Chapter 12 Is It So Miserable to Be With Me?
- "No," Darius said monotonously.
- Though she was disappointed by his answer, Charlotte didn't dare press on.
- After all, she was just a mere intern. Darius probably didn't care about her fate in the company.
- Her phone sounded just then, and she checked it to find that an unknown number had contacted her on WhatsApp with only two words sent. It read, 'Eli Chester.'
- Having no memory of ever knowing someone with the said name, she ignored it.
- There were a lot of cybercrooks, after all.
- "Goodnight." Charlotte switched off the bedside lamp unnervingly and tucked herself in.
- The air-conditioning in the bedroom was quite chilly, so being under the silky, thin summer blanket felt really comfortable.
- Darius hummed a response without ever turning his head, and he seemed to be doing work.
- Charlotte, on the other hand, buried her face under the covers, only revealing her doe-like eyes to sneakily check Darius out.
- Her gaze inadvertently went to his face, which was defined and cold.
- If she was honest, his face was completely different from Zack's. If there was any similarity, it would only be the sliver of resemblance when they smiled.
- Then again, Darius rarely smiled. Hence, she had no idea how she took him as Zack that night.
- Sadness overwhelmed Charlotte as she thought of Zack Zenith and when he passed.
- With that, she buried her head deeper into the covers and sobbed silently.
- However, the sadness was so overwhelming that her tears fell like a never-ending waterfall, and she even began sniffling.
- "Is it so miserable to be with me?" Darius' monotonous voice came from above the covers.
- "It's not that." Charlotte's voice sounded muffled from having been buried underneath the covers.
- "Why are you crying then?" he pressed on.
- "I'm just a little homesick," she answered perfunctorily before turning to the other side.
- Darius didn't ask any more questions, but she couldn't fall asleep despite having said she was sleepy.
- It was then a photo frame on the bedside table caught her attention.
- She picked it up. It was a photo of a young woman; though a thin layer of dust stuck to it, she could still tell this mystery woman was enchanting, and she looked to be only a couple of years older than Charlotte.
- Then, she turned the frame around to find a name.
- She whispered, "Samantha Wilkonson."
- She instantly recalled that Darius had been uttering a name during their one-night stand. Could it be this woman?
- Was she his unforgettable first love?
- "Who said you could touch it?!" Darius' cold voice came so suddenly that it startled Charlotte, causing her to drop the frame onto the floor by the bed with a clang.
- While leaning over to pick the frame up, Darius unintentionally put his weight on Charlotte, causing her breaths to instantly turn rapid and her chest to visibly rise and fall.
- She was spooked.
- After picking the frame up, Darius chucked it into the bedside table drawer. However, he continued to put his weight on her, having no intention of moving away.
- Just when Charlotte was at a loss for what to do, Darius suddenly switched the lights off with a clap.
- Does this mean… we're… doing it?
- A sudden hint of lust lingered in the air, as well as a sense of imminent danger.
- "President, I'd like to stay in NeoEast. Can you please talk to HR about it?" Charlotte blurted.
- It wasn't a plea but an even exchange with Darius. Her words also sent an underlying message that said, 'I know you're turned on, President Leynthall, but there's a condition to it, and that is to let me stay in NeoEast.'
- She remembered that the contract stated any interpretation of matters not covered in the contract was solely vested in Darius. However, having sex was not listed, and he did not give her a straight answer when she brought the matter up.
- She desperately needed money, and she needed a job. Thus, now was the right time to make demands.
- She struck the threshold perfectly.
- "Is this a threat?" Darius' deep, magnetic voice came from beside her ear.
- "No, I'm just confident! I believe that I've been performing well," answered Charlotte.
- However, Darius said no more, proceeding to nibble on Charlotte's neck.
- His arm brushed against her soft chest seemingly by accident, very accurately evoking the memory of their one-night stand. Meanwhile, Charlotte's entire body tingled.
- As her head swayed between lucid and muddled, she reiterated, "What do you say to it, President Leynthall?"
- Being on top of Charlotte, Darius could see her puffy eyes and her piteous yet menacing look. She looked exactly like a bunny that had been pushed too far.
- Grandpa had said not to bully her, and she was eight years younger than him.
- At last, his blood was no longer boiling. "What's your boyfriend's name?" he asked while brushing his hand against her chilly face.