Chapter 4

“I heard you asked for me, sir,” I chirped the moment I walked into the office, plastering an award-winning smile on my face.

“I thought you wouldn’t come, Aria,” he said, a smirk resting comfortably on his lips as he stood up from behind his desk and walked toward me.

“Why would I ignore the call of a superior, sir?” I breathed calmly.

If this was the game he wanted to play, then who was I not to play along, uhn?

“Drop the bullshit, Aria,” he said after bursting into laughter, and a frown spread across my face. What exactly was amusing about all this?

“I have no idea what you mean, sir,” I pressed forward.

“This wasn’t the tone you used with me earlier,” he said, stepping even closer. “What? Are you scared now that you know who I am? That’ll be disappointing, don’t you think?”

I finally let out a sigh, my hands flying to my waist.

“What exactly do you want, Conan?” I asked, my frown now obvious.

His smile grew. “That’s more like it,” he whispered as he finally closed the distance between us. “It’s nice hearing you use my name, though,” he added.

I took a step back. “Why was I called?”

The games were starting to tire me out. Was I getting fired or what? Like, wrap it upppp.

“I have an offer for you,” he started, closing the distance yet again. This time, his hands flew to my waist and held me firm.

I tried to squirm out of his grip, but he didn’t budge. Eventually, I just stood there, waiting for him to spell out whatever nonsense he had in mind.

I exhaled, forcing my eyes to meet his.

“What offer?” I asked.

His eyes sparkled.

“You seem like the kind of girl I’d like in my bed, Aria. At first glance, you look like someone who listens well.”

I almost burst out laughing. He couldn’t be serious.

“So how about you let me have you, and I make your work life a lot simpler?” he finished.

This time, the laugh slipped out.

So he was serious.

Where did he think we were—high school?

“And what exactly can you do for me?” I said, trying to indulge him, but even my fake amusement was failing me.

“I can give you everything and more,” he whispered, his breath hot against my neck. I felt his hand move from my waist downward, and just as I was about to swat it off—

The sound of the phone ringing filled the room.

My eyes darted to the phone on his desk. “You should get that, sir,” I said, finally managing to push him away.

He shot me a look but moved to grab the phone. The moment he saw the caller ID, his eyes widened and his hands flew to straighten his clothes like a man caught doing something he shouldn’t.

“You need to get out of here. Now!” he yelled.

My eyes widened as he pushed me toward the door with one hand while lifting the phone to his ear with the other.

What now??

It wasn’t like I wanted to be here in the first place. There was no need to chase me out like some cheating mistress.

Rich people were different, alright.

I walked out of the office without sparing him another glance. I was almost at the end of the corridor when a man passed by me—and one glance at him made me stop in my tracks.

My head instinctively turned as I stared at his back like it was some piece of art.

His perfume lingered in the air, rich and clean, and I took another quiet whiff as I watched him step into Conan’s office. If I thought Conan’s suit was custom made, then this man’s was on another level entirely. I barely caught a look at his face, yet I could tell he was handsome.

Who was this stranger?

Was he the reason Conan shoved me out like contraband?

And why did his scent feel so familiar? Something I knew by heart but couldn’t place.

By the time I made it back to my seat, my knees were weak. My thoughts lingered on that one man. Why the hell didn’t I look at his face properly? I had one job, ONE—and I still somehow fumbled it.

Way to go, Aria.

I spent the next few hours trying to place where that scent could be from. Even while working, the feeling wouldn’t leave me. Thoughts of Conan no longer bothered me; this new stranger seemed far more interesting.

Was he a new manager Conan brought in? A business partner? A consultant?

Many questions filled my mind as I walked over to the marketing department to drop the last file for the day.

I was about to turn the corner when that suit caught my eyes again. This time, I froze immediately, waiting for him to reach me.

Miracles don’t happen twice.

There was no way I was missing his face again.

In no time, he was in front of me—and God, how wrong I was.

He wasn’t just handsome; he was breathtaking. How could a man look this good while being this masculine? His jawline alone deserved its own highlight reel. Maybe I really was staring, because his deep voice pulled me out of my trance.

“You’re the girl from Conan’s office, aren’t you?” he said, his voice rich and smooth.

I couldn’t even come up with a response.

“So he already has hoes around him on the first day,” he added casually.

My brain finally rebooted at the word hoe.

“I’m not a hoe,” I called out, my voice coming out lower than intended.

His gaze swept over me, slow and assessing. For some reason, I felt the need to adjust myself under the weight of that dark stare.

“Cover up properly before you argue about that,” he fired back, nodding at my half-buttoned shirt.

A frown crossed his face as he watchedme and i swore i heard him mutter the word cute before he walked past me without another word.

My hands immediately flew to my shirt, gripping the fabric tightly as I tried to process what just happened.

Who was this man, and why did his gaze affect me like that?

One thing was certain though;

Now he was far more interesting than whatever Conan had to say, especially if i heard right.