Chapter 1 _

"I thought I had asked for detailed information about the A&T project? Why is this here?" Raine asked with a raised eyebrow as she stared blankly at all the people seated around the conference table.

"This was all the information the research department could procure..."

A big bang interrupted the Director of Finance and everyone in the conference room flinched. They couldn't be bothered to feel pity for him because they knew they were all in trouble as well.

"What a joke! is a Finance director having the guts to place the blame on the research department? I've not seen this type of stupidity in a long time." Raine mocked as she threw the document in her hand at his face.

"Is it that they were unable to get information or you were all too lazy to vet the project properly? Is this how you've been managing my company CEO Kim?"

"No Ms. President. There must have been a mistake somewhere. I promise to rectify it very soon. The correct report will land in your hands before the ending of next week." The petite, brown-haired beauty seated at her right responded with a sweet smile.

Raine looked at her and calmed down a bit. "Next week is too far. I want the report within three days and you shall bring it to the headquarters yourself. If there's any mistake then get ready to fire both your research and finance department. I do not need lazy incompetent employees."

The instant Raine finished speaking she stood up and left the conference room leaving the other people in huge disarray.

This was their first time meeting her and just as they've heard from the rumors, she was a cold-hearted and strict woman. They had all thought that the rumors about her firing a whole department were an exaggeration but after their experience today, they had changed their minds.

They sagged down in their seats and looked hopelessly at their CEO.

"Ms. Kim what should we do? It's impossible to get the information ready in three days!!! You can't possibly watch her dismiss all of us right?" The Director of Finance begged while Kim Rachel shook her head at him in disgust.

"Director Tom, I specifically informed you that this project is very important to the President and that you should be careful in your investigation. If it means you'll all have to live in the office for two days, you had better do that because President Raine never jokes around. Instead of thinking of your plight, you had better start collating information!" Kim Rachel snorted as she stood up and left the conference room.

She looked around the corridor for Raine and saw her about to enter the elevator.

"Raine! Wait up!" She shouted as she ran after her best friend and boss but Raine entered the elevator without turning around.

Rachel tried the next elevator but it was not quick enough so she ran down the staircase. Thankfully their building was not that huge and they had the meeting on the third floor so the instant she got to the ground floor, she saw Raine who was about to leave the building.

Rachel and Raine had met each other at the University. They were both thought of as the University belles and people had them contesting for the title.

Rachel, being a socialite was interested in it and everyone thought she would go bonkers when the ice beauty was deemed first instead of her. However to everyone's surprise she confronted Raine and told her they had to be friends.

She was rejected by Raine multiple times, bought a house close to Raine's house and when Raine moved into the dorm to avoid her, she had bribed the school so that she could become Raine's roommate. In sheer frustration, Raine accepted her and they have been inseparable till recently.

It had come to be a shock to Rachel's parents when she had decided to resign from the inheritance competition and become a part of Raine's company instead. The Kim Cooperation was just second to the P&J Conglomerate so they could not understand her decision. However, Rachel had never regretted it. She would pick her best friend over her greedy family any day.

Raine heard Rachel's voice and began to walk faster. However, just as she was about to get into her car, she was grabbed by Rachel.

"Didn't you hear me screaming your name?" Rachel panted as she held tightly unto Raine.

Raine slapped her hand off of her arm and folded her arms against her chest. "What if I did?"

"You are so mean to me!" Rachel retorted with a loud wail and Raine rolled her eyes. Years with Rachel had taught her to never fall for her antics. She was a drama queen in all ways.

"What do you want?"

"Are you angry at me? It was my mistake, I should have checked the documents before they submitted them to you so calm down ehn."

"Rachel, you knew..."

"Yes! Yes! I know. It's a project your uncle is trying to push for. I promise I'll conduct the research personally. Don't be mad again... Let me take you out for lunch." Rachel said as she tried to appease Raine and to hold onto her arm once more but her hand was slapped away again.

"No, thank you. I'm busy and with the work you have ahead of you, I think it'll be better for you to start ordering in." Raine replied with a smirk.

Rachel's smile turned into a pout as her once excited face became crestfallen. She should have known that her try to appease Raine would have ended with her digging her own grave.

She should have known better than to have taken the responsibility. "Yes, President Raine. Your humble servant has received your order. Have a nice day and don't forget to go on your blind date. Your mother has sent me multiple messages concerning it." Rachel said with a smirk and Raine frowned.

"Why does my mother message you instead of me?"

"Maybe because your personal phone is always in the office?" Rachel sassed with a brilliant smile that showed her pretty dimples but her smile withered away at the deadpan expression on Raine's face.

She shook her head inwardly and asked herself why she decided to be friends with such an indifferent person. "Your majesty, please be on your way." She bowed cheekily before turning around to enter the building.

Raine stared at her back view for a while before getting into her car. Even though she knew that Rachel was trying to pull one over her, she still decided to listen to her advice.

"Put a call to the headquarters and inform Secretary Rose that I need her presence at the Bleü Rain."

"Yes President, does that mean you will be dining in that restaurant instead." Her personal assistant, April, asked.

"Yes, it seems I have an appointment there," Raine murmured as she closed her eyes to rest a bit.