Chapter 4

I was led up to the CEO's office on the top floor.

This was my first time up here since I joined.

The floor-to-ceiling windows here let me take in the whole Downtown Financial District at a glance.

Holy crap, how much does it cost even per square inch around here?

"Ms. Lane, please have a seat," Ms. Davis said as she got me a glass of water. "The CEO will be here soon."

I sat down on the couch, my nerves all over the place and my heart racing.

Why did the CEO help me? And why did he specifically ask for my design draft that got shot down? Could this be because he's actually my long-lost dad?

As my mind was spinning, the office door swung open.

Without hesitation, I stood up, feeling tense as I looked toward the door.

A familiar figure walked in.

In a white T-shirt and casual pants, he still wore that same poker face as usual.

It was James.

I was lost for words.

"Mr. Sterling." Secretary Davis bowed respectfully to him.

Mr. Sterling?

No way, I must be dreaming. This can't be real!

Just to figure out if this was just a fantasy, I pinched my thigh hard.

It really hurts!

It' for real!

James walked over and sat down across from me, looking every bit like he was running the place.

Wait, he actually did run the place.

"Have a seat," he said, tilting his chin at me.

I sat down stiffly, my brain completely short-circuited.

"Jamie, weren't you supposed to be working on a project overseas?" I stammered.

"Yeah, it's our company's project," he answered casually.

Our company...

Our company!

So the design company I work for is actually owned by the Sterling family?

Oh my god, this is even more dramatic than a TV show! So such a tiny paycheck of mine was actually coming from my childhood friend?

"So about what happened just now..." I stammered, still trying to process everything.

"I told Secretary Davis to handle it," he said, completely unfazed. "That manager, Mr. Warren, he's done starting tomorrow. And as for that Vivian, how do you want to deal with her?"

I opened my mouth, but not a single word came out.

There was so much to take in, and my mental circuits were overheating.

"I..." My voice stuck in my throat.

"If you don't want to deal with it, then let it go," he said, meeting my eyes. "From now on, no one at this company will dare to bully you."

His voice was calm, but carried a force no one dared to argue with.

My nerves finally settled like that.

It turned out that he was always there for me.

Behind the scenes, in ways I never noticed, he'd been protecting me all along.

"Why did you keep this from me?" I asked, my eyes growing sore and hot, and tears threatening to fall as I looked at him.

"I didn't want all this to make you feel like there was a wall between us," His eyes darkened, deep and serious, laying a steady gaze on me. "Olivia, I want you to feel something for me, not for the Sterling Family Heir."

My heart slammed hard in my chest.

Is he seriously confessing right now?

Wait, did he just mean I have a crush on him? How come? The one I was supposed to fall for was that senior of mine. No, I don't even think I care about him anymore.

And my face went bright red in an instant.

"I don't..." I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at me.

"I don't have a crush on you!" I shot back, louder than I meant to. Honestly, I had no clue where that burst of volume came from.

Then, the office fell into a silence so thick that could be cut with a knife.

Ms. Davis stood off to the side, doing her best to disappear into the background.

James stared at me for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled softly, which made him vivid, like an iceberg melting into a spring.

"Alright. I'll take it that you don't have feelings for me right now," he said, getting up and coming over, bending down a little so we were almost face-to-face.

"Then how about I try chasing you for a change? Is that alright with you?" He asked.