Page 45 of Darkest Deception

“He—Talia, he is literally my tormentor. I fight with that man on a daily basis and hate his guts.”

Talia looks back at Helia, who is laughing, the smile lines in the corner of his eyes and the extra line at his cheek making a show.

His black suit is tailored to his body, his muscles faintly visible under his suit. The crisp trousers, clean black dress shoes, and the double-breasted suit jacket he has on makes me falter in my insults. Women keep stealing glances at him. Of course they would. He’s never shown up to these kinds of parties before. I see some women even blush, but he doesn’t look away from the people in front of him. I blink once more, not knowing if I am just imagining him.

“What do you mean, tormentor? What kind of things have you been doing to be put in that position?” Talia bites her lip to stop from laughing.

“Shut up. This is not funny.” I turn around quickly and glare at Talia.

“Do I sense a little romance blooming here?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“No. Stop. This is serious, Talia. Believe me.”

She doesn’t know he quite literally cuts off my oxygen and threatens me to my face.

His emerald eyes turn so bleak, so black, that it scares me.

He looks like a monster.

“Why else would you describe another man in such great detail?”

I frown at her. I didn’t even say anything.

“What…?”

“Ohh, his suit is so black. His trousers hug his legs. Look at his watch, his eyes, his tousled, boyish hair.” She flicks her hair, posing and shimmying her body to exaggerate each description.

My eyes widen and dart around us. A few people look over in confusion.

“Hahaha!” I force out, then reach out and grab her in a tight hug, stopping her.

But she is laughing. Loud. Her whole body shakes with mine while I try to keep her trapped in my arms.

“Stop this madness, or I swear I will announce that you are drunk and to stay clear of you. Let’s see how fast that makes it to the tabloids,” I growl.

Talia laughs harder against me. “I would like to see you try it at your own sister’s event.”

“Fuck.” I sigh, knowing she’s caught me in the lie. My lips pull up in a grudging smile as she continues to laugh.

She starts to sway as if we are dancing together, her arms going around me.

“So tell me more,” she murmurs in my ear.

“There is nothing more. He is my boss, the temporary CEO of Glamorous. That’s it.”

She hums. “And what is it that you hate about him?” She lets me go and leans back, brows raised, waiting.

“Of course you would want to know.” I roll my eyes and turn to grab another drink, but she stops me.

“No, please, tell me. I can’t live in suspense like this. Or else I will walk up to him and ask him myself. You know I will.”

I watch her for a minute, and when I don’t answer, she pulls from me and starts to walk away.

“Fuck, fine. You are really annoying. Do you know that?”

She shrugs, tapping her toe on the marble floor.

“He… He demands too many things from me. He has made me—the finance manager—his personal assistant. He plastered a fake Out-of-Order notice on the elevator to force me to go up and down the steps! He makes me buy him coffee from all the way down the road instead of the coffee shop or the machines in the building. His lunch, too. He finds every single miniscule mistake in my work.

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