Ash's pov ;
Sitting in front of Elijah, I could feel his eyes on me, the weight of his gaze felt so heavy and uneasy that it made my heart raced.
It was a look I was all too familiar with, one that made me feel like I was being eaten, undressed, and fucked, all without a single touch.
The room felt charged with a tension that made my skin crawl. I shifted in my seat, trying to shake off the anxiousness.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked directly, my voice cutting through the silence.
Elijah leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'm giving you a job in my company. Since you're practically jobless now, and you can't continue working at Luxe Gemstone."
I narrowed my eyes at him, annoyingly. Elijah is many things, but kindness wasn't one of them. Why does he want to give me a job?
Yet, as much as I hated to admit it, doing a job was better than sitting at home. His company sponsored many actors and idols, including me once. If I worked here, maybe I could find a way back into the industry.
"Why?" I asked in suspicion. "Why would you do that?"
He shrugged carelessly, but his eyes never left mine. "Let's just say I have my reasons."
As he promised me, he took care of everything. Samantha released a video, retracting her accusations and claiming she wanted to frame me. All my charges were dropped, and all the negative news about the accident was deleted. This made me realise just how much power he holds, with just a snap of his finger he could destroy or save someone.
I wanted to ask him how he had convinced Samantha for the video, but I resisted. There were some things I was better off not knowing.
"What will I be doing in your company?" I asked curiously.
"You'll be my personal secretary," He announced firmly, with a serious expression.
"What?" Those words left me stunned.
So that was it. He wasn't offering me a lifeline out of kindness. He wanted to keep me close, so that he could torture me with his presence.
He's aware of how much I yearned to be away from him, and he was going to do the exact opposite. But if only I had a choice. I need this job to find a way to survive and maybe I could find out why Elijah was so hell-bent on destroying me.
"And as for your salary," he added, his smirk widening menacingly. "I'll help your father's company out of its financial debts. I'll send a team to your boy toy who will help him."
I rolled my eyes and was about to chide him for calling Noah that but he called his secretary, not giving me the chance.
The secretary entered and greeted both of us.
"Please take my new personal secretary for a company and tell him of the job he will be doing here," he ordered, pointing at me.
I quickly jumped to my feet, eager to get away from Elijah's sight.
As we walked through the sleek, modern offices, I tried to focus on what the secretary was saying about my duties.
But my mind kept drifting back to Elijah, to the way he was looking at me, the way he spoke to me.
For now, I have to play along by accepting his offer and do my best to survive in this twisted game he was playing.
I would find out the truth, no matter what it took.
Daniel led me through the expansive hallways of Stone Entertainment. I already know him, when I used to visit Elijah, Daniel would receive me and offer me drinks whenever Elijah would be busy with meetings.
Daniel doesn't talk too much but he's a soft-hearted and meticulous man. He never treated me as an outsider and always respected me.
The building was a testament to Elijah's success, filled with sleek glass walls, modern art, and bustling employees. But my focus was more on what Daniel was saying than the impressive surroundings.
"Mr. Stone has a very precise schedule. He expects everything to run like clockwork. He starts his day at 6:00 AM sharp with a workout session. His trainer arrives at his home gym, and it's your job to make sure they're both punctual. After that, he has breakfast at 7:30 AM. He likes his coffee black, no sugar, and his eggs sunny side up. He's very particular about that."
I rolled my eyes. Of course, the asshole likes to live like a fucking king. Like hell, I would do all this for him. I nodded, nonetheless.
Daniel continued, "He prefers to be in the office by 8:30 AM. He has a meeting with his senior management team at 9:00 AM every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Make sure the conference room is prepped and that all necessary documents are ready. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
As we moved through the various departments, Daniel pointed out key areas. "This is the marketing department. Mr. Stone meets with them every Tuesday afternoon to review campaigns. Over there is the legal team. He meets with them as needed, but usually once a week to discuss contracts and any ongoing legal matters."
Daniel paused at a small kitchenette, and his expression softened slightly. "One of the quirks you'll need to know about Mr. Stone is that he gets very grumpy if he doesn't have his mid-morning snack by 10:30 AM. He likes a specific brand of protein bar – it's always stocked here. If we run out, make sure to restock immediately."
I suppressed a mocking smile. Despite his formidable reputation, Elijah's habits are pretty childish. It was hard to reconcile the image of the ruthless businessman with the man who needed his protein bars to avoid a tantrum.
Hmph! Mr. Grumpy ass!
We continued the tour, and Daniel pointed out Elijah's office. "He likes it quiet in this part of the building. Noise distracts him, and he can't stand interruptions unless it's absolutely necessary. He prefers his workspace to be pristine. If there's clutter, he gets irritated."
Daniel led me to a smaller office adjacent to Elijah's. "This will be your workspace. You'll be close by in case he needs anything. Mr. Stone's schedule will be synced to your calendar. Make sure you're always one step ahead."
As we circled back to the main area, Daniel touched on some personal preferences. "Elijah likes to read during his lunch break. He's a fan of classic literature – his favorites are Shakespeare and Hemingway. Keep an eye out for any new releases or rare editions; he appreciates thoughtful gestures like that."
We stopped near the entrance, and Daniel looked at me with a mix of curiosity and concern. "I know this seems overwhelming, but you'll get the hang of it. Mr. Stone can be demanding, but he values efficiency and loyalty. If you can prove that to him, you'll do fine."
I nodded. "Thank you, Daniel. I'll do my best to keep up."
As we concluded the tour, I couldn't shake the feeling of surrealness. Here I was, about to become the personal secretary to the man who had orchestrated so much of my recent misery. And yet, the details of his daily life made him seem almost human. Almost.
Even though I know he's a devil in disguise.
But beneath it all, I knew better that this job was just another form of control, another way to keep me under his thumb.
Daniel got back to his work and I settled into my new office. Feeling tired, I rest my hands on the table and hide my face under them.
Even though we were married for three years I don't know anything about his schedule.
He would never let me and I don't know if it was intentional or not.
He would always leave before I woke up, and he never came home until I was already asleep. On the rare occasions when I waited up for him, hoping to see him or have dinner together, he would scold me, telling me I needed to rest and not worry about him.
It was a cold and loveless relationship. The man I married was a stranger who lived a separate life, one filled with power, prestige, and an endless stream of business meetings. He had no time for me, no interest in sharing his world.
The only time he ever seemed to acknowledge my existence was when he wanted to fulfill his desires or take out his stress.
He would send me a dry text, instructing me to stay awake or informing me that he was coming home early. These moments were purely physical, devoid of any affection or intimacy. They were just another form of control, another way for him to assert his dominance over me.
I would lie in bed while waiting for him. He would fuck me and then will go straight to sleep. Never holding me close or letting me sleep in his arms, leaving me feeling empty and used.
Yet, I never complained because it was the only way I could feel connected with him.
I pushed the memories aside and focused on the present. This time though, I won't let history repeat itself. I'll stay sharp if I am going to survive this new ordeal. I'll not let my guard down, not for a moment.
Taking a deep breath, I began organising my workspace. Elijah might think he had won, but I'm not going to go down without a fight. I would play his game, follow his rules, and bide my time.
And when the moment was right, I would make my move. I would find out why he was doing this, and I would leave.
Far away from him, and everything else.
I was about to drift off to sleep, feeling the weight of boredom pressing down on me, when Elijah summoned me to his office. Reluctant but knowing I had no choice, I made my way there.
As I entered, I saw him on the phone, his voice in a harsh, scolding tone as he berated someone about a construction site.
"You need to get that site cleared by tomorrow morning," he barked into the phone, his brow furrowed in frustration. "I don't care what it takes, just make it happen."
Business talk was foreign to me, so I stood there, waiting for him to finish but my legs began to ache and just watched him yelling.
He was always intimidating, a force to be reckoned with, especially when it came to his business. I couldn't help but feel a shiver of unease watching him like this. He didn't notice me at first, too engrossed in his conversation, but then he glanced my way and waved for me to take a seat.
I hesitated but obeyed, sitting down and trying to ignore the discomfort in my legs. He hung after a while and sat as well, his face twisting in a taunting smile pretty quickly.
Watching him switch so quickly from anger to a smirk was unsettling.
"The papers for our marriage are ready," he declared as it was the greatest thing in his life.
My eyes widened, but I forced myself to stay calm, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing my reaction. I simply nodded, my mind racing.
Isn't it moving too fast?
The next few days, everything was a blur. We got married without any ceremony, without any of the fanfare that usually accompanies such events. It was a cold, clinical affair, just signatures on papers and a few legal formalities.
Elijah warned me not to let anyone know about this marriage. The reason behind it? I don't know.