wanted by the CEO

Chapter 1 – The Proposal The soft hum of the city at dusk filtered through the tall windows of Naomi’s gallery. Her fingers lingered on the edge of a canvas, tracing the brush strokes of a painting she had almost given up on months ago. The air smelled faintly of turpentine and jasmine, a stubborn mix that reminded her she was alive, even if barely keeping her gallery afloat. Naomi sighed and sank into the worn leather chair behind the counter, eyes drifting across the room. A single spotlight highlighted her best piece, the abstract swirls of color that had once made her feel invincible. Now, it felt like a reminder of everything she had almost lost—her ambitions, her independence, the life she had carved from scratch after graduation. Her phone vibrated sharply against the wood. She frowned, reaching for it with paint-stained fingers. The screen lit up: Adrian Cole. Her breath caught. Adrian. College. The boy who had haunted her dreams in ways she hadn’t admitted even to herself. The one who had almost kissed her at graduation before disappearing into his world of power suits and impossible ambition. And now… apparently, he wanted something from her. “Hello?” Her voice was cautious, steadying itself despite the familiar lurch in her chest. “Naomi,” he said, his voice smooth, deliberate, tinged with a warmth she didn’t expect. “I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.” Her fingers tightened on the phone. “Depends. What do you want, Adrian?” There was a pause on the line, and she could almost hear him weighing his words. “I need your help. And… I’d prefer to discuss it in person.” She laughed softly, a sound more bitter than amused. “After all these years, and the first thing you want is my help?” “I promise, it’s worth it,” he said. His tone wasn’t pleading. It was confident. Certain. That same certainty that had made her stomach twist back in college, the one she had tried to forget. Naomi pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. Tomorrow. Café Luminosa. Eight o’clock.” --- The next evening, the streets were slick with rain, neon reflections shimmering on the wet pavement. Naomi adjusted her coat and scarf, trying to tamp down the nerves she hadn’t felt in years. She arrived at the café and spotted him immediately—Adrian Cole, sharp suit, impeccably groomed, leaning casually against the entrance. He straightened when he saw her, and the air between them seemed to charge. Her pulse quickened before she even reached him. “Naomi,” he said, voice low, eyes scanning her like he was memorizing every detail. “You look… incredible.” She bristled, rolling her eyes. “Flattery won’t get you far.” But her lips twitched despite herself. Adrian chuckled, a deep sound that reminded her of late nights in the library, shared coffee cups, and stolen glances. “Not here to flatter. I’m here with a proposal.” They settled into a corner booth, the soft glow of hanging lamps reflecting off the wet street outside. Naomi studied him across the table. His expression was serious now, all polished charm removed, leaving only that intensity she had once found impossible to resist. “I’ll get straight to it,” Adrian said. “I need someone to pretend to be my fiancée. One month. That’s it.” Naomi blinked. “You… want me to play your fake fiancée?” She laughed, sharp and incredulous. “And why would I agree to that?” “Because it’s mutually beneficial.” His gaze held hers, unyielding. “You save your gallery. I secure a merger that keeps my company afloat. And neither of us has to lie to the world… just to everyone else.” Her stomach fluttered, a mix of disbelief and an old, forbidden thrill. He was serious. He wasn’t joking. And beneath the business proposition, she could feel the familiar pull—the one that had haunted her dreams: him, close enough to make her pulse quicken, yet untouchable. “You make it sound so easy,” she murmured, and she hated how soft her voice sounded. “It won’t be easy,” he admitted, leaning slightly forward. The subtle shift brought them closer, even across the table. She could almost feel the warmth radiating from him, the faint scent of his cologne, familiar and intoxicating. “But it’s necessary. And… I trust you.” Naomi blinked. Trust. She hadn’t thought about trusting Adrian Cole in over a decade. And yet, the conviction in his eyes made her chest ache. “What’s the catch?” she asked, though she already knew there was one. There always was. “You’ll be under scrutiny,” he said. “Public appearances. Photos. Interviews. And you can’t slip up… because the media is merciless.” Her laugh came out softer this time, and a spark of old mischief lit her eyes. “And if I say yes?” He leaned back slightly, watching her with that same unreadable expression he always had. “Then we survive it together. And maybe, just maybe… we come out stronger on the other side.” Naomi studied him, her heart betraying her with every beat. She could almost see it—the months ahead, filled with close encounters, forced smiles, moments of tension so thick it would c***k the walls around them. She could feel the charge in the air between them, and it was intoxicating, dangerous, and impossible to ignore. Finally, she nodded, a quiet, determined movement. “One month,” she said. “For the gallery. But… nothing more.” Adrian’s lips curved, faintly, almost imperceptibly. “Nothing more,” he repeated. But his eyes betrayed him—hinted at desires he wouldn’t name aloud. They shook on it, the tension palpable, lingering longer than necessary. Naomi felt her pulse hammer as she stood to leave, her gaze caught one last time by the intensity in his golden eyes. The city outside seemed to fade, leaving only him, only this impossible moment suspended in time. And as she walked away, a small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips. This is going to be… interesting.