Alejandro
"I'm sure Miss Vega is only being thorough with her findings." My father said from the side of the table, as if he was impressed with the venomous exchange of insults we just had across the table disguised as a business conversation. "I'm impressed that she got information that even our hotshot PR team skimmed over. I'll personally look into it, Miss Vega."
I glared sideways at him. Skimmed over? What the fuck. Is he agreeing with that little brat?
She gave a sharp nod, her arrogant chin tipped up as she dished me one last burning glare before looking away. Her emerald green eyes were burning with so much anger that matched the anger burning in me. I just wanted this fucking meeting to be over with. I was sick of seeing her. Combined with the little trick she played on me, having her personal assistant bring me coffee that has a sugary smell that churned my guts.
If she wanted tricks, I had many up my sleeve. Many, that would hurt her enough to bring her to tears. Bring her to her knees. And bring her back to a bow.
One of my executives said something that suddenly made the entire table laugh, immediately dissipating the tension. Soon the agreement was finalized, and a couple of documents were passed around for high authority signatures.
I signed all of the documents I needed to and glanced up. She was sitting straight and poised at the head of the table, calmly reading through the documents spread in front of her. Then with a flick of her small hand holding a pen, she began placing her signature on them. The soft way her full, wavy hair fell down her slender shoulders could fool anyone. But not me, because I could see straight through all of that.
I could see the real brat that she was under her "elegant" and "powerful" mask.
She has no fucking idea what real power is.
Soon, the alliance was finalized and everyone was standing around in the board room, holding glasses of champagne and passing congratulations around. I knew what they were all waiting for though. The big CEO business deal handshake, that finalized everything. And I had a dark smirk on, waiting to see how the little brat would escape that.
But then I heard the click of heels on the glass floor, and everyone around me began to part, making way for someone to step towards me. I arched my eyebrow in surprise when I saw Alexandra strutting towards me, her body brimming with confidence and challenge, hips swaying with her hair, champagne glass in hand.
The look in her green eyes, was, you will be the one to run.
*
Alexandra
"Congratulations on the biggest merging in the world, Mr. Reyes." I said, extending my hand for a handshake, eyes boring into his grey ones, silently daring him to refuse my hand in front of everyone. "The world is ours to conquer."
It irked me to do this, but I would never back out from a challenge. Not even him could make a Vega back off, or back down.
Something like dark amusement crossed his eyes, and he took my hand, engulfing it in his big one. It was so warm, I couldn't help but momentarily glance down at our hands. His was way tan than mine, lined with veins. I could feel the callouses in his warm palm, the hand of a man who worked out. It made me uncomfortable. He squeezed my hand tight, so tight he almost crushed my bones.
I glared up at him, but he titled his head smugly and said quietly, so only I could hear the dark, threatening and chilling tone. "I have already conquered the world, little brat. This merging is only my latest conquest." I froze, a chill washing over my skin at what he just called me. But before I could react, he let my hand go and raised his glass to the rest of the room.
"Cheers to world power." He said in a strong voice. Then looked down at me, handsome face dark with deadly intent. "Cheers to the new CEO."
The entire room raised their glasses, echoing cheers, and chattering away happily. Then he moved away from me, his towering figure brushing past without a care in the world, leaving me standing there, staring at the wall with a murderous expression growing on my face.
I hate him.
My hand was clenching against my champagne glass so hard, I was sure I was going to break it. The hand I shook him with was tingling at my side, sore from his death squeeze. Did he just call me a little brat? And did he just say to my face, that my company was his latest conquest? The hand gripping my drink trembled, and I took a deep breath to calm the fury bursting through my chest.
He's going to pay for saying that. I promise.
Apparently, that promise was not enough to quell my anger, because I was pissed off for the rest of the day, long after the Reyes executives and their insufferable CEO had left. I had been pretty busy all day. From the meeting, to another meeting with my lawyers and an official press statement.
After all of that, I was exhausted and pissed off. I knew I should head home, get a bit of rest and get ready for the celebratory dinner between both families which Mom was hosting back at the Vega mansion. I sighed, grabbing my hair and rolling it up at the top of my head into a messy ponytail. I was alone in my massive new office, and Kim was at her desk outside, sorting things out.
I frowned.
Just thinking about seeing that prick again, in my childhood home, having dinner together… just made me want to run off to a bar and just drink the night away.
Wait. Was I thinking about running away from that prick? The sudden realization made me want to slap myself. How could some common asshole get under my skin so much that I was willing to back off? Even angrier, I stormed up from my seat. "I'm a Vega. I never fucking bow." I snapped, knocking some senses back into my brain.
With that conviction, I grabbed my bag and loosened my hair, picking my phone to tell Kim to get my escorts ready for my ride home.