The sound of keyboards was heard all throughout the room. The summer is coming in fast and the days are getting busier. Pages of paper lay sprawled on my desk consisting of proposals and plans that was needed today. It was only 6:00 am and I still have long way to go. My job was hard and the ringing of telephones and shuffling feet weren't doing me any good. I have no office of my own because I can't think properly when I'm on an enclosed space. I also don't intend to complain because I know all of us are going through the same ordeal. I sighed and slumped on my seat. The day had just started but I am already close to collapsing. I was about to reach for my pen when the doors of the elevator opened.

A woman stepped out. All noises seized. A whip couldn't have done better to silence the room. The only sound that was heard was her shoes colliding with the marble floor. It was Merrylia Selene Desilvia, my boss. In every step she took, fear and awe made the room go still. Her dark eyes swept over the office and men and women alike threw themselves into their work, terrified of that haunting abyss that stared deep into their weak selves. She made her way to my desk and I instantly held my breath.

I have huge respect for women, mostly because all of my siblings are members of the fairer sex, leaving me and my father as the only men in the house. But my boss is the epitome of intimidation, she did not only crave for respect but also terror. She made sure to embed it on my head on the very first day she hired me. I immediately stood upright, ignoring the pain on my back.

"Good morning, Ms. Desilvia." I greeted her. She nodded in response.

"What is my schedule for today?"

"Here Ma'am," I said as I handed her the piece of paper. "The CEO of the Wilfred enterprises also asked me to give you this invitation for their coming Anniversary celebration." I handed her the blue invitation card. She took it from my hands proceeded to her office, reading the invitation. She was already at her door when stopped and called me.

"Mr. Loward, please come into my office."

I stood up and walked to her, trying to act as calm as possible. I was about to open the door for her when she held the knob and went in by herself. She settled herself on her leather chair and looked at me. I froze on my spot.

"This event will happen three days from now, am I correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am." She furrowed her brows a little, attracting my gaze to her eyes. She took a deep breath and looked at me in the eye, causing me to flinch. She leaned towards her desk, steepling her fingers as if in a deep thought.

"Do you have something important to do on that day?" She asked monotonously.

"No Ma'am, I don't."

"Well then, you should come with me." The moment those words left her mouth, my eyes went wide with shock. My throat dried and my lips parted. I felt my legs stiffen and my body straightened even more. Goliath couldn't have moved me from my position.

"Excuse me Ma'am, c-could you repeat what you just said?" Despite being flabbergasted, I was able to force the words from my lips. Slowly, she stretched her lips into lopsided smile. It didn't look very kind.

"I want you to come with me. You're observant, you will be able to keep an eye on my business rivals. An innocent-looking man like you won't be suspected of doing anything out of the ordinary." She said, sending chills down my spine.

"But Ma'am, that event is a celebration, these acts-"

"In the world of business, even a church could be a place of war. Mr. Wilfred and I do not have anything in between us. Not even so much as a colleague. We have nothing in common except the fact that we run the same business. This world is filled with opportunist and manipulative people. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't be the same as them. After all, how can i join in if I don't play the same game as them. The devil had once been an angel, Mr. Loward. Don't be fooled by bright smiles and friendly conversations. They are all jackals hunting everywhere not minding which territory they step on. Let's hope they know how it feels to be hunted."

Suddenly my reluctance was replaced by excitement. I'm about to put my abilities to the test.

"As you wish, Ma'am. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. Tell Mr. Marcus to come up here. We have some matters to discuss." I nodded my head politely and headed out to the door.

On the way to the lobby, I met Jenna on the way. She flashed a smile at me and I returned it. I turned away quickly, knowing she would strike a conversation I might end up struggling to get out of without offending her. She has the habit of prolonging a topic when I have so much to do, wasting my much needed time. Merrylia wasn't one to appreciate tardiness and procrastination, and I had no intention of revealing how much of an understatement it is.

I reached the elevator and once I was inside, I closed the door immediately. When the door parted, the lobby came into view and I spotted Mr. Marcus near the bathroom. I went over to him and patted his shoulder.

"Mr. Marcus." He turned to me and gave a bright smile that brightened his face, almost making the scar that ran on his cheek unnoticeable.

"Mr. Loward! Good morning. What brings you here?" His pale blue eyes was filled with lightness as he spoke politely, a trait most maintenance guy do not posses. He also moved with grace, his back ram-rod straight and his chin up, making him quite an eye catcher for the older employees.

"Ms. Desilvia requests your presence in her office." I informed him, mirroring the politeness he displayed.

He chuckled lightly and nodded, setting aside the large tool box he was carrying.

"Very well then, I should get going; the boss is not a fan of tardiness." He gave me a knowing smile and went upstairs.

The sun shone brightly outside as I make my way downstairs, desiring for a cup of coffee. My siblings were already seated at the table and eating, looking at me the way archangels would look at a lecher on judgement day.

"Move faster, Qalif. You're going to be late." Said Qeira, the eldest of my sisters.

"You sleep like your boss shoved gallon of her wrath on your throat!" Xyra retorted, piercing me with a glare that could rival with King Arthur's Excalibur.

"She's right, brother!" Reena, our youngest agreed. She was young, but no less of a tyrant compared to her older sisters.

"Sorry about that. I stayed up late last night, I brought home some work with me." I said, smiling lightly.

I made myself a coffee and sat down to eat with them. Thirty minutes later, I was already on my way to work. The Desilvia Corp. stood high and mighty, making the buildings nearby seem small and puny. The place itself screamed domination, daring the world to try and bring it down. I entered the building and made my way to the 20th floor, where my CEO's office is. I sat on my swivel chair and immediately set to work. As I was bent on completing my task a thought crossed my mind. The Wilfred Enterprise's' Anniversary celebration will happen tomorrow and I still don't know what to wear. I'm not worrying about looking fashionable. I never felt inclined to look good to catch attention, but this is different. I can't afford to look like trash standing beside her. It would set a bad impression on her and the company. An image of my boss flashed through my mind and I suddenly knew that it would be hard task to look good beside a woman like that.

Leaning to my chair, I took a deep breath. I already have a lot on my hands and the pressure of our upcoming business escapade is weighing down on me. I was about to go back to my work when the intercom beeped.

"Mr. Loward, are you there?" Merrylia's voice asked in a stern tone..

"Yes Ma'am, how can I help you?"

"To my office, now."

I pushed back my chair and stood up, careful not to make noises. I reached her door and knocked twice.

"Come in."

I opened the door and went inside, closing the door softly behind me. I adjusted my tie and fixed my suit before walking up to her.

"Good morning, Ma'am." I said politely, making sure to bow slightly. She looked up to me from her desk and nodded.

"Tomorrow will be the day of the event. I want you to wear this." She said and pulled a huge box from under her desk and handed it over to me. I walked closer to her, trying to act like I wasn't shocked. I grabbed the box and opened it and inside I saw a tuxedo. The fine linen was smooth and soft, no doubt that it was expensive. Beside the tuxedo lay another box. I opened it and saw a pair of shiny black shoes with gold strapping. I looked at her and was about to decline when I saw the look in her eyes. Her gaze told me that I am not allowed to complain.

"Before the event, I will assemble a meeting here. We must prepare. If worst comes to worst we'll be ready." She said, her eyes fierce and burning, like a fire about to devour anything that goes against her.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Good. Remain here, we have another thing to discuss." She took her telephone and dialed a number. The conversation was short and a 'yes' was heard on from the other line. Minutes later, Jackson entered the room and I stepped aside. He is the head of the security team. He was recruited a week after I was hired. He's a smart man, he had years of training under the military special force before he retired and took this job. His body is ripped with muscles and his stature indicated how disciplined he was. His height hovers slightly below mine and he had black hair, reminding me how light and girlish my blonde hair seems to be.

"Have you done what I told you to do?" Merrylia said to him, stretching her hands towards the pouch Jackson was carrying. He gave it to her and nodded.

"Yes Ma'am, the troops has already searched the area. Any possible entrance and exits has been noted. They are informed of where their positions are." She hummed in approval and unzipped the pouch. She motioned her hand at me.

"Come here."

I followed her orders and stood beside Jackson. She laid the contents of the pouch on the table. In front of me was devices that I never thought I would see up close. There were small hearing devices, a recorder, a tiny camera the size of a bug, and other things I do not know of.

"Tomorrow we're going to use this. Put this in your ear so I can contact you in case we get separated. Bodyguards can't enter the venue, I need someone to protect me." She picked up the hearing device and separated it from the others. My brows furrowed a little. I had nothing against protecting her, in fact, I would gladly do so. I just didn't expect her to ask a man to protect her, considering how ruthless she was. She narrowed her eyes as if reading my thoughts.

"Do you expect me to fight in a dress?"

"N-no Ma'am." Jackson chuckled in a mocking tone beside me.

"You can easily be read, Mr. Loward. Your face and eyes says it all. You should change that. We don't want you blowing up our disguise." I felt irritation flood over me. I fought down the desire to fling my glove at him. Not in front of Merrylia.

"Silence. We are straying from the subject," Merrylia, sensing the tension, increased it ten fold. She narrowed her eyes at us, daring us to continue. Jackson only lowered his head but I stood my ground. I didn't do anything. My pride is not big so I'm keeping it. Merrylia narrowed her eyes one last time and picked up another device.

"This spy camera will be placed on your suit. If you see anything suspicious, you know what to do. We don't know what kind of plan they have under their sleeves but I'll make sure they'll go down with it."

She too out a pen from her desk and showed it to me. She pressed the button on top of it and a small thin needle shot out and imbedded itself on the wooden desk.

"This is laced with poison. If you ever need to make use of it, make sure you do it secretly."

I listened patiently and took mental notes of the important things she said while she narrated what would happen at the party.

"That place would be crawling with media. We have to be careful not to make a scene or draw attention to ourselves unnecessarily once the party starts, you got that Mr Loward?"

"Yes ma'am."

She turned away from me and went back to ignoring my existence. As I gazed at her and realized that the way she talked was as if she was used to danger. It wasn't hard for me to believe that.

I stood beside Merrylia in her office, wearing the tuxedo she gave me. The small desk she had inside the room was replaced by a huge square one. Jackson and his men surrounded the table, their faces grim. In the table lay weapons from small knives to guns. The gadget we're going to use was strategically placed that they were hidden but put into full use.

"Tonight, the biggest business moguls will be gathered in one of the most luxurious buildings in this country. This kind of place has great security, the whole place is surrounded by Mr. Wilfred's men. If one of these bastards decides to take their chance and lunge at me, it would be hard to fight back without causing a ruckus. This is why I told you to get some of your men to disguise as one of the staff." Merrylia spoke to her men in a cold voice but her eyes contradicted it. Her eyes were blazing with raging fires and the coldness in the atmosphere wasn't able to cool it down. My eyes shifted in the room and landed on the men wearing a waiter's uniform.

"Your job is not just to protect me. I need you to explore the place. He messed with one of my deals, it's not impossible for him to do it again. Especially now that most of my prospective business partners are coming too."

She adjusted the red dress she was wearing and looked around.

"All of you, get ready."

As soon as she said that, men moved everywhere and took the weapons of their liking. I was about to pick one for myself, knowing my fists are not enough to protect her when Merrylia handed me a gun.

"Ma'am?"

"Take it. It's is a high-powered gun but it won't take much space, considering how tight the tuxedo is on you. I just didn't expect to have that much muscle under your-" suddenly her voice faded. Her cheeks reddened and she turned away, coughing lightly. Heat flooded my cheeks and I pursed my lips, trying to stop the smile working its way to my face. This was not the first time I received a compliment, but a compliment coming from her made me ecstatic. In an instant I was no longer envious of Jackson's built. I gained muscles when I entered the military. Part of me was motivated because I did it so I can protect my sister Qeira from her lecherous suitors who can't keep their hands where it should be. Suffice it to say, I was able to give a reasonable number of men a lesson.

"Alright, as you say Ma'am." I took the gun and hid it under my suit, tucking it safely on my belt. She straightened herself and her face was impassive once again.

"Are you all done?" She said, her voice slightly higher than usual. Jackson nodded and so did the others.

"Then let's go." A few minutes later we were already on the road to the Wilfred Enterprises. The car screeched into a halt in front of the red carpet leading to the entrance. Journalists surrounded each side of the walkway and cameras flashed continuously, making me a little dizzy. Shielding my eyes, I slowly opened the door and stepped out. I offered my hand to Merrylia as she climbed out of the car. She accepted my hand and held to my arm as she slowly stood upright. She raised her chin higher, letting the cameras get a full view of her face then she flashed a smile. A very beautiful and fake one. She simply bared her teeth, which the people around us took as a smile. That's it, the game starts now.

We walked slowly to the entrance and shocked gasps all around us were heard. That's when I noticed it. The dress she's wearing startled the media. It's a sexy red that complimented her smooth olive skin. The slits on the sides flaunted her long unblemished legs and the plunging neckline that was not all too revealing was enough to make a man's imagination go wild. But not me. All I wanted to do was cover her with my coat and hide her from the perverted looks sent her way. She looked ravishing, oozing with confidence and class. She was gorgeous but her aura made it clear that she isn't the kind of girl you can mess with. The smile on her face wavered and the men lowered their eyes.

As we entered the hall, many of the guests turned to us with their eyes wide. Some tried to meet her gaze only to look away when they couldn't handle the gravity f her eyes. With her in the room, other women seemed to disappear. All eyes was on her that would later stray to her hand that held my arm. She ushered me slightly towards the table near the center and whispered,

"We're going to Mr. Wilfred's table." I nodded and held her hand on my arms as we reach the table.

"Good evening, Mr. Wilfred." Merrylia greeted Mr. Wilfred with a sweet smile on her face.

"Ms. Desilvia! I am truly honored by your presence here. I wasn't really expecting you to accept the invitation." A short man in his mid-thirties stood up with a cocky smirk on his face. This must be Mr. Wilfred. Merrylia's smile widened, similar to wolf's grin.

"You flatter me, Mr. Wilfred. It would be a pity to miss this kind of event."

"Ah, Ms. Desilvia, you are truly a lady. I wonder how you managed to survive this long." Mr. Wilfred looked at Merrylia with wonder and suspiciousness. He was wearing a self-satisfied smirk.

"I merely went with the flow, Mr. Wilfred. But I'll admit, it's hard to blend in with power-hungry jackals when your a big bad wolf." The smirk on Mr. Wilfred's face froze. His eyes glinted but he recomposed himself.

"What about this gentleman? Is he your escort tonight? I never thought you had it in you." He said, trying his best to insult Merrylia.

"Oh no, Mr. Wilfred. I just knew that this night would be memorable and I need someone to write it down in details. By the way Mr. Wilfred, this is Mr. Qalif Loward." I offered my hand to him, careful not to accidentally crush his fingers.

"I'm Mr. Wilfred Freyer, I am very delighted to meet you." He said, making it clear that he does not mean it.

"So am I, Mr. Wilfred. So am I..."

Because now that I know your face, it won't be hard for me to take you down.