Chapter 11

Ding! The bedside alarm vibrated noisily making Pandora cringe in her sleep. Even though she had retired to bed early, her head stung as if a hangover was setting in.

Ten years ago, she would have slipped into her fluffy flip-flop and skidded downstairs, her feet stomping to the smell of freshly baked pancakes, but now as she spun around, her hand landed on a bristled chest that felt nappy to her touch. She ran the tip of her fingers from his broad chest to the nape of his jaw. She felt the man squeeze out a half-smile and reciprocate with a kiss on her forehead. This man was Ethan Sawyer.

Ever since the fashion show when he asked her to love him, he considered himself the luckiest man in the world. He silently cursed Braxton for ever letting go of such a rare gem like Pandora and on the other hand thanked him for handing him the opportunity to show her how much he loved her.

" Babe, good morning," she greeted, pulling the bed sheets off her legs. " I'm off to make coffee, do you want some?"

" Yes of course, and I want you too," his eyes narrowing, he leaped from the bed trying to reach her. He was a second late as she had run to the kitchen, and was out of his grasp.

Their life together has been bliss and love all through, even though he was a bit overprotective at times. He had begged her to sleep over, the previous night, and here she was preparing his breakfast.

Pandora was turning the last piece of pancake when two strong arms lifted her onto the countertop trailing kisses down her exposed neck. She instinctively dropped the spatula in her hand and wrapped her arms around his neck digging her fingers into his dark hair. He nibbled at her neck and didn't break for air until the smell of burnt food crept under their nostrils and triggered the fire alarm.

Laughing at their childish mistake, they switched off the alarm and dispersed the smoke. Ethan rushed upstairs to freshen up for work leaving his girlfriend to package his lunch and beverage, after setting his breakfast. He was ever grateful for Pandora as she proved to be very supportive especially with his very hoaxed schedule.

After carrying the necessary documents, he sped off in his BMW for work, kissing her goodbye, and leaving her to lock up after his departure.

She locked up and went to her office to attend the meeting her assistant, Mrs. Mandy, had called her to. She was on the verge of closing a huge and promising

endorsement deal and a charge pressed against her was the only remaining block hindering her from the deal signing.

Her company was accused of being a dupe and using a model without compensating her with the agreed amount. In simple terms, the model; Amber Jones, a contracted model of DePan Modelling Firm, claims that the managing director, Pandora De Mevius, is guilty of exploiting her by not keeping up her end of their agreement. The court hearing was scheduled to hold later that day and she needed to meet with Mandy to know how to handle the issue.

Deep down she knew the fault wasn't from her. Her financial accountant claimed to have forgotten to hand over her payment check after the show. When she confronted him the next day, he made sexual advances at her insisting she pleases him erotically in exchange for her check. He was so drunk to even notice that their conversation was being recorded. All these shreds of evidence were to be presented today.

It's been barely three years since they first opened their doors and a scandal had already sprouted in their midst. Praise heavens, the fraudulent accountant was stripped of his position since the scandal, and he was in police custody. The only remainder now was to clear her company name, and that she was determined to do.