MNB: Come as you are part 3: Maturity/ Let's panic together (Irina/Asma again)

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. This scene takes place after they met and just show the relationship between Irina and Zeus. (some of it)

Part1: first meeting

Part2: Compromise (Zeus and Irina and a little bit of Asma)

Part3: Maturity/let's panic together (Irina and Asma talking)

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Irina left Zeus office and went to the women's restroom in order to freshen up before her appointment. Her conversation with her fiancé went well and the blonde was hoping that the incident he was involved in a few weeks ago would be forgotten. It was difficult to escape from the paparazzi given how much they were preying on Zeus and his antics but Irina was hopeful. People eventually would get bored of him. What crime did he commit if not just be the son of one the most despicable men of America? His father conned people and stole their money. He preyed on the rich and the poor without discrimination and enriched himself in the process.

He was apprehended and put in jail after he pleaded guilty but that wasn't enough to calm the public's anger towards the man. They extended their hatred to his son. Ever since Hercules was incarcerated, Zeus had to fend for himself and fight tooth and nail to make a brand new reputation. The public was on a fence with him, hesitating between hating him because he was his father's son or hating on him because of his abrasive personality. They were completely disregarding the fact his company was not only legit since he took it over, but also gave back to the people who were spoiled by his father. Could he give that money back? Not really, his father conned thousands of people and refunding them was impossible. However, he invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into local companies that specifically were designed to help the most the people.

Yes, he fought against that other celebrity because he disrespected her and Irina couldn't help but find this chivalrous. As she went to the restroom to make sure her makeup was on point, she heard the noise of flushed toilets and saw Asma who left one of the boxes. Unaware of Irina's presence, she arranged her skirt for a few minutes before she headed towards the sink to wash her hands. Asma froze when she saw Irina, at a clear loss of words.

« You can come closer. I'm not going to eat you, I promise. » Irina joked while she took some lipstick from her purse and opened it. Asma took a deep breath and poured some soap all over her hands.

« I don't mean to disrespect you. I just.. I never thought I'd actually meet you someday. » And she had wished she never did. It already was horrible to endure Tom's taunts every day at the office, but it had been worse to eventually meet the reason of those taunts. Irina was sweet and kind. It might have been the first time they met each other, but Asma was an excellent judge of character and Irina was far from being vapid or self-centered. She glanced at Asma who was now washing her soaped hands and grinned at her.

« You're not disrespecting me. You've been spending the last few months with my fiancé and he is quite a lot to handle. I meant my words earlier. I am grateful you're around him because ever since you entered his life, he's become more... Mmhh relaxed. » She said, pursing her lips to make sure the lipstick was well applied. « I like him better this way. He's been worried almost all of his life and when it became tougher for him, you know when the public started to associate him with his father's crimes and seek for blood., they made him cruel. They made him angry and he started to lash out in spectacular fashion. » Her sweet blue eyes stopped at Asma's face while her hands rested on the sink before her.

« You love him huh ?.. » Asma didn't think twice as her lips worked faster than her brain.

Irina looked at her and blushed slightly. A quick nod of her head answered Asma's question. Of course, she loved Zeus. She had six years to get to know him and being one of the only few he allowed to be close to his heart felt like a privilege. He was a kind soul, a golden heart hidden by thorns and fire but one who would protect you fiercely if he cared about you. He cared a great deal about her, hence why he got in trouble in the first place. She fell in love with him over the years as she understood his soul a lot better and matured herself, on his sides. Asma expected the semi-confession to sting worse than a stingray but it didn't. It actually brought her peace. Irina knew Zeus, she was sincere in her love for the man and Asma could see that love radiate from her. Irina was relaxed when she talked about Zeus, her voice sounded warmer and if she paid attention, Asma could see that the blonde supermodel was breathing a lot harder. Her torso was heaving faster as Irina got flustered. How could Asma hate her?

She turned off the tap and grabbed some toilet paper to dry her hands. Her eyes averted from Irina to the mirror in front and tucked some hair behind her ear. She fell in love with Zeus and if she was honest with herself, loving someone implied she had to make sure they were happy. She had to make sure Zeus was and being with Irina was his choice. She made him happy, and because she did, Asma had to step aside and let him be happy. Her eyes betrayed her sadness as she kept drying her hands. It was painful for her, to force herself to give up on Zeus but it was the most mature decision she could take. Irina cleared her throat and gently put her hand over Asma's arm.

« You're taking such a good care of him Asma. I wanted to thank you for that. »

« I—I don't know what to say to that... I am just doing my job. »

« You have a good influence on him. You should take the compliment. » She said in a soft giggle before her hand stroked Asma's arm and she grabbed her purse. « I wish I could stay longer but I actually have an appointment in half an hour. I would have to leave but we should meet someday, just the two of us so we could talk about Zeus? I would love to. See you around. » She said with a warm smile on her lips.

« See you around. » Asma gave her a tight crooked smile and watched as the blonde left.

Her eyes were wide open and it only was because of her hands, now curled into fists, were hurting that the young woman realized that she was holding back. It hurt since the nails had pierced the skin and it forced Asma to put her hands in a cold stream of water. She was breathing heavily and felt her heartbeats go faster against her ribcage. The conversation was so casual and so charming that it turned her insides upside down. The enemy here wasn't Irina. It wasn't even Zeus. He was on a break when the kiss happened. He was single, technically so they didn't do anything wrong. In his efforts to regain Irina's affection and move on from learning Margot was heavily pregnant, he proposed to the blonde three days after she confessed her feelings to him. How could it not burn? How could it not hurt? Even now, right after she decided that the best thing she could do for both Zeus and herself, would be to let him pursue his life of happiness with Irina and not interfere. They loved each other, Asma was just a detail in their history, well at least she tried to rationalize that in front of the mirror. The tears that were dry a few minutes ago, fell once again and she used her cell phone to text Madeleine.

#Irina left, I have to return to the Boss. We've just met right after I peed. She likes me, of all people, she likes me. I decided to let this go. You were right. I have to.# She then waited for a text from her best friend who quickly responded.

#Yeah? She likes you? Talk about irony. Yeah, do yourself a service. Afterworks later? Girl, you need to drink! #

#Sounds like a plan. C U!#

She said as she put her phone back into her pocket. Her hand nervously ran through her dyed pink locks and she finally sobbed in silence. She knew her broken heart was still being broken and would need a lot more time to heal from that event. Running away from her feelings wasn't a solution anymore, so she wouldn't. Instead, she intended to go through the heartbreak like she should. A couple of sad songs, the company of friends and her best friend and maybe a rebound. Nothing happened with Zeus and nothing would so why put her heart into a twist? She was young, she could get over it. He used her pager to summon her into his office, so she knew that she would have to clean her face and hide all evidence of her turmoil. She wiped her tears off of her face and took another deep breath. She looked great, a gentle pinch on her chocolate cheeks, a subtle chew on her bottom lip and a dash of confidence would help her face her boss.

Little did she know that it only was the beginning of a more complicated dynamic. Little did she know.

(TBC)

MNB : Come as you are part 2 : Golden heart and iron hand (Irina and Zeus)

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. This scene takes place after they met and just show the relationship between Irina and Zeus. (some of it)

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)

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Irina kissed Zeus on the lips a second time as he locked the door behind them and walked further into his office. She loved to look at the minimal decoration he used to personalize the space. A few pictures peppered the room. Some were of him shaking hands with celebrities and presidents alike. Others were of his family when his mother was still alive. Despite the presence of his father on the typical family portrait -with him standing next to his wife and having a young 12 years old Zeus in between his parents-, Zeus loved this picture because it was the last of his mom. She was gorgeous, and Zeus clearly took after her good looks. They shared the same eyes, blue and intense as if they could read your soul. They got the same curly jet black hair and she was slender and athletic. Maria Olympian née Ganafinakis was a very famous singer. She toured the world and filled stadiums until she met the businessman Hercules Olympian. They fell in love almost instantly. She was rather young when they met and went through many miscarriages due to a hostile uterus until she finally had a successful child: Zeus. It made her very protective of her son and raised him to become a fair and kind man.

Unfortunately, she didn't realize that she entered the devil's den. Hercules was a manipulative, possessive and jealous man. From the moment they got together, he had to control every aspect of her life. He invaded her privacy, prevented from seeing her friends without supervision and while he never assaulted her physically, his mental abuse was strong enough to hold her hostage of this relationship. She withered like a flower deprived of sun and water. She slowly died inside and her son witnessed it. Zeus tried to help her. He did his best but his father's influence was too strong and lasted for so long that the son couldn't save his mother. She was pushed towards suicide through an endless campaign launched by Hercules when she discovered that he was a fraud. He couldn't take the risk to lose his business, his wealth and everything he built because his wife would go talk to the police. He refused to go to jail for his crime and instead drove his wife to suicide, thinking she was losing her mind.

It didn't stop here. Hercules was a despicable man, « a sociopath » as Zeus would describe him. Others would just say he was drawn to power and wanted to keep it to himself no matter the cost. Did he love Maria? He certainly did, at some point. He genuinely cared for her until he became famous and insanely rich. Growing up poor had triggered his greed and it was greed that made him lose his precious love. However, he wasn't /just/ greedy and whatever love he had felt for the woman was soon taken over by his other emotions. His strong appetite for power and the pleasures of life, his pride and some others. Ironically, he still went to jail when someone else he didn't have access to, discovered the truth and sweated it to the cops. He lost everything, even his son. Well, one could argue that he never had his son, to begin with. Zeus was a very cunning child, one with a strong will and determination. He loved his mother and blamed his father for her death. After all, what did a 12 years old, who witnessed his mother commit herself, could think if not that his father was responsible?

Zeus had been raised so he could be modeled after his father. Hercules didn't want a son, he wanted a clone. Very young Zeus had to learn how to become cunning, cruel, despicable but clever business shark. His mother always secretly encouraged his softer side to be nurtured because she didn't want her son to become his father when he's older. She wanted him to have enough heart to know what was right and what was wrong and despite Hercules best efforts, his son didn't turn like him. As soon as the scandal broke, Zeus decided that he would do his mother justice and rebuild from the ashes left by his father, a better company of the same name. He worked hard to make the public give Tartarus and his name another chance but unfortunately, Irony knocked at his door. Zeus, at his core, was still the little boy who lost his mother. He was good natured, good hearted and a real softie inside. It was a side of himself that only very few people saw, Irina and Asma being one of them. His exterior, however, was the carbon copy of his father. Cold, ruthless with high standards almost impossible to meet, he ruled with an iron gauntlet underneath a velvet glove. Tabloids sold the parallels to the public and there went his reputation. He was a very demanding boss, sure, but he rewarded his employees and they had the best advantages of most of America.

« I came to see how you were holding up with this new scandal wave. »

Irina began as she sat on his desk, her blue eyes staring at the picture of a younger Zeus. He had it framed and put it near him so he would forever remember the young idealistic teenager he was back then. He would forever remember the young good-hearted boy his mother knew he was before she killed herself. He needed to remember this side of himself so he wouldn't drown into his public persona. But how much part of it was true and how much was wrong ? Zeus was angry. Irina knew it. His pent-up rage that never got to be expressed in front of the source of his problem, his father, fell upon others like a hammer. He made them suffer the same way he did, avenged himself for years of abuse and that was a flaw he was trying to correct. He shrugged and ran his hand over his fiancé's pale leg.

« I shouldn't have started a fight with a celebrity. I tried to contain myself but they insulted you, Irina. I had to defend your honor. » She chuckled and gently rubbed his cheek.

« My knight in shiny armor. You certainly do like this title but I don't need any. I simply need you, alive and well. Last time someone shot you in the chest. A little higher and you were dead. » She reminded him as he squeezed her soft leg.

« I know. Being the CEO of this company is already akin to being a target. Being with me is not easy Irina. I'm afraid the madness would never stop. »

« Are you asking me to reconsider my answer? » He nodded. She laughed. « No way! I would not change my answer. I'm still marrying you fool. I came here to support you, in case you didn't know. » She said as she put her hand on top of his and squeeze lightly. « I love you. »

« I love you too, Iri. I really do. You've been loyal to me, over those last six years. You accepted me as I was. »

« That, I did. » She said as she grabbed the picture of his young self. « I'd do it again if I had to. You are not a monster like they want you to be. Yes, you're rough and sometimes insufferable, but you're a good man Zeus and I am marrying this man. The man your mother would be proud of. » She said smiling broadly at him. Zeus shrugged and held her hand with both of his.

« Aren't you the perfect woman? »

« There is nothing like Perfection. It doesn't exist. However, I'm quite close to it yeah ! » he teased him before a soft smile crept on her lips. « I am very happy that Asma was there with you. She seems to be very nice and she cares about you. She's an ally. You should treat her better than you do the rest of them. »

His face closed at her mention of Asma. He tried his best to ignore his feelings for her but he couldn't. He loved Irina and for him saying so wasn't a lie, but he wasn't in love with her anymore. Those years spent in an on and off relationship had run the course of their love. He suspected that the blonde supermodel wasn't in love with him either but they cared about one another and that was the reason he chose to remain with her despite his feelings for Asma. He was in love with this woman. From the moment they spent their first night working together and getting to know each other better, to the moment they kissed for the first time. He fell head over heels but it terrified him because she had yet to know the real him She knew him as this asshole who sometimes treated her right. She knew him as this man of power who was above the rest but she didn't know the broken man. He didn't know how to show her this side of himself, or to be more precise, he didn't want to show it to her. Only two women had known and these women were Margot and Irina and while he treated the former really poorly, he wanted to treat the second one better. Yet Asma was still in his mind and he couldn't shake the heartbreak in her face when she saw them kiss. He couldn't shake the shame he felt when he saw the despair in her face. She had been doing her best to hide her feelings ever since it was national news that he was engaged to Irina but working by her sides became a burden he wasn't sure he wanted to carry over. She became stiff, her smiles were fake and more importantly, she cried. Her eyes were always red from the tears she wept and there was nothing he could do to make her stop or feel better. There was nothing and it broke his heart but he maintained his engagement to Irina. The blonde was oblivious so she smiled at her.

« Yes, she's very dedicated. I am very lucky to have a PA. I never thought I'd need one but she's doing a great job so far. I'm working twice as much as before. » He said grabbing his fiancé's neck and pulling her into a nice kiss. « Do you want to have lunch with me? »

« Mmmmhh no. I am going to have lunch with a stylist friend of mine in a few. I just wanted to say hi and give you some strength, love. »

« Seems like you've just done it. » He said, grinning at her as he stood up once again and pressed his lips against hers. Irina moaned softly into the kiss and leaned back so to give him a better access to her neck. « Ahahah Zeus.. if you're not careful, we might do it here. I have always wanted some office sex... never got to try it. »

« Office sex? We could make it happen anytime you want. » He said, hitching her skirt up but Irina slapped his hand. « What? »

« I have to see a friend in a few and there's no amount of teasing that would make me miss this appointment! I promised to be there for her. »

« Rain-check then? » He suggested, his lips capturing hers and pulling towards him. She nodded and pressed her lips against his for one last kiss.

« Rain-check! I have to go. »

« Alright, love. You'd be home tonight? » She nodded and pecked his lips. « Then I shall come home early for you then. I might have a surprise. »

« If you say dinner, I promise you the dessert would be worth the wait. » She giggled and kissed his lips before she stood back up and grabbed her purse. « I hope to see Asma again. I have a feeling we might see each other more in the future. It's exciting! » She said as she left his room. Zeus didn't go after all for he didn't quite know how to react if he met Asma or if he witnessed the two of them talk again so he refrained from leaving his room.

(TBC)

MNB : Come as you are part 1 : (Irina and Asma first meeting)

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)

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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)

(MNB) superstars and Bullies (Madeleine x Asma)

A/N: Exploring the relationship between Asma and Madeleine. Along with the resident bullies of the building Karina Newton and Tom Huckabee. This takes place just after Tom put the news of Zeus engagement to Irina. They belong to me. 

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« See Asma? He got engaged to Irina, your little daydream would forever remain a failed dream. » Tom's mocking voice echoed through her head as she stared at the screen.

The whole office stopped working for a few minutes. Earlier on, Tom Huckabee informed his coworker that he would put on the news at lunch break. Of course, he would. The day before, he eavesdropped a conversation between his boss Zeus, and Irini Tchekovka the model he was dating on and off for six years. He popped the big question, much to Tom's enthusiasm because now he had something he could rub on Asma's face. He was aware of her feelings for the boss, it wasn't difficult to guess. Her naiveté made it easier for people to read her like an open book so very early on, everyone knew she was in love with Zeus. Some had witnessed how close she grew to their asshole of a boss and how good this relationship was for the rest of them. Indeed, Zeus was more tolerable whenever she was around and they all hoped for a real change of heart and behavior if this relationship became even more serious. Besides, Asma was a very kind soul and befriended some of her co-workers. Others, on the other hand, despised or straight up hated the woman and refused to see their boss with this newcomer. Tom Huckabee and Karina Newton were infamous in the office and notorious for their bullying of the boss personal assistant.

Tom did it for openly racist reasons, he told countless times to Asma that it was a dream she had to give up because Zeus never had a history of dating anything else than pale, blonde supermodels and she shouldn't hope too hard. He didn't like Asma for no other reason than him being prejudiced. He always treated some of his non-white colleagues with obnoxious and loud prejudiced remarks. It didn't help that most of his co-workers at the External Relations department were of different ethnicities but that didn't stop Tom from feeling superior to them. He would very often boast and use aggressive tactics to catch Zeus' eye and make himself more visible. Ambitious and ruthless, he would never hesitate to throw anyone under the bus if that could help him get his promotion. The only person he wouldn't touch would be his partner in crime and colleague Karina Newton who seemingly was as prejudiced as he was. But Asma? He hated her guts. He wanted her gone from the minute he saw her. She looked too original with her pink locks and her colorful outfits, too discreet and too old fashioned with her conservative outfits. She was kind and sweet and helpful and quite skilled and the naiveté in her eyes achieved to make him dislike her.

«..... » She couldn't answer him, she didn't have any comeback. Truth be told, her heart sank and if it was capable of making a noise, the whole building would have heard it. Zeus himself, who was in his office but had a very good view of the meeting room could see how rigid and stiff her body was and how tensed she became as she watched the news. He could tell by her body language that her heart broke and had to clench his fists so he wouldn't chase after her. Asma quietly exited the room,

« Way to go Tom! Proving once again that you're an asshole! » Madeleine's sharp voice broke the awkward silence as she exited the conference room and tried to reach out to Asma who was doing her very best not to burst into tears.

Truth be told, she should have but as usual, she held back everything inside and pretended she was fine. Her steps were fast and unnatural as she tried her best to quickly leave the building. It was lunch break anyway so she had to get herself something to eat, cover up her tears and come back to work with a fake smile plastered on her face. That was her plan but her best friend grabbed her arm and took her to the closest empty conference room they could find.

« What is it for? » Asma complained before her friend pointed at the chair and forced her to sit down.

« You tell me what's going on. »

« Isn't it obvious? I was trying to get some lunch. » She said, shrugging at the question.

Madeleine was the very first person who befriended a clueless and nervous Asma. She was absolutely gorgeous, Chinese-American with long brown straight hair, a sweet sun-kissed skin with gorgeous hazel eyes. She was a superstar in the building, renown for her beauty and her wit. She was courted by the men despite the common knowledge that she was actually lesbian. She was admired by women because she knew who she was and lived in her truth without any regrets and everyone knew of her complicated relationship with Zoe -a manipulative and abusive asshole-. She took a liking in Asma the minute she saw her and made the first move towards the young woman. She quickly found out that Asma was a good soul and sought after her company. It didn't take long for Madeleine to become Asma's friend and influence some positive change in her life. She took better care of her hair, changed her wardrobe and came out of her shell. Of course, she knew that Asma fell in love with their boss and despite her own distrust of Zeus, Madeleine encouraged her friend to at least try and see what it would bring. Apparently, it brought heart breaks and despair to the young woman, which made her best friend feel guilty for her previous advice.

« You're not. Quit it. You're trying to hide your tears. I know you Azz... » Her voice was soft yet Asma could read anger. Madeleine was upset but not at her, she gave Asma a tight smile and sat next to her. « I know you are, I know you Azz. »

« What... What on Earth do you want me to do Maddie? I can't exactly come around and wave my hands at Zeus. He chose Irina. He witnessed me spill my guts about my feelings for him and he fucking CHOSE Irina! » She leaned in her chair, eyes wide open as she couldn't believe her eyes and ears. It was so humiliating! He sent her mixed signals since he broke up with Irina, went so far as to tell her that he wanted her and didn't know how to resist her and now that she gathered enough strength to confess her feelings, he went and proposed to his ex.

« He is an asshole and that was an asshole move! He could have rejected you plain and simple and he didn't. He kissed you, hugged you, told you what you wanted to hear and now he broke your heart. I never liked him, but now it's personal! »

« It's not his fault. It's not his fault Maddie. Yes, that was an asshole move but in all honesty, he's been in that on and off relationship with Irina for the last 6 years! What was /I/ thinking uh? What was I thinking ?! » She ran her hand through her pink locks and leaned her forehead against her hand. Tears finally started to stream down her face as she couldn't hold them back. « What do I do now? I have all of these feelings and I cannot... I can't.... it's... too... it's too … much ! It's too much! » She said sobbing her eyes out. Madeleine came closer to her friend and pulled her into a hug. As her hand ran into her pink locks, her eyes were shooting invisible daggers at an invisible Zeus.

That asshole didn't know what he was missing out. He could have found some peace with Asma. He could have found someone who treated him well and understood him. Madeleine didn't know everything because Asma protected Zeus but she knew that he was definitely a different man by her sides. She had noticed his change of behavior towards the rest of his employees and she suspected that he was actually very smitten over her friend but refused to act on it. Madeleine tightened her grip on Asma and then leaned her chin on top of her friend's head. She didn't have comforting words to say to her, only anger directed at her boss, so instead of aggravating the situation, she comforted her the best way she knew, a hug. Asma cried harder, breaking her voice in the process as her hands clung onto the fabric of Madeleine's shirt.

« I hate to see you like this. » Madeleine said. « You don't deserve to cry, he doesn't deserve your tears. »

« I know..I know. » She said in between sobs « I don't think I can handle going back to work Maddie. Tom and Karina, they would taunt me all day. I have to work with Zeus.. he didn't even have the guts to tell me he was engaged when I saw him this morning!! He didn't! »

« We'll show them! You will go grab some lunch, then we'll pimp you out! I want you to look your best when you come back into this building. The following days, you'll be on your A game! Fucking delicious and breathtaking you hear me? » Asma blinked as she pulled away and ran her hand through her hair.

« I don't know... I-I Don't know. » Madeleine's plan was a good one, but Asma was uncertain.

« You can pull that off! I will lend you some clothes if we have to do it. You will look fabulous and that motherfucker would cry for turning his back on you. I'll make sure you look on point when we're back from lunch. Hair fixed, lips purty and plump, cleavage on point and that tight nice ass tucked in that pencil skirt you're wearing. I'm gonna help you fix your look and you will make those heads turn! » It made Asma chuckle and she nodded while she picked a handkerchief to clean up her messed up face. Tears were still falling at random so she knew it would take some time before she stopped crying.

« Yeah? I can pull that off you think? »

« I'm positive! » Madeleine smiled at her and then pinched her cheek. « You're a superstar here, we are! So if I tell you that I'll help you shine like a motherfucker, you'll shine like one! » She then cupped her cheek and sighed. « I wish I could help you feel better with just a snap of my fingers but I know you were genuine in your feelings for him so it's gonna hurt for a long time. »

« I don't want it to hurt anymore. » Asma said, sobbing again.

« I know precious, I know. It'll pass but you need to get yourself back in the saddle as soon as possible. You're super fine Asma and if Zeus can't see it, then screw him! You're hot and you deserve to have fun. So we're going to help you have fun. »

« You'll have to help me on that. » She said, leaning against the table and holding a fist of pink hair.

« I will gladly do so. Now, time is running out. Let's go outside and grab some lunch and then proceed with the rest of the plan? »

« What about Karina and Tom? They would have a field day with me. » She asked unsure of how to deal with those bullies.

Karina was a special case. She hated most people in the company and have a love/hate relationship with Madeleine. They both competed for the title of the superstar of the company. They both were excellent at their jobs and rescued Tartarus so many times that their names were known by every single person working there. But if there was a popularity contest, Madeleine won it by a landslide because she was much more sociable and caring than Karina ever was. So there was this old rivalry between the two of them. Things got a little out of hand since Asma arrived because Karina grew a very weird and intense hatred of her. Nobody understood why she disliked Asma but it probably was because of her position. While not paid enough, it gave Asma a visibility Karina always dreamed to have and a proximity to their boss she wished she had.

« I will deal with them, I'll always have your back, Azz. »

« I know. »

« You do? Then dry those tears and come over. We have lunch to take. »

She said as she grabbed her wrist and kindly helped her back onto her feet. She took the handkerchief and cleaned her face up. Asma didn't resist much since she was in no position to do so and once her face was clean, she followed Madeleine out of the conference room and headed outside. Zeus broke her heart but feelings couldn't be processed as they should have so Asma decided to put them aside for a while. It was the first time it hurt that much because Asma didn't have the opportunity to avoid Zeus. He was her boss and because he was, she had to spend most of her time with him.

Ah ! Stupid heart!

(TBC)

MNB: Giving in.

A/N: Venting piece I guess. Zeus is acting like a fool but he's very conflicted. He is also aware of how much of an asshole he really is, but his feelings for Asma are real, raw and sometimes toxic.

XXXX

4th of July,

He got into a fight. Typical for Zeus, troubles had always been his middle name. The reasons were never the same but somehow always revolved around one thing: his pain. He was a walking bleeding wound. Of course, he would always find a reason to hurt himself. From his tender age to his adulthood, the handsome son of the wealthiest entrepreneur of New-York City always got himself into fist fights. That got him excluded ten and thousands of times from prestigious schools up until his father contributed enough to one of these so they wouldn't kick Zeus out. If it wasn't because someone insulted his mother or his father, it was because they mocked him for his pretty looks, for his well put manners, for the adoration girls had for him. They always found something to pick up and destroy him, along with his self-esteem. Zeus, when he was young, always played a role in satisfying his father and trying and fitting into this posh society he was so different from.

As an adult, it didn't change much. Even after he received that almost fatal gunshot in the chest, Zeus was still ready to throw a punch at whoever insulted him, or someone he cared about. This time it was Irina, the Russian supermodel he was engaged to. Many chose to ignore that she was more than a pretty face. She had a kind heart, a loving personality and yes, on top of it all, she also had a brain. Far away from the spotlight, the blonde model did prepare a Ph.D. in biochemistry. Yet, people reduced her to a pretty face and associated with her stereotypes attached to models. He couldn't let those A-list celebrities insult her in his presence and get away with it. So of course, he punched that male actor in the face, kicked and bit until his face was bruised and his fists were soaked with blood.

4th of July, a day he was supposed to celebrate with friends, turned into a living nightmare but he didn't care much. He already knew that tabloids would have a field day and that negative publicity would impact on his business but he trusted Madeleine and Karina to work on a PR stunt that would switch the focus to what good he did to society. Yet, that night he was miserable. He went to that charity event with Asma. She represented his company alongside with him, was stupidly gorgeous that evening in that beautiful red dress he couldn't stop staring at and her dyed pink hair tied in an elegant bun. She watched with horror the fight unfold in front of her and tried to intervene but Zeus pushed her away so she wouldn't get caught in the heat of the battle and end up injured just like he was.

He was thrown out of the gala, bloody and with his eye slightly swollen. She followed him and quickly dragged him into the car. They didn't say anything but he could see she was furious. Of course, she would be. It was supposed to keep the feds off of his back and make the public see him as sympathetic despite the shitty reputation he had. Zeus Olympus was known as being an asshole extraordinaire and maybe, if he had complied and kept himself in check he would have earned some love from the public but as usual, he fucked everything up. He fucked this PR stunt and he pissed her off. Yet, Zeus refused to let someone insult Irina. It wasn't for his ego that he tried to defend the woman, it was for her honor. She didn't need to be dragged into his shit, so of course, he defended her.

They drove to his huge flat and she forced herself into the place. As curiously as it was, he wasn't living with Irina whose parents preferred they didn't share the same room until they were married -it had less to do with her virtue and everything to do with the money they could make by selling photos to tabloids-. She went to the kitchen and made him sit on a stool while she grabbed some frozen meat she decided to apply to his wounds.

"You have been reckless Zeus! How little do you consider the empire you've built to throw yourself into a fight?' She scolded him, unable to refrain from doing so. He looked up to her face, his big blue puppy eyes gleaming apologetically at first.

"I know." He said, furrowing his brows as she pressed the cold meat against his cheek. She was close, dangerously close and he relished in the sweet scent of hers that was filling his nostrils. "You could have been injured."

"I don't care about it. I care about you ruining the efforts you've been making for months now. You brought attention to yourself and now the feds would once again be after you." She ran her hand through her forehead and then closed her eyes tight as she tried to focus. Truth be told, she cared about him more than about the feds finding him. She was worried something happened to him during the fight.

"You should care about it. It wouldn't have been fair if you were caught in between punches." He outstretched his hand to grab her wrist but she took a step away and shook her head.

"Don't touch me. I do the touching, I make sure your face can still be kissable when you'll appear with Irina." It broke her heart to say the blonde's name but the reality was that Zeus was engaged to Irina.

He proposed out of the blue and in the reaction of hearing that his ex-fiancée had a baby. He had to expect Margot moved on in her life. He had to expect that she would not dwell in the past and would try to build herself back up. He acted like a fool and an asshole when he deserted her after she miscarried. Yes, he blamed himself for what happened, but it shouldn't have blinded him completely. He should have supported his fiancée through the whole ordeal instead of running away and taking all the blame for him. Zeus knew that it had been his worst mistake and tried to make amends with her years later but it still wasn't enough. She had moved on, she still talked to him because their bond was a strong one and she still was his childhood best friend, but something broke between the two of them and an e-mail (with the occasional phone call) was the only contact she allowed him to have. Of course, he'd propose to the closest person he ever had. The sweet and clever Irina.

"Asma..."

"I'm serious. She wouldn't want to kiss you if you looked ugly. Let me fix your face." She tried to be rational but he could hear her heartbreak through her broken raspier voice. She had confessed her love for him prior to his engagement during a drunken night at this exact place. She had told him that despite him being an asshole, she saw the good in him and fell in love with the whole package. She put herself out there and he didn't say anything. Worse, the morning after he learned about Margot's pregnancy and he proposed to Irina hours later. Of course, she felt humiliated. She felt useless, she felt broken.

"Can we not talk about Irina?"

"Hard not to talk about her when you've proposed Zeus. It's... it's incredible. I have tried my very best to be enough for you I have tried to reach the level you require to be with you. I am smart, I am pretty, I dress better, I am caring and I am in love with you and you seemed to feel the same way. I don't care about your wealth or the troubles you might have with justice. I care about you. I am in love with /you/ and yet.. yet it's still not enough... How do I win? uh? How do I win Zeus? I am stuck with a job I actually love and I'm good at which forces me to stay with you 24/7...I can't quit because nobody would hire me and after several years without a job, I'm not--" She couldn't finish her sentence, he grabbed her neck and cheek with his large hand and crashed his lips into hers. Her eyes grew wide as if she'd been electrocuted and she dropped the meat on the floor while her shaky fingers grabbed her dress. Had he just kissed her? Had he...

"You are more than enough Asma. I am the one who doesn't deserve any of it."He started out. She was still looking at him with her eyes wide open as she didn't buy any of his words and he quickly saw the disgusting form on her face as he kept talking. "You're right, I chose Irina and I shouldn't have. She was.. she knows me Asma. She knows the good, the bad and the ugly and stuck by me. I have been knowing her for years now, six to be precise. You.. you're new. You're this hurricane I do not know how to handle and you're here, all flames ablaze and I don't know what to do Asma. I don't know." He tried to kiss her again but she pushed him away.

"I knew you were heartless but I never knew you were a monster. You just can't help yourself now can you Zeus?" She said as she left the building, leaving behind a distressed Zeus who realized that he indeed had made a huge mistake. He shouldn't have kissed her, despite him knowing full well that it was all she had ever wanted. He shouldn't have stolen that kiss from her, their first kiss to say the least under such disrespectful circumstances. As she slammed the door behind her, Zeus ran his hand through his hair and cussed himself out.

Why was he like this?

It's always my fault : ZEUS POV (My New Boss-MNB- )

A/N: Ah Zeus, (from My New Boss. You can find information in my articles) is having a very hard time. He's just learned that his former fiancé is heavily pregnant with her husband (and his best friend) and it just threw him back to when he acted like a fool and lost her for good. Heavy themes here. I needed a perfect way to convey some dark emotions and Zeus gave it to me. It's just him thinking of himself, not necessarily how others perceive him save for « he's an asshole ».

Xxxxx

« I am 8 months old pregnant Zeus. It's one of the reasons I don't want to visit you. Old wounds might open again and I've just healed from what you did to me. Don't ask me to come see you. You very much know I would not come over. With Love, Margot. »

Pregnant. She was pregnant! Of course, she would be. Zeus found himself staring blankly at the screen of his computer. In a moment of weakness, he reached out to his two only true friends.Paul Kingsman, his childhood best friend and Margot Kingsman, Paul's wife and Zeus former fiancée. He would talk to both, usually Paul over the phone and Margot through e-mails. After all these years it was a miracle if Margot wanted to talk to him altogether. He treated her very poorly years ago. She knew about his life, the untold story of the Olympian family. She knew about the way he was raised, the abuse from his father, the physical and mental scars it left on her fiancé. It never made her look down at him, if anything, she pushed him to become the successful man he was today. Margot was a rare one, brave, resilient and understanding. She loved him more than he deserved even when he rarely was at home because he worked very hard to clean the name of his family after his father was exposed for being a fraud. Margot stayed by his sides even when he virtually became poor and he had to work even harder to provide for his family.

When she told him she was pregnant with their child, Zeus was the happiest man on Earth. He swore to God and the other gods on Earth that he would take care of his child unlike his father did to him. He promised to himself and to her that he would be a different man than his father was and he was excited and thrilled about fatherhood. Zeus started to picture himself bonding with his child over sports if it was his child's interest, or science or frankly whatever his baby would want to do.He wasn't discriminatory. He was not going to fight his offspring regarding its preferences or its identity. He simply wanted his child to feel loved, welcomed and worthy.

Unfortunately, life happened and Margot got sick. Her pregnancy wasn't too far advanced so she miscarried. Zeus was distraught and snapped at this moment. He started to ignore her, came late at home, sometimes didn't even check on her. We could say, he abandoned his fiancée right after she had a miscarriage and later on dumped her over that very tragedy. That was an asshole move. He was an asshole he knew that. He refused to talk about the loss of his potential child, mostly because it hurt and he was ashamed of the way he treated Margot. She was the one who needed him the most and he abandoned her. Plain and simple. He left.

He left because he was scared. For him, it had to be his fault. The fetus couldn't have been viable because he was defective. The child couldn't have been born because it had half of his blood running through its veins. The child couldn't have been a good person anyway because it was his. The mental abuse his father put him through resurfaced as soon as Margot lost her fetus. It wasn't her fault and he never blamed her for it, it was his and his only. How could /he/ produce anything good? He had tried, his company was working but he was feared. People hated him because he was merciless and a shark. People hated him because of his good looks, almost inhuman features and he attracted many people. People hated him because he was the son of his father. Hercules was a fraud, he stole money from so many people rich and poor alike and ruined their lives. He worked along with the Irish mob in money-laundering and put his own son's life in jeopardy. If it wasn't for Kerri Jensen, Zeus would have died on that elevator from the gunshot he received from the mafia's goon.

Zeus roamed his hand over his face, angry at himself about how his life turned into. He fucked up. He knew he fucked up and he wasn't able to fix anything anymore. Margot moved on from him, she found a good man to attach her life to. Paul was a very good man, the best she could have ever found in Zeus' opinion. He loved Margot and from what he told Zeus, she did have a very good life. Margot was better off without him but still. It stung. I should have been his baby. They were supposed to be destined to each other. It should have been his baby and he fucked that up too. He ruined everything he touched, thank you, dad, for that! Hercules always told his son he was a good for nothing, that he was responsible for his mother's suicide, that he was a disgrace and a shame and he wished he had had another child than him to be his heir. He kept forcing Zeus into becoming a monster just like him and after all these years fighting his dad, Zeus realized he was just like him. He became an asshole in order to fight his father and undo the harm he caused others and would most likely end up being alone like his father.

Ah.. wouldn't that be fitting? For him to end up alone like he had always feared he would be? The news of Margot's pregnancy reignited a fire inside of him, opened a wound back. It destroyed him if he was being honest with himself. She was able to move on with her life, be genuinely happy and welcome a new life while he was denied all of it. Well.. not completely. Of course the new prompted him to propose to Irina Tchekovka, the supermodel who happened to also have a master degree in biochemistry. They have been on a long on and off relationship and Irina was truly a keeper. She was simple and kind and loved him despite his many flaws. She was very good to him and yet, he knew he would break her heart. He loved her but wasn't « in love » with her. Never was and never will.No. To make things go from bad to worse, he did fall in love with someone else. A newcomer in his life, the beautiful Asma Jensen.

Asma came into his life like a storm. She wasn't planned, wasn't welcomed -despite him promising her mother he would hire her daughter as a thank you for saving his life- and ultimately had to suffer his mistreatment until she proved herself to be worthy of his attention. She was resilient and good, caring even. She took care of him when he was drunk when he was still hurting from the gunshot wound when he was finding himself in predicaments. She proved herself to be useful to him, but more than that. She saw the asshole he was and stuck by him despite that. She was able to get him at the most genuinely around her, get him talk about secrets and feelings he kept to himself, made him fall in love with her. Shit ! That was it! He was in love with her but he broke her heart several times already. She couldn't possibly still love him when he was being so heartless. No ?

Well, even if he had a reasonable doubt, Zeus knew that she would not forgive him after he proposed to someone else. He chose Irina because she was less problematic and far away from his real issues. She was oblivious to what he was doing, of his mission to undo the harm caused by his father and his willingness to mingle with a known criminal to get the job done. She was convenient and practical and he cared about her enough to see himself married to her. He chose Irina in spite of Asma claiming her love for him a few days ago. He told her that he would break her heart because it was what he always did. He took everything from people only to smash their hearts onto the ground and stomp on it with his heels. He destroyed. He fucking did. And the day she learned about his engagement (through broadcasted news Tom put on purpose), he almost could hear her heart break. He watched as she stiffened and held back tears so she could save face and later on when she went to his office, she simply congratulated him on his engagement and put her reports on the table. He didn't say anything, what could he say save « Thank you » and she left, but it didn't escape from him that she was distraught.

He had two hearts in his pockets and he already knew he would destroy both of them. Nothing could go right because he didn't know how to do it otherwise. He simply took and took all that people had to offer to him and then he destroyed every little thing he had built with them. Paul blessed his soul, was by his sides only because he was a loyal man with principles. Margot stayed because they were childhood friends and she knew him more than he did know himself, even though they never met face to face after he left. She stuck to writing him emails and occasionally have him over the phone but not more than that. Seeing him was too much for her, too painful and it was better this way for him too. He was better off alone, wasn't he? But could he be? Zeus knew that he desperately needed company and wouldn't do good on his own. Maybe that made him a slut but all these years going from one bed to another was only the result of him trying to find another Margot. Irina was his Margot. Asma was a forbidden fruit. She already had a bad taste of how painful it could be to live with a man like him so he didn't try to think too much about it.

That was his excuse. It all fell down the drain whenever he saw her beautiful face. She had to force herself to spend her days by his sides. It was her job, she was his personal assistant, which made it even more painful for both of them. Zeus had to pretend he didn't care, but he could see her heartbreak and in return, it broke his heart. He could have easily said yes and tried to go out with her, but he didn't and deep down, he knew that it was because he was afraid that something worse might happen to her. He was afraid that she might even suffer more than she already did because his love was toxic, his genuine unbridled love was a catastrophe and it was better if he saved her from all of this, from himself. That was why he chose Irina. Because it was the easy way.

But they would both suffer from his hand. They would both suffer because of him. It was always his fault, wasn't it?

(TBC)