The CEO Next Door

CHAPTER 3

The next morning I regretted everything agreeing to follow Ava to the mall

cause shopping with Ava was not a normal activity . it was a full time occupation that required patience , emotional strength and apparently a willingness to be publicly judged

we had been inside the mall for more than an hour and she had already rejected almost every item I had touched at first I thought she was joking v

then she looked offended when I picked up a perfectly normal blazer and realised she was completely serious

she stared at the. blazer in my hands for a long moment

before slowly lowering it back into the rack

no I blinked

what do you mean by no

she looked at me like I had disappointed generations of women before me

That blazer says I work hard and answer emails at exactly eight every m8

I stared at her

when did we start reading blazers v.she pointed dramatically at another section

after several hours of trying half the clothes in the mall she found the perfect blazer which to me still looked like the ones I tried out before . but I was relieved

never trying this again .by to time I got back to the sterling mansion my social battery had officially died

I walked inside carrying more bags than necessary and immediately regretting every purchase . the house was quiet as usual I handed some bags to one of the staff and started heading upstairs . halfway I stopped someone was in the living room

Cassian

he was sitting on one of the sofas with a laptop open and his phone beside him he looked different at home

still cold

still expensive but less public

he didn't notice me immediately which should've allowed me leave quietly

instead

one of my bags slipped and fell .... perfect

Cassian looked up .his eyes moved from me to the shopping bags then back to me

I sighed

.......Hi

his eyes stayed on the bags

then

'you bought the whole mall '

I stared

excuse me I crossed my arms . it's called preparing , his eyes moved over the bags again

For

I blinked ... did he forget the interview

he looked at me then nodded once like he'd remembered

Then that explains it

I narrowed my eyes ... what does that mean. he closed his laptop then calmly said

people panic before interviews

I stared at him ..... who said I'm panicking ....his expression didn't change

you bought six bags

I frowned .... Ava bought six bags ...his eyebrow l lifted

interesting you have friends ...I gasped

he looked away immediately , I stared that elwas rude

his expression stayed calm then he looked at me ....... Interview is Tomorrow

I nodded

his expression stayed unreadable

Don't mention living here ... that's if word hasn't gone around he said

people talk

I looked at him you think I can't handle gossip his eyes stayed on me

I think people are annoying

that surprised me

Then he stood picked up his laptop and started walking away .... then halfway upstairs he stopped , didn't turn and said " wear the blue one " .... what blue one

he continued walking .... the one in the second bag he said disappearing upstairs

I stared , slowly bent down and opened the second bag

Blue blazer .... my eyes widened.

how ... when I looked upstairs

arrogant jerk ...

........

I woke up ten minutes before my alarm went off not because I was exited but because my brain had apparently decided anxiety was more efficient

I stared at the ceiling

today was interview day .... at Sterling Enterprise

Normal .... completely normal people attended interviews every day I sat up and looked at the clothes hanging near the wardrobe

My eyes stopped

Blue blazer ....I narrowed my eyes

No ... absolutely not .I wasn't wearing it because cassian said so ..that would be ridiculous

Five minutes later

I was wearing the blue blazer I had my hair tied in a slick bun and applied ligh makeup to my face

I walked downstairs Richard was already at the dining my mum sitting next to him big day she said walking towards me as she gave me a hug

I sat down .... three of us ate breakfast together ..... apparently Cassian had left early this morning

twenty minutes later I walked outside and stopped ... a black car stood outside , the driver stepped forward

The young master asked me to drive you I was shocked I never knew Cassian had a heart

The building was ridiculous

Glass

Tall ..... expensive people walked in and out like they knew what they were doing . I suddenly forgot walking worked

I entered... Immediately I could feel eyes on me..I ignored it

The receptionist smiled professionally

Name

Scarlet. ...... her smile changed instantly she typed something then looked up .. please wait I nodded .Three minutes later

Two women walked past ..one slowed I wasn't supposed to hear

I still did

That's her ..the other looked she lives with The Sterling's now

the first one nodded ... the second gasped

Well then they walked away .. I looked down okay maybe people did talk cause how does everyone know I live with the Sterling's ... .A voice interrupted.

Scarlet ... I looked up a woman stood there smiling follow me i stood .deep breaths then the elevator opened people stepped out and suddenly the entire atmosphere changed ... people stood straighter .. they stopped talking

I frowned then looked

Cassian ... he walked out while reading something , he didn't look around...... didn't acknowledge anyone then his eyes lifted and landed directly on me , he stopped people noticed .I noticed his eyes moved over my outfit.... then he looked at me and said .. you wore it

I stared in shock what was he doing ... his face had it's usual calmness after his public declaration he left me to face the stares of the staff members

the woman beside me blinked. looked then quietly said interesting

I suddenly had a terrible feeling and my interview hadn't started yet .. the woman leading me to the interview room looked at me once then she smiled politely

I immediately became anxious .. people only smiled like that when they knew something .. I followed her down the hallway and tried not to think about what just happened

you wore it

thant was all he said.... normal words completely harmless .. the interview room was surprisingly normal cause I actually pictured it to have this certain image of power but it looked totally normal

Large table .. glass walls

three interviews and a very unnecessary amount of table water

I sat down ... one of them smiled

Relax ..... which was exactly the kind of thing people said before asking difficult questions

The interview started normally ... tell us about yourself

... why sterling enterprise.

everything was going well until

one interviewer looked at my file .... then looked up his expression stayed professional

but

you currently live with Mr Richard

I smiled yes

he nodded then smiled politely and how do you think that affects your application

Wow straight to the point I said .... of course in my head

I smiled back

well it got me an interview Mr r Richard looked through my file and offered me this job .... because he knew I am capable

I continued if I do badly then I assume nobody's is keeping me

one of them laughed

the others smiled .... the woman beside him nodded

Fair answer

The interview countined

Questions ...... conversations

at one point I actually forgot where i was

Then .... finally