Chapter Three

Maria's POV

Everything felt strange; the bed, air… my body.

A groan slipped from my lips as I stretched, my body aching in ways I couldn’t explain. My head pounded like a drum, my mouth was dry, and everything felt off.

I blinked against the harsh sunlight streaming through the curtains, frowning.

I sat up slowly, trying to piece together how the hell I had gotten home.

Except—this wasn’t home.

The sheets beneath me were unfamiliar—smooth, expensive. The air smelled faintly of cologne and something musky.

Panic shot through me as I glanced down.

I was naked.

“What the fuck…” I whispered, yanking the covers tighter around me.

My breath hitched as I turned to my side, and my heart nearly stopped.

A man was lying next to me.

Fast asleep.

His bare chest rose and fell with steady breaths, his toned arms resting against the pillows. His dark hair was tousled and fell over his face, covering his features completely.

I swallowed hard. My heart pounding in my ears.

Who the hell was he?

I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing myself to think. The last thing I remembered was the club. The music. The shots. The spinning lights. And then…

Shit.

What the hell did I do last night?

A low groan escaped from the man, and I immediately sprang into action.

Shit, shit, shit.

Abandoning the mask, I grabbed my dress from the floor and yanked it over my head, my hands trembling. My heels were in the corner, and I snatched them up, careful not to make a sound. I needed to get out of here before he woke up.

Moving quickly, I tiptoed to the door, my heart pounding. The moment my fingers wrapped around the handle, a deep voice cut through the silence.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I froze.

Slowly, I turned around, my breath caught in my throat.

He was awake.

And now, I could see his face.

Sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and a smirk that sent a chill down my spine. My stomach twisted in horror.

What the heck?!

Beforw me was Andrew fucking Walker!

My blood boiled instantly. The son of the people who ruined my life. The man whose family destroyed mine.

“What the fuck,” I spat, stepping back. “Of all the people in this world, it had to be you?”

Andrew sat up, the sheets pooling around his waist. He ran a hand through his messy dark hair, watching me with amusement. “Well, good morning to you too, sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that!” I snapped. “What the hell happened last night?!”

He chuckled. “You happened, sweetheart. You were all over me.”

“Liar!” I hissed.

He shrugged. “You were drunk off your ass, Maria. Kept saying you wanted to forget. Guess you got what you wanted.”

I felt sick.

No. No, this wasn’t happening. I would never willingly go anywhere near him.

“You disgust me,” I spat.

Andrew smirked. “Funny, you didn’t seem disgusted last night.”

I grabbed the nearest thing—a pillow—and hurled it at him. He caught it effortlessly, laughing.

“Go to hell, Walker,” I seethed.

I turned on my heel and stormed out, my heart racing, my body shaking with rage.

This was the worst mistake of my life.

I practically sprinted out of the hotel, my heart hammering in my chest. I barely stopped to breathe as I rushed down the stairs, ignoring the stares from the hotel staff. The moment I stepped outside, the cool morning air hit me like a slap.

What the hell just happened?

I was still reeling from the encounter upstairs, my mind spinning in a thousand directions. Andrew Walker. Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be him?

My phone buzzed in my hand, snapping me out of my chaotic thoughts. I looked down and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.

Frowning, I hesitated before answering. “Hello?”

“Miss Maria Smith?” a deep, authoritative voice asked.

“Uh... yes?”

“This is Mr. Conway from Everwood Enterprises. We need you to come in immediately.”

My breath hitched. “What?”

“You’ve been selected for the PA position. Be here within the hour.”

My stomach twisted. No way.

This was the same man who had humiliated me at the interview, the same asshole who had looked me up and down like I was less and sneered at my weight. He had suggested I apply for a janitor position instead. And now, suddenly, I was being called in?

I blinked, at a complete loss for words.

“Miss Smith?” Mr. Conway’s impatient voice brought me back to reality.

“Uh, yeah. I’ll—I’ll be there,” I stammered, still in shock.

The call disconnected before I could ask anything else.

I stood there for a second, confused.

I didn’t have time to go back to Susan’s place. Hell, I didn’t even have time to think.

I looked down at myself. I was still wearing last night’s red dress and worse still, I barely had enough money to shuttle me there, talk more of buy a dress.

Shit.

I had no choice. If I went back now, I’d be late, and I wasn’t about to lose this opportunity.

Whatever. It’s just a job. Get in, work, get out. Simple.

With that, I hailed a cab and gave the address, my heart pounding the entire way.

---

When I arrived at Everwood Enterprises, I walked in with as much confidence as I could muster, but inside, I was a mess.

The receptionist gave me a quick once-over, her eyes flicking to my dress before pasting on a fake smile. “Mr. Conway is expecting you.”

I ignored the judgment and followed the receptionist down a long hallway. My heels clicked against the floor, echoing in the silence.

When I stepped into Mr. Conway’s office, the man barely looked up.

“You’re late,” he said flatly.

I frowned. “I got here in twenty minutes.”

He sighed like I was already a burden. “Whatever. The CEO wants to see you immediately.”

My brows furrowed. “The CEO?”

“Yes,” Conway said, tapping his pen impatiently. “He personally requested you.”

Still, I swallowed my nerves and nodded. “Why?”

He hissed, irritated. “First, you'd be working for him. And second, if you don't like the role of a PA, use the door.”

“Not at all.” I stammered.

Mr. Conway waved a dismissive hand toward the large double doors at the end of the hall. “That’s his office. Don’t keep him waiting.”

I took a deep breath and walked forward, smoothing my dress. This is fine. Just act professional. Be grateful. Maybe I actually got lucky for once.

I pushed open the doors and stepped inside.

And then I froze.

Sitting behind the massive oak desk, leaning back like he owned the world, was Andrew Walker.

My stomach dropped.

Andrew looked up, and the second he saw me, his lips curled into a slow, amused smirk.

“Miss Mira Smith,” he drawled, eyes flicking over me from head to toe. “Guess who also did their research?” Cocky, he ran his hand down his length in demonstration.

My entire body went cold.

No. Fucking. Way.