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Chapter One

Chapter One 

[ Anna ]

"Is Mr. Davis here already?" Halting by the desk, I ask Lana. Besides being the receptionist, she was also my only friend around here.

"He's dead. Poor man, may his soul rest in peace," she answered. Yeah, having a sixty year old woman as a friend, who sometimes forgot things, could also be quite the task.

Don't take me wrong. Lana was absolutely sweet and caring and awesome. She had been working here for more than half of her life, and hence nobody removed her after Mr. Davis' sad demise three and a half years ago.

I joined the office about six months after that, so unlike the others working here, I didn't know him much. I directly worked under his son. My boss.

"Lana, I mean Zach. Zach Davis, my boss. Is he here?" I ask again.

"Oh sorry sweetheart," she smiled, "Yes, he reached twenty minutes ago."

"Thank you," I replied, ready to leave, but she stopped me midway.

"And love," she intervened, her smile only widening. "Happy Birthday. I've made you some of your favourite chocolate cookies, stop by for your lunch break, would you?"

"I will, thank you again Lana," I smiled from ear to ear too, entering inside. Having a sixty year old bestfriend also had its perks.

People stared like they always do, and I had no idea why. In the past almost three years that I worked here, I had tried everything: I was very sweet to them, I even tried spending my lunch break with the girls but they always behaved with me like I was an alien.

And now I had just accepted it for the way it is.

They were probably all very scared of me, and I couldn't do anything about it.

I could promise I didn't have an intimidating personality otherwise. My friends back in my hometown and their parents loved me for my chirpy nature.

And here, whenever I was in presence of my colleagues, I felt like hitler.

Reaching my boss' office door, I took a deep breath and then, knocked once.

I was on time today, which meant I wouldn't have to hear my boss grumbling. I was usually punctual too, but Zach was extra punctual. He valued his time more than he did his money.

And even then, he usually came for work at his own time. Not that you could blame him, he was the boss after all.

Upon getting no answer, I knocked again, and slightly opened his office door, waiting for him to acknowledge me. 

Everytime I enter this office, I question myself if this is where I really wanted to be.

The room was pitch black with white marble furniture, huge danglings, and a leather master chair with a large table (also made of marble) in the centre. Shelves of books and files on one side and the opposite made of glass that out looked the city from twenty floors above. In one corner we're also all the awards and certificates him, his father and the company had collected over the years.

His office intimidated me. He intimidated me.

But as soon as he looks up from his laptop like he usually does, his hazel eyes watching me with no interest written over his face, my heart melts and I feel there is no other place in this whole world wide world I'd rather want to be.

"You're thirty seconds late, Ms. Collins," He voice was laced with boredom as he finally picked his head to briefly look at me and nodded his head for me to enter.

Something's never change. Who even keeps a count of thirty seconds?

He squeezed his eyes for a second, maybe taking in my appearance. We didn't have a very strict dress code, but I preferred dressing as professional as I could all the time.

But today, being my birthday, I opted for something a little fancy.

I ditched the boring trousers for very dark blue trouser shorts with a tucked in white shirt and a matching dark blue blazer. I preferred minimal make-up otherwise but I wasn't shy today in putting the red lipstick that I had been saving since a very long time for something special that never happened.

It was my birthday. I deserved to feel good.

Oh, and not to forget, I kept my waist long hair open today. I was a brunette and never fidgeted with my natural hair color except for some golden blonde highlights.

They were usually in a bun or a pony tail, but birthdays are special.

I think I was stupid to wait for a reaction from him, but he simply looked down, back into his files.

I so miserably wanted to roll my eyes at him, but the fear made me keep the thought to myself.

"I'd bring you your daily black strong coffee with no sugar. Anything else?" I said with a small smile. 

Like a robot, I ask him this question every day in a week except two and he never answers back.

So without waiting for a reply, I turned behind.

But replies often come when you least expect them.

"Wait!" He called. I halted in my place, turning.

"Please make sure the coffee has no milk," He instructed only a very cold voice.

Hell with his coffee. Hell with his five star descriptions.

I mean, he could directly specify he needs just water and coffee powder right? 

"Okay sir. Anything else?" I asked with a little expectant voice. He looked up at me, pretended to think and then nodded with a no, plastering the fakest face of interest I had ever seen. I grumped as I left.

When a person is employed for a job in this company- Ivory Stars, their personal records like their birth dates and anniversaries (if married) are entered into my personal reminder. I am the one who usually sends in a bouquet to their places or desks with a happy birthday note, and they roam about happily all day long in the office thinking it was our boss.

But the birthdays of clients, more important employees and me (no, I was not important, they just didn't expect me to send a bouquet to myself) were stored in Zach's personal reminders. Usually it was Lana who handled them, which is why I received a bouquet and some of the company's merchandise on my birthday every year, but last month, the boss requested that he would like to look into important dates himself.

I'm sure he must've gotten a reminder in the morning that it was my birthday today.

And I'm sure he decided it wasn't important enough for him to act upon.

I never cared much about the bouquet or the gifts because it was nothing more than a formality by the company. But even as much as I hate to accept this, I was actually looking forward to my birthday this year because my boss, the man I have had a crush on since a year now, was going to know it was my birthday today.

Yes, call me greedy, but I wasn't expecting much.

Just a 'happy birthday, miss collins' would have sufficed.

But expectations often lead to disappointment.

Three hundred and twenty one people had wished me on f*******: and quite a lot in personal, except the person who's wish I was waiting for.

I had been working under him for about three years now, and I would, in all honesty, not be very shocked if he didn't even properly remember my name.

As I grumpily walked back into his cabin with his coffee, I almost stumbled after bumping into someone.

"Oh s**t, I'm so sorry," I immediately said, looking around if I had spilt any coffee. Thankfully not.

But I had probably made another employee dislike me more than they already do.

Way to go Anna.

"It's alright," I hear a slight chuckle.

It was Ruth.

And behind her, there was Justin and Tara.

All three of them were Zach's bestfriends. The four of them were tight since school days, and they started a small band in college, which soon blew up, becoming not-so-small.

Besides being his personal assistant, I was also their band's manager.

Tara and Justin were the best out of the four. I may be biased, because they were very good friends with me too. Unlike Ruth and Zach, those two whole heartedly accepted me into their world.

Ruth was a little distant, not just to me, but to the entire world except her three friends. I'd like to believe she was better with me than a lot of other people. Her life experiences had made her tough, she usually took her own time to open up to people, but I'd say I was getting there. Slow and steady.

And there was nothing I could say about Zach. He was professional, arrogant, and uninterested to be anything more than my boss. Not that I wanted more.

"Happy birthday, Anna," Ruth gave me a small smile and a warm squeeze on my arm, making my eyes wide. This was more than what I had expected from her. Much more.

Tara laughed at my reaction as she pushed Ruth aside to come ahead and hug me. "Happy birthday my love," she sang in my ears, lazily leaning on me.

"You'd probably choke her, get away," Justin rolled his eyes, pulling Tara away who grumped as he came ahead and gave me a teddy bear hug.

Justin was really tall.

I was short at 5'4" and he just gave a good five-six inches on me. Almost as tall as Zach.

"What are your special plans?" Ruth asked.

"Nothing," I said shrugging, "I'd probably be doing whatever work Mr. Davis asks me to do all day long."

She rolled her eyes.

"Speaking of which, I should be on my way, he loves when his coffee is boiling hot," I add a small smile.

"That's coffee?" Tara made a disgusted face.

"Without sugar and milk," I answer, shrugging helplessly again.

"Typically Zach," Justin laughed, "I'd say that's called water and coffee powder, but whatever sails his boat."

"I know right," I agree, chuckling, "Excuse me now, before I get fired."

Justin and I were like each other in a lot of ways, which is why I often enjoyed his company the most.

I re-entered Zach's office (after knocking twice on the door of course), and placed his 'coffee' over the coaster on his table. He was still doing the same as he was.

Workaholic.

"Sir, your friends are here," I informed in a small voice.

"Right now?" His brows squeezed in confusion and I nodded. 

"Alright, they know their way around; but if they're here for me, ask them to be in the practice room and I'll be there over in a minute," he said.

"Noted," I reply. Mentally noted. "Anything else I can help you with at the moment?"

"Not really," he replied, dismissing me.

As soon as I turned, he called out again. "Uh.. Ms. Collins?"

"Yes sir?" I reply, turning back.

"Have you been to your cabin after coming?" He asked. I squeezed my eyes in confusion.

"No..." I reply.

"Maybe just have a look at the files I had sent into your cabin and give me the report as soon as you can? They're important," he added.

"Alright," I nod, "I'll take care of it."

I moved out of the room. Like I was saying, unlike the rumours, he's always been very... professional with me. Talking from work-to-work, never crossing the line– neither by being friendly nor unreasonably angry.

Perhaps, it was best this way.

I closed his office door behind me to see his friends outside, on the way in.

"Sir is busy, he has asked you to wait in the practice room and he'll be there in a few minutes," I say.

"You informed him we're here?" Justin asked.

"Yes I did?" I replied, but it came out more like a confused question.

He chuckled, putting his hand around my shoulder as he opened the door and dragged me in with him despite how much I tried to struggle my way out.

"I'm gonna need your assistant, is that alright if I steal her? It is. Thanks!" Justin announced as we entered inside making my boss look up from his work, and roll his eyes at us.

"What is it that y'all need again? I literally just saw the three of you for breakfast," Zach replied, finally getting up and undoing the button of his coat, letting it hang loosely instead of sticking to his built torso.

"Yeah, it was important," Ruth shrugged.

"So important that you can't leave Ms. Collins?" He replied, and Justin moved his hand away.

"I should leave you to yourselves. Besides, I have files to check," I nod, without waiting for an answer and leave his office as soon as I could without making it look like I ran out.

Even though I left, I could easily predict that Justin would have laughed and Tara would have probably made a joke about how much I'm scared of my boss.

My office, luckily, wasn't very far away.

Just three blocks to the left, and I breathed in relief after closing the door behind me.

Despite how much I liked Zach Davis, he had a way of intimidating me by just his presence.

And not to forget the bundle of files he had probably left me.

As I walked in and near the centre table, I found two files, which was much lesser than my normal share, but that isn't what shocked me.

It was a neatly ribbon wrapped box lying there with a note on the top.

Unlike the notes I send with bouquets, it hadn't been printed with a 'From Zach Davis, –Ivory Stars,' signature note.

It was handwritten, a handwriting that I had come well to identity after reading all the files signed under his name. He'd himself written the note.

From Zach,

Happy Birthday, Miss. Collins.