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"Xenia Mason, Xenia Mason, Xenia Mason, you're my kin, my mate and my bride, I command you through the Fate of The Seven Who began Our Order, wherever you may be, in any corner of the earth, Return home to where you belong, Return home to me, your mate".

XENIA'S POV

  Mondays are literally the most stressful days of the week, what I don't get is how one has just two days in a week for rest with pile of work to attend to, and then resume to the busy streets of New York.

  Don't get me wrong, I relocated to New York immediately after my graduation with the hope every fresher has when moving to this city, the dream of living in a High rise building, overlooking the city every night, but when reality hits you hard, you just have to readjust…

  Working as an assistant to the assistant of the best fashion designer in the city is sure to be a very enviable job anyone would want but when it comes to working with the kind of boss I have, well, how would I put this lightly? It sucks.

  The only thing that makes this city a tad bit bearable is my fiance, Bradshaw. I met Bradshaw on one of my coffee runs for my boss, he owns the coffee shop right across my place of work and I had a crush on him for some time now, luck finally smiled on me the day he attached his number to my order and specifically requested I get it.

  I moved in with him a week after he proposed and even though we decided not to get married right away, I still stand by my decision that he's the best thing that has happened to me ever since my move from the town I grew with mommy. She was becoming very overwhelmingly protective especially after I clocked eighteen and trust me, there's nothing more exciting than having your freedom.

  "Babe, you zoned out, are you okay?", Bradshaw asked as he cupped my face and I put on a smile for him. "I'm good, just thinking of what to wear to the office, you know how much Anita likes to remind me of my weird fashion sense", I replied, standing up and heading to the bathroom to finally get ready for the day's work. "You always look good in whatever you put on, but for the sake of getting her to put in a good word for you to Monique, so they can finally take a look at your designs, I suggest you play by her books", Bradshaw replied…

  Put in a good word my foot, I've been working at Monique's Parlor for two and half years now and Anita still won't let me get close to Monique, I don't even think I've seen her before yet we work in the same office. I don't ever think Anita would put in a word for me, let alone a good one which is why I decided that today, I'm matching up to Monique DuPont's office myself… what's the worst that can happen anyway?

  What's the worst that can happen anyway is what I asked myself when I keep staring at the elevator button but can't seem to find the courage to push… For goodness sake, I'm a brilliant designer who graduated tops of my fashion school and came here on high recommendation, I've paid my dues and I deserve to be given a one on one audience with Ms. DuPont.

  Mustering the last shred of courage I had left, I smoothened my beige pants and white shirt and knocked on Ms. DuPont's door.

"Good morning Ms. DuPont, I'm Xenia Mason, and I'm Ms. Anita's assistant", I said courtly as she ushered me into her massive office.

"Yes, Ms. Mason, how may I help you today?", She answered and I swallowed the bile in my throat. This is the moment you've been waiting for, Xenia, this is your one shot at becoming an associate designer, don't mess it up.

  "I'm a designer, I graduated from Sherman oaks fashion school, top of my class, however, my talents are wasting as an assistant. I'd really like if you could take a look at my designs", I said the famous speech I've been trying to perfect for over a month in front of a mirror. She didn't say a word and just gestured to her table where I placed my design scrapbook and left, breathing a sigh of relief as I walked out of the tensed room. Now all I have to do is wait.

 "Babe", I screamed as I got into the apartment the next day and ran straight for my fiance, enveloping him in a massive bear hug. "I did it Brad, you're looking at the latest junior designer at Monique's Parlor", I said as he kissed me, "This calls for a celebration, and luckily, I know just the place, Get dressed babe, we're going out to celebrate with dinner from Montigos, just as you like it", he said and I squealed like a little child full of joy as I ran to the bathroom to freshen up.

  While in the bathroom, I began to hear a strange voice, like a man calling my name somewhere. "Brad, did you call me?", I called out to my boyfriend and he said he didn't.

I hear the voice again, this time, more louder than the first time, "Xenia Mason, Xenia Mason, Xenia Mason, you're my kin, my mate and my bride, I command you through the Fate of The Seven Who began Our Order, wherever you may be, in any corner of the earth, Return home to where you belong, Return home to me, your mate". And then, my eyes turn black and I fall to the floor.

 "Babe, babe, babe, babe", I open my eyes slowly and see Brad staring at me, "What happened babe? One minute you were all excited and then the next minute, I find you on the floor, are you okay? I think all these stress got to you", he said with a look of concern on his face, "Maybe we should just cancel dinner if you're not fine to go", he added and I shook my head. "We can still go, I'm good, I just fell into a trance where I heard a man call out to me and next thing I know, I blacked out but I'm better now", I said.

  "Are you sure we shouldn't go for a check up first", he asked still worried. "I said I'm fine", I snapped at him which I don't even know where it came out from, afterall, he was just trying to be caring. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, I'm just trying to tell you that I'm fine and we don't need a doctor", I said, finally realizing I was on the bed and not on the marble tiles I collapsed on… "I'm good okay, my love, like I said, it was just a weird trance", I said kissing him but somehow, deep down in my mind, the kiss didn't feel right again. I didn't know what came over me but at that moment, right there, my feelings for Bradshaw changed.