Chapter 016
1235 Words
*VALERIE*
My head snapped towards his voice and and I found myself face to face with Zachary, crouched in front of me.
Amusement sparkled in his stormy blue eyes.
He looked relaxed.
My gaze swept over him. His tousled hair that he always rake a hand through,his chiselled jaw and those piercing blue eyes.
Nothing about this man seemed familiar to me.
But that little girl in the picture was me. I was sure of it because I had a photo of me when I was five.
He arched his eyebrows when he noticed I was checking him out.
"Nothing," I squeaked, flustered.
I tried to push myself up to my feet just as he did and our heads collided.
I winced and rubbed my forehead.
I could already feel a bump forming.
"What the hell is your head made of?” Zachary grunted in annoyance.
"And what in God's name are you doing crammed under this thing?" he muttered, slipping an arm around my waist and yanking me to my feet with surprising ease.
My breath hitched at the sudden closeness, but I recovered quickly, pushing myself off him.
"Wait," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Were you snooping around trying to dig up dirt on me?"
He clicked his tongue and hummed, clearly enjoying himself.
"You weren't exactly discreet," he added, bending down to retrieve something behind the desk.
He held up my stilettos, dangling them like a prize. "These belong to you, right?"
I stared at him, wide-eyed, caught completely off guard.
He must have caught a glimpse of them when he picked the file on the desk.
I glared at him and a smirk curved his annoyingly perfect lips.
"Next time you plan such a mission, maybe leave fewer clues, Ursula."
I snatched the heels from him, my face turning red.
"What's that?” He asked, pointing at the photo still in my grasp.
"Nothing of importance," I said quickly, shoving the photo behind me.
His eyes narrowed,his amusement faded into suspicion.
"That's for me to decide," He said, coolly.
" It's nothing, really." I took a step back trying to play it cool.
I tried to sidestepped him but he moved faster than I expected.
He blocked my path, caging me between his arms and the desk.
"Doesn't look like nothing to me." He caught my wrist gently but firmly. His fingers brushed against mine as he pried the photo loose.
The second he saw it, the air between us shifted.
The crease between his brows deepened.
"You weren’t supposed to find this," he said quietly.
"Were you planning on telling me ?" I asked,when I finally regained my voice.
"No," He answered, without hesitation .
" Why—" I choked, suddenly unsure if I was angry or confused.
He looked down, his jaw clenched.
"Why?" I asked again, my voice rising.
"Because I needed to know if you really don’t remember," he said, his tone low and rough, "or if you’re just pretending."
"Why would I pretend? I don’t remember!" I snapped, frustration bubbling up inside me.
Without warning, he grabbed the vase from the desk and threw it against the wall. It shattered instantly, the fragments flying across the room.
I gasped, instinctively taking a step back.
His eyes locked onto mine again, blazing with fury.
"You do this all the time," he growled. "You shut off memories you don't want to remember."
"You don’t even remember your own mother." He spat.
The words hit me like a blow, knocking the air out of my lungs. I stood frozen, heart pounding in my ears, unable to form a single word.
My mother? She died in an accident, they said.
But whenever I tried to remember what she looked like... What she smelled like. I often end up with a throbbing headache and blankness.
How did Zachary know that I don't remember my mother?
"W... What do you mean?" I asked with tears in my eyes as I clutched his collar.
He stared at me for a while and for once, his eyes weren't cruel and cold.
"How about we make a deal?" He c****d his head and I blinked at him like he banged his head against the wall.
"A deal?" I croaked out unsure.
He nodded, gently prying my clenched hands off his collar.
"You want answers, right? I will give them only if you close off this project."
My brow furrowed in confusion.
" What project?"
"The one with the Hamiltons," He said cautiously, searching my face for any reaction.
I shook my head.
"No, no. I can't."
I wasn't not in good terms with the CEO.
I once smashed his head with a wine bottle.I had to, he was being an ass.
"Anything else but that," I begged desperately.
Zachary instead took a step back and my hands fell to my sides.
"I'm afraid, that's the only way."
"What does that have to do with anything?” I asked slowly, watching his face.
"Everything," he replied, his voice clipped.
" Your time starts now."
He turned to leave but I held his arm.
"I'll do it but I need to know , why Hamilton?" I asked calmly.
"I need his support and he's quite smitten with you."
Just then, both our phones pinged with notifications.
I realized that I didn't put my phone on silence. I have been acting so foolish lately.
I clicked on the message and it turned out there was a board meeting in Wellingtons corporations and I was requested to represent my father.
I turned to Zachary to see that his expression was hardened.
"The show's about to begin," He muttered more to himself.
******
I half ran trying to keep up with Zachary's strides as we make our way to the boardroom.
His mood soured since he read the message.
His shoulders were tensed when he pushed the huge mahogany doors open.
All attention turned to us and Zachary led the way to the seats assigned to us.
After we sat, the executives resumed their discussion.
Zachary's hand clenched into fist beside me but his face was unusually calm, his eyes trained at someone.
I followed his line of sight and noticed Gareth sitting across, a smug smile in his face.
When he noticed me staring, he winked at me and I raised up my middle finger.
If Zachary noticed our interaction, he said nothing.
"He's not fit for the position," Someone started.
Zachary's father sat at the head of the table, calmly twirling a pen.
"Why so? Few months ago, you did not have a problem with him," Mr. Wellington stated calmly.
"You may be biased because he's your son, Mr. Chairman," Another person said. "But Gareth here has more accomplishments."
"You are now on first name basis, sweet," Zachary muttered for the first time we stepped into the room, his smouldering gaze on the executive that made the statement.
His hand trembled slightly and without thinking, I covered his hand with mine.
He turned to me, questions swirling in his irises but I kept my face neutral.
I watched as the shareholders turned against him. Was this the reason he needed the Hamilton's support?
Amidst the chaos, Gareth was relaxed and composed like he planned it all.
It slowly occurred to me that I just entered a battle field with no clue on how to protect myself.
- Writer
