"The Queen has begun the game
                               but so has the king"
Not edited
If she thought her life had been difficult before than Alistair made sure it was overbearing now and with the amount of kindness running in Karma's veins she made sure to return the favor with ten folds.
It had been two weeks since they crossed paths and it already felt that they were admist of war.
"Ma'am" she looked up from the piles of work he had thrown into her office. With all the meetings, small or big, ten years older, he wanted her to examine files and report if there was any theft or money was taken under the rug.
Mr Caleb had two office staff standing behind him having black bundles of stacks and papers.
"Mr Alessandro had requested you to go through these as well and see if there is any employee in this building who is eating money from Arkalos." She sighed.
There were three thousand employees in the building he wished her to go through every single thing. He thought that she was a girl who freshly moved out of college so such work would make her furious and step out of her line.
Not only that but she would whine like a baby to him and only then he would be satisfied. In a way she respected him and Alistair respected her cruel attitude to retaliate when he saw she wasn't whinning anytime soon. He truly was ruthless but not blind to not be able to see a brave streak of rebellion in her spirit.
Men usually treat women like a porcelain doll at first making her believe that they are her pillar a never-ending support system and they could truly rely on. But later as the woman have finally believe it her doom starts.
Karma was irreplaceable. Nothing like those who would sit and cry. An eye for an eye is what she believed in.
As it is said...the most beautiful flowers usually have poison. Atleast Alistair had enough respect to challenge her and not weave a delusion of care and sympathy.
He didn't sympathized with her and it showed in his each step.
"My Caleb keep all those files here and take me to your boss. Aiden while I am away, look at these files for me." His  secretary nodded respectfully while Caleb opened the glass door for her.
As soon as she stepped out, all eyes followed her. It wasn't a secret that the two most prominent identities of Arkalos were in a cold war.
Half of the people sided with Alistair while others defended Karma but among all mayhem was a group of people who thought something was budding between the two forces.
An enchanting beauty with such lethal mind and a man defining masculinity with power and strength at his feet how was it possible that they didn't felt anything towards each other.
Such people are meant to be with another. Perfectly moulding into each other's personality and heart. The women staff sighed if they had to lose Alistair to someone it could only be this tigress and none another.
A slight knock on Alistair's chamber couldn't distract him so he just hummed allowing the person to enter.
"Such a shame....so handsome and yet so arrogant." Alistair's face adorned a genuine smile as he looked at Karma. She used his previous words on him and her heart jumped once before she collected herself.
He was truly a god.
But she smirked seeing his condition was no better than her. His silky locks jumbled and disheveled while his face showed signs of tiredness and those bronze eyes of his were diluted with a hazy mist forming in those irises with the lack of sleep.
Ofcourse she had send him all legal files no matter how small, even if it was related to a small water pipeline outside Arkalos he had to make a report.
It was in a way funny that none of them accepted defeat.
"Miss Karma to what I owe a pleasure, please have a seat. By the way I know how to treat my colleagues unlike some people who let their seniors stand. I even let those below my authority to sit infront of me."
" I have not encountered a single senior since I have stepped foot in the office Mr Alessandro, but unlike you I don't let my juniors sit so casually infront of me atleast not those who know nothing about mannerisms and barge into my cabin.
Mr Caleb I would suggest you to punish such impudent beings because such people would only ruin our reputation."
Alistair watched Karma calmly in a day her cheeks have lost their rosy hue and her jade blue irises had become dull but the fire still burned fiercely.
"When will you learn respect Karma?"
"The same day you learn it." Alistair leaned back at his chair without a care.
"If you are here to argue with me, you can leave Miss Develle."
"No, but I am not here to look after petty issues either. I am here to offer a deal Alistair. I would not restrict your arms trade but in return you have to inform me in advance.
You have my word that the trade would prosper nevertheless but I want to know each and every detail."
"In the era where people forge contracts you want me to believe your word?"
"As you wish but once I made my mind about this nothing will stop me... Not even you. If I reported the finance ministry that you have refused to lessen the arm trade they would be suspicious and there is only me who could assure them."
" Mr Caleb leave us alone and pull the binds as well."
Karma's breath hitched as Caleb moved pulling the binds down and thereafter moving out closing the door softly. Alistair got up from his emperor chair circling Karma like a prey.
"I hate liars Karma, I give you this one chance. I trust you with this for Arkalos but I know you would not do it without an ulterior motive. Tell me what do you want.... What will you get out of this?"
He went behind her seat, his hands caging her as he held the armsets of her chair tightly. Revolving the seat he looked into her eyes filled with vengeance.