Chapter 9: Chapter 9

—The Modern World

October 2020 (Present)

Sometimes, Anika feels empty. She's wondering what she wants that could make her happy.

She had everything, power, wealth, beauty, and brain. She's a perfect example of an Alpha woman in Society but she thinks something is missing. Her true identity. Her real parents and where she came from.

A dark grey sky could be seen from her window. Anika rose from her bed and welcome the sunrise from her big mansion in Manhattan. She keeps yawning even it's already six in the morning. Maybe she sleeps late last night because she fond of watching a Documentary of our daily lives entitled " Alone in the Forest". She was a fan of that channel.

She went back to sleep after.

One hour later

She yawned while stretching her body together with her arms and legs. She slowly peeled her eyes open and looked around. She's still sleepy and wants to go back to sleep again but having the CEO of your own company was tiring. You had to wake up so early and start working day and night. Her adopted parents leave the company to her after they died so as the only daughter, she made a promise to take care of it until the last day of her life.

If Jerick was a good man, maybe they're now married with cute little kids but that's not what happened. Every love story has an ending and it wasn't like in fairy tales. He left her and go with another woman on the day of their marriage. Anikas was shattered into pieces, her soul, heart, body, and dignity.

Flashback...

Ten years ago

Anika was sitting inside the hotel where they will going to held the party after the nuptials ceremony but she was not there to celebrate but she was there alone to let go of all of the heartaches which Jerick made.

She was sobbing and wailing by herself. Everyone can't go in because she told the receptionist to lock the place for her. She paid for it by herself.

Her eyes were swollen and her nose reddened from nonstop crying until morning.

Jerick left her and go to his new girl. It's their wedding day and he did this to her. He made fun of her in front of the media. He told everyone that Anika was only his option to be rich but he found someone richer than her. Of course, her parents recently died and their business couldn't get back on track. He used her. He fooled her.

" Hey, what are you? A girl where everyone could stomp on you?" she's yelling to herself.

She began to crease and torn her wedding dress in front of the mirror. Her beautiful make-up and eyeshadows spread on her face. Her black eyeliner almost covered all of her cheeks.

She sniffs and wiped the tears that keep falling from her saggy eyes.

She glared in front of the mirror and uttering a cursing word to the people who hurt her.

" I swear until on my grave, all of you especially you asshole, I'll show you what I'm capable of!!! " she yelled.

" Ahhhhh!!!!"

"Ahhhhhhh!!!"

She's screaming inside the hotel venue.

After that day, she took a vacation and went to Hawaii. She wants to forget all the bad reminiscences she had when she was in New York.

End of flashback...

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Perez Hotel and Resorts

" Good morning Madame!" They greeted her when she passed by.

Anika Perez was wearing a red coat top with a matching black belt on her waist. She pairs it with above-knee boots and black leather shorts. She looks sophisticated in her attire with a channel off-white pouch.

She's been so cold and blunt to everyone since she doesn't trust anybody but herself alone.

She roamed her eyes on every employee and she noticed that Mr. Dave Park was not at his desk, his assistant.

" Ana, where's Dave?" She asked her accountant.

Ana Miller was a weirdo but smart to be the company's top accountant this month. Her lips quickly quiver when Anika asked her. They were all scared of her especially her apathetic eyes and tone.

" Mada-me ahh, he --he went to-" she's trembling.

" Where? For Pete's sake Ana, don't talk to me like that! Am I look monster to you!?"  Ana jumped in surprise with her loud voice.

" Sorry ma'am" she mumbled when Dave came and cut off their conversation.

He looks calm and ready for Anika's terror.

" Oh, Ma'am Anika, good morning! Why did you yell at Ana? She's one of your gems here. I'm so sorry Ms. Millerr " he said and grabbed her hands and lead them back to her office.

Anika took a deep breath to calm herself.

" Explain to me Dave, where the hell are you so early in the morning?" She asked him with her annoyed face.

Dave sat on an empty chair in front of her desk and he told her what happened.

He told her that Argus Mateo called him and he told him to meet him outside their building. Anika heard the name Argus and she doesn't know why she feels like he's seeing another Jerick soul. She made a research about this man but almost of his account were all private.

" Why? What is his business with you? He won't come to meet me?" Her face crumpled again like a piece of paper.

Dave holds his chin and scratches it. He and Anika were childhood friends so only Dave knows everything about her especially her failed marriage to Jerick. He sarcastically laughed at her.

" Nika, will you please relax. Don't put too much weight on your shoulders!" Dave reminded her.

Anika knows what he was trying to say. She ignored it.

" Tell me, Dave. Don't make excuses. What he wants from you?" She asked him again and this time she was serious.

" Okay but please don't tell him okay," he said like it was very important.

Anika suddenly looks irritated and she wants to hit Dave in his head but he avoided it.

" Okay. He asked me about you. I think he likes you!" Dave's eyes spark like he was the one in love.

Anika frowned.

" Just go back to work. I don't want to hear nonsense things from you moron" she roared at him and Dave just followed his boss.

Anika sat back on her chair and took a deep breath and close her eyes. She doesn't know what to think about Dave's story about Mr. Mateo.

After ten years of being alone, she doesn't even think to have a guy in her life. They're only going to ruin her reigns and feelings.

She went back to her work but was distracted when someone pushed the door open. She took her eyeglasses and her eyes narrowed when Argus Mateo came in.

He looks so hot in his black tuxedo suit. His gaze towards her was so intense like he wants to devour her alive. He walked towards her with a bouquet of white roses in his hands.

Anika Perez lifted her chin upward and crossed her arms on her chest. It's not easy to get a girl if Argus thinks about her.

" Flowers for you" he uttered with a smile on his face while giving the flowers to her.

Anika wasn't happy about it. All men were the same.

" I don't accept gifts or flowers especially to someone like you" she mumbled coldly.

Argus smirked.

" Oh, I see so what kind of guy do you like? Or let's say, are you bi?" He sneered at her and made a soft chuckle.

Anika's eyes enlarge and thrust her lower jaws forward and clenched for a moment. She bit her lower lip to control her anger towards him.

She whiff out the air from her nose. This guy made her mad.

" Look, Mr. Mateo, I hired you because you're capable in this field but if you acting this way, just pack your things and go home!" She told him.

He smiled at her.

" I'm so sorry Ms. Perez, I came here to offer you these flowers as my advance thanks to this company. I hope you don't mind," he mumbled and made his way out of her office.

Anika sighed in deep dismay for herself. She thought the guy likes her. It's okay because she's not thinking about it anymore. One is enough for her.

She never thought that this man was arrogant. Why not? That's why she hated boys. They would only destroy you if you let them find your weaknesses. Just like Jerick, because she was so naive at that time, he left her for another girl.

The animal made a promise to herself that woman was an Alpha over man. They would never hurt her again.

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