Playing the Game of Temptation

CHAPTER 3

“I can’t believe you really left me at the club last night for some random dude you just met.” I whispered on my phone as soon as my sister answered my call.

I’ve been trying to contact her since I woke up this morning with an awful headache. I must’ve left four voicemails before she finally picked up her phone and I’m already in my office now.

“I’m sorry. I saw you with a hot guy last night, that’s why I didn’t bother telling you we’re leaving.” I heard her groan. “Honestly, I shouldn't have left you for that bartender last night. He’s cute alright, but he’s really bad in bed. He didn’t even let me finish before he passed out. He actually had the nerve to text that he wanted to see me again, but we both know that that’s not going to happen.”

I rolled my eyes and cringed. “I am definitely not interested in hearing all about your escapades, sissy.”

“Well, how about you?” She drew the last a little longer, like she’s singing the word to tease me. “Did you enjoy your night out with that hot stranger you were with last night? He’s a catch, if I may say. Did you finally let someone pop that cherry of yours?”

I looked around to see if anyone could hear me and it’s a good thing that Cameron’s desk is on the other side. “No cherry has been popped and besides, that hot stranger you’re referring to was a total a**hole. So I left as soon as I could. I wouldn’t want to be bothered by the likes of him. He would most certainly bang anyone in the club last night. Maybe he did after he didn’t get a chance with me.”

“Aww, really?” I could hear the dismay in her voice from the other line. “Did he at least give you his number? I don’t mind a**holes.”

I wanted to crawl into my phone so I could slap my sister. “Seriously, Aria?”

She laughed. “You’re way too stressed, my dear sister. Lighten up. You’re young and pretty. You should enjoy life instead of worrying about a lot of things. I told you to go on a blind date or download dating apps so you can at least enjoy having someone by your side.”

“Uhm, no thanks. Those dating apps won’t pay my bills.”

She clicked her tongue. “Sooner or later, someone will sweep you off your feet before you know it and I will be the happiest sister on earth when that day finally happens.”

“Well, I hope it’s not any sooner. I’ll talk to you later, ‘kay? Our new CEO is arriving today so I need to get ready.” I checked the time on the clock and it’s still an hour before the welcome assembly for the new CEO starts and I still need to finish up some papers for Cameron. “I just called you to check if you’re still alive.”

“Aww, aren’t you the sweetest little sister?” She commented jokingly. “Alright, tell me if the new CEO is hot and single, alright?”

“Aria!”

She ended the call with a playful giggle and I just shook my head. I still can’t believe that she’s three years older than me. But oftentimes, people will mistake her as the younger one between the two of us and even though I hate to admit it, they’re actually right. Maybe that’s because she’s a carefree and outgoing person while I live a boring life.

“Everything okay, Amy?” Cameron appeared in front of my desk. He’s clad in something more formal than what he’s usually wearing in the office. “You look like you didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

I sighed. “I’m sorry, Mr. Messner. My sister went through another breakup last night so I had to be with her.”

Cameron c****d an eyebrow. “That doesn’t seem like a new thing, Amy.”

I laughed at his remark. “Tell me about it.”

“Can you make it to the lobby for the welcome assembly?”

I nodded my head. “I’ll be there. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

He smiled at me and nodded. “Alright. Let me know once those papers are ready.”

I assured Cameron that I'd have the papers ready before the welcome assembly started and, because I am a woman of my word, I wasted no time and completed all the papers needed for him to sign in just almost half an hour. I handed the papers over to Cameron for him to sign and when I went back to my desk, I started working on his schedules and checking emails.

To say that I am a workaholic is an understatement. I have been called out by my sister countless times because she thinks I’m spending too much time and effort on my job, that I am forgetting that I still need to have a social life and that I should learn how to flirt and date sometimes.

I just don’t think it’s worth my time, especially after seeing how many times my sister has been heartbroken. Geez, thanks, but no thanks.

It’s not that I don’t date at all, I’ve had my fair share of guys that I’ve gone out for a date with but none of them were serious at all.

“Maybe you just haven’t been with the right man. That’s why you’re thinking like that.”

The stranger from last night’s words rang in my head. Pfft, well those words were clearly from a man who knows how to charm his way under a woman’s pants.

I shook the thought out of my head. Whatever happened to that club should stay at that club and, besides, what are the odds that I’d cross paths with that a**hole again?

He’s just another living proof that most men are the same.

“You look like you’re about to punch someone.” Cameron’s voice rang me out of my reverie and I quickly turned my head to look at him. “Do we need to kick someone’s a**?”

I simply shook my head. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Alright, I’ll meet you in the lobby.” Cameron looked at me with an awkward smile. “You might want to swing by the washroom for a while before you join the welcome assembly.”

Without really thinking about what Cameron meant by that, I just nodded and smiled at him before he left his office. I replied to the last email before I finally went to the washroom.

I didn’t realize how badly I needed to touch up until I saw my reflection on the huge mirror in the washroom. Fudge, I looked like a woman with no proper sleep should look like.

I washed my face and fixed myself, trying to look as humanly as possible. I tapped a few layers of concealer to hide the dark circles under my eyes and put on a sufficient amount of blusher and colored lip balm to hopefully bring some color to my face.

I checked my reflection in the mirror one last time before I stepped out and headed to the main lobby where we would be welcoming the new CEO. Most of the time, a party should be held to welcome the company’s new CEO, but this time, I believe the new CEO himself didn’t want some grand party for him.

The elevator door opened once it reached the main floor. It was already packed with employees waiting for the new CEO. Cameron was waiting by the makeshift stage in the center of the lobby with the other executives and I definitely didn't want to be there, so when I spotted Sarah, an employee from our department and a friend of mine, I went to join her instead.

Sarah waved at me as I approached her. “How’s your day going, Amy?”

“Nothing special.” I replied, shrugging my shoulders.

“Oh, it’s about to get special now.” She teased, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if you’ll look around you, you’ll notice that most of the female employees really dressed up pretty today.” Sarah c****d an eyebrow at some of the female employees who are all indeed dressed pretty well today. “Rumor has it that the new CEO is no other than the third son of our previous CEO, Lincoln Bennett. And he came all the way from Vancouver. You know how all of his sons are abroad, right? It turns out that Lincoln Bennett chose his third son to be the successor for this company and we’re about to meet him.”

“And he’s a bachelor, too.” Sarah added. “That’s why those girls are trying their best to get his attention.”

Sarah looked at them with disapproval while shaking her head. I just laughed at her reaction and shook my head as well. Sarah’s already married and has two kids. That's why I was not surprised that she's completely different to how the other female employees are acting right now.

I looked around and noticed that the previous CEO of our company wasn’t there. If the rumor is true that his son would be the next CEO, it’s just right for him to be here.

Lincoln Bennett is a well-known business tycoon in the country and everyone knows that he has kids even though he’s not married. He has three sons from three different women but there was no other information about his kids and their mothers, so if the new CEO of the company was one of his sons, that’s definitely going to make a headline.

There was a sudden ache in my head that made me press my fingers on my temple. Fudge, this hangover’s going to kill me. I already took a Tylenol as soon as I woke up.

“Are you okay?” I heard Sarah ask.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little headache.”

She looked instantly worried upon hearing my response. “You should go get some meds from the office nurse later after this. Or do you want to go now?”

I shook my head and smiled at her to assure her. “No, it’s fine. I can just go there after this.”

Sarah was about to say something but she was interrupted when we heard feedback coming from a microphone.

Everyone automatically turned their heads to the makeshift stage where the company president is standing with a microphone in his hand.

“Thank you everyone for taking time to join this welcome assembly for our new chief executive officer.” President Conner Montgomery spoke to the microphone with a huge smile on his face. “For the past two decades, we have been led by none other than our beloved Lincoln Bennett and now it’s time that he retires and let his successor continue his legacy as the CEO of Han-Li Enterprises. Ladies and gentlemen, with the utmost pleasure, please join me in welcoming our new CEO, Mr. Liam Bennett.”

The entire lobby erupted in cheers and applause as the new CEO walked in. Everyone’s eyes were focused on the tall, manly figure clad in a designer’s suit as he came up on the stage and shook the hands of the executives. I really couldn’t see his face entirely from where I was standing, but he’s really tall. I could tell that just by seeing how he towered most of the executives that shook his hands with big smiles plastered on their faces.

Cameron shook his hand as well.

When he finally turned around to face the crowd, my hands immediately stopped from clapping and my eyes were wide and unblinking.

I must be dreaming. Or this could be a nightmare.

I blinked my eyes twice and shook my head, but the face of the man standing in front of everyone didn’t change at all.

My eyes shut closed for a moment and I was taken back to the club where I was last night, kissing a stranger and then slapping him after. My eyes snapped open and I was again looking at the very familiar face smiling and waving at the employees.

Oh, fudge!

Fate must be playing with me right now. And it’s a game I really didn’t want to play.

Mr. Good-Looking Stranger has a name now.

And it’s Liam Bennett.

Our new CEO.