With an opportunity of a lifetime to make her entrepreneurial dreams come true, Thea finds it getting increasingly harder to hide her attraction to her boss, Aiden Steele - not knowing that the man under all the cold layers has a secret worth millio...
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Confession: I had never attended a funeral before. My total knowledge of funerals came from sappy movies and TV shows, which is why when Aiden picked out my clothes for the funeral, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in them. Despite me reminding him that he needed to spend this time grieving with his closest people, he insisted that I come along with him till I couldn't say no anymore without raising my voice. Of course, manners indicated that I wouldn't raise my voice at someone grieving a very personal loss, and especially in such an immediate moment. I took all of ten minutes to slip into a plain blouse I found in the very back of my closet and jeans, carrying my shoes in my hands so I wouldn't waste any time. I tied my laces sitting in Aiden's car as we drove across the emptying city, even bumping a red light in the process. I thought of telling him to slow down, then figured it wouldn't help his already soured mood.
"Open the panel there and take out the shades," Aiden instructed as I assumed we neared his house. I obliged, holding them out for him.
"No, you wear them. You don't need those fuckers blinding you for this."
"You're the one driving." I pointed out, still holding them for him.
"For fucks sake Thea I don't want to argue and fight about everything. Just do as I say." I sunk in my seat, putting on the shades as he requested. It was nighttime, and wearing shades was ridiculous as it is, I didn't want to hear his scolding for something so small like this right now. Holy fuck I did need them. It wasn't hard to guess which house on the street belonged to the Steeles. The road leading up to it was filled with cars and news station wagons. Reporters were flooding the street, trying to get any insight that would push their channel ahead of the competition. God, this was brutal. Aiden's honk drew attention as he drove in the middle of the street, and like flies to sweets, the reporters, camerapersons and video recorders all flocked to his car, not allowing him to move.
I could hear the reporters outside screaming all sorts of questions, ranging from his business to his father to the woman on his side, and I wished I could punch that asshole and knock him out. A man's father had died and you cared about the woman on his side? Fuck you. Someone asked about the future of Steele Enterprises as if Aiden had not been holding it all together for the past four years on his own. Aiden honked again, revving his engine and attempting to clear his path again. In a controlled manoeuvre, he let the car inch forward ever so slightly, scaring some of the people off his car, giving him enough space to reach the front gates.
The guards opened the gates just enough for his car to pass through before shutting them again, against the current of the people standing outside.
"Pigs," I grumbled under my breath.
"Part of the job." Aiden shrugged, even though I could see this had shaken him up just as much. No one deserved to share their grief publicly. He was greeted inside by Mrs Steele, tall and regal and very obviously distraught. Her face showed very little signs of ageing, but the crying must have added nearly ten years to it. She hugged Aiden and they shared a brief moment before Aiden looked back at me, standing awkwardly at the doorway.
