Standing in front of the massive building, my heart skipped a beat. Excitement rushed through me as I finally got an opportunity to show my brothers what I was capable of. I was going to work as Akim Dubow’s PA.
“Good day,” I said softly to the guard at the entrance. Holding up the memo note with Akim’s name and the building address on it, I continued. “Am I at the right place?”
“Yes, miss,” he replied, opening the door. “Elevator to the right. Top floor.”
“Thank you,” I added, walking past him.
Being the youngest Chernykh, my brothers have always treated me like a baby. Especially Iosif! They didn’t want me involved in the family business. But since my eighteenth birthday last year, I have insisted. It is all I have ever wanted. I wanted to be one of them, part of the family.
They tried every trick in the book over the last year to get me to back off. They forbade me, tried to scare the living bejesus out of me, and even took all my privileges away. But nothing has changed my mind yet, and nothing ever will.
My sisters might have been fine with taking a seat on the back burner, but not me. I was a wild soul and burned with a desire to live my life fully. Their recent tactics were to try and fool me. They wanted me to believe they were on board with my choice. But I could see through their eager visage.
They were only keeping me busy with meager tasks. The insignificant tasks they have been throwing my way, like tossing a dog a bone, had left me feeling humiliated. But no more, I was going to show them all!
I heard Iosif and Avgust discuss the new alliance. Sticking out my feelers eventually paid off as I learned about the job opening. Getting in took some work. I had to keep my head low as I duped the managers, the guards, and the staff who knew me. Luckily, there weren’t many.
But I had persuaded one of the managers and he spread the word. They were now all under the assumption that my brothers wanted me in this position. I had convinced them it was a plot to learn what the Morozov and Dubow families were up to. I was there to spy on them and report back to my brothers. Thus, they couldn’t tell anyone who I was, as it would ruin the plans.
Smiling at my reflection in the elevator window, I felt pleased. My white corporate suit fit like a glove, hugging my figure. The skirt had a slight flare at the bottom, ending just above my knees. The mother-of-pearl stilettos glittered, making my calves pop. My large breasts showed just enough cleavage between the folds of the jacket to attract attention.
I had to admit I was surprised that there were no hitches in my plan. Yet, if my brothers hadn’t been so distracted by the alliance, I might not have gotten away with it. For that, I was thankful.
This was my time to shine, to prove I wasn’t useless. Stepping out on the fourth floor, I greeted the receptionist. “I’m the new PA for Akim,” I said, smiling.
She barely looked up from her computer as she replied. “One more floor up, hun.”
Getting back in the elevator, I was joined by a young man in a suit. “Morning,” he huffed, pressing the button for the first floor. His eyes moved to my breasts and lingered for a second.
“Morning,” I replied, moving to the corner. I kept my head down as I didn’t know if any of the other staff might know who I was. If they haven’t been informed of my cover, it could cause issues. Stepping out on the top floor, I decided I would find the manager during lunch to confirm my cover.
The receptionist on this floor was much more attentive than the other one. She was a skinny blonde with a smile too large for her face. “Good morning,” she greeted me as I got closer.
“Morning, I’m the PA for Akim,” I replied. Suddenly, I felt nervous. I quickly scanned the office layout. To the right was a short row with seemingly two offices or rooms. To my left was a longer hallway. It had two doors on one side and one on the other.
“Right this way, miss…,” she said, coming out from behind her desk. She looked back at me as she started moving towards the left side.
“You can call me Zhen, Zhen Spear,” I replied hastily.
I had to use another name and last name as I couldn’t afford anyone to know who I really was. It would defeat the purpose of my plan. If I had my way, Akim would soon be working for me. I didn’t intend to stay where I was. I was going to climb the ladder to the top. And I had to do it quickly before my brothers caught wind of my doings.
We stopped just before the double glass doors. There were two seats in the hallway. She spoke as she turned to them. “You can wait here. Mr. Dubow will be with you shortly.”
“Thank you,” I replied, sitting down. I watched as she walked back to her desk. She was reasonably tall for a woman, and way too skinny, in my opinion. But at least she was friendly, and that played in her favor. I felt sure I would enjoy working alongside her.
Looking toward the window at the end of the hallway, I allowed my mind to drift. I felt sure that Akim would be a pliant man. After all, he was the youngest Dubow and definitely a pampered brat. I felt sure he would have some fight in him, being a Dubow.
But I looked forward to breaking his spirit and taking control. It was one thing I was good at. I mostly got my way with people, except my brothers. Somehow, they were immune to my smart and sassy powers.
The elevator doors opened. Looking towards the reception, I saw a man entering and talking to the receptionist. He was elderly, and I felt sure it couldn’t be him. He walked to the side of her desk and stood waiting.
Then the doors opened again. This time, a tall, muscular man with short army-cut hair stepped out. Beside him was another man. He was slightly shorter, had no build to even talk of, and flaunted a mop of dark brown hair.
Rising to my feet, I felt sure that this second guy had to be him. The first guy was probably his bodyguard, being a Dubow and all. They stopped at the reception. The younger man spoke to her. She stood quickly, handing him a stack of papers. He said something to the waiting man, who had come out just seconds before them. The man ran back into the elevator and left.
The two men turned, heading towards me. The shorter man was explaining something to the bigger one. Just before they reached me, both stopped and looked at me for a second. Then the bigger man turned to the smaller one. “Enough,” he breathed out like a dragon ready for battle. “Get it done, or don’t come back!”
I watched in awe as the smaller man turned, tail tucked, and disappeared. My assumption of Akim Dubow blew out the window as he stared at me. His amber eyes drilled through my being. I shifted as he came closer. There was some kind of spark in him.
Holding out my hand in greeting, I spoke as soon as he was on top of me. “Good morning, Mr. Dubow. I’m Zhen, your PA.”
Without a nod, a blink, or any other reaction, he just blew past me, entering the office. The door was about to close behind him when I grabbed hold of it. How dare he treat me this way? Who did he think he was? I wanted to tell him what I thought, but knew I couldn’t. However, I realized I couldn’t have been more wrong about him.
He was arrogant, bossy, and seemingly domineering. I had my work cut out for me with him. I enjoyed a challenge, and soon, he would learn that I was just as strong-willed as he was. I could look past being ignored for the moment.
Stepping in, I let the door close behind me. The office was split into two sections. The part I had just stepped into looked similar to the reception area. This was my space, I thought as I looked around. The bigger section at the back was closed off with a glass partitioning. It held a large desk, some cabinets, shelves, and a couple of couches.
I watched him as he walked through the door leading to that part of the office. He moved in behind the desk, grabbing some papers from a tray. He was a handsome man with a well-defined physique. I felt attracted to him. Not only to his looks, but also his demeanor.
Shaking my head, I swallowed hard. I couldn’t see him in this light. I aimed to take over. I wouldn’t become the submissive one. He would, I promised myself as I walked to the desk. I looked at the computer, files, desk pad, organizer, and other little things organized on the surface.
It was neat, and all the surfaces were clean, which was a good sign. In the corner was a small fridge. On the table beside it stood a coffee machine, canisters, and some cups. I could feel his eyes on my back.
Placing down my bag, I took out the business plans and ideas I had put together over the weekend. Turning with the documents in my hand, our eyes met. Those yellowish-brown eyes made my skin tingle. It felt like I was melting under his gaze.
Shaking it off, I fought to get a grip. I was on a mission and wouldn’t let him distract me. Straightening my shoulders, I went in ready for war.
