“We need to go to Pepa sir, I'm afraid it's urgent.”

“The office at Pepa would have to undergo a Confidential R&D. We'll be developing suitable techniques for our shoes, materials, and processes that require secrecy and direct control. The leather factory at Singapore seeks to collaborate. We have to manufacture a few samples with them so our leather company can expand as well.”

“It's is the only wing that is yet to become a global sensation.

The frail elderly bespectacled man suggests with a hint of urgency in his voice.

“Our company is a chain for a reason, our boss has no direct business with Pepa.” Another board member countered the silent Mr Edward. He turns to Axel who was seated at the head of the lengthy conference table and spinning the swivel chair around — legs crossed. He was subtly enjoying the argument. Axel was different from Tyrese, the god of war. But he enjoyed chaos. All eyes were fixed on him, he was the one who gets to make the final decision. Axel looks at Mr Taylor who just finished speaking from the corner of his eyes. He knew the only reason why he was kicking against him going to Pepa was to be able to siphone more funds. For over a month, Mr Taylor and Mr Croft (The manager of Pepa) had been stealing lots of money. And Mr Edward knew about it. That was why they were trying so hard to silence him. He was against their thieving ways, but he had no proof. The crooks disliked him. Several notions to dismiss him had been brought to Axel's desk several times. Mr Edward was their rival, Axel knew humans did not like good people.

Although they were stealing, they never got to do anything worthwhile with the money. He always struck them with a series of misfortunes and directed the money back to himself. And Axel had a perfect trap laid out for the duo, waiting to catch them. He watched Mr Taylor who looked like he could barely breathe from the corner of his eyes. He prayed Axel would reject Mr Edward's suggestion and not go to Pepa.

Axel’s brows knitted in frustration. Having Ariel in his house was bad enough, and now he had share a workplace with her. He wished he could just fire her and send her off to the edge of the world. But that'd only devastate Marie. He detested the fact he needed Ariel more than anything. Although he had her tucked away in the basement, chances of not running into her were slim. She was a raw memory of the pain he tried so hard to forget. But he could not shy away from protecting his company because of a worthless fly like Ariel. Humans may be fickle, but he needed them if he wished to keep his identity hidden. A huge company like his with no staff would draw media attention. He finally passed his verdict admist the brewing tension in the room.

“We're going to Pepa.” He declared. His declaration was met with mixed feelings. Mr Edward grinned satisfactorily, happy his boss was finally going to rescue the leather company from Mr Croft and his goons. Mr Taylor on the other hand wore a dead pan expression. His face was grave with fear but he managed to hide it with a grave smile. Axel's piercing gaze from across the room made him squirm. It was not the first time, there was something different about his boss, his presence was overwhelming. Nervously, he packed his papers and left the room with a bow, as well as the rest of the board. With everyone gone, Axel played a calming track. It was one of his favorite classics from his favorite singer, “Athena.” Marie had introduced him to her songs, it had a calming effect on him. Although he would not recognize her even if she walked past him, her voice was ethereal. It was breathtaking, like a blend of stars gliding in the night sky. She was the only human he listened to. He shut his eyes and relaxed.

It was a brand new day. Ivory ran to Victoria's desk in excitement, eager to break the news. She was out of breath by the time she got to Victoria. “The boss is coming, he's walking towards the reception.” She informed the thrilled Victoria. She quickly fixed her makeup and walked to the reception with Ivory in quick strides.

There was in unusual buzz in the office that morning. Ariel had no clue what was going on. Her desk is so small her knees hit the sides every time she tries to move, and every few minutes, someone would sigh loudly over her shoulder as they retrieved prints and ran out almost immediately.

“The boss is here.” One of the employees informed her upon seeing the confusion on her face. Ariel was stunned. By the boss did he mean Axel? What was Axel doing in Pepa? The usual buzz in the office was dying down gradually and turned to hushed whispers. Everyone had gone to the reception to welcome him. She quickly switched her computer to sleep mode and went out as well.

All the employees flanked both sides of the reception in straight horizontal lines and smiles plastered on their faces. Axel stepped in shortly after, flanked by Mr Edward, Mr Croft and a handful of men on black. He walked in with a precise kind of confidence that made people straighten without realizing it.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a smart charcoal-grey tailored suit. He was the kind of man who his silence spoke measures.

There was no smile on his lips, only a cold, unreadable set to them. His watch caught everyone's attention.

Sitting on his wrist like a crown jewel was a custom Patek Philippe with a skeleton dial that showed the movement inside, a quiet flex of old money.

His aura was magnetic.

“Welcome sir.” Victoria giggled in excitement. But Axel walked past her without a side glance. He walked up to Ariel who was trying to hide behind her colleagues in her oversized jacket. Seeing her upon his entry made him agitated. Hands in both pockets, he stares at her intently.

Ariel was flustered, she was clueless about what she was supposed to do. His eyes never left her, his gaze made her uncomfortable. “Welcome sir.” She said awkwardly and bowed, hoping he'd move away from her. She never expected the next words that left his lips.

“Go back to your basement.” He replied. Ariel’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she watched her coworkers try to suppress their laughter. He had humiliated her publicly in front of everyone.

Without another word, he walked off leaving her with the heartache he had just inflicted.