Chapter 7

"Honestly, I thought you were doing it on purpose. Plenty of girls had tried to get my attention before." Benjamin drove smoothly. "But you passed out as soon as you got in. I didn't have a choice. I had to take you to the police station."

When Ella picked me up from the station, she gave Benjamin a long look.

Later, she told me, "I really never expected him to take you to the police. If he'd dumped you in a ditch, I could've understood that..."

I said, "Thanks, good Samaritan. Thanks to you, I made the news the next day."

"And thanks to you, a bunch of girls tried copying your move after that. Too bad none of them ever made it work." Benjamin turned the wheel. "These past two years overseas, I was busy with the company. Jackson kept bothering me with updates about you..."

I gazed out the window at the blur of sycamore trees, distracted. "Is that so?"

"He said you were completely transformed. Nothing like you used to be... said your eyes were sharp enough to kill."

I said, "Please pass on my thanks to Mr. Brooks for the compliment."

Benjamin fell silent.

He parked outside Mystique Lounge but didn't get out. "Gianna..."

He finally used that familiar name again.

I looked at him, waiting.

But his lips moved without words, as if he'd lost the courage to say more.

In the end, he just leaned over and unbuckled my seatbelt, just like he used to.

Two cocktails, a few sparse words, then silence.

Benjamin spent most of the time watching my profile, then letting his eyes drift to my bare fingers.

By the time he dropped me off at my building, I realized I might've been set up. My car was still at the office. Tomorrow, I'd have to take the subway.

He smiled. "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

I said, "No need. I'll take the subway."

He said, "You start at nine, but you usually get in by 8:30. Based on your old routines, you probably wake up around six. I'll be here at 6:30 tomorrow..."

I looked at him. "Impressive, Mr. Wilson. You got all that intel fast."

"That's Mr. Brooks' doing. I can't take credit."

"Hard to believe the two most talked-about CEOs in Kandos City would go to so much trouble for someone like me." My tone was full of sarcasm.

But Benjamin just said, "Because you're worth it."

Before I could respond, he drove off smoothly.

The next day, I deliberately got up extra early and left before six. But Benjamin was already leaning against his car, waiting.

He opened the passenger door, his satisfaction obvious.

I had no choice but to get in.

Once I was seated, he handed me a breakfast bag.

I said, "Mr. Wilson, you seem... pretty free?"

"Not too bad. Just handling handovers with various companies. Busy but manageable, quite fulfilling..."

I said, "I wasn't asking."

Benjamin glanced at me and smoothly changed the subject. "You look like you didn't sleep well."

I said, "Thanks to you."

He smiled. "My pleasure."

I cursed him in my head, 'You shameless jerk.'

At the office, I sat at my desk and finished the breakfast Benjamin had given me.

After the morning meeting, David knocked on my door. "Gianna, Mr. Wilson declined..."

I was reviewing yesterday's data reports. "I remember you had a backup plan."

"I did, but Gianna..."

I looked up at him.

He said reluctantly, "If we go with the second choice, the impact will be much weaker than expected. Maybe not even half..."

I put down what I was holding. "So, you want me to step in?"

He lowered his head. "I found out... you used to know Mr. Wilson..."

I let out a cold laugh. "I underestimated you."

He quickly said, "I'm sorry."

I stood up and turned away. "You're not suited to work under me anymore. Report to HR this afternoon to hand over your duties..."

David seemed panicked. "I'm sorry, Gianna. Please give me another chance."

"I won't repeat myself."

He left, dejected.

But I hadn't expected David to go over my head and send the proposal straight to Harper, one of the board members. After David transferred to another department that afternoon, Harper called me in.

When I walked out of the executive office, I'd been given an extra assignment for the month.

Land Benjamin within a week.

When I stepped back into the project area, the entire department went silent. Only the sound of keyboard tapping remained.

The next day, I brought my team to the Wilson Group's Grandeur Tower.