His Obsession, My Fate

Chapter 3

Vincent leaned back on his chair slowly. He lowered his gaze and didn’t give Janet a response to her question.

A line appeared between Janet’s brows as she leaned close to the table. “Vincent, you still haven’t told her? You said you were going to take care of it.”

“I haven’t had the opportunity to do that, Janet, I promised you I will tell her, but---“

“There is no but,” Janet interrupted him. “We are to get married and you still haven’t broken up with your girlfriend.” Her expression hardened. “You proposed to me.” She showed him the ring on her finger, “and I’ve been hiding it from Ophelia for days, you said it wouldn’t be a problem, and yet I’ve felt uneasy every moment with her.”

“You should set your mind at ease, baby,” Vincent took her hand and squeezed it tenderly again. “I’ve not spoken to her for two days and I plan to tell her tonight.”

Janet drew her hand back. “You have to,” she searched his eyes. “Because Ophelia thinks you are going to marry her, you should make it clear to her or we end this.”

“Don’t say that baby. You know I can’t live without you.” He pleaded, reaching out to take her hand again, but Janet stood to her feet.

She stared at the ring on her finger, “I very much love this ring on my finger, I want to be your wife, but don’t let me live with guilt, don’t make me walk on eggshell around Ophelia, end it with her tonight, or don’t better calling my line again.” She turned around and left the café.

Vincent ran his hand through his hair as he watched Janet leave without going after her. “s**t, how do I tell Ophelia about this?” He picked up his phone and stared at her number for a long time.

“f**k it!” He typed a message and hit send.

Ryan Harrison ignored the dull throbbing pain in his right foot as he adjusted the cuffs of a fresh navy suit James had brought in, his jaw clenched in irritation.

He walked over to his desk and pressed the intercom as he called the HR director. “Betty, the candidate who came for the CEO interpreter position ten minutes ago, where is she?” He had seen the floor she stopped through the external floor indicator since she was the only one in the elevator when it shut close.

There was a brief pause at the other end of the line. “Miss. Ophelia Parker, sir. She just came in for her interview.”

Ryan’s lips curved into an icy smile. “Cancel the HR interview,” he ordered. “Send her directly to my office.”

“Sir?” Betty hesitated. “She hasn’t even started…”

“I don’t need to repeat myself, Betty.” He interrupted her. “Do not tell her who I am, let her walk in completely unaware.”

“Yes, Mr. Harrison.”

He released the button and leaned back in his chair, replaying the moment she yelled at him, pointing fingers, and brought her heels down hard on his foot before rushing into the empty elevator. Most people in this city shrank the moment they realized who he was, but she had gone toe-to-toe with him without a clue.

He pressed the intercom and called James into his office. “James, there was an incident in the lobby few minutes ago, I want you to run a full background check on Ophelia Parker. I want it on my desk by the end of the day.”

“Yes, sir.” James left without asking question, he had seen Ryan covered in coffee stain, so he knew it had to be the incident he was talking about, but an Ophelia Parker? The name was new to him.

Five minute later, the private elevator chimed and Ophelia stepped out of it. She glanced around in confusion. She had already been seated after apologizing for running late when they told her she should head over to this floor for her interview, and this was the top floor in the building.

She drew a sharp breath and pushed the door open after a knock on it. Her eyes swept across the luxurious office before they landed on the man behind the desk at the spacious office.

Ophelia halted immediately as recognition dawned on her face. Her face went blank and her mouth fell open in shock.

Ryan leaned back slowly. “Miss. Ophelia Parker,” he said, his gaze was cold and unreadable. “What an unexpected surprise. Please… sit down.” He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk with two fingers. “I believe we have some unfinished business from the lobby.”

Ophelia stood frozen, her heart slammed inside of her chest as her face contorted. She contemplated if she should run away from the office. She wished the ground would open and swallow her whole at this moment.

What is he doing here?

She blinked as everything made terrifying sense. She was sent up to the top floor, the private elevator, the large spacious office, the luxurious floor-to-ceiling windows.

He was…

Ophelia gasped in realization, clasping her hand over her lips.

He was Ryan Harrison, CEO of Harrison Group. She had done her research before coming to the company, how did she fail to recognize him by the lobby.

Tears clustered in her eyes instantly, she felt an uncontrollably headache as she stared at him. She had just assaulted the CEO of Harrison Group.

“Sit.” Ryan said again, his voice was dangerously calm and Ophelia’s legs finally moved.

She slowly lowered herself to the chair opposite his desk, clenching her folder tightly in her laps, her hands were trembling and she couldn’t hold his gaze.

“I… I didn’t know,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I had no idea you were…”

“That I was the man whose building you were interviewing in?” he raised an eyebrow. “Or the man whose foot you tired to crush twenty five minutes ago?”

Beads of sweat flooded her face. “It was an accident,” she said quickly, then corrected herself. “I mean… not the stomping. That was… I was angry. But I didn’t know who you were, Mr. Harrison.” Her lips quivered. “I thought you were just some rude man…” she stopped herself from finishing the sentence.

Ryan’s mouth thinned as he watched her with those icy grey eyes. “Most candidates smile and apologize when they bump into me,” he said. “You chose to argue, then you chose violence.” His lips twitched. “That’s an interesting approach for someone applying to be my personal interpreter.”

Ophelia swallowed hard, holding back her tears. She needed this job, but it turns out she had already lost it before she had a chance. And how dare this man blame it all on her when she apologized first while he kept acting like a nutcase.

Ophelia bit down her lower lips as she forced herself to meet his gaze. “Well f*ck you, and f*ck the job, you arrogant asshole!” she shouted