Chapter 1
“What the hell is this? I nearly lost one of the important deals of my life. Can’t you do one single god damn work without making any mistake?” roared the man in Armani business suit, scaring the shit out of his secretary.
“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know how I forgot to file the papers. But see, we still have the chance. R&S Group is ready for a re-meeting.” Said the good for nothing secretary to calm her boss down.
Chris Jones, business tycoon in fashion industry, was looking at his air-head secretary as if she was a fucking alien who didn’t have a bloody clue how things worked on the planet Earth.
Shaking his head, he sat on his power packed CEO’s chair like a king before uttering the most powerful words that a boss would definitely love to say in his position.
“You’re fired. Get out of my office. And don’t ever dare to show me your face again.” He erupted like a volcano.
“You can’t do that. I like this job because I get to see so many handsome men in suit everyday. Without this job my life will be boring,” she whined like a child who was just denied his favorite chocolate.
Chris was one step away from lashing out at this dumb girl, but he controlled himself as he knew that he was getting angry at silly things. However, the mistake this girl did was not silly. It could have costed him millions.
As Chris was going to call the security, the door of his cabin opened and in-walked his best friend Nicholas Anderson without knocking, which really irritated Chris when people didn’t ask for permission and didn’t respect someone’s privacy. Well, Nicholas never respected his wishes because he believed that irritating him was his birth right for being his only best friend.
“Hi Ava. Looking beautiful. So, how is the new job going?” asked Nicholas.
“Hi Nick,” secretary Ava giggled. “I liked in here. But your mean friend fired me for not filing some boring pages in his file.” She said in sarcastic tone.
“What? Why? Ok I get it, WHY?” He added when Chris raised a brow at him. “But, man we all make mistakes. And Ava, she is only human. She can also make mistakes. Why are you firing her? Give her a second chance.”
“If only you knew that how many chances I have already given to Ms. Montana for her incompetence, we wouldn’t have been having this conversation,” Chris replied in his usual arrogant tone.
“Ms. Montana, what are you still doing here? Leave,” Chris ordered his former secretary.
Ava walked out of the cabin crying loudly, obviously making a scene to get sympathy from the other employees but no one paid any attention to her as this was like a normal routine these days – Chris firing his secretaries and even some of other employees of various departments.
“You idiot, what would I answer to Zoey? Ava is her best friend. You firing her would create chaos in my life.”
“Well, tell you sister, her taste in friends is really yuck. And by the way, Ava was nothing but walking disaster. She has no skills. I was just putting with her silliness because of you. Otherwise, I would have fired her on her first day when she didn’t bring me my coffee.”
“Chris, this needs to stop. How long will you be like this. Ava was 18th secretary in the last three months that you have fired.”
“What is my fault in this if no one is capable to do simple tasks and bear with my current mood,” reasoned Chris.
“And she is not going to appear on your doorsteps, confessing her undying love for you. Be a man, and go, find your Cinderella just like the Prince did in the bloody cheesy fairytale,” Nicholas replied.
“You know what, entire population of sweet little girls would sue you if they hear you insulting their Princess like this. And that would leave you bankrupt. That would be sight worth watching as the payback for every time you poked your nose in my business. Can’t you respect my privacy.” Chris said frustrated.
Nicholas only grinned in response, not paying any attention to his friend’s words as they meant nothing in literal sense.
“And by the way, this is real life. I know nothing with capital N about her. What if she already have a boyfriend, or worse husband. And also tell me where would I find her in this goddamn world. I have already done private investigator shit. It lead me nowhere. No clue about her. Like she never existed.”
Chris voiced his thoughts thinking about the his mystery girl whom he met three months ago, had fight at first sight, only realizing that he had fallen in love with that girl two day later their encounter. And now he was not able to find her. And that was enough explanation to mood swings.
“What is reason the behind this unexpected visit? What do you want?” asked Chris.
“What, can’t I check upon my best friend when he is having hard time dealing with girl problem?”
“Of course, you can. After all you’re getting free entertainment in your life; because my life has become fucking daily soap,” Chris retorted sarcastically.
“I was wondering, where is Ashlyn? I didn’t see her in office today. She is alright? She hardly takes a day off?” Nicholas asked nervously.
Chris looked up from the file, he was reading the moment, at his friend and leaned back in his chair like he was relaxed which he was certainly not.
“Wow! So much for the best friend. You bloody idiot. You’re not here for me but for Ash. And no, she didn’t come today. And not even going to tell you, why. Now you got your answer, right? So, get out.”
“No, I was just wondering. Nothing else. Why are you thinking like this – like—I’m here only to know about Ashlyn when I can definitely call her and ask about her whereabouts.”
Chis nodded and hummed in response sarcastically.
“Why do you trouble my sister? She doesn’t like you. So, stay away from my sister. Or I will kill you for hurting my baby. Are we clear.”
“Yes, very clear.”
Nicholas was nervous, scratch that, he was terrified asking about Ashlyn. He knew how protective Chris was over his sisters: Crystal and Ashlyn. Although, he was love sick puppy or bloody Romeo who was trying hard to find his lost love still he was the same dangerous guy when it was about his sisters.
“Ah, oh my god, I just forgot, I have a meeting in an hour. I’ll check on you again buddy. I need to leave now. Ok, bye. Good luck for Mission Finding Cinderella.”
Saying this Nicholas stormed off the office like there was a fire spitting dragon chasing him.
Chris smirked at his friend. But his sexy as hell smirk fell instantly when an image of certain anger filled brown eyes flashed in his mind, making him grumpy.
He threw file on the table carelessly. Though it was the file containing the same papers for which got Ava fired today.
“Bloody hell. I’ll definitely go mad like this. Chris, you better get hold on yourself, because there is no way in hell, you would ever going to find her. You need your hundred percent functional brain.” Chris gave himself a pep-talk.
When he felt he was under control, he exhaled loudly.
He opened his desk drawer and took out something; it was silver anklet which he found on the ground when his Cinderella walked way after hurting his pride with her clever and sharp words, only making him fall in love with her.
This anklet was the only sign that he didn’t imagine her. She was real. She existed, but where, he had no idea. And this planet was literally very very very big place to find someone without knowing their names, even for the billionaires having all the resources at their disposal.
Chris didn’t pick the anklet to keep it safe, but to throw away in the trash because his ego was hurt when she walked away having the last words in the conversation. Guess, it didn’t go as planned. Well, his small little – throw anklet away in trash and satisfy your man ego – plan backfired completely by throwing his peace of mind in the trash.
Shutting down his laptop, he gathered his stuff and left the office since he was not able to concentrate at work. He put the anklet in his pocket as he kept it with him for the past three months in the hope that he would find his mystery girl.
“Cinderella, wherever you are. I’m going to find you. You better be single otherwise my life will be hell.”
He muttered under his breath as he starts his car and drove away
