HER DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

"A good day today, indeed," a lady said, handing a cup of coffee to her colleague.

Just then, a charming but slightly annoying coworker, Derek, sauntered over and plopped himself down on the recipient's desk. "Hello, pretty," he said, flashing a flirtatious smile.

The lady rolled her eyes and looked up at Derek. "How many times have I told you to stop distracting me? This is an office, not a playground."

Derek chuckled. "Because this is an office, I shouldn't talk to you?"

The lady ignored him and refocused on her work.

Just then, a flustered-looking man rushed in, panting. "The boss is here! The boss is here!" he exclaimed.

Instant chaos erupted. Papers flew through the air, chairs scraped against the floor, and everyone scrambled to their stations, desperate to appear busy. The office transformed into a whirlwind of activity, with employees typing furiously, shuffling papers, and trying to look composed.

Elena stepped into the elevator, her secetary following closely behind. As the doors slid shut, she turned to her secretary, Kristy, and asked, "What's my next schedule for today?"

Kristy promptly pulled out a notepad and began scrolling through it. "Your next meeting is with the CEO of—"

But Elena cut her off mid-sentence. "Cancel it. Cancel it. Cancel it. I'm not attending any meeting. Just cancel it or better still, postpone it."

Kristy's eyes widened slightly, but she nodded and began scribbling notes on her pad. "Yes, ma'am. Right away."

The elevator doors slid open, and Elena strode out, her secretary falling into step behind her.

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Elena strode into her office, only to be surprised by the presence of her step-sister, Maya. Maya was lounging comfortably in a chair, her leg crossed over the other, looking every inch the picture of nonchalance.

As Elena entered, she raised an eyebrow and muttered under her breath, "Why am I seeing all my enemies in one day?" She made her way to her desk, her eyes fixed on Maya.

"What do you want?" Elena asked bluntly, dropping into her chair. "What brings you here?"

Maya flashed her a charming smile. "Is it bad to come visit my cute sister?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Scratch that. I know you're not here just to say that"

Maya chuckled. "You're right, I'm not. But, you know what?

Maya's smile faltered, and her eyes took on a calculating glint. "Sometimes I wonder if I can get you to give up the CEO position," she said, her voice dripping with malice.

Elena's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked, her tone wary.

Maya waved her hand dismissively. "I was just kidding," she said, standing up.

But Elena wasn't fooled. She sensed a underlying threat in Maya's words.

Maya suddenly leaned in close, her voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "You will hear from me soon and it's not going to be good, I promise you."

The air seemed to vibrate with tension as Maya's words hung in the air, leaving Elena with a sense of foreboding.

Elina's frustration and unease made it impossible for her to focus on her work. She called in her secretary and instructed, "Prepare the car. We're going to the hospital."

The secretary nodded and hurried off to arrange for the vehicle. Elina quickly wrapped up her tasks, organized her office, and headed out.

As she exited, the employees around her bowed and greeted her respectfully. However, the departments that had been gossiping earlier couldn't help but stare, their faces pressed against the transparent glass wall.

"Something's going on," they whispered among themselves.

Elena's eyes welled up with tears as she entered her mother's hospital room. Her mother's frail figure lay motionless in bed, her eyes open but unresponsive. Her heart ached as she approached her mother's bedside.

"Mother, I brought you fruits," Elena said, holding out a basket.

Her mother weakly lifted her head, attempting to smell the fruit. Elena's eyes overflowed with tears as she sat beside her mother, holding her hand.

Suddenly, the machines surrounding her mother began to beep loudly, signaling an emergency. Elena panicked, shouting, "Doctor! Doctor!"

The medical team rushed in, asking Elena to step outside. She sat down in the hallway, burying her face in her hands as she struggled to contain her emotions.

As she sat there, she sensed a presence beside her. She turned to see a stranger sitting next to her, his piercing eyes fixed on hers. Elena wondered how he had managed to sit down without her noticing.

"Who are you?" Elena asked, her voice shaking.

The stranger smiled, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly intensity. " i am the devil. I grant wishes."

Elena's eyes narrowed, skeptical. "The devil? Wishes? You expect me to believe that?"

Zamiel shrugged. "I don't care whether you believe me or not. It's none of my business. But I do make deals. If you want to have a deal with me, you can."he said coldly

Elena's curiosity got the better of her. "What kind of deal?"

Zamiel stood up, his eyes locked on hers. "If you want to save your mother's life, I can do that. But there's a price you must pay."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. "You can save my mother?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.