The Innocent Girl Who Stole His Heart

Chapter 9

"Looking at the profiles of the workers on the 13th floor", I saw a familiar face this Auntie Ruth’s daughter, Neeve. She was the daughter of my mum's best friend. "My mother and her mother had actually set a date for both of us yesterday," James muttered to himself, a wry smile playing on his lips as he remembered the setup. He had been so busy with work as the new Director of the Dolly Group of Companies, transferred from their New York City branch. He was now operating on the 200th floor in Los Angeles, an appointment made personally by the CEO himself.

Seeing Neeve’s work here, her talent undeniable even from a distance, gave him an unexpected surge of joy. He'd quickly pulled some strings, asking her chief designer to transfer her to the 200th floor. He genuinely believed she deserved the promotion, though his motives were not entirely pure.

"Are you surprised to see me?" James replied, his voice laced with a bantering tone, a playful glint in his eyes as Neeve stared at him, her face a mask of disbelief.

"James, oh James!" Neeve fumed, her previous composure crumbling. "After standing me up yesterday, you still have the gall to come find me at my workplace?" She remembered how she'd briefly searched for him online at the office earlier, memorizing his face, determined not to make the same mistake of misidentifying a blind date.

"No, Neeve, I didn't come find you," James corrected, stepping closer. "I hired you to work here as an apology for not showing up at the date."

"What?!" Neeve's jaw dropped. "So me working on the 200th floor is your way of apologizing"? "Who have I offended in my past life?" she sobbed dramatically, genuinely overwhelmed by the sudden change in her career trajectory.

James moved closer to her, his hand reaching out. "Allow me to help you." Neeve, despite her outrage, had no choice but to agree. He helped her carry her box of belongings as they walked towards her new office. "I'm your boss," James burst out, a hint of pride in his voice.

"You mean the so-called narcissistic and arrogant bastard CEO?" Neeve blurted out, her eyes wide.

"Lower your voice!" James hissed, glancing around nervously. "I'm not the big boss. I am your own boss, the Director of the 200th floor."

"Oh, I see," Neeve murmured, a grudging understanding dawning on her. Her new co-workers, scattered across the expansive floor, looked at her with undisguised loathing. She wondered if she had offended any of them in her past life.

"Is this how it looks here?" Neeve asked James, gesturing vaguely at the hostile stares.

"Not really," James replied, shrugging. "They must be jealous of you."

"Why?" "I don't remember having grudges with any of them," Neeve genuinely wondered.

"Ignore their looks, as long as I smile at you," James said, offering a playful pout.

"I won't mind them". "Thanks for your help," Neeve said, and with that, James went to his own office, leaving her to settle in.

Neeve sat down at her new desk, the polished surface gleaming under the bright lights. She picked up her new tag: Neeve Sphetti, 200 Floor Designer. She had already been given her official identity card.

Just as Neeve had settled everything, arranging her desk and personalizing her space, the 'haters', as she called them, gathered around her.

"Oh... look, another pretty girl!" Elimmy said, her voice dripping with mockery, her eyes raking over Neeve's outfit.

"Must have gotten here with the use of her body," Deborah sneered, a smug expression on her face.

Neeve didn't respond immediately. She didn't want to create a scene on her first day. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "None of your slandering statements are true," she finally said, her voice calm but firm. Agreed, I'm pretty, but I didn't get transferred here by sleeping around, just like you all did. It wasn't even my intention to be here! "If you guys are not satisfied, go talk it out with your superior." She pointedly towards James's office.

They all hissed, a collective sound of disdain, and went back to their desks, their faces tight with suppressed anger.

As they dispersed, a young woman with glasses and a slightly nervous demeanor approached Neeve's desk. Hi, I'm Princess! "Care for a handshake?" she asked, her voice soft and friendly.

"Sure," Neeve replied, genuinely relieved, and shook hands with her.

"Don't mind Deborah and Elimmy," Princess confided, her voice low. "Both of them are devils here." When I arrived here, I faced the same dilemma, so I know how you feel.

"Oh, so that's what they do here?" Neeve exhaled sharply, a wave of understanding washing over her. "Thanks, I will make sure to avoid them as much as possible." And just like that, Princess and Neeve became pals on the 200th floor, a small beacon of normalcy in the intimidating new environment.

Meanwhile, Adrian Sterling awoke with a jolt, disturbed by Stephen's presence. He yawned, stretching his long arms, the comfortable warmth of his bed a stark contrast to the urgency in Stephen's voice.

"CEO", you're finally awake! "I think this is the first time I have seen you fall asleep," Stephen exclaimed, a mixture of relief and surprise on his face.

Huh! "Really, have I slept that long?" Adrian grumbled, reaching for his phone. His eyes widened, his jaw dropping when he saw the time: half past eight. I've been here for about two hours now. "I didn't want to wake you up from your deep slumber," Stephen added, a slight pout on his face. "Director James called, telling me there were clients waiting for you in the office... if not for his call, I would have allowed you to sleep all day."

Adrian sprang up, a rare, genuine smile creasing his lips. When he turned sixteen, he had been diagnosed with insomnia, a cruel twist of fate that had haunted him for fourteen years. The doctors had warned him to do less strenuous activities, fearing it would turn into chronic insomnia and severely affect his health. Now, at 30, he had been plagued by sleepless nights, haunted by nightmares that wouldn't let him rest.

"CEO, how come you could fall asleep last night?" Stephen asked, curiosity burning in his eyes. "Didn't you have the same nightmares?"

"I didn't," Adrian replied, a strange wonder in his voice. And I wonder why. There hasn't been a night I wouldn't have nightmares, but last night was different.

"Could it be the new drug Madame bought for you is effective?" Stephen suggested, a hopeful note in his voice.

"I guess so," Adrian replied, a thoughtful pout on his face. "I will consume more of it." The irony that his best sleep in years was due to Neeve's chaotic presence, not any prescribed medicine, was lost on him.

Adrian suddenly remembered "Lia." Oh, I had almost forgotten Lia, he thought. The two of them had met at the hotel last Friday, and she had told him her name was Lia.

Flashback

Adrian and James were best friends, knowing each other since childhood. When they finished high school, both of them traveled abroad. James traveled to New York City, while Adrian went to Canada for his studies.

Five years ago, after graduating with the highest honors, Adrian returned to his hometown, Los Angeles, and inherited his father's company. James, on the other hand, was from a middle-range family. His father was a doctor, while his mother was a chef who owned a restaurant called 'Chafuans'. That was the place where they used to eat during high school, often on James's mother's tab.