บททั้งหมดของ Mr. CEO, Leave Me Breathless : บทที่ 71 - บทที่ 80

The week moved faster than I expected. Between project revisions, adjusting timelines with the Seattle team, and preparing for the collaboration, I barely had time to catch my breath. Yuan and I were booked from morning to afternoon with continuous meetings and presentations, and it didn’t stop… not even when we flew back to New York.I told myself I was ready for anything this trip might bring, but deep down, a small part of me knew I was lying. There was a place inside me that New York never failed to shake loose. Memories lived in this city—loud ones, silent ones, and ones that still burned in the deepest part of me.But I wasn’t the same woman who left.I am stronger now. A better version of myself. Or at least, I was trying to be.We stepped out of the car and entered the glass building of Blake Global Enterprises. The lobby looked exactly like I remembered. Only now I was here with a different purpose, no longer a trembling employee waiting outside an executive’s office, praying

I didn’t even bother hiding the smirk that tugged at my lips when Ingrid’s sharp voice cut across the parking lot. My chest was still racing from the tension of the near-kiss, but I kept my composure.“Selina.”I let my eyes meet hers, cold and unflinching.“Yes?” I asked, voice smooth, deliberate. “You see what you want to see, Ingrid. Maybe you should stop being so paranoid.”Her lips pressed into a thin line, but I didn’t give her the satisfaction of an answer. I turned on my heel, walking past her with calm confidence, letting Ethan’s startled expression linger in my peripheral vision.Ingrid fumed behind me, but I ignored her. Some games weren’t worth acknowledging at the moment.The collaboration between Blake Global and Yuan’s company officially started that week. I stayed close to Ethan whenever possible, subtly threading myself into his daily rhythm. Meetings, site inspections, casual discussions over coffee—I made sure to be present, professional, and attentive, without over

The sound of the coffee machine whirring was a welcome drone against the persistent hum of my focus. It was two days after Ethan's fainting spell, and he had been discharged from the hospital yesterday afternoon. He was home, injured, and more suspicious than ever, a perfect state of vulnerability.I sat at a small, sunlit table in a cafe, waiting for Melody. Unlike Lando, who worried and judged, Melody was my confidante, someone I could discuss the emotional warfare with. She was fiercely loyal and had a healthy disdain for anyone who messed with me.Melody slid into the seat opposite me, immediately reaching for a pastry."I swear, every time I see you, you look calmer, and someone else looks like they're having a complete nervous breakdown," Melody observed, taking a large bite. "Ingrid, I assume?"I took a slow sip of my latte. "Ingrid is performing exactly as anticipated. She is frantic. She is trying to secure her position at the company before Ethan is well enough to ask the ri

The night was quiet when I stepped into Ethan’s house, Ember asleep in my arms, her small body rising and falling gently with each breath. The house smelled faintly of vanilla and clean linens, the dim lights giving the space a soft warmth.Ethan had been gone most of the day, and I wasn’t sure what kind of mood he’d be in. After the fainting incident and Ingrid’s manipulations at work, I expected tension.But he was there, leaning against the counter, dark eyes sharp under the low lights. His presence made my chest tighten slightly, an odd mixture of comfort and unease.“You’ve been busy,” I said softly, setting Ember down carefully on the couch. She stirred a little, mumbling, but didn’t wake.“I…” He paused, rubbing the back of his neck, and I noticed the faint lines of exhaustion. “I didn’t expect you to be here. I mean… for Ember.”I smiled faintly. “You called me, Ethan. Ember needed someone, and… Ingrid isn’t around.”I didn’t mention that this absence was something I was quiet

I couldn’t shake off the memory of Elton’s words that night. The way he had leaned forward, eyes glinting with obsession, the faint, twisted smile that made my skin crawl. His voice echoed in my mind: “The night everything changed… Do you remember the thrill of being powerless?”It was supposed to be behind me, buried with the chaos of three years ago. But now it clung to me like a shadow, flickering with every heartbeat. My thoughts kept drifting back to that night—Ethan’s accident, the sound of metal crumpling, the frantic screech of tires, the helplessness I felt as I ran toward the scene. I remembered Ethan’s voice, calm and reassuring, promising me he’d come back. “Just meet with Ingrid first. That’s all I need.”I had believed him, clung to that promise, thinking everything would be fine. But the moment I got the news about the accident, my entire world had shattered. Every plan, every ounce of hope, every heartbeat had collapsed in an instant.And then he woke up. Ethan. My Eth