CEO And Secretary

Without A Goodbye

Two months passed after Maureen Green returned to work at Rodriguez Corporation.

Everything appeared normal again.

Meetings resumed.

Executives trembled whenever Jordan Rodriguez entered a room.

Employees still feared him.

And Jordan himself remained cold, distant, and impossible to understand.

Yet something subtle had changed between him and Maureen.

Not softness.

Not affection.

Just familiarity.

She no longer hesitated before entering his office.

Jordan trusted her with confidential schedules, overseas meetings, and documents nobody else touched.

People inside the company naturally noticed.

Rumors spread quietly.

Neither of them cared enough to address it.

Tonight, however, none of that mattered.

Because someone dangerous had returned.

—

The annual corporate gala filled the grand ballroom with music, champagne, and carefully hidden tension.

Powerful businessmen gathered beneath crystal chandeliers while reporters and investors moved carefully around them.

At the center of the room stood Jordan Rodriguez.

Cold.

Sharp.

Untouchable.

Meanwhile, Maureen quietly organized schedules near the VIP section while ensuring everything ran smoothly.

“You seriously need a vacation,” Clara Bennett whispered beside her.

“I’m fine.”

“You always say that.”

Before Maureen could answer, the atmosphere suddenly shifted.

Several businessmen stiffened immediately.

Even Jordan slowly lifted his eyes toward the ballroom entrance.

A tall man entered calmly surrounded by security guards.

Gray tailored suit.

Dangerous smile.

Eyes filled with calculation.

Damien Cross.

CEO of Cross Holdings.

Jordan’s biggest rival.

And the man directly beneath Rodriguez Corporation in the business world.

Whispers spread instantly across the ballroom.

Damien smiled faintly when his eyes landed on Jordan.

“Well,” he drawled smoothly, “it’s been a while.”

Jordan’s expression remained unreadable.

“Damien.”

Tension immediately spread through the room.

Damien approached slowly before his gaze shifted toward Maureen.

Interest flickered briefly across his face.

“So this is the famous secretary.”

Jordan’s eyes turned colder instantly.

“She’s an employee.”

Damien smiled slightly.

“Still interesting.”

Jordan stepped forward calmly.

But something dangerous settled behind his gaze.

“Watch your words carefully.”

The warning sounded quiet.

Yet terrifying.

Damien only chuckled before walking away toward another group of investors.

But Maureen suddenly felt uneasy.

Like something terrible was approaching.

—

Hours later, the gala finally ended.

Rain poured heavily outside while guests gradually left the hotel.

Jordan had gone upstairs for an urgent business call, leaving Maureen to organize the final documents before heading home herself.

The underground parking garage looked nearly empty when she entered.

Silent.

Cold.

The sound of her heels echoed softly through the concrete space.

Then suddenly—

A hand covered her mouth from behind.

Her eyes widened instantly.

A sharp chemical smell filled her senses.

She struggled desperately.

But the drug worked too quickly.

The world blurred violently around her.

The last thing she heard before darkness swallowed her completely was a calm male voice.

“Take her.”

—

When Maureen woke again, her head pounded painfully.

Her body felt heavy and weak.

The unfamiliar room around her looked luxurious but dark.

Fear immediately crept into her chest.

She tried moving, but dizziness overwhelmed her instantly.

Then the door opened.

Damien Cross entered calmly while loosening his tie.

Maureen’s breathing trembled.

“You…”

Damien poured himself a drink casually.

“The drug was strong,” he said calmly. “You’ll feel disoriented for a while.”

Fear tightened around her throat.

“Why am I here?”

Damien looked toward her quietly.

“Because Jordan Rodriguez values you more than he should.”

“He doesn’t.”

Damien smiled faintly.

“That’s not what I observed tonight.”

Maureen attempted standing, but weakness nearly sent her collapsing again.

The drug still clouded her thoughts heavily.

Damien approached slowly.

“Relax,” he murmured. “I’m not interested in hurting you.”

“Stay away from me.”

He stopped briefly before laughing softly.

“You’re brave.”

Suddenly—

The suite doors slammed open violently.

Everyone froze.

Jordan Rodriguez entered.

Cold fury radiated from him so intensely that the entire room felt dangerous.

Several unconscious guards already lay outside the suite.

Jordan’s eyes immediately found Maureen.

Then Damien.

The atmosphere turned deadly.

Damien sighed dramatically.

“You found her quickly.”

Jordan’s voice came out terrifyingly calm.

“You touched something that belongs to me.”

Maureen froze.

So did Damien.

Then Damien smiled slowly.

“There it is.”

Jordan stepped forward.

Controlled.

Dangerously controlled.

“Move away from her.”

Damien raised his hands mockingly.

“I didn’t touch her.”

Jordan’s expression remained murderous.

“That doesn’t matter.”

For the first time that night, Damien’s smile faded slightly.

Because Jordan genuinely looked capable of killing him.

Maureen swayed weakly as dizziness overwhelmed her again.

Jordan reached her immediately before she collapsed.

“She’s drugged,” Damien said calmly.

Jordan’s jaw tightened dangerously.

Without another word, he lifted Maureen into his arms and walked away.

—

The drive back felt suffocating.

Maureen’s body burned unbearably hot while confusion clouded her thoughts.

Jordan drove with one hand while checking her repeatedly.

“Maureen.”

She looked toward him weakly.

Everything felt blurry.

Warm.

Wrong.

“Jordan…”

It was the first time she had ever called him by his first name.

Jordan’s grip tightened slightly against the steering wheel.

By the time they reached his penthouse, Maureen could barely think clearly anymore.

Jordan carried her upstairs immediately.

Her fingers clung weakly to his shirt while her breathing remained uneven.

“Please…” she whispered painfully. “Make it stop…”

Jordan’s jaw tightened.

The doctor he contacted would arrive too late.

The drug continued affecting her heavily while she trembled against him.

And that night—

Everything between them changed.

—

Morning sunlight filtered softly into the penthouse bedroom.

The room remained silent.

Empty.

Jordan slowly opened his eyes before immediately noticing the other side of the bed.

Cold.

Vacant.

His expression darkened slightly.

“Maureen?”

No answer.

He sat up slowly.

Then noticed a folded note resting on the bedside table beside a glass of water.

Jordan picked it up silently.

The handwriting was unmistakably hers.

“I’m sorry.”

Only two words.

Nothing more.

His jaw tightened.

Then his gaze shifted toward the white bedsheet beneath him.

A faint stain of blood marked the fabric.

Jordan froze completely.

The realization hit instantly.

Virgin.

Maureen had been a virgin.

For the first time in years, genuine shock crossed Jordan Rodriguez’s face.

His fingers tightened around the note slowly.

Then something darker settled inside his expression.

Because she had left.

Before he even woke up.

—

An hour later, Maureen quietly entered Jordan’s office holding a white envelope.

She had already changed clothes.

Already rebuilt the calm expression on her face.

But her eyes looked distant.

Jordan sat behind his desk silently.

Cold.

Unreadable.

Yet something dangerous lingered beneath the surface now.

Maureen placed the envelope onto the desk carefully.

A resignation letter.

The atmosphere immediately turned heavy.

“You’re resigning.”

It was not a question.

“Yes.”

Jordan stared at her silently.

“Why?”

Maureen forced herself to remain calm.

“I can’t continue working here.”

“Because of last night?”

She lowered her eyes briefly.

“Yes.”

Long silence followed.

Then Jordan spoke quietly.

“You left before I woke up.”

Maureen’s fingers tightened slightly.

“I thought it was better.”

Jordan’s eyes darkened.

“Better for who?”

She said nothing.

Another silence stretched heavily between them.

Finally Jordan asked—

“Where are you going?”

Maureen shook her head softly.

“I won’t tell you.”

“You already planned this.”

“I received another job offer weeks ago.”

“And accepted it without informing me.”

“Yes.”

Jordan stared at her for several long seconds.

“What country?”

“I’m not telling you.”

His jaw tightened visibly.

“Maureen.”

“I need to leave.”

Silence.

Then finally Jordan leaned back slowly into his chair.

Coldness returned completely to his face.

“When?”

“Tonight.”

Something unreadable flashed through his eyes before disappearing instantly.

Finally he spoke calmly.

“Fine.”

The single word hurt more than she expected.

Maureen bowed her head slightly.

“Thank you for everything.”

Jordan said nothing afterward.

Not one word.

And that silence followed her all the way to the airport later that night.

—

By midnight, Maureen Green officially disappeared from Country X.

Far away from Rodriguez Corporation.

Far away from Jordan Rodriguez.

And far away from the painful memories she wanted to escape.

Several hours later, her plane finally landed in Country A.

Cold wind greeted her quietly outside the airport.

Maureen stood silently for a moment while staring at the unfamiliar city lights ahead.

Then she left.

Not toward a hotel.

Not toward luxury apartments provided by her new company.

Instead, she traveled toward the quiet countryside outside the city.

Toward the small house her late mother once owned.

The house had remained empty for years.

Hidden.

Peaceful.

Untouched by the chaos she left behind.

When Maureen finally unlocked the front door, dust and silence greeted her softly.

Memories immediately flooded the space.

Her mother’s laughter.

Warm meals.

Gentle hands brushing through her hair years ago.

Pain tightened quietly inside her chest.

But for the first time in years—

Nobody here knew Jordan Rodriguez.

Nobody knew Rodriguez Corporation.

Nobody knew her past.

And somewhere far away in Country X—

Jordan sat alone inside his dark office long after midnight, staring silently at the resignation letter still resting on his desk.