CHAPTER 5

A FEW MOMENTS LATER

I paced around my office like a caged lion and my heart raced with anticipation. I couldn't wait for Jason to bring in Valerie. I straightened my tie, adjusted my shirt, and ran a hand through my hair, hoping to make a good impression on Valerie of course, not Jason.

As I walked back and forth, I couldn't help but think about her. I was so anxious to see her. And then, like a dream come true, she walked through the door. My heart skipped a beat as I saw her, looking as radiant as ever. I couldn't resist any longer, I had to show her how I felt. Without a second thought, I walked up to her and pulled her into my arms. 

The world melted away as I kissed her, feeling her soft lips on mine. It was a moment of pure passion, a rush of emotion that I couldn't hold back any longer. My lips lingered on hers for a while and I didn't want to pull away. I felt so pleased with how she handled Ian regardless of her reason.

After a while, Jason cleared his throat to remind me of his presence and eventually I let go of her. I straightened myself, held her chin, and said, "Valerie, please do not try to ever leave me again. Stay, just stay with me."

"I will stay with you, Ezra. I promise that I won't try to leave. I won't run away. Trust me." Valerie said with such a sweet voice that made me want to kiss her again.

I smiled at her but I still doubted her promise to me – she was unpredictable. She noticed the sadness in my eyes so she leaned in closer to me and whispered, "I promise not to leave."

With that, I kissed her again. I fell in love with her all over again.

Jason excused himself, hurriedly walked out of the office, and shut the door behind him – he knew that we needed some privacy. I broke up the kiss and asked her to sit down.

"Here, I brought you a meal and I prepared it myself." She said, smiling brightly. She brought out the food from the basket she was carrying and placed it on my desk. The aroma filled the air and it made me hungry. I didn't waste any more time and dived into the food. I ate my meal in silence but I stole occasional glances at her when she wasn't looking at me.

After I had finished my meal, I thanked Valerie and told her that I'd come to see her later but to my greatest surprise she refused to leave. I tried to convince her but she wouldn't budge from her spot.

"I'm not leaving. I still want to stay with you for a while. Please just let me say." She said with pleading eyes.

"But Valerie, I have lots of work to do. I own a company and I'm a businessman." I explained to her as I tried to get her to leave.

"I know all of that but I just want to spend some time with you. Don't send me away please." She said, looking at me as though she was about to cry.

I nodded and smiled, "It's alright. You are welcome to stay but no distractions, I have lots to do." She nodded and brightened up at the sound of that and thanked me for letting her stay.

As the gentle hum of the office filled the air, she settled herself into the seat beside me with quiet grace. With a sense of calm and ease, she watched as I worked diligently, and surprisingly her unwavering presence gave me a comforting backdrop to the task at hand. As the minutes stretched into hours, her peaceful demeanor remained unchanged. Not a word was spoken, yet the silence between us felt full of understanding and mutual respect.

But as I looked up from my desk, my gaze swept over her peaceful features and I realized that she had succumbed to sleep, her head tilted slightly to one side and her breathing soft and steady. With a heart full of tenderness, I gazed at her, taking in the beauty of her sleeping form. The love I felt for her was palpable, radiating through me like a warm and comforting embrace.

Without a second thought, I rose from my seat, my movements slow and steady so as not to disturb her rest. With gentle hands, I carefully scooped her up into my arms, relishing the soft weight of her body against my chest. Making my way into the lounge, I laid her down on the couch with gentle ease, tucking a blanket over her form before settling back into my work. 

Immediately I got back into my office, I heard a knock on my door. "Please come in."

It was a friend of mine, more like my business partner. I was expecting him so I wasn't surprised when he walked in.

"Hello, Ezra." He said as he sat down.

"Welcome, would you like something to drink?" I asked. "I wasn't expecting you to come in this early."

"Well, yeah but I heard a crazy rumor so I had to check in on you."

"A crazy rumor??" I asked, wearing a confused look.

"Listen, Ezra, you are my friend and we've known each other for quite a while now." He said looking very serious. "You have to get rid of Valerie as soon as possible."

"What?? Is this a crazy rumor about Valerie??" I asked.

"You aren't listening to me. Get rid of Valerie. She's not the woman for you." He said with a hint of seriousness in his tone. "With your status and money, you can get any woman you want."

"But I want Valerie. She's the one I love and want to be with." I informed him. I looked at him and wondered why he was talking strangely.

"Ezra, it is obviously useless to be someone like her, someone who has no wolf!!" He blurted out.