|| IRIS's POV ||

The sound of his raw voice snapped me back to reality. I was so horrified by his presence that I almost slipped the camera out of my hands. Thankfully, I managed to hide it in my waist at a remarkable speed.

As soon as I turned, my cheeks turned warm from the sight. Mr.President was standing with a bare chest. His well furnished muscles were now dripping with waterdrops. It seemed like he went to the pool for a late night swimming.

I stumbled over my words, playing with the edge of my clothes,

" I...I...I came to see if you need anything. After all, I am your secretary."

He flashed me a glare before examining the place. Once he found it okay, he began to speak, walking into the room lazily,

" You don't have to. I have plenty of people to watch over me here."

I nodded in understanding but my heart was still thumping wild. I was so close to getting caught. Then I would have been kicked out of the organization as well for failing the mission. After clearing my throat, I started to speak again, hoping to make a comfortable atmosphere between us,

" It's my duty, Sir. I hope, you don't mind me finding you."

He rolled over the couch with a snort. Even though I was trying to be professional, my eyes were distracted from his taut muscles. He could be a film star without any debate. He replied, keeping his gaze on me,

" I don't mind as long as you don't cross my boundary. I prefer to see you here when I am here. I don't give access to the people for entering my room. Anyways, I have a special task for you, Iris. Consider it as your first task of being my assistant."

Relief washed over me after he changed the topic. I thought that he was going to interrogate me about my arrival in his room. Walking briskly to the mini bar, I poured wine for us, allowing him to talk,

" Anything, Sir. I will try my best!"

He started speaking as I offered him the wine, visibly shaking under his hot eyes,

" There is a reporter who keeps writing about my sexual preference. He keeps making posts that I am gay. I have failed to stop him or convince him. I want you to put it inside his head that I am not a gay and stop making rumours."

I pressed my lips together to not burst out into laughter. Anybody could suspect him since he always avoided contact with women. But winning his trust was more important than anything else. I replied with a sly smirk, mentally planning to kick off the reporter,

" I would like to give it a try, Sir. Allow me to prove myself."

__________

Morning News Office

" So..Miss..."

He groaned then looked up at me sharply once. It was Alex, the editor of the Morning News who had been writing about Xavier Gray's personal life too much these days. After he passed his order to me last night, I had been reading Alex's articles for the whole night. It turned out to be that he hated Mr.President to death. If he appeared in a gathering without any woman,Alex would be releasing an article about how Xavier Gray had kept his sexual orientation hidden. As much as I didn't want to meddle in this affair, Alex's articles got on my nerves. He was hungry to grab attention.

I added, giving him a cocky smile,

" Miss Young!"

Alex pushed his glasses down. Secretly I adjusted the speaker which had been lying between the bottoms of my shirt. Mr.President wanted to be updated in each second. Thus, I carried this inside me and let him hear the whole conversation.

Alex spoke, wearing a knowing smirk,

" You are here for the president. He has tried all the methods already. Apparently nothing worked. I wouldn't stop telling the public how he is behind the mask. What makes you think that you would be able to convince me?"

Jerk as I expected!

I replied calmly, crossing my legs confidently,

" I am not here to convince you, Mr.Alex.Those things which aren't true, you aren't allowed to write that legally. You say that Mr.President can't interact with women. But look at me. I work by his side perfectly. I am the right example, isn't it ?"

Alex gave his witty smile as he spoke, pushing his glasses down a little,

" You are just his secretary. How do you know about him so much? Probably you don't even go near him. Your existence doesn't prove anything, lady. Go back!"

I squeezed my fists tight. I couldn't be failing at my first task. After taking a deep breath, I began to speak again,

" What should I do to make you believe that Mr.President isn't a gay?"

Alex's lips pulled into a malicious grin. I had a bad feeling about his next words that would be coming out of his mouth. He replied, leaning on the desk a little,

" Maybe..a night with you..is enough to bribe me. You are hot. I like your badass attitude."

I stared at his audacity speechlessly. I swear if I wasn't with the president, I would have blown his head out already. Before I could give him an answer, I heard a click on my speaker. Mr.president hung up his phone just like that. I was flabbergasted by his sudden change of attitude even though we promised to keep in touch the whole time.

Was he embarrassed of me?

Just when I was thinking about a hard slap to Alex, the door of Alex's office burst open immediately. My eyes went wide to see the person standing there. It was Mr.President himself without any bodyguards around. The whole office raced behind him crazily as he marched inside the office before grabbing me up by my arms.

" Are you done with your negotiation?"

|| IRIS's POV ||

My eyes went wide in alarm. It was never our plan to appear here especially Mr.President. This huge office was full of reporters and media. By appearing here, Xavier Gray had literally risked his reputation. I warned him immediately, Alex looked stunned by his presence as well,

" What are you doing here? Go back please. I can handle him."

Mr.President only tightened his grip around me, his eyes glowing with murderous gleam. He sneered at Alex before shooting,

" I thought, you would like to switch your job into a man whore. Wanna join my club for service, Alex?"

Alex seemed terrified by his mighty presence. Probably he thought that it was easy to handle the president of the whole nation just like that. He tried to be arrogant, glaring back at Mr.President,

" You are disrespecting me, Mr.President. You don't know what I can do to your reputation.."

Mr.President cut him off, punching on his desk loudly,

" You don't know what I can do to you? Will you prefer it more if your wife finds out how you had been cheating on her with her sister?"

My mouth went dry in shock as Alex looked troubled as well. Clearly he didn't expect that Mr.President would dig out such confidential news of his life. Alex stuttered, still being an arrogant brat,

" Non.. Nonsense...You are just trying to frame me so that I don't write about your staff anymore. Let me tell you! I will write again tomorrow that you are a gay and a pussy to women."

His words turned the fury inside me. I looked back at him smugly, wishing to punch on his face but the whole office was already watching. Without thinking too much, I grabbed Mr.President by his collar and pressed our lips together into a kiss. The whole crowd gasped in uproar. I barely cared and kissed him short and rough. To my surprise, he returned the kiss more passionately. One hand holding my head, he deepened our kiss in a lovely affectionate manner.

Dead silence ascended around the room. After the kiss ended, I turned to Alex to reply to him sharply,

" I think, it's now enough for you to prove that he isn't a gay. Right, Mr.Alex?"

Mr.President looked shocked as well but he got back to his senses fast. Wrapping a hand around my waist, he added sharply, glaring at Alex who stood there, hanging his mouth open speechlessly,

" Also make yourself worthy before offering my woman. Your rat-faced attitude won't give you anything."

___________

|| XAVIER'S POV ||

" That was a good show!"

I stumbled over my words weakly once we were back alone in the car. The whole drama of false news had died down once we kissed in the office. Multiple eyes witnessed that Xavier Gray wasn't a gay as per what Alex said always in the news.

Iris had been having a hard time facing me. After we finished the show, we sat in the car awkwardly for a while. I didn't regret being there. When I heard how Alex was giving her an indecent offer, I lost control over my temper. I couldn't clearly remember when it was the last time that I acted so recklessly. Apparently my presence there created a big mess.

Iris finally replied, her eyes watching the passing trees outside,

" You shouldn't have gone there. We have been successful but it will create more drama. The editors will now believe that we are in an indecent relationship."

I shot her a quick glance. She looked visibly upset for being kissed by me. I understood her hard. Any woman of this nation would be dying to be kissed by me. For some stupid reasons, her unhappiness pissed me off. The kiss kept playing in my mind. I would be ashamed to admit that it didn't turn me on. I had a hard time stopping kissing her. She tasted like strawberries, so soft and jelly. I wouldn't be a fool to say that I didn't enjoy kissing her. Ever since the kiss happened, she was always in my mind. It was strange how I got attracted to her from our very first meeting.

I assured her, using my casual voice,

" Money can fix everything. Your republican is safe with me. Also thanks for today. The idea was iconic."

She kept her lips shut which annoyed me a bit more. After tugging my tie off, I blurted out breathlessly, trying my best to sound rational,

" Are you upset with me for kissing you back? We are adults. It's no big deal."

Still she stayed silent the whole time. I gave her space, switching my focus on the tabloids which advertised the latest news of our project. Half an hour later, her voice pulled me in,

" Stop here. I have to get down."

She murmured 'Thank you' then got out of the car without looking at me. I still had to say something but she practically fled away from my vision. My heart grew upset by her cold behavior. When did I start fucking care about other's feelings, please?

My car started running again. I couldn't forget her face after the whole kissing drama ended. Before I could sink into my thoughts longer, my mother called me all of sudden. As soon as I picked it up, her cry from the other end,

" Xavier!!! Rose!! Rose got into a car accident! Please come back to find her at once."

My heart froze in panic. Shouting at my chauffeur, I urged to head to the hospital,

" Clover! City hospital, fast!! Faster!!"

All my thoughts blanked away. As an experienced driver for nearly five years, how did she get into an accident? Rose was always careful about driving her own car. She was praised as the safest driver in the family. I just wished that it wasn't any of my enemies again who targeted her in order to weaken me.

|| XAVIER'S POV||

" How did it all happen? I thought,You are careful about driving the most."

I said to my sister who was laid on the hospital bed, her one hand broken. Rose rubbed her nose uneasily. After arguing with our mother, she left with the car alone, driving all by herself. No security guards were there to rescue her. Thanks to those police who were passing by and immediately took note of her car accident.

Rose replied after looking down at her hands apologetically,

" I..I am sorry, brother. But trust me, I was driving slow. A truck came from the other direction desperately and hit my lambo."

I furrowed hard in confusion. That didn't sound like an accident. It felt like a deliberate attempt to kill her. I blurted with a frown, turning to my assistant,

" Investigate the whole matter now."

My assistant went behind it after giving me a bow. Now that we were all alone, Rose added a sigh,

" I made you worried again. But TRUST ME! I felt like the truck was coming in my direction on purpose."

I opened my mouth to say something but another figure just burst into the room without a knock. It was Daniel who emerged with a dark face. His eyes went on Rose and a malicious smirk grew on his lips. With a snort, he started to bicker, hiding his concern,

" Serves you right! How many times did I tell you to not drive by yourself?"

Rose shot him a glare. They were like frenemies. Daniel loved to tease her since we were a child. Regarding Rose, she hated him to death. Rose yelped, casting him a murderous glare,

" No one asked you to come in. Get out! I will do whatever I want."

Daniel retorted with a snort, pointing at her broken arm,

" There! You never listen although you have lost an arm. Xavier, you should add her as our minister. She will help us win any argument."

Rose yelled out immediately, glaring at Daniel again,

" I hate you so much, brat!"

Daniel snorted back with a smirk, his eyes staring at her bandage,

" The feeling is mutual, darling."

I interrupted them midway, shaking my head in disbelief,

" Enough, you two! I can't believe that you still argue like middle-schoolers."

They both looked away, wearing a dark face. Not long after, Daniel spoke again, softening his voice,

" Hey, Blondie! Does it hurt?"

My stubborn sister immediately shrieked back with hatred,

" No, I am dancing, can't you see?"

Daniel cursed under his breath and didn't ask anymore. As much as they hated each other, I knew my friend too well. There was something odd between them. Although Daniel never confessed, I could feel his more than sisterly concern for Rose. Perhaps they were not like this from inside. I didn't meddle in their feelings. As long as they decide, I would be happy to support them at any cost.

_________

|| IRIS's POV ||

" How are you doing? You never call me after I shift here!"

I snorted at Artemis on the phone. After the whole drama finished, I was surprised to see that not a single soul had written anything about the kissing drama in the office. Xavier Gray surely kept his words but a part of me worried that Artemis and others from my side had received the information already.

Artemis snorted back, his voice sounding teasing,

" How can I, sista? You are the secretary of the president. How dare I call you anytime just like a commoner?"

I rolled my eyes at his sarcastic remark. Even though we weren't blood related, Artemis never failed to play a big role as my brother. He was calm yet cold blooded to kill ten men without any remorse in his mind.

Artemis changed the topic all of sudden, his voice dripping with seriousness,

" Anyways..All I wanted to say is that you should be careful about Xavier Gray. You know, the wolf hates him so much. Don't do anything much to provoke his anger."

His warning reminded me of the kiss that I shared with the president the other night. The worst feeling was that I couldn't forget the kiss at all. At first, I thought that I was feeling simply guilty. But as the memory passed, I understood that I was simply scared of my own feelings. I felt ashamed to admit that the kiss turned on complex emotions. No one ever kissed me like him so passionately. Even the way he had come to protect me in front of the whole world without caring about his reputation, I was left conflicted with my emotions.

" Hey.. hey are you listening?", Artemis's shrill voice snapped me back to reality. Oppressing my thoughts, I asked back in a curious voice,

" Ah..do you know why they hate each other so much? I mean, there should be a reason for their enmity."

Artemis let out a shrug, his yawns coming out too often,

" I have no idea. Wolf never shared his personal matters with us. He didn't even tell you. How do you expect me to know that?"

I hummed in understanding. They used to tell me that I was the closest person with Wolf. Before me, he didn't spend time with anyone like me. Naturally they thought that he shared his secrets with me. But in reality, he never even showed his feelings for me much less to his secrets. After chatting with Artemis for a while, I ended the phone call and moved on the computer, trying to access Xavier Gray's personal social media. But the security that he used left me speechless. I couldn't get into it at all but immediately I started feeling guilty from my heart.

How could I think of harming the man who actually saved me from humiliation? How could I be the reason for his destruction although he was absolutely no one to me?