Hidden Passion
Chapter 1

Lillian swayed her hips from side to side as she walked down the hallway of her mother's company. She was radiating happiness and her beauty made every employees' mouth water. Most of them could not help but look at her more than once. She was walking with confidence and each step she took spoke a lot. She was every man's dreams and every lady's goal and her proud parents' only daughter.

She adjusted the front of her long-sleeved shirt, which she had paired with a knee-length black skirt. She was the company's personal assistant while her mother was the CEO, so she needed to look her best. People probably wondered why she wore a long-sleeved shirt in the very hot weather conditions, but she had her reasons. Not that she actually minded, though.

She had a tattoo on her arm. Perhaps, it was not a big deal, but not to her. Not that she couldn't flaunt it to the world. Of course, she could. She loved it. There were times she would look at it in the mirror and reminisce about her past and how it had been twelve years already. She had not once forgotten him, but she was happy. The inscription was an everyday reminder of her memories with him and that was why she kept the promise she made to him by not wearing sleeveless shirts and tops outside her home.

Even if she sometimes missed him, she was still happy. She believed he would come back for her if they were really meant to be together.

She got to her office and started working on the files she had on her desk. It wasn't like she was the owner of the company. She could not help but imagine how much more would be on her mother's desk, and knowing her mother, they would be easy for her.

She decided to go to her mother's office in the afternoon to check on her since they had not seen each other that day. It happened like that sometimes. Even though they lived in the same house, her mother would always wake up first and come to work earlier than any other employee. That was her mother's habit she wished to cultivate. She was a typical definition of a workaholic.

***

Mrs. Grace Williams, founder of the Williams Modeling Company, adjusted her glasses to sit on her nose as she picked up a magazine to read an advertising company that had submitted a request for a model. She couldn't give out models to any company without a reputable name but El_En seemed to be okay.

She looked up as the door of her office opened and revealed her one and only daughter, who sashayed into the room and sat in front of her.

"Hi, mum," she greeted with one of her sweetest smiles.

"Darling, what's wrong? Do you need anything?" Grace asked.

"No, mum. I'm just tired. It's almost closing time and I haven't rounded up my work," she said and rubbed her eyes slightly.

"And you came here thinking I would pat you on the head that you've done a good job?" her mother asked. Even if she was her daughter, Mrs. Williams was not the type of person who encouraged people who were not hardworking. "You can just be a model if being my assistant is too hectic a position for you."

"Look, mum, if I were to become a model, I am telling you, I'd be the only one in this company," she bragged.

"May I ask why?"

"It's obvious and simple. I am too beautiful to have competitors," she said firmly and smiled.

Her mother started laughing and almost had her lungs out in the process. "You are too full of yourself. Just like your foolish dad."

"Dad is unlike you. He's sweet."

"Sweet, my foot!"

"I know you are jealous. Why can't you be as sweet as dad? Gosh, that man is so loving and caring..." she was saying when her mother angrily slapped the surface of her desk. "Shut your mouth and don't bring your dad into this conversation," her mother vented.

It was her daughter's turn to laugh. "It seems you're forgetting something. You brought him up yourself. Well, I know you're still in love with that cutie," she teased.

Mrs. Williams was confused. "Cutie? Who is the cutie? What cutie are you talking about?"

"Who else? It's my one and only dad, of course."

"What? That oldie is cute?"

"You're old, too. You should be planning your retirement."

"I'm still a very young woman. Even if I retire, is it your lazy ass that will sit in this chair?" her mother hissed.

"Of course, who else? I am really tired, mum. Can I just go home, and I'll finish my work tomorrow?"

Her mother laughed. "You dare not, baby. You must finish that work on your desk before you go home, honey. You can call your dad to come and help. I won't mind."

"Saying you miss the old man would have been better," she whispered and yawned with her eyes closed. She opened her eyes and saw the cover of the magazine in her mother's hands. "Lill-" her mother was going to ask her what she thought about the deal with El_En.

"Wait, mum," she said, not shifting her eyes from the magazine which had the picture of a very handsome and familiar young man. "Is this not-" she paused.

"Who?" her mother asked, staring at the cover.