by Anna Collins
"Sis, today is the big day, the first day of your show where are you lost?" Rick's voice had the ring of excitement in it.
"Umm...to tell you the truth, I'm nervous" I frowned, dropping my head on the desk.
He raised my head "what is there to get nervous, you are smart and beautiful. I am sure you will nail it. Now tell me, have you done some background checking with the person you are going to interview?" he asked.
"Yes, and that's why my face is smitten. It's Robert Hudson, the owner of Hudson Industries" as I said this, the frown on my face deepened.
"Oh, Crap! That extremely good-looking bad ass alpha billionaire? who wears the business world like a shoe and has problems with...umm...let me think EVERYTHING" Rick exclaimed and I nodded.
"How on earth did he agree to come for this interview?" Rick asked, his eyes were still wide from the previous shock.
"I don't know, maybe Kent did something. But that's not important, this guy, there is something in his eyes that is giving me a negative vibe" I said holding out a piece of paper to Rick.
"Oh, I see, that's what made you speechless. And I don't trust these vibe thingies" he pouted.
"Shut up! Vibes do exist, I can feel them, but for now, let's concentrate on Hudson" my face again went gloomy as I thought of him.
"Frey, come to the studio, you are going live in less than an hour" the assistant director informed, knocking slightly on my office door.
Shit! I was so nervous that my mind lost all the calculation of time. "I will be there in a Sec" I replied.
~
"I hate to say this, but you look quite presentable" Kate twitched her lips. I knew I was looking awesome in my white half-sleeved satin shirt and gray pencil skirt. My long hair was gathered up in a bun and I was wearing nude colored lipstick. It was a simple yet a classy look.
"Thanks, bitch" I pouted in return.
She smirked and said "save some nervousness for the actual interview."
Hmm, interview that too with the handsome Robert Hudson, God help me. I closed my eyes for a silent prayer.
I was going through the questions that the director had given me,and most of the questions were about his personal life, like what was his favorite film, did he sleep naked, why was he still single, etc. The questions were so cheesy that I was sure that it had been written by some stupid fan girl of his. I thought of adding some sensible questions to the list. Those cheesy questions made my brain cells suffer a lot.
Gloria came running to me, her high heels ticking with the marble floor of the studio "HE is here, I just saw him. Jeez! He looks even hotter in person," she said panting.
"Oh Great! Another fan girl, what is wrong with you girls? Why do you salivate at the sight of some decent looking guy? Get a grip on your lady parts. He is not a hero of a romance novel who would do anything for you" I snapped almost angrily. I was sick and tired of these bimbos.
"Please calm down, don't spoil your mood. Here, take this" Gloria handed me a glass of water. But I was not in a mood to drink anything, the nervousness for the interview combined with a feeling irritation and as a result, I took the glass of water and threw out the water then handed the empty glass back to her "happy now?" I uttered with extreme irritation.
"Jeez! What have you done? Look back!" Gloria cried out, her eyes went big.
I furrowed my eyebrows and turned around. Robert Hudson was standing behind me; his face was shining with the droplets of my freshly thrown water. God! His face told me that he could eat me alive!
Chapter 3
Robert
It took me a few seconds to absorb the reality of the situation. Standing a few inches away from me was a young girl; she seemed to be in her early twenties. More than being angry I was amazed at her arrogant behavior. Who was she? A commoner? And what was her height? 5'2? With that height and a weight of about 130 lbs she was misbehaving with me? The Robert Hudson, the unbeaten king of the business world. How on earth could she even think that she could get away with her life after behaving indecently with me?
My fists clenched automatically to give it right on her face, and then I controlled myself. No Robert, wait for the correct time, I said to myself.
On taking a close look at her face, I realized that she was shaking. But her brown eyes had no hint of fear in it. Strange! By now I had expected to see her falling on my feet begging desperately for my forgiveness. But she was standing right in front of me, looking straight into my eyes. I could not ignore the fact that her face had the light of innocence that could melt almost anyone. It was pure and the simplest kind of gorgeousness I had ever seen.
Man! Are you out of your mind? You are counting the features of a person who just insulted you right on your face! My alter ego asked to me.
"Sir, I am sorry, it was a mistake," she finally spoke up breaking my trance.
Then she stepped close to me and attempted to touch a bunch of tissue with the skin of my face. I stepped backward and stopped her by showing her my right hand.
I took out a handkerchief from the left pocket of my navy blue suit pants and gently wiped out the insult that she had thrown in my face as the form of some droplets of water.
I looked away so that she could not see the rage that was burning in my eyes. Don't worry sweet face, very soon you will not be in a position to utter anything, I said to myself.
"Can we get the interview done ASAP? I don't have all day?" I barked.
"Sure, sir please come with me," said the director, I met him at the entrance and he was the one to bring me inside the studio.
"Freya, get ready" said the director.
I see, she would take my interview, now it's gonna be fun. I smirked.
We took our seats and she scooted close to me "sir, thanks for not making a big deal out of it and I am extremely sorry. I had no idea you were standing right behind me," she whispered softly.
"Maybe you said it too soon" I whispered back with a wink.
Instantly the clouds of nervousness filled her beautiful face, but before she could say anything the director announced that he was ready for the live telecast.
Freya immediately got into her professional mode and started speaking her lines. At first, she welcomed the viewers; she introduced herself, and then started reading out the usual bouquets of appreciations that my ears were tired of listening.
I thanked her and then lied about me being happy for being invited to the new program of the best news channel. I noticed how she had perfectly hidden her nervousness. No one could ever say that her feet were shaking under the table. I found that quite impressive. I laughed at myself for getting impressed at a person whom I was about to destroy.
Then the question answer session began. I was told that the show was about to air for 45 minutes. I kept an eye on the watch as a plan kept reeling in my mind.
"Mr. Robert Hudson, first of all, congratulations. This is the third time you have won the business man of the year award. Considering that you are one of the youngest contenders out there, our viewers would like to know whom do you consider as your mentor? And to whom would you like to thank for this big achievement?" Freya read out the question from her tab. She had a ring in her voice.
"It's just me" I replied casually.
She appeared confused "umm...sorry I did not get your answer"
"I am my own mentor and I would only like to thank myself for my success. Miss Freya, I run hundreds of businesses in several sectors all by myself so you only tell is there anyone else to thank?" I winked.
She blinked her eyes at my blunt answer and shot her next question "many people say ‘Hudson industries is a tree that was planted by your father and you are just enjoying the fruit'. I would like to know your reaction to this statement"
I laughed for a while, then leaned close to her. And immediately her breathing became irregular.
"Miss Freya, suppose you went to the supermarket, bought eggs, flour, sugar etc. Then walked back to your home and baked a cake. And when you are eating the
cake someone mocks at you and tells you that this cake was a gift from someone. How would you react to that?"
She stumbled for a moment; "I would get angry and tell the person to oil his own machine instead of commenting on me" her reply was almost instant.
I smiled, her tone was adorable. "Exactly, I feel the same way when someone tells me that the business that I have set up with my blood and sweat is the fruit of someone else's tree"
This time, she smiled it was a genuine one and I could say that by seeing the spark in her eyes and for a moment we gazed into each other’s eyes without speaking anything.
She shook her head and looked away "moving ahead, many of your female admirers would like to know about your relationship status"
"I am single, I don't have the time and energy to be in a relationship" I snapped.
She looked at me in disbelief "time and energy? Mr. Hudson, I thought relationship only needed love and care"
I smiled, "that's what you think darling, and Robert Hudson does not follow anyone's thinking".
Her face went pale before she could read out the next question I spoke up, "I think I am done here, this interview is too boring" I shrugged, got up from my chair and started walking towards the door.
The whole room went into a state of panic "sir, please wait, you can't leave the interview in the midway" yelled the director.
I turned my head and smiling wickedly I said "I can do anything, watch me"
Freya and the crew members were running behind me as I made my way to the main door of the building. Then I felt someone tugging on my arm.
When I turned back, I was not surprised to find that it was none other than Freya, by then I had understood that only she could dare to attempt something like that. "Mr. Hudson, please don't leave. I know you are still mad at me, what I did to you was very wrong and I have already apologized for that, can't you forgive me?" her eyes were glassy as she requested me while holding my hand, her hand was cold and shaky. For a moment, I did not want her to remove it.
With my other hand, I reached for her face and gently brushed my fingers along the corner of her pinkish white cheek. Then I leaned down to reach my face to her level and whispered: "but sweetheart, I don't forgive".
Chapter 4
Freya
Warm tears rolled down from my cheeks, washing away the tingling sensation of his touch as I watched him moving away in his shiny black sports car. He was punishing me for a mistake that I had done unknowingly. It was a damn mistake for God's sake. And he went away, crushing my dreams, saying that he did not forgive. How could someone be so heartless? I told him so many times that it was a mistake, then also he was not ready to let go of his damn big ego.
Damn it! Why the hell was I crying like a bimbo? Maybe that's the way to react when someone's long longed dreams crushed down in front of them.
"There is no way I can take that. How could you be so careless Freya?" Kent shouted angrily I had never seen him this angry.
"I did not do it on purpose. It's not my fault that he is an ass" I tried to defend myself in a plain expressionless voice but my eyes never left the floor. I was not ready to see the I-want-to-kill-you face of my boss.
We were standing in the hall area of the office and almost all of my colleagues had gathered around us as if they were seeing a shooting.
"Kent, how can you put all the blame on her, we all know Robert Hudson is nothing less than a devil. I know Freya made a mistake, but a powerful man like him could easily forget it. But he chose to ruin her career, just for splashing some droplets of water on his handsome face" Kate spoke up in my defense, wrapping her hand around my shoulder. And I was really touched by her action.
Kent took a few deep breaths "you know what, it's not Freya's mistake. The mistake is all mine, I mistook her craziness as her hunger to achieve her goal. When she came to the annual meeting fully drenched, giving two hoots about the rain and her appearance, I thought that this girl could do anything. Thanks for proving me wrong Freya, but you know what I am not going to repeat my mistake by keeping you here. You are Fired!" he snapped.
"But Kent..." before I could complete my sentence he walked away.
I broke down on my knees "everything is finished" I uttered, and the wound of my heart bled through my eyes.
~
My head was leaned over Rick's shoulder and Kate was holding my hand, we were sitting in the living room of Kate's apartment.
"Freya, I will talk to him, he can't fire you like this" said Kate.
"He is never going to listen to you" I sniffed.
"Now what?" Rick asked.
The shadows of frown deepened on my face "I had never imagined that my dreams would end up this way, now I am a jobless person. I bet all the news channels are going to run that disaster 24x7 and I will never get another job" I cried out.
Kate shrugged, leaving my hand "oh don't be overdramatic no one is going to run that."
Rick joined her "come on there are lots of other news to focus" and he turned on the TV.
I was doomed; every freaking channel was running the clip of that unfinished interview and the word ‘FLOP SHOW' was flashing on the screen.
"Kate, you are right, they are not going to run it anymore, because they are already running it, RIGHT NOW!" I barked holding my head and got out of the house.
~
It was late at night and I found myself walking aimlessly on the streets of New York. Today was supposed to be the best day of my life, but it turned out to be the opposite. All thanks to Mr. Badass Billionaire. Wait a minute, how could he ruin my life and just get away with it. At first, I wanted to smash his head with a big chopper but no, I did not want to go to jail. But I could not let him live freely like that, at least I could bash him by speaking some rude words in his proud ears. Yes, I could do that and I had nothing to lose.
I reached out for my phone to find his address on Google.
12:15 A.M, I rubbed my eyes to make sure that I was seeing the correct time. The vodka that I had consumed earlier had gifted me a blurred vision.
"Hudson Mansion," I read out the name clearly while handing the taxi driver a bill of $30.
"Robert Hudson I will kill you" I murmured, but my throat went dry as I saw his 2 bodyguards and 4 German Shepherd Dogs who were guarding the huge shiny silver colored gate.
Morons, I wondered how they could work for such a rude person. They would eat me if I even tried to get inside. I immediately discarded my thoughts of gaining entry via the front door and started looking for a back door or something like that; to my disappointment, all the doors were filled with security guards. The security was very tight; maybe someone had threatened to kill him. Well, I did not blame them; a disgusting person like Robert Hudson had no right to live.
Thankfully the guards were unable to get a sight of me as I had hidden myself under some heavy bushes. Mr. Hudson's house was situated at the far end of the town, there were not many buildings out there except for his big 4 storied mansion.
A white car halted in front of me and an elderly person got out of it. I was on the other side of the driving seat so he did not notice me, thanks to the darkness. When he was busy in talking over the phone I got an idea. I crouched down to reach the car and then got into the back seat. Thank God! The door was not locked. After I made myself comfortable on the floor mat of the car, the driver drove inside the main gate.
Holding my breath I lay still, waiting desperately for the car to stop.
Robert
"It's midnight, you can now give it a rest" Emily Watson bent down over the desk, offering me a view of her generous cleavage.
I liked it when women dropped their hungry eyes on me; it gave me a certain sense of confidence.
Emily was the part owner of a company that I was planning to take over. She was an efficient working woman, but her looks, figure, and skimpy dressing style told that she could also try her luck in the modeling industry. She looked like a mannequin and her attitude seemed robotic.
There was no life in her, she was trying to allure me for her own benefits and thought that I would fall for her trap.
"Just need to check the final report, you go ahead, I will wrap it up in a bit," I said.
"Okay, text me if you are free this weekend, we could have some fun," she pouted her lips to create a seductive look.
I nodded in return. There was no way I was ready to waste my weekend with a dumb girl like her.
I was workaholic, but today the case was different. I was trying to dissolve myself into my work to forget her. Freya, yes, that's what her name was, I had played my game with her, but still I was not able to get her out of my thoughts. Those pink lips, brown eyes and the glow of innocence of that face were constantly poking me and something inside me told me that I had made a blunder.
