The Beginning

Janet's POV

The cold wind mixed with raw fragrances pushed past my face as I jogged on the driving downtown of New York. It was a foggy, cold, and cloudy morning, the streets were damped from the rain which had fallen last night. I adjusted my earplugs and took a turn but suddenly a bicycle came in front of me and caused me to halt immediately. "Sorry!" He said and cycled away. I exhaled and arched forward with my hands on my thighs, panting and sweating as it'd been long since I'd been jogging without a pause.

"Tired already?" A familiar voice hit my ears and took my attention instantly. I stood up straight and threw the old lady a soft smile, "Good morning, Mrs. Kesler!" The old lady is my neighbor, she lives right next to my house. Mrs. Kesler smiled, gathering more wrinkles on her old face, "Oh, dear, good morning!"

"Well, I'm a little curious to know what business you have here that you have to come out here in the early morning!" I took off my earplugs as I asked, "Is everything okay?"

She chuckled, "Oh, don't worry, my child. There is nothing to be concerned about!" I smiled in a gesture of relief, "I was returning from the hospital as you know my husband is sick," I nodded, "I just got off here to grab a few things from the market. You know, girl things!"

I giggled, "Yeah. How's Mr. Kesler, anyway? I assumed he was going to be discharged today!"

"Yes, he's totally fine and returning home."

"Great. I'll visit him," She smiled, "So, shall I walk you back home?" She raised her hardly visible brows and gestured her hand to her cab across the road, "See, my cab is right there, waiting for me to over my business."

I chuckled, "Alright. I'll see you soon then," She nodded and with this, she walked away. I smiled and continued my jog.

—

I returned home, all wet and soaked as it started raining when I was returning. I rang my doorbell, but no answer. I groaned and grabbed the house keys with shaky hands, as it is dead cold out here, and unlocked my house. When in, I saw my best friend and room partner Vero "Veronica" on my couch, listening to music with eyes shut close. I shook my head and took my off my shoes and put them inside the shoe-rack before I headed to my bedroom to get fresh. I took a long lazy shower and finally came out of my bathroom and stood in front of my mirror with nothing but a towel around my body. First, I dried my hair, then I applied body lotion and skin care creams to keep my skin radiant and soft. When done, I put on my undergarments, wore a pink high-neck sweater that had a smiley emoji in its center and my skinny blue jeans with white socks to keep my feet warm and soft. I combed my hair and made a messy bun, then after spraying my perfume on my wrists and neck, I smiled at my appearance and finally headed out to make breakfast, but was surprised to find Vero there.

"Good morning, Vero!" She looked at me and smiled warmly, "Morning!" I looked at the sandwiches on the plate and took one in my hand, taking a large bite out of it.

"Where's Olivia?" I asked, chewing the sandwich.

"I don't know. Still in the bed, I guess!"

"Isn't she getting late for the office?" I questioned. She smiled, not kindly, "Why would a wealthy girl like her would care about getting late?" I opened my mouth to reply but couldn't when Olivia burst her door open and got our head on it.

"You'll be astound!!" She exclaimed, and took me in a tight hug. choked on my sandwich. I coughed, my eyes wide and clueless. Veronica groaned, "God, Olivia! Cut the suspence and let us know what's the big news?"

Olivia pulled away and chuckled, "First, I'm sorry that I touched your laptop without your permission!"

I shrugged, "Nevermind!"

"Cool. So, I was using your Laptop and I saw a mail from Grey's enterprises!!" She paused, "You're going to be the personal assistant of Grey's!!" As soon as she finished, my mouth fell open.

"Oh, my GOD!!!" Vero screamed and took me in a tight hug, followed by Olivia. I smiled in disbelief, and hugged them back. I couldn't believe it, after all the efforts I finally have a good job in my hands. I pulled away and held Olivia's hands, "It's a wonderful news!!"

"Yes!"

"Thank you! Thanks to both of you guys because if you wouldn't have asked your boyfriend Charlie to help me? I wouldn't have got it!"

"Nah! You deserve it bicth!" Said Vero and Olivia nodded in agreement. "Yes. None of us has done anything. You've got this on your own!" I smiled, taking their hands in mine. "But I'm more glad about the fact that now you can find your soulmate!" My smile vanished. I hell didn't expect that coming.

"Yeah!!" Jumped Olivia, her eyes shining with excitement, "Grey's enterprises doesn't lack hot bachelors, babe. I'm sure that this time you will absolutely have one by your side!" She winked and I smiled clumsily at her, leaving her hands.

"Yeah, if the luck goes fine?" I walked past them and took another sandwich in my hand, "I'll surely have one this time!" I took a bite out of it and they squealed.

Well, I have no interest in making boyfriends but to get rid of this topic, I had to say that. But in the corner of my heart, I sometime do wonder that who'd be the one for me...

Paxton's POV

My team and students at my side shouted joyfully when I hit the ball in the center of the net and earned myself another point. I screamed, throwing my hands in the air, "Whoa!!" The opposite team again came along, trying to get the ball, but hell if I let them, I smartly rolled my ball, saving it from being caught and made another goal, "Yo, I'm the best!!" I screamed and danced, making the other team to scrunch their noses and my team to grin widely.

"Paxton, this way, this way!!" Edward, one of my employees, asked me to pass him the ball. I looked at him and hit my ball at him but suddenly, Chloe jumped in front and took away the ball, making me and my team surprised.

"Hey!" I called, but she didn't stop from making a goal.

"Yay!" She yelled, and so did her team. I narrowed my eyes at her and said "You're not in anyone's team, Chloe! So, this goal of yours was a waste." My team and the people on my side screamed a yes together.

She looked at them and then smiled at me, "Well, consider me late," I slightly frowned, "I'm in your opposite team, Paxton," She leaned closer to my face and added, "Against you!"

Chloe Taylor is my fiance, not really, actually, because only our parents want us to get married and the reason is, of course, the same, get your heirs married and expand your business. But because Rebecca and I don't love each other, we are fake dating, so not only do our Dads stop searching for new life partners for us, but let us live freely as well.

"They didn't have any missing partner, Chloe!" I retorted, "Stop lying!"

"Is that fear I'm seeing on your face?"

I chuckled, "Nice try to provoke me, but not happening!" I took a step forward and adjusted her swirls off her face, "You're not playing!"

"Unfortunately, you're not the captain!" She said and went to the boy behind me. She said something in his ear and winked at me. Next second, I heard that the boy had allowed her to play against us on Troy's behalf.

I huffed, "Seriously?" She chuckled and walked past me. I turned around and took my place with my team, discussing the strategy.

"Alright, one two three, GO!" With this, the game began again, but this time the other team was making goals by goals, all thanks to their new partner, Chloe. Her team were screaming with joy and my friends were looking at me with disappointment and sadness. I tried my best to take the ball, or stop her from making goals, but she was terrific! Hell, if she let me take a chance. Now, it isn't just a game anymore, it is a war now which I have to win anyhow.

With my strategies, we played smartly and got equal to her. We both were only one point away from winning when she was rolling the ball, taking it towards the goal point, but just before she could hit, I hollered, "Cockroach!!" I wasn't sure but she was startled and immediately left the ball, giving me a chance to hit it towards my team's guy direction and him to hit right on the net.

"WHOA!!!" I screamed, along with my team and the people on my side. My team rushed towards me, and picked me up, bouncing me up in victory.

"Paxton is great! Paxton is amazing! Paxton won the game!" They sang, making me laugh.

I looked at Chloe and my laugh was gone. She was looking at me with a look of disbelief. Of course, I cheated. After all, "Hey, hey, guys, give-give me a moment!" They immediately obeyed me and put me down. I nervously went to her with an apologetic face, and threw a weak smile, "I couldn't disappoint them!" I confessed honestly.

She stared at me with those offensive eyes but then suddenly she broke into an explosion of laughter, and that's when I understood that she was acting this far, "That was cute!" She remarked and I chuckled, "But couldn't you get any other idea? I mean, a cockroach?!"

"I'm not sure if my other idea would have worked!" I said, making her laugh again, "Yeah, I agree!" She said, "But, I'm surprised that you spend your day off in your college's playground?"

"Well, this place gives me true happiness," I looked at the students and smiled, "The time I spent here reminds me of my time when I used to be a free guy, when no pressure of work or responsibilities were on my shoulders, when I only and only cared about my grades, night outs and girls," We both chuckled, "Those days were beautiful, and when I come here I feel as if I'm not a grown up man who has a huge corporation to run but a kid who only want to be happy."

"If so? Then, I should also visit my college," We chuckled at each other and took a step forward but halted when my secretary called me from my back. I turned around and my smile vanished because I very well understand the meaning of the expressions she was giving me.

I sighed, "Where?"

"In the office!" She said, "Angry like never before!"

.

.

.

"I don't believe this, I don't believe this, I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!!!" Dad shrieked at me by slamming his fists on his wooden desk. I was lying on the comfy sofa with my legs resting on the arms of it as it was quite small for my height. "I'm fed up with you, Paxton, I'm fed up!" I exhaled audibly because his old same boring lecture was going to start, "Tell me one person in this entire universe who plays football with kids instead of dealing with his pending work!!" I got up from my sofa and walked towards the file cabinet, "Are you ignoring me, son?"

I grabbed a file out of my cabinet and turned to him, "Whether I speak or not, you will never understand me!" I lifted my shoulders and added, "So, it's better I stay quiet."

"Son, you're the CEO of Grey's industries! It's not appreciative that at the time of looking after your responsibilities you were playing football with kids!!"

"It's Saturday, Dad!" I reminded him aloud, and took my seat back on the sofa. "It was my day off, and you ruined it with your unwanted appearance there!" I shot my one brow up and asked, "Are you mad because nowadays I'm spending time with the orphans?"

"No!" He refused, "I don't have any problem with those kids. In fact, I really like that you love them! The thing that bothers me is that you don't understand the value of your time, son!"

"Forgive me, but I can't work during my day off!" I looked at him over my file, "And if you keep pushing me to work during my holidays, I will have to call my lawyer and sue you!" I chuckled, trying to ease the atmosphere with my lame joke but maybe it didn't worked.

He sighed, "Why are you like this, huh?" I scoffed and looked away, "Why aren't you normal?"

I looked at him and repeated, "Normal?" He didn't answer. I smiled to myself, "You mean, if I don't over work like others, then I'm abnormal?"

"I didn't mean that!" He tried to justify but the fire was already inflamed, "I'm just trying to-

"Don't!" I cut him off, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken a day off," He sighed, feeling guilty for saying that, "In fact, I should have took a permanent leave!"

He frowned, "What?"

"I'm done!" I said and got up, putting the file on the sofa. He got up too and looked at me surprised as I started wearing my coat, "Paxton?" He begged, but hell if I was stopping.

"Get a normal son for yourself because this abnormal son is going!"

"Are you really leaving me?" He questioned the amount of sadness twisted my heart, "I'm your father, Paxton!"

"Yeah," I nodded, "A father who's so stupid to believe that I will ever leave him!" Saying this, I burst into laughter, but he.

"You are indeed abnormal!" He said, and I laughed more.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, but received the look that said apologies, not accepted. I chuckled, and walked towards him, "Alright, don't forgive me, but I am normal! You just need to accept my way of work, Dad. You know, since the day I took the chair of the CEO, whether I over work or not, this business has never fallen," He nodded, "I know, I'm the CEO and I very well understand the value of time, but I can't just work all the time."

He sighed, and took his back seat while I stared at him all confused if he understood my point or ignored me as usual, "What?" He asked, lifting his shoulders.

"Aren't you supposed to argue or maybe agree with me?" I questioned.

He replied, "Why don't you go to New York and join your best-friend's birthday party!" My mouth hung open with surprise as his unbelievable words hit my ear, "Do you want me to change my statement?" He asked.

"Really?" I broke into a mocking chuckle, "If I leave tomorrow, then who will take care of the work?"

"Me!" His answer filled me with happiness but the fact that he's a heart patient worried me, "Don't you dare say I'm retired because it is my building, son!"

"You really think I will hand over my headache to not only a retired man, of course, but also to a sick man?"

"I'm not sick!" He argued, offended.

"Oh, yeah! A person with a BP problem, a sugar problem, a heart problem and what problem not, isn't called sick!" He didn't speak back, why would he? I huffed and looked away, searching for a solution, but my thinking process was disturbed when somebody knocked on my door.

"Come in!" He allowed. The door opened and the person who walked in brought a huge smile on my face, "Good evening, Mr Grey," greeted Chloe with that same sweet smile on her lips.

"Oh! Good evening, my daughter-in-law," Said Dad, standing up and walking towards her to take her in a hug, but before he could, I grabbed her forearm and yanked her to me, "What?" She was surprised with my action.

"I need a fiance favor!"