Chapter One

Rachel Estella sighed softly and stood up, she smoothed her black pencil skirt and then grabbed the files from the table in her hand and headed towards the door in front of her.

 She stood in front of it for a while, adjusted her dress and then knocked softly. She waited patiently and soon a tired raspy voice asked her to come in.

 Rachel pushed the door and walked in to the magnificent office, the walls were painted a light blue and grey giving it a homely vibe. There were a few artifacts around which matched well with the fact that her boss loved art so much. The furniture was one of a kind, personally customised. Apart from the desk in the middle of the room and the three chairs around it, there was also a shelf and a beautiful flower vase beside the window that watched over the whole city and the room at the other end.

 That rich and homely vibe always had a way of calming down Rachel's nerves that most of the times she doesn't want to leave.

 " You can use the sofa later " a deep voice laced with a chuckle interrupted her thoughts.

 Rachel's eyes moved to her favourite furniture in the room and her lips curled into a beautiful smile, she could swear to the heavens that that couch was more comfortable than her bed back at her apartment. Looking at it, the temptation to rush over was huge but she suppressed it with a sigh and turned to her boss.

 A middle aged man sat elegantly in the office chair, his full attention was on the papers in front of him as he read through and signed whenever necessary.

 His black hai wasr combed back and his handsome face looked so serious and stern that it would be hard for anyone to agree that he was chuckling a while ago at her behavior.

 He was wearing a dark blue suit with a red tie, looking at him now Rachel remembered why she was here and walked over to him, placing the files on the table.

"You had asked for this Sir " Rachel whispered, her voice soft as she waited for his other orders. 

 "Thanks Rachel " He replied and lifted his head to look up at her, his grey eyes warm like a father looking at his own daughter.

 "Take a seat, I need to discuss something with you" he added and she nodded, pulling out a chair right opposite him and taking a seat.

 He sent her a smile and then turned back to the files right in front of him. Rachel looked around the office and her mind drifted back to that day when she first met him.

 She had just graduated from college and was searching for a job to help with her daily needs and take care of her little brother who was only fourteen as at then. After her parents death, Rachel had struggled to continue with her education while managing to take care of the younger one who was battling with cancer then. She worked hard with multiple jobs struggling to at least buy medicine that would help and also have something to eat.

 On her graduation day, she had received a call from Sam's school that he had lost consciousness and she rushed there, Rachel remembered how she had to run to the hospital on foot because she didn't have a single penny on her and on that day a car almost ran her over.

 The middle aged man had come out to scold her for not taking her life serious until he noticed how she looked.

 Rachel stood there with sweat covering her forehead and back, her whole body shaking with a thin body wrapped in her arms. She felt so lost and scared that any time soon the boy in her arms would stop breathing.

 Sir Richard, on seeing her reaction, decided to help up and urged her to hitch a ride with him which she soon agreed to. He watched as the girl sat in the back seat with him, holding her little brother close to her chest rocking him like a little baby while humming to a song.

 He didn't understand at first as they drove to the hospital until he noticed that it was her way of diverting her thoughts from the current.

 When they arrived at the hospital, Sir Richard realised what was really going on and how critical the little boy's condition was, he decided to help and paid for his treatment. Rachel not knowing how to repay him decided to work for him and he agreed.

 For the past seven years, he had groomed her to be the best assistant that every one in the business world yearned for and most of all he treated her like the daughter he never had.

Placing the pen down Sir Richard looked up at her with a smile " I guess you already know why I asked you here ?" 

 Hearing his voice, Rachel looked up and nodded. Who in the company didn't know that Fred Richardson was back in the country, every newspaper and magazine was talking about him.

 But the point is that Sir Richard had summoned him to return immediately and handle the company which meant that the man in front of her was about to retire.

 "Tomorrow Fred will be taking over, which means that today is my last day in office. " Sir Richard added and Rachel's head snapped up immediately, her eyes on the handsome face in front of her before she lowered them again.

"I will hand in my resignation letter immediately " Rachel whispered, her voice soft and faint.  

 With her experience, it would be so easy to get another job though she didn't want to leave this company or stop working with Sir Richard, but since he was retiring then what's her need to stay.

" No " Sir Richard's voice was stern making her gaze snap back to him, he leaned back in his chair and kept looking at her. " you're to stay in the company and keep an eye on that rascal for me. " he smiled.

Rachel looked up at him, her eyes widened in realisation and she immediately shook her head in protest "Sir Richard you know how things are between me and that son of yours." Rachel replied softly, the protest in her voice loud and clear but it didn't look like Sir Richard would budge. He didn't care that she didn't call him sir while they are still at work.

Seeing his stubbornness made Rachel frown "Aren't you afraid that we will kill each other in just a few days time?" She urged jokingly.

 Hearing her words Sir Richard laughed softly while shaking his head, who in the world didn't know how annoying his son could be? But, he also needs Rachel to stay for the mean time.

"Two weeks " Sir Richard replied after thinking things through, he knew that Rachel was more stubborn than him and when she decides on something, it was hard to change her mind. "Stay for two weeks and if within that time you two fail to get along, I will be the one to sign your resignation letter my self. " Sir Richard added and now Rachel sat up prepared, looking at him.

 "But Sir..."

 "Rachel please, I need you here for the meantime " Sir Richard said, his voice laced with a bit of begging and Rachel couldn't take that. She didn't want to see the man she looks up to beg her in this manner.

 With a sigh Rachel nodded, she just hoped to not regret this decision any time soon.

Seeing her nod made Sir Richard glad and he reached out to hold her hand " Thank you Rachel " he whispered and she just nodded. 

 "Don't blame me if I kill him in one week." Rachel added jokingly with a smile of her own which made the both of them burst into laughter.