don't know how cunning and clever I am." Her grandma placed back the telephone.
After putting off her phone, she turned it on silent mode again. Esther drank her espresso with a delightful expression.
She sipped the last drop of it and put the empty cup on the table. At the exact moment, she noticed the knocking. She knew it was Kylie so instead of answering her, she wore her bright red blazer on her pure white full sleeved t-shirt and took her phone.
She went to the door, "My ears are still doing fine."
Esther's sudden comment and unexpected opening of the door had made Kylie stumble a few steps but she regained her momentum and didn't fall face flat on the shimmering black metallic floor.
"Boss, let me live and enjoy my youthful days. I don't want to die from a heart attack at this age. I have many dreams and goals left to be achieved." Kylie began to list down the things she wrote in her bucket list that she even forgot where and in front of who she was standing at the moment.
"Kylie Jones." Esther said in a bone chilling manner.
Instantly, Kylie stood in the attention position. Her eyes turned serious and they lost the excitement in them. Her expressions changed from the bubbly and talkative assistant to a serious looking girl. Her glasses made her appear more mature and less friendly. She looked like the same assistant of Esther Ross that makes their business partners tremble in fear.
"Boss, you first." She requested Esther to get going.
Esther nodded and moved. She got inside the lift. Kylie followed behind with quick strides.
Esther pressed the 80th floor button. The elevator got into motion. Since her office was on the 95th floor, the top most, it didn't take much time to reach there.
Esther had already told the board members and shareholders to be on time. She liked punctuality. Therefore the floor didn't have a single soul roaming.
At exactly 12 pm, she stepped into the room. Everything turned silent. No one let out a sigh or a word.
They fear her so much that they are always on their toes. They didn't forget on how she paid back to the people that dreamt of offending her.
Lucifer was regarded as the ruler of Hell. But Esther Ross made her enemies experience Hell on the Earth.
__________________
"Sir, I have given the news to everyone." Leo informed Alex.
Alex patted him, "Good Job, I'll let the CEO know."
He swiveled and went to convey the same to his Devil CEO