Taming the Devil's Heiress

3 - Used to Know

"Sebastian?!" my voice gave away my shocked expression. I stared at his face dumbfoundedly. My mind can't seem to wrap it up.

He is Sebastian? Seb?! That stout boy that used to go anywhere I went, Seb?!

I looked at every feature on his face while I was trying to compare it to my last memory of him. He used to wear braces, his cheeks were puffy and the top of his head didn't even reach my ear! But look at him now! He clearly changed.

I even have to crane my neck up just to look at his damn face!

Every trace of that boy who used to be my friend was gone. He'd gotten so tall that even at my heels, I only reached a little above his shoulder. And where did all his fat go?! Where?!

Now his body is well built. Not that muscular, but he can carry his three-piece suit so well. He's not the Sebastian that I used to know...

The only thing that seemed familiar to me was his eyes. They're the same green eyes, only that they used to look at me with adoration. Now they seem to be so empty. Gone was the spark that used to be there whenever he looked at me...

And what did he just call me? Ms. Alistair? Elinor? What happened to Sett?

"Are you just going to gape there the whole day?" his cold voice woke me up from my dilemma.

I took a deep breath and closed my lips, which I didn't even know were parted the whole time! Can this be more embarrassing? Damn it!

"No. Let's start." I told him in a no-nonsense voice in a poor attempt to redeem myself.

I held my head high as I walked to his desk. I sat indignantly in front of him. He stared at me for a while before giving me a bunch of papers. I almost winced but I tried to keep my poker face.

Am I going to be his secretary? But I'm sure he already has one outside that door.

"Study those files. Those are the new projects of Moore Holdings," he said before completely ignoring me.

What? That's it? I looked at him, then at the papers in my hands. Why the hell do I need to study these things?!

Relax... I told myself quietly as I took a deep breath. This is just my first day here. I need to familiarize myself first.

"Where's my office?" I asked instead of raising all the questions that I really wanted to ask. All I wanted is for him to be out of my sight right now!

He looked at me with one of his eyebrows raised. He had this annoying expression on his face that made me want to scratch it! What's wrong with my question?!

"What made you think that you would have your own office?" he asked tauntingly.

I was so close to losing my s**t and lashing out but I tried to hold it all in. I won't give him that satisfaction. I won't give my parents that satisfaction.

They all think that I am a good-for-nothing brat. I will prove them wrong then! Damn it!

"Where shall I work then?" I asked as if I couldn't care less.

"There," he pointed at a wooden desk in the corner of his office. It was just a plain, brown desk with an office chair behind it. The chair doesn't even look comfortable to sit in for hours. Duh. I should ask Dad to change it. Perhaps Moore Holdings couldn't afford even just a good quality chair.

I rolled my eyes and then slumped on it with the papers in my hands. I glanced at him. He is now busy working. I blew out an exasperated breath. Did they think that we could work peacefully in one place? Not even an hour passed and I could already feel my short temper slipping away.

But it's not like I have a choice. Dad has already cut off all my cards. He also instructed Dmitri not to give me any money. I couldn't ask anything from my Mom and I would rather die first than ask for help from my friends. I am the mighty Elinor Alistair, heiress of Alistair's Group of Company. It would be a huge embarrassment if anyone knew about my current predicament.

So now, I have no choice but to act like a meek lamb, at least until Dad's head cools off.

It wouldn't take long, would it? He used to cool off very easily. I can sway him easily with my sweet words and loving behavior. But I don't think that's the case now. I think he even wants to have me undergo a drug test if only Dmitri didn't disagree. He was the one who vouched for me. He knew that I didn't do drugs. Yes, I get drunk but that's it.

If there is one person in this world who knows me very well, that would be my younger brother. My mom seemed to only see the worst in me, while Dad is the opposite...

I shook my head. I shouldn't be thinking about my family issues now. If I wanted all of these to be over soon, I need to prove them wrong.

I started reading the documents that Sebastian gave me. These are the project proposals for their latest ventures. One's the construction of an airport and the other one is the commercial development of what used to be a residential area. Their plans were impressive. I couldn't help but nod in approval as I went over their objective, timeline, and budget.

I flipped to the next and last page but my eyes glanced up to look at Sebastian. Until now, I still can't believe how this man in front of me and Sebastian that I used to know are the same people. It felt like I was playing spot the difference in my mind. Only that, instead of finding the difference, I was searching for their similarities. But even the way he sits is so different now. He used to have a bad posture, but now everything in him screams with confidence.

How did he do that?

Did he undergo plastic surgery? Did he have liposuction?

"What?" he snapped when he caught me staring at him. I gasped when I realized that he was already looking back at me. Damn it. Just how many times do I have to embarrass myself in front of him?

"Are you done?" he asked in a challenging tone.

I smirked. Did he expect me to back down? Hell no.

"Of course." I raised an eyebrow while grinning.

"So, how do you find those proposals?" he leaned back on his very comfortable swivel chair. I pouted before standing up. We can't talk at the distance between our tables and he looked like he had no plans to go near me. So I took the initiative to be the good "employee" that I am! I sat in front of his desk.

"The proposal is well thought out and very detailed but I still have some comments about it," I told him in a formal voice.

"Go on." he nodded.

"First, about the structural designs. We can still do a lot of things to improve the support and durability..." I explained the points that I want to stress out. His eyes remained on me the whole time I was talking. Deep inside, my nerves are quivering with the intense gaze that he is giving me, but I have to put up a facade.

I noticed how his gaze would move down to my lips as I spoke, but I tried my best to ignore it.

I took a deep breath after stating everything that I wanted to say.

He nodded while looking at the project design on his table. I almost gasped when he looked back at me.

Damn it! Why am I even nervous? This is just Sebastian! He may be taller now, but I'm sure that he is still the same loser that he was.

I continued when he kept quiet.

"Also, I know another supplier for these materials." I pointed at the items I was referring to. "We can get these at a reasonably lower price. We can reduce the cost by up to ten percent."

I c****d an eyebrow at him when he just kept on looking at me like there was something wrong with my face. What the hell? Is he even listening?

"What?!" I snapped when I couldn't take it anymore.

"Hmm. I didn't know that you knew anything about this," he said, mostly to himself, but I still perfectly heard it.

"What did you just say?" I asked critically.

"I thought you knew nothing about these projects," he repeated. This brute!

"Are you calling me dumb?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"I didn't say that. Those are your words." he c0cked his head to the side while watching me fuming in anger!

The guts of this man! I wanted to smack him right there and then, but I took a deep breath instead. I should keep my cool. Or else I will only make Dad more furious than he already is!

I need to get out of here soon. Arguing with Sebastian at every breath won't help.

"I am an engineer by profession," I told him matter-of-factly. "A licensed one."

Did he think that my father would just throw me here for nothing? Our company is mostly focused on real estate. Perhaps that is the reason why he decided to take me here, since theirs is a construction company. I can practice my profession plus there would be no one here to cradle me.

"You can't blame me. There's nothing you can't buy with money these days," he retorted.

My nostrils seemed to flare with that. What the hell is he insinuating? That I just paid for my f*****g degree?! I studied engineering at Stanford and I passed the Fundamentals and Professional Engineering exams just recently with flying colors!

The only thing my Dad helped me with was work experience. I needed four years of working experience before I could take the Professional Exam. He made it look like I had worked for our company for the past four years. But that was it! Even that wasn't a complete lie. I do work with Dmitri sometimes. Although not full-time. I just work when I feel like it. Or when I need to ask for a huge amount from my parents.

That's not all. I even had two master's under my belt. One for engineering and another one for business!

How else did he think I could get away with all my crazy stunts? Dad was just going easy on me because I was using my studies as an excuse for the past years to get away from work!

"Oh. Why? Is that how you got yours?" I glanced at his certificates which were neatly displayed on a shelf behind him. Then I looked back at him with a playful smirk on my lips.

"Did you pay for them?!" I feigned a surprised reaction and covered my mouth with my hand, then gasped.

His jaw moved and his lips formed a thin line. I can see how he is just holding himself from lashing out at me. I wanted to laugh but I bit my lower lip to stop myself.

"Go back to your table!" he snapped.

"Okay, Sir." I chuckled before going back to my table just like what he wanted. I felt like I won this round. I think this would be an easier way out. I will piss him off to death until he agrees to vouch for me...