Ian had always been a bookworm, never dated through his childhood or adolescence. When he finally reached university, he fell for Gemma the moment he first saw her. Gemma, with her long black hair and white dress, perfectly matched the innocent and pure image Ian, the bookworm, had always fantasized about.
Years passed, and now Ian found Gemma clinging to him, a complex look in his eyes. He remembered Ivy on her first day of school, shy and as pure as a bowl of clear water, without a speck of impurity. But now, she was heavily made up, wearing cheap perfume, and posturing provocatively in front of him.
In Gemma’s mind, Ian, who had never been with a woman, was easy prey. She thought she just needed to spend one night with him to show him the pleasures of a woman, and then he would be forever under her spell.
“Ian, I really like you and want to be with you. Since you know the company’s president, could you put in a good word for me? That way, I can get a job there, and we can be together. I’m doing this for our future,” she said, sweetly but deceitfully, believing no man could resist her charms, let alone the inexperienced Ian.
Gemma’s overconfidence blinded her to the deep disgust in Ian’s eyes.
“Gemma, could you please get off me? This is making me feel nauseous.”
“What did you say?”
Gemma, always confident and having men dote on her, couldn’t believe Ian’s words. Seeing her astonishment, Ian pushed her away and said, “It seems you didn’t look in the mirror before you left the house. Gemma, let me be clear. I must have been blind to have ever liked you, but that was the past. Now, I have regained my sight, and I don’t like you, not even a bit. Not now, not ever. We will never be together. Please, have some dignity, and don’t assume every man is interested in you.”
Ian calmly adjusted his suit. He had always been a pushover at school, always trying to help everyone if he could. In Gemma’s eyes, he was a fool, his good grades not enough to mask his meek nature. He used to be too scared to even speak to her; if she glanced at him a bit longer, he would turn away blushing, lacking the courage to even look at her. She would have never approached him if not for the help he provided with homework, viewing him as utterly beneath her.
Yet now, the man she had always looked down on spoke to her without a blush, with such certainty.
“Ian, who do you think you are? If you hadn’t been so desperately chasing after me back then, I wouldn’t have given you a second glance! What are you acting all high and mighty for now?”
Gemma raged, her face turning red.
Ian, unbothered, simply looked at her calmly, “Seeing you like this makes me wonder if I was out of my mind when I pursued you. But that’s all in the past now. My pursuit ended long ago, and from now on, please stay out of my world.”
With that, he adjusted his tie and walked away, leaving Gemma stunned. She had been rejected by the very bookworm she had looked down upon. Why did she suddenly think he looked somewhat handsome when he adjusted his tie? Perhaps she was the one who was out of her mind.
Resolving to rely on herself, Gemma refused to believe that someone with her qualifications wouldn’t get hired. When Ian left, he noticed that his friends were nowhere to be seen. He checked his watch; it was almost time for his interview. Where had everyone gone?
The group had long followed Aurora, and Julian, ever perceptive, noticed a few had been tailing them for a while. Frowning, he suggested, “Aurora, you go ahead.”
“Are you going to deal with them?”
Aurora had already glimpsed the familiar faces in the reflection on the door.
“Yes, they’ve been following us since we entered the lobby. I’ll check it out.”
This was Aurora’s company, and Julian would not tolerate any threat to her.
“No need, they’re here for me. I’ll handle it,” Aurora firmly replied.
“Do you know them?”
Julian asked, puzzled.
“They attended the same university as me. They probably just want to say hello. Don’t worry, it’s nothing,” Aurora reassured him, patting his shoulder.
“Alright, I’ll wait here,” Julian relented, learning they were friends.
Aurora turned and approached the group. As they saw her approaching, they momentarily panicked. Though they had wanted to meet Aurora, now that she was approaching, they were at a loss.
Perhaps it was Aurora’s commanding presence that overwhelmed them. She seemed like a queen, exalted above all. The others felt unable to meet her gaze directly, as if they were from different worlds, fearing that even an extra glance would be an affront.
“You were looking for me?”
Aurora asked pointedly, standing before them.
“Yes, yes, we saw you and just wanted to say hello. Seeing you with Mr. Barnet, we didn’t want to intrude,” Leonard managed to say, despite usually being eloquent at school.
“Really, are you also here for the interview?”
Aurora recalled asking Ian to scout some talented individuals for her new company.
“Yes, Miss Montgomery, are you here to interview as well?”
they asked, respectful of her current status, unable to imagine that the once plain ‘ugly duckling’ in class was actually a ‘swan’ from a wealthy family.
“Interview? Well, sort of,” Aurora didn’t clarify that she was the chief interviewer.
“We didn’t expect someone from the Montgomery family to be interviewing here. You’ll surely pass through easily.”
Their flattery was evident. Raising an eyebrow, Aurora prompted, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“Well… Miss Montgomery, we saw you with Mr. Barnet. Is this his company?”
They could only assume that Julian had the financial capacity.
“What about it?”
Aurora noted their hesitant manner, unsure of their point.
“We mean, if you know Mr. Barnet well, could you possibly speak on our behalf? Today’s interviewees are all top talents from various companies, and we feel somewhat outmatched. Since we’re friends, perhaps…”
They were indeed seeking a favor. Aurora smiled slightly: “I believe the company’s criteria will be based on true capability, especially since it’s just starting up. You were all top students; you should trust in your abilities.”
It was common for people to seek favors like this, but Aurora hadn’t expected it in her presence.
She wondered how they would react upon learning she was actually the CEO. With a slight smile, she caught them off guard. Miss Montgomery was truly beautiful!