I stood by Ethan’s grave and I tried my best to hold back my tears. 

All my efforts were in vain. For the seventeenth time, I visited his gravestone. For the seventeenth time I cried my heart out.

“I am sure you were so shocked by what happened that you drove your car like a crazy man,” I murmured to the tomb stone, “I am sure I was too dear to you that you did not accept the truth. It must be so hard to lose your head out of guilt!”

I was deceiving myself. Deep inside I knew he died disgusted by me. But I knew that I would lose my head without those small lies, so I carried on, “Maybe if fate gave us more time, you would know how much I love you. But now I believe our baby will be the one I shower with that love.”

I was pregnant.

I was pregnant without marriage. The father of my child was dead.

Could it get worse?

Yes, it could!

My grandmother discovered my pregnancy and I got kicked out of the house, “Stupid! Just like her mother! Never come back to this house again!”

I was called impure, yet among all my unmarried cousins I was the only one keeping my V Card till the age of twenty two. 

My fault is that I was young and naive and had no one to teach me about the day after pill.

“Out of mercy I will give you a respectful allowance,” Grandma said, “But first you will abort that filthy child! I am not accepting another illegitimate child into this family!”

I looked at my grandmother pitying her. Her black heart was a curse to the family she cared about the most.

I asked her, "Grandmother, why did you accept me into this house in the first place?” 

She replied, "When we made the contract with your mother we thought you were a boy! I thought that we will finally get an heir!”

I smiled then I laughed. She wants me to kill my child for this filthy family? How pitiful!

I did not respond and I left the house the day after, carrying a small bag, a very little amount of money, a rose bush, and a foetus. I visited my dear man’s grave and planted the rose by his side, “You liked white roses, didn’t you? I like roses as well. Let this be my last gift to you.”

I sat near his tomb and I whispered softly to the stone, “I will protect our baby. There’s no room left for naivety and weakness anymore. Now I have to become a good mother. So be reassured.”

I knew I was the kind to take the long way. I refused to treat my child the same way my mother and my family treated me. So I kept him. 

I had none and had nothing. So for the sake of money I did everything. And I sold the very little I had.

I got used to the echoes of slamming doors. I got used to the shame and darkness. And I stopped trying to run away from them. 

I didn’t care anymore.

I only cared about my baby Aurlian. The piece of heaven I gave birth to.

He was the cutest child ever. With the prettiest smile, the louder laughs and the same hazel eyes like his father. As if I’m fated to be chased by the hazel for eternity.

Years later, I was in my small apartment, calming my crying toddler and checking my emails. The cries of Aurlian almost drove me out of sanity. But what can be done? He is just a baby. I cuddled him dearly and sang to him softly and when his cries grew calmer, it was me who let out a cry of joy. I opened my email box and found the acceptance letter. I got accepted into a new job! 

Aurlian laughed as I spinned him in the air. This job was an opportunity I could never imagine getting! The salary was very good and the hours flexible. For a single mother, that was a dream coming true.

I called Ava, my friend, to share my joy. “Oh my god, Ella!” she cried, “Finally! Let’s go drinking! You deserve it!”

Unconsciously I put my hand on the right side of my belly where lies the scars of an operation I don’t want to recall. With one kidney, I should never drink again.

“No my dear, I told you once that I can’t drink.” I forced a smile. 

“My bad!” She recalled “I forgot, you told me your stomach can’t handle it!”

Aurlian laughed at my smile and Ava’s babies-fever went up, “Oh my God! Is that Aurlian laughing! Wait, since you can’t go out I come to you! Let’s have fun tonight!”

Ava hung up the phone and in an hour she was at my door. After a good night of dancing and singing, I went to bed in euphoria. Tomorrow a new life will start. I did not sleep soundly of course since I have a baby, yet in the morning I got enough energy to go to my new job happily. 

No more crying, no more misery. With a respectful job that pays well, our life will change forever!

I kissed my baby before leaving him in the nursery. His hazel eyes were full of tears. It never stopped breaking my heart, leaving him and going. But I was a single mother, and I needed bread to produce him milk.

I was thinking about my dear Aurlian when crossing the street, “Is there any way I can stay by his side till he turns five at least?” I thought, “Can I earn enough money for a living without having to leave him? Is there anything else I can sell?”

I already knew the answer for that question so I just let out a tired sigh. A sigh that was cut short by a black Land Rover that almost made my baby boy orphan!  

I glanced at the traffic light: It was red! Gosh! Where was my head?!

I was about to apologise to the car owner when he came out in a hurry to check on me. 

And I gasped, not because the man was a muse God made in his spare time. I gasped due to his eyes: They were hazel. 

Not any hazel. That. Hazel.

I just saw the most handsome man in my whole life. He was a work of art. A symbol of elegance and masculine beauty: sharp features, dark hair, perfect suit, confident posture, graceful gestures with the most intimidating aura as well.

Him and I, we looked into each other's eyes for seconds of pure shock before the young man asked, “Madam are you alright?!”

I didn’t utter a word.

“Let me take you to the hospital please!” He proposed.

“No, thank you! I have to go to work!” I objected.

“At least allow me to drive you there,” he took me by the hand, opened the door of the car and helped me to get in. I couldn't even protest. He was firm in a way that make it impossible for someone to say no to him. I looked at him as he drove. Oh my goodness! He’s not only handsome but also a gentleman! I gave myself a sharp slap to shake off the drowsiness. Ironically, my action seemed to heighten my companion's concern. "Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" he inquired anxiously.

I chuckled, "Rest assured, I haven't lost my mind just yet."

He sighed before asking another question, "Where do you work, madam?"

"At the Swift Pole," I answered.

"What a coincidence, I work there too," he said.

"Talk about good luck! So, did God send you to give me a ride to work?" I teased, breaking into a giggle.

He smiled at my playful assumption and added, "I work in the second sector."

With enthusiasm I replied, "Me too!"

The man looked at me with a hint of amazement as he responded, "There are only three companies in the second sector, madam."

"Well, call me a believer in divine intervention, but if you tell me you're an employee at D V Corporate, I might start believing in miracles!" I teased.

"I'm not an employee there," he replied, and I sighed in relief. "In fact, I OWN the company."

I buried my face in my hands. Gosh! I recalled all those influencers talking about opening up to strangers. Didn’t any of them think that the damn stranger may end up being your boss! Your big boss to be more precise!

That was my boss! My big boss! And I just showed him my most stupid faces!

The gentleman smiled at me and said, "Please, take your hands off your face. Nothing to be anxious about, madam."

I responded, "I apologize."

"For what? Do you have the habit of apologizing for the sake of it?" he inquired.

I hesitated, "Well? Maybe?"

"You are a strange woman, ma'am." He said with a playful tone.

I corrected, "It's Ella."

He was about to tell me his name, "And I am"

"Raven DuVin," I completed the sentence for him, "I've heard that you are French."

"You haven't started working with us yet and you already know all of that about me?!" He questioned.

"Well, I did thorough research before applying." I replied.

"Congratulations, you've got my attention!" He announced and I felt a hint of pride in his voice.

Mister DuVin stopped the car and handed the key to the guardian to park it. Then he opened the door and assisted me in getting out. "You don't want to do this, sir," I cautioned him. "I am just an entry secretary. People may talk ill of you."

Raven smirked and replied, "Look at this graceful building, Ella. No one dares to say a word that upsets its owner."

Gosh, he is arrogant! I like that in a man!

We walked inside, side by side, until reaching the administrative department.Which provoked the astonishment of every employee we encountered, and then he went up to his office.

So you think that was the strangest thing that happened on the first day of my new life? You’re so wrong my friend!

My senior took me to the 15th floor where I met Missus Flaubert, the executive secretary of the CEO, “Hello Miss Grace. They must have told you that some of the secretary posts will be vacant very soon. Well, mine is one of them! I will retire. For that, the C E O asked me to train my successor personally. Our C E O is very strict, yet he is one of the best bosses you may ever work with in your life. ”

Well, I think I shared her opinion! He is indeed a blessing to the eye!

Suddenly we heard a cruel yell coming from the C E O’s office, “He rarely raises his voice,” Missus Flaubert said, “Currently the company is having some huge legal concerns.”

After a second the phone on the secretary desk rang. “Put your purse on the empty desk near me. Take this block note and follow me,” she told me as she replied on the call, “Yes, sir. I will get them immediately.”

I followed my mentor into the C E O’s office. The office was a man's taste: Black furniture, woody ground, and some basketballs on the roofs. In the middle of it, Mister Du Vin was sitting behind his desk, with a dark complex, “We will go to court. We will not allow this fool to blackmail us. Missus Flaubert, the technical report please.”

Raven gave the report a glance and ordered, “Missus Flaubert, tell Sean to double the guards around Mister Benjamin hunting-house, if they need to shoot let them shoot. And tell Klaus to keep his eyes open, we don’t want anybody dead by the end of the day, unless it’s not one of ours.”

What on earth! I was shocked! Terrified!

“Immediately, sir,” Missus Flaubert responded very naturally and I was about to follow her out of this madness when I heard his voice, “I didn’t allow you to leave yet, Ella.”

Well I want to leave! These people are talking about shooting and killing as if it was a typical merger operation!

“It’s clear, sir. I will contact the court immediately.” 

“Good. And don’t contact our adversary yet. We will take them by surprise. Now you may go.”

Then, I was left alone with the C E O. 

And I was shaking.

“Ella,” My heart skipped as he called my name with his husky voice, “Sit down and close your mouth, that’s inappropriate.”

Only there, I noticed that I was mouth gaped due to the shock. 

I swallowed hard and sat in front of him as he asked. I didn’t dare looking into his eyes yet. His stares were already driving me nauseous. 

He looked far away from the kind man I met in the morning. Now his gaze was cruel and ice cold. His eyes looked like a holy fire ready to eat a helpless sacrifice. 

I was afraid that if I looked into it, I would burn.

“I apologise for not giving you enough time to swallow the following information, but in this world we are in too much hurry,” he said, “Now I want you to open your ears very well. 

“The man you met this morning is not me. The man you meet under the light is not me either. And as my future executive secretary you need to know your boss.”

I swallowed again, knowing that I have to ask a question I don't want to hear its answer, “Who are you?”

“Nothing much,” Raven Du Vin gave me a cruel smirk as he responded, “I am just a mafia boss."