Chapter 4 Unexpected encountere

Unable to believe what I was seeing, I shook my head. But the face remained the same. I thought he was a gigolo. I even tipped him. But he was not a gigolo, much to my surprise. He was Noel Wilkinson, the new boss of the company. The shock hit me like the sky had fallen in front of my eyes.

‘Oh, shit,’ I muttered under my breath, the realization sinking in.

He would certainly fire me. Panic seized me as I contemplated the repercussions.

‘What will I do?’ I thought, my heart trembling. I had to pay off my student loan; this job was crucial, and I couldn't afford to lose it.

As he approached, I tried to keep my cool, hoping against hope that he wouldn't remember me. ‘Stay calm, stay calm,’ I reminded myself.

I had been mortified enough already, and the last thing I wanted was for him to recognize me and make a scene. So, I kept my head down and avoided eye contact, praying that he would pass me by without a second glance.

“Good morning, Mr. Wilkinson. We are all thrilled to welcome you.” Lara smiled cordially and shook hands with him.

His lips were slightly hooked. It was impossible to tell what he had on his mind from his stern, indifferent face. As he shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with my colleagues, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread building inside me.

‘God, why do I have to be in such an embarrassing situation?’ My apprehension was increasing with every passing second. I wished the welcome session would end soon so I could rush to my desk and hide there.

“This is Adelynn.”

The moment I heard Lara calling my name, my heart dropped. Noel's piercing green eyes swiveled in my direction, and I felt my spine tremble. For a moment, we just stared at each other, neither of us saying a word. I could feel my face burning with embarrassment, and I knew I had to speak up before things got any worse.

“She is hardworking and dedicated to her job,” Lara praised me with a gleeful smile. “She is a star on our team. The company has recently promoted her for her outstanding performance.”

I remained frozen and uneasy under his steady gaze. I even forgot to greet him.

Lara pinched me in the back. I flinched, jolting out of my reverie. Despite my apprehension, I mustered a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Wilkinson," I stammered, trying to sound confident. But my voice came out in a barely audible whisper, and I had to clear my throat before continuing. "It's nice to meet you."

To my relief, Noel didn't seem to recognize me. He gave me a curt nod and moved on to the next person, leaving me feeling awkward and anxious. I let out a small sigh of relief, grateful that the ordeal was over. But as I glanced down at my hands, I noticed they were shaking, and my heart still raced with nervousness.

I had never been so embarrassed in my life, and I hoped that Noel would never find out that I was the woman with him last night.

The welcome session finally concluded, and I hurried back to my desk, my heart racing with trepidation, anticipating a call from HR or the CEO's office.

My heart raced in trepidation as I expected a call from HR or the CEO’s office. Due to my nervousness, I found it impossible to concentrate on work.

The rest of the morning was a blur. My mind kept wandering back to the encounter with Noel, replaying the scene over and over in my head. I couldn't help but wonder if he had truly not recognized me or if he was just playing along.

Surprisingly, nothing transpired. I grew somewhat convinced that Noel hadn't recognized me and that my job was secure.

The lunch hour passed without incident, bringing a sense of relief that I no longer had to fret about losing my job. With a newfound sense of ease, I dove back into my tasks.

Buzz-Buzz-Buzz…

The desk jolted with the buzzing of my phone. I glanced away from the file on my desk to see Richard's number flashing. Instantly, my mood soured, anger bubbling up as I recalled his hurtful words.

‘Why is he calling me now?’ I muttered to myself. Initially, I thought of ignoring the call. A part of me still yearned to know what he had to say. After a brief moment of hesitation, I reluctantly picked up the call.

"Hello," I said tersely.

“Adel, thank goodness, you answered my call,” Richard said with a long sigh. “I have been thinking about you the whole night. I was worried you wouldn't talk to me."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. What a blatant lie. If he'd truly been thinking about me, why hadn't he called earlier? The entire morning had passed without a word from him. Did he really think he could still fool me?

"What do you want, Richard?" I asked sharply, trying to keep my voice level.

"Look, Adel, I know I messed up. I was drunk and stupid, and I shouldn't have said those things. I am sorry. I made a mistake. It’s all because of Jennifer. She manipulated me. I shouldn’t have trusted her. Please don’t break up with me. You mean a lot to me, darling. I promise to make amends. Can you please forgive me?”

My anger boiled over as I listened to his words. How dare he try to apologize and make excuses for his behavior? Did he really think a simple apology would be enough to erase the pain he had caused me?

"Forgive you?” I snapped. “Do you think a simple apology can fix everything? Richard, you can’t fool me anymore. I heard everything you said. I know what you did to me. There is no chance we’ll reconcile. Just stay away from me.”

My hands were shaking with rage as I furiously ended the call and blocked him. “What does he think of himself?” I muttered under my breath. “Just a sorry will be enough to atone for his mistakes? He committed a crime. I’ll never forgive him.”

I couldn't believe the nerve he had shown, thinking he could just waltz back into my life and apologize for his mistakes. I placed the phone down and turned slightly, only to find myself locking eyes with those piercing green orbs. My heart leaped to my throat.

The new CEO of the company stood a little distance from my desk, looking at me meaningfully that sent chills crawling up my arms. I felt a wave of anxiety crash over me. Why was he looking at me like that? Did he remember me?

God

I panicked, convinced that I was in trouble. He must have recognized me. Punishment was surely imminent.

I braced myself for the repercussions. But he simply turned and walked away without saying a word. His lack of reaction only heightened my nervousness.

I slumped back in my chair, my mind spinning. The looming repayment date for the loan added to my distress. How would I pay off the loan if I lost my job?

"I'm finished," I murmured in dismay.

As the day wore on, I couldn't shake off the feeling of impending doom. Every time the phone rang, I jumped, fearing it might be HR calling to inform me of my termination. When I finally finished my work and prepared to leave, a peon approached me with a message that the CEO wanted to see me.

That was it.

The moment I had been dreading had finally arrived. With a heavy sigh, I made my way to the CEO's office, my legs trembling beneath me. As I stood outside the door, I could feel my heart racing in my chest. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, my hand shaking.

"Come in!" his deep voice boomed from inside the room.

I slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside, my eyes fixed on the imposing figure sitting behind the massive worktable. His piercing gaze cut through me like a knife, making me feel vulnerable and exposed. I tried to maintain a calm façade.

"How can I help you, sir?" I asked, attempting to sound professional despite my fear.

He didn’t reply. Instead, he continued to study me, his expression unreadable. I felt like I was being judged.

My palms were sweaty, and I had to resist the urge to wring them together in anxiety.

Noel rose from his seat and strode over to me, his long legs shuffling gracefully. His presence alone seemed to halt my breathing.

Standing before me, he reached out, pinching my chin and tilting my face upward. I stiffened, nerves coiling within me like a tightly wound spring.

"You have a boyfriend, yet you went to a bar and found a man for a one-night stand," he taunted, a smirk playing on his lips. His expression made my stomach churn, a surge of annoyance flooding through me.

It was none of his business what I did in my personal life. What did he know about me? I wanted to snap at him. But I reminded myself that I couldn’t lose my temper in front of my employer. I couldn’t anger my boss.

Suppressing my irritation, I spoke slowly, "I'm sorry. Last night was a mistake. I promise I'll never trouble you again. If you want, I can even sign an agreement, ensuring that I have nothing to do with you. Please forgive me for my mistakes."

"Really?" he scoffed, leaning in closer, his warm breath grazing my face. I closed my eyes, feeling my knees weaken in response.

"Are you trying to woo me?" He murmured into my ear, his proximity and words causing a flurry of sensations to ripple through me.