Chapter 2

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I must have drifted away,” Maren apologised, snapping back to reality.

"I don't care, lady. Get your car out of the road,” the man outside her car queried in a husky voice.

Maren shuddered at the memory; the smile on Irene's face plastered in her mind like an awful song as she committed that atrocity with her ex fiance. She pulled up in the parking lot of the premises and got out of the car.

She looked up at the building she stood in front of. It read ‘Sovereign Nexus’. Taking a deep breath, she walked in, making her way to the elevator, which always took her to the CEO’s office.

If her calculations were correct, she'd been there four times this week but hadn't met the CEO available. She prayed a silent prayer that she would meet him as the elevator opened at the topmost floor.

Walking down the hallway, she surprisingly found the door open. She sighed in relief as she knocked twice and peeped into the massive office.

“You know, those people are too fucked up to be dealt with. I'm not ready to sacrifice my company for anything." She could hear a voice from the office as the occupant seemed to be on a call, but the person’s spin chair was turned to the window so she couldn't see his face.

Then, he finally turned and as he saw her, he paused and his grey eyes lit up. “I'll call you back, Eddie,” he said quietly and dropped the call.

"Can I come in?" She asked, putting on her most cheerful face.

He nodded her in and she walked in and took her seat on the chair on the other side of the table. “Hi, I'm…”

“Maren Sinclair,” he interrupted, his eyes on the files on the table as he seemed to be searching for something.

Maren scoffed inwardly. That last name now made her sick whenever she heard or saw it on paper.

“It's Sharppe actually, Maren Sharppe”

“Yeah, that's true, you're divorced."

“Actually, we were never married, so…”

"I hear you need a loan,” he said as he pulled out a file and dropped it on the table in front of him. The file looked similar to the one she had submitted earlier when he wasn't around.

Maren gritted her teeth. This gorgeous man was beginning to get on her nerves, but she sucked it in. She really needed this. “Yes, my company is fast going downhill. I really need your help”

"Good to hear,” he said and began slipping through the file.

Maren raised a brow in confusion. This really was exhausting, she thought. The normal Maren Sharppe would not have been this patient. But there she was, seated in one of the companies she had envied, at the mercy of its CEO.

“You know, when I heard you called off your marriage yourself, I was really impressed,” he said as he raised his head suddenly, catching her staring.

“I didn't know you gossiped, sir,” she said innocently, intending to piss him off.

He smirked, getting the humour. “Well, William Sinclair was, as I like to call it, a contender. And as petty as it sounds,I find joy in whatever discomforts him,” he said, twirling a pen between his fingers, his eyes fixed on her.

“We would have been better of together, you know”

Maren rolled her eyes ‘This again, she thought. “Do I get the loan Alexander?" She asked seriously.

He chuckled, “Quick to drop the character, I see. I knew you'd snap." he seemed to be enjoying this.

“Do we always have to go over this?" Maren asked, her impatience starting to get the better of her.

"That's because you try to be difficult each time, Maren.” he stood up and slowly walked behind her. She felt his breath on her skin as he shifted her hair and planted a kiss on her neck. “But you and I know you're not, darling”

Goosebumps laid a blanket over her skin, the way he always called her darling sent shock waves through her body. Scenes from the past flashed in her mind, but she snapped out of it quickly and shook his hand off her hair.

Alexander smiled and walked back to his side of the desk. “I really admire you, Maren. “Always trying to fight your urges even when it’s clear that you’re losing,” he resumed his seat, a cunning grin playing at the corner of his lips.

“I just want to save my company, please,” she said, her fists clenched beneath the table and out of his sight.

“It’s really good to see that expression on your face, Maren,” he said, a grin gracing his face.

I'm here strictly for business, Alexander. Whatever happened before now, never happened please."

He smirked. “It looks to me like that's not the only thing that needs saving, darling." he paused and leaned on the table facing her. “Out of all William's rivals, you chose to come to me for help. Why is that?”

"Okay, I'm not doing this. Not today” she picked up her bag and stood up to leave. Alexander fell back in his chair, amusement written all over his face as he watched her walk towards the door.

“I can spare a few notes,” he echoed, stopping her in her tracks.

“I'm not in for your games Alexander”

"On one condition though,” he said and pulled out another file and opened it before placing it on the table, urging her to come take a look. She walked to the table, keeping an eye on him as she looked through the papers in the file.

Her brows creased. “I don't understand" he just chuckled, his grey eyes looking her over as he did. "What do you mean I have to report to you monthly?"

"It's quite simple, darling,” He grinned and leaned forward again. "I get to be your boss. I mean, I have to have a part in your life one way or the other, right?”