This is a draft of the story that I am working and writing currently. Please bear in mind that this is in the process of being edited so pardon me if you find tense changes and grammatical errors. Just enjoy it for what it is, and, be sure to leave a comment if you wish to nicely. Thank you!

Prologue

Mid-July, 2009.

***

Happy. Delighted. Alive. Exuberant.

The feeling within her heart was more than any of these words could express and explain.

Nerissa Fairbanks just couldn't believe her eyes. She knew it was coming some day soon but never knew it would be right now.

A vision that was so true yet so dreamy.

It was like a dream that maybe hardly came true to many women out there.

Perplexed and unsure of what was happening and predicting it to be a vision, she faintly smiled at him.

He was already down on his knees looking up into her eyes. Her eye let down a drop of tear and he smiled at it. She has always been the emotional one.

He knew she was overwhelmed right now, who wouldn't be ?

He had let open his heart today to her. Everything. She had always remained in his heart from the moment she knocked at the glass door of his office at his penthouse that late Sunday afternoon for seeking permission to her little coffee shop in his property.

The question is Who is he? Jermaine Cunningham. Most eligible bachelor in town. Rich, handsome, charming and to top it all a billionaire. He owned half of the property in town, including where he was standing right at the moment, and above all he owned her heart too.

He still remembers how her pink sundress perfectly fit her body. The way she tugged her auburn bangs behind her ears and flashed a small smile every now and then to him during the conversation for the approval of coffee shop, was still fresh in his mind. It was maybe the first time he felt something. Something different.

His gaze on her that day had made her uncomfortable but today it was only and everything she asked for. His presence around her made her happy and his laugh was a piece of sweet music to her ears. She always has been nervous because of his reputation and standard in the society. Nerissa lived with her mother and a little sister in a small villa that her family owned from many years now in the outskirts of town. It was a small world, far from the Cunningham's luxurious penthouses and other larger villas.

She wasn't rich as Jermaine but her life hasn't been normal. Her needs always got fulfilled before she even asked and she hardly did any cleaning expect her room, pampered and loved.

Did she really deserve him? The question always rose in her mind.

"Nerrisa, my love, Will you marry me?" He was already down on his knees and holding out a ring in his hand.

"I..." she began but her voice got lost in her throat.

"Yes." Finally letting out a big gush of air and finding the correct word for his question. Her voice thick with emotions overflowing.

He couldn't help but smile. She had never imagined this, not even in her wildest dreams. She didn't think that this day would ever come to her. It was kairos. She loved him more than anything. Her heart hammered harder in her chest.

He had a faint flush on his cheeks and a sparkle in his eyes as he took her left hand slipped the ring on her finger. The time was just right, perfect and real.

Another tear escaped her eye but this time he stood up and dabbed them away with his fingers.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear tugging the strands of her curls behind her ear. Draped in a yellow-white summer dress and her curls down her back, she looked beautiful as ever.

"I love you too, Jermaine." She said in a hushed tone. Her voice wasn't loud but he heard her. It was enough.

Even in the dimly lit garden by the stars and moon above and a lamp few meters far away their connection was seamless. Love was so beautiful and precious.

Six months of togetherness and their eyes clearly displayed the love they had for each other. The numerous stars and lonely moon hung above them as they held each other in their arms, witnessing his proposal and acceptance. They stood there in silence for a few minutes, their bodies still firmly locked together. Everything else faded away as their arms wrapped around each other, heads leaned closer as their lips met for a slow, lingering kiss, before the lightening struck the sky. A heavy rain was on its way.

The rain might chill the weather. The summer was too hot to handle.

The lightening struck again and this time louder, maybe it wasn't just rain but a storm was coming up. Nerissa held Jermaine tighter as they walked inside the coffee shop.

"By the way, Jermaine, there was someone wanting to meet you this morning. She told me it was important and she would come to meet you after the closing hours. She must be here." She blurted out as they walked.

"Who was she?" He tightened his hold on her waist making her look at him as the air blowing chilled them.

"I don't know." She simply shrugged looking back to the back door of the coffee shop.

(Hey everyone! please do give me some feedbacks. It gets better, I promise.)

"Finally" Nerissa sighed.

It was eleven in the morning and she was sitting on her bed punching the keys on her laptop, doing presentations.

Another late morning working at home.

She loved working from her home. There were only a few times she visited her office since she took her new job, that was about two years ago.

The time on the laptop screen told it was twenty after eleven. It was time to have something probably as lunch then leave for office. She could instantly smell the sausages she grilled that morning as her stomach rumbled. Too hungry to have only sausages, she needed to cook something else now, maybe some turkey sandwiches.

But she needed to get ready first, her presentation started exactly in two hours. A nice shower then something delicious for lunch and off to work, that was the plan.

One last look to the presentation before she transferred it to the pink flash drive and got up to ready herself for office. Just then the laptop screen displayed a new mail with a 'ting' sound, grabbing her attention.

She quickly clicked open the mail to read it.

I know you just stood up to get ready.

He knew her too well. Letting her lips to curve up she read further.

Just a quick reminder bring the red file and the black folder I handed over to you yesterday. 
I know you love working with me. ;)
P.S. Love those dimples :) -E

Nerissa shook her head avoiding the smile getting wider and headed to her bathroom.

Him reminding to bring a file meant work was more than she had imagined so she needed to get going sooner than she had planned. After a quick shower and a yummy healthy breakfast she headed towards work looking neat and presentable.

The white midi length skirt had slight creases and her black chiffon blouse fit her perfectly. Smoothing down the little creases from her left hand and sipping the not-so-black-but-black coffee from her flask on her other hand she checked her appearance on the mirror. Except for the few flying strands of hair which she could fix in the washroom before the meeting, she looked absolutely fine.

The elevator took her to the twelfth floor where she worked. She passed a smile to each one on her way. There was hardly anybody she didn't recognize.

Waving a 'hi' to the woman sitting behind the desk taking the calls, Nerissa entered the room where she worked with her boss, business partner would be a better word. She first had been hired as a personal assistant to him but later after a scandalous event by then executive assistant she was promoted to the post and work wasn't simple and easy anymore. She worked more than he did and even signed deals with company clients occasionally. If he was not around to approve, she would do it. Her job was almost equal to the C.E.O's.

She marched inside the room pushing the glass door, "A new sunrise to make you smile."

"Good morning, Neri." He said with a broad smile as he looked up from his computer. His reading glasses looked too cute on him.

"Morning Everett." Placing the flask with her coffee on the desk she looked around observing the mess, the blankets on the sofa and the left overs of the food from the night before was still there.

"Don't tell me you slept in this weird office again."

"I didn't." He simply shrugged maintaining a small grin and kept punching the keys as he looked in the computer screen.

"Why do you even own a castle-looking-house? " she questioned him walking to the sofa and picking up the blanket, "simply have  a large room where you can have your own kitchen, bedroom and a bathroom here. All in one and besides you hardly sleep. "

"I was thinking of that too. It would be quite interesting to look at and live, wouldn't it?" he grinned and picked up the flask to drink the coffee.

"Gross. It would smell digusting with all the leftovers left like that. "She wrinkled her nose pointing towards the stale food. "You are one of the richest young bachelors in town, go enjoy your life sometimes."

"Don't start cleaning I will call someone to do that. I don't want you on your knees, please get up." He simply ignored her last statement and immediately punched a number in the phone calling in a person to do the cleaning.

Even after Everett's warning, she didn't stop picking up the crumbled pieces of papers from the floor, he snatched everything from her hand and threw it away.

"I said NO." He made it strict and clear. He knew he was the boss.

Nerissa let out a hush of air and walked away from the mess.

Everyone was already settled in the conference room when Nerissa and Everett strode inside taking respective positions ready to start the presentation. Everett was talking with a couple of important looking men from the board and he just gave her a nod to start as she walked to the front where Skye was laying out the reports.

"The woman with the tall figure and blonde hair is Ms. Wood." Skye whispered in to my ears when he moved around me to grab a seat." you are supposed to address her." She just shook her head in understanding.

Ms. Wood smiled at Nerissa, putting her exceptionally white teeth on display. She could surely use her white teeth for the Colgate advert, Nerissa thought.

The presentation was long and annoying as the time ticked by Wood got more irritating. She was quite stupid to be handling such big projects. Wood hardly knew and understood any thing Nerissa was explaining. Her actions clearly displayed that she was not interested in any business. She was more into luring Everett to her bed.

The woman was rubbing herself on Everett and it was unbearable sight to Nerissa, to everyone around.

Everett was embarrassed and all red on the act of the woman next to him. If Everett allowed her to continue she would definitely be making out.

Nerissa took long deep breaths every now and then to calm herself down as she continued talking about the project.

Suddenly one of the board members stood up abruptly grabbing everyone's attention.

"Enough for today." It seemed like he was speaking in his coolest voice possible. "Good work Nerissa." And it was not only Neirssa who noticed.

Nerissa shook hands with the board members and the woman she was supposed to address to as they existed the conference room, the woman sent a glare to Nerissa while Nerissa turned to arrange the scattered papers.

Cursing and stabbing the woman in her mind, Nerissa picked up the files.

"That was awkward." Everett stood behind her sending chills to her body as he breathed. She froze in her position not able to reply or back off. He was too close for her comfort. Nerissa turned around catching his soft gaze in hers. He slowly landed his hands on hers making Nerissa almost jump and took the file from her. Only when Skye walked in talking to someone on the other side of the phone they moved back.

"Let's go." She quickly left the room leaving Everett behind.

"My turn to pick Jeannette up. I don't want to be late. " Everett ran into his cabin before she could walk in, quickly picked up his car keys from the desk and was out of the office. The excitement was shining brightly in his blue-green eyes like every other time when he talked about her. Everett was fully attached to Jeannette. She was very precious to him.

Settling down the files on the table, she unlocked her phone to text Everett.
Have fun. I will be at home around six. -N

Jean did have good effect on every men around her especially this particular one.

After a few minutes her phone beeped.

Italian tonight. -E

She couldn't help but smile.

Although Nerissa warned him many times not to pamper Jean seeming all angry, he'd manage to do it anyway. She loved that side about him. Hell, she loved every side of him.