Chapter 6
838 Words
"Ethan, if you want to talk about the CEO's health, take it to Chloe. It has nothing to do with me."
I cut Ethan off, but then I saw Adrian.
His face was like ice, cold enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine.
One thought consumed my mind: if only I could turn back time.
I never would have signed that damned contract.
Then I laughed bitterly at myself.
Without it, how would I have paid off my debts?
"Mr. Graves." I greeted him stiffly. "I just meant that as an employee, it's not appropriate to pry into the boss's private life. Besides, you do have a girlfriend."
"Come in." Adrian was a man of few words. He turned and walked into his office.
Ethan urged me forward from behind, but he didn't follow me in.
I had no choice but to go in after Adrian.
The door closed behind me.
The office reeked of alcohol.
Suddenly, Adrian wrapped an arm around my waist and pinned me against the wall.
He looked down at me, his eyes heavy with drunkenness, and murmured, "Why do you treat me like this?"
He touched my face. Anticipating my struggle, he caged me in with his arms, leaning in slowly. His kiss was deep and demanding, as if no resistance could stop him.
Compared to five years ago, Adrian was like a starving beast in a cage, ruthlessly taking what it wanted.
After what felt like an eternity, he finally pulled back and stared at me, dazed.
"Adrian, isn't Chloe enough for you?" Suppressed anger made my voice sharp.
He leaned in again, trying to kiss me.
Frustration bubbled up inside me. Why did he always treat me like some cheap plaything?
Was this how he acted with Chloe too?
I took a deep breath.
"Mr. Graves, show some respect. Ms. Bennett wouldn't be happy if she found out about this." My hands clenched into fists.
When Adrian and I first met in college, he wasn't like this.
He used to hand me water so carefully. He even asked before wiping the sweat from my face.
One time, my shoelace came undone.
He knelt down and tied it for me.
Watching him from behind, my heart skipped a beat.
I had a crush on him for three years. We dated for five. But in the end, time defeated us.
I snapped back to the present and tried to push him away, but his strong arms held me captive.
"Iris, how could you do this to me?"
He lowered his head, his eyes tinged with red, and kissed me with an aggression that left me breathless.
Throughout it all, he kept his arm around my waist, as if trying to fuse our bodies together.
Furious, I slapped him.
"Adrian! Look at me! I'm not Chloe!"
"Ha."
He finally let me go.
The haze of desire was gone from his eyes, replaced by cold mockery.
"Chloe isn't like you. She doesn't throw herself at people." His gaze softened slightly. "I won't touch her before we're married."
Because he cherished the woman he loved that much?
Too afraid to even touch her?
Then what did that make me? In those countless intimate nights, whose name did he whisper in my ear over and over?
He sat down in his chair and looked at me across the room.
"Ms. Cole, the Graves Corporation did a thorough background check on you. In your current situation, you can't afford the penalty fee."
A company background check? So that's how he knew my father's company was about to go under.
I should have known he wouldn't care about me out of the goodness of his heart.
"That was my oversight. I hope you'll overlook it and let us continue with the contract." I wasn't above playing the martyr. Bowing my head wasn't difficult, especially when the compensation was good and I was desperate.
"Glad you understand."
He adjusted his position, as if the humiliation from moments ago had never happened. "I need you to understand that this project, codenamed 'Gallop,' isn't just about running a social media account. It serves the entire Graves Corporation."
"I understand. HR and Legal already briefed me."
Since Adrian took over, the Graves Corporation had been on an upward trajectory. But in terms of corporate image and public relations, they hadn't quite kept pace with the internet age. They needed to build their own IP and win people over.
I'd heard this was Adrian's idea. But after the 'Gallop' project established this MCN division, some senior executives weren't thrilled when they learned the signed blogger was UU—Iris, a food content creator.
"The project doesn't need to launch immediately. Right now, I want your department to prepare a proposal for me."
I was caught off guard. Delaying the project meant more money down the drain every day. It didn't make sense.
He locked eyes with me, his tone firm. "In all the projects I've handled, there's never been a losing deal. Understand?"
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