Chapter 7

　　Since her parents abandoned Anika, she learned to live with herself not depending on anybody. 

　　When her adopted parents passed away, all of their properties was been transferred to her name and even their businesses. She's their only child since they had no children when they adopt her. Now, Anika Perez is the CEO of their company, Perez Hotels, and Resorts. 

　　Today, she has a meeting with the new shareholder named Argus Mateo. He's one of the most richest bachelors in the whole of Florida in the U.S state. 

　　Anika set off her heels inside the meeting room with her cold presence. She came first and the person she would meet this morning was still on the road.

　　" Ma'am, Mr. Mateo just called that he'll be late a little because of traffic" Denise, her secretary reported to her about their client. 

　　She hates lazy people. She sighed in dismay and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She's not in the mood to be angry right now. 

　　She made her way to all of them going to her seat. 

　　" See, I said early meeting! Look what's happening now! Where that lazy pig Mr. Mateo! " Her growling voice echoed inside the boardroom and all of them looks surprised when Mr. Mateo suddenly appeared behind the closed door. 

　　" Good morning everyone! Sorry if you wait for me. Did I hear my name lazy pig?" He fixes his necktie while making his way to his seat. 

　　Everyone cleared their throat and their eyes shifted to Anika. 

　　She just acted like she didn't say anything. 

　　" Nothing Mr. Mateo. So good morning and you're late!" She pressed the word Late. Her eyes and expression were dead as a ghost.

　　" Uhm, shall we start?" Daniel, their spokesperson interrupted the tension between the two angry souls. 

　　Argus Mateo just shrugged while Anika Perez rolled her eyes at him. 

　　They started the meeting, regarding the plan to built a new resort near the Miami area.  It was Argus' plan and she rejected it. 

　　" It's not a great idea to build there, besides that place is --is" she's getting sensitive again. 

　　Argus frowned and the rest of the board members were looking at her.

　　He stood up and tried to lecture her. 

　　" Look, Ms. Perez, you're being selfish here. We just want what's good for the company. Where are your leadership and concern to people who needed jobs for their families" he explained his side with his gentle words? 

　　Argus Mateo is the type of man you wanted to date with. He's a very soft and kind hearted guy whom every girl wish to be with him but Anika was the opposite of him. She's a cold and stone-hearted female you ever don't wanna meet in your life. She's very insensitive towards other people, she just cares for herself and no man in her life to comfort and love her. 

　　" Yes, he's right Ms. Perez, it's for the company's reputation and Mr. Mateo knows what he's doing," Daniel said and she just took a deep breath. 

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　　Argus Pov

　　So this woman was the CEO of this company but look how rude she is to me. I never met a woman in my life who's as cold as her. I bed many women in my life just for fun without forcing them. They're the one who willingly throws their self to me. 

　　This woman made me feel weak and unstable. I'll do something to get her attention and be close to me. 

　　I set a smirked on his face inside his bedroom. He just got home after the meeting and he wanted to talk to her personally but Denise told me that she's not in the mood to talk to someone. 

　　How rude she was. 

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　　Anika PoV

　　Miami! A place where my parents abandoned me. They left me outside the hospital when I was a baby. Mommy Remy told me everything when they took me. I knew that I'm not their real daughter and I'm just an adopted child but I'm very grateful that they treated me like their own. 

　　I canceled all my appointments today and went home early. 

　　I live alone and it's better this way. I hold and pressed my hands on my stomach and I felt a pain in my stomach like someone was squeezing inside. I always ate late because of my busy schedule so maybe this was the effect of it. 

　　I made my steps to the kitchen and lead my hands inside the fridge. I feel empty and disappointed when I saw nothing inside the fridge so I decided to open my cabinet of dry goods. I found a ramen noodle in a cup, a ready to eat food so I took one and put some water and started to heat it inside the microwave. It's only five minutes and I'm ready to dig in. 

　　After dinner, I climbed upstairs to change my clothes. It's a very tiring day for me and I think my body needs to be recharged. I throw my bag in my bed and followed it with my body. My back pressed against the soft mattress of my bed and I felt comfortable. My eyes stared at the ceiling while my hands opened wide. 

　　An image of a man slipped into my mind while I'm begun to feel drowsy. I couldn't see his face vividly but there's a glimpse of his smile, so kind and generous. He was smiling at me but as his face gets closer, he shifted his form into an animal. I quickly opened my eyes and gasped for air. 

　　" Am I seeing someone? He looks so real!" I shivered as I got up from my bed, fixing my hair which covered my face. 

　　Maybe I'm only seeing weird things because of my work. Maybe I'm just tired and need a rest. I walked to the bathroom and took off my dress from my body. I slipped my feet into the bathtub and soaked my naked body inside. I want to relax. I needed my body to be recharged. I closed my eyes and put on my headphones in my ears. I listened to my favorite singer Avril Lavigne, her song

　　" I'm With You". I dozed off until my mind went blank and I'm starting to fall asleep.