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Wicked

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Chapter 1: Wicked (Evie's POV)

"Thank you," I grinned at the taxi driver, paying the amount in cash before I climbed out of the cab in front of our very own Volkov empire. Making my way through the parking lot, I moved towards the revolving door, scanning my ID before I walked through and entered the main lobby. 

"Evie!" 

Halting in my steps, I changed directions and went to the main front desk where our receptionist, Lucy was sitting as per usual. "Hey," I smiled, setting my arms on the table. 

"Hey. You're early today," she chuckled. 

"My Mom called and woke me up earlier for something. What's up?" 

She held out a granola bar, offering me one out of the two she had. 

"No thanks," I shook my head. "Is anybody in yet on our floor?" I asked, glancing at the elevator. 

"Yeah. Mr. Nate came in already and Mila and Dahlia are already there, I think." 

"All right. Well then, I'm going to head upstairs as well. I'll see you around, bye." 

"Bye." 

"Evie!" came a loud yet tiny scream. 

I blinked in confusion before spinning around to face the entrance. "Uh oh," I laughed, watching as Leo came stumbling forward attempted to run, his tiny backpack on his shoulders bouncing with each leap he took. 

He reached me in seconds, his grin intact, and hugged my legs tightly. "Hello!" he greeted, tilting his chin up to look at me. 

"Hello, what are you doing here?" I asked, ruffling his hair before reaching down and picking him up. 

He hugged me immediately, giggling. 

"Leo sir!" Mr. David came rushing in behind him, spotting me when I waved him over. He slowed down to a walk, catching his breath and huffing in front of me. "Goodness. If Mr. Nate found out you ran out the car like that, Leo sir, I'd be killed." 

"What happened?" I asked, setting Leo down. 

He grabbed onto my hand, only being able to wrap it around my fingers. 

"He ran out of the playschool as soon as I dropped him off. He demanded to see Mr. Nate." 

I looked down at Leo. "Did you really do that?" 

He nodded with a cheeky laugh before taking his backpack off, setting it carefully against the front desk before proceeding to run in circles around me. 

"He just didn't want to go," Mr. David shrugged, then laughed softly. "Good morning, Ms. Evie." 

"Good morning," I laughed softly before grabbing a hold of Leo and kneeling in front of him. "Leo." 

"Yes?" He bounced on his heels. 

"You're in trouble, you shouldn't run out like that," I tried explaining. 

He blinked and then frowned, looking around in confusion. 

The boy is only two years old, I didn't expect him to understand anyway. 

"Well, now that you're here, do you want to go see your Dad? Shall we go see Daddy?" 

He nodded ecstatically and grinned. Before I could pick him back up though... 

"Mr. Rowan's here," both Lucy and Mr. David mumbled in sync. 

I looked ahead as he walked through the revolving door and inside, spotting Leo and changing directions, heading this way now. His arrogance radiated off of him with his hands tucked into his pockets until he stopped before us, watching Leo in confusion. Leo giggled before running forward, hugging Rowan's legs. "Why are you here today?" Rowan asked, ruffling Leo's hair, searching for an explanation from Mr. David, who looked terrified to answer. 

I grabbed my purse off the table and explained on his behalf, thinking I'd do him a favor. "Leo ran out of his playschool when Mr. David went to drop him off. He wanted to come here to see Nate, so Mr. David—" 

"I didn't ask you," he cut me off sharply, his eyes cutting to mine. 

I smiled forcefully, "Well, you asked somebody, I thought I'd help Mr. David and save him the struggle of being tortured in the name of dealing with you." 

He lifted a brow at me sharply. 

"Mr. Rowan," I nodded at him once and then left, heading to the elevators. Pressing the button that lit up a warm white, I held my purse in front of me with both hands, waiting. That's what I was still doing when my phone rang. I sighed and answered the phone, reading the caller ID. "Yes, Mumma?" 

"You left your lunch, Evie," she groaned. 

"You packed me so much food, I left it there." 

"Hai Bhagavan," she mumbled under her breath. Oh, God. 

"You hardly had breakfast, why wouldn't I pack you a big lunch?" 

"Mumma, how do I have rajma chawal at the office?" I asked. 

"Have something! I can't help but think that you don't eat, you know." 

"I eat plenty." 

"Let me drop your lunch off for you." 

"Nahi," I drawled out. "No. I don't want to cause a hassle. I'll come by during my lunch break, okay?" 

"Sure?" 

"I'm sure." 

"Okay. Have a good day then. Bye." 

"Bye, Mumma." I hung up the phone, tucking it back into my purse just as the elevator doors slid open with a ding followed by an automated voice announcing, "Ground floor." I stepped in, pressing the button to the twentieth floor where our main office was. The doors began closing slowly and just when I thought I'd gotten lucky enough today to have the elevator all to myself, someone placed their hand in between, forcing the doors open. 

My eyes traveled up the arm under the rich black suit, recognizing the fitted white button-up and the striped tie before landing on a very familiar face that had come to be my least favorite over all the years. He stepped in beside me, unbuttoning the suit. Neither one of us uttered a word as we began ascending up to our floor. 

"The monthly reports," he said suddenly. 

I blinked in confusion, glancing at him. "What?" 

"The monthly reports. Where are they?" 

"It's... not the due date yet." 

"No, that's tomorrow. I want them on my table by the end of the day." 

I faced him completely. "But it's not the due date." 

"Then you can say I'm changing the due date." 

"Rowan." 

He turned to me, his eyes lowering to meet mine from where he towered over me. "That's Mr. Rowan to you, Ms. Spencer." 

I resisted an eye roll. Despite meeting him nineteen years ago, which is much more than half of my life, we refuse to acknowledge each other, understandably so. 

I mean, who would want to acknowledge someone like Rowan? Plus, we hardly spoke until three years ago. It was always arguing. 

But even then, calling him 'Mr. Rowan' always felt so unnecessary. But in the three years that have gone by since he joined Volkov Enterprises, not one day has passed where he let me call him by his name. 

"All right," I said, unclenching my jaw. "Mr. Rowan, I understand that you like to make people's lives difficult—" 

"Only yours," he replied with a lift of an eyebrow. 

I continued anyway. "And I know you love complicating every task we get." 

"Again, only you, Ms. Spencer." 

"Well, thanks, I'm honored." 

"You should be." 

"But..." I said sternly. "A deadline is a deadline. Once you assign it, you can't change it." 

"Sure I can." 

I took a breath, trying not to lose my temper so early in the morning. Plus, under work obligations, it's not like I can yell my heart out at him anyway. "You shouldn't anyway. It's not just my deadline, it's everybody else's as well. Tomorrow. Give me until tomorrow." 

This wasn't even his job until recently. 

"Say please." 

Staring at him in disbelief. "You set this deadline." 

"I'm aware of that. Now, I'm changing it. If you want the deadline to be convenient for you... beg," he smirked, tucking his hands into his pocket. 

"The deadline is still tomorrow, Mr. Rowan. And there's nothing you can do to convince me otherwise. I'm not going to beg for you to stick to your own word." I faced forward as the doors opened with the announcement of our floor. "And your tie is crooked," I told him before walking out, making my way down the hall and into the main office, pushing the glass door open. 

I walked to my desk and sat down, hanging my purse on the chair and leaving the papers and files in my hand on the table. I looked out, past the glass window, and saw Rowan marching down the hall, not even nodding at the people who wished him a good morning. 

Dick. 

"Evie." I looked up at Jason as he approached my desk. 

"Hey, morning," I smiled. 

"Morning. Here is the finance file for Hotel Wanderlust, The Vortex Hotel, Hotel Panorama, and Scarlet Sapphire Hotel for the month. The finance team is all done now, all right? I don't want Mr. Rowan coming in and yelling at us again, so we're submitting it early," he explained, groaning softly. 

"Thank you. I'll go over it by the end of the day and tell you if anything needs to be changed. Other than that, you're free," I smiled with a nod. 

"Great, thanks." 

"Of course," I chuckled. I was still at my desk, going through the file fifteen minutes later when the phone at my desk rang. I answered, still reading and making any corrections with a red pen. "Hello?" 

"Evie, it's Nate here." 

"Hey, what can I do for you, Nate?" 

See. He doesn't make me call him Mr. Nate even though he's the second CEO here. Because he knows it's ridiculous considering our families. But the other brother just doesn't sit well with me and he isn't even the CEO. 

"I had a favor to ask if you're not busy right now." 

"Sure." 

"Grandpa's office." 

I stopped writing and closed the file, taking in a breath. "Should I... empty out Mr. Volkov's office?" 

It's already been six months since he passed and I still can't believe he's gone. 

"Yes, please," Nate sighed, "it's about time we clean up that room and prepare it. We'll uh, have a meeting for the entire building today in the auditorium where we'll announce all the upcoming changes and plans." 

Which meant we'd all finally find out who would be taking over as the second CEO beside Nate and replace Mr. Volkov. 

"The meeting will be at noon. If you can get it done before then, that would be great." 

"Of course, no problem. I'll get right on it." 

"Thanks. See you later." 

"See you. Did Leo get to you?" 

He laughed softly. "Yes. He's busy... running Lightning McQueen over my couch." 

"Okay," I chuckled, "bye then." 

"Bye, Evie." 

I hung up the phone before standing up, adjusting the sheer white button-up that I wore, tucked into my black mini pencil skirt. I pulled my hair up in a bun, securing it with a claw clip, and then headed out, stopping by the storeroom to grab some bubble wrap and a few cardboard boxes. Stopping at the translucent door that read 'CEO' on a plaque, I pushed it open with my hips and walked in, slowing down to a halt in my steps. I couldn't do anything but stare as Rowan sat in the chair that belonged to his grandfather until only six months ago. 

He sat there as if he had always owned the room like he was so sure that his destiny would lead him to the chair. He looked like he belonged there. 

"What are you doing?" I asked, walking forward, setting the things on an empty spot of the desk. 

"Working," he answered without looking at me. "Which you, clearly, are not, Ms. Spencer." His eyes finally met mine. "What can I do for you?" 

I looked around in confusion. 

Nothing was packed up yet though. 

"Why are you in your grandfather's office?" 

"I'm in the CEO's office." 

"Yeah. That was your grandfather until six months ago. What are you doing here?" 

"I told you. Working." 

"Mr. Rowan," I exhaled. 

He stared at me, leaning back in his chair and holding the armrests. 

It finally clicked. My eyes almost widened as every word, every thought left me. "But..." I sputtered. "It's only been six months. How can you already—" 

"There's no rest for the wicked, Lyubov," he almost smirked at me. Every time he called me that, I swore I would look up what it meant. He didn't talk in Russian often, but when he did, it took everyone by surprise. 

"So you always say," I sighed. 

Wait a minute. If he's the new CEO, then he's my... boss.

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Chapter 1

I GOT THE WIFI FOR MY LAPTOP!!!!

THANK LORD I WAS DYING HERE LOL

anyway, let me know what you think so far ik it's just the beginning but still.

next chapter: announcement