Chapter 2

She did it.

She managed to piss me off.

I quickly dialed Samuel's private number.

I wanted to demand what he meant by all this, and what was up with Grace.

But the phone rang and rang, and nobody answered.

Angry, I was about to walk away when the call suddenly connected.

To my surprise, as soon as I said "Samuel," a familiar icy voice answered on the other end.

"Sorry, Mr. Sterling can't take your call right now. If you have something to say, I can relay the message," Grace said.

I lost my cool and snapped, "Ms. Keane, tell Samuel his fiancée is here but can't get in. He needs to come down to the front desk and sign me in himself."

After I finished speaking, Grace didn't react with panic or anger as I expected.

There was a brief pause, then she responded in a flat, emotionless voice, "Alright, that's it, right? I've noted your request.

"Just curious.

"Ms. Quinn, don't you have anything better to do? Always acting like you're obsessed with your man makes you look pretty desperate."

I stared at the phone after it was hung up.

I sat there, frozen for a whole minute.

I actually laughed in disbelief, anger bubbling up.

I had nothing better to do? Was I some lovesick puppy? Was I clinging to a guy?

That was absurd.

I finished my PhD by twenty-six, skipped grades, top institutes were fighting over me. My schedule was tighter than Samuel's. And she said I had nothing better to do?

Saying I was obsessed with romance was even more absurd.

Samuel fell for me at first sight at my eighteenth birthday dinner, and from then on, he pulled out all the stops to chase me.

He followed me from Betrico to overseas, chasing me for three whole years before I agreed to be his girlfriend.

Right after I graduated, Samuel rushed to push our families into arranging an engagement, terrified I'd change my mind.

Honestly, if anyone was obsessed here, it was Samuel, not me.

That was ridiculous.

Grace was just an assistant. I believed that once Samuel heard about this, he would handle it.

But I didn't want to stay here a second longer.

Let them do whatever they want. I couldn't care less.

As I was about to walk out of Sterling Enterprises, my phone rang again.

It was Samuel calling.

When he realized I was stuck downstairs, he immediately started apologizing. "I've been tied up in an online meeting and had no clue you were here. I'll have Grace come down to get you right away.

"Don't be upset, baby. I've already reserved your favorite restaurant for tonight. Give me a chance to make it up to you, okay?"

I took a deep breath.

I reminded myself it was Samuel's birthday, after all. I forced down my annoyance and stopped in my tracks.

I waited for what felt like forever.

The CEO's private elevator dinged, and the doors slid open again.

I shot Grace a cold glare as she stepped out, cool and collected as always.

Her face was still fixed in that professional smile with zero apology or nerves.

"Ms. Quinn, Mr. Sterling said I should take you upstairs," she said.

I didn't bother responding and walked straight into the elevator.

But as I was about to step inside, Grace blocked me again. "Ms. Quinn, there's a new company policy. Non-employees have to register and be escorted to restricted areas. Here's your temporary visitor code.

"Please scan the code to check in."

Right then, I really wanted to leave right then and there.

But I wanted more to storm into Samuel's office and vent to him, demanding answers.

I gritted my teeth, swallowing my anger.

I scanned the code, checked in, with Grace "escorting" me all the way to the CEO's office.

Finally, we reached Samuel's office.

The door was closed, and Grace knocked lightly.

I glanced at the executive assistant's dedicated desk outside the office.

My mind suddenly went blank.

On the desk was a purple tulip mug that looked very familiar.

Except for the color, it was like the one I had in my office.

That was the mug Samuel had carefully picked out for me during his business trip last month.

He'd made a point of telling me it was from some niche designer. There were no stores here, so nobody else around would have one like it.

Grace followed my gaze and said offhandedly, "Mr. Sterling has pretty good taste. That mug is from last month when I accompanied him on his trip.

"While I was helping him pick out a souvenir for you, he noticed I liked it, so he gave me one as well.

"He said this color suits me; it has a unique vibe. Oh, and Ms. Quinn, you seemed to really like that pink one, didn't you? I remember you posted it on your feed."

I didn't say a word; my heart sank.

Samuel wasn't the type to casually give gifts to women.

Except for me.

And he knew I hated getting the same gift as someone else.

While I was still hesitating, Grace went ahead and pushed the door open.