CHAPTER 4

Kimberly POV

"You need help with that?"

My back stiffened at the slightly husky and all too familiar voice. "Kieth?".

"Kim?" That old name brought a smile to my face.

"What are you doing here?", I asked my ex-colleague and ex-boyfriend, Kieth Simon.

"I'm Ms McKinley personal secretary and you must be Mr Eustis's".

"Yeah......" what exactly do you say to your ex-boyfriend after nearly five years apart?

"You've changed alot. You look different". He motioned to my hair and clothes.

"I had to. It was difficult to get a job when you look like you're still in high school".

"True. You never really grew out of your adorable baby face". He winked making me giggle.

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment" I said laughing.

"I'll get your coffee". Walking over to the machine he pressed some buttons and the machine came to life.

"Extra cream and sugar", he said as he handed me the steaming cup of coffee. "Come on, let's have a seat". He lead me back to the couches and sat opposite me.

"Aren't you going to have some?" I asked raising my cup.

"No I've already had my breakfast", he shrugged.

"Your mom, shit how could I forget? Mrs Simon was always adamant about her boys having a huge breakfast. How is she? It's been ages since I last saw her".

"She's good. She been asking about you alot. She was so sure you'd be her daughter-in-law one day". And here comes the awkwardness

"Kieth, I-"

"It's okay kim. It's been five years now. We've come a long way. It's okay to discuss the past now".

He was right. We dated for three years even planned on getting engaged but then he moved away to Canada after graduating, he was offered an internship there while I stayed at Bluebird. We parted on good terms since we didn't have a choice.

We were at the point where our career came first.

Two hours went by as we sat there talking about our friends, New York, Canada and even about us. At 10:30 on the dot I was called into Ms McKinley office. The place was completely different from Riverside's. As I stepped into the room my gaze fell on a pair of beautiful eyes.

She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid my eyes on, she looked like a goddess. No wonder Mr Eustis wanted her at any cost.

"Yes?"

"Ms McKinley, I'm Kimberly Brown, Mr Eustis personal secretary". I told her taking a seat on a chair when she motioned me to.

"Eustis, which one?"

"Mr Kaleb Eustis, ma'am", I answered.

"Kaleb huh, what does he want?"

"To make a deal with you, all the details are in this file. Would you like me to brief you?". She nodded as a sign to go ahead. So I explained everything to her.

"I like the deal. But I'll need to speak to Mr Eustis personal if I'm to work with him. Now take me to him".

Kaleb POV

It was 11:46am when Kimberly brought her to my office. I'd dreaded this moment for a while now, but this is important.

"Ms brown, you won't be required for this meeting. Please wait outside and shut the door behind you", he said sternly.

At first she looked stunned but then she nodded her head and went outside the room. It was only them that the viper spoke.

"My, my Kaleb. I didn't expect you to turn out to be the rebellious one".

"How long will it take to complete the decorations?"

"What?" she looked startled

Her laughter had the power to make both mortals and immortals her slave. With her head thrown back, her king blonde curls sliding over her shoulder with a sensual caress, she lived up to her name. Poison Aphrodite.

Her laughter irritated me alot.

"Oh Kaleb! What has happened to you? She crossed her leg deliberately allowing her dress to slide off and expose her skin. "You were always the playful one, fun, sensual and carefree".

"Irresponsible you mean".

"God no!" She gasped. "You were responsible for giving me the best six years of my life. Years I haven't forgotten till date".

"Really?" I asked surprised. "Funny how I can't recall them at all", and I really didn't. She was a past I'd long forgotten and I'd very much like to keep it that way.

Her face paled. "You've changed Kaleb. I used to know you so well and you, I"

"If you knew me as well as you claimed, then you know that I hate repeating myself", I let my inner demon voice reign.

Startled she looked at me wide eyed and then lowered her gaze. "It depends on the size of the hotel you've built".

"Five storied, two fifty rooms, lounge, hall, five dinning rooms, pools for each floor and an underground bar".

"Three months" she replied almost immediately

"I'm paying you fifty million for a reason, Trevina. I want to open it next month. Wrap everything up by this weekend. We'll be staying there for the duration of the month. Everything you want for the decorations will be made available to you".

With that she stood up and marched out the door, slamming it shut on her way out. I sighed and then called out. "If you want to eavesdrop so badly, wouldn't it be better to stay in the room Ms brown?".

She came into the room a second later through the door that attached my cabin to hers. She guilt written on her face and the pure vibrancy of her life force struck me.

From the day I'd first seen her she was so pure and bright and untouched.

"Sorry" a pink blush appeared on her cheeks. "She's really beautiful."

That had me raising my eyebrows. She's been working for me for two whole days and yet she finds the viper beautiful? However she has worked for Denlian for nearly three years. Did she feel anything towards him?

"Can I get anything for you, Mr Eustis?"

"Tell Martin to prepare the car and tell me the next person on the list".

Kimberly POV

Next one in the list? Wh-oh! The red diary of entanglements list.

I went back to my cabin and brought back the diary with me. Scratching out Ms brown name, I looked up the next that I hadn't had a chance of telling him yesterday. "Alison Smith".

He nodded his head and stood up. "I won't be returning today or tomorrow, so take care of the management while I'm gone and when I get back I want full details of everything. You may go home early today if all the files on your desks has been cleared. And if Ms McKinley asks for me, tell her it's none of her business".

With that he was out the door and I released the breath I had been holding.

Few hours later I heard the familiar ring tone of my cell phone.

"Kimberly speaking", I answered without looking at the screen.

"Hello bestie!".

"Good God, Mary! Five days! I can't believe you haven't called me in five fucking days!"

"Chill sunny", she used her ridiculous nickname for me. "Everyone here isn't an Android. Normal beings can't handle thirty five projects at once. And why are we even discussing stupid files? So tell me how's life working for the other Eustis? Fishing for gossip as usual.

Marrisa Stanley has been my best friend since college. We even landed our internship together at Bluebird and later on our jobs. But while I worked as Denlian personal secretary, Mary worked as a project inspector at the HQ. And now I'm here at Riverside, she's taken my place over there.

"Please don't ask. I've started to curse my existence because of him".

"You mean he's not the lazy ass guy everyone said he is?"

"God no! I've been working my ass off every since I stepped foot in this office. He's always busy, either on his phone or checking old files for mistakes. And now he's off to God know where". I complained.

"Wait a minute!" She halted me. "You mean him too?"

"Why, has Denlian disappeared too?"

"Yeah, he said something about a wedding. Maybe they're both going, you know what this means right?"

"Oh come on Mary! We can't go to a bar right now. Besides I have tons of paper work to complete".

"Look, neither of our bosses are here tonight. They'll never know even if we finish tomorrow. Come on, please? We haven't seen each other for five whole days! It'll be fun. You can stay over at my apartment".

"Okay the usual?"

"YES! I'll see you in twenty. Bye!"

Mary hung up and it was 8:48pm. So i shut the lights, arranged all the files and decided to call it a day. It's time to party.

Kaleb POV

"What's the matter, brother? You look worried". Dan came to stand before me much to my annoyance, so I decided to express it.

"Why must you loiter around me to notice my expression, Denlian?" I questioned back.

"Because it was Miaka who put that expression on your face, and she just might be the only person in your life you've ever loved", he stated.

Indeed he stands correct. We may not be her brothers from birth but Dan and I, raised her since she was an infact. We both loved her dearly but it wasn't Miaka who put a frown on my face it was what she said.

"Miaka told me something........ something quite distressing. It's about Erick's competition".

"Emiel was it? What's so disturbing about him?"

"Alina told me something today", Miaka spoke from behind Dan "something that indicates towards possession".

"That's impossible! Possession? How?" Dan asked

"We are yet to confirm but I have a hunch. If what I'm thinking is true, this is no longer a battle for the throne".

"I don't understand, Miaka" Denlian said "what aren't you telling me? What's so bad about this?"

"An ancient is waking".