Demented Desire

ONE

CHAPTER ONE : Beneath The Contract.

I sat in the conference room, my fingers tapping nervously against the armrest of the chair, my stomach flipping in anxiety. The early morning light filtered through the tall glass windows, casting long shadows across the polished table. Despite the bright surroundings, a heavy atmosphere settled between me and Mr. Finnegan. A man in his late fifties and owner of our company, he was usually stern but fair, now bore deep lines of exhaustion and worry.

The digital clock on the wall ticked steadily, each second amplifying the tension in the air. I could feel it the ticks ticking my anxiety thick and suffocating. For weeks, there had been whispers of financial trouble within the company, murmurs of budget cuts and layoffs, but no one expected it to be this bad. As general manager, I had been left in the dark about the worst of it until now, they didn't even bother to inform me and it angered me.

“We’re going under, Celene.” Finnegan’s voice broke through my thoughts, low and steady but edged with defeat. “The numbers are worse than I expected. If we don’t find a solution soon, the company will be bankrupt by the end of the quarter.”

My stomach practically dropped at his words, the implications crashing down like a wave. I had been with the company for years, to be specific; five years. I had poured my energy into making it the premier catering service for high-end events. We had built a name, a reputation—yet none of that mattered if the financials were collapsing around them.

“How did we let it get this bad?” I  asked, my voice tight with frustration. “We were doing well with our clients, expanding even. What happened?”

Mr. Finnegan sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “The expansion cost us more than we could afford. The demand was there, but the overhead... it was too much. We were stretched thin trying to cater to too many regions too quickly. It’s a classic mistake, and now, we’re paying the price.”

I sighed as I leaned forward, trying to keep up my composure as I absorbed the reality of the company's situation. “So, what’s the plan? Do we have any options left?” I asked hoping there was any solution to get out of this mess.

Mr. Finnegan nodded slowly, his expression a mix of determination and resignation. “There is one option, but it’s not ideal. It’s the only way to save us. Ivan Industries.”

The mention of Ivan company made my stomach churn. Ivan Industries, a global hotel conglomerate, was known for its luxurious hotels spanning every major city in the world. Their reach was unmatched, and their influence intimidating. I felt a familiar surge of tension at the name, my thoughts quickly drifting to its CEO—Aaron himself, oh god him... how can I forget that asshole?.

“How does Ivan Industries fit into this?” I asked, I made an attempt of trying to suppress the bitterness in my tone. The thought of working with him sent a shiver down my spine, no way in hell I'm working with him.

Mr. Finnegan cleared his throat, his gaze steady. “Aaron’s hotels need a reliable catering service to manage their food and beverage operations globally. They’re interested in acquiring our company’s expertise. If we can make a deal with them, we’ll survive. In fact, we could thrive under their umbrella, with their financial backing.”

I froze, my fingers stilled, the idea sinking in. “But there’s a catch, isn’t there?” I said quietly, I knew Mr. Finnegan well enough to sense when he was holding something back. He was often candid, but now he hesitated.

His silence was enough of an answer.

“What is it?” I pressed on , my voice sharper now, fueled by both fear and anger.

“They’ll bail us out, but under one condition: you have to work with Aaron’s company for some time... ” he said, finally meeting my gaze. “They want you to manage the transition, oversee how our services are integrated into their hotels. Aaron’s specific about this. He knows you—our manager is the best at what you do, and he won’t go through with the deal unless you’re involved.”

My heart sank further, does he know it's me?. “You can’t be serious,” I  muttered, leaning back in the chair. The last thing I wanted was to work for Aaron—God I did not wanted to be near that man by any chance. He was cold, arrogant, and ruthless, the opposite of everything I stood for. The idea of being under his thumb for God knows how long felt like a betrayal, I felt like crawling out of my skin.

“I wish there was another way,” Mr. Finnegan said, his tone apologetic. “But without this deal, we’re finished. We can’t recover on our own.”

I sighed as I stared out of the window, my mind racing. My entire career was built on the success of this company. I had given it everything, and the thought of letting it crumble wasn’t something I could accept. Yet, the idea of working for Aaron, day in and day out, felt like a punishment. My chest tightened at the thought of having to interact with him, much less report to him.

“What if I refuse?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, the rebellion within myself bubbling to the surface.

Mr. Finnegan’s expression darkened. “Then we lose everything. I can’t let that happen, Celene. I won’t let the company I’ve dedicated my life to fall apart because of you not wanting to work there for God knows why! . You know how hard we’ve all worked. Your team relies on you. I rely on you.”

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The reality of the situation pressed down on me like a cold bucket of water, the weight of it almost unbearable. I had always prided myself on my resilience, but this... this was going to test me in ways I wasn’t sure I was ready for. The thought of Aaron, with his piercing gaze and that smirk that seemed to mock me with every effort, made my stomach twist. I mentally cursed every damn thing!. But I had to do this... I couldn't let all the hardwork, all the employees, all that years go in waste. I took a deep breath and sat in silence for few minutes reflecting on everything, I braced myself as I spoke.

“Fine. I’ll do it. For the company.” The words left my mouth before I could think better of them, a mix of anger and determination swirling within me

Mr. Finnegan let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, Celene. I know this isn’t easy.”

“Easy?” I snapped, my temper flaring. “That’s the understatement of the year sir. You’re asking me to work with a man I can’t stand, someone who embodies everything I hate about this industry!”

“I understand your feelings about him,” Finnegan said, his voice calm, almost soothing. “But you need to see the bigger picture. This isn’t just about you and Aaron. It’s about saving your team, your friends, your livelihood. You have to put personal feelings aside for the sake of the company.”

I felt my resolve wavering, but I steeled myself against the doubt. “I’m not sure I can do this, Mr. Finnegan. I don’t trust him.” I huffed.

“I know, but you’re strong, Celene. You can handle him. Just focus on the work, keep your head down, and remember why you’re doing this.”

With a heavy heart, I nodded, my jaw set in determination. “I’ll do it. But you need to know this—if he steps out of line, if he tries to undermine me in any way, I won’t hesitate to push back.”

Mr. Finnegan smiled faintly, appreciation flickering in his eyes. “That’s the spirit. Just remember, you’re representing our company now. Show him what we’re made of.”

I took a deep breath for umpteenth time, the weight of the situation settling over me like a cloak. I was not doing this for Mr. Finnegan. I wasn’t even doing this for myself. I was doing it for the company I had helped build from the ground up. No matter what it took, I wasn’t going to let it fall apart nor disappoint the other employees.

As I rose from my chair, ready to leave the conference room and face the challenges ahead, I felt a mix of determination and dread wash over me. This was going to be the fight of my life. Even if it meant walking into the lion’s den, I was damn ready to face Aaron, head-on.