Chapter 1

• Isabella's POV
• Biting my lower lips softly and watching the image of my boss on my laptop and other details about him, I twirl my chair around my little office with a sigh of frustration.
• As much as I want to give Juliet's advice a try, I am damn scared.
• Scared of my boss.
• Scared of what he would think of me.
• Scared that he would insult me again today like he did yesterday when he scolded me for being clumsy.
• But I need to give it a try. I need his help. I want my grandmother to live, I want her to witness my white wedding and see me have kids who will keep her company while I am at work.
• If I don't talk to my boss about the supposed help that I need, how can I make sure that grandma survives? Where will I get the money the doctor requested of us? Will grandma still be alive when I am eventually married four or five years from now?
• I close my eyes, twirling my black straight hair and murmuring to myself in remembrance of the hot guy I met at the club Juliet and I went to last week. I thought I had eventually succeeded in landing myself a rich hot boyfriend until he asked me to give him a blowjob in the club.
• Gosh! I was so embarrassed.
• I thought that was all and I was excited about having my first sex but when he told me about how he enjoys sex, I knew I had to escape.
• He is a fucking sex maniac and he derives pleasure from beating a woman.
• The ringing sound of the intercom jerks me out of my reverie. I twirl the swivel chair back and grab the intercom with a tone of professionalism.
• With Jayden Alex Russell as my boss, I have learned to push back all my problems out of my mind whenever work is at hand.
• He hates unprofessionalism.
• He hates clumsy employees and sometimes, I used to wonder why I haven't been sacked yet.
• "Ms. Romano", his deep husky voice booms into the intercom, making me self-conscious of what I have been thinking.
• "Yes, sir", I sit upright and listen with rapt attention. I won't want to miss anything.
• "Come to my office now", he instructs sharply.
• Before I can reply, he drops the phone and I do the same, taking in sharp breaths to calm my nerves and make me summon up the courage to bring up my problems when I am eventually inside his office.
• I just hope he is in a good mood. I will put Juliet's advice to good use today and that will determine the next line of action. If he doesn't help me, then I will have no choice but to go look for Frederick Alberto, the man who derives pleasure from hurting a woman.
• I exit my office, striding at a fast pace towards my boss's office. I had gone to serve his coffee an hour ago and he didn't even spare me a glance.
• I wonder why he is requesting my presence now. He always tells me all that I need to do on the phone unless it is important.
• I knock softly on the door, waiting with my heart thumping hard.
• He echoes a "Yes" and I go in.
• I see him writing on a plain sheet of paper and his laptop is open in front of him. He looks busy. I know him to be someone who doesn't like to be disturbed when busy.
• What does he want?
• "I'm here, sir", I tell him, making him raise his head to look at me.
• "Sit!" He commands and I flop to the chair opposite his large desk filled with numerous paperwork.
• "Adrian Peterson has sent an email and you didn't inform me about it", he stares at me deeply with a harsh glare.
• I swallow a lump, scolding myself mentally for wasting my time looking at his information on the internet instead of starting work. I have missed the emails.
• "I checked the mails before leaving work on Saturday, I guess it just came in this morning", I reply with my hands shaking on my laps. They are sweaty as a result of my nervousness.
• He doesn't look convinced. "Haven't you been in your office?"
• "I have."
• "What have you been doing, then?" He asks calmly.
• I am surprised he isn't shouting at me today like the rest of the days.
• Is this a good sign? Should I go on with letting him know about my problems?
• "Take this", he pushes a file towards me and I take it. "Check the mail, before you work on this file. I want you to arrange them alphabetically, then reply to his mail before returning this file. I will need them before noon."
• "Ok, sir," I say obediently, taking the file from him.
• "Good", he nods. "You can go."
• I nod my head and stand up, biting my lips and debating within me on whether to tell him about my problem or leave it till later when I am done with my first task for the day.
• "What? Why are you still here?" He has the pen in his hands already while he gazes up at me.
• I shake my head, losing my confidence. "I'm sorry."
• "Wait", he orders with implacable authority, making me halt in my step and close my eyes. I am trying to build my confidence and courage.
• I need to do this. Grandma needs this.
• I turn back and bow my head. "There is something I need to tell you, sir."
• Silence falls.
• He isn't saying anything and it makes me look up. Why is he silent? He is just watching me with his two hands below his jaw.
• I decided to continue. "Hmmm…I need a favor sir", I stammer, fidgeting with my fingers. My grandma needs to be operated on because of her legs. The doctor wants me to deposit some money…."
• "What do you want?" He cut me short in impatience.
• I exhale deeply and mutter a prayer under my breath before saying. "We need $20,000 for the surgery. I want to request a loan from the company and I will pay it back with my salary."
• He looks surprised and I wonder if he will help. "You want us to pay you a year's salary in advance?"
• Reality crashes on me. I didn't even calculate it. My grandma's salary will cost me a year's salary?
• Wow!
• I nod meekly.
• He leans back on the chair, looking thoughtful for a while and watching me intensely.
• His gaze pierces deep into me and I look away, scared that interlocking eyes with him will make him not to help me.
• My heartbeat increased in anticipation.
• The silence is killing me.
• Is he going to help or not? He should just say something, is it a yes or a no?
• Whatever it is that he will say, I am going to take it the good way, it is not the end of the world. I am just going to resort to the last option.
• Becoming Frederick's slut.
• "I will help you", he announce, making my heart skip a beat and my mouth drop open in surprise.
• Relief washes through me suddenly and I almost kneel in sincere appreciation.
• God bless you! I pray within myself.
• "Thank you, sir", I cry out in excitement as my face breaks into a smile. "Thank you so much, sir. God bless…."
• "But there is a condition attached", he interrupts me with a face devoid of emotions.
• A condition? What condition? I ask within me as a frown touches my lips.
• My heart begins to race again. Pounding wildly in my chest as if it will soon burst out.
• "I want you to become my wife", he blurts out, without a change in his countenance.
• It takes a while before his statement sinks deeply into my system in understanding.
• When it is fully absorbed, I exclaim loudly in disbelief and with mouth agape. "What?!"
• "Yes", he nods intermittently. "But it is going to be for just a year."
• "What?!"