Kiss of the Devil
How do you love the one you're set to destroy?
Summary: Sakura's world took a sour turn when her fiancé, Hyuuga Neji, was found dead in his office at Byakugan Inc. The police speculated that the suspect must be Uchiha Sasuke since he belonged to the enemy line: Sharingan Inc. Both companies have been rivals for years and there is no other plausible suspect since the police has no solid lead and no one else to blame. Sakura decides to take matter into her own hands and reinvents herself into "Sato Ayame": a successful, beautiful, hard-working assistant and right hand woman of Uchiha Sasuke. Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer.
Sakura's obsession with making Sasuke's life a living hell diminishes as she spends every waking day with him. Her fixated revenge on the devil proved to be more than she could handle—a fatal attraction she can't deny any longer.
Chapter 1: Sharingan Inc.
Destroy Uchiha Sasuke.
That mantra has been running through my mind since the moment I received a phone call from Sharingan Inc.
"Hello, Ms. Sato?"
"Yes?"
"Congratulations! You got the job!"
"Ah! Thank you very much!"
"Yes we're very pleased with your resume and interview. Please check your e-mail for additional details and see you on Monday."
Click.
The sour mixture of dread and excitement rolled into one powerful sensation originating from the pit of my stomach. I didn't know whether I could justify my disgust, when the moment I've been waiting for has finally come to hit me right in the face. Harsh reality settled in and the mere thought of seeing him face-to-face brought chills down my spine.
As I walk through the hallway leading to the office of the CEO of Sharingan Inc., the confidence surged within me as I strolled along the many faces and places needed to pass by to get to my destination. Today is the day. Failure is not accepted. I, Sato Ayame, will be the best personal assistant he has ever had, that I will make sure of.
Two weeks ago
Hinata's sullen ivory eyes pleaded and desired for a genuine smile to appear on my face. I told her that there's no way I can be happy now. The real criminal isn't behind bars; he is currently sitting in his swivel chair comfortably up on the fiftieth floor of Sharingan Inc.
Don't say that, she murmured. I fought the tears that were at bay and buried my face on the pillows at the edge of the bed. "What now?"
She propped herself up on her elbows and bit her lip, "What else can we do?"
I don't know, I whispered. I pondered on her question, which is true in many instances. What else can I do for Neji? We gave him an honorable and proper burial. Knowing him, he would want me and everyone else to move on in life without him. He's not fond of sadness, especially not around or focused on him. I tried my best to keep a smile on my face, which I knew is easy to read for those who knew me well. If I wanted to move on, there's still one thing I needed to take care of.
"Uchiha Sasuke…"
"He's untouchable. Everyone knows that and acknowledges that fact."
"So, just because he's an Uchiha doesn't excuse him of any guilt. If the authorities are too scared to act on their own, I will take him down my own way."
Hinata rolled onto her back and laid in bed right next to me, hugging a pillow to her chest. "It won't be easy."
I chuckled. Of course it won't be easy, I said and finally sat up and looked down at her with fierce eyes, "Nothing in this life is ever easy. If you want something badly, you've got to take initiative. And what I want is Uchiha Sasuke, on his knees, begging for forgiveness."
This statement garnered an incredulous look on her face. I asked her if I sounded brave and serious, she agreed and gazed at me seriously. "Sakura, the best we can do is ask Gai-san to help with the case…"
Gai is too scared, I stated that fact and she rolled her eyes in agreement. "Tell me about it. He kept yapping about some Kakashi guy that works at Sharingan Inc. and that he would be hard to take down…"
I clasped my hands together, "Exactly my point!" I sighed in defeat. What's left for this hopeless case? The police are too scared to formally declare the Uchiha as the prime suspect in the case when it's painfully obvious that it was his doing. I kept talking about initiative this, initiative that, but how could I possibly do anything to single-handedly bring down the owner of possibly the most powerful corporation in the country?
"Sakura-chan…" I turned around, "Maybe the best we can do is gather information. If we have enough evidence to prove his guilt, wouldn't that be enough to indict him?"
"True…" I mused and suddenly an idea popped into my head. "What if we place a spy to work for the Sharingan Inc.?"
"A spy? But they hold records of people around the world. Sharingan is a powerful company. If they have any ounce of suspicion of foul play, they will destroy us."
Hinata proceeded on the computer to look up ads for job offerings at Sharingan Inc. "There could be an opening we could fill if we do proceed with the plan."
How about a stranger, I asked. She turned around and raised a brow, "Do you really trust a mere stranger to carry on this immense job of extracting information from Uchiha Sasuke? We need someone we trust. Someone capable."
"Someone like me." I concluded.
Hinata's eyes widened. "Don't be ridiculous Sakura! If anyone is ever going to infiltrate the Sharingan Inc., you would be the last person. You are Neji's girlfriend for Christ's sake."
My newly found confidence dizzied my senses, "I could be anyone. Give me brown hair and blue eyes. I could create a whole new other person."
"There is no way you're endangering yourself for the sake of Neji. I know he wouldn't like that if he were here."
My gaze fluttered to a framed picture of Neji and me on our vacation to the Caribbean. "But the fact is…" I gulped with difficulty, "He's not here with us anymore. Neji can't tell me what to do. If I wanted to die for his sake, I will and there's no way he will stop me."
This time, Hinata stood up to face me. "Then I will stop you. I don't want you to do this. We can hire anyone or even give Gai a makeover. He'd be perfect for the job."
"He's well-known in Sharingan."
"Or me! I could do this too!"
"You're Neji's cousin. As a Hyuuga, you've been on the spotlight so it would be stupid if you did…"
"Well, you're his girlfriend! Isn't that even more—"
"But I wasn't in the spotlight! I was never seen in public events with him due to the fact that he doesn't want to associate me with the lives of those corrupted men. I was his gate away from all the craziness of the business life."
Hinata's youthful face twisted in frustration. "I'll try out the job. If it's too much for me to handle, I'll quit as soon as I can. I just want to see him myself. I won't find inner peace if I don't do this."
Subtlety, the look of absolute anger on her fine features weakened. The old Hinata I knew came back to normal, staring at me with fear-filled eyes. "Is this what you really want Sakura?"
There's no way I'm backing out now. "I'll take the responsibility of personally destroying Uchiha Sasuke."
"You must be Sato Ayame, am I correct?"
The blonde snobby looking girl gave me the once over once I stepped into the office. It seemed she had been expecting me, given that she was not sitting in her designated chair as a secretary busying herself with her own affairs. The click on her heels rang like pins dropping on the ground as she approached me. I nodded hesitantly, scared that I might get the death glare if I admit to her question.
"Uchiha-sama is waiting inside for you."
With that curt statement, she settled comfortably in her chair. I can feel her glare piercing my back as I placed my hand on the cold metallic knob. The icy sensation prickled my senses.
Don't lose your cool, Sakura.
I didn't want to suffer from my lingering curiosities any longer. I need to see the devil himself. If I can't even face him, what kind of foolish dream have I been fantasizing for the past few days? If I wanted to take the great Uchiha Sasuke down, it's going to be dirty and ugly.
Then all hell broke loose. That's how I felt once I stepped into the sun-lit room towering over the skyline of New York City. The scenery up here on the fiftieth floor was breathtaking and unreal, almost like the amazement I feel when I gaze down from the window of an airplane. My gaze shifted to the lean dark-haired man sitting in the midst of all the beauty surrounding him through the glass windows.
I couldn't see his face clearly; he was too busy filling out paper work to notice my arrival. I stood there waiting for something, anything that could provide some sense in his head that his personal assistant has finally arrived. So, I cleared my throat.
He uttered one word. What made it special was his husky and velvety voice that made the word all the better.
"Coffee."
I raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"You heard—" He raised his head to shoot me a glare but his intense face quickly faded and altered into something that of amusement or astonishment. His raven locks framed his face nicely, the messy spikes in the back of his head added to his charm. But what really made my breath stop was his beautiful face, that angelic yet demonic versatile look he possessed adds to his aura, putting the view of New York City to shame just by sitting there.
This man is impossible! He can't be human!
"Sato Ayame?"
I nodded. "Yes, Uchiha-sama."
"Hm," He fumbled with the papers in his hand then pushed them off to the side, "Did you read the e-mail I sent to you?"
Oh shit. I forgot about that! If I wanted to keep this job, I better play the cards right.
"I...skimmed through it. I'm sorry for not being thorough."
He furrowed his eyebrows and stood up from his desk. He was even taller than what I would've assessed; his muscles were very well accentuated in that white business shirt of his. He leaned against his desk and stared at me contemplatively. "Lying is not befitting you, Ms. Sato."
Oh such sweet irony of those words…
"O-oh I'm sorry I—"
"Since you had no prior knowledge to my initial request, I'll save you from further embarrassment and send you downstairs to get me coffee. Dark, please."
His gruff sendoff infuriated me as I stepped out of his office. The blonde from earlier seemed to take notice of my irritated expression. "Don't worry, all first time employees get that treatment."
"Why? Does he hate his employees?"
"It's his way of determining where their loyalties lie. If he truly thinks you are fit for the job, he'll be nicer to you." Her eyes shone dangerously, "That is, if you survive."
I gulped painfully. Survive? Is the Sharingan Inc. a modern jungle or something? The way she said those words seemed almost like a threat, like she'll readily eliminate me from the food chain. I didn't like her one bit. Her condescending attitude and superior air repelled me right off the bat. It's going to be difficult to find tolerable co-workers in Sharingan Inc. with people like her.
The ride down the elevator proved to be more soothing, with the classical music accompanying me along the way. How can I possibly bear being the personal assistant of Uchiha Sasuke? After finding out that he's set out to make my life a hell, from his secretary no less, I'm beginning to feel less confident in my goals. Then, Neji's beautiful face came into my mind. He's the sole determination driving me to destroy the Sharingan Inc. to pieces. I have to do this! This absurd job is all of him, in his honor.
A cute petite girl with two buns on each side of her head entered the elevator on the thirty-sixth floor. She smiled graciously as she entered and mumbled a hello, as I did the same.
She inquired if I was a new employee. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke's new personal assistant."
Her widened eyes and audible gasp made the whole situation even more dramatic. "You mean…as in…THE girl who gets to be with Uchiha-sama 24/7?!"
I agreed and explained to her that it's really not that big of a deal. I told her it's not all that exciting since I'm still in that stage where he makes my life a living hell and I'm going to have to pass that phase before I can consider myself as the "luckiest girl in Sharingan Inc." as she puts it.
"But you know," She started as we both exited the elevator at the ground level, "His personal assistants never stay for too long. He changes them almost on a weekly basis. He hasn't hired one in a while though, so it's a shock to know and meet his new girl. What's your name?"
"I'm Sato Ayame and yours?"
"Just call me Tenten. Come," She motioned as we entered the staff lounge, "I'll introduce you to everyone."
That's when my nerves kicked in. My shyness has always been my weakness, and when I'm the only one getting introduced to a big group of people, it really gets me embarrassed and I start blushing like a bright ripe tomato. The heat from my cheeks worsened as every pair of eyes belonging to the multiple faces of the coworkers flashed a variety of emotions at the sight of me.
A white-haired man with a sharp toothy grinned with amusement, along with a blonde boy with whiskers who looked rather boyish and young to be working at such a corporation like Sharingan. A somewhat odd looking man with a bowl-cut hair joined the blonde along in the kiddy department. A tall, muscular one with spiky brown hair pushed to the back smirked at my appearance. And then a redhead…
What?! Gaara? Shukaku Gaara?
What is he doing in Sharingan Inc.?
His expression didn't faze one bit but I sensed that behind those emerald eyes he knew the deep secrets of my heart and it scared me. I avoided his gaze and smiled sweetly at the crowd in front of me. Maybe if I acted like I didn't know who he was, he wouldn't make an assumption to who I am. I'm positive my dyed dark brown hair and gray contacts would deter his suspicions to believing I'm Haruno Sakura.
The girls, on the other hand, looked on with intrigue and mostly paid attention to Tenten who was in front of me.
"We have a new friend here at Sharingan Inc. Meet Sato Ayame!" Tenten's energetic introduction made me cringe inside. It's my shyness kicking in once again.
She named the blonde boy Naruto, and he immediately yelped a "You're cute", which further embarrassed me even further. "He's the vice president of Sharingan," added Tenten. It's surprising, really. I originally didn't even imagine he'd be working at a place like this and he's one of the higher-ups? He must be something.
"That's Suigetsu and Juugo," She pointed to the white-haired man and the muscular one next to him.
"Did I ever tell you my favorite color is brunette?" Suigetsu quipped with the wiggle of his eyebrows. The girls called him out on his "lameness" and further verbally abused him, which he took on with stride.
A pretty red head who wore fashionably dark-framed glasses spoke up, "They are Uchiha-sama's bodyguards."
Then a tall blonde haired girl interjected that they were more along the lines of "TV guards" since they spend most of their time in the staff lounge and never around the person they're supposed to guard. "Idiots," muttered the red head and thus started another verbal exchange between the boys and girls.
"Then here's Gaara…" Her words trailed off as she followed her eyes to where he was once sitting. How did he slip out unnoticed? Tenten brushed the issue off and then proceeded to introduce the girls, who were named Karin and Temari. The girls were friendly, especially Karin, who would not stop complimenting my hair color, nails, or anything she could get her eyes on. Temari is also very friendly, setting up a lunch date for all of us to attend.
"What's your position here?" Karin asked and I was afraid she was going to. Being known as Uchiha Sasuke's personal assistant seemed like a highly position in itself, and I know it would cause a riot with the girls who undoubtedly love him with passion. And I truly understand. As much hatred I have towards him, I'm not the one to deny acknowledging an attractive man when I see one.
"Uchiha-sama's personal assistant!" Tenten answered the question for me and immediately I heard shrieks from the girls. Their open mouths started spewing words of envy and praise, which I answered with modesty. "It's really not all that great."
"Trust me, that's the best job in this place. I'm stuck in the Production Department and it's really not as fun as the Administration Department which is all fun since you get to watch Sasuke all day!"
"Heck, even the Production Department is tolerable…have you been to the Accounting Department on the thirtieth floor?" Temari complained. I can't help but agree. I'm pretty sure whichever department one worked in Sharingan is sure to be demanding; being that the CEO is a devious tyrant.
That's when I realized I'm sidetracking and forgetting my responsibilities on the first day. I asked them to direct me to where they have coffee, since my boss needed one and I already messed up my first day at work for not having it on his desk the minute I set foot in this building. I rushed like a frantic madwoman to the cafeteria, which I found empty, except for the employees preparing food in the kitchen.
Thank God there wasn't a soul in this place or else any more delay would result in him most likely firing me. When I thought I could sigh in relief, the last person I expected seeing suddenly showed his face. The little smirk he wore and his fiery orbs screamed danger. My eyes flickered back and forth at him and the coffee in my hand.
"Sakura…"
My mouth went dry and the dark coffee in my hand was beginning to slip from my grasp. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir. If you'll excuse me…" I mumbled fearfully, trying to push my way out of the cafeteria but his swift moves wouldn't let me out of his sight.
"Haruno Sakura." He spoke this time with a sinister tone and snarl I can't help but widened my eyes at the ghastly sensation tingling down my back.
"Don't make me say it again." He whispered this time.
My jaw hardened. I should've done my research instead of blindly entering Sharingan Inc. without having any information on its employees. It's foolish of me to think that no one here could recognize me when Sharingan has thousands of employees and I surely could've meet one of them at some point in my life, like the man who's standing right in front of me.
"Gaara. Please don't." My head lowered in shame, which my eyes followed to the white tiled floor. I shivered as his finger stroked my chin, which forced my downcast eyes to look directly into his, full of dread and shock. What caused my eyes to widen even more wasn't the dark ominous glint in his eyes; it was the man who stood behind him harsh eyes and a grim mouth.
Gaara noticed my discomfort and tracked my gaze to the man's presence. His smirk grew wider.
"Ah, Sasuke. Nice to you see you've left your office."
"What are you doing here?" He directed the question to me since he never once looked at Gaara's direction.
I bit my lip. "Here, sir." I handed him the coffee and his grip almost crushed the paper cup into shreds.
"She's your new assistant?"
Sasuke motioned for me to go behind him and leave the room. I nodded and hurriedly paced myself to the door of the cafeteria. "Leave my assistants the fuck alone, Shukaku."
"Ayame, leave." The Uchiha growled when he noticed that I didn't leave the area yet. How can I leave when the sole person who knows my deep dark secret was standing right in front of my enemy? I honestly can't trust Gaara, not now, and not ever.
Gaara ignored the Uchiha. "Oh Ayame?"
I debated whether I should look back or not. Those eyes, those lips, that face…it was far too much to bear to see once again. I don't want to turn around and find him pouring out my real identity to the Uchiha who looked infuriated to be standing in the same room as Gaara. I turned a half-turn, demonstrating that I acknowledged him calling out my name.
"It was nice meeting you."
My heart stopped beating. It took a second for that evil spark in his eyes to disappear as he gazed at the Uchiha who stood next to him. He was obviously taunting the man, who showed his great displeasure with the dark aura surrounding him at the moment. He walked past the Uchiha, me, and out of the room, leaving the both of us uncomfortable with the course of events.
"I'll be expecting you in my office. Now." The Uchiha dashed out of the cafeteria obviously disturbed and livid. Then I wonder, exactly what type of relationship do those two men share? But that is soon forgotten when I felt a rough piece of paper settled on my palm.
When did it get here…?
Meet me in room 499 at 1 PM unless you want Uchiha Sasuke to know your true identity.
A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated "Imperfectly Perfect" in a while. I'm currently in the process of editing the story and adding more stuff to the chapters. It might be a long wait since I just started college and I want to focus more on my studies. I just randomly wrote this because I was bored and I've been brewing this idea for a while now. I just want to get it out there and see what you guys think. Keep in mind that it's not perfect at all because I haven't proofread it yet and at this point, I really don't have time so I'll just edit the story later on. Tell me what you guys think. REVIEW PLEASE! I LOVE YOU GUYS!