Safia had to reach the 29th floor where the coffee machine was situated using the stairs because the elevator wasn't working. By the time she reached the floor, there was a huge line at the coffee machine. She waited and made black coffee for Sion just as Layla instructed her. “People with black heart always prefer black coffee.” She thought to herself and dragged her feet in high heels back on the staircase.

“Why are you so late? Does making a simple coffee take twenty minutes? Or you were on your way impressing another man over there who could clear your company’s dues?” Sion asked while taking the cup of coffee from the tray.

Safia tightened her lips in indignation. “The elevator broke. I had to take the stairs to bring coffee for you. Even near the coffee machine there was a huge line. I had to wait in the list.”

“Are you Queen Victoria that people will give space for you leaving their turn?” He asked, sipped his coffee and put on a face like he was about to puke. Sion immediately threw the rest of the contents in the dustbin. “What sort of beverage is this? I have never tasted such bitter coffee in my lifetime. Don't you even know how to make coffee?”

The face of Safia became pale like a ghost. “I noted down your coffee preference from Layla and made it exactly the way she instructed me.”

“Oh, is that why this is so perfect? Come on, make another. I can't function without my morning coffee.” He said and started typing on the computer.

Safia stood there for a moment more contemplating if she could ask him permission. Her legs were urging her to give them a break. She opened her lips and then closed them like a fish but nevertheless decided the heartless monster before her wouldn't ever agree.

“Why are you standing here before me like a statue? Come on, get to work.” He looked at her clueless as if he had no idea about her misery. No sooner had the door closed, the lips of Sion stretched from one end to another in vainglorious satisfaction.

‘Is this why he told her to have breakfast and only then come to the office? The man is a rogue.’ - Safia thought aloud. He married her only for revenge and to make her life miserable. There was no way he could tolerate her happiness even in her work place so he brought her to his office to make her suffer.

The whole day he made her go around making him coffee using the stairs. By the time Safia reached home, both her legs were swollen like elephant’s legs and she could not even take steps to the washroom. How was she going to survive in his office and save her company?

The next day she wore flats instead of pencil heels. Safia wouldn't take any chances regarding the devil for a boss. By 5:30 in the morning she was dressed in a pink blouse and black plants with her hair in a bun.

Safia was waiting in the dining hall for Sion while sipping her morning coffee. The maid did not arrive as it was still early in the morning. So she made a few toasts with fried eggs and fruit juice. It had been more than half an hour and Sion had not even come down.

On further thought Safia decided she should start at the office before he accused her again.

There were several cars parked beside the lobby with drivers in white uniform waiting. One of them came forward and saluted her. He tried to take her bag as soon as she came out. But Safia refused. “Thank you for the help. I have already booked an Uber. It's waiting for me over there.” She pointed to the taxi parked a few steps away from the fleet of cars Sion owns.

Safia did not want to use any benefits of being the wife of Sion Canes, the world's famous billionaire. She was just his spouse on paper.

When she stood before the entrance of Wellcrow Vineyards head office the place looked quiet. Nobody had arrived at the office yet. But Sion told her that they start by 6 am in the morning.

The security guard was stunned, greeted her and asked, “Ma'am how come you're this early? The staff arrives at 9 am in the morning.”

Safia understood it was all his way of torturing her. While he sleeps soundly on his bed, she has to work in his office from early six in the morning.

Safia gave a forced smile. She did not want to let the security guard know Sion was in the process of torturing her. “I have a heavy load of work. So I thought I should come early and finish it before the boss arrives.”

The guard flashed a friendly smile and gave her the way to get inside through the entrance.

By the time Sion came back home after his morning walk the maid Freya had informed him that Safia had already left for the office. A sadistic grin occupied his features after hearing the news.

Half an hour later, dressed in a crisp black suit, he settled on his leather chair and rang the bell for his personal assistant to come in. But instead of Layla, Safia came rushing inside. “Why are you here? I don’t want to start my work every day after looking at your ugly face. Where is Layla?”

That comment was too much for Safia to bear. “That’s right. I don't want to see your mucky face either. But you told me to be here by six in the morning because we start the work early. Also I came to know everyone on your staff starts work at 9. Why do you call me so early when you even loathe to look at my face?”

“This is the special advantage only you have over others. Everyone else will come at nine. But you will be in the office by six because you are my favorite employee.” He spoke sardonically with a smile.

If Safia had the right to kill a person without going to prison, she would have murdered Sion long ago. Such was her irate upon him. “Here is your coffee and it's perfect, just according to your taste. No sugar, two teaspoons of freshly ground

coffee beans and half cup of water.”

Sion moved forward and took a sip. “Hmm, good you learned how to make coffee.” Safia was on top of the world because it was the first time Sion spoke something positive about her. But the happiness didn't last even more than a minute.

"But today, I wish to have a latte.” Sion said, leaning back and relaxing on his super soft leather chair while staring at her in a dare.

She raised a finger to him in a warning. “Look, I don't have all the time to serve you coffee. I'm here to learn about work.”

Sion raised a single brow and gave a lopsided grin. “My office, my rules. If you don’t want to do it, you can…”

“Stop.” Safia already knew what was coming out of him. “I will go and bring a latte for you.”

Thankfully the elevator was working today. The devil had finally decided to relax her torture. She knew the lift was working for everyone in the office the previous day but for her. It was all a part of his plan to make her suffer.

She had made the latte and brought it to him within five minutes. “Hmm, it tastes good. So tell me what is my schedule today.”

“Schedule? Isn’t Layla going to make it?”

Sion looked at her boredly. “I don't have a money minting machine here with which I can feed two assistants. Since you are here, Layla will not be working as my assistant anymore. She is transferred to another department. I don't have all the day for your learning and need my schedule for today within ten minutes. If you bring it even a minute later you will not be allowed inside my room and can go back to your home.”

“Such an asshole…” She muttered and did not waste a minute standing there. Safia practically ran to her cabin and started preparing the schedule of Sion at the speed of a computer. Though she was only one day old in the office, she referred to several files, spoke to a few people who had an idea about the company’s work and prepared the minutes schedule. She was left with hardly a minute before she almost jumped into his office.

Sion had a hard time restricting his smile. He was having super fun at the cost of Safia's grimace.

Safia started reading the contents in the paper she had brought with her. But before she could complete reading out the whole of it Sion stopped her. “At 10:30 I meet the Russian delegates regarding our textile industry collaboration and at 12:00 reach back to the office to attend the shareholders meeting? The traveling time itself from Park Avenue Square to my office will take me an hour because of the peak time traffic. Where will I have time to discuss the important issues in the shareholders meeting? You can't even make a day’s schedule for me and you think you can put your insolvent company back on track without my help? Well it is very obvious to me now, how you got your company to float all these years.” He looked at her curvaceous form head to toe in ridicule.

The eyes of Safia were threatening tears. She knew what he meant by looking at her physique ‘that way’. But she was not going to show her weakness to him by any means. “Please give me two more minutes, sir. I will make it work this time.” Though trying her best, her voice broke in the end.

For a moment there was sadness in Sion but he quickly concealed it bringing his mind back to the present. He had suffered more than a decade because of her. It's not even ten days since she joined Wellcrow Vineyards. He will make her suffer till her forefathers come out of their grave and plead with him to save her.

****

The next week on Sunday

“So what's your analysis for third quarter numbers?” Karen asked, playing billiards with Sion.

“They've been improving dad since we took over Sangria Vineyards. We will soon be the richest and most powerful wine makers…” Sion was stopped by Karen.

“Not so early, son. Los Santos has the only vineyard that we don't own. It's finally on the market. 50 acres and it's in probate. The executor is required to sell the property by the 24th December. There's a showing up there tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm. So it's going to take a little finesse. Blend in. If word gets out that Wellcrow Wines is interested, we could find ourselves in a bidding war.” Karen informed aiming the red on the billiards board.

“Okay dad, I will tell Layla to book our private jet for tomorrow morning.” Sion spoke, taking the red which Karen missed earlier.

“Good job.” Karen made a high-five. “Take Layla with you. She is experienced, and will be a great help to you at Los Santos. By the way, the name of the mission is Honeybee estate Vineyard.”

“It is the oldest wine we now have in our winery. How does it taste?” Karen asked with expectancy after Sion took a sip.

Sion put the glass at an arm's length and gave a satisfactory nod observing it. “Blue berry, black pepper and earthy, I like it.”

“Your palate is incredible, son. I wish to relax now and you take over the whole company.”

“Don't say such words dad. You have a long way to go.” Sion hugged his father.

“It’s a Shiraz blend from the cooler climate of the Yarra valley.” Karen pointed to the glass in Sion’s hand.

“I would like to add something more to our conversation.” Sion said hesitantly in thought. “Instead of Layla, Safia will be coming with me.”

Karen raised his head and looked at his son appalled. “You were a tosser, angry and destructive as a kid. I bore it and all this while I maintained my silence. But now it's time, I need to warn you, the game you are playing is very dangerous. Some people take years to sketch and counter their enemy but you brought her to live under your own roof. You had a registered marriage with no third eye coming to know about it. What are you going to tell the media? I heard you had already promised a press conference.”

“Sion” Karen held the upper arms of his son in affection. “Your mom and I had already suffered for years losing your sister, we can’t afford to lose you too.”

Sion kept his silence for a moment, taking a sip of wine. “Dad, there is no fun in the game which has no challenge in it. I had suffered enough because of her. This time, the victory is mine.”

“Don't sleep like a log because I announced Christmas vacation for the staff. The vacation is for my employees. It's not for famous personalities like you whom I love dearly and always want to keep by my side. So tomorrow we are going to Los Santos by early morning flight.” Sion informed Safia while passing through her room to reach him.

Safia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. He was acting as if he had been so considerate towards her. It has been fifteen days since she joined Sion’s company and there has been no weekend and no Best for her. Every day she gets up at 4:30 in the morning, rushes with her routine and is seen before the Wellcrow Vineyards head office by six in the morning. “I thought I was your employee because I did not get any extra benefits of being your favorite person.”

Just then his phone began to ring in his pants pockets and immediately his features changed to fury after looking at the caller id. “Beat him to pulp. We are not going to spare him until he gives us the truth. Got it?”

‘So cruel?’ The man was a monster from every side that she looked at him. “Why are we going to Los Santos?” She asked him meekly contemplating if he would answer her question.

“It's an official tour. Our wedding is only on paper. So don't build hopes that I will be taking you to a honeymoon.” He snarled at her and walked to his room.

If only she had the rights…she would pull his tongue out of his throat, cut it into pieces and throw it in the dustbin. Safia ran behind him trying to match his long treads. “How long are we going to stay?”

“Why? You need to bake cookies here?” He asked her arrogantly, removing the Rolex off his wrist.

“Don't I need to pack my bag? Why do you always have to take all my questions the negative way?” This time Safia couldn't control her sorrow and allowed it to surface on her features.

“I'm like this. If you can't live with me, I'm not pleading with you to do so. You are free to repay the money I paid for your company and walk out of this marriage.” Safia gulped heavily in terror.

“We will stay there until I finish my deal. So the time is not fixed when we return. Now if you allow me some privacy…” He removed his first shirt button and beckoned to the door.

Safia's eyes were on a feast, getting a glimpse of his hairy, muscled chest. ‘Thank heavens! He did not see her reddened features. How could she have feelings for a man who did nothing but insult her with every chance he got?’ Despite undergoing the worst treatment there was something in him that attracted her. Maybe he is not as harsh as he shows himself.

As she walked back to her room she saw her phone ringing. “Hey dad, how are you?” Safia asked Soren forcefully replacing her glumness to cheer. “Guess what? We are going to Los Santos tomorrow morning.”

“Good Evening, my princess. I understand it's your honeymoon. See I told you Sion is not a bad man. You just did not understand him. It takes time to settle down. Believe me, you will turn out to be a wonderful couple.”

Safia dried her tears in a handkerchief and allowed her dad to dwell in the happiness. Luckily he can’t see her. She did not disclose to him that it was not their honeymoon but a business trip.

“Los Santos has beautiful weather during this part of the year. The place is famous for grapes and wine. You must surely visit a winery there. And they have this beautiful wine festival too somewhere in this part of the year. Ask Sion to take you there. As a kid I used to frequent the place because my grandparents used to stay there.” Safia could already imagine Soren's eyes glistening with happiness sharing with her his beautiful childhood memory. Also she could understand why Sion wanted to visit Los Santos. The place is famous for wine and he is a wine industry mogul.

“I hope you have learnt many things regarding how to bring our family business back on track.” Soren stated cheerily.

“Of course daddy. I learnt many important things from Sion.” Safia could do anything to see her dad happy. Sion was only taking his revenge on her by employing her in his office. In the last fifteen days the only two tasks she did was schedule his meetings and prepare coffee for him. All the office work was handled by Layla. She was more of a maid than his assistant. Sometimes Safia felt desperate and useless because of Sion’s behavior towards her.

The next morning at six, they were ready. Safia walked down the stairs in a white off shoulder gown which reached just above her knees. She was holding a matching handbag and wearing white stilettos. For a moment did she see a sort of Spencer in his eyes?

Sion observed her head to toe and walked to the entrance ahead of her without speaking anything. ‘Is this man always without any feelings, like a robot?’ The driver put her luggage in the trunk along with Sion’s and held the door open for her as she got into the car.

The drive towards the airport was long and she did not know when her eyes went closed. But in the middle of her sleep she could smell ‘his’ scent and the soft beating of his heart beneath her head. Her face was cocooned in a big warm hand as if he was shielding her from the problems of the world.

Whatever this moment was, Safia did not want it to end. She felt protective in the dwelling and snuggled deeper into the feeling when she heard a rough growl from someone.

After sometime she felt someone softly tapping her on her cheek and calling her. When her eyes finally opened, she saw the fierce eyes of Sion. “Were you planning to sleep all day like a lazy panda?”