Share
71 - Kept Secrets
“Jini, can we talk?”
The ceiling light was still on even though the girl lay in her bed under the covers. She wasn’t planning on sleeping yet, it seemed: lying down was just her way of coping with unpleasantness.
Related chapters
In the Shadow of the CEO 72 - Discretion
When Lydia didn’t return in time for lunch to arrive at twelve sharp, Jia sighed and decided to put it out of her mind. She was a professional at being anxious, but this was something that was too hopeless even for her. Worrying about it would only remind her with increasing urgency that rumors were bound to tear all over Pandora Lights about her burgeoning relationship with the CEO, and she was simply not equipped to deal with such a personal issue.Not when the paperwork was piling and it was all she could do to keep it manageable while working at top speed.So she shelved that fight for a later time and escorted the caterer to Atlas’s inner office. With a knock and a gentle call, she let herself in and directed the man to the table by the wall before escorting him back out.After a few kind words of gratitude and some exchanging of pleasantries, she saw the caterer off and closed the glass doors behind him. With a sigh, she turned ar
In the Shadow of the CEO 73 - Responsibility
The words that Jia had been planning to say evaporated like dust motes in the sun when she met Daniel’s gaze. There was no judgment in it behind his glasses, nothing that should make her feel ashamed or victimized, but maybe the perfect, neutral expression he wore was even worse. Because - she knew that he wasn’t neutral about what he had seen, knew that his opinion of her had to have shifted the instant that he saw her tangled with Atlas against the glass. He had warned her about it, after all. She remembered the conversation only too well.
In the Shadow of the CEO 74 - Rejection
"I have to go somewhere," she told Atlas when she returned to the office. He had been waiting for her with a smile, half-sitting back on her desk with those eyes that were so blue that her resolve had nearly crumbled in the first instant. But Daniel's words were still burning in her mind hours later, and this was something she had to do."I'll take you there."She smiled back but shook her head. "It's personal. I need to go alone."At his silence, she paused to wonder if she had been too cold. She hadn't meant to be, and she was sure that none of her anxiety had slipped out in her tone, but maybe the words themselves had been too brusque. She came closer and stopped only when she stood directly in front of him, nearly touching his knees."But I'll see you in the morning if you like," she added. "If you still want to pick me up?"Maybe he wouldn't want to, a voice whispered in the back of her mind. She tried to stamp it out since there was no
In the Shadow of the CEO 75 - Stop
Dr. Lindhurst's warning that the birth control wouldn't be effective right away had Jia faking her pain longer than necessary (and certainly longer than she really wanted) around Atlas. She watched him carefully in that time, wondering if any day now he would get tired of waiting and demand her body then and there, or if he would simply begin to lose interest upon not being able to play with his newest toy as much as he liked.Or was he a man whose anticipation only increased with the wait? Jia couldn't begin to guess. All she knew was that she warned herself every morning when her eyes opened that this might be the day he no longer wanted her around. That way, surely it would hurt less if it really happened happened. Though from what Daniel had said earlier that week, it was a matter of 'when,' not 'if.'But she had to put that out of her mind for now and focus on work. There was still the dinner on Friday night and then the twins' competition on Saturday to wor
In the Shadow of the CEO 76 - Vapors
He'd made an oversight, Atlas had realized when he picked up the twins. He should have brought a bigger car, one with four doors and a real backseat so that Jia didn't have to pull her seat forward for them to climb in. It was hard to keep the necessary concessions at the forefront of his mind, though, when Jia alone occupied his thoughts every idle moment. But these things took practice, and he was sure he would get accustomed to her siblings with time.They didn't complain about the cramped transportation, however, and Jason (though his elder sister called him by another name - Jisu?) kept up an animated conversation throughout the whole half hour ride back to Manhattan. The girl, Jeannie, was far quieter, but Atlas knew better than to think it was out of any sort of shyness. More than once, he caught her venomous stare in the rear view mirror, and he had to wonder again what it was that he had done to make her so hostile.He was an only child so he couldn't claim to
In the Shadow of the CEO 77 - Repercussions
Jia didn't know what to make of the entire weekend. It had started badly with the dinner Friday evening, but shortly thereafter, Jini retracted her claws and allowed Atlas significantly more peace than before. The glares didn't quite stop, but they seemed to be limited only to spurts of time rather than maintaining a constant vigil. It lessened even more after Saturday when Atlas made surprise arrangements for William to take them to Manhattan for the Regionals so that they didn't have to take the bus.For Nationals, he'd said, he would make sure to show up in person. Jini had rolled her eyes at the thinly veiled encouragement.The competition was a grueling six hours that ended in the twins' advancement, and William had arrived to take them back home afterward. Sunday disappeared in a flash - all three of them were exhausted after a busy week and spent the day sleeping in. The only interruption was a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Lee, who came bearing food in disposab
In the Shadow of the CEO 78 - Accountable
Jia understood. Lydia's deception had been far from malicious. If anything, it was proof that she was still looking out for her, contrary to Jia's worries all this past week that the other woman hated her. And maybe it was also true that Lydia had borne the burnt of the burden of the legwork for a while because she was uncomfortable being in the same office space as her, but she'd flat out admitted to concealing the truth from Jia in order to spare her feelings. Sure, she hadn't said it in so many words, but..."Thank you."The blonde pursed her lips and looked uncomfortable for a second, but in short order, she sighed and shook her head. "It's fine. Just...you've got to think a little more before you act. When it comes to something as big as Pandora Lights, you're talking about celebrities and up-and-coming stars and all the money that goes with it. That's billions of dollars exchanging hands per year. You've got to..." She shook her head again, but this time it was m
In the Shadow of the CEO 79 - Talks
"Just so you know, none of them will blame Ms. Munson for anything, even though she was the one who broke her contract. She's too well-liked and has the best PR team money can buy."The elevator was halfway to the IT floor, the carriage humming around them as they continued to ascend. Jia turned to look at Lydia, surprised that she had spoken at all. She had thought the conversation was over already, but clearly not - and despite her current misery, she felt a sudden surge of defensiveness on Dolly's behalf."She has a right to her own life," she replied, although she kept her voice as matter-of-fact as possible so that she didn't come off as combative. "It should be her choice whether she wants to stay in the industry or not."The blonde nodded. "Yes. But that has nothing to do with legal obligations. When I say she broke contract, I don't mean that she put in a pink slip and announced that she was leaving.""Well, I mean...it was sudden, but -"
Latest chapter
- In the Shadow of the CEO Author's Note
- In the Shadow of the CEO Epilogue
- In the Shadow of the CEO 95 - Offerings
- In the Shadow of the CEO 94 - Choices
- In the Shadow of the CEO 93 - Adjustments
- In the Shadow of the CEO 92 - Games
- In the Shadow of the CEO 91 - Trees and Forests
- In the Shadow of the CEO 90 - Idyllic
- In the Shadow of the CEO 89 - Concealed
