The CEOs Possession

Veil’s enjoyment of the party was marred by Anders’ silent presence, his unspoken command keeping her in her seat. The arrival of a distinguished older man, his false gray hair a stark contrast to his vibrant personality, only added to the tension. This was Mr. Charles, the person Anders had promised would be in attendance tonight.

They started talking about a new business idea with the aim of expanding the products put out of auction, and from habit, Veil whipped out her ipad and started taking notes.

“How about touring museums and other homes that houses art for now? Some of these things are due to be put out to the public for ownership, and we wouldn’t know until we approach them.” Anders suggested, waving one of the servers over. He asked for a refill of his glass, as well as Veil’s, still not talking to her.

“That’s a brilliant idea,” Charles opined, nodding enthusiastically. It was obvious that he held Anders in high esteem, and would do anything to prove that he was worth having a long-term business partnership with Kingston group.

“I can reach out to my contacts in other parts of the world. They’d be eager to participate, especially since it’s for a good cause,” Anders proposed, his tone hinting at a deeper motive. Veil couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his continued business relations with them than met the eye.

After a few more exchanges of words, Veil yawned from exhaustion, unable to stop herself. Mumbling a half-assed apology, she reached for the glass on the table at the same time Anders stretched out his hand. Veil withdrew her hands at once, electricity jolting through her.

“It’s time for us to take our leave,” he muttered, getting off his chair. Veil followed suit, more clumsily than her boss. Her chair made a scraping sound on the ground, but Anders paid her no attention. Instead, he shook Charles’s hands and headed towards the door, with Veil walking behind him.

Her legs hurt from all the standing with heels, and she really wished she could sit, but Anders wasn’t done with the thousands of people he had to see. The auction was mostly attended by business tycoons and most of them had something to say to Anders.

By the time he was done, Veil already felt so exhausted, and she was scared she would fall to the ground.

“Anders probably wouldn’t mind that,” she told herself, sighing. She shouldn’t be surprised at how mean he was, yet it managed to hurt her every single time.

At the other end of the parking lot, Orleans watched Veil with concern in his eyes. She looked very tired, and he could see that she was hopping from one foot to the other, obviously needing to get off those heels.

Anders’ driver brought his car out, and he got into the back seat while Veil entered through the other side. Telling the driver to head to Veil’s house, he sat back and withdrew his phone, scrolling through it yet really seeing nothing. He was still visibly upset about the whole Orleans episode.

Anders wanted to wipe that smile off her face the one she had directed at Orleans. He wanted to be the only one to see her that way. And she hadn’t even answered his damn question. Was that her boyfriend? Was he the one she spent her nights with? Did that mean that he was probably headed to her house as well?

“Turn around,” Anders ordered suddenly. “Let’s go home instead.”

Veil’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked from Anders to the driver, as he made a sharp U-turn and headed in the opposite direction. “Will he drive me home after?”

“No.”

“That’s fine,” Veil said, unconsciously reaching for her aching ankles with her hair swaying at her back. “I can just get a cab back home.”

“You are not going to do that either,” he casually muttered, sitting further into the chair. He closed his eyes and said, “I have some documents at home I need you to work on through the night. It has to be ready tomorrow morning.”

“Mr. Roderiguez,” Veil started, trying not to sound rude. “I need to sleep if I am to get to work by 5 am tomorrow.”

“And?”

The curtness of his answer stunned Veil into silence, and she sighed in frustration. She could do nothing but obey her boss, and have the documents ready for him before morning, even though from his schedule, she knew he had no such document to tender. But she couldn’t tell him that. He was already pissed as it was.

The driver made a turn suddenly, and Veil looked out the window. Before her was a set of huge gates, with beautiful lights on them, reading Kingston Castle. Her mouth dropped open in amazement as the gates opened to reveal the largest expanse of land she had ever been to in her entire life.

The drive from the gate to the building itself took about five minutes, and Veil couldn’t contain her surprise. When the car stopped, Anders alighted from it and stalked inside, leaving Veils gaping at the antique walls staring back at her.

They looked like something right out of the Elizabethan era, with a strong outlook that screamed wealth and power. The driver informed Veil that she had to go inside if she wanted to catch up with Anders, and only then did her feet move, ushering her into his home.

Anders was waiting for her in the large living room, with his hands across his chest. “You don’t want to get lost around here,” he said, then led her across the living room, into a large hallway. They took the stairs by the left that led into another large space, that housed a huge office with rich furnishings.

“You’ll be working here,” he ordered, pointing at a computer on the table. “I don’t want to come here to meet you asleep. Are we clear?”

Mumbling an incoherent agreement, Veil watched Anders walk away from her, taking another stairs around the corner.