Chapter 4

That afternoon, there was a major project review meeting.

Normally, I wouldn't have the clearance to attend something like this, but Amelia, probably hoping to watch me crash and burn, specifically invited me.

"Sophie, you should sit in and observe. It'll be a learning experience. And Mr. Lakewood, will you be joining as well?" she asked, her eyes glinting with mischief.

I knew she was up to no good.

Lily and I had been assigned to the project together, but she had completely ripped off my design, made a few minor tweaks, and passed it off as her own.

Amelia was setting the stage for my public humiliation.

I took Ryan's hand and walked into the conference room.

The moment he entered, the atmosphere in the room changed.

Even though he was wearing the casual shirt and jeans I bought for him, that "big boss" energy was practically hard-wired into his DNA.

The second we stepped in, every executive in the room shot to their feet like a reflex, their voices perfectly synced in a respectful chorus, "Mr. Lakewood."

Ryan gave them a curt nod before taking my hand and leading me straight to the seat right next to the head of the table.

He didn't sit. Instead, he pulled out the chair for me, a perfect gentleman, waiting for me to get settled before taking the seat next to me.

The entire room watched, dumbfounded.

The meeting began. Lily, radiating smug confidence, strode to the front of the room to present her "masterpiece."

I sat there with a blank mask, but under the table, my hands were balled into fists so tight that my knuckles were white.

Every tiny detail on that blueprint was paid for in caffeine and sleepless nights. I had practically bled onto that paper for days.

When Lily finished, she shot a challenging glare in my direction.

The Vice President, Danny Ball, chairing the meeting cleared his throat and asked, "A very creative proposal, Lily. You have a bright future. Sophie, you were also on this project. Do you have anything to add?"

All eyes swiveled to me.

I stood up, ready to speak, but a hand gently closed over mine.

I turned. Ryan was looking at me, giving a firm shake of his head.

Then, he stood up.

The whole room instantly fell silent.

"This proposal is worthless."

He finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but the words hit the room like a massive boulder dropped into a still lake, sending shockwaves through everyone there.

The sugary tone he reserved for me was gone. His voice turned to sharpened ice, heavy with a lethal authority. This wasn't the man who clung to my sleeve. This was the real Ryan.

Lily's face drained of all color. "Mr. Lakewood, w-what did you just say?"

"I said," Ryan declared and looked up, his gaze slicing through Lily like a blade, "this proposal is trash."

He walked to the projection screen, picked up the laser pointer, and aimed it at a detail on the blueprint.

"This load-bearing structure completely violates basic principles of physics. The entire building would become a safety hazard within five years."

He moved the laser.

"This ventilation layout, while novel, is incredibly inefficient. It would drive up energy costs by thirty percent compared to a standard system.

"And the color palette. It seems bold, but it completely ignores the psychological profile of the target demographic. It just looks tacky and cheap."

With every word he spoke, Lily's face grew paler.

The executives, including Danny, who had just been singing her praises, sat in stunned silence. They were staring at Ryan as if he were a god.

He had lost his memory, but his deep-seated expertise and his razor-sharp business instincts were still very much intact.

He was a king surveying his kingdom, effortlessly pointing out every single flaw.

Finally, Ryan clicked off the laser pointer. He turned to the ghost-white Lily and let the silence hang for a beat before dropping the hammer.

"So, did you come up with this trash on your own, or did you steal it?" he questioned.

With a soft cry, Lily crumpled to the floor.

The room fell into an absolute silence as I stared at the broad silhouette of his back, which felt like a fortress of security standing between me and the world.

My heart began to pound against my ribs.

Right as he finished, he turned and walked back to me with those long strides of his.

The coldness around him evaporated immediately, and he was back to being that sweet guy again.

He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear, and whispered in a voice only I could hear, his voice carrying a playful touch of someone seeking praise.

"Sophie, did I do a good job?"

I looked into his eyes, so clear and guileless, as if he had no idea what he had just done. Somewhere deep in my heart, the last of my defenses finally crumbled.