Behind that mask

Isabella Sterling, the raven-haired senior developer of Luxe Tech, strolled confidently out of the lift. She was dressed stylishly in a Janice cutout lace jumpsuit and a brown blazer.

Her flawless style was rounded out by a Marc Jacobs purse casually hung over her shoulder. She walked into her office with an air of obvious refinement, with lovely blue eyes that could equal the heavens and skin as flawless as Snow White's.

But as she walked, she noticed that the office was unusually quiet; everyone was busy with their systems and their work.

Out of curiosity, she increased her pace and began to head to her department, the software development department.

Her colleagues didn't react as if they saw her; it was as if no one had walked in.

She quickly sat at her desk and logged in. "Omg!" She exclaimed softly. "Hey, Catherine, what happened?" She called the attention of one of her colleagues in the development department.

"You missed quite a scene," Catherine said, her eyes meeting Isabella's.

"What happened? Why would Diana Rozz want to resign?"

"Who wouldn't? Ever since Mr. Richard Gentry handed this organization to his son, Alexander, who wouldn't?" Catherine stated and immediately went back to work.

Catherine had just spoken everyone's mind. If the pay wasn't good enough, there would be no reason why someone would still work for Alexander Gentry.

Just two months ago, Mr. Richard walked in and called for an impromptu meeting where he appreciated all his workers.

Everyone wondered why he was sounding that way, until he mentioned his son as the new CEO of Luxe Tech. At that point, everyone knew that their lives were over.

Everyone in New York City knew who Alexander was. He was very proud and arrogant, and he wouldn't tolerate you shortening his name to Alex.

His father hadn't even driven off when he started making new rules. His first speech after his introduction was about the increase in everyone's work hours.

He threatened everyone that he would fire them if they weren't productive enough. And right there, when someone interrupted him with a question, Julius Covada, he fired him on the spot.

"You only ask questions or suggest when I ask if you have any." And that was when everyone knew that their company culture had changed.

After his first week in the organization, he implemented cost-cutting measures, eliminating employee discounts and streamlining performance bonuses.

He had to force Isabella to share an office with Catherine, Daniel, and Christopher, even as the head developer.

Even though at some point while Bella, as she was fondly called, was working with Richard Gentry, he had mentioned he wanted to leave his business for one of his sons, little did she know that it wasn't Sebastian, the one who helped to run the organization while Richard attended business meetings; it was the devil reincarnate.

Well, another reason Bella kept her hopes up for Sebastian was that she had a tiny crush on Sebastian Gentry.

"Hey Bella, how's the update on the link?" Sebastian walked in.

A big smile spread across Bella's face, and she gladly replied, "I just added the update as we've discussed."

"Cool, besides, you look stunning in that jumpsuit of yours."

Bella's cheeks bloomed like freshly picked roses.

"I always love your outfit," he added. Without waiting for her to reply, he continued, "Do you mind having dinner with me this evening?"

The fact that he boldly asked her out in front of her colleagues, knowing full well that it was against their business ethics, made her like him even more. She loved his open spirit.

"Yes, I don't mind."

"I'm sure you'll be working late today, so let's say after work?"