The Heart of a Monster

”Can I ask you a question? ” Eliana asked, her eyes darting between her fingers and Julians face.

”Go on, ” he said. He was focused on the tablet in front of him.

”Last night…why did you do that? You are, don get me wrong, a pristine gentleman with manners typical of every high class man…but last night, you suddenly… ” She lightly touched her neck as the memory came back to her.

He looked up to her, then slowly raised a hand to her chin. Her eyes lifted up to meet his striking black eyes, and he gave a little smile.

”I apologize. Did I do something? ”

A second passed and she blinked, then moved her face away from his hand. He slowly put his hand back as she did, and watched her keenly.

She shook her head. ”Do something? ”

He smiled. ”Do not mind me. ”

She nodded and went back to facing her fingers, before the sight gradually took her mind off it.

Julian smiled to himself. He didn think he would have to make her forget that slip up in his otherwise stainless character, but seeing how she asked, he believed he needed to.

He was Julian Donovan, afterall. He didn need to reflect his heart to everyone. At least, for the sake of humanity, he could be beautiful, even if that beauty was only skin deep.

Donovan group of companies was a giant picturesque skyscraper that seemed to have its origins fron the 1800s. The architecture gave the place the grace and antique, classic beauty of the past, while maintaining as much modernisation as it could.

Julian stepped out first, then went around just as Eliana got down too. He let her perch on his arm, and they gracefully made their way to the main office building.

Eliana thought a man of Julians stature would bring fear and cause a silent uproar, but what she saw was different.

They seemed almost excited with the genuine way they greeted him, and the general atmosphere in the office.

Eliana swallowed as some of the greetings extended to her too. Just yesterday, at around this time, she was a simple broke girl looking for the next penny. Now…

Julian led her to his private elevator and they headed for the first floor.

”You seem like a good boss. ”

He smiled. ”Do I? ”

”From the way your workers seem to tap in to their real selves around you…most definitely. You have to be a good boss to achieve that. ”

”And you, Eliana? Why have you not tapped into your true self around me? ”

The question came as a surprise. ”I didn realize I wasn being myself. ”

”You seem afraid. Like you have seen me hurt someone before. I am harmless. ” But harmless and he together could never come in a statement, and he knew it. He knew it all too well.

”My true self may be a little too crude for this kind of environment. ” She admitted. She was insecure, a little bit from her poor background and mostly from her own lack of self esteem. She didn need him to look at her like some village hillbilly he had rescued. She didn want hin to change the way he saw her because she was showing him who she really was.

”Crude? ” He laughed. ”I beg to differ, but you have every element of sophistication in you. Believe me, I am not one to give out undue compliments. ”

She laughed heartily, the first genuine one ever since she met him. ”I was about to say, you flatter me a little too much. ”

He smiled too, just as the elevator opened. He let her go first, then followed behind her.

”I am glad I made a quick follow up with that. ”

She gave him an approving nod, feeling her body ease on its own. She had felt very tense around him before now, but after that little chat, he felt more like a friend. Like someone she could talk to.

He led her to his secretarys office. The secretary, a beautiful woman who looked about twenty five and with killer fashion sense, greeted both of them.

”I will call you later when I need you to come. ”

Eliana nodded immediately. She watched his back as he made his way into the large office room, and the door closed him away from her sight.

”Have a seat, ” the secretary urged.

Eliana whispered a ”thank you ”, then sat on the seat she had being offered.

”Gentlemen, did I keep you waiting? ”

Lucas looked up, juat as Cole did. They did seem like father and son.

”Of course not, Mr. Julian. It was worth every second. ”

Julian smiled. ”Of course. My company stands to benefit nothing from this deal, especially since Miles corp is going bankrupt. Is that not so, gentlemen? ”

He smiled again, then went through the files in front of him. Lucas cleared his throat a little uncomfortably, and turned to Cole.

”Mr. Julian, of course we are working on getting Miles corp back on its feet. It is..a very unfortunate phase we are going through, but it will pass in no time. ”

Julian nodded. ”It will indeed pass. Just like its glory. ” He laughed to himself at that, but he was the only one that appreciated the humor.

Lucas only grew more uncomfortable, and Cole gritted his teeth.

They badly needed his investment to get their factories working again. All the branches are on a stop due to lack of funding, and if things continued that way, they would have to file for bankruptcy in the next two weeks.

Lucas couldn bear Julians subtle taunts, but he found being poor even worse.

”We can guarantee returns, Mr. Julian. ”

Julian nodded. ”You don have to guarantee anything, but…there is indeed one criteria you need to fulfill. ”

Lucas leaned forward. ”Please tell me. ”

He smiled. ”I came with a friend of mine today, who will start overseeing all my pending cmtracts. She has quite the discerning eye for profit. ” It made him smile again. ”If she approves of this deal, I will sign it, but if she doesn …I am afraid we will have to call it off. ”

Lucas swallowed, his eyes widening.

”Let her go through the papers, then. ” Cole said a little confidently. It was his first deal under his fathers company and his sleepless nights was sure to bring a great deal.

”Of course, ” Julian said and stood to his desk. ”With pleasure. ”