CEO INTRODUCE
1187 Words
Dressed and dry, I chose simple black attire from the women's closet—a size that fit, as if prepared by Damian himself—and dried my hair. Questions swirled inside: Where was Damian? What were those eyes last night? And the big meeting at the company awaited.
The scent of coffee, bacon, and eggs greeted me as I stepped into the kitchen. Damian sat at the dining table in a perfect suit, reading the newspaper like a flawless businessman. "Good morning, wife," he said with a smile as if the previous night had never happened.
I froze, eyes searching his for any sign of the monstrous change. His gaze was normal, brown, calm. Had I imagined it all? "Breakfast is ready. Your first meeting at the company is today," he added. I nodded cautiously and sat down but then spotted a figure beside him.
A young man with dark hair, piercing blue eyes, the devilish smile—that face struck me cold. The Devil. My boyfriend.
"Devil?" I whispered, trembling.
He looked surprised too, shock spreading across his face. "Nova? What are you doing here?"
Damian lowered his newspaper and smiled a cold, unreadable smile. "Oh, you two know each other? Perfect. Nova, meet my son, Devil Blackwood."
His words hit like a bomb. Son? Devil was Damian's son? My knees buckled, the room spinning. I gripped the table to steady myself.
"What... what are you saying?" I stammered, voice breaking.
Damian spoke nonchalantly, "Yes, Devil is my son. He's in college at NYU—just like you. And now, he's your stepson."
Devil's shocked face spilled his coffee as he coughed, anger and confusion flashing. "Dad? What? This... Nova? Your wife?"
His voice cracked with disbelief. He stood abruptly, chair scraping the floor. "What's going on? Nova, you're married to him? To Damian?"
I couldn't respond, words caught in my throat. A storm raged inside—Devil was my boyfriend, my confidant, my secret lover, and now... my stepchild?
Damian chuckled darkly, enjoying the chaos. "Sit down, son. Nova is family now. From today, she's your mother."
Devil recoiled in pain. "Mother? No... no way!" he shouted and fled the room.
I collapsed, clutching my head. Damian's hand rested on my shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll adjust. But you... need to learn, Nova. These are family secrets," he warned, a shadow of mystery in his voice.
My mind reeled—what did Devil know? What about Lilian? Why me? What would happen to our forbidden love?
Damian poured coffee. "Eat, wife. Today I will introduce you at the company. But remember—family comes first."
I stared at my plate, appetite gone. Outside, I could hear Devil's voice, angry and crashing things—was this all a plan or mere coincidence? The mystery deepened, and I was trapped in its heart.
Damian's words filled the room again, casual but heavy, "Devil is emotional, not like me. I protected him, but now it's time he faces reality."
I asked trembling, "What reality? Your son is at NYU, and you... why me?"
He smiled, sharp and predatory. "Because you are special, Nova. Your energy, your blood—they called to me."
Blood? I touched my neck where the mark still burned faintly. "What are you, Damian?" I whispered, afraid.
Drawing close, his hands framed my face. "Patience, little one. All in time. But first, eat."
I forced down bites, fear threading through every swallow.
Devil returned, glare sharp as daggers. "Dad, what joke is this? Nova is my friend. Why did you do this?"
Damian's stare pierced, "Friend? I know, son. But now she's mine. Adjust."
Devil's eyes flicked to me, pain and disbelief raw. "Nova, tell me... is this true?"
I nodded, voice soft, "It was forced, Devil. But now... I don't know."
He slammed the door, leaving silence.
Damian lit a cigarette. "He'll come around. But you... start training. At the company and... at home."
His words held double meaning. Outside, New York's relentless pulse carried on, but I was caged. Would Devil be my ally or my captor? The suspense suffocated me every second.
Damian's voice echoed sharply, "Get ready, Nova. Time to show the world." But before facing the world, I had to save myself. I stood frozen in my room, his order ringing in my ears like a command impossible to refuse. My mind spun with images—Devil's face full of pain, that slammed door moment. My heart screamed to find him, but my body was weak, still marked by last night's exhaustion and Damian's traces. I caught my reflection in the mirror—the black dress clung to me like a mask hiding who I really was. I took a deep breath, fixed my hair, and stepped out.
Damian was in the dining room, calm and composed in a suit, holding a cup of coffee like nothing had happened during the night. "Come, Nova. The car is ready," he said, eyes normal, brown and deep, but that yellow glow from last night haunted my thoughts. I nodded and followed.
Outside, the limo waited—black, shiny, with a driver opening the door. I slid inside beside Damian, the expensive cologne filling the air, but it felt suffocating. The car moved through Manhattan, trapped in traffic. "Today, you'll be introduced as the new CEO of Blackwood Enterprises," Damian said, checking his phone. "The first board meeting is ready. I'll guide you, but you have to be strong." I said nothing, staring out at the flashing billboards, people, and endless roads. Questions churned—Where was Devil? Was he alright? What secret did Damian hide? Still, I stayed silent.
We stopped in front of the Blackwood Tower—a fifty-story glass giant shimmering under the sun. I took a deep breath and stepped out. Photographers shouted for "Miss Blackwood, one pose!" Miss Blackwood? I was still Nova, but now that title hung around my neck like a chain.
Inside the lobby, employees stood clapping. I forced a smile, though inside I was breaking. In the elevator, Damian gripped my hand firmly, possessively. "Relax. You're mine, and this company is yours."
On the 48th floor, the boardroom awaited: a long table surrounded by ten suited faces turned toward me. Damian introduced me, "This is Nova Blackwood, our new CEO. She is my wife, and now leader of this company." Applause followed, but my eyes scanned those faces—did anyone understand what I had been through? The meeting began—projects, finances—but my mind wandered. Damian answered every question, telling me to just nod. "You'll learn," he whispered.
When the meeting ended, I went to my office—a glass-walled room overlooking the city, yet I felt imprisoned.
In the afternoon, a secretary arrived—blonde and sharp, named Emma. "Miss Blackwood, here's your schedule." I took the files but thought elsewhere. "Emma, do you know Devil Blackwood?" I asked, controlling my voice.
"Yes, Mr. Blackwood's son. He visits the office sometimes, maybe not today," she replied thoughtfully.
My heart sank. "Where might he be?"
She shrugged, "Maybe his apartment or campus."
- Writer
