What am I even getting frustrated for? She was now one of my employees, which meant she was under me. I could just fire her. Bernard would have no say in the matter.
sat down on the chair and looked out the huge glass wall and glared at the skyscraper buildings No, that would be too easy to do. I won’t fire her just yet. I want her squirming in my presence more for what she did to me.
I want her to feel frustrated just as I felt
I groan and slammed my fingers on the numbers. I dialed Austin. He answers on the fifth
ring.
“Hey man.” He said groggily. He must’ve gone to a party again last night.
I clenched my jaw feeling left out. Austin and Ryland were in college, doing what college kids do, drink, smoke, and have sex. While I was here running a multi-billion dollar business. Sure the job wasn’t bad, but I can’t help but feel jealous that Ryland and Austin were getting to experience college life.
“Oi Ryland wake up man, Aiden’s on the phone.” I heard a smack and groan.
“Dude I need rest.” Ryland’s voice flutters from the other line. I rolled my eyes. Lazy assholes.
“What’s up Aiden man?” Austin asked. Austin and Ryland were the only two who stood be side me through all of the shit I went through that one year in jail. My parents too, but I knew they were disappointed about what happened.
I pulled air into my lungs before speaking, “I think I just saw Sophie Bell in my building. If not her then it’s her ghost.”
Austin snorted. “Sophie ain’t dead man. Well I don’t think so. Still, how crazy is that, that you run into her? What the hell is Sophie Bell doing in New York?”
I sighed and raked a hand through my hair again. “That’s exactly what I was asking myself. What’s even crazier is that she’s working here, I’m sure of it.”
“Oh shit.” Austin chuckled. “Office romance nice.”
– “There will be no office romance here. I’m over her.” I gritted out, loosening my tie even
more. Why the hell was it so hot in here?
“I call bullshit. What did you do when you saw her? Did you pull her into your arms?” Ryland asked sounding more awake now.
“lignored her,” I stated bluntly while unbuttoning the first button on my shirt.
“I pretended like she didn’t even exist.”
“Ouch cold.” Austin chuckled. “Did she say anything to you? I bet she was shocked when she saw you.”
“She was. And no, I think seeing me tied her tongue. I’m finding it hard to believe that she hadn’t known I was the CEO of Harrington. co. But if she did know, she’d definitely not be as stunned to see me as I was seeing her.” I said, furrowing my brows as I thought about how con fused and shocked she was.
She definitely didn’t know I would be here.
“Man you lucky bastard. To run into your ex
“She was never my ex. We weren’t together.” I corrected quickly.
“Yeah well, you still love her.”
I snorted. “And watch where that got me. In jail for a vear. If Sergio didn’t work his magic la
be there for four more. And besides, Sophie is dead to me. I loathe her, I don’t love her anymore, 1 have since forgotten about her.”
“Whatever you say man. Just don’t call the next time to announce that you two are getting married and have a baby on the way.” Ryland joked.
I snorted. Me getting married to Sophie and possibly having a kid with her went down the drain the moment she turned her back on me like everyone else.
Aiden’s pov
The three long-time friends continued to talk until Ryland had to bring up Sophie again.
“So what are you going to do about Sophie?” Ryland asked. I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. Why did he have to bring her up again?
I was already forgetting about her….. well kind of.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” I said dryly
What did he want me to do? Firing her now would only show her that she was still affecting me. I didn’t want to look weak.
“I say you take out your revenge on her for what she put you through. You were a mess man.” Austin said and Ryland agreed.
They were right. I was a mess that entire year she hadn’t checked up on me. And those last three years, she still had the nerve to haunt me in my mind.
I was so exhausted.
Revenge sounded sweet. But I wouldn’t know where to start.
“She’s in the financial department working with Bernard I think. Not sure what she does there but I plan on finding out. Revenge sounds easy especially since I’m the one making her have food on the table for now.”
“For now?” Austin asked in a confused tone.
“I plan on firing her when I’m done with her,” I said coldly.
The three of us spoke for a good while, with the two suggesting ways on how to take re venge on Sophie. Soon the time caught up to them and Austin and Ryland had to leave for their class.
After the boys told him they were heading out for their first class of the day, they said their goodbyes and ended the call.
I reached for the new phone my secretary bought and rang her. She answers quickly. “Set a staff meeting for ten thirty today. I want everyone to attend. “I said nonchalantly.
“But sir it’s already ten twenty?” Noel voiced out with concern.
Igritted my teeth. Was everyone working for me so incompetent to do as I say?
en thirty. Later than that is unacceptable. Remember, every one must attend. Failing to do so and they’ll leave with a box on their damn head with their be longings.” I snarled and slammed the phone down, cut the call.
I feel my jaw pop as I glared out of the glass wall overlooking the city.
I’m going to show Sophie my ruthless side. I want her squirming in my presence. I want her beneath me….
I brushed a hand over my face in frustration. Not that beneath! I want her beneath my foot so I can squish her like the annoying bug that she was.
I need to show her that she was no one to me. She didn’t affect me. That I had forgotten about her three years ago. That she holds no value in my life anymore. “Fucking Sophie Bell. Why the hell did you have to come to Harrington. co?” I groaned, tempt ed to call my secretary and demand her to order Sophie’s pov
: I smiled at the woman beside me as I sat down on the chair beside hers. She smiles politely back even though she didn’t know me.
Lisa sits to my right and sighed. “I’m nervous.” She admitted, her feet bouncing on the floor.
I noticed everyone was on edge as I scan my eyes through the crowd of people waiting for this CEO to show up.
Was the CEO that bad?
“Is he that bad? The CEO I mean?” I asked, turning to her. If everyone was so on edge, I can’t help but feel like I should be nervous too. Maybe I should be shitting my pants right now.
Lisa nods. “Oh yeah. He wasn’t named the blue-eyed devil for nothing. He’s the Chairman’s grandson and when he took over the company everyone thought that finally, they wouldn’t have to work under a hard and cold man anymore. Turns out that he was even worst than his grandfather. Bummer because he’s so young and handsome. Makes one wonder what he went through to turn out like that.” Blue-eyed devil?
Well, that was surely a name to set fear into someone.
I gulped. If he acted like the devil they named him as then I did have to fear.
“He sounds….
I drawled out.
“Scary I know.” Lisa nods. “Even though he’s so cold, women still flock towards him. I mean if you saw that face and body, you’d be too.”
I highly doubt it. Men are the last thing on my mind right now and the only male that was, was my little Ash bug, And Aiden. But that was because I couldn’t stop thinking about him when our son was his exact replica.
Speaking of…
I scan my eyes over the mass of heads around me in search of him. There were no signs of him. I puffed out an annoyed breath.
It wasn’t him Sophie. Just your mind playing tricks on you.
“But I should warn you. Don’t let those good looks fool you. He’s a womanizer and rumor has it that the chairman is fed up with his womanizing ways.” Lisa snorted. “I think he slept with most of his secretaries and most women working here… well excluding me of course.”
Wow, that CEO sounds like a piece of work and disgusting.
“How young is he?” I asked out of curiosity.
Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “He should be in his early twenties. I heard he likes to keep his past a secret. No one knows anything about him personally.”
I furrowed my brows. The more she describes this guy, the more I feel repulsed and con fused. He was a womanizer yet private? Could he be any more cliche?
Bernard waves at us as he makes his way to the front row. We waved back. “I thank God ev ery day that I got Bernard as my boss instead of working as the CEO’s PA. His current one is un der a lot of stress. He doesn’t even care that she’s sick.”
“Wow. He sounds like an awful human being.” I nodded, already making up my mind that hated this man.
Lisa nods. “Yeah, but at least his looks make up for it.” She snorted with a giggle.
I smiled. “I don’t think his looks will save him. If he’s an awful person from the inside then it will show from the outside.”
Lisa suddenly breathed out. “Oh God, he’s here.”
My brows clench. Judgment day has arrived. God was here?
“God’s here?” I voiced out. My Ash bug
Lisa shook her head. “No I meant to say the CEO is here. Look. He’s making his way to the stage.” She nudges her head to the left and I quickly follow her gaze. Only for the air to get stuck in my lungs. My heart slams in my chest harshly.
“Aiden?” I breathed out.
“Yeah, Aiden Xavier. Do you know him personally? If you don’t, I’d suggest you to not call him by his first name, he doesn’t like it and it’s unprofessional.” Lisa suggested.
I started but I can’t even think properly much less speak. Was this a joke?
Oh God, I was hallucinating again.
There was no way Aiden was the Ceo of Harrington. co. How was this even possible?
“Is he- uhm- is he the CEO?” I breathed out shakily as I watched him walk to the stage with powerful strides.
He looked so good.
My lower belly swirls with heat despite knowing I shouldn’t be feeling such a way in a crowd ed area.
“In the flesh. But as I said, don’t make his handsome features fool you, he’s a womanizer and sleeps around. I don’t want you to be his next victim so you should stay clear of him.” Lisa warned. Oh Lisa, if only you knew how much of a victim I had been to his charms. I even have a full lit tle human to show for it.
I shook my head. Reality was biting me in the ass and I didn’t quite like it.
Aiden walks up the steps leading to the stage and strolled slowly to the front. His hands were in the front pockets of his expensive pants and his eyes were cold, freezing everyone in the room. But as if like magnets, those blue storms swept over to me and connected with mine. I held my breath and squirmed in the seat at the intensity of his gaze. the strongest rum. I needed something strong to get her out of my mind. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get drunk on the job.