CHAPTER 3 FAYE

I let out a series of short breaths as I settled on my desk, fanning my face with my hand as more sweat broke off my face, the aircon almost doing nothing. This was the eighth time I was getting late to work in the past three weeks. Thankfully, neither Jack Percy nor Kate Emerson noticed today, else, I'd be going back home with a letter of suspension, which would probably last for a month or two. 

Getting late to work had almost become a routine because of my insomnia which started a little over two weeks ago. 

Why? I wasn't quite sure. 

Or, maybe I was, except that I didn't want to admit it. Why would something affecting my work so much have anything to do with him?

It's been three full weeks since that night of passion, which was still somehow fresh in my mind as though it happened yesterday. His perfect caresses on my body, his deep sultry voice which I can't get out of my head, his one million dollar scent which assailed my sense of reasoning, the feel of his glorious body against my smooth skin which moulded with his, his length filling me whole like it was made just for me—

"And when you're not running late, you're losing focus. Damnit, Miss Tucker!" A bang on my desk, which threw some sheets of paper on my face, snapped me out of my reverie and I blinked at the sight of a red Kate. 

Shit. How long has she been there? Well, long enough to know I wasn't paying attention. 

"We'll talk about your recent idiosyncrasies later. For now, Jack Percy needs our attention to pass very important information across. Inform the other members of your team, and be at the conference room no later than five minutes from now." She cast me a frosty glare before sashaying out of my office, and I heaved a deep sigh as the door closed behind her before rubbing my eyes. 

Dan's an asshole, yet, I've thought about him more than I can count since that night, and not without a hundred and one questions lingering in my mind. 

Did I try as much as possible to erase him from my mind? Many yes. Did it work? Surely, as possible as it was to fill up a basket to its brim with water. And more than I could ever express, I hate his guts for making me feel this way and probably hate myself more for letting my guard down on that night. But, if I had the chance to rewrite what happened, would I have ignored him? It would be a cold day in hell for that to happen. 

In the next few minutes, I joined several other employees who were already seated in the conference room, pressing my lips in a firm line. Since it was a piece of information that concerned everyone in the company and not just a select few, there was no cause for alarm, or so I thought. 

In fleeting seconds, Jack cast a glare at me, wearing a grimace that died as soon as his eyes left me, and I pinched my clammy palm. 

Was he like this to employees other than me? Couldn't he at least be a little nicer?

He cleared his throat, his signature frown returning on his face. 

"Thank you all for coming despite the short notice. Firstly, I'd like to thank every one of you for your hard work thus far in Hemmingfield Company Inc., including the recent employees, who joined us a couple of weeks ago. You've all been playing a very huge role in attaining the company's goals and objectives and also maintaining its standard, and this is apparent in the company's standing in the marketplace.

The company's recent insolvency is a development that everyone here today is privy to, and you're all aware of our combined efforts in recent times to combat this issue. Unfortunately, however, the most recent development which I'm about to share right now with you proves the sterility of our appreciated efforts.

As it stands now, the rights to Hemmingfield Company Inc. have been transferred to Daniel Ried, billionaire and CEO of Emirates Empire Ltd, who runs a chain of tech companies all around the world. He's purchased Hemmingfield, adding it to his conglomerate, and as such each one of you is laid off till further notice." 

What? Laid off? No way.

My mouth went dry and a lump formed in my throat, as I stared blankly at Jack. Sudden heat arose behind my eyelids, and my stomach tingled. The room which was as quiet as a graveyard just a few moments ago suddenly became boisterous, and Jack tried calming everyone down, including Kate, who looked like she'd been touched by a ghost. Her face turned pale from the news, an indication that just like everyone, she wasn't aware of the new development before now. 

A wave of dizziness hit me, and I held the back of my chair for support, analyzing Jack's words carefully. 

The sound of the door combined with the plodding of shoes stole everyone's attention, silencing all the murmurs and chatters, and a sea of heads turned towards the door, mine included, as a tall muscular man strode to the room, taking the seat at the center, which was empty before he settled on it. His presence commanded attention, just like his Oxford shoes, and a sudden coldness hit the pit of my stomach as he glanced around, his eyes covered with a pair of sunglasses. There was something oddly familiar about him as I stared at his chiseled face.

"Your guess is right. I'm Daniel Reid, the new owner of Hemmingfield Company, except that the name is about to change," he said after a deafening silence. My body went still at the sound of his rich baritone familiar voice which left me breathless, and my heart hammered in my rib cage. The air in the room thickened and my hand flew to my chest as I stared at a dangerously familiar ocean-blue eyes, and I did a double take, the moment they landed right on mine. 

No. No way. Not Dan.

For a brief moment, his eyes lingered on mine, and a little flicker appeared in them which died as soon as it came, and my heartbeat accelerated, my heart almost exploding, even as he tore his gaze away from me, and intertwined his fingers, resting his elbow on the table. 

"I'll take your silence as a welcome," he said with a smirk which I suddenly felt like ripping off his face. "I'm sure Jack here has briefed you about the recent development with the company. Also, I just might consider retaining a few employees here— perhaps ten percent of you…"

His voice became almost indistinct in my ears as I remembered all the sweet nothings he whispered in my ears with his damn sexy voice. I suddenly thought of all the other things he could do with those hands of his, other than resting them lazily on the desk, and my insides quivered at the memory of his touches and kisses.

"Miss Tucker? Did you hear me?" 

Jack's gruff voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I blinked back to reality. 

"I just said, I'd love you to take Mr. Reid on a tour around the company. Show. Him. All. Around. The. Building. Sights. Without. Leaving. Anywhere. Out," he enunciated, glaring at me with condescension. 

What? Why me?

Why would Jack choose me of all the other employees to be Dan's guide? I gave Jack a pleading gaze, which he returned with a twisted smile, eyeing the door. 

A small smile lined Dan's lips, as he stared at me, and an impulse to slap the smile off his face gnawed at me. 

You're in some deep shit, Faye Kristine Tucker.