Chapter 10
Somehow, I had to admit the job wasn’t all that bad. Leo was a thorn in my flesh, but I had been able to secure a loan and catch up on a couple of weeks” worth of house rent. Today, I wore a white blouse and tailored black trousers. I had just dropped off the script at the studio. I was heading back to my office to prepare the intros for the guests on the talk show.
As I entered my workspace, I sensed the tension in the air and paused. It was no surprise; Leo Woodrow himself was in the office. My gaze landed on his broad back, clad in the dark blue of his blazer. His voice carried across the room. I tried to walk as quietly as possible back to my workstation before he noticed.
You see, with our latest acquisition, we are able to dominate the market even further. Here’s the thing: you”ll be glad you’re working at SoundEase because our expansion plans are unrivaled. I expect each of you to help. Together, we will make SoundEase the top broadcaster in the whole US.
I safely tiptoed to my seat and wedged myself behind my desk. My eyes narrowed at the self-assurance in his tone. He might wear a suit now, but he hadn’t changed much. He still loved the power. He basked in the attention. Everyone in the office gave it to him willingly.
He turned briefly. His eyes darted to my workstation. When he saw me, he smirked. I was getting tired of the lumps that kept forming in my throat whenever I locked gazes with him. I looked away, and he turned his attention back to my colleagues.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, I”d like to introduce myself. His voice boomed across the room. ”I”m Leo Woodrow, the CEO of SoundEase. This company has been in my family for a couple of generations, and it is my honor to continue to lead it.
”This is my personal assistant,” he continued, gesturing towards Jack.
I had already blanked out. My eyes widened in astonishment and my heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t any joke. I hadn’t read wrongly. Leo was indeed the CEO of the company. I felt the feelings all over again and was plagued by disbelief and frustration.
His gaze swept across the room. Everyone muttered quietly and the minute he spoke, the room quietened once again.I’ve been going around the blocks trying to get to know everyone better. I want to get to know each of you. This is especially important because there are new team members. It’s important that I know the people who help us succeed. Starting from this end, state your name and role at SoundEase.
One by one, the employees introduced themselves, stating their names and positions. I could hear the respect and slight nervousness in their voices. It made no sense. My heart pounded violently against my chest as the introductions slowly approached me. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for my turn.
“Be composed . ”Be composed,” I muttered quietly. The man closest to my workstation stood up and introduced himself. Once he sat down, Leo”s eyes turned towards me, a mischievous glint dancing in them. He locked his gaze onto mine. He saw through my feistiness to the anxiety beneath.
”I”m Cassandra Evans. I work as a broadcasting assistant,” I said quickly. I sat down, hoping they”d move on. I could tell Leo was focused entirely on me.
”Well, well, Cassandra Evans,” Leo called, his voice dripping with amusement. ”Our interview was quite intriguing, wasn”t it? I must say, I have high expectations from you,” he teased, raising a playful eyebrow. He noticed the flash in my eyes, and for some reason, he liked that he was stirring the cat within me.
I felt a mixture of annoyance and unease. There was something about the way he looked at me that brought the simmering tension between us to the surface. I tried to push past it and reminded myself to stay composed. ”Of course, Mr. Woodrow,” I replied, my voice laced with bitter professionalism. ”I”ll do my best to meet your expectations.”
Leo tried to hide the frown at my ability to maintain composure. Somewhere in there, he knew I was vulnerable. He just had to push a little further. Walking closer to my desk, he ignored the fact that several eyes were watching him. ”Ah, Cassandra, I must admit, I”m curious to see if you”ll finally stop being second best with this team.” When he saw the flicker of irritation cross my face, he smirked in elation.
I swallowed hard. His use of that name always stirred up anger in me. But I quickly reminded myself to stay composed. I couldn”t let his taunts get to me. I refused to give him the satisfaction. ”Rest assured, Mr. Woodrow. My skills and dedication will speak for themselves,” I replied. I was determined to stay professional.
Leo”s lips curved into a sly smile, and I fought the urge to lash out at him. Leaning across my desk, his voice dropped to a whisper. ”Indeed. But maybe the real issue lies in the past, and how it influences our present capabilities, don”t you agree?”
I inhaled sharply. His voice lured me and flicked me across the edge. All my senses felt heightened, and the unresolved emotions swirled to the surface. When Leo’s blue eyes widened, I blinked because I could tell he had seen the song of longing visible in my eyes. I took a deep breath.
”Sir, I believe it”s crucial to focus on the present, Mr. Woodrow. Anything beyond that is irrelevant,” I replied firmly.
Leo’s smile widened slightly, revealing a glimmer of desire in his ocean-blue eyes. ”Agreed, Miss Evans, agreed,” he said. Then he rose, put his hands in his pockets, and turned to leave the office.
I gave an apologetic look at the second man who had risen to introduce himself. The room was in silence and I could tell all of their eyes were on me. My heart raced. There was a mixture of both frustration and longing stirring within me.
I knew this would happen! I knew. I knew he would dig his claws into that magnetic pull that had drawn me to him three years ago. I hated that they were still so strong. I turned my eyes to my computer. He wanted the best, I would show him I could be the best. I huffed recalling the annoying nickname.
Leo left the office with a small smile playing on his lips. He had noticed it. There was something there, hidden in my brown eyes. He despised the fact that he felt the urge to run his fingers through my hair and kiss me passionately.
“Sir, the meeting is in five minutes” Jack said hurried beside him, struggling to keep up with his pace. Leo nodded. He made his way to the conference room. He pushed thoughts of me to the back of his mind for the moment. As he entered, the room buzzed with activity. SoundEase had recently acquired a major media conglomerate in LA. This meeting was crucial. It involved top executives and key stakeholders. It was a presentation on a strategic merger between the two companies.
Leo walked into the room, his posture tall and commanding. The minute he entered, his presence demanded silence. He wore a tailored blue suit. It made his broad shoulders stand out. He exuded confidence effortlessly. It was as if he needed no further assistance.
Taking his place at the head of the conference table, Leo scanned the room with a piercing gaze. The attendees shifted in their seats when he entered. It was a sign of his commanding presence. Leo thrived on such moments, asserting his power effortlessly. Executive, board members, and department heads alike had their eyes fixed on him. The atmosphere crackled with intensity as everyone hushed in respect.
“Good morning. Thank you all for being here today. As you”re aware, we”ve recently acquired Beat Fm. ”Today, we”ll be discussing the merger of the two entities,” Leo started. His voice was firm and precise. His gestures were deliberate and confident.
He would go on to emphasize the key points and the room grew quieter as he spoke.
With a simple gesture, Leo signaled Jack to start the presentation. It was projected onto the large screen behind him. He then told the stakeholders about their collaboration”s details. He quickly addressed any concerns or questions.
Once they were done, and he was sure there were no doubts or questions left, he bid farewell and rose up. He left the conference room. Jack tailed behind him.
As they stepped out, his phone buzzed. He furrowed his eyebrow. That was odd. Everyone who had access to his private number was informed of his schedule and knew when not to put a call through. One of such times were moments like this when it was barely 3 minutes after the end of the meeting.
Ignoring the constant ringing, he kept walking, but it didn”t stop. Finally, he took out his phone, but there was no caller ID. He nodded to Jack, signaling he needed a moment, and stepped away to take the call.
“Hello? These are not the best times to call me,” His voice revealed the scowl that was on his face.The voice on the other end was hushed, almost conspiratorial, yet strangely familiar. ”Leo, you will find the truth, and your shoulders will stoop.” Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Are you drunk? Who is this? Shivers will run through your spine.” The voice hissed.
“What in the world?” He turned towards Jack, his eyes flashing. “Who in the world have you been giving my private number to?” Jack balked and shook his head violently.“Who the hell is this?” He snapped and suddenly heard the two toned beep. The call had ended.
Leo’s expression shifted from irritation to surprise. Snatching the device from his ear, he leaned against the wall and stared at the number. Odd. His mind raced with a couple of thoughts. Raising his hand, he curled his finger to call for Jack.”Take down this number. I want to know who it belongs to,” he instructed firmly.
Jack took the phone shivering and scribbled hurriedly on the notepad.Leo”s expression turned serious. There was no room for frivolous pranks, and he had no patience for them. After retrieving his phone from Jack, he stashed it away, deciding to deal with the matter later. Checking the time on his golf watch, he made his way to the elevator with purpose.
He had a meeting in the next hour. Stepping out of the elevator, his phone buzzed again.
Leo”s frustration grew as he retrieved his phone once more, this time to find a text from a different number. His usually composed demeanor faltered, replaced by a sense of urgency. Even his heartbeat quickened, betraying his calm exterior.
He tapped on the text and the words on the screen sent an annoying chill down his spine.
“Leo, remember that fateful day when you were just a young knoble head? The day when secrets were born and innocence shattered? The truth cannot be hidden forever. It”s time to face the consequences of your actions. The past has resurfaced, and it won”t stay buried. Brace yourself, for the reckoning is coming.”
He furrowed his brow, perplexed by the message. What was this all about? Despite dismissing it as a prank, he couldn”t shake off the nagging feeling that there might be more to it. Perhaps it was just a disgruntled ex-employee from Beat FM seeking revenge. Whatever the case, Leo couldn”t afford to let it disrupt his day or affect his emotions.
Leo scoffed. He dismissed the message as just a pathetic attempt to disrupt his day. He shook his head and put the phone back in his pocket. Then, he continued towards his office. He was determined not to let it affect him.