Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

Eternal Flame

By: Eternity's Angel

Chapter 1: Defy

Seto Kaiba was working on a new project that would be making a huge big impact for Kaiba Corporations-not that he need it or anything, considering that he was the most powerful CEO of Japan with a great reputation of dominating almost all the higher rank companies, that he had set his eyes on merging with his company, his rank only went higher and higher. Now, he has his eyes set on one particular company. This company supplies the best import and export goods with other countries. It would benefit best at his company and more.

Walking down the hallways of his building, some of the co-worker looked up to see their high and mighty boss coming down their way. They bowed down to him as he walked by as a sign of respect and resumed back to their work before the big and mighty fire at them-which he enjoys greatly. But, indeed, walking highly and mighty of himself, he had his hands in his trenchcoat and his brown hair just seems to shine away when the morning sun shone down upon on it. His deep blue eyes stared cooly at the people around him; without any sign of emotion.

Barging into his meeting room, he had startled his guests who were siting around a glass table and swung their chair around to face the CEO of Kaiba Corporations; who merely was looking around the room to survey the people. He saw, the majority was men who wore suits with a tie around their neck. Seto Kaiba smirked to himself, he had never ever felt comfortable wearing any suit-but with the exception of those charity or those big gala parties where he was of course always invited into those kinds of events. He cringed but was brought out of this thoughts when his eyes laid on young lady who was sitting on the right side of the chair and was looking through a document containing of what's it was to be discuss today. The woman hardly noticed him, so he took the opportunity and looked over her. She is a redhead, but it is highlighted with bit of brown hair, shining from the sun. She was wearing a navy blue blouse and a black skirt. She seems to have a petite form, he noted, looking at her up and down.

Seto Kaiba was in daze, 'I wonder who she is? One of the representative of the Capsule Corporation? I wonder. With such beauty right in front of me-WAIT! Since when have I thought women were attractive? I must have gone out of my mind. This is what you get when you stay up late up to 3 o'clock and working on your laptop with only coffee to survive.' Kaiba shook his head and resumed back to the matters of the hand, "Settle down. I have call on you here today for a meeting that is very simple. I want to combine our companies together ." Kaiba was always blunt whenever he wanted to get down to business. Settling down on his nice and comfortable chair, he turned around and found that a lot of people were murmuring to themselves around the table.

'This is getting old. They would be fools if they wouldn't emerge with my company. My company has everything; power and domination is what you need. Not those wimpy companies who rely on honest and good work,' Kaiba thought, staring coldly around the table, letting no emotion shown on his face.

Finally, that woman who he had been staring at said, "Mr. Kaiba, we appreciate your offer for emerging your company with ours. But, I am sorry but to decline your offer. Although we know that Kaiba Corporations will gain even more superior power once emerged with Capsule Corporations, what intentions do you have if you emerge with our company?"

Kaiba stared at her, "Ms?"

The woman blinked, "Ms. Wheeler, Mr. Kaiba."

"Yes, Ms. Wheeler. My intentions is clearly simple. I want your company and you probably would want power. By emerging with my company, you'll gain whatever you would want and I would have what I want. That way, everybody have a little something at the end."

"I beg to differ Mr. Kaiba. Although I am aware of your reputation of having total control over the other companies that you were interested, I still have to decline your offer. Not everything is about winning or about power or domination. It's about how well you do and how skillful your are in the areas that's your strong point. Thank you very much for this meeting, Mr. Kaiba, but I still have to decline your offer. Sorry, but this meeting is over," Ms. Wheeler packed up her stuff and the representatives who was with her walked out through the double glass doors, leaving a enraged Seto Kaiba.

'How dare she reject my offer! Let alone her departure; making me look like a fool. I'll show her not to mess with me ever again. I'll show her whose superior and I'll win Capsule Corporations in the end. Now, I need to devise a perfect strategy to win.' Walking out of the same double glass doors, he went to his office to plan his strategy, not to mention to blow off some hot steam.

---

Serenity Wheeler sighed as she got out of Kaiba Corporation and head towards to her silver Mercedes. She drove away from Kaiba Corps. building heading towards the street. She had to go back to Capsule Corporations where her brother was waiting for her.

Driving and keeping her eyes on the road, her cell-phone rang. Putting her ear piece that was connecting the cell-phone in her ear, she answer, "Hello?"

"Hey Serenity! How was the meeting that you had?"

" Oh, as usual. I declined the offer. You won't believe who wanted to buy my part of the company Joey."

"Who?"

"Seto Kaiba."

"KAIBA? That obnoxious stuck-up jerk? He was the one who you had a meeting with? I'll show him a thing or two not to mess with my sister!"

Serenity giggled, "Relax, Joey. He's already taken cared of. I declined his offer and that was that!"

"You did the right thing! Decline that stuck-up moneybags jerk! Always thinking that he's so superior than others! Thank god Yugi showed him a lesson or two!"

Serenity sighed. Joey and Kaiba always had a history together, wait, scratch that. A horrible history together. Changing the subject, "How about lunch Joey? It's my treat."

Knowing Joey, he would never turned down a invitation to food, "What do you think? Of course I'll have lunch with you Serenity! That's why you are my favorite sister in the whole wide world!"

Serenity giggled, "Joey, I am your only sister."

"Yeah, it's still the same! I love you anyway!"

"Ok, I'll meet you at our usual place in the next fifteen minutes, ok?"

"Er...I might run a little bit late. Go reserve a table and wait for me there. I don't get why I don't get a lunch break until 12pm. You know how Duke is, always demanding to get things done around the place before we do anything else. I'm lucky that I don't work for Kaiba. He's MUCH much worst. Why don't you wait for me until then?"

"Sure. I'll wait! See you then Joey!"

"See you later Serenity!"

Ending their conversation, Serenity sighed. Its been 2 years since Joey got a job working for Duke Devlin. They managed to support themselves under Joey's paycheck. Now, she got a job running a company which the owner had passed down to her. She started at first, working in Capsule Corporations at age 18, trying to support Joey and herself together with the money that she worked for. The original owner of Capsule Corporations didn't have an heir to take over his company when he grew old and unable to work anymore, being the sweet kind old man he was, he gave Serenity his company. Seeing how hard Serenity works in his company, he couldn't have chosen a better choice.

But, not just being pitiful and knowing her history and the lack of crisis that her brother and Serenity were in, he saw potential in her. He saw that she could do much better than anyone else in the company. He saw her skills towards business, but nevertheless, he gave the company to her because he knows that she would work very hard to do what's best for the company. He adopted her as his own children and gave her the love that she never got. He loved her as she was his own daughter. To make it more easier, he also adopted her brother Joey. Knowing the inseparable bond that they have together, he could never separated them, so he adopted the two Wheeler siblings. Although they were adopted into the second richest man, next to Kaiba, in Japan, they had kept their surname. [1]

Serenity sighed, going down her memory lane was always a dread to think back. It brought back too many memories, especially the pain from all of it. Driving into the parking lot, she parked her car and got out. Inside the restaurant, she got a table and sat down, waiting for Joey to come.

---

Seto Kaiba was in a bad mood. Bad doesn't even describe it. When Seto Kaiba was in a bad mood, hell would pay. Typing furiously on his advanced computer, he found a file about Capsule Corporations. Searching for something through his connections, he was looking for something-or shall we say someone. Pulling up a folder, he found some background information of Capsule Corporations and all those information that were given. Scanning with his deep blue-eyes down the screen, he found the target of his search. Pulling that file out, it had the picture of her. That auburn-emerald-eyed woman who declined his offer.

Clenching his hands into fist, he pounded them on the desk, shaking the desk. His employees around him fearfully look at him, and fear for what might happens next. Reverting back to their own business, Seto Kaiba hardly noticed them. He was so absorb in his own thoughts, that out of the corner of his eye, he spotted some information on the screen that seemed familiar. Forming a smirk he said-with a little victory in his voice- "Well, well. What do we have here?"

Seto Kaiba smirk, "It seems that Ms. Wheeler isn't the real heir of Capsule Corporations. It was all an adoption so the old man can keep his business up and running. This should be a snap."

At that time, somebody came into the room. Seto Kaiba turned to see who was rudely interrupting him. His face softened when he saw his seventeen-year old brother, Mokuba. Mokuba had grown quite over the years. His dark black hair had grown a bit -but, he occasionally gets a hair cut to keep it the same length. "What are you doing Seto?"

'Hunting down a victim' Seto Kaiba thought, but he replied, "Just something for that business meeting that I had earlier."

"I forgot. How was the meeting?"

" Those Capsule Corps. are just bloody idiots! They refuse my offer! Me, Seto Kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corps. and they still refuse the offer! They are just insolent pest! Can you imagine that Mokuba? Let alone that stupid woman-"

"Seto! I'm hungry! Can't you finish your fuss later?" Mokuba whined. Although Mokuba had grown up over the years, his appetite haven't changed. [2]

Seto growled, "Fine."

Walking towards the automatic doors Kaiba walked out, with only the swish of his trench-coat flying behind.

---

Serenity snipped at her drink as she darted her eyes back and forth, looking to see if Joey came yet. Sighing, she looked at her watch. 'Joey's probably late because of all the work that Duke had handed to him.' She took another drink of her ice-tea and kept on looking at her cell-phone if there was any sign of him. Suddenly, a shadow appeared, hovering over her. Confused, she spun around, and her emerald-eyes met with two cold blue-eyes.

"Well, Ms. Wheeler. Fancy meeting you here," that voice was none other than Seto Kaiba himself. Along his side, was Mokuba, looking with interest back and forth between Kaiba and Serenity.

" Yes, fancy meeting you here too, Mr. Kaiba," Serenity said, averting any prospect of eye-contact. Her eyes returned to the entrance door, hoping for Joey to come so she wouldn't be alone with him. She silently prayed that he would go away soon. But, she guessed wrong.

Instead, he just simply invited himself to the table, and sat down across from her. Mokuba followed suit, sitting next to Seto's left side. Serenity hid a scowl, 'Humph! The nerve of him! Inviting himself to a table. I can't wait for Joey to show up!'

"Ms. Wheeler, I believe there had been a bit of a misunderstanding that was at the meeting today. What I don't get is why won't you join with my company?" Kaiba demanded, banging his fist on the table.

Serenity winced, but she stayed calm, "Mr. Kaiba, I believe that I had made myself very clear at the meeting. You could have any company that you would want. Why this particular one?"

---

Seto Kaiba was at the verge to give this woman a piece of his mind. But, being the cool and collective CEO that he is, he stayed calm.

" What I want with your company is my own reasons. Yet, you didn't make it clear back at the meeting, Ms. Wheeler. I demand to know why!"

"You can't go and demand everything that you would want, Mr. Kaiba. Not everything can be dominated, and when I am in charge, you have to get through me in order to succeed. Though I doubt you would."

'We'll just see. I could dominate anything that would become a nuisance to me. You are no exception. I will have my way, and you better watch your back!' Kaiba thought as when he gritted his teeth, and hid his frown.

Yet, he couldn't help but wonder where he had heard this woman's name before. But, he couldn't place where he had seen her. Sure, her name is Wheeler but, there's no way she was that mutt's sister. This woman in front of him was a spitfire. Stubborn and unwillingly to give in. But, Seto Kaiba never turn down a challenge. He'll fight fire with fire. But, at the end, he'll make sure that he'll win at the end, and he'll enjoy every last bit to see this woman fall down. Oh, indeed, he'll enjoy her downfall. [3]

Mokuba was looking back and forth again, deciding not to interrupt his big brother's important conversation. Kaiba and Serenity were now glaring at each other, full of hatred. Kaiba's hated her not accepting his offer. Serenity's hated him for not leaving and still sitting there. She didn't pay attention at anything that was going around. She kept on glaring at the CEO of Kaiba Corp.

"KAIBA!!! What the hell are ya doing with my sista?"

Serenity, Kaiba and Mokuba looked up to find Joey yelling at Seto Kaiba.

-----

A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! I enjoy reading each and one of them! I am sorry if this chapter is short! I have important tests coming up....(Social Studies and Science test)...I have to pass these testes in order to graduate...So, I won't be updating for a while.

Now...for some notes for the story:

[1] Ok, I know this doesn't EXACTLY happens in real life, but I am pretending that it did. To be honest, I don't really know anything about business, etc. So, I came up with my own rules for them. This relates to what would happen in future chapters.

[2] I know Mokuba didn't exactly have a big appetite in the series, but I just want to put that in..especially IF he's a seventeen-year old.

[3] No, Seto Kaiba didn't KNOW that Serenity is Joey's sister...cause...Joey to him is as a dumb-ass...and since Serenity owns the company, etc.

-Ok, I am having trouble if this is gonna be a AU or not. I'll just say it's AU towards the rest of the chapters. It's only gonna stick to the original story because of some past events. Fair enough?

How did you find this chapter? Boring? Needs more action? Please review and tell me what you thought of it! [By the way, does anybody knows how to use the new program call QuickEdit? I been having trouble with it. Please e-mail me and tell me how to use it!]

Edited By: ChibiNekoTenshi

-Eternity's Angel