Chapter 2
The day after Independence Day, work at the company had slowed down considerably, with many people taking time off.
But there were still those who remained in the office. Latrina was among them.
She’d asked Kelvin not to drop her off right at the company’s entrance. After all, it was Gerhart’s car. If anyone saw her getting out of it, she’d be unable to explain herself.
She got out a short distance from the company, then even snuck into a pharmacy to buy contraceptives.
She had no idea if Gerhart had put on a condom, but better safe than sorry.
Just as she left the pharmacy, her phone rang.
The caller ID showed it was Latrina’s current boyfriend, Eduardo Gillespie.
“Hmph.”
At the sight of that loathsome name, Latrina couldn’t help curling her lips in a sarcastic sneer.
She and Eduardo had been dating for five years, ever since college.
As a straight–A student who’d skipped several grades, she’d met him he was three years her senior.
Two years prior, Latrina had moved abroad with her mother, and the pair had settled into a long–distance relationship. But Eduardo, unable to bear the loneliness, had cheated on her with her best friend, Sonya Howell, back home.
Latrina hadn’t ended things right away. It was not because she wanted to cling to the relationship. She’d been biding her time, planning to deliver a single, devastating blow to both of them.
She ignored the call, hanging up without a second thought. Just as she was about to lock her screen, a new WhatsApp friend request popped up.
It was Gerhart.
Latrina froze, staring at the name for several seconds, half–convinced she was seeing things.
Why would he add her on WhatsApp? As her boss? Or as a one–night stand?
Gritting her teeth, she hit “decline.”
Laurina was a fashion designer who’d worked for Crowley Apparel for just a year. She rarely interacted with anyone above her director. Crowley Apparel was Denver’s largest clothing company, with sales reaching far beyond national borders. Normally, someone like her would never even get a chance to meet the CEO, Gerhart.
Last night’s encounter had been entirely unexpected. The Independence Day fashion show had shattered all previous selling records, which was why Gerhart had made an appearance.
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Just then, a message from the Design Department popped up on her phone:“Meeting in the conference room in ten minutes.”
Latrina hurriedly ran to the company.
Inside the Crowley Building.
In the elevator, she ran into her friend, Monique Tyler.
“Trina, I thought you hated business suits more than anything. Why the suit today?”
Monique, also a designer, sized her up.
Latrina did dislike suits. With her curvy figure, slipping into one made her feel like one of those overly styled hookers….
She forced a calm expression, tugging at the fabric.
“I have to dress the part to match how ‘outstanding‘ my work’s gonna be. Gotta put my best part forward.” Chuckling, Monique glanced at her figure, then gave her butt a playful slap. “Any guy who marries you will be the luckiest man!”
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Ouch.
“That hurt! Girl!” Latrina bit back a wince, only murmuring in her heart.
Just as the elevator doors began to close, a hand slid into the gap, stopping them.
Kelvin stepped aside, and Gerhart, in a jet–black suit, walked in.
Latrina and Monique quickly moved to the side.
Latrina swallowed her saliva. Gerhart was standing right beside her, with Monique in front of them.
She didn’t dare meet his gaze. Whether it was the cramped space or his overwhelming presence, she felt breathless.
A blush crept from her ears to her cheeks.
They stood close, and she was too awkward to shift apart.
She caught a faint whiff of the light sandalwood scent on him. Just like last night, it was surprisingly pleasant…
Biting her lip, she forced herself to calm down, to stop replaying the previous night’s events.
Finally, the elevator stopped at the 28th floor, home to the Design Department. They hurried out.
“It almost scared the shit out of me!” Monique whispered, pressing a hand to her chest.
A 25
“After the dinner last night, I saw a woman in Mr. Crowley’s
‘s car. Guess what? She was clinging to his neck, kissing him the whole time! He didn’t even push her away! Do you think our ‘abstinent‘ boss finally caved?”
Latrina’s face flushed deeper. She’d always loved gossip, the juicier the better, but now that she was the subject, she fell silent.“Really?”
Monique cliped on her work badge and straightened her notebook
“I texted Kelvin later, but he clammed up tight. He didn’t say a thing.”
Ten minutes later, everyone gathered in the conference room.
The crowd was small, with many still on vacation.
The focus of this meeting was to summarize the recent event.
First up was the director Laurence Manning, the acknowledged heartthrob of the Design Department.
He exuded confidence and pride over the event’s success, with everyone murmuring that he was sure to get the biggest bonus this
Latrina, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that his enthusiasm wasn’t really about the
What he called a “summary” felt more like an excuse to fish for flattery.
Finally, his gaze landed on Latrina.
achievements.
year.
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“The person we owe the most thanks to is Ms. Glover,” he said. “This season, we applied her designs more than anyone else’s, and the top–selling pieces were all hers…”
Latrina offered a tight–lipped smile. She’d heard so much praise last night, and she had no desire to listen to more.
Laurence’s competence was undeniable. He had a lively, slightly unruly personality, handled matters with ease, and many enjoyed working with
him.
But Latrina wasn’t fond of him. Whether intentionally or not, he made no secret of his interest in her, always trying to win her over with his
“charm.”
The meeting ended quickly, and just then, Kelvin knocked on the conference room door.
“Ms. Glover, Mr. Crowley would like to see you in his office,” he said.
The room fell completely silent.
Latrina, who’d been half–dozing in her chair, could feel a dozen pairs of eyes boring into her.
The CEO’s office was on the top floor, the 30th floor. That was a place few had ever set foot in. Meetings were usually held on the 29th floor, making the 30th floor a mysterious realm.
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Or the so–called hell.
Rumors had it that the last director to come out of that office had a dislocated arm.
His previous assistant had been carried out with a broken left leg…
That was why the young Kelvin had landed his position.
“Mr. Farley, any idea what this is about?” Laurence asked, sounding surprisingly protective.
All eyes shifted to Kelvin.
Even though everyone knew Kelvin would likely stay tight–lipped, they still scanned his face for hints.
“I don’t know,” Kelvin replied neatly. No one could ever get a word out of him.
“Got it.” Latrina’s blush, which had lingered all morning, showed no sign of fading. Her mind kept drifting back to last night, and she kept thinking about how wild Gerhart had been.
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“Ms. Glover, you don’t look well. You’ve been flushed all morning. Do you want to take the day off to rest?” Laurence asked. He was known for caring with his subordinates, so no one found the concern odd.
“No need. I’ll be right back. If I don’t return, the drafts in my office are yours to inherit.
Latrina sighed, gathered her meeting notebook, and headed out..
She followed Kelvin into the elevator. It required either facial recognition or a key card to reach the 30th floor, making it nearly inaccessible to most people.
Kelvin scanned his face, and the elevator began its slow ascent.
“There’s no one else around. Can you at least tell me what he wants with me?” Latrina asked, perplexed.
“He didn’t say much, but he seemed to be
in
a good mood,” Kelvin replied.
What?
Latrina thought,“Of course he was in a
good mood.”
She still couldn’t shake the memory of just how “pleased” he’d been last night, again and again.
< Chapter 3
