Love at First Site

MID-DAY FANTASY

Alexander's POV

You mean to tell me that this is the best you can give me? This is the best an entire team of 9 designers can produce?! Are you even serious with your jobs?!”

I knew how hard I had worked to get to my current status. Days, nights, sacrificed on the altar of success. I had passion and zeal and sacrificed my sleep countless nights so I could hone my skills, yet these guys were satisfied with mediocre work.

“I'm not going to take s**t from nobody! This is Aurion Developments. We are a f*****g billion-dollar development firm. We do not present s**t as proposals. We present the very best! Give me excellence or f*****g. Go. Home!”

I stormed out of the conference room with my assistant waddling frantically behind me. I knew I had gone a little too far with my feedback but I couldn't continue babying them.

“If I'm going to get the best out of them, I'll need to keep applying pressure on them.”

I made a sharp turn and halted in front of the lobby into my office. My clumsy secretary, unaware of her physical surroundings as always, bumped into me and started apologizing furiously.

She had the sexiest siren eyes I had ever seen but always looked like an adorable little rabbit in her nerdy glasses.

Not like I mind a little mix.

I fought back the chuckle that threatened to rise in my throat and settled for a half grin. After ensuring all was professional and strict in the world again, I turned to face her, hands in my pocket.

“If you're done waddling about like an underweight penguin, I'd like to know what my afternoon looks like. Thank you.”

I watched her adjust her glasses, collect herself, and clear her throat before responding.

“You have a meeting with the Mayor by noon for further discussions about the City Hall revamping that you've been stalling, sir…”

“Stalling?” I asked with my brows raised to the roof. She cowered immediately and apologized repeatedly like a broken record.

“Moving along?...”

“Yes, sir. Moving on, you have another meeting with the Head of Planning Committee for the Direction de l'Habitat by 3 pm and another with Monsieur Étienne de Villefranche at the Art Montecarlo exhibition by 5 pm today, sir. That's all for today.”

Well, damn.

“Alright. Thank you very much, Betty. You're excused.”

Another awkward waddle from side to side.

What now?

I gave her a look that could pierce through glass and she straightened up immediately.

“Y-You're in the way sir. I can't get access to my office because you're blocking the entrance, s-sir.”

Oh, yeah. You are, Alex. Way to go, Wally.

“So, you'd like me to excuse you instead? Would Her Royal Highness like me to hold the door for her as well so she can access her office?”

I watched her turn pink in embarrassment and kept a devilish smile to myself. Hands in pants, I stalked my way to my office to prepare my mind for all the activities I had lined up for the remainder of the day.

I need a break.

“Might hit the pool tonight. Need to unpack a lot off my mind.”

Head in hand, I closed my eyes so I could quickly get in a power nap. It was a recent habit that I'd started and gotten wonderful results from.

I never slept longer than fifteen minutes but I always woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever bullshit the world wanted to throw at me.

A beautiful sea of daffodils. Long, cascading, brunette hair. Hazel eyes. Doe eyes. Ivory skin. Long, swan-like neck. Small back. Wide hips. Huge smile. Warm smile. Arms stretched out. I reach out. It's all gone.

Right when the sleep was about to hit the spot, my secretary buzzed me through the intercom.

“E-excuse me, sir. Mr. Ricardo is here to see you.”

Did I just daydream about a stranger I only met once? Also, how did she not recognize who I was when we met? I am Alexander Pierce Kensington!

“Did he make an appointment?”

“Well, no… excuse me, sir. You can't do that!”

I watched the rat weasel in with his stupid mustache and ridiculous hat.

The nerve of this bastard. Wish I could get my hands on you!

Ricardo was the reason my parents almost lost their third-generation family legacy business. They had trusted him blindly and he had played them like a fool.

Aurion Developments was originally Aurion Housing—a million-dollar real estate firm, but after getting deceived by Ricardo, they lost everything they had to a shady investment he had proposed to them, and Aurion Housing almost got foreclosed by the bank.

I remember coming back home after completing my MArch degree at MIT and meeting my parents at death's door.

The entire experience had broken them. I asked my dad to hand over the family business to me and ever since that day, I hadn't had a good night's sleep. Working with every drop of blood in my body to ensure that I made the business become what it now is.

So why the f**k is this bastard smiling stupidly at me right now?!

“Ricardo… to what do I owe this unwelcome visit?”

“Ah… my boy…”

I'm not your f*****g boy, you f*****g piece of s**t!

“... I was in the neighborhood and then I remembered I had a billionaire son who's doing so well and I told myself to visit him. You know? Check in on him… see if he might be interested in any high-return investment?...”

He had on a mischievous smile, more like The Grinch's and I just knew he was plotting.

Hell, I never even liked that show. With its stupid ass grin.

“No, Ricardo. Thank you for the offer, but I'm good. Once bitten, twice shy. My parents fell for your stupid antics and smart mouth, but I promise you. There's no room for deception here.

So, I'm going to ask you to take your leave now. While I'm still being nice. Or else, I'm going to call security on you and blacklist your sorry ass from ever gaining access to my building. You got that?!”

Like the rat that he was, he weaseled his way out the same way he weaseled his way in.

“I'll be back, Lexi boy…. Don't miss me too much.”

Fucking cunt!

“I promise I'm going to pay you back for almost ruining my family, you bastard!”

Just as I was about to go into full rage mode, my alarm blared wildly like a newborn releasing its first cry.

“Oh, s**t! I'm running late for my meeting with the Mayor!”

I buzzed the intercom and waited for Daniela to respond. She must have thought that I wanted to reprimand her for allowing Ricardo to gain entrance to my office because I heard a literal squeak after I called out her name.

“Have you picked up my three-piece suit for the Art Montecarlo exhibition this evening?”

“Yes, sir. I'll have it delivered to your apartment by 4 pm for you to get changed in time for the event.”

“Thank you very much, Daniela.”

A soft gasp.

I guess she didn't see that coming.

“That will be all. You can take the rest of the day off after sorting out the delivery. I'm heading out now.”

Hopefully, my meeting at the Direction de l'Habitat runs smoothly and ends quickly.

“Here we go again, Alex.”