Xavier's pov:

It was around 1.30 pm when Maya finished her work.

"So, is the app ready now?" I was really curious about the app.

"No, just the first stage algorithm is done. Lot of work is to be done over it. Like accessibility tests, the final testing of the code, graphics and much more." She told me.

"So, you do all these things. I mean the graphics and all."

"Graphics and testing is to be done in front of the owner. Earlier, I wasn't able to leave my house. So, I used to hire other people for this work and give them a percentage amount from my check. But, now I can meet the owner and do things as I want. So, I'll set up a meeting with Mr. Harris and discuss further things with him."

"So, when are you planning to meet him?"

"I'll take an appointment tomorrow. Let's see when his schedule is free."

"What if I get you to meet him tomorrow?" I asked her.

"How can you fix my meeting?"

"Mr. Harris is my regular client. I also own good amounts of shares in his company. And, tomorrow he is coming to discuss few things with me regarding our new venture. So, you can meet him there."

"I don't see any problem with that. Okay."

"Great. So, tomorrow you'll come with me to my office."

She stood quite for a while, lost in her thoughts.

"What if people see us together?" She asked with a stressed face.

"You don't wanna be seen with me." I said to her.

"No, that's not the thing. It's just I don't wanna be treated differently just because I'm your wife." She said.

"That's not a different treatment. It's royal treatment." I told her.

"That's what I don't want. You have worked hard to be where you are today. You've got the place for you. I don't want to take advantage of just being your wife. I don't want to enjoy the respect of being your wife. I want to build that for myself. I want to earn my own value." She said.

"You know what, with each passing day you make me respect you more and fall for you even more Maya."

She smiled at me and the blush immediately crawled on her cheeks.

"So, what are you expectation regarding life? " I asked her diverting the topic.

"I don't have expectations. They kind of are the reasons of pain. But ya, I have a dream. Just one. I want a house of my own."

"This is your house Maya." I told her.

"Only for six months. As soon as the contract is over, I'll have to pack my bags." She said.

I just kept quite. Not wanting to spoil hers as well as my mood, I asked her about it in detail.

"So, have you done some planning about it?"

"Yeah. I have the plan of my house ready. I've also saved a decent amount for that. But, now seeing this area of suburbs, I'm much attracted towards the silence and greenery. I am thinking to buy it here."

I really liked her thought of buying a house nearby. But, buying a place here is not easy.

"You do know that this area is really expensive. If you don't mind me asking, how much have you saved?"

"Uh..if I exclude my expenses of the coming three months, I'll still have 4.8 millions in account."

"What? Are you kidding me? How can you have this amount if money in your account? No offense, but that's a very big amount."

"I know. From the age of 17, I'm freelancing. I started saving since then. I used public transportation just to save a few dollars. Leave the luxury brands, I didn't even shop at a local store for the last five years. I used to buy only a few pieces at the thrift store and live on that.

Out of only few things that my parents did good to me, one of them was to never let me move out. That saved a lot of amount to I'd have to spend on rent.

When my batchmates would be out partying, I would be staying up late completing my projects. There were days when I had to 18-20 hours a day.

I even made certain investments that brought back huge profits to me and are still benefiting me.

That's how, I've reached where I am today."

I was spell bound at her.

"Wow, it just amazing. You are really an inspiration for everyone Maya, including me."

"Thanks." She smiled.

We both had an amazing time together. We watched a movie after that in the home theatre, went out for a stroll in central park and made dinner together. Honestly, I understood today that spending time with your family is really good. I got to know about her more today. I got to know that honest and hard-working girls like her also exist in this world. And, I was really proud of the thing that she's my wife. This night, I slept with a smile on my face.

It was 5 in the morning when I woke up. Went to the gym, came back and got ready for the office. I had never been this excited to go to work ever before. But, today's different.

Today, Maya would be coming at my office for the first time.

I went to the breakfast table at around 8.

"Good morning Mimi." I hugged her.

"Good morning Xavi. Looking fresh and all happy. What's the reason?" She asked me wiggling her eyebrows.

"Today, Maya is coming with me to the office."

"Oh, so, that's the reason of your smile. But, when do you need to leave?" She asked me.

"At around 9."

"Then, you should go and wake Maya up. Because, she usually gets up at 9." Mimi told me. I also remember her telling me that she isn't an early riser.

"Let it be Mimi. Let her sleep. I'll go to the office when she gets up." I didn't want to disturb Maya's beauty sleep.

"Oh My God! The great Xavier Adams who is an epitome of punctuality, is willing to reach his office late. That's what happens when you're in love." She said smiling.

"You are exaggerating Mimi. It's nothing like that." I tried to convince her or I guess, myself too.

Before we could talk on this topic further, Maya climbed down the stairs.

"Sorry sorry. I'm late. Actually, my hair dryer stopped working. That's why, I got late. Sorry about that."

"How did you get up this early Maya?" Mimi asked her.

"I know that Xavier goes to office early. I didn't want him to get late because of me. That's why."

"This is called progress." Mimi said.

"What progress Mimi?" I asked her.

"You agreeing to go late to the office just so that Maya can sleep more, her getting up early so that you don't get late and most importantly, her addressing you as Xavier and not Mr. Adams is what I call progress. I am really happy for you kids." Mimi said.

We both smiled each other, appreciating each other's efforts.

"Anyways, that Mr. Adams thing sounded like he is an old grumpy man." Mimi said.

"Exactly." Maya said laughing.

"Did you both just call me old and grumpy?" I asked them both.

They both looked at each other and bursted into laughter. I really love them both laughing at something but, that something is me.

"I can't believe you two. From what angle , do I look old and grumpy to you?"

Instead of answering me, they went to the kitchen.

Did they both just ignore me? Do I really look old?

I was busy in my thoughts, when Maya and Mimi brought breakfast.

Before I could ask them anything, Mimi said in her strict voice, "No talking while eating."

That was my cue to shut up. I'll see you Maya afterwards.

Maya's pov:

It was around 9.30, when the driver pulled off the car infront of a tall and huge building.

written in bold italics on top of the building.

Xavier got out of the car and before I could get out, he came and opened the door for me.

"What are you doing? People will see." I wispher yelled at him.

"Does it look like I care?" He said.

"Even if you don't, but I do care. Not about mine but, your reputation. People are used to seeing you with high class, beautiful models. Not with someone like me."

"Before I lose my cool, get out of the car Maya. We'll discuss this in my cabin. In detail." He said calmly but, anger evident on his face.

Not wanting to drag this any further, I quickly got out of the car. The driver went ahead with the car.

Xavier looked at me and encircled my waist tightly with his one arm and using other one to dial someone on phone.

"Everything's ready?" He asked someone on the phone in a very rough tone. "Hmm."...."Okay. Make sure that my coffee is on my table and also an orange juice."

He hung up the call and we walked towards the entrance of the building. As soon as we entered the building, evryone started staring at us, especially at his hand that caged me to him.

I started wiggling, in hope to get out of his hold. But, he tightened his hold and wisphered near my ears, "If you want your lips to swell up here, try detaching yourself from me."

I was really scared of his threat, knowing that he can very well do what he said. I stopped wiggling and walked with him.

Everyone on the way wished him Good Morning. But, instead of replying to them, he just gave them a curt nod and walked ahead in full ego. If anything's worse than ego, then I'd have named him that too.

We entered the lift and he pressed the 21st button. Inside the lift, I came to know that this building has 22 floors.

He was quite the entire time. I knew what was off with him but, I chose to keep quite.

We reached the floor and this time instead of grabbing my waist, he pulled me out by my wrist.

"Xavier, what are you doing?" I shouted at him.

"Fucking shut up." He yelled back at me and kept on dragging me. Not wanting to create a scene, I went with him.

He opened a door and pushed me inside. He locked the door and did something on his phone that made the curtains fall through the entire cabin.

He walked like a hungry beast towards me and in reflex I moved backwards till something hit my back. I looked backwards to find that it was the table.

He came close to me, really close. I tried to bend backwards but, he suddenly picked me and made me sit on the table. He parted my legs and stood between them, our face just some milli metres away.

"What were you saying downstairs?" He asked me.

I kept quiet, not understanding a thing but, was slightly scared.

Not hearing any response from me, he rubbed his forehead in frustration and his nostrils flared.

"What did you fucking say about my reputation downstairs Maya?" He shouted loudly at me.

I was really scared to face his anger now.

"I...I...am.... sorry." My eyes welled up with tears with my every word. I looked down at my lap.

"Answer my fucking question or we'll be in this position throughout the day." He yelled again.

"That.... I...I care ab....about your...repu... reputation and you...you shouldn't be se...seen with...me." I tried my best to answer him properly, but his dominance made me stammer.

Xavier's pov:

I lost my control seeing how bad she thinks of herself. She has no right to say that about herself.

I could see that see was hell scared of me but, she needs to learn to respect herself.

Before I could say anything else, a tear drop fell on my hand, that was on her lap holding her tight.

I got my both hands on her cheeks and made her look towards me. Her eyes were filled with tears and her face showcased extreme fear.

"Hey Hey! Maya, don't cry please. I didn't mean to make you cry." As soon as I spoke, her eyes met mine and she bursted into tears.

I immediately hugged her to comfort her but, instead of comforting it seemed like the situation got worse.

She cried hysterically on my chest, kept on mumbling incoherent things and was chocking on her own sobs.

After a minute or so, when I felt that she is calm , I released the hug and made her look at me. But, as stubborn she is, she refused to do so.

"I'm sorry baby." Baby, that's a new thing.

"I'm really sorry for shouting at you. I didn't know that you would get so scared."

She was still looking at her lap. But, when her hand went upto her cheek to wipe her tear, I understood that she was still crying.

I again hugged her and kept on apologizing to her for making her so frightened.

"You....you pulled me...me in. You even..... even sho.... shouted at me." She was mumbling all these things and crying again.

"Okay. Baby, first calm down. Stop crying. Please. For me, please."

After sometime, she managed to calm herself and looked at me.

"Can I talk now?" I doubt if I used this soft tone anytime before.

She nodded her head.

"You should know that I respect and admire you the way you're.

I really like you and it's very difficult for me to see you disrespect yourself every now and then. You underestimate yourself Maya.

Trust me, you are that surreal beauty I don't want anyone else to see. You're that jem I don't want anyone to look at.

And, it's really a matter of pride for me to walk with a confident and hard working woman like you. I would never be ashamed to be seen with you. Get that?"

She looked at me with her doe eyes glistening with drops of tears and face trying to smile through her trembling lips.

"Get that Maya?" I asked again, a bit louder.

She nodded smiling and hugged me, really tight like she never want me to let her go.

A knock on the door interrupted us. We averted back and I opened the curtains and unlocked the door through the app on my phone.

We both were standing near the table when I said, "Come in." It was Chris.

"Sir, your coffee and your schedule."

"Hii Chris! Good morning." I looked at the interrupting voice. It was Maya. She had this amazing smile on her face and was excitedly waving at Chris. Like seriously! One minute ago, she was crying profusely and now she's smiling and waving at Chris.

Wait! Chris! When did she become so friendly with him?

Her smiled turned into a frown when he didn't respond to her greetings.

"Are you angry with me? Did I do something?" She sadly went upto Chris.

"Shhh. Mr. Adams is here. We can't talk right now." He slowly wisphered to her but, I kind of managed to hear that.

"Oh! That's why, you weren't talking. Don't worry Chris. He won't say anything." She said.

"I won't say anything if it's off work. Now, it's working time and I don't want any sort of timepass. Sit on that couch Maya. And Chris, what's my schedule for today?" I brought back my poker face and my bossy tone.

I and Chris discussed about my today's schedule while Maya was scrolling something on her phone.

"Maya." Her eyes turned to me. "I have a meeting with Mr. Harris. I'll be back soon. Till then, Chris will give you the company."

With that, I left for the meeting leaving Maya with Chris.