The sincerity of the question caught me off guard. This wasn’t the CEO speaking to a competitor’s representative. This was Christian asking about Zoey.
“I’m fine,” I answered automatically, then paused. “Actually, I’m great. I’ve found my path.”
“I can see that.” He nodded, his eyes discreetly taking in my professional attire, the new confidence in my stance.” Edward Mendez was lucky to hire you. Funny he never mentioned that in the Association’s meetings.”
A waiter passed by and Christian grabbed two glasses, offering me one. I accepted more to keep my hands busy than out of a real desire to taste the wine.
“I started almost two months ago, during my refresher course.”
“Convenient for him,” Christian remarked, watching me over the rim of his glass.
I frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Only that some hires are… strategic.”
A prickling discomfort ran through me. His comment echoed my own doubts about Edward’s interest in my ” connection” to the Kensingtons.
“It was a coincidence,” I insisted-more to myself than to him.
“Does someone as skeptical as you really believe that?” he asked with a faint smile, as though he’d remembered something about me from those days we spent together.
The silence that followed was thick with everything left unsaid. Questions about his grandfather, about the three months apart, about that morning in front of my house. His gaze lingered on my face as though searching for changes, as if trying to read my thoughts.
We stayed like that, studying one another, until the closeness began to affect me physically. My pulse quickened, and a familiar warmth climbed my neck-that automatic reaction only Christian could provoke.
“You look well, Zoey,” he finally said, his voice softer now, almost intimate.
“You too,” I managed. “Though a little tired.”
His expression gentled at my observation, as if he appreciated that I still noticed details like that.
“Christian!” Edward’s voice sliced through the moment like a knife. He approached with an overly broad smile. ” What a pleasure to have you at our event! I see you’ve already met our newest acquisition.”
“Yes, we were reminiscing about old times,” Christian replied, slipping instantly back into polished professionalism.
“Three months isn’t exactly ‘old times.”” Edward chuckled, sliding an arm around my shoulders in an almost possessive gesture. “Zoey has been invaluable to our team. Fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and of course…. valuable connections.”
Christian’s jaw tightened ever so slightly. Almost imperceptible to anyone else, but to me, it was a clear sign of restrained irritation.
“She’s leading our intersector event next month,” Edward continued, his tone falsely casual. “Kensington will be attending, I assume?”
“Of course,” Christian replied, his gaze locked on me, not Edward. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Perfect! Zoey will personally handle every detail.” Edward gave my shoulder one last squeeze before letting go. If you’ll excuse me, I need to attend to the Association representatives. Zoey, please show Christian our award- winning Merlot Reserve.”
Once we were alone again, Christian stepped closer, slightly invading my personal space. The warmth of his body, the subtle scent of his cologne hit me like physical memories of our past intimacy.
“Has Edward always been this… transparent with his intentions?” he asked, lowering his voice so only I could hear.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s obvious he hired you because of your connection to me. To Kensington.’
Heat rushed to my face, shame and indignation boiling under my skin.
“He hired me because I’m good at what I do.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second.” Christian was so close now I had to tilt my head slightly to keep eye contact. “But I’m also certain it wasn’t just coincidence. Edward is a calculating man, Zoey. He wants something from Kensington, and you’re his way to get it.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I snapped back, though a small voice inside whispered he might be right.
“Is it?” His eyes swept over my face, seeing past my denial. “He never asked you about us? Never suggested you could use our… history to open doors?”
I thought of Edward’s small questions over the past weeks. Always casual, always subtle, but persistent.
Christian caught the hesitation in my eyes and leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a near whisper.
“Be careful, Zoey. Edward isn’t who you think he is.”
The intensity in his gaze left me breathless. I needed to change the subject, to break that dangerous closeness before I did something reckless.
“My father mentioned you went to see him,” I said abruptly. “To explain about the breakup.”
The shift caught him off guard. Something vulnerable flickered in his eyes.
“It felt like the right thing to do.”
“Why?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Chopte 34
Christian exhaled softly.
“Because he deserved an explanation. Because I didn’t want you to face it alone. Because…”
He stopped, as if he’d said too much. We stood there, between the windows, the world around us blurred into insignificance. The tension between us was almost tangible, electric.
“Because what, Christian?” I pressed, my heartbeat racing, needing to hear the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.
He took another step, closing nearly all the space between us. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me- right there, in the middle of the event, in front of everyone.
“Christian! What a surprise to see you here.”
Francesca Montgomery’s voice cut through the moment like a razor. She approached, stunning in a red dress designed to showcase every curve of her body. She was the kind of woman who made other women instantly feel inadequate exactly how I felt when she interrupted us.
So I turned my back and walked away.
The taxi weaved through the city streets while I kept my eyes fixed on the window, without really seeing anything. My mind was still trapped in that moment between the windows at the event hall, with Christian so close I could feel the warmth of his body.
“Because he deserved an explanation. Because I didn’t want you to face it alone. Because…”
Because what? What would Christian have said if Francesca hadn’t shown up at that exact moment? The question hammered in my mind like an unfinished melody, waiting for resolution.
After Francesca arrived, everything shifted. The brightness in her eyes when she looked at Christian was impossible to ignore. And the worst part? He smiled at her. Not the polite smile he gave to other guests, but something more genuine, almost intimate.
The taxi stopped in front of my small building. I paid the fare and climbed the three flights of stairs slowly, each step weighing as though I were carrying concrete on my feet.
Inside the apartment, silence greeted me like an old friend. I tossed my bag onto the couch, kicked off the heels that had been killing me, and went straight to the shower, as if the water could wash away not just the day, but also the memories, the doubts, the unanswered questions.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.