Asia refused to engage David. When she woke up at Allan's with a splitting headache, she called her boss and asked to work from home for a few days. Now, he would have said no but he too had heard if Asia and the Managing Director so he easily agreed.
That was one of the many issues Asia held against David. At work, David was strict to the bone. People had lost their jobs for the flimsiest of reasons. He took work seriously.
David had no friends. He had very high walls. Now even Mrs Mara wondered why David kept Asia close. He had the heart and time to bother Asia. Why would people not talk?
Five days later, David was still trying. He had sent Asia flowers in a bid to appease her but only infuriated her more. Her colleagues saw the flowers and jumped to conclusions. They giggled instead of just asking her.
David had tried calling but Asia wasn't picking his calls. She had been kind enough to send him a text to that effect. I will never pick your calls.
David had tried sending the secretary but each time Asia had refused. She held nothing against the lady. So she had left with the secretary to the elevator each time, just to get rid of her.
"Tell the MD I am busy. I will see him once I am done with work," Asia said firmly.
"Miss Rivers, he is the Managing Director! You cannot just ignore him!" The secretary worried how David would respond.
"Tell him I am busy. He will understand. If he doesn't, call me on my number," Asia wouldn't pick that call. She watched the secretary's ashen face as she walked away.
So finally David went down to get Asia by himself. He was prepared for anything from a shouting match with Asia to Asia physically wrestling him to the ground.
David knew Asia could be vicious. He smiled to himself at the thought. He missed her genuinely. He missed her boisterous laughs and how she teased him. Not many people teased him.
The moment David got to her department, he saw how his presence caused tension. People stuttered when he greeted them. They suddenly became very busy. Others even remembered the urgent meetings they were to attend.
David went straight to Asia, who was ever busy. She was in a black shirt sleeved dress, her hair flowing to her back. She looked feminine and delicate in the black stiletto.
"Miss Mara, a word please. Can I have a seat?" Was David serious?
"Sir, my name is Miss Rivers," Asia stressed her name. "I would rather have the word in your office. Please."
"Lead the way, Miss Rivers," David smiled triumphantly.
When Asia looked up at David, he beemed and stood aside for her to literally lead the way back to his office. She got up quickly.
Everyone was watching. At least they pretended not to watch or David would go for their jobs. They all knew that even without being told.
Asia left for his office with him a step behind her. She balanced on them, her every step fuelled by rage. Oh they would talk about that properly.
"When you come to my office to get me, you embarrass me, David," Asia said pacing.
"When you refuse to come each time I send for you, you disrespect me in the eyes of my juniors," David said calmly.
"I do not want to talk to you. That is why I am not answering your calls, darling," she couldn't help it.
"I hate you!" David feigned anger while Asia laughed loudly.
"What will you do about my sister?" Asia asked. "I am tired of seeing you force it. You do not love her."
"I don't. I will come up with a plan that will end with a Mara marrying a Rivers and bearing the child of the promise. That or we have to kiss goodbye to all these," David said, cursed.
If there would be no marriage, all the wealth would be forfeited. All of it. That was part of the covenant of a Mara marrying a Rivers. Everyone knew that. Being wealthy and losing it all is worse than not ever having been rich.
But David wasn't willing to do it for the money. Not with Violet. Even if he couldn't bed Violet, he could still have come up with a way to have that child. Maybe use the lab.
Yet David, somewhat, loathed Violet. She was a little too self-absorbed to notice he wasn't interested in her in the slightest and Asia didn't seem to know what to do but bid time.
David and Asia sat and looked into his laptop. There was work he needed help with. She had a sharp mind he counted on a lot. Why couldn't Violet be like the sister? Well, Violet was too pretty to bother.
"Be my assistant," David offered Asia.
"Um, why?" she asked, didn't look up.
"It was save us both time going up and down seven floors," he had a point.
"No thanks," Asia replied curtly.
"We work well together, Asia," he nudged her.
"I did not go to the university for four years to become a barrister. I will not be serving you coffee." she sat back and glowered at him.
David didn't give up easily. He sweetened the deal. He would double Asia's pay and get her a brand new car so she would stop driving that death trap she called a car. She refused.
People were already talking about their unconventional relationship. She wouldn't make it worse by making it obvious she climbed the ladder of success too soon too fast.
David would go for that work trip with Violet and hated it . He sent Asia flowers at Allan's and asked them to tag along and Keep her sister away from David. He would let them shop as much as they wanted. No, Asia chose to remain behind and enjoy her peace.