Chapter Two: An Unforgettable Encounter
1475 Words
A pair of tires screamed against the road.
Everything happened in seconds.
Erin slammed on the brakes with all his strength.
The luxury sedan stopped barely inches away from Davina.
Her folder slipped from her hands.
Dozens of résumés scattered into the air like white birds before floating onto the pavement.
For a heartbeat...
The entire street fell silent.
Davina blinked.
Then slowly looked down at the papers lying in muddy puddles.
Her heart broke.
Hours of preparation...
Ruined.
Erin hurried out of the driver's seat.
"I'm so sorry, Miss!"
He immediately bent down to gather the scattered papers.
"I didn't see you crossing."
Davina finally found her voice.
"My résumés..."
She stared at the soaked pages.
"My résumés..."
The shock disappeared.
Anger quickly replaced it.
She folded her arms and glared at Erin.
"Didn't they teach you how to drive before giving you a license?"
"I'm really sorry."
"Sorry?"
She pointed dramatically at the ruined papers.
"Can your apology dry these?"
People nearby had already begun slowing down to watch the commotion.
Erin continued apologizing while picking up every sheet he could find.
Inside the car, Reese watched the scene through the window.
His patience had completely run out.
Without another word, he opened the door and stepped onto the street.
The moment his polished shoes touched the pavement...
The crowd instinctively fell silent.
The entire street seemed to freeze.
Conversations died away. Even the distant sound of traffic faded into the background as the tall man stepped out of the black luxury sedan.
His polished leather shoes met the pavement with measured confidence.
Reese Kingsley adjusted the cuff of his charcoal suit before lifting his cold grey eyes to the young woman standing a few feet away. There wasn't a trace of concern on his face. If anything, he looked mildly irritated that his schedule had been interrupted.
People along the sidewalk immediately recognized him.
"Isn't that Reese Kingsley?"
"The CEO of Kingsley Group?"
"What's he doing here?"
"Poor girl..."
Davina heard the whispers but paid them no attention. At that moment, she cared far more about the muddy papers scattered across the road than the identity of the man approaching her.
Erin gathered the last résumé from a puddle and handed the damp stack back to her.
"I'm truly sorry, Miss," he said sincerely. "This was an accident."
Davina accepted the papers with a defeated sigh.
Several pages were soaked beyond saving. The ink had begun to run, turning neatly printed words into blue smudges.
She felt her heart sink.
Those résumés had cost money she could barely spare.
Money her mother had insisted she use despite their financial struggles.
Money she had promised wouldn't go to waste.
Before she could speak again, Reese's calm voice cut through the silence.
"Erin."
"Yes, sir?"
"How much time have we wasted?"
Erin hesitated.
"About... seven minutes."
Reese glanced at his wristwatch.
"Seven unnecessary minutes."
Davina slowly looked up.
She couldn't believe what she had just heard.
Seven minutes?
That was all he cared about?
Not the frightened woman nearly hit by his car?
Not the ruined documents lying in her arms?
Just... seven minutes?
She narrowed her eyes.
"So that's your first concern?"
Reese looked at her without emotion.
"My concern is getting to work."
She let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"Unbelievable."
Erin quickly stepped forward.
"Miss, please don't misunderstand. Mr. Kingsley doesn't mean—"
"I wasn't talking to you."
Erin immediately fell silent.
Davina turned her full attention to Reese.
"You own a mouth, don't you?"
"I do."
"So why is your driver apologizing while you stand there acting like a statue?"
A few curious pedestrians exchanged amused glances.
Very few people dared speak to Reese Kingsley like this.
Reese slipped one hand into his pocket.
"My driver has already apologized."
"That isn't an apology from you."
"I wasn't driving."
Davina blinked.
For a moment she was speechless.
Then she laughed again.
"Wow."
She shook her head slowly.
"I've met proud people before, but you're on another level."
Reese's expression remained unchanged.
"Are you finished?"
"No."
She took one step closer.
"Your car almost knocked me down."
"It didn't."
"My documents are ruined."
"They can be replaced."
"My dress is covered in mud."
"Buy another."
Her jaw nearly dropped.
"Excuse me?"
Without another word, Reese reached into his coat pocket and removed a thick fold of cash.
He counted several notes before casually dropping them onto the top of her résumé.
"There."
His voice was flat.
"Replace everything."
The money fluttered to the ground.
Gasps echoed from the gathering crowd.
Davina stared at the bills.
Then she slowly looked back at him.
Something inside her snapped.
"Do you seriously think money solves everything?"
Reese met her furious gaze.
"It usually does."
She laughed bitterly.
"That tells me everything I need to know about you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You deliberately stepped in front of my car."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"You wanted attention."
"I what?"
"You've probably heard who I am."
Davina frowned.
"I haven't."
"Lying won't help you."
"I don't even know your name!"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Someone whispered, "She really doesn't know him."
Reese ignored them.
"I've seen this before."
Davina folded her arms.
"Seen what?"
"Women creating accidents for money."
For a second, she simply stared at him.
Then he delivered the sentence that completely destroyed the last bit of patience she had left.
"You disgust me."
The words landed like a slap.
"You planned this hoping I'd take interest in you."
His voice remained as cold as ice.
"But I'm not interested."
He looked her up and down.
"And I never will be."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Even Erin looked horrified.
"Sir..."
But Reese had already turned to leave.
"You've been compensated."
He took one step toward the car.
Then—
Smack!
The sound echoed across the street.
Reese stopped walking.
The entire crowd froze.
A bright red handprint slowly appeared on his cheek.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Reese Kingsley...
...had just been slapped.
Erin's eyes widened so much they almost popped out of their sockets.
"Miss!"
Davina lowered her hand, breathing heavily.
"I've wanted to let this go since your driver apologized."
Her voice trembled with anger.
"But you..."
She pointed directly at Reese.
"...are the most arrogant, self-centered, insufferable man I've ever met."
Reese slowly turned around.
For the first time that morning, genuine emotion crossed his face.
Shock.
Pure shock.
Nobody had ever dared lay a hand on him.
Not employees.
Not business rivals.
Not even members of his own family.
Yet this complete stranger had done it without hesitation.
Davina wasn't finished.
"You think every woman wants your attention?"
She folded her arms.
"Trust me, Mister Whoever-You-Are, you're not that special."
The crowd struggled to hide their laughter.
Someone actually coughed to cover a chuckle.
Davina continued mercilessly.
"I admit something."
Reese stared at her.
"When you stepped out of the car..."
She paused.
"...I thought you were unbelievably handsome."
Several women nearby nodded unconsciously.
He really was.
"But then you opened your mouth."
She clicked her tongue.
"And suddenly all that handsomeness disappeared."
A few people burst into laughter.
Erin quietly covered his face.
This was becoming a disaster.
"I've seen prettier attitudes on stray cats."
Davina took another step forward.
"You called me disgusting?"
She pointed at herself.
"I would rather stay single for the rest of my life than spend five minutes with someone like you."
Reese's jaw tightened.
She wasn't afraid.
Not even a little.
"You rich people think money gives you the right to insult everyone."
She picked up the cash from the ground.
For a brief second Reese assumed she had come to her senses.
Instead—
She shoved the money firmly against his chest.
"Keep it."
His eyes dropped to the notes.
"I don't need your pity."
"I need respect."
The words struck harder than the slap.
Davina gathered the ruined résumés into her folder and looked Reese straight in the eye.
"Listen carefully."
"If fate has any kindness left..."
"I hope we never cross paths again."
She pointed a finger at him.
"Because the next time you insult me..."
"...I won't stop at one slap."
With that, she turned around and walked away, her shoulders held high despite the disappointment weighing on her heart.
The crowd slowly parted to let her pass.
No one dared stop her.
Behind her, Reese remained standing in the middle of the street, the money still in his hand.
His cheek burned.
But it wasn't the sting that occupied his thoughts.
It was her.
Who was that woman?
How could someone with so little dare challenge someone who had everything?
He had expected fear.
Instead, he had been met with courage.
For the first time in years, Reese Kingsley watched someone walk away from him... without looking back
- Writer
