Mutual Hate (Maribat Daminette)

Chapter 1

They say first impressions are everything. It was certainly true in this instance.

What a first impression it was. For Damian, it was pure revulsion. He hated the girl in front of him.

Upon his university graduation, Damian had begun his induction into Wayne Enterprises. He was determined to take over for his father one day, both as the Bat, and the co-CEO. This involved learning about every department. His father had set up a series of work experiences over the past six months, shadowing others and leading departments and projects whenever possible. It was a big task, but Damian was determined to prove himself. Success at this meant moving onto a more intensive managerial role until his father retired from the company.

He had little interest in most of the departments, such as marketing and human resources, but had looked forward to the art department, only to have it wrecked by... her.

As he strolled into the main project room of the art department, she was running around preparing the area for his arrival. He watched as she tripped over her own bag, falling towards him. The paint in her hands went flying into the air as she instinctively grasped for anything to hold onto. The result was a gigantic mess all over the art room and herself. He instinctively moved to grab her before she hurt herself.

A move he instantly regretted.

Her collision resulted in the paint that covered her front marring his suit as well. The paint can closest to him impacted with the floor, sending paint flying upwards towards him. He closed his eyes just in time for the paint to splash several drops over his face.

The girl clambered to right herself, slipping in the paint, and he steadied her briefly with his arm.

Then she went into panic mode, trying to simultaneously apologize, her words coming out in partial sentences and half completed 'sorry's, and try to clean his suit, invading his personal space in the process.

Damian had a brief moment of weakness where he relished the feel of her hands on his chest, biting back his desire to hum at her ministrations as her fingers ran down his abs while trying to wipe up the paint on his shirt. She moved lower in an attempt to clean up the giant paint stains that were setting into his pants, her hands running dangerously close to his groin and his mind wandered to wonder what those hands could do... before his mind snapped back to reality.

A stranger was practically groping him.

He glowered at her, still ignoring her panicked apologizing, and glanced down at her hands. She saw his hate-filled glare, and her eyes widened in shock. She backed up and promptly started apologizing for that.

"I-I'm so sorry! I don't know what I was thinking! Let me get you a towel!" She reached for the one on her smock. It was filthy. "Ah! Let me get you another one. A clean one!"

Her constant stream of apologies only made it worse. He clenched his fists and tensed his body in an attempt not to break her arm for touching him and invading his space, like he had back at school. He was better than that now. Really, he was. He just needed to remember it. Justice, not vengeance. He could do that. He would just get the sexually assaulting woman fired.

He stormed out to inform his father of the immediate need to fire the woman and to change into a new suit. His first stop was the office to provide his father with enough evidence to fire her. He stormed in, leaving a paint smear on the doorhandle.

"The jezebel in my office has got to go. Look what she did!"

Drake laughed at Damian's appearance, causing Damian's anger to boil to the brim. His father mouthed the word 'Jezebel,' as if wondering where Damian learned it.