As I moved towards my office I saw the scenery around me (it really lives up to the reputation of no. 1 huh) , I thought.

No matter how the situation changed the fact remains that the SKY ULTIMA was still one of the top player in its field.

I got into the lift and pressed the 23rd floor button.

No I didn't skip the whole entry scene - I just didn't want to tell you about a certain someone who is standing with me in the lift right now - Ali.

Ali's the annoying character who plays the role of a second generation young master in my workplace.

He's useless but rich. He's handsome but stupid. He is the living proof that not all people who go to Harvard are smart.

Well he did teach me one thing , that being educated doesn't mean being smart. Stupidity is something prevalent in both educated and uneducated people.

If I had met this guy 4 years ago I could tell you that the world would have one less idiot to worry about and his dad won't be suffering from constant high blood pressure.

Well can't change the past now can we - the story of my life.

With a bitter sigh and after calming my increasing headache , I did what I'm sure I would regret.

"So why were you waiting at the entrance." I started the conversation.

" ohh so you can see me now. I thought I was invisible in your eyes. " With an over-dramatic surprised reaction by covering his mouth , Ali replied to me.

" I'm already regretting it. " I muttered under my breath.

" Did you say something. " Ali looked at me and asked.

" Nothing, tell me. Why were you at the door?" ( phuuh it's good he didn't hear or I'd have another headache incoming) I tried to change the topic.

" I was just planning on skipping the work today, till I saw you coming." Ali replied slowly looking at the camera in the corner of the lift.

" So you're planning on working today cause I came. We don't even have same projects anymore." I asked.

"ohh come on. I only stayed to convince you to come with me. You look like a freaking vampire right now.You could use a break." - He asked me after taking off the sunglasses that I wore to hide my dark circles.

I glared at him but smiled the next second and said - "You do know that Aarvi is coming tomorrow for audit right. I want to finish the job as soon as I can so I don't have to work overtime again."

I smiled internally as I saw the color fade from his face after hearing Aarvi's name .

"Who's looking like a vampire now." - I asked and started laughing.

Ali glared at me for some time and after that his expression started turning into someone pitiful, like a daughter in law who's been tortured wrongly and then abandoned.Ali said in his over-dramatic state - "You'll help me right. I still have to sort out the bugs from the last game."

"Not my problem now shoo" I said as I pushed him out of the lift as we reached 20th floor.

(Lucky bastard)

Now that I told you about him you'd think why do I hate him that much. He's such a nice guy.

Well the truth is I don't hate him - I just don't like him. And how could I.

The only advantage I have over him is my personal strength , but what good is that when he can call 10 bodyguards to beat me up by doing a single call to his dad.

He has everything that I ever lost - friends , family , lover , hell he even gets to sleep like normal people (cut the normal - he's on a roller coaster ride in his sleep. )

And here I am - haunted by nightmares , still stuck in the same shadows of my past - never able to get out and find my light again.

(Guess I really am jealous of his luck)

( Fuck the luck man. )

_

_

Ali works on the 20th floor . Their job is to go through the games selected by the employees of the 17th to 19th floor and give the final review after fixing up all the bugs and glitches .

Now Ali being the rich kid that he is, can do everything except what is asked of him.

So you can guess that he'll play all the games for fun , but fixing bugs and doing maintenance - now that's something our Ali can never do.

And that is where I come in. At the beginning I helped him once or twice cause I needed something to take my mind off my nightmares and some extra cash for some stuff.

But then it became his habit to make me work for free. Well not exactly free as I charge him money every time accordingly but it's not like it matters to him as he got tons of it.

As I was thinking the lift opened and in front of me stood the very girl I warned Ali about just now --

COO(Chief Operating Officer) of SKY ULTIMA.

The only one to get the Master's Degree in every subject taught in Harvard. One of the most famous girls in the city - Aarvi Andrews.

She and Ali are childhood family friends . They went to the same school , same college , same university and they're now even working in the same company.

Though the thing that never changed in all these years except Ali's one sided love and pursuit for her - is the positions these two held . With Aarvi being at the top at everything while Ali barely managing through in every field.magic

It was exactly because of Aarvi being the COO that this company is still in business .

The first thing she did after being COO was to remove the R18 section which the previous owner put on top , to improve the image and reduce the public outrage.It didn't have much effect at first but due to her constant efforts in the past 2 years and the reputation she made selling her own creative makeup brands - SKY ULTIMA still has some standing despite suffering from major losses and multiple competitors.

Though it isn't on the level of its previous monopoly over the field but I have no doubt with Aarvi being the head , it won't take long to reach there.

_

She stood in front of me 5 ft tall. she has a slim figure with a modest chest. she has blonde hair with little black eyes hidden behind a pair of glasses - which added an extra layer of charm to her scholarly like image.

Every time I see her I remember the quote that's pasted on my office wall - NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER.

No one would expect a girl who looks like a shy scholar type , to have a personality exactly opposite of it - confident, fiery and scary too when she's upset.

(Now I know why that bastard was hiding in the gathering area)

I thought while looking at her face , and I could somehow read the expression of " I'm in need of a punching bag ". And I could only say - shit.

(That fucker didn't even warn me that she's already doing the rounds this early and made me waste my time in gathering area.)

(Let's see if I save your ass this time)

I thought while thinking up and crossing all the excuses which I could use on her to divert her attention away from me.

She looked at me for some time and I already knew what was going to happen next.

So I did what every good friend should do - try to get the other one a girlfriend. hahahhaha.

(Don't blame me , you did say you needed some help to woo her)

- - - thinking this far I silently prayed for Ali's last moments of peace before telling 'the real reason why I was late' to Aarvi.

_

#####

A/N - INFO DUMP

SKY ULTIMA - 37 FLOORS

__ 1st floor -- Gathering area

__ 2nd to 6th floor KIDS&TEENS(TOYS)

__7th to 11th floor SPORTS(OUTDOOR&INDOOR)

__12th to 16th floor DESIGN AGENCY

__17th to 21st floor GAMING (E-SPORTS)

__22nd to 26th floor BOOKS & LITERATURE

__27th to 31st floor MAKEUP AGENCY

__31st to 36th floor ENTERTAINMENT AGENCY

__37th floor COO OFFICE (AARVI)