“Why don’t you join me, Zack?” Samuel Hall says from the kitchen. Zachariah Ford is going through job applications on his tablet in
Samuel Hall’s drawing room with his legs sprawled out on the couch in front of him. While Zachariah Ford would love to work at the Ghost Valley Corp, one of the best companies in the world, he would still refuse, knowing how possessive and crazy his boyfriend can behave at times.
Zachariah had recently, after working for ten years, resigned from a company called Tian Chuang Ltd. Zachariah was one of the core team members and hence had to take on responsibility from a younger age. Only after promising their CEO, Nick Fredrick, that he would not join any competing organisations, giving back all the hard-earned company shares and signing an NDA was he allowed to leave.
He had met Samuel Hall almost a year ago at a conference held by Tian Chuan. Nick Fredrick had introduced him as a potential investor and assigned Zachariah Ford to help and show the other man around. Zachariah Ford had obviously heard of the thirty-something-year-old CEO of the Ghost Valley Corp. However, the man in person was another story entirely.
“Sam, we spoke about this,” Zachariah mutters back, still engrossed in his search.
“Aiya, Zack, at least hear me out. I have a different proposition.” Zachariah rolls his eyes at Samuel’s statement. So far, there have been many ‘propositions’, as Samuel Hall likes to put it. They were as lavish as being Samuel Hall’s sugar baby, which, ‘no Sam, you want to know who is the actual baby?’ to being appointed CEO or a CBO in one of Samuel Hall’s companies.
While Zachariah was already in high demand for such roles, he wanted a job with lesser responsibilities and more work-life balance.
Samuel lifts Zachariah’s legs and settles down on the couch. “Look, there have been things happening at the company.” Samuel massages Zachariah’s legs as he speaks to coax the man to hear his entire proposition. Zachariah knows what the menace of a man is trying to do but is too tired to pick any battles at the moment. “I need someone I trust to work with the mid to low level employees and figure out exactly what is happening.” Zachariah opens his eyes and stares at Samuel, “So you want me to be your spy? Like some third-rate children’s movies?” Samuel hits Zachariah’s legs lightly at that, “If it has to be a movie, it would definitely be a blockbuster Zack. After all, you are an A-rated actor and will be co-starring with the most handsome man ever. Don’t you agree?”
“Ah, when I feel that your ego cannot possibly get any bigger!” Zachariah shakes Samuel’s hands from riding higher on his legs and sits up straight. “What’s exactly going on?”
“Some of our important source code was stolen.” Zachariah’s brows raise in surprise at that. Even before he knew Samuel Hall, he had heard about the drastic measures the Ghost Valley takes to protect their data. Stories from encrypting the data over three hundred times and then hiding the keys in space to having a secret vault under Buckingham palace were pretty popular. Even Samuel Hall himself, who had written most of those codes when he joined the company, cannot access it and needs at least another board member’s written permission to do so. If their data or code is getting stolen now, it would mean that there is a severe breach at the company, which can be really detrimental to not only Samuel Hall but also the hundreds of thousands of employees working for him.
At the end of the day, Zachariah agrees to Samuel's proposition. He accepts because he has nothing better to do and because Samuel Hall had, after a thorough discussion, agreed to keep their relationship status a secret. He also secretly feels like a ninja on a mission to have fun.
Both of them had agreed that Zachariah would need a job where he has access to multiple departments and to multiple people.
However, he had to be in a low-level job as it was easier to hide as an associate or intern rather than a manager.
“Zack, maybe you should practise calling me Chairman?” Samuel Hall nibbles on Zachariah’s ear from behind as the other man is doing the dishes. Zachariah looks over his shoulder suspiciously and gets kissed by Samuel. “You know what could be a better word for you, though?” Zachariah says as he turns around, letting Samuel Hall’s lips trail down his face towards his neck. “Hmm?” Samuel hums as he grabs the other man’s hips and starts sucking the side of Zachariah’s neck, not noticing that the other man is collecting dishwasher foam behind his back. “Pest!” Zachariah dumps the foam on Samuel’s head and laughs loudly at the scandalised expression on Samuel’s face. “Zack! You never treat this wifey right!” Zachariah stops laughing at the false accusation and proceeds to thoroughly kiss his ‘wifey’.
-
"Rise and shine, my love!" Samuel Hall sing-songs as he opens all the blinds to let the sunlight in. "Today is your first day at work. Are you excited?" Zachariah Ford almost kicks the man in his balls when he starts pulling the blankets from over him. "Zack, these are precious goods! How will this husband please his wife if something happens to them?"
"It's too early to start this. Alexa, what's the time?" Zachariah groans. "It's 6:49 am," Alexa replies from the nightstand where the echo device is placed. "Samuel Hall, you rascal! I had eleven more minutes to sleep!" Zachariah says as he pulls the fully suited man and pins him against the mattress. "Zack, Zack! Please have mercy!!" Samuel Hall laughs as Zachariah keeps tickling him. "I am going to continue this for the next eleven minutes. That would be the proper punishment for you!" Zachariah declares, but Samuel Hall somehow rolls them over and catches Zachariah's roaming hands. "Stop, Zack. Tell me what you want to eat for breakfast. I will make it." Zachariah pretends to think for a few seconds before saying, "You." He cannot help but grin smugly at Samuel Hall's stuttering of, "O-Okay."
