"Quick, kiss me."
I choked on my baguette as I looked up at my boss, his intense grey eyes burning into me as my jaw fell open with a mouthful of chocolate baguette.
"What?" I snapped, was it just me or did my boss suddenly lose his mind? One minute he was talking about rescheduling the meeting booked at two and then he said kiss me, maybe he said something else, maybe it was miss, bliss, piss?
But all the thoughts in my head were swiped away as he stood up from his chair, his tall frame hovering over me before he grabbed my arm so roughly the baguette I was holding fell out of my grip and he pulled me upwards, and the man I have worked for three years and never touched suddenly was pressed against my chest as his lips met mine.
And the piece of baguette in my mouth only made me choke further.
* * *
Gabriel Parish needed the wealth that came when his grandfather passed away, but there was a catch, he had to be married, or have a wife of some sort for at least two years, and the 29 year old bachelor had no intention of ever getting a wife, they were too complicated.
So with the advice of his lawyer, he does the next best thing, claims he had a wife and now they were divorced, only his grandmother needed proof.
And that's how Aurora Rodrigues, the personal assistant of Gabriel was dragged to Greece under the impression of a "business conference" as they paraded her as his ex-wife, without her knowing.
But with the whole family after the wealth if Gabriel fails, he had to make sure she doesn't find out, and he secures the 3 billion inheritance and makes sure he doesn't break his grandmother's heart.
"A Mara must marry a Rivers. There is only one last way. Gabriel marries Asia ..." David's mother was talking.
"Gabriel is a Mara?" Asia asked, mouth open.
"Yes he is, baby. And you are marrying him ..." Asia's mother said.
"Asia is a person with feelings and will not be pushed into marriage," David objected firmly.
"Listen. I have let you children do it your way and so far, nothing has happened. Gabriel marries Asia. Any obstacles will be eliminated. This is not subject to discussion," their old grandfather spoke. There was quiet.
Two families merge for the sake of the Mara Business empire. It was founded by two friends, Mara and Rivers. To merge, the two friends agreed on marriage between their children. But they both had boys.
It takes the next generation for the Rivers family to have daughters, Violet, the older one, and Asia, the younger one.
Violet grows knowing she will be married to David Mara, the current Managing Director at the Mara Empire. Her sister Asia dates someone else and works at the Mara Empire.
Due to working at the same place with David, Asia and David become best friends. This bothers Violet so much she ends up stabbing the sister.
David ends the betrothal. He is gay and Asia knows it. Now David's elder brother Gabriel is forced to marry Asia. They are under pressure to conceive the child of the promise.
Gabriel and Asia have the child of the promise. When old Mr Mara dies, he leaves everything to Asia. She becomes the majority shareholder, instantly having the greatest say in the business. Her husband and brother-in-law have no problem with her at the helm.
Asia hands David her power of Attorney. They are solid friends, often pushing Gabriel to the side.
When Mr Mara, Asia's father-in-law, tries to kill her to gain back control of the Mara Empire, the brothers must pick a side.
The war in the Mara Empire must end with the death of a Mara. But which one?