Chapter 2 An Unexpected Encounter

• Stupid. I really am stupid.
• Cecilia Moreau couldn’t stop cursing herself as her determined steps echoed down the corridor. The heated memories from last night kept haunting her mind.
• This time, it wasn’t the images of Bertha and Evan’s steamy video, but rather the memory of her own one-night stand. With a man whose name she didn’t even know. Still, Cecilia could recall his face, albeit a little hazily. Especially the part when their bodies pressed together, satisfying each other. That memory was burned into her mind, igniting a heat that swept through her body.
• Enough! Damn it! Cecilia gritted her teeth in anger, not even sure at whom. She clenched her fists, nearly crumpling the sheet of paper in her hand— the very paper that had dragged her into this confrontation. She tried to regain her composure. At dawn, she had managed to slip away from the hotel—the scene of her one-night stand with that stranger. Luckily, she’d left while he was still asleep. If he had woken up, she would have had no idea how to act.
• She knocked on the door twice. A man’s voice from inside instructed her to enter. Cecilia stepped in.
• Her eyes locked sharply onto the man behind the desk, sitting upright in his chair. The handsome man she once admired and loved with all her heart. The man who was her fiancé, but who ended up betraying her by cheating with her own best friend.
• “Hi, sweetheart,” Evan greeted her in his usual sweet tone, showing not the slightest suspicion.
• “Cut the small talk with your filthy mouth, Evan.” Cecilia fired back sharply. The click of her high heels echoed as she strode up to his desk. Then, her right hand slammed the sheet of paper down onto the surface. “I’m resigning!”
• Evan frowned deeply, now focusing all his attention on her. “Since when did you start talking like that, sweetheart?” He stood up, reaching out to gently touch Cecilia’s cheek. “What’s wrong, hmm?” he asked softly.
• But Cecilia slapped his hand away. “I said I’m resigning!” she repeated, her anger boiling over.
• Evan’s frown deepened as he glanced at the paper on the desk. “What’s going on?” His tone had turned more serious.
• “What’s going on?” Cecilia echoed, letting out a bitter laugh as she folded her arms. “Obviously, I want to resign because I can’t stand breathing the same air as a bastard like you!” she spat sarcastically.
• Evan looked confused. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Why are you so angry?” he asked, trying to calm her. He was puzzled by Cecilia’s drastic change. Usually, when she visited his office, she would immediately snuggle up to him and they’d share a quick kiss.
• Cecilia let out a low, cutting laugh. “Stop pretending in front of me, Evan,” she warned, fed up. Her eyes glared fiercely at his bewildered face. “I know everything!”
• “Pretending?” Evan frowned. “I don’t understand, sweetheart. Explain it to me.” He gently took her hands, bringing them to his lips for a brief kiss.
• Once again, Cecilia pulled her hands away, rejecting his touch. Evan’s eyes darted, sensing danger.
• “You cheated on me with Bertha, didn’t you?” Cecilia accused, her anger barely contained.
• “What are you talking about?” Evan replied, still feigning ignorance. But Cecilia caught a flicker of shock in his eyes.
• “You’re a smart guy, Evan. Don’t pretend. I saw the video of you and Bertha!” Cecilia’s voice trembled, her eyes locked onto his face, which was now showing a different reaction.
• Evan laughed, still trying to deny it. “You misunderstood, sweetheart. That’s just a video, right? Don’t believe something you didn’t see with your own eyes,” he coaxed, reaching for her shoulder. But again, Cecilia shoved his hand away.
• “Do you think I’m blind?” Cecilia screamed. Her breath was ragged, her eyes red and burning. “I heard you both say you loved each other. I saw you making out and having sex! What does that mean? Were you shooting a movie? Should I believe that video is just a lie?” she continued, her voice still raised.
• The room fell silent. Evan’s eyes darted rapidly, studying the furious woman in front of him. Panic flickered across his face.
• “Your silence means yes, doesn’t it?” Cecilia shouted again, her voice booming in the room. “How long, Evan? How long have you been stabbing me in the back? How many nights did you spend together, huh? How many times did you enjoy her body, huh?”
• Her sharp words were met with a calm response from Evan. “You’re mad because I slept with your best friend?” he asked nonchalantly. The mask of innocence was gone. He was already caught, so he might as well face her anger head-on.
• Cecilia almost slapped his annoyingly handsome face, but she restrained herself, clenching her fists and crossing her arms, her face flushed red.
• “Why are you angry, sweetheart? You should ask yourself that,” Evan leaned his tall, broad frame toward Cecilia, his eyes boring into her furious face. “We may have a loving relationship, but love isn’t enough, sweetheart. I’m a normal man. I need sex. And you never wanted to give me that.”
• Every word felt like a dagger, stabbing and tearing at Cecilia’s already shattered heart. Her anger was now completely out of control.
• “You couldn’t give me that, could you? You always clung to your old-fashioned rules. No sex. Come on, we live in the modern era. You’re my fiancée, but we’re not having sex—what’s the point?” Evan stared at her with a crooked smile.
• Cecilia was almost speechless, overwhelmed by emotion. Her chest heaved, heat spreading through her body. “Why Bertha?” she asked, her voice trembling. Her eyes burned, but she fiercely held back her tears, refusing to shed even one for someone as wretched as Evan. “Why my best friend?” she asked again, struggling to contain her turmoil.
• “Of course, because she’s beautiful, sexy, and a good partner in bed,” Evan replied with a satisfied smile. “Besides, Bertha threw herself at me.”
• “You jerk!” Cecilia spat, her breath coming fast.
• Evan’s right hand reached out, lifting Cecilia’s chin to make her look up, tracing her jawline slowly. “You’re beautiful. I admire that. Especially your lips. It’s a pity I can’t enjoy your naked body.” His tone was disappointed. “That’s a shame, baby. So I found someone else, right?” His sly smile appeared.
• Cecilia shoved his hand away and pushed Evan’s body, but he just laughed dismissively, barely moving.
• She was heaving, her breath ragged. “You’re a real bastard, Evan!” she snapped.
• “I only cheated a little. Besides, it’s to protect you, since you don’t want to have sex with me before marriage, right? So rather than force you or trick you into sleeping with me, I’d rather find someone else,” Evan said casually.
• “Bastard! Scumbag! You’re the lowest of the low, Evan!” Cecilia screamed, pounding his chest. Evan quickly grabbed her hands, restraining her with just one hand.
• Their eyes locked. Evan could see the fire of anger in Cecilia’s eyes, eyes that used to look at him with love. It stung, just a little.
• “Your mouth is noisy, sweetheart,” he whispered right in her ear. His left hand gripped the back of her neck, forcing her closer for a kiss.
• He kissed her forcefully. Cecilia struggled, making it difficult for Evan to devour her lips. Eventually, she bit his lip, breaking the kiss and making Evan release her in surprise. She immediately stepped back, gasping for air.
• “That hurts, sweetheart,” Evan said, wiping a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. His pride was wounded by her rejection.
• He picked up the resignation letter from the desk and glanced at it. “Resign?” he sneered. Then, with anger he could no longer contain, he said, “You dare rebel now, huh? Have you forgotten I gave you this important position?” He crumpled the paper into a ball.
• “I’m Evan Langston, CEO of Langston Group. You should hold on to your status as my fiancée, because without me, you’re nothing but trash!” Evan’s voice was a hiss, sharp and threatening.
• Slap!
• Cecilia’s patience snapped, and her right hand landed hard on Evan’s left cheek as he stood in front of her, trying to intimidate her.
• Evan laughed coldly, then quickly grabbed Cecilia’s wrist, this time with more explosive anger. She winced in pain from his iron grip. “Open your eyes, Cecilia! You got the marketing director position because you’re my fiancée, even though you just graduated. You’re not that much of a genius, remember!” he snapped.
• What Evan said wasn’t entirely wrong. Cecilia had just been appointed as marketing director, even though she’d only just graduated with a bachelor’s in Fashion Business from Central Saint Martins. Of course, her smooth career was thanks to Evan’s influence.
• Evan and Cecilia had been engaged since Cecilia was eighteen. Their romance had always seemed smooth until rumors of infidelity surfaced, and Cecilia accidentally saw the explicit video of her 25-year-old fiancé with her own best friend.
• “What can you do without me, huh?” Evan mocked, his voice echoing. “You think it’s that easy to leave me? Resign? Can’t you read? The contract says employees can only resign after at least five years.” He leaned his head close, hissing right in front of Cecilia’s face.
• Cecilia was shocked by that fact, but she couldn’t think about it now. Her heart and mind were already overflowing with his cruel words. Her emotions threatened to explode.
• Evan finally shoved Cecilia away in disgust, making her stumble back a few steps. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “Now get back to work. Prepare yourself for the shareholders’ meeting. You’re coming with me,” he ordered.
• “Never!” Cecilia shouted. “I’m here to submit my resignation! Approve it, so you can sleep with Bertha without having to sneak around anymore!”
• Evan, who had just calmed down, flared up again. “Fine. I’ll approve your resignation… as long as you satisfy me tonight. That’s the price for your contract with my company,” he hissed, dead serious.
• “You’re truly despicable, Evan…” Cecilia was at a loss for words, unable to think as her anger threatened to consume her. She finally turned and stormed out, her heart burning with rage. She hurled a string of curses at him, though only in her mind.
• Her rejected resignation hurt less than every filthy word that came out of Evan’s mouth. Cecilia was utterly cornered, even though she was the victim. She never imagined Evan could be so vile. Now she was forced to obey him, unable to break free. Cecilia seethed at her own helplessness.
• In the past, she would have been happy to work on a project with Evan. She always gave her best for him. But now, even attending a meeting felt unbearable, especially since Bertha would be there. Yes, she definitely would.
• Bertha had attended several meetings with Cecilia and Evan, even though her position didn’t entitle her to. Cecilia never thought much of it before and didn’t mind. But now, after learning of their affair, she could barely breathe in the same room as those two wretches.
• The shareholders’ meeting was scheduled for 9:30. Cecilia was almost a minute late, having to muster her courage and suppress her raging emotions before entering the room.
• The seats around the long table were nearly all filled. Only three remained: one at the head of the table—clearly Evan’s; one on the left, facing Cecilia, obviously Bertha’s; and the last, to Cecilia’s left—she sat to the right of Evan’s seat—whose owner was unknown.
• The screen was ready. Folders were neatly in each participant’s hands. The meeting was about to start, just waiting for Evan, as the CEO, and the two others who hadn’t arrived.
• Soon, footsteps entered the room. Evan Langston finally appeared, with Bertha walking behind him, head down, hugging her folder.
• Cecilia forced herself not to scoff or glare at the pair. Instead, she looked away, trying to keep her focus from being shattered by her personal emotions.
• Unfortunately, she caught Bertha’s eye. The sexy, provocative woman shot her a sly smile. Cecilia wanted nothing more than to claw that smug face until it bled.
• “Good morning, everyone.” Evan’s voice rang out, commanding the room to silence.
• Suddenly, the glass door, which had been firmly shut, opened again. A tall, broad-shouldered man entered, drawing everyone’s attention—except Cecilia, who pretended to be busy with her laptop.
• “Looks like I’m late.”
• That voice made Cecilia’s eyes widen. It was familiar. The voice of the man who had moaned with her. Impossible, right? But then that familiar masculine scent reached her. Cecilia swallowed hard, her body turning rigid with a cold sensation.
• The man was invited to take the empty seat beside Cecilia. She lowered her head, trying to sneak a glance, but all she saw were black shoes stopping near her heels.
• Then, he sat beside her. His familiar scent hit her even stronger. Cecilia’s head spun, her mind flooded with flashes of last night’s heated scenes.
• “Hello, Miss,” the man greeted in a low, husky, and incredibly sexy voice. The sound made Cecilia freeze, her eyes wide with shock.