The room was pitch black. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. "Do you like this lace set? The one you were looking at last time?" I pulled my boyfriend's hand, pressing it against my chest. Suddenly, his body went rigid. His breathing hitched, growing erratic. I thought he was just being shy, so I forcefully pushed him back onto the sofa. My hand trailed down the hard ridges of his abs. But the very next second, my wrist was seized in a vice-like grip. "Who are you? What exactly do you think you're doing?" The voice was deep, crisp, and aristocratic—and cold enough to freeze hell over. Reality crashed over me. That was not my boyfriend. And worse... that voice sounded terrifyingly familiar. It sounded exactly like my company's aloof, notoriously untouchable CEO. 1 Click. The wall switch was flipped, and the room was flooded with light. Staring at the devastatingly handsome, fiercely cold face sculpted like a Greek god in front of me, I felt the blood rush all the way to the tips of my ears. I was still straddling his lap. One thin strap of my lingerie had slipped down my shoulder. I scrambled off him in an absolute panic. While putting as much distance between myself and Alexander Sterling as humanly possible, I snatched my coat off the floor and wrapped it tightly around my body. Today was my one-year anniversary with my boyfriend, Liam. I had agreed to meet him at this hotel. And underneath my coat, I was wearing the sheer, lace lingerie he had been eyeing online for weeks. Wearing it felt practically like wearing nothing at all. I had been forced to work late, so I arrived at the hotel after him. Liam had texted saying he left a keycard for me at the front desk. I grabbed the card and headed straight up. Wanting to give him a surprise, I didn't bother turning on the lights when I walked in. I just went straight for the ambush. But looking around now... The ultra-luxurious penthouse decor. The aristocratic, irritated man sitting on the sofa. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I had taken the wrong master keycard and walked into the wrong suite. "I... I am so sorry, Mr. Sterling! I... I think I'm in the wrong room!" I hung my head, absolutely mortified, not daring to meet his eyes. Thinking about what I had just done to him in the dark, I was ready for the ground to swallow me whole. "..." Alexander maintained his usual, terrifying composure. He casually straightened his suit jacket and stood up from the sofa. "So... this was just a misunderstanding?" He stepped toward me. At six-foot-two, his presence was overwhelmingly oppressive. He blocked out the overhead light. I was forced to look up, meeting those dark, bottomless eyes. "Yes. I... I was here to see my boyfriend. I took the wrong card." I swallowed hard, struggling to get the words out. "..." Silence was my only answer. Alexander looked down at me, his gaze heavy. His Adam's apple bobbed once in his throat. That tiny movement made my heart pound with inexplicable anxiety. I waited for my sentence. After all, assaulting a stranger in the dark definitely qualified as workplace harassment. But a second later, Alexander took a step back. "Get out." Two simple words. My heart, which had been lodged in my throat, finally dropped back into my chest. I figured he had decided to let me off the hook. I gave him a frantic bow and fled the room as if my life depended on it. 2 The moment I stepped into the hallway, my phone rang. "Chloe, are you at the hotel yet? I've been waiting in the room forever," Liam's familiar voice came through the speaker. It helped pull my chaotic thoughts back to reality. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "Liam, my stomach is suddenly killing me. Let's take a raincheck." After the absolute disaster that just happened, I was in no mood to be romantic. Liam sounded disappointed, but he came down to the lobby shortly after. "Are you okay? What happened?" he asked with faux concern when he saw me. "I don't know... probably just exhausted. I've been working so much overtime lately," I said, putting on a pained expression. "Let me take you home, then." He patted my head and played the considerate boyfriend, driving me back to my apartment. 3 Once I got home, I tossed and turned all night. It was just too embarrassing. Walking into the wrong room was bad enough. But it had to be the CEO's room. And I had pinned him to a couch, kissed him, and felt him up. At our corporate headquarters, Alexander Sterling sat at the very top of the food chain. Rumor had it he was completely uninterested in women, living a sterile, disciplined life. He was a billionaire most people only ever looked up at from afar. Most employees never even got the chance to breathe the same air as him. And I... I had practically desecrated the man. Was a termination letter waiting for me tomorrow?! I went to work the next day with massive dark circles under my eyes, practically a walking ghost. Fortunately, the entire day passed without a single incident. Nothing happened. I held onto a shred of hope, surviving until it was almost time to clock out. Then, HR suddenly sent out a blast: an all-hands meeting in the main conference room. It wasn't long before Alexander walked in. He was wearing a charcoal-grey tailored suit that highlighted his broad shoulders and model-like physique. With features sharp enough to cut glass, he looked like he belonged on a billboard. The moment he stepped into the room, it was like a spotlight hit him. All eyes were glued to him. And just like always, he radiated an untouchable, freezing distance. After Alexander spoke, a few other executives took their turns. I hid myself perfectly in the sea of employees. He didn't glance in my direction even once. A guy like Alexander—a brilliant, young prodigy CEO—would never waste his time caring about a nobody like me. He was a big shot. He had bigger things to worry about. He probably hadn't even given last night a second thought. Good. At least my job was safe. When I got home, I took a long, hot bath, feeling a massive weight lift off my shoulders. But that night, lying in bed, fragments of the previous evening kept flashing through my mind. Given the massive difference in our sizes... He definitely could have pushed me away immediately. Why didn't he do anything? Why did he just let me put my hands all over him? Thinking about it, my face burned, and my heart started racing all over again. 4 A few peaceful days went by. Then, my department manager handed me a stack of files and told me to deliver them to the CEO. Normally, a low-level corporate drone like me had exactly zero chances to interact with the top brass. And after the hotel incident, I really, really wanted to remain invisible to him. But my manager insisted these needed Mr. Sterling's signature ASAP. I had no way to refuse, so I bit the bullet and knocked on his office door. When I walked in, the chair behind the massive mahogany desk was empty. I hesitated for a second, planning to just drop the files on the desk and run. But the moment I turned around, I found Alexander standing right behind me. I jumped out of my skin, my elbow clipping the desk and sending the files scattering across the floor. "S-sorry! I'm so sorry, Mr. Sterling!" My tongue tied into knots as I dropped to my knees, frantically scrambling to gather the papers. Alexander crouched down next to me. A faint, clean scent of cedarwood washed over me. "Why are you so nervous? I'm not a monster. I don't eat people." His voice was a deep, magnetic baritone. It sent a shiver straight down my spine. We were so close. The atmosphere in the office suddenly shifted, growing thick and heavy. I kept my head down, absolutely refusing to look at his face. "I-I'm not." Alexander handed me the files he had picked up. My fingers accidentally brushed against his. I yanked my hand back like I had been electrocuted. Whether he noticed my reaction or not, a low, breathy chuckle escaped his lips. "You certainly weren't this timid when we were in private." The next second, he stood up and walked back to his leather chair. His face was perfectly calm. Untouchable. As if that teasing comment hadn't just come out of his mouth. Fine. He was mocking me for my wild behavior the other night. What could I do? I just had to pretend I didn't hear it. With my face burning, I placed the neatly stacked files back on his desk. "Mr. Sterling, these need your review and signature. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." "Mm." 5 Liam and I worked at the same company. The difference was, I was just a regular entry-level employee, while he was a mid-level manager with a decent track record. In a massive, competitive corporation like Sterling Enterprises, he was considered a rising star. Ever since we left the hotel that day, Liam had been incredibly distant. He was "busy" with work during the day, and at night, he would leave my texts on read. I figured he was mad because I hadn't slept with him. For the whole year we had been dating, I had been fairly traditional. We had stuck to kissing and cuddling. Every time he tried to take it further, I found an excuse. I only agreed to the hotel because it was our one-year anniversary. But in the end, nothing happened anyway. Liam was a normal guy. It made sense that he was frustrated. Thinking about it that way, I did feel a little guilty. A few days later, Liam suddenly texted me late at night. He said his birthday was coming up, and he wanted me to wait for him at the exact same hotel. He said he wanted a birthday surprise. I knew exactly what he meant. That night, I went to the front desk, confirmed the room, and went upstairs to the suite he had booked. He texted saying he was running late. So, I took a shower, sprayed his favorite perfume, changed into a silk slip dress that was even more scandalous than the last one, and waited. I don't know how much time passed before I heard the door click. I jumped off the bed with a smile, ready to greet him. But I froze in my tracks. Because there were two sets of footsteps. "What if your girlfriend finds out you brought me to a hotel?" It was a woman's voice. Sweet, but dripping with entitlement. I recognized it instantly. It was Vanessa Kensington, the heiress to a massive hotel empire that our company frequently partnered with. Liam had been the point of contact on a few of their joint ventures. "She won't. She's too dumb to notice anything." "Besides, I've been wanting to dump her anyway. If she finds out, she finds out." Hearing Liam's words, I stood completely paralyzed. I pulled out my phone and scrolled up to the texts "Liam" had sent me earlier. The red flags were suddenly glaring. The texts telling me to come to the hotel... they weren't in Liam's style. He always used perfect punctuation, even for the shortest sentences. Always ending with a period. But the texts from earlier didn't have a single punctuation mark. The person who invited me here tonight wasn't Liam. 6 "I'm honestly curious why you even agreed to date her. In my eyes, she's incredibly low-class. She's miles beneath you," Vanessa said, her voice teasing but laced with venom. "Only because she wouldn't leave me alone. She was practically glued to me." "She comes from a broken home, single mom, desperate for affection. Show her an ounce of kindness and she latches on like a parasite." "When we started dating, she was the one throwing herself at me. Plus, she's an underling in my department. I have to see her every single day." "I just didn't want to make things awkward at the office, so I threw her a bone." The suite was massive. I was standing in the master bedroom, while they were in the adjacent living room. Liam's words drifted clearly through the cracked door. I felt the blood turn to ice in my veins. I grew up poor. I was timid and sensitive. Dating a rising star like Liam always felt like I was punching above my weight. He was a manager; I was a nobody with no background and no connections. He had pursued me first. But once we got together, I treasured the relationship far more than he did. Growing up the way I did, I was used to cold shoulders. Genuine kindness was rare. Liam treated me well in the beginning, and it warmed my heart. It also made me terrifyingly dependent on him. When he was sick, I stayed up all night taking care of him. On my days off, I went to his apartment to do his laundry, cook, and clean. Maybe to outsiders, it looked pathetic. But I did it willingly. Because, just like he said, I was desperate for love. I had made him my entire support system. As long as he was happy, I was happy. As long as he loved me, I would do anything. But it turned out, my unconditional love was just a joke to him. To him, I was cheap. Pathetic. A charity case. I looked down at the tiny scraps of silk and lace I was wearing—the agonizing effort I had put into trying to please him. It was hilarious. My pride kicked in. I refused to let him catch me looking like this. The worst outcome was just him admitting to the affair and dumping me. He had nothing to lose. I was the one being thrown away. I was the one hurting. But I refused to be his victim. I didn't want to be a pathetic little bug anymore. Even if we broke up, this time, I was going to be the one calling the shots. Without thinking, I bolted out of the bedroom and made a run for the front door. "Who's there?!" Hearing the commotion, Liam snapped to attention and chased after me. 7 I ran fast. The second I burst out of the suite, I sprinted toward the corner of the hallway. But I miscalculated. I crashed headfirst into a chest that felt as solid as a brick wall. "Chloe Bennett—" Hearing that familiar, deep, cedar-laced voice, I rubbed my forehead and looked up in a panic. "Mr. Sterling?!" Seeing Alexander here only made my panic spike. But the look on his face was entirely unreadable. "This is the second time, Chloe." "The same trick loses its charm if you overuse it." His dark, piercing eyes dragged over my body. In my rush, I hadn't even grabbed my coat. The silk slip dress left absolutely nothing to the imagination. I was practically naked. His imposing figure and heavy gaze made me feel completely exposed. The way he was analyzing me made my cheeks burn. Did he think I was purposely throwing myself at him? I couldn't explain myself right now. This wasn't the time. Gathering every ounce of my courage, I grabbed his arm and yanked him around the corner. I used his massive frame to shield my body. "Mr. Sterling, I swear I didn't do this on purpose. Not the first time, and not now. I—" I babbled, trying to explain. But his eyes slowly dragged from my face, inching downward. His Adam's apple bobbed heavily. His eyes darkened, and he deliberately looked away. Right then, I heard Liam's heavy footsteps echoing down the hall behind us. "Don't let him see me. Mr. Sterling, please." Like a drowning woman clinging to a life preserver, I grabbed the lapels of his suit, begging him. Seeing the frantic tears welling in the corners of my eyes, a flicker of something resembling pity crossed his stoic face. He glanced over his shoulder. "Who are you hiding from?" I was too tense to get a word out. But a second later, just as I thought he was going to shove me aside, Alexander stepped into my space. He pressed me firmly against the wall, using his broad shoulders and tall frame to cage me in perfectly. Under his massive shadow, I was completely hidden. I let out a breath of relief. Just as I was about to whisper my thanks, Alexander lowered his head. Soft, cool lips pressed against mine. I froze. My brain completely short-circuited. Alexander Sterling was kissing me! My entire body went rigid, but I didn't dare move a muscle. A clean, minty scent flooded my senses. It started out cool and restrained, but quickly deepened into something far more aggressive. He kissed me until my mind went completely blank. Pure instinct took over, and my fists tightened in his shirt. "Didn't you want to stay hidden?" "I'm helping you." "But if I'm helping... I need to collect some interest." He murmured the words against my lips between breaths, his forehead resting against mine. I listened to him, totally dazed. But then I realized the footsteps were right next to us. Liam was here. I could feel it. He was standing just a few feet behind Alexander. I don't know if Liam recognized the CEO, or if he just awkwardly realized he was interrupting a couple hooking up in the hallway. Liam stopped. He didn't come any closer. A moment later, he turned around and walked away. Crisis averted. I let out a shaky breath. But I quickly realized I had just thrown myself out of the frying pan and into a much, much deeper fire. I instinctively pushed at Alexander's shoulders, silently begging him to stop. He ignored me entirely. With one large hand, he caught both of my flailing wrists and pinned them against the wall above my head.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "404109", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel