Chapter One

Lillian swayed her hips from side to side as she walked down the hallway of her mother's company. She was radiating happiness and the aroma of her beauty got every of the employees' mouth to get watered. Most of them could not help but look at her more than once. She was walking with confidence and each step she took spoke a lot about it. She was every man's dreams and every lady's goal and the only proud daughter of her parents. 

She adjusted the straps that were attached to the front of her long sleeved shirt which was on top of a black skirt that reached and rested on her knees. She was the personal assistant of the company while her mother was the CEO, so she needed to look her best. One could always wonder why she was putting on a long sleeved shirt in a very hot weather condition, but she had her reasons. Not that she actually minded, though. There was something that could give off a bad reputation about her if she countered her mode of dressing. 

She had a  tattoo on her arm. Perhaps, it was not a big deal, but not to someone like her. Not that she could not flaunt it to the world. Of course, she could. She loved it. There were times she would look at it in the mirror and reminisce about her past and it had been twelve years already. She had not for once forgotten him, but she was happy. The inscription was an everyday reminder of her memories with him and that was why she was keeping the promise she made to him by not wearing sleeveless shirts and tops outside her home. 

Even if she sometimes misses him,she was still happy. She believed he would come back for her if they were really meant to be together. 

She got to her office and started working on the files she had on her desk. It was even as if she was the owner of the company. She could not help but imagine how much more would be on her mother's desk and knowing her mother, they would be like a piece of cheese to her. 

She decided to go to her mother's office in the afternoon to check on her since they had not seen each other that day. It happened like that sometimes. Even though she lived in the same house as her mother, she would always wake up first and come to work earlier than any other employee. That was the habit of her mother she wished to cultivate. She was a typical definition of a 'hardworking' workaholic. 

***

Mrs. Grace Williams, founder of the Williams modeling company amended her  glasses to sit rightly on her nose as she picked up a magazine to read about the owner of an advertising company that has submitted its request for a model. She just couldn't give out her models to any company without a reputable name but El_Enn seemed to be okay. 

She looked up as the door of her office opened and revealed her one and only daughter, who also worked for her, sashayed into the room and sat before her. 

    "HI, mum," she greeted with one of her sweetest smiles. 

    "Darling, what's wrong? Do you need anything?" Grace asked. 

    "No, mum. I'm just tired. It's almost closing hour and I haven't rounded up my work," she said and rubbed her eyes slightly.

    "And you came here thinking I will pat you on the head that you've done a good job?" her mother asked. Even if she was her daughter, Mrs. Williams was not the type of person that encourages people who are not hardworking. "You can just be a model if being my assistant is too hectic of a position for you." 

"Look, mum, if I were to become a model, I am telling you, I'll be the only one in this company," she bragged. 

"May I ask why?" 

"It's obvious and simple. I am too beautiful to have competitors," she said firmly and smiled. 

Her mother started laughing and almost had her lungs out in the process. "You are too full of yourself. Just like your foolish dad." 

"Dad is unlike you. He's sweet." 

"Sweet, my foot!" 

"I know you are jealous. Why can't you be as sweet as dad? Gosh, that man is so loving and caring...." she was saying when her mother angrily slapped the face of her desk. 

"Shut up your mouth and don't bring your dad into this conversation," her mother vented.

It was her daughter's turn to laugh. "It seems you're forgetting something. You brought him up yourself. Well, I know you're still in love with that cutie," she teased. 

Mrs. Williams was confused. "Cutie? Who is the cutie? What cutie are you talking about?" 

"Who else? It's my one and only dad, of course." 

"What? That oldie is cutie?" 

"You're old, too. You should be planning your retirement." 

  "I'm still a very young woman. Even if I retire, is it your lazy ass that will sit on this chair?" her mother hissed. 

"Of course, who else? I am really tired, mum. Can I just go home and I will finish my work tomorrow?" 

Her mother laughed.  "You dare not, baby. You must finish that work on your desk before you go home, honey. You can call your dad to come and help, I won't mind."

"Saying you miss the old man would have been better," she whispered and yawned with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes and they met with the cover of the magazine in her mother's hands. 

      "Lill—," her mother was about to call her to inform her about the deal she was about to make with El_Enn and asked her what she thought of it. 

      "Wait, mum," she said, not shifting her eyes from the magazine which has the picture of a very handsome yet familiar young man. "Is this not—," she paused. 

    "Who?" her mother asked, looking at the cover she was staring at.