Rias POV

"How's the manuscript, coming?"

I immediately spilled the milkshake I was currently drinking, only to sight Boss Regina. Her strict face was what even intimidated me the more. Oh no, what was I supposed to tell her?

"It's coming f-fine." I replied. Did I just stutter?

What if she said she wanted to have a look? I'm so dead, I'm so dead.

"Okay, if you say so." she replied. Boss Regina moved to walk away, before coming right back as I slurped more milkshake, cleaning my attire.

"And, Rias...?"

"Yeah?" I answered her.

"Do not screw this. I'm really counting on you." she smoothly said. "Maybe Cullen and the co-workers are wrong about their impression of you."

Fuck me, fuck me... sheesh, I already did.

"Sure, boss." I said, with a wink.

As she walked away, my hands spread out to my chest to calm down. I knew she was referring to my clumsiness at the office.

I once swapped some manuscript pages, with another and a volcano erupted in the office.

We had angry authors running down to our office, demanding to see the boss. It was really bad. Books, which title didn't match the content, on the shelf.

It took Boss Regina a great deal of time, to compensate them. It was a miracle I wasn't even fired.

"Clumsy me..." I groaned out, hitting my head on my working desk, sadly.

"Rias!" some voice yelled, which made me spring up immediately in a scare. I sighed, clasping my hand on my forehead after seeing who it was.

"Hi, Martin..." I sadly trailed out, sizing his brown curly and short hair, striped shirts, with lengthy hands, and his bow-tie right at the front.

"She's a witch, right?" he stated, sitting with his butt halfway on my desk. It was obvious he was looking to have a gossip which I was not interested in.

"Not really."

I murmured those words. Now, I liked gossiping, doing it was fun for me. But Martin was really a big mouth.

"Hmm, what did she say? Common, tell me." he teased.

I hate my life.

Of all things, why did this have to happen to me?

As he waited for me to say something, there was a commotion at the entrance of the office.

"Miss Vivian, I'll take that!" one male co-worker yelled.

"No, what are you doing? She would want me to."

That was another male fighting to get her favor.

"Get away, she would want me to since we stay opposite each other!"

I snorted at the sight of five males around her, just to get her to date them.

The pretty auburn.

That was what they called her. While I was the ordinary and weird auburn.

"Urrgh...so annoying." I sat upright, referring to them almost immediately.

"Jealous, huh?"

Martin teased, with a clownish expression.

"What, ew, no." I answered, scrunching my nose in displeasure. "There are a million things to be jealous of out there. I mean, she isn't J.K freaking Rowling?"

Just as I answered him, someone walked in from the interiors of the office. Slowly, I smiled at him— Senior Editor Cullen. That person I envied a bit, in Zeguin Publishers.

At his every step, my heart leapt. Don't blame me. It's my soul's lousy keys. The key to the door of being a Senior Editor. That was simply my dream and I—

"Oh no, she's lost again... Riiasss..." some voice trailed out, snapping me out of my daze.

"Yeah, what?" I asked, straightening my glasses.

I looked at Martin, then back at Senior Editor Cullen, who was entering Boss Regina's office. I almost snarled when I saw who was in front of me, but I kept my cool.

Calm down, Rias.

"Hey, can I borrow your copy of Colton's moon series?"

It was Vivian. She was dressed in high waist skirt, a white blouse, and a scarf around her neck. Auburn hair, which looked silky, let down smoothly and dangling earrings. Perfect figure, hourglass shape and long legs.

I wore makeup too, like her. My glasses hid most of it anyway...

But she had this high-pitched voice. That alone made me feel like pressing a mute button, making her go off.

"Oh, sure." I said, reaching for my hand bag.

I wasn't Colton's only die-hard fan at the office. She was one too, and it enraged me.

"How are you, Martin?"

Another sleazy tone let out. I was on the verge of telling her to shut the fuck up, when I remembered she did nothing wrong personally.

"Fine. You look um, prettier today." My office pal, weirdly commented, betraying our years of friendship. She was his office crush. It wasn't serious, but you couldn't blame him.

I handed her the book, with a fake smile that showed my teeth. "Here."

"Thanks. Gah, I so can't wait to begin this!"

"It's a must try thing," I retorted. She nodded, walking away and earning the gazes of ten thousand co-workers.

Of course, that was an exaggeration. But I wasn't lying either way, cause all men in the room were gawking at her like she was their lost meal.

"I don't have to talk to you for the rest of today."

I childishly let out at Martin and he laughed. "Really?"

He knew what he did wrong...lol, I knew I was unbelievable. I stood up to fetch some water in the company's dispenser.

"She put me through a lot," I murmured to myself sadly.

The past was past, but I couldn't forget that day easily.

***

"Mum..." I trailed on my words.

Staring at the medical machines, made my feelings numb. It was almost like; I had gotten used to them for the past years.

"When are you going to wake up?"

I held her hands, saying. "It's been two years, mum."

I choked, with tears gushing down and a saddened expression written on my face.

"I miss your cooking...your warmth, I miss those times you yelled at me out of love from your heart."

There was no reply. I was used to it.

Craving mum's presence after the housebreak, was the starting point. Not seeing her around, was the hurtful part.

"That.Man." I seethed, with an evil glint in my eyes.

He wanted to marry again...

He was the cause of this. How could he forget her like that?

"How?!" I exclaimed angrily in hurt.

Unable to hold in all in, I commenced crying so hard in a sitting position. My tears soaked her white sheets. Karen was really changing dad.

Back in the past, I was his little fiery princess. He'd never kick me out like he did. He'd never...

I heard the hospital door slide open. I ignored it. It was probably the hospital attendants for their usual checkups.

"Don't cry, mate." someone murmured huskily. It was a delicious sound that made me want to purr at it.

"I hate to see you hurt, so please don't cry."

Large arms pulled me into a hug. I snuggled in, feeling weirdly comfortable. Like it was just what I needed.

Yet... I let a bigger outburst of tears. I was screwed big time in real life. I mean, I might go to jail, if I wasn't careful.

From the smell, I knew who exactly it was.

Colton Stone.

***
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