Chapter 12
Iwalked through the front door, my feet barely lifting above the ground. I felt weak inside. My bag had dropped from my slumped shoulders and my chest felt as though I had dropped three dumbbells on my bosom.
Why couldn’t I stay away from Leo? Why did I let myself fall for him again? Closing the wooden door behind me as I entered the house, I had believed I could control my feelings. It was the only way I thought I could protect my heart.
I dropped my bag on the old couch in my living room, looking totally frustrated. I paced around, biting my nails. My head was a mess, and my heart was thumping like crazy.
”Why can”t I just ignore him?” I muttered, nervously biting my nails. Frustration twisted my stomach into knots. ”I thought I had moved on. That was the whole point—protecting myself and my heart from him. But every time I”m near him, I lose control,” I groaned, slapping my forehead with my palm.
My heart pounded in my chest as memories flooded back of being trapped in his office. His piercing blue eyes seemed to call to my heart. His whispers about the lingering passion between us echoed in my mind.
The audacity! Despite everything he put me through, he still had the nerve, and how foolish I was to let him maintain that hold over me. My thoughts kept swirling throughout the evening. I replayed our conversation in my mind many times. I cursed myself for being unable to stand strong.
Eventually tired of pacing, I sank into the couch and buried my face in my hands. There was both anger and a strange feeling swirling inside of me. I froze. Oh, heaven forbid! I shouldn’t still be in love with him. I just shouldn’t!
“Why does he still control me?” I muttered to the quiet room. Inside, I felt tangled up, like a knot. I might try to pretend my feelings were gone, but I’d just be lying to myself. They are still here, strong and intense.
Memories from the past stirred up my emotions, making me feel vulnerable. I sighed. ”I will no longer run back to him and let him take advantage of me! I must find the courage to break free!”
After a while, I sighed and got up, making my way to the shower. I let the water wash over me, trying to find some peace of mind. As I stepped out, I wrapped myself in a white towel and headed to bed. I didn’t bother looking for food because I had no appetite. I just curled up on the bed, not sure when I drifted off to sleep.
Cassie’s eyes blinked open. There was a little light coming from the window blinds. It took a few minutes for her to regain her orientation before sitting up. Suddenly, she realized she had fallen asleep in her towel. Her stomach growled!
Arrgh! I was hungry. Stretching across my bed, I reached for my phone on the bedside table. The time stared back at me. My heart skipped a beat.
Shit!
I was almost late for work! Shit! Leo would surely have my head for sure. I hurried out of bed and grabbed a pair of jeans and a blue T-shirt. It was Leo’s fault anyway. It was this relentless circle of encounters that always left me emotionally drained. I just wanted to get a break for peace”s sake!
If the pay wasn”t so good, I would have definitely left the job. Putting my hair up in a ponytail, I hurriedly swabbed lipstick on my lips and grabbed my bag. I stopped by the fridge to grab a chocolate bar, hoping that would keep me until lunch.
I paused. I hadn’t eaten since last night. One bar wouldn’t do much good. Without thinking, I grabbed another bar and shoved it into my bag, then headed outside.
I let out a sigh of relief as I got on the bus. I have many reasons to dislike Leo. But, thanks to this job, I could finally leave my home without feeling like a thief. My landlady would be furious, but it was all thanks to Leo.
Arriving at the bus stop, I hurried towards SoundEase’s enormous building. I barely made it past the gate and was about to enter when I heard a voice behind me.
Oh no! Oh no! Not today again. At least not this morning.
His voice was cold and unfriendly, sending a chill down my spine. It was the same tone he used with my coworkers, and suddenly I understood why they were all so intimidated by him. He sounded capable of anything, even murder.
“You’re late.”
I froze and turned just in time to collide with him. I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. My eyes widened in shock. “I”m sorry, Leo. It was the traffic and...” I rambled, my voice trailing off. He nodded, his lips held in a thin, unfriendly line. I cursed myself internally. Why did I have to be late? I turned my eyes away, unable to bear the emotionless gaze he fixed on me.
“I’m sorry.” I muttered beneath my breath. “I didn’t mean to run into you or come late to work.” Leo shrugged, tucking his hands into the pocket of the pants of his tailored charcoal suit. ”I always watch where you’re going,” he replied. He reached forward, putting his index finger under my chin and lifting my face to face him.
I stepped back, his touch igniting something within me. I stared at him for a moment. I hoped to see his eyes show the turmoil I felt. But, they remained empty. I swallowed, realizing there was no point in continuing to engage with his attempts. With a sigh, I stepped away from him. I knew I had to distance myself from all of his efforts. It was the only way forward.
Leo”s smirk widened to a full-blown smile. He stepped forward, clearly enjoying my discomfort. With each step back I took, he advanced, his confidence evident in his posture. “We need to talk,” he muttered.
I blinked and shook my head slowly. I ignored the curiosity in me. It wanted to know what he wanted to talk about. I spoke shortly. ”Is it about work? If not, then there”s nothing more to say, Leo.”
I looked away, hoping for a way to escape him right now. I just wanted to focus on my job for heaven’s sakes! Was that too much to ask for? Leo stepped forward, invading my personal space. My eyes darted around. They were standing right in front of the company! Didn”t he care? Oh, goodness! What if someone saw them? I swallowed, feeling my heart thudding insanely against my ribcage.
”You know it, and I know it. Despite all the drama, there”s still something between us,” he whispered softly. His voice felt like rich velvet cloth enveloping my skin.
Oh this was hopeless!
”Something worth exploring,” he murmured softly.
I bit my lip, torn by the desire for his embrace, yet repulsed by the idea. Shaking my head, I broke eye contact, trying to banish the tempting thought. Frustration surged within me. ”Leo, you don”t get it!” I groaned. ”I can”t dwell in the past. I came here for a job. I want to focus on my work. It”s better if we don”t dig into anything and just continue as we have for the past three years!” My chest heaved beneath my blue shirt as I spoke.
He smirked and cocked his head. “Have you?” His eyebrow raised teasingly as though he was mocking me. As though he knew something I didn’t know.My heart ached. I hadn’t moved on. If I had, there wouldn’t be this yearning within my belly for him. I turned away, and his smile grew wider. I needed to leave, that was the only way I could get out without losing my mind.
He stepped even closer, and my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. He reached out and placed an index finger beneath my chin again, lifting my eyes to meet his blue ones. It was like swimming in an ocean, and I wanted to stay there.
”How about we give things another chance?”
Cassie’s eyes widened. His question hung in the air, stirring up strange emotions within me. He couldn’t be asking me that! There was no way he was asking me that sort of question, not after what he had done to me back then in school.
He freaking called me dumb. I shook my head and pushed his finger away from my chin, my eyes blazing with anger.“No. Leo Woodrow. It’s too late” My voice came out firm, masking the confusion and pain within my belly. “You cannot undo what you did in the past.”
I turned away, risking both my job and choosing to ignore him, but it was the only way. If I stopped moving, my heart would seek a different outcome, and I would fall for him again. This time, I would only have myself to blame.
I had barely taken a step on the stairs when his voice broke through the air.“Oh Cassandra Evans, you never learn, do you second best?” I bit my lower lip. Hard. He was trying to push me to the edge. There was no other logic. I turned around and stared at him.
He stood in the car park. He oozed all the handsomeness and devilishness that only Leo Woodrow could emit. His hands were casually in the pocket of his black pants. He wore a crisp white long sleeve shirt tucked into the pants.
Leo raised one blonde eyebrow and flashed a cocky smile at him. “You can’t run from me second best. You work for me. I’ll simply ask Jack to call you back into my office”! Cassie’s heart sank. I let out a sigh. “Oh, come on, Leo! What do you want? Weren’t you happy when I cried? Wasn’t that good for you? Why are you playing games now?”
He chuckled, keeping that smirk on his face. “It’s not a game, princess. I’m just asking you things you keep avoiding.” He took his hands out of his pockets and crossed them over his chest. “How about dinner? Italian place nearby?” He raised an eyebrow.
His intense blue gaze bore into mine, leaving me momentarily stunned by his request. I blinked, processing his words. Did he just ask me out? My eyebrows shot up in surprise. The audacity! A tiny butterfly fluttered in my belly. It danced at the thought that he wanted to take me out to an Italian restaurant. I brushed it away and narrowed my eyes at him.
”Why on earth would I want to go on a date with you?”
He smiled and walked closer, confidence oozing in every step. “Three reasons,” he shrugged.
Leo stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. ”Firstly, you know there”s still chemistry between us. You can deny it all you want, but we still have unfinished business, and this date will give us a chance to explore it.”
His words brushed against my skin bringing goosebumps. He leaned back and cocked his head. He raised his index and middle fingers to represent the number two.”Secondly, you work for me, If you say no, I could easily set it up anyway as a work meeting and force you to come nonetheless. And thirdly? Should you choose to resign, SoundEase is the biggest broadcasting house in California. I”ll get you back with ease,” he shrugged.
I huffed, resisting the urge to retort and tell him he was a liar. Not all broadcasting agencies would want to collaborate with him! He was out of his mind! Despite my inner protest, I held my tongue because deep down, I knew he was right.
So I chose to be defensive instead. I lifted my chin, a tinge of disdain in my chocolate eyes. “Unfinished business?” I scoffed. “There’s nothing left. We’ve been down this road. If you were so good at being the best, you’d know how it ends. But, I guess your memory fails you,” I scoffed. I smiled when his jaw tightened. Good.
He spoke, his tone firm and direct. ”Listen, we have two options. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. I”ll earn your trust, or I”ll demonstrate my capabilities and prove my worth.”
I blinked and looked at him, feeling an inner struggle. My resolve weakened. The decision seemed heavy. Why was it all so complex? I tried to be careful. Yet, his words ignited desires I couldn”t ignore. Even if I suppressed my wants, he still controlled me. He could make me follow his orders.
I let out a defeated sigh, my brown eyes biting into his. “Fine Leo, I’ll go on the date with you.” I stared at him as a wide grin spread across his face. I wanted to wipe it away, to erase the triumph in his blue eyes. ”Of course,” he smiled. My lips pressed into a thin line. Perhaps I could test the waters and see what was going on. Perhaps I could…
His voice pulled me from my stream of thoughts. ”See you, Princess. La Trattoria, 6 p.m. Saturday evening,” he said with a smirk, walking past me. Before I could react, he leaned in and planted a quick peck on my lips.
I froze, my eyes widening in shock as I turned towards him, but he walked away, heading into the office. Oh, goodness! There were butterflies fluttering in my belly. This was the path to heartbreak. It had to be.
Taking a few minutes to steady my beating heart, I entered the building. I nodded at the receptionist. I avoided eye contact. I was afraid she might have seen the exchange that happened outside.
I rushed towards the elevator and pulled out my phone from my bag. I dialed Lisa”s number quickly. I had no doubt she would flip out when she found out I had agreed to go out with Leo.
As I pressed the phone to my ear, my heart thudded against my chest. The elevator was empty, but why wouldn”t it be? I had wasted all my time sleeping. Then, I spent the few minutes I had left arguing with Leo outside the company building.
“Hey Cass, what’s up?” Lisa’s voice came off from the other end cheerful and excited. “Everything is up Lisa! Everything has been flipped on its head!” I hissed, pressing my floor number into the elevator button.Lisa laughed. “You’re being dramatic as always, What’s going on?” I let out a sigh. “You think I’m being dramatic? Leo asked me out on a date!”
There was silence on the other end of the line. I shut my eyes and let out a sigh. Lisa”s voice crackled with disbelief through the phone. ”Tell me you”re kidding! There”s no way he would do something that stupid! Not after everything he put you through. He said you were dumb enough to believe he loved you. There”s no way on earth he would be asking you for a date now. You can”t be serious!”
As Lisa continued her tirade, I swallowed hard, feeling the knots in my stomach tighten. Stepping out of the elevator, my heart pounded relentlessly. I hadn”t even told Lisa the worst part yet. I hadn”t told her the truth.
“Are you there?” Lisa’s incredulous tone jarred me as I walked towards a corner, leaning against the glass.I bit my lower lip. “I’m here Lisa. It sounded insane to me too, it”s just ....”“I?” Lisa interjected, my voice cautious.
I wanted to smack my head against the glass windows. I had to be the most stupid woman on planet earth. There could possibly be no one else that was that stupid.“Lisa, I still have feelings for him!” I cried, muffling my feelings against my palm. My heart thudded in my chest.
“Oh, we agreed this wasn’t going to happen,” Lisa groaned from the other end.
It was a relief to have Lisa”s support, but deep down, I feared she might be wrong. My decision to go on the date was driven by desperation for money, not by any romantic feelings. If I wasn”t so desperate, I might have refused and risked falling for him again.
I knew from the moment I saw him at that interview that I would be in trouble if I took this job. Lisa”s words cut through me, bringing both comfort and pain. She was right—I deserved better. But in my current situation, I felt trapped. I couldn”t let my emotions cloud my judgment, as difficult as it was.
I sighed, feeling frustrated to my core. “I get what you”re saying, Lisa. Really, I do. But it”s tough. There”s this part of me that just won”t move on. I”ve done my best, honestly. But whenever he”s near, I still feel those butterflies in my stomach and my heart races.”
Lisa was silent for a few seconds. I could have sworn that she had given up on me. Then, I spoke. My voice was gentle but firm.“Cass, I don’t think you’re getting it. You deserve someone who treats you right and genuinely cares about you! This guy just messes with your feelings. You need to see the truth.” I swallowed. I knew Lisa was right. I knew it. I probably deserved better than Leo. My voice came out soft and I shivered. “I know, Lisa. I’ve been trying to keep myself safe and not let him hurt me again. But... we’ve both changed over the years. What if he’s different now?”
Lisa let out a bitter laugh. “Deep down, you know he hasn’t changed. Nothing has changed. All I want for you is to be happy. You deserve someone who has consistently shown that they can be trusted.” I opened my mouth to argue that there was always room for change when one of my coworkers walked past. I had my hair in a tight bun and she stopped in front of me, her brown eyes scanning mine.
”You”re aware that you”re late for work, right?” I asked, clutching the files I held in my hands. I curled my lips. I wanted to smack the woman in my face and retort but I pressed my lips together. The woman let out a small chuckle and shook her head. ”Oh, you think the CEO”s strange interest means you can fly freely like a bird?”
My eyes widened in shock. I didn”t! There was no way. I staggered back. The woman”s figure was clad in a white office dress. It suddenly appeared blurry. ”Oh, you”re in for a surprise. Mr. Woodrow doesn”t play favorites. He”s too bitter for that. When he catches you standing here making a phone call, you”ll definitely be fired,” I glared.
I wanted to roll my eyes. Oh, please! I wasn’t scared of being sacked. I wouldn’t mind it. It would force me to find a new job that would offer peace. I could not bear the torture of seeing Leo every day. I would love that. However, I doubted that Leo would let me go that easily despite all the rubbish this woman was spewing.
“Well, thank you for your kind advice Mrs Wilcox. I’ll keep that in mind” I replied, forcing a stiff smile to my lips. The woman stared at me briefly. I was sure she wanted me to hurry to the office. But, when I didn’t move, she scoffed and walked away. My heels clicked behind me.
I let out a small smile. I was going to tell the woman to do my worst and report me to livers but I resisted the urge. I pressed the phone back to my ear.“I’m so sorry Lisa. It’s one of those nosy coworkers” I apologized, turning to ensure the woman had walked far away and couldn’t hear me. Lisa chuckled from the other end.
“You’re quite rude. Taking advantage of this aren’t you?” I teased.
A small smirk appeared on my lips. ”If I can, why wouldn’t I?” I shrugged. ”However, I doubt that Leo would fire me, and even if he did, I wouldn’t care right now. I do have to go, though. I’ll call you later.”
“Alright boo. I might be out of a town for a shoot but I’m always here for you no matter what. You just have to call.” A small smile spread across my face. Lisa wasn’t even bluffing, and I knew it. She had been with me since we were kids. She would always help me, no questions asked. Even if I needed to talk about a man who was clearly no good for me.
“Thanks Lisa. This means the world to me. I love you” I gushed.
I waited for Lisa to respond to the love declaration. Then, I ended the call and shoved the phone into my pocket. Of course, my coworkers knew that something was going on between me and Leo. The cocky guy wasn”t even trying to pretend.
I wondered what they would say when the gossip spread of how they had been outside the office that morning. What if one of them saw them together at the restaurant?I hated the emotions swirling within me and just walked towards the office. The salary was worth it. I would survive.