A/N: So this takes place after Zeus got hit at this night event. Paparazzis are going crazy on him and camp outside of Tartarus buildings. Irina heard about the fight and decided to come visit him to give him some support and this is how the two love interests meet for the first time. Asma can't bring herself to hate the girl and decides that the best for her is to move on from Zeus but that bitch stings and she can barely hold her composure. Zeus himself feels awkward because he's responsible for the whole mess, but he set things in motion and he can't back up. It's also the very first time I do write Irina. So it's Irina centric mostly.
Part1: first meeting
Part2: Compromise (Zeus and Irina and a little bit of Asma) {coming next}
Part3: Maturity/let's panic together (Irina and Asma talking)
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
Irina Tchekovka was a lovely woman. She was raised as a good Catholic girl with a top-notch education because her parents were two famous scientists. The mother was working on an oil rig while the father was working at a lab, for a big pharmacological company. Both wanted their daughter to follow their paths so she studied hard but before she could go to college, she became a supermodel. At first, she auditioned just for fun and because a friend of hers was auditioning but when they offered her a contract, her parents agreed to it if they were her agents. It happened and she became in a span of 2 years, one of the very few last supermodels, next to Heidi Klum and Naomi Campbell. She was a friend of Cara Delevingne, was seen attending charities and gala with famous actors and people but always seemed to be very discreet. She never drank, never was plastered on tabloids and really flew under the radar of the press until she started to date Zeus Olympian.
Zeus was infamous, for his god-made looks, for his aggressive behavior in public events, for his father who was one of the most hated criminals in the country -he ran a Ponzi scheme who left millions indebted and threw many people into the streets or extreme poverty-. Of course, the son worked very hard to erase the father's history from his company and remove the bitter taste Hercules Olympian left in so many people mouths but he was an asshole. It didn't help his reputation despite his good looks and cunning mind. Zeus was known as Asshole Extraordinaire so imagine everybody's surprise when they learned he was dating the sweet and problem-free Irina Tchekovka? It felt like an Earthquake because they were polar opposites, at least, in public and people couldn't comprehend how on Earth these two could get along. Irina discovered what being on tabloids felt like, how it felt to be harassed on the streets by journalists, how it felt to be insecure about her relationship. It drained both of them and both went through on and off phases initiated by him or her because they couldn't deal with the pressure.
Irina knew Zeus. She got six years to know the man after all and those six years were quite eventful. She knew who he really was, far from being an asshole like he had to in public, in private Zeus, was very kind and respectful and concerned. He ensured she could study incognito and safely because she wanted to have a PH.D. In biochemistry. He ensured she never lacked anything and was willing to drop important moments with business partners if he could spend them with her. She never asked him to do it (save for once but it was an emergency, she had to go to the hospital) but he always did if he felt she needed his presence. He was vulnerable in front of her, talked about the way he was raised, the physical and mental abuse his father, the traumatism of witnessing his mother's suicide and of losing an unborn child because his fiancée got sick and he didn't behave the best way he could have.. he should have. Zeus confessed a lot of things to the blonde who listened to him and comforted him. He found peace by her sides and as surprisingly as it sounded like, he genuinely loved her. She loved him too, for this version of Zeus was so much better than the public image he suffered from. She knew he had a good heart, his company was a good company, doing good to their customers, inspiring the competition to go clean and adopt better policies to benefit their employees. Zeus might have been ruthless and demanding, his employees won the lottery and they knew it.
So of course, when that fight scandal broke, a few weeks after they officially announced their engagement, Irina decided to go to Tartarus and see Zeus. It could have been a PR move (and it was, she was showing him support) but she genuinely just wanted to make sure he was doing okay. The whole company went on fire, the moment they saw her walk in. She was appreciated by the staff, admired even but this time something spicier did happen. They all knew that something happened between the boss and Asma and gossips and bets took place. They wanted to know how the two women in their boss life would react when they met each other. Nobody really knew. Some, like Madeleine, thought that Asma would run away and avoid confrontation but others like Karina and Tom thought that Asma would assault Irina and fight and be loud about it -It was Tom who pushed the idea since he was prejudiced against black women-
Asma herself didn't know how to react to Irina's presence if she ever had to meet her. She always fantasized about telling her straight that she shouldn't have accepted Zeus proposal, that he had someone who loved him and kissed her during Irina and Zeus breaks up period and that if after six years nothing came out of it, then she shouldn't bother. That was the plan, right? It should happen like that. It didn't! Asma froze when she saw Irina that morning. She literally froze and let her come close enough for Irina to recognize her as Zeus personal assistant and come and greet her. Being warm and outgoing, he blonde just gave Asma a big hug and patted her back.
« Thank you, thank you so much for dragging Zeus out of that party. I am so sorry he caused you some troubles. He tends to be very hot-blooded in public. »
« I...It was nothing. I was just doing my job Miss Tchekovka. » Asma swallowed a lump and held her boss' girlfriend back so not to seem disrespectful. Her eyes were wide open as she didn't know how to react to this behavior. It wasn't something she expected at all and it took her back. Irina broke the embrace and smiled warmly at Asma who quickly took her to Zeus office. His heart jumped at the sight of the two ladies who were side by side and he quickly glanced at Asma who was mortified and justifiably so and Irina who was just happy to see her fiancé. She didn't even wait and entered the office to give him a hug and a kiss. Zeus blue eyes stared into Asma as he watched her face lose composure at the sight of him kissing his fiancée. She cleared her throat and whispered a weak « I have to go. I have some work to do. » before she closed the door and Zeus had to look at Irina.
« So how was it to see the real competition Asma? » Tom asked as she walked past his office.
« Shut the fuck up Tom. You're an idiot! » She said as she quickly walked towards Madeleine's office. She slammed the door behind her and leaned against it. Madeleine was alarmed at her friend and stood up from her chair to come and comfort Asma who let herself fall onto the ground. « I can't do this... I can't do this Maddie. »
« You can't do what? »
« I wanted to hate Irina. It was easier right? I wanted to but she's just too damn good. She's perfect! She's perfect and I'm an asshole. » She said holding her head together with both hands and sobbing.
« Don't be silly. Yes, Irina is a good person so what? You are great too. Listen, the plan here is not to get Zeus. He made his decision when he chose Irina. He chose her ! And you're too good of a babe to be wasted like that by an asshole like him. Do you hear me? » Asma nodded and looked down at her lap. « Asma, I'm serious. He's only bringing you pain and heartbreak. Irina has nothing on you. » Madeleine was impatient. She did want her friend to get better faster but it was a long game they were playing. Asma genuinely fell in love with Zeus and that type of love never really left. Madeleine herself was in this on and off relationship with Zoe, whom she knew was terrible for her mental health given how manipulative and possessive she was. So who was she to push Asma to hurry up and escape from the woes caused by love? She stood up to get Asma some handkerchief and crouched again in front of her friend. « Please Asma, please. Don't ever think that you're not good enough. »
« ….If you say so. » She said, puffing her cheeks and wiping tears off of her face with the handkerchief. « I don't know... I mean, you're right, Irina isn't perfect but she's damn close to it. » She said, as she took her phone from her bag and started to search for pictures of Irina and showed them to Madeleine. « But look at her though, look at her! In real life, she's even prettier! »
« Asma! It doesn't work like that! Stop doing this! » She said as she removed the phone from her friend's hand and put it on her desk. « Take a deep breath. Do you have some work today or not? »
« Not really. He's busy with her and hadn't given me any assignment so I suppose I'm free for an hour? » Madeleine grinned at her.
« Then you can chill at my office for an hour. I could use your help on some stuff, sit there. »
(TBC)
No comments:
Post a Comment