The Devil In Her Has Been Set Free.

The Archer Group. 

"Mr. Castillo, the interview for the Financial Times is scheduled for seven o'clock after dinner on Wednesday. Belle Brooks will come to the company to interview you," said a pleasant voice. It belonged to none other than Ethan Morgan, the one and only assistant to Xavier Castillo.

Ethan was a good-looking man in his prime, with sharp obsidian eyes, a tall nose bridge, and thin lips. His slicked-back hair revealed a strong forehead and a chiseled jawline. He was the kind of man who leaves women breathless with just a glance.

"It seems like I didn't choose this journalist," Interrupted a smooth, deep voice with a touch of iciness that sent chills down Ethan's spine, as if he had reached Antartica without any warm clothes. 

Ethan shivered as the goosebumps visibly rose on his skin. He knew his Boss isn't trying to be scary or intimidating, but did it have to sound like Grim Reaper's death whisper?!

He quickly looked up and faced his Boss, who was calmly sipping the lime water behind the ebony desk. He was dressed in a crisp black shirt and pants, his long sleeves rolled up to reveal his muscular forearms. The two open buttons on his shirt offered a peek of his black lotus tattoo.

His face was breathtaking, despite being emotionless, and his stormy-gray eyes danced with visible flames as if he were the son of the God of War himself. His long, wavy locks framed his face, and a set of golden glasses rested on his nose bridge, giving him the look of a royal prince from a dark fantasy novel.

"Journalist Brook is highly recommended by the Editor-in-Chief. He says she has rich experience in various aspects and is more than capable."

"A question-and-answer interview doesn't require meeting me in person. Sending the answers should be suffice." Xavier leaned back and swiveled his chair. His dark stare appeared as if he could see miles ahead, but only the tall skyscrapers shimmering in lights were seen. "I preferred the Journalist Knight's outline. An interview shouldn't just be an simple exchange of words but a thought-provoking conversation" He added, tapping on the chair's armrest. 

Ethan tugged his lips in contemplation, agreeing on Xavier's perspective about interviews. "I apologized, Boss. I will rearrange it." He crossed Belle Brooks' name off the schedule and replaced it with Annika Knight's.

"Anything for tomorrow?" Xavier asked, placing his glass down and picking up a pen to sign some documents.

Ethan cleared his throat and continued reading the schedule. "The stocks of the Jade Group has dropped significantly. Should we stop investing in them?"

"No, continue investing." Xavier said, twirling the pen.

"Mr. Blacksmith has requested to meet you tomorrow for horse riding; reject or agree?"

"Agree," Xavier answered without hesitation. "He is my old man's close friend, prepare a famous art piece for him as a gift."

"Understood. Stars Group CEO is requesting a meeting, reject or agree?"

"Agree." Xavier answered with a yawn, clearly not caring shit about professionalism in front of his assistant."Anything else?" Xavier asked, lazily leaning his chin on his propped up arm.

"No." Ethan said, checking off the unnecessary tasks on the list. "That's all for now."

"Oh, right! The Knight's have invited you to his older daughter's engagement ceremony and the crowning of the new CEO of the Knight Group. Will you attend?"

"Yes, book my tickets." Xavier nodded. "We have done so many successful projects together. It's only fair to attend the ceremony and give gifts to his daughter."

"Alright, I will notify them tomorrow morning." Ethan wrote down the schedule.

"Then, I will head off now, Boss. My girlfriend is coming to pick me up." He said with a nervous smile, scratching his head.

"Date huh? Alright, you're off." Xavier shot an amused glance at Ethan's blushing-puppy face and returned back to work. "You would do good as a dog, Ethan," He chuckled.

"Boss!" Ethan whined, quickly exiting the office, not wanting to let his girlfriend wait for him more than necessary.

Xavier laughed and slipped into serious mode, signing the documents and making correction.

As he was busy scribbling and scratching, his phone buzzed. 

His sharp brows furrowed in disapproval. He didn't like being disturbed, especially at night. It was his personal time. 

However, he still flipped his phone over and read the name on the screen: Old Man. Xavier sighed with frustration. Can't this old man leave him alone? He seriously didn't want to listen to his nagging at this hour. 

Nevertheless, he picked up the phone. "Hello," he spoke, irritation vibrating clearly in his smooth voice. 

"You brat! How dare you not call me this morning? Didn't I tell you yesterday to call me once you woke up?!" An angry voice, filled with vigor and a unique lure, despite it's middle-aged tone, reverberated through the phone. 

"I was busy," Xavier said, curling his lips into displeasure. 

"What busy? It's not like you're a king of a kingdom!" But he was, no actually he is going to be, Xavier thought to himself.

"Not to mention, your company isn't even that big to make you busy!" But it is, Xavier thought helplessly.

"You're talking as if you're some big shot of a country!" Once again, he is a big shot, Xavier thought with so-done expression 

"Now, I don't wanna hear you say that word again!" Jonathan Castillo, his father, yelled angrily. 

"Fine." 

"Good." Jonathan hummed in satisfaction. "By the way, brat, did you saw the bio data that I have sent you of girls?" 

"I was b...I didn't have time to." Xavier changed his wordings, not wanting to hear his old man's rebukes again. 

"Hm. Then check it now," His father ordered. "You should know that if you don't pick someone by the end of this month, the court will pick for you, and you wouldn't like that." 

"Yes, I know." Xavier nodded, clearly displeased with fact that court is going to pick the bride for him. He knew that, following Eldora's tradition, to succeed his father's throne, he had to pick a bride because, apparently, a king can't ruled the kingdom without his queen. 

"Then, select my future daughter-in-law without any further ado." 

"Hmm." Xavier hung up the call. His mind drifted back to five years ago, to a certain hotel suite, where he met a daring, wild rabbit.

Remembering that pretty little face moaning lusciously into his ear, and those crystal tears rolling down her cheeks like pearls from pleasure, sent shiver his spine. 

"This rabbit is going to be death of me." Xavier muttered helplessly, noticing his little junior standing up proudly. 

…

Annika gazed out of the small window, her blue eyes appeared lost in thoughts as she absentmindedly watched the shimmering city below. 

It had been five years since her father forcefully sent her to the London. He had arranged everything for her, from clothes to the education, so much that Annika would be able to live the rest of her life leisurely even if she didn't do a job. 

Even getting admission at Stanford to work in the Financial Group after graduating, everything had been part of his plan. 

Originally, Annika thought her father doesn't love her. But when she saw his arrangements, and his decision to assign her a royal guard for protection, her heart's warmed. 

Royal guards are expensive and hard to find. In her twenty-two years of life, the Knight family had never hired a royal guard, not even for her brothers, who are the next successors. Yet her father had hired one for her, this shows his immense love and affection for her. 

Thus his reason behind sending her off to London might not be so simple... Which is why she had been willing to forgive him and return back to New York after completing the two year contract at the Financial Times. However, her father just have to do something audacious again to enrage her and make it hard for her to forgive him. 

Not to mention, that witch was still living lavishly in their house. Just the thought of her freely roaming in their house, touching their walls and couches, made Annika blood boil! If Annika had her hands free from the responsibilities and underground missions, she would have kicked the witch out before she could even show her fangs. 

And now, the witch had done exactly what Annika had feared.

Her father was not a weak man. He was the strongest man in all of the America with huge backing. Not to mention, he was also the leader of the hidden organization owned by their family: Black Aces. So the question rises: how did this strong leader collapse? And why did he assigned the deed of the Knight's Enterprise to Avery? Shouldn't it belong to the next successors, her brothers? 

Like What in the hell! 

Has her father gone mad?! 

Surely not, but this have something to do with Avery fucking Clifford! 

The Knight's Enterprise is a leading name in the investment field, owning the top spot since her grandfather founded it. This company is the testimony to her grandfather's blood and sweat. Along with her father and mother who later developed the company from a small fry to an freaking Empire! Thus, even her father, who is down right the CEO, doesn't have the right to hand it over to someone else! 

And now, this witch dared to snatch what was her family's heirloom with some unorthodox methods. She surely must be tired of living!

"Avery Clifford, your countdown starts now." Annika smirked deviously. Her fare and beautiful face appearing gothic and dark in the dim lights of the plane. Her blue eyes, blazing with flames, looked chaotic and stormy ocean, threatening to consumed everything in its way. 

She had been dormant until now, but Avery had awakened the devil inside her, and she would have to pay for that sin with her blood!