Chapter 3 Found Her
804 Words
When Cassian opened his eyes, the other side of the bed was already empty.
She actually left without a word?
Scenes from the night before flashed through his mind. His lips curled slightly into an unconscious smile.
For years, he had despised any physical contact with women. Yet, last night, he had spent an entire night tangled up with a complete stranger.
Since the age of eight, after being kidnapped by his nanny and a group of outsiders, Cassian had developed a severe aversion to touch.
From that moment on, any physical closeness with a woman had become unbearable for him.
Even his own mother couldn't embrace him.
And yet... Whether it was because of the drug or something else entirely, last night was different. Her touch hadn't repulsed him.
In fact, the lingering sensation was still vivid in his mind.
Cassian could still recall the way her delicate fingers slipped under his shirt, the way her palm moved slowly over his chest, leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.
Her lips had melded perfectly with his, teasing and taking until they were both breathless. And after everything, she had curled up against him, her body warm and pliant as she drifted off to sleep beside him.
The memory sent a shiver down his spine.
It was intoxicating. For years, he had never allowed himself to imagine something like this.
Yet this woman had not only broken through his walls but awakened something he had spent a lifetime repressing.
A surge of determination raged within him. He had to know who she was and find her.
Without hesitation, Cassian stood and shrugged into the tailored suit his assistant had left at the door.
Just as he reached for the handle, two 100-dollar bill sitting on the entryway table caught his attention.
Wait... what?
He stared at it for a long moment and let out a low chuckle.
So she really thought he was an escort?
And last night was only worth two hundred bucks?
Amusement flickered in his deep eyes, though he couldn't deny the slight irritation beneath it. Outside, his assistant was already waiting for him. Cassian's lips curled into a smirk. "Find the woman from last night."
*****
A few days later...
Cassian sat in his office, absently rolling a small silver stud between his fingers.
It was the one she had left behind on the bed.
A knock sounded at the door.
Calmly, Cassian slipped the earring into his drawer, his usual cold demeanor settling back into place.
"Mr. Vaughn, we found the woman you were looking for. Here's her information."
A glint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes as he took the folder from his assistant.
Evangeline Mercer, 22 years old, a graduate of Kingston University...
His gaze fell on the photograph attached. It was her.
Even though the lighting had been dim that night, even though his memory of her face was slightly blurred, there was one thing he could never mistake—the small beauty mark just beneath the corner of her eye.
His fingers brushed over the image, lingering over that tiny detail. His heartbeat was steady, but just a little too fast.
"Finally, I found you." A quiet murmur escaped his lips, laced with unmistakable satisfaction.
"Sir?" The assistant hesitated, wondering if he had misheard. "Did you say something?"
Cassian immediately snapped out of his thoughts, his features returning to their usual impassive state. "Nothing," he said smoothly.
The assistant seemed unconvinced but said nothing, flipping through a thick stack of files. "By the way, Mr. Vaughn, about the secretary interviews this afternoon... You're skipping them as usual?"
Cassian didn't need to ask why he was bringing it up.
Even though he was the CEO of Vaughn Enterprises, his grandfather, Rafael Vaughn, had imposed strict conditions on him since the kidnapping incident years ago. Until Cassian turned 30, he was forbidden from publicly revealing his position as the head of the company.
And if he broke that rule, he wouldn't just lose his inheritance; he'd lose his shares in Vaughn Enterprises as well.
Therefore, for years, he had worked from the shadows. His office wasn't even in the company headquarters. Meetings were conducted via voice calls and emails. Most of the executives had never even seen his face.
"Yeah, I'm not going," he replied.
The assistant hesitated, then carefully said, "But sir... that young lady is one of the applicants."
Cassian's eyes flickered.
What a coincidence.
Sensing his interest, the assistant swiftly pulled Evangeline's résumé from the pile and handed it over.
Cassian leaned back in his chair, his gaze locking onto her bright, confident smile on the page. Then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Fine," he said, setting the file down. "This afternoon, I'll be attending the interviews personally."
- Writer
