Letting out a huff, I slumped on the stairs, providing my butt and legs some rest.

My arms held the bunch of folders tight against my chest. Sweat trickled down my spine and forehead from all the marathons I did using the staircase between the third and fifth floor. Not only me, the entire office was racing in this marathon that Adrian Larsen held kindly giving us this project. Even one minute late became a crime here now. So waiting for the elevator was out of the question.

I had never seen the employees here working so fast before. That Larsen king wouldn't accept any default and sluggishness under his command. He was making sure he wouldn't have to face any kind of loss where he invested his money. He had set his eyes on here like a hawk all the time, if not him, then it would be his soldiers.

I still remember the shock I got when Alex told me he was the one who gave this company this project. Though it was a good news for this company, it was a very very bad one for me and my sanity. Facing him more often than I would've liked, was challenging. Well, removing his gaze from me alone was hard. That man didn't know when to stop!

Just the other day when Sam and I were discussing some work with him, his eyes were on me the whole time.

I didn't even know if he had given any attention to what Sam was babbling about.

"What?" I snapped.

Did anyone else noticing him staring at me mattered to him?

A flat no!

He titled his head. That infuriating little sly smirk of his tugged at the corner of his mouth. "What?"

He reacted like he didn't know what I was asking.

"Staring at people is creepy, Mr. Larsen. You know that, right?" I scowled.

Sam stood there gaping at me, seeing someone talk to The Adrian Larsen in that manner. I didn't want to react. I knew that's what Adrian Larsen wanted. He enjoyed my reaction for some uncouth reasons.

But I had had enough. His presence, his smell, his beautiful face and his irritating lingering electric blue gaze tampered with my nerves.

"When it's free to enjoy a beautiful view, one shouldn't lose the chance," he replied, roaming his gaze on every inch of my body.

While Sam had coughed uncomfortably in his hand, I stood there comprehending what to take out of his words.

A compliment that he called me beautiful, or an insult that he'd depicted me a view free for his eyes to enjoy.

That asshat!

Two weeks have passed since I joined here, and I think I have lost twenty-two pounds.

Being new and totally inexperienced, it became a lot more difficult for me to catch up with everything. Alex assigned Shawn to teach me all the rules and work, his years of experience and also being a good friend of mine helped. But even being friends doesn't come handy if they become your superior. At least not in my case.

Getting me almost as an assistant, that little mouse took me and my words for granted: I want to work here as an ordinary employee, no special treatment.

Now I was rethinking my decision.

But I was getting to learn a lot of things in such a short period of time, so no complaints. The more I worked hard, the more I would get to learn, the more I would be able to prove myself to everyone.

With a new determination, I got up and took the folders to Sasan, the head of the finance department, as Shawn instructed.

Thank God that the devil wasn't here today to ruin my resolve.

***

Once completing my task, I returned back to my cabin. The small room that became the space of my big dreams. At least, being a McCommer gave me one advantage here. A cabin of my own. And I had no complaints about it.

I was almost finished with organizing the reports that Alex gave me this morning, when a knock on the door.

"Come in!"

The door flew open and there stood the beaming person with two mugs in her hand.

"Missed me?"

"When did you learn how to knock?" I raised my brow, leaning back on my chair.

She shrugged. "I still have some manners left in me. Don't think of me that insolent now."

Placing a mug in front of me, she took the vacant chair opposite of mine. I took the steamy mug in my hand, the sharp fresh smell of coffee took some of my weariness away.

"Thanks! When did you come back to the city? I thought you said you would be gone for only a week," saying, I took a sip.

"Don't make me remember! That mutt was more clever than I thought he was. Anyway, you tell me." She glanced at the papers and files before me, a pleasant glint in her amber eyes. "You finally got something you always wanted to do. A job. And you forgot to inform me of such big news?"

I grinned.

"Sorry! Out of excitement and busy days, it slipped out of my mind. And yes, I finally got something to do." My gaze roamed around my small cabin with pride and satisfaction.

She had a look of understanding. "You happy now?"

I nodded. "More than I've ever been." My eyes burned with swelled up emotions.

A smile spread across her freckled cheeks. "I wish I could give you a congratulatory hug, but I don't want to move my butt right now," she said, making me chuckle. "And… I also heard some rumors in the air. Anything else you forgot to tell me, Sofia?"

"What rumor?"

"Anything interesting occurred in your life? Or…should I say someone?"

My forehead creased. "What do you mean? Other than Dad's permitting me to join the office, there is none."

Her lips set tight as she glared at me. "Adrian Larsen."

Oh! So that's what she was talking about.

But I didn't really agree with her unpleasant theory. He definitely wasn't an interesting occurrence for me.

"There is nothing to tell. He gave us a tender, and we will be doing business together. That's it," I replied in a flat tone.

A teasing smile tugged up her lips. "Oh really? I heard what happened in the board meeting. How he was watching you like a hawk. Like a tiger targeting his prey."

My eyes widened. I felt my ears burn. "How do you know that?"

God! I knew it! I knew everyone would notice it. Even Alex had warned me about his infamous reputation with girls. He wanted me to be careful of that man.

She shrugged. "Shawn. So? You want to say something now?"

I cursed under my breath. Shawn freaking Miller! I was gonna kill him! He couldn't digest anything in his stomach, could he?

"Nothing. It's his habit to ogle at every girl with two legs struts before him.

"He didn't ogle at me no matter how much I tried."

A sigh left me. "I don't want to talk about this, Laura."

"He is after you, you know that, right?" She totally ignored me.

"I don't think so. And even if he is-" I met her eyes, "-you know I don't have the time or situation for that."

I didn't want any person in my life right now, or ever. I had no right to drag someone else in the mess I've been struggling with since I was born. And who would want to be with a mob boss's daughter and put their life at the mouth of danger anyway?

"Sofia." Her voice turned soft. She knew I was right.

I smiled at her, arranging the papers scattered across the desk, ignoring the small pinch of sorrow of the fact that I would never be able to feel the love manifested in those romance books I read secretly in my bed.

A knock on the door cut the uncomfortable tension in the air.

"Mr. McCommer and Shawn are waiting for you at the parking lot. You ready?" Mark, a co-worker of the marketing department, stood at the door.

Shit! I almost forgot about the meeting we had at Larsen Group Of Industries. The group that were working on this project, had to be present there at the meeting. And I was one of them.

"Yeah, just give me a moment," I said.

Nodding his head, he walked away.

I looked at Laura and she shrugged.

"I think I will see you later then?"

"Movie tomorrow night? At my place," I offered.

"Awesome! I will be there with Jen and Chloe!"

"Perfect!" Giving her a tight hug, I shut down my computer, took my purse and ran down to the parking lot where Alex and Shawn were impatiently waiting for me.

***

The car screeched to a half, indicating that we had reached our destination. Sliding down the window, I peeked out.

And I just stared.

There stood four enormous skyscrapers, screened with dark glass, touching the sky, and manifesting the reflection of the world before in them. They stood in a circular motion, facing each other. Bridges, also moulded with glass, connected each building with the other at the top. While a big white 'L' was written in the middle on one of the edifices.

"I know right? The empire of Adrian T Larsen," Shawn awed beside me, the look on his face matching mine.

Alex snorted from the front seat, checking his wrist watch.

Then something struck me.

"What's for 'T'?" I turned to Shawn.

He shrugged. "Don't know. No one knows what the 'T' stands for."

And here I thought Shawn knew everything.

"Why? Is his middle name a secret that the world shouldn't know?" I queried, suddenly very curious. I didn't even know why I had a sudden interest in knowing Adrian Larsen's middle name.

"A lot of things remained a secret about him actually. Just like no one knows about his father. Who he is or where he is. Nobody ever heard of him. He isn't even close to his mother." He mused. "He is a mystery."

I glanced outside, and even if I didn't want to think of him anymore, I found myself questioning his secrets. Shawn's words echoed in my mind.

"Alright, guys! It's time to go. Our bodyguards took their positions, they will keep an eye on us from a distance," said Alex, his eyes met mine through the rearview, cautioning me of alertness.

Though it bothered Shawn if he couldn't figure out something around him, he had always kept his big mouth shut from asking questions regarding the bodyguards. Or about our father in that matter. It could put his job at stake.

Nodding, I got out of the car, while Shawn went back to narrating Adrian Larsen's memoir.

Like his main business focused on making luxurious ships and planes. He also had a vast business of oil in the middle-east. Not to forget the chains of hotels around the world. And one new five-star hotel was going to be added to that list after Blake's and our company will be finished with the project. So in short, he was loaded.

"Even Saudi crown prince is a good friend of his. And due to the prince's questionable activities, his friendship with the prince isn't sitting well with the media." His pupils sparkled with awe. "But as always, he doesn't give a shit!"

I shook my head. "How do you know all this?"

"It's all in the tabloids and newspapers. And I've a way to get news from the whispers." He winked.

Once we were inside, the interior again left me amazed.

Our shoes clanked against the floor that was panelled with perfectly polished dark wood. The walls were made of white marble tiles, not a dot of smudge on the dazzling walls. Where the ceiling matched the floor, equally furnished wood. Four small elegant chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and there sat a bigger one in the middle; flowers of silver and gold crafted around each light of the chandeliers in an elegant way.

Alex walked up to the receptionist, while I watched the clocks of various sizes and shapes hanging across one whole wall like a little curious kid.

Why these clocks? So that he could make his employees run at the tick of every second hand?

***

Once we reached the first floor as the receptionist instructed, we found a small crowd formed around the lobby. People talked into hushed tones, throwing wary glances at each other. A shouting of a man surpassed the buzz of the whispers, and some feminine whimpers and pleading followed behind.

"What's happening there?" I asked. Alex and Shawn had the same look of confusion.

"Sofia, wait!" Alex called out as I pushed myself into the crowd. Making my way to the front, I gasped at the spectacle.

A man with rugged, dirty clothes had a girl by her hair. Her cheeks were red, and wet with tears. She had a protective hand over her small bump while she tried to free herself from that man's voice grip. But her small frame did nothing before his big structure.

"Bitch! How many times do I have to tell ya that ya can't get out of the house and go to work? But ya dared to disobey me again! I think you need another good lesson today," that man slurred, pulling at her hair with force, trying to drag her away.

"No, Jacob! Please stop! You're hurting me!" she whimpered.

"Now ye feel how it feels when ye hurt me by not listening to me, ya whore!" he hissed.

I felt nauseated. This was living proof of what alcohol could do to some people. But I didn't think men like him were any good when sober.

People around stood there with looks of sympathy and concern, but nobody did anything. No one even moved from their places. They just watched the drama while feeling bad about it.

"What's this? Why isn't anyone stopping him?" I asked to no one in particular, exasperated with the fact that they were watching a drunk man manhandling a pregnant girl and doing nothing to help her.

"We want to. But...he is dangerous. He works for a local gang. He also carries a gun. So no one really wants to be added to his next killing list," someone replied from behind me.

And then I noticed the visible bump of a gun, half tucked into his pants under his shirt.

Just because he had a gun, they would let him do whatever he wanted to the poor girl? This was ridiculous!

Ignoring the calling of Alex and Shawn behind me, I went ahead.

Approaching the man, I pushed at his shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble backwards.

Putting the weeping girl behind me, my fuming gaze met his red crazed ones. His wild eyes flickered a pinch of fear inside me. But I stood on my ground.

"Don't you dare to touch her again! I swear, you will find yourself in the hospital bed with thousands of bandages wrapped around yourself if you don't get out of here right now!"

"Girl! Move from my way! She is my girlfriend, I will do whatever the hell I want to do with her!" He came forward, and I pushed him away again.

"Step away!" I warned, my heart thumped in my chest. The girl gripped my arm tightly as if her life depended on it.

"You bitch!" Snarling, he raised his hand and charged forward.

It happened so fast, I put my hands before me in reflex to protect myself from the blow. But it never came.

Instead, I heard a faint crack and then a groaning. Gasps resonated around the place. Familiar exquisite smell of a particular cologne tingled my nostrils as I moved my hands and opened my eyes.

The man was cradling his nose into his hands rolling on the floor in agony.

And there stood Adrian Larsen with his mighty height before me like an impenetrable shield. His broad shoulders were tense, jaw hard, nostrils flared as he turned around and cast me a furious look.

I took a step back. Even that drunk man's gun couldn't make me do that. The look on his face was murderous.

Why was he looking at me like that? I didn't do anything.

Turning around, he rolled his sleeves to his elbows and pulled that man up by his collar. Cursing at Adrian, he went for his face, but Adrian dodged the blow and threw another punch right across his already bloodied face.

A girl took the whimpering girl away while Alex came and dragged me aside, but I didn't have the time to see his facial expressions. I was too busy watching Adrian Larsen decorating that drunkard's face black and blue with his fist.

I had never seen him so mad before. The only look I had ever seen in his eyes in the last two weeks, was curiosity and amusement, whenever he looked at me. Of course, other than his usual coldness around others. But never this furious.

Soon, police arrived at the place, parting the curious chaos. They requested Adrian politely not to take the law in his hand. And as if a switch turned off inside him, he stopped. Stepping away from that man as if he just burned him, he pushed him to the police. His face was void of any emotions.

"Make sure this criminal rots behind the bars for the rest of his life."

I didn't know if anyone noticed, or it was just me. The way he said 'criminal', as if he was even disgusted to pronounce the word.

The officer nodded his head, and thanked Adrian for informing them. Sending their greetings in his way in respect, they arrested the man and dragged him away.

Then his calmer, yet somehow cold eyes swept around on everyone.

"The show is over! Now get back to work!" he barked. Glancing at me for one last time, he then turned around and stormed out of the place.