PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

JANUARY 12, 2017

Papers were floating in the air inside Cortex's Company, all eyes were staring down the ground, feet were shivering, all of the people in front of him couldn't glance at him in the eyes. Because Elijah Cortex was like a beast when he's mad. He was someone you would never dare to battle with because he would never mind about what's around him.

''Are you all dumb?'' Elijah yelled as his palm slammed above his table.

 He tried to calm down but he got more aggravated to watched all his staff staring down on the ground, speechless and trembling. Half of his lips smirked, devilishly.

'' Am I the ground? Why are you all looking down on the damn floor?'' he shouted again.

 All eyes lifted at him, and Elijah glared at them, one by one, his eyes stared at them with a threatening glare as if he was telling them that he could devour them any time he wanted, or kill them with his bare hands without feeling regretful. That what Elijah was, a cold-hearted man who never trust people even they showed him enough reason to trust them.

 All staff got back to their jobs, uncomfortable, for Elijah kept staring at them as he sat on his chair, hands attached on the table, eyes were all serious and fearless, he kept watching his men working.

 His desk was only in front of his staff, for him to kept an eye on them, but it wasn't his main office, it was on the seventh floor of the building but he rarely went up there, he loved to kept his mind busy as always.

  '' Do you want some cold drinks, sir?'' asked Mr. Bruce, his personal guard who was more likely his father. Mr. Bruce helped Elijah with everything, he gave him advice and even helped him in decision making, he knew  Elijah in too many ways, his weaknesses, his fear, and most of all his pain.

 Mr. Bruce was an old man around 50's but he never retired despite his age, he knew that he needed him, not only as his guard but as his father-like figure, because after Elijah's father's death, he promised to keep him safe.

 '' Thank you, Mr. Bruce, once my secretary arrived, you don't have to do this,'' he smiled as he sipped his drinks that Mr. Bruce served him.

 '' Copy that, sir,'' Mr. Bruce replied and stood near his table, as usual, smirking secretly as he watched Elijah.

 ''Any way is your guy would not be a problem in the future?'' Elijah asked Mr. Bruce, knowing that he was the one in charge of hiring or picking the person who could fit as his secretary, for he knew what's the best for him, and he has the ability to read person who can withstand Elijah's random and shapeshifting attitude.

 ''Of course, sir, she had everything. She is the best fit for the job, and I knew she would never give up easily as the others,'' he was confident.

 Elijah's brows waved and turned around with Mr. Bruce who was standing still near beside him, ''She?'' he asked confusedly.

  Mr. Bruce grinned, '' Yes, sir. She's a girl but no need to worry, as I said she had everything,'' he responded.

 Elija was curious why does he hire a girl for the first time, and she would be the fifth secretary of his and the only woman among them.

 '' Are you sure about this woman, Mr. Bruce,'' he doubt his picked, yet Mr. Buce was still smiling he was all excited to let Elijah meet her.

 ''Of course, you knew I never failed in picking the right person for the job, she's our guy, Elijah. She has all the qualifications for the job,'' he replied, and behind his serious face was an unexplainable smirk, as if he was plotting something behind his small yet intelligent brain.

 Elijah was serious at the same time in shock when he heard Mr. Bruce calling his name, he knew that he was serious and certain about his pick when he called him by his name.

 He sighed, '' Okay, but at this moment, I doubt your guy not until I met her,'' he said and got his eyes back to the papers on his table, begging for attention. He was still exhausted and worried about the mess that his staff did, his business rated too low because of their lack of effort which made him furious a few minutes ago.

January 14, 2017

 The atmosphere was still the same inside Cortex's Company, Elijah was still hot towards his people, he was watching them since morning, and never went up to the seventh floor.

 On the other hand, while Elijah was busy keeping his eyes on them, Mr. Bruce was all excited to pick up the new secretary of Elijah.

 '' Welcome to E.C. Company, Miss Stephanie,'' whispered Mr. Bruce as he bowed down his head in respect.

Stephanie shyly smiled at him and fixed her clothes as she stood up straight, feeling nervous on her first day of job.

 "Thank you, sir. You don't have to pick me up. Also, please, just call me Stephanie or Steph, sir," she smiled.

 "Copy that, ma'am," he said.

 "And now, ma'am," Steph whispered but Mr. Bruce heard her. 

 "Haha, I'm sorry, but I can't find a reason to call you by your name, it's disrespectful for me," he explained and Stephanie giggled. "It's alright, call me what you want but still hoping that you can just call me by my name, we're in the same level," she said, and Mr. Bruce just grinned.

 He knows that it was beyond Elijah's expectation, but he knew that she was the one who could tame the CEO, Elijah Cortex.

 Mr. Bruce stretched his arm and signal Stephanie to follow him inside.

 While walking, Mr. Bruce's happiness was priceless, he was happy to see her after 5 years, though, it was sad that she couldn't recognize him, yet he thought that it was still great because she might back out the moment she saw him.

*********************

 "What kind of mess are these?" shouted Elijah when he reviewed his people's proposal. He didn't want them and started to become a mad dog again.

 He kept shrieking as always, not until he could discern a woman walking next to Mr. Bruce in the hallway in front of him. The Wall was made of glass, which the people inside the room can see who or what was outside but a person outside the room could only see a normal glass.

 His eyes focused on her, thought that he was just imagining or maybe hallucinating, but the moment he realized she was real, his heart collapsed immediately, it was squeezing brutally that he barely kept his composure.

His hands hardened and turned into a fist,  "What the heck is she doing here?" he whispered and tears streamed down his face. 

 "Mr. Cortex, are you alright? We're very sorry about the proposal, we will..." his people kept apologizing, thought that they were the reasons behind his tears.

 Elijah immediately wiped his eyes when Stephanie and Mr. Bruce were in front of the entrance.

 For him, there was no air, he was suffocating, yet trying hard to keep his composure.

 Time was like running too slow, he looked at everything like slow motion, and could only hear his heart pounding shortly.

 "Mr. Elijah, this is Stephanie Kier, your secretary," Mr. Bruce said and introduced Elijah to Stephanie.

"Hello, I'm Steph..." she paused as she lifted her eyes on him. Mixtures of emotions both filled their hearts, but the pain was the one that most predominant.

 Mr. Bruce was seriously watching them.

 Mr. Bruce was trying to read Elijah's expression as he stared at his Ex-Fiance who disappeared 5 years ago, one month before their succeeding date of marriage.

  Elijah was holding back his tears that were threatening to come out.

 What would happen when two Ex-lovers meet again?

 Would Elijah going to be alright around Stephanie, the woman who left without saying goodbye, she just suddenly disappeared and he never had the chance to find her, yet after years of living in pain and questions about why she left him, she suddenly appeared. 

 Would revenge could be the answer to heal his broken heart? Or they would only feel the pain even more?