While walking to the bus station, Serena realized the flimsiness of her excuse to her brother that was why he saw through her lies. She told him that the building would be closed when she got there when it's only the supermarket and the department stores that would be closed. The office part of the building was open for 24 hours. Apart from the stores, they shared the building with a BPO Company or a call center.

Serena tried not to think of what she witnessed between Rachel and Jed. If she could never trust him after this, there was no way she could forgive him. Marriage to Darien Shields would be purely a business arrangement and if her boss specified that he be allowed to date other women during their marriage, she would comply with the terms, provided he be discreet. For her honesty was always the best policy. Not that she would agree to an open marriage between Jed and her had he requested one, but surely there should be a difference between someone who professed to love you unconditionally and a man who told you to your face that your marriage was a necessecity.

According to the Damon Terzakis's will, Darien could only inherit the ancestral home in Greece if her boss lived there with his wife for at least three months. Having worked for Darien Shields for more than four years, Serena was very sure his wife would be quietly served divorced papers if not an annulment.

She didn't know what made him ask her to marry him. Maybe he believed she was unattached. He seemed surprised when she told him the she had a boyfriend. After all, Jed never made the effort to pick her up from work. And now she no longer had one…

Why was she only noticing those little signs now?

She frowned and felt a little upset that the bus seemed to be late. What if Darien Shields had made a different arrangement? And why was she suddenly considering his offer? Was her pride that high that she could not accept that Rachel had bested her again? It was not like she was competing with her. Besides, she'd never win.

Serena fished out her cell phone from her bag. She'd never called Darien Shields in the four years she'd work for him.

There's always a first time…

The question is if he would pick up.

One time, while she was looking for a file in his office, a certain 'woman' was calling him and he just let the gadget ring until it rang again. On top of his table. He didn't even pick it up, just glanced at it to see who was making it noisy. It made her furious, and she had a feeling Darien Shields partly didn't answer the cell phone simply to infuriate her.

That was why she was surprised that her call was answered after the first ring.

"Yes?" Why was she noticing his clipped upper-class accent?

"Are… are you still in the office?" And why was her voice husky, as if she was going to cry if he told her that another girl had said yes to him?

"I'm still in my office. Do I take it you've changed your mind my regarding my offer?"

"Is it still available?"

"This may be the only time I'm going to ask you, Serena Miller. Will you marry me?"

Serena took a deep breath the same time she closed her eyes, wondering why she was feeling so relieved. "Yes."

"Where are you? I'm going to pick you up. We need to choose your ring."

"I'm on my way to the office. Please wait for me." Serena had a feeling that if she let him, Darien would always make the decisions for the two of them. She'd better watch out and consider even the littlest decisions she'd made him agree at triumphs.

While on the bus, she found herself comparing Jed to Darien. Whereas Jed may agree to her decisions, Darien may be harder to control or convince. She might find herself being dominated by him and Serena didn't know if she'd appreciate that.

She allowed herself to think of Jed for the last time. Once she stepped into the office, Serena vowed never to think of him again.

Darien Shields was leaning backward against his office desk when she entered his office. His midnight blue eyes seemed to penetrate her whole being and she felt a little uneasy.

"Serena," he said and she was sure she blushed. He usually called her Miss Miller.

She actually was unsure how to respond to him. "I'm not sure when I'll be used to calling you 'Darien or to you calling me Serena.'"

"We're pressed for time, as it is, and you have to convince your friends that you like me better than you've told them."

"I realized you heard us. I'm really sorry—"

"Don't be. I'm sure your friends will think what they like and create a good anecdote when you meet them again to invite them to our wedding." He moved away from the desk and stood closer to her. "You blush a beautiful shade of pink, but I'm not sure it will help us in our pretence. It may only prove to your friends and family that you're hardly used to me."

This ancestral house must really mean a lot to Darien, Serena thought. This was the longest conversation they had ever had since she became his employee. "Don't worry, I'll give the best performance of my life."

Author's Note: I published this story in another site that's why I decided to change the names and everything. Thing is, I hated the other sited and I've always liked posting here on ff…but…my laptop is not helping and neither is the Internet connection. The bottomline: please bear with me and with the mistakes.