Chapter 3

“Julia… over here!” Sandra called out the second Julia entered the meeting hall where other staff were already seated.

Julia rushed over to where Sandra was and took a seat by her right-hand side, closer to the conference table.

“You don't look okay, what's wrong?” Sandra asked as soon as Julia took her seat.

“I…” Julia opened her mouth to speak, but Sandra cut her off briefly.

“I want the truth, Julia. You know you can trust me!” Sandra urged as she placed her hand on Julia's. This made her comfortable in some way, so she decided to open up to Sandra.

“I just got a divorce, Sandra… and guess what, my son needs a bone marrow transplant from his father,” Julia explained briefly, blinking her eyes as she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to trail down her ashen cheeks.

“What? You divorced Logan?” Sandra was so shocked because she knew how long Julia had been waiting for him to return to the country.

“I had to, Sandra. He's dating Amelia, my stepsister, and they are going to have a baby soon,” Julia spoke with bitterness in her tone as she stared at Sandra.

“What the fuck? That bastard! I should have known!” She tried to keep her voice down so a rumour wouldn't start. “So what will you do about Liam… he needs his father.”

“That's the most intriguing part of it all, Sandra. Logan isn't my son's father… it happens I had an affair the night before the wedding and I don't know who it is!” Julia opened up fully to Sandra, whose jaw dropped instantly.

“There’s no way I can find him…” Julia added, and just then, the doors to the hall opened, drawing everyone's attention immediately.

“The CEO is here!” a voice announced, making everyone, including Julia, stand to their feet.

They turned simultaneously, drawn by the sound of approaching footsteps echoing down the hall.

 The first thing that caught Julia's attention was a pair of Italian leather shoes, impeccably polished, followed by the sight of lean, long legs encased in perfectly tailored trousers that accentuated his stature and poise. 

His navy blue suit, adorned with subtle red accents at the wrists, was expertly tailored, hinting at wealth. 

As he moved closer, his black curly hair swept over his forehead in a controlled tousle, framing his chiselled features and complementing his intense, icy blue eyes that seemed to pierce through the room with an unspoken authority.

It was Caspian, their elusive boss who had returned from the States after five long years. The murmurs of recognition and admiration rippled through the crowd as he entered, commanding attention effortlessly. 

The air in the room seemed to shift as all eyes turned towards him, greeting him with a mixture of respect and awe.

Amidst the subtle chaos of welcoming cheers and whispered conversations, Caspian's gaze unexpectedly locked onto Julia.

 At that moment, time seemed to slow down for her. She stood there, struck by his presence, unable to find words as she felt the weight of his intense gaze.

And then, it dawned on her; the man she had bumped into at the hospital, the one who had unintentionally disrupted her rush, was none other than Caspian himself, Global Tech Trillionaire and her BOSS.

“Fuck!” she exclaimed as she turned her gaze away from him, biting her lower lip in embarrassment.

“You may have your seat!” Caspian's deep voice commanded. Every lady in the room was already swooning over his charm and good looks.

Well, except Julia, who felt embarrassed.

Soon, the meeting commenced with Dominic taking the lead in discussions while Caspian remained unusually still, his gaze fixed on just one direction; Julia. 

His intense stare at her did not go unnoticed, especially by Sandra, who leaned over to whisper to Julia, her curiosity piqued.

"Why does the CEO keep staring at you like that, Julia?" Sandra's voice barely above a whisper carried a mix of intrigue and concern.

Julia's heart skipped a beat as she turned her head slightly, following Sandra's gaze to where Caspian sat. 

Their eyes locked in a sudden, electric moment. His icy blue eyes held an intensity that both unsettled and intrigued her, stirring a strange mixture of discomfort and attraction within her.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. Julia felt an inexplicable pull towards him, as if his gaze had the power to captivate her entirely. 

She tore her eyes away, feeling vulnerable under his penetrating stare, yet secretly longing for it to continue.

But then, reality crashed back. A pang of guilt and concern gripped her heart as she remembered Liam, her son, and his condition. 

“With that, the meeting has come to an end. Thank you!” Dominic declared, and everyone began to stand up and leave.

Julia couldn't stay much longer as she needed money and had a plan. She stood up, and just as she was about to leave, Sandra gripped her hand.

“Are you sure you don't want to know why he had his eyes fixed on you, Julia?” she giggled softly, whispering into her ear.

“I don't know, Sandra, and I don't care. Please, I have to go to the HR department right now!” Julia asserted as she pulled her hand away from Sandra's grip.

With a last glance at Caspian, she dashed out of the place, his eyes still not leaving her trail.

Reaching the HR department, she walked up to the manager.

“How may I help you this time, Julia?” the lady asked grumpily, not taking her eyes off her computer.

“I don't know if this is the right time, but I need my pay. Half of it, at least,” Julia declared, making the lady pause for a second.

“Your pay? The month just started, Julia. I'm sorry, but it won't be possible,” the chubby lady responded, shaking her head in refusal.

“You don't understand, ma'am. I really need to…” Just as Julia was going to say, the lady cut in sharply.

“We don't have anything for you, Julia. Now leave before I call security!” she yelled.

Julia felt tears in her eyes again. This was her only hope of paying her son's bills. She needed the money.

“But…”

“I said leave!” she struck her hand on the desk angrily, jolting Julia immediately. “Security!” she called out, prompting Julia to act swiftly.

With a sniffle, Julia turned on her heels and left the place, heading right for the exit of the company. The second she got out, she realised it was already late.

“I need to get back to Liam,” she mumbled as she headed for the bus stop.

She was still on her way when, unfortunately, it began to rain heavily.

“Oh no! Not now,” she bit her lower lip as she ran towards the bus stop that was close by.

Her clothes were drenched, clinging uncomfortably to her skin as raindrops continued to pelt down relentlessly.

 Julia hurried towards the bus stop, her hair now a mess and water dripping down her face, adding to the discomfort. 

The cold seeped through her clothes, sending shivers down her spine despite her efforts to shield herself from the rain. 

She huddled under the shelter of the bus stop, desperately trying to stay warm, her teeth chattering faintly against the backdrop of the pouring rain.

Just as she sat down on the bench, reflecting on her life, the flickering light of the signpost for the shop opposite the highway caught her attention.

“A pawnshop?” she called out as she stared at it, and then it came to her.

She looked down at her ring and, knowing how expensive it was, nodded her head in sadness.

“I know I promised never to take this ring off, Logan, but I have no other choice. I am doing this for Liam… I'm sorry!” she let out, and without a second thought, she stood to her feet and sprinted towards the shop.

As Julia pushed open the creaking door, a small bell chimed, announcing her arrival into the dimly lit shop. 

The air was heavy with the smell of stale tobacco and damp wood. She hesitated in the doorway, her heart skipping a beat as she noticed the intimidating figures of muscular, rough-looking men occupying each corner of the room. 

Their hardened stares bore into her, making her feel uncomfortably exposed in their presence.

Swallowing nervously, Julia tried to avoid their intense gazes as she approached the counter. 

“How may I help you?” his deep, gruff voice cut through the silence like gravel crunching underfoot. 

He looked up from his task, his eyes briefly scanning her before settling on her face. 

“I… I'd like to sell my ring,” Julia stammered, her fingers fumbling as she slid the ring off her trembling hand and placed it on the counter in front of him. 

The man took the ring, turning it over in his rough, calloused hands, his expression unreadable.

“This looks nice,” he sneered as he took a close look at the item in his hand.

“But it's old now, and I can only offer you $800 for this,” he let out, making Julia's eyes bulge.

“What? No! That won't be enough…” she shook her head as she let out.

“Then I'm sorry, I can't help you,” he emitted, handing the ring back to her.

Julia wanted to save her son, but selling the ring for lower than its actual price wasn't what she wanted. She took the ring back, and just as she turned to leave, the door was pushed open, revealing Logan and Amelia before her.

It was almost like they were monitoring her every move.

“Well, well, if it isn't Julia… I told you that she'd want to sell the ring, didn't I? She never loved you, Logan. She only married and tricked you for money!”