Transformative Experiences

Xiao

I rolled my eyes as I stepped out of my car, the chauffeur holding my door open. I was here officially for lunch with the powerful CEO of Stillwater Group, Hiko Seijuro. My father, CEO of our powerhouse company - Dynamic Wells Financial Group - had recently brought me back from America to enter into a wedding contract with Hiko's precious snowflake daughter, Desiree. The agreement was supposed to unite the two companies. I had no intention of honoring such an agreement.

My father was such a fool! He'd cast me off as a child, forced me to learn a whole new culture, a whole new everything, by sending me to America to be away from his new family. And now, now that I was useful and was the ‘perfect’ person to marry the half Japanese/half African princess, I was supposed to sacrifice myself for the family? Fuck that! The only reason I'd even agreed to this insanity was to make a scene and make sure these old bastards knew that I wasn’t going to be their pawn.

Straightening my suit, I took two steps toward the front door when familiar music caused me to turn around. Jessie J's ‘Price Tag’ blared out of a sun-burnt orange Eclipse, closely followed by a Ford Mustang. It was the first time I’d heard familiar music in my home country. People here didn't understand top 40 hits, preferring their J-pop or that traditional music that never failed to put me to sleep. I missed the rhythm of Detroit, sure. But it was the music that I dreamed about. My mother and I used to take long walks, listening to other people’s radios blasting random hits. R and B, Hard Rock, Soul… it could all be found within 5 blocks of his home. Which reminded me, I needed to call my mother tonight. She hadn’t been happy about me moving back to Japan at my father’s behest, but she’d accepted my decision.

The first car cut the engine, and the music stopped abruptly, treating me to the sweetest voice I’d ever heard continuing the song a cappella. I was transfixed by that voice, silently begging the owner of that Heavenly voice to exit the vehicle so I could lay eyes on her. And it was definitely a her, a sweet soprano that needed to be in one of those singing competitions. American Idol or The Voice. She had perfect pitch, and you could hear the smile in her voice as she sang, her angelic voice slightly muffled as she rummaged through her purse. The man in the car behind her jumped out of his car as soon as it was parked and ran to her door, opening it and presenting a hand to her. There was a hesitation, and then she took the offered hand, emerging from her car with a resigned sigh. I gasped; she was gorgeous! Her features were a perfect blend of Asian and African traits, making her an exotic treat to look at. This was the woman my wicked father wanted to pair me with? Maybe fate was kind sometimes!

“You don’t have to help me from the car all the time, Gi Gi,” the woman said in annoyance. “I’m not an invalid,” I noted that her Japanese was impeccable and that even her annoyed tone sounded mellow and sexy.

“You know that your father would skin me alive if I didn’t,” this man, this ‘Gi Gi’, replied as if this were an old argument. Her smile was like sunshine, and I found myself jealous of her bodyguard. He was muscular and obviously dedicated to the lady. She giggled as she reached back into her car and grabbed her satchel, walking past me without a glance. The two obviously had a rapport. I again had to tamp down my possessiveness, something I shouldn’t even have for this woman whom I hadn’t even met officially yet. The lady and her bodyguard left their cars at the front, carrying on an easy conversation as they hurried into her father’s building. I stared after them in awe.

“Mr. Frost, are you alright?” the chauffeur asked in concern at my continued paralysis.

“Of course I am,” I said defensively, straightening my tie. The man eyed me skeptically before returning to the car to wait. He would be ready to bring me back to my father’s business when I was finished here. Silently, I thanked the chauffeur for reminding me who I was. The powerful 28-year-old CEO of Dynamic Wells Financial Group and not a lovesick teenage boy. Females all around me were swooning at my appearance; how dare the lady ignore me! Resolved to show her what I was made of, I strode confidently into the building.

... ...

Desiree

“Of course it’s taken care of,” I assured Himura Kaoru, my best friend and second in command of the records department. “I have the paperwork right here.” I started filing the papers by reflex, calmly putting away the final notes on a deal that would secure our Stillwater Group millions of yen. Father would be pleased.

“I still don’t understand why you’ve put yourself in such a peripheral position at this company, Des. You were top of your class in school, and you’ve already brokered 5 such deals in the 2 years you’ve been working for your father. Everyone knows you're the power behind the throne.”

“Tomoe and Yumi are still spreading rumors that I only have this job because Papa took pity on me,” I said, desperately trying and failing to keep the tremble out of my voice. Tomoe Yukishiro and Yumi Vasko - now Makoto after her marriage to Shishio Makoto last month - had been my chief tormentors in school. They’d bullied me relentlessly about my appearance and my good grades and anything else they saw wrong with me. I constantly stood up for myself to them, but that didn’t stop me from shaking like a leaf and the spike in my blood pressure from the strain of having to see and deal with their bullshit on a daily basis.

“Who cares?” Kaoru shrugged dismissively, waving a hand as if swatting the gnats they were. If only I could feel that way about them! “No one who actually matters believes their lies. I know that they still upset you, but you need to let their BS go!”

“How do I do that?” I asked. “You weren't there for all the cruel pranks and vicious gossip they spread about me back in high school! I thought I had finally escaped them when I escaped high school. Now here they are, working at my family's company.”

“They should be grateful that you haven't exposed them to your father after all these years. Seijuro-sama would blacklist them from every company in the city if he knew. Seijuro-sama dotes on you, you know that.”

“I know,” the woman sighed. “But I don't want to be that kind of person. I struggle daily to put their cruelty behind me, but how can I when they're still such Mean Girls to me and everyone else who stands up for me?”

“Exactly. That's exactly why you should get them fired. Stillwater Group is no place for that sort of childish behavior!” Deep down, I knew she was right. Yet years of emotional pain and anxiety didn't just go away…

Just as I was sinking into depression over my hopeless situation, my phone rang, distracting me. I looked at the screen and groaned, my other reason to be angry on such a joyous occasion coming to mind.

“Yes, Papa?” I asked, doing my best to keep the edge out of my voice.

“Daughter, have you forgotten our lunch date?” Papa asked teasingly, laughing fondly when I gasped. “You work too hard, little one. Come on up to my office.” He hung up, and I groaned. “Dammit! I forgot about that stupid lunch date with Papa! I have to-”

“Wait, I thought you enjoyed your monthly lunch date with Seijuro-sama?” Kaoru reminded me.

“Not when he's trying to sell me!” I griped.

“Today is the day he invited the CEO of Dynamic Wells Financial Group and his father to join us. He plans to sell me to unite the two companies. I won't be Xiao Frost's virgin bride!” Kaoru looked at me sympathetically. The same thing had happened to her with her husband, Himura Kenshin. Only they'd gotten their happily ever after. The promiscuous playboy had settled down after falling in love with her at first sight. Kaoru hadn't made it easy for him, but they'd been so obviously perfect for one another. I wasn't jealous of my friend or the life she led. But sometimes I wished that someone felt that way about me. I gathered my things and started for Papa's private elevator. “I'll see you later, Kao-chan! By this time tomorrow, I'll be in the doghouse with Papa.”

“Be strong, Des! I know that you won't let them walk all over you!” Her words lingered as I ascended to the top floor. I'd practiced what I was going to say to my father and his best friend, Tyrion Frost. I was not a pawn for their ambitions, and I wasn't for sale. Especially for some Americanized rich boy who probably had a string of lovers and illegitimate children in that foreign country. I'd never been to America, the land of my mother's birth, but the place fascinated me. Mother had relatives there that we never visited or talked about. Someday I'd go. I wanted to meet them. But these weren't the right circumstances.

The elevator's soft ding interrupted my thoughts. Now was not the time to be dreaming about going to America. Now was the time to focus on maintaining my dignity. I had to make sure these meddling old fools knew how I felt about their plans for me!

The doors opened to Papa's outer office, and I saw the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen in my life. Lean and muscular, the man exuded power and danger. He was staring at the Tokyo skyline that Papa's office afforded the viewer. It was a view that I often enjoyed myself the rare time I came up here. Papa usually met me at a restaurant for our monthly lunches. I didn't want to seem like I was taking advantage.

“You must be Desiree Seijuro,” he said firmly, that smooth, deep voice causing an involuntary shiver to course down my spine. I flushed, my light brown skin thankfully hiding most of the blush. Why was my father's office suddenly set to ‘Hell’ on the thermostat? It was way too hot in this room.

“Xiao Frost, I presume?” I managed to utter after too long of a silence. I was proud of my voice for not cracking. His short hair was expertly styled; I longed to run my fingers through it. Woah! Where did that naughty thought come from? I wasn't one to ogle men. In fact, I tended to ignore them all, one of the reasons Yumi started that rumor that I was a lesbian during our Sophomore year of high school. I didn't date, never having found anyone attractive enough to pull my attention from my goals. Most were gold diggers anyway. Or looking to ‘try’ a black girl. None of them cared about me. I'd never fallen into that trap. Turning before my mind could conjure an image of licking the sweat off the man's abs that I just knew must be under that tailored suit, I knocked on the door since Papa's secretary was out of the office for lunch.

“Come in,” Papa's powerful voice called through the wood of his door. I entered the room with trepidation, ignoring the man trailing behind me. Hiko and Tyrion looked entirely too pleased with themselves, obviously convinced that I would just give in after seeing the prize bull they'd roped for me. Well, we'd just see about that!

“Papa,” I said sharply. “Is there a reason why you invited extra people to our special time together? We only get to meet once a month for lunch like this. And where's the food? You know I only have so much time before I have to get back to work.” That wiped the smirk off his face. Good. As long as I kept my eyes on my true opponents and off the sexy male behind me, I could get through this. Xiao would probably thank me for this.

“Daughter, I was just-”

“You were just planning to sell me like chattel over the hors d'oeuvres! Oh, wait, there are none! You weren't even going to feed me before pushing me out the door! How dare you!”

“No one is trying to-”

“That’s right, Father. No one is going to sell me,” I continued in that sweet, deadly tone of mine. It was my boardroom voice, and my father knew it; he'd taught it to me after all. “Because I am not property. I have done good work for this company over the years, but I refuse to sacrifice myself for your gain. Does Mother know you're doing this? Selling your only daughter for the sake of your greed?” That hit home. Mama was a firm believer in true love. If she were here, she would set him straight!

“Desiree, please! Calm down!” I turned to Mr. Frost angrily, ready to unload on my second victim.

“Why should I? You decide among yourselves that my love is for sale with no regard for my feelings or my preferences. Maybe I prefer women. Maybe I want to focus on my career. I'm only 24 after all! Fresh out of business school and eager to make my mark on the world! How dare the two of you presume to know my mind?” I glared at them, still ignoring the demigod behind me.

“You two should be ashamed of yourselves. I will not stay here and let you sell me to the highest bidder like a piece of meat. I will leave Stillwater Group before I let you treat me so shabbily.” Mr. Frost tried to slap me, a move I planned to counter, but Xiao blocked his father instead.

“She's right,” he said firmly, pushing his father away. “Neither of you considered our feelings or preferences on the matter. All you thought about was the money you could make off of us. How is that fair? This isn't the Dark Ages! Desiree is not your property to be sold off! And as for me, I refuse to take part in such a shameful act.”

“Xiao, you will-”

“Even if he will, I won't,” I glared. “Good afternoon, gentlemen. I have work to do.” I turned and marched out of Papa's office, having said my piece. Those idiots would have to think of another way if they wanted to coerce me into marriage.

I moved to the elevator with purpose, shaking with rage. I still couldn't believe my father would try to sell me! My blood was pounding in my ears as I stepped into the elevator. I didn't expect the hand that kept it from closing.

“Wait, please,” Xiao said. “I'd like to take you out to a proper lunch.”

“To what end? I am not for sale!”

“No, you are certainly not for sale,” the man said smoothly, getting on the elevator with me. “And even if you were, I doubt any man could afford you.” I felt my face heating up and told myself that it was righteous indignation and not a reaction to his overwhelming masculinity. In the small space, his manly scent invaded my senses. It was sandalwood and vanilla and… something else, something uniquely his. It was intoxicating, and I needed to get away from it. “Please,” he whispered in my ear, pushing a stray curl that had escaped my work bun behind my ear.

Ignoring the warning bells going off in my head, I nodded, not trusting my voice at the moment.

“Thank you.” The man seemed to enjoy whispering in my sensitive ears. God, since when did I have sensitive ears?

“I uh… I need my purse,” I finally managed to say, my finger moving toward the button for my floor. Xiao turned toward the control panel, and he pushed the button for the main floor, still leaning into me.

“No, you don’t. You’ve endured so much. Let me treat you.” I looked up at him through my lashes, something I once swore I would never do to a man. Catching myself and shaking my head to clear it, I tried to back away in the enclosed space. But for every inch gained, he moved back in until I was pressed against the back wall with him towering over my five-foot-seven frame.

“Um… Th-thank you,” I stuttered to my horror. Why was my body betraying me like this? “But I do need my purse. I get carded often.” He chuckled, and I shuddered with pleasure before I could stop my reaction.

“No alcohol on a lunch date, Desiree,” he told me, voice rich and deep and filled with amusement. “Trust me?” I found myself nodding before I could stop myself. What was wrong with me? I was caught in those mysterious dark eyes of his, hypnotized by their depths.

As the door to the elevator closed, I finally managed to tear my eyes from his. Slight movement from the office I’d just exited in a huff. My father was standing in the doorway, grinning like the cat who caught the canary, Mr. Frost doing the same. I opened my mouth to protest, but Xiao’s finger skimming my cheek brought my attention back to him. I lost my moment when the doors closed.

Well shit.