Chapter 3: Obsession

His POV

Dmitry Kuznetsov, sat in his office, overlooking the city from his high-rise building. He couldn't stop thinking about the girl who had slapped him at the hospital and spilled coffee on him. Anger coursed through his veins, but something else lingered beneath the surface.

He remembered the feel of her soft skin, the way her brown eyes flashed with defiance, and the way her afro hair cascaded down her back. She was curvy in all the right places, and he found himself captivated by her beauty. He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have her under his control, to feel her body writhing beneath his touch.

Dmitry's mind drifted back to the encounter at the hospital, the way she had challenged him, daring to stand up to the mighty Dmitry Kuznetsov. He couldn't help but admire her courage, even if it was misplaced. He knew that he could make her pay for her insolence, but there was something about her that made him want to keep her close, to see what else she was capable of.

He decided that he needed to find her, to make her his own.

Just as one of his men entered his office, Dmitry looked at him.

"What do you want?" he asked, annoyed at the interruption to his thoughts.

The man hesitated for a moment, then handed him a file. "Sir, this is the information you requested about the girl."

Dmitry took the file and scanned through it quickly. Her name was Abeni, she was Nigerian, and she was unemployed. Her mother was weak and couldn't work, and her sister was in the hospital sick. Worst of all, her father was someone who owed Dmitry money. He smiled, dropping the file on his desk. "Bingo!" he thought.

"Get this man" he said, pointing at the picture of her father. The man who gave him the file nodded, exiting the room.

Dmitry leaned back in his chair, imagining what it would be like to have Abeni at his beck and call. He could see her in his bed, her curves wrapping around him, her eyes wide with desire. He grinned to himself, feeling his blood pump faster through his veins at the thought of claiming her as his own.

Abeni jerked awake to the blaring of her alarm. "9 am already?" She bolted upright and grabbed her phone. The screen glared back - 9:00 on the dot.

"The interview!" She leapt out of bed, heart racing. How could she have slept through her alarms? She had set three just to be safe.

Abeni rushed into the bathroom, splashing water on her face to shake off the last remnants of sleep. She had laid out her best interview clothes the night before - a white blouse and sleek black trousers. She threw them on in record time.

9:15. There was no time for coffee. She swiped on a bit of mascara as she waited for her Uber. The minutes crawled by.

Finally a car pulled up. She locked her front door in one swift motion and jumped into the backseat. "220 Park Avenue, and step on it please!" she told the driver. She checked the time on the way - 9:25. Her interview was at 10.

The toast she had hastily prepared sat untouched on the counter. Her stomach rumbled, but nerves overpowered her hunger. She spent the ride trying to calm her nerves with deep breaths. This interview was too important to mess up.

Abeni stepped out of her uber and took a deep breath as she looked up at the Haven Bakery sign. The building was painted a warm, buttery yellow and had large windows that showcased the various baked goods inside. She smoothed down her black trousers and adjusted her white blouse before walking confidently into the bakery. The smell of fresh bread and pastries filled her nose, making her stomach growl.

The bakery was bustling with activity as employees worked quickly to fill orders and serve customers. A young woman with blonde curls and a bright smile approached Abeni at the counter. "Welcome to Haven Bakery! My name is Emily. I'm the assistant manager. How can I help you today?"

"Hi Emily, I'm Abeni. I have a job interview for the cashier position." Abeni smiled politely as she spoke. Emily glanced down at Abeni's resume, which she had been given earlier by the boss. "Ah, yes. We've been looking forward to meeting you. Follow me, please." She led Abeni through the bustling bakery to a quiet office in the back. The office was decorated with framed photos of the bakery's various products and a large window overlooking the baking area.

There were three people in the room: Emily, who introduced Abeni to them; a tall, middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a warm smile, named Mark, who was the bakery's owner; and a younger woman with dark curly hair, named Sarah, who was the head baker. They all greeted Abeni with friendly smiles and invited her to take a seat across from them.

Emily began by asking Abeni about her previous work experience. "Tell us about your most recent job, Abeni. What did you enjoy about it, and what were some of the challenges you faced?" Abeni shared a few stories from her time at the bookstore, emphasizing her customer service skills and ability to multitask. The interviewers nodded and took notes, seeming impressed with her examples.

Next, Mark asked her about her knowledge of baking. "It says here that when you were 16 you worked in a bakery. Since you've worked in a bakery before, we'd love to hear about any baking techniques or recipes that you're familiar with." Abeni explained that she had learned a great deal during her time there, but her specialty was cake decorating. She shared some of her favorite techniques and designs with the interviewers, who seemed genuinely interested.

Sarah then chimed in, asking her about her creativity. "At Haven Bakery, we pride ourselves on creating unique and delicious pastries. How do you think you would contribute to our team in terms of bringing new ideas to the table?" Abeni smiled, telling them about how she often experimented with different flavor combinations and decorating styles in her spare time. She also shared an idea for a new type of pastry that she had been thinking about. The interviewers exchanged glances and seemed pleased with her response.

Finally, Emily wrapped things up by asking Abeni about her availability and any questions she might have about them.

Abeni had been so caught up in the conversation that she hadn't even considered asking questions until now. She glanced at her phone, mentally running through her schedule. "I'm usually pretty flexible with my hours," she said, "and I don't have any major commitments outside of work right now. Is there anything in particular you'd like to know about me?"

Mark smiled. "Well, Abeni, you seem like a very promising candidate. We'd like to give you a few hours to think about it and let you know our decision by the end of the day. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to Emily or myself if you have any questions or concerns."

Abeni thanked them and stood up to shake their hands. As she left the office, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.