The Billionaire CEO’s Secret

Chapter Two: Her Scent- he could never forget

"I didn't know you and Clau had gotten back together."

Damien immediately turned toward the door as it opened once again moments after Claudia had walked out.

It was Javier—the vice president of the company and Damien's best friend. A mischievous smile played on his lips as he leaned casually against the doorway, watching Damien with unmistakable amusement.

Damien narrowed his eyes.

"We didn't."

Javier's grin only widened.

"Really?" he teased. "Because from where I'm standing, it certainly looks like you two are back together."

Damien let out a quiet sigh and returned his attention to the documents scattered across his desk.

"Don't start, Javier."

"Oh, I'm definitely starting." Javier stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "This is the most interesting thing that's happened around here in weeks."

Damien sighed, already regretting the moment he had let his friend walk in.

"She came to talk. That's all."

Javier chuckled as he walked farther into the office.

"Sure, Damien. Whatever you say."

Damien gave him a warning look.

"I'm just saying, my friend. You've been acting like a man who has unfinished business with his ex."

Damien leaned back against his desk, his expression turning colder.

"We ended things two years ago, Javier. There's nothing left between us."

Javier studied him for a moment, the playful smile slowly fading into something more knowing.

"Then why do you look so bothered?" he asked.

Damien said nothing.

"I know the reason," Javier said, shaking his head with a knowing smile. "That's why no matter how hard Clau tries to win you back, it's all pointless because of that one woman you spent a single night with."

He paused, studying Damien's unreadable expression.

"Bro, that was a long time ago. You don't even know her name. Hell, you didn't even see her face."

"Look who's talking." Damien glanced at his best friend, his expression filled with disbelief. "It's all because of you, Jav!"

He shook his head, remembering that ridiculous night.

"That was probably the most outrageous birthday gift I've ever received."

Javier burst out laughing.

"Seriously? What do you think I am? A pervert?" Damien continued, glaring at him. "You seriously thought it was a good idea to send a woman to penthouse on my birthday? You're an i***t, Jav. You always have been."

Javier laughed even harder, nearly doubling over.

"But admit it," he teased between laughs. "You enjoyed it."

Damien shot him a deadly look.

"Shut up."

Javier only grinned.

"That's not a no."

"f**k you, Jav!"

Damien shot him an irritated look before turning his attention back to the documents on his desk.

"Now leave me alone. I still have a lot of work to do. And you should get back to yours, too. Don't think that just because we're friends, I won't fire you."

Javier laughed so hard that he had to shake his head.

He knew Damien well enough not to take the threat seriously. That was simply how Damien was—cold, intimidating, and always ready with a sharp remark.

But Javier also knew him better than anyone.

Damien would never actually fire his best friend.

"All right, I'll leave you alone now."

Javier gave Damien a playful grin before turning toward the door.

"Try not to miss me too much."

Damien simply rolled his eyes.

"Get out."

Javier laughed as he opened the door and stepped out but he suddenly stopped and looked back at Damien.

"By the way, the applicants for the secretary position are waiting outside. Do you want to start the interviews now and have them come in one by one?"

Damien glanced at the clock before looking back at the stack of documents on his desk.

"Fine. Send the first applicant in."

Meanwhile, Lau hurried down the hallway, half walking and half running as she made her way toward the elevator. She was already thirty minutes late for her interview.

She had to make sure her mother had taken her medication before leaving the house. It had taken longer than she expected, but she couldn't bring herself to leave without knowing that her mother was all right.

Now, every second counted.

She glanced anxiously at the time on her phone as she quickened her pace, silently praying that the interviewer would still give her a chance.

When the elevator doors opened, Laura immediately stepped inside.

She quickly pressed the button marked 44. Her interview was on the forty-fourth floor, and judging by the time, she couldn't afford to waste another second.

As the doors slid shut, Laura let out a nervous breath and glanced at her reflection in the polished metal walls.

"Please, let this work out," she whispered to herself.

When the elevator doors opened on the forty-fourth floor, Laura immediately stepped out.

She hurried down the hallway toward Villafuerte Corp., clutching her résumé tightly in her hand.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickened her pace. She was already thirty minutes late, and she could only hope they would still give her a chance.

A man in his mid-thirties approached Laura as she hurried toward the reception area.

"Hi. You're here for?" he asked, giving her a polite but curious look.

Laura turned toward him, slightly breathless from rushing through the hallway.

"I'm here for an interview," she replied, quickly fixing her hair and straightening her clothes.

It was Luke.

"Oh? You're here for the secretary position?" Luke asked, glancing at the résumé in her hands.

"Yes, sir." Laura nodded quickly.

Luke checked the time on his watch before looking back at her.

"I'm sorry, but the interview ended a while ago," Luke said, his voice calm but firm.

Laura's face fell.

"I'm really sorry, sir," she said, clutching her résumé a little tighter. "I know I'm late, but—"

Luke glanced at her apologetically.

"I understand, but there's nothing I can do. The boss has already left."

"I understand," she said.

She offered him a faint smile before turning around.

Clutching her résumé tightly, Laura walked down the hallway with her shoulders slumped.

"Maybe it just wasn't meant for me."

The words echoed in her mind, a small attempt to comfort herself and keep her disappointment from weighing too heavily on her heart.

She knew she had been late. She had no one to blame but herself.

Still, she refused to let one missed opportunity break her spirit.

She took a deep breath and kept walking to the elevator trying to convince herself that maybe something better was waiting for her somewhere else.

She waited silently for several minutes, her fingers still wrapped around her résumé, until the elevator finally came to a stop.

With a soft chime, the doors slowly opened.

Laura stepped inside.

She stood quietly in the corner, still clutching her résumé as she waited for the doors to close.

Just as the doors were about to shut, a hand suddenly stopped them.

A man stepped inside.

Their eyes met for a brief moment, but Laura quickly looked away, suddenly conscious of herself.

This man is a living god, she thought, her heart beating a little faster.

He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his presence immediately filling the small space.

Laura instinctively moved slightly to the side, keeping her eyes lowered.

He was undeniably handsome, with a tall, commanding presence that made the small space seem even narrower. His perfectly tailored black suit accentuated his broad shoulders and lean, athletic frame.

His dark hair was neatly styled, framing sharp, masculine features—a strong jawline, straight nose, and deep-set eyes that held an unreadable intensity.

He said nothing as he stepped inside, simply adjusting the cuff of his sleeve before standing near the back of the elevator.

There was something about him—his quiet confidence, his cold expression, the way he carried himself—that made it clear he was a man accustomed to being noticed without ever seeking attention.

The elevator was descending when, without warning, it suddenly jolted to a stop.

The lights flickered once before going completely out, plunging the elevator into darkness.

Laura froze.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence—the faint hum of the elevator disappearing into an unsettling stillness.

"f**k!"

Laura flinched at the sudden curse.

She heard the man swear under his breath, his voice low and edged with frustration.

In the darkness, she could hear him shift beside her.

For some reason, the sound of his voice made her even more aware of how close they were.

A small gasp escaped Laura's lips as she instinctively tightened her grip on her résumé, her heart pounding against her chest.

"Hello! Is anyone there?" Laura cried out, her voice echoing inside the dark elevator. "Help! Someone, please!"

She began pounding on the elevator doors, hoping someone outside would hear her.

"Please! We're trapped in here!"

"Don't waste your energy pounding on the door."

His voice was low and husky, cutting through the darkness with an unmistakable familiarity.

Laura immediately froze.

Her hand slowly fell away from the elevator doors.

That voice.

Her heart seemed to stop for a moment.

She knew that voice.

She could never mistake it.

She heard the man move closer to her.

Her breath caught as his presence drew near, until she could feel the warmth of his breath against her ear.

"It's you," he whispered.

The two words sent a shiver down Laura's spine.

She knew that voice.

She knew him.

After all this time, she had never imagined that the man she had been trying to forget would be standing right in front of her.

It felt as though a million volts of electricity had surged through her at once, leaving her frozen in place.

And suddenly, the darkness of the elevator felt far more dangerous than before.

He reached for her hands and held them tightly, pulling her closer.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know you! Stay away from me!" Laura protested, struggling against his grip.

Her heart raced as she tried to pull her hands free.

"Let me go!"

"That scent..."

His voice dropped to a whisper as he leaned closer.

"I know it's you."

Laura froze.

For a moment, neither of them moved. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her chest as the words sank in.

He had remembered her.

Even after all this time, he had remembered her scent.

At that moment, the lights suddenly flickered back on, illuminating the elevator.

The elevator jolted before starting to move again.

Laura immediately pulled her hands away and stepped back, putting as much distance between them as the small space allowed.

For the second time, she saw his face clearly—this time, up close.

And the moment their eyes met, she knew there was no escaping the past anymore.

She felt as though she were slowly melting beneath Damien's intense gaze, unable to look away no matter how hard she tried. Every glance from him sent a strange warmth through her, leaving her heart racing and her composure dangerously close to slipping.

There was a hint of confusion in Damien's expression, as though a dozen questions were running through his mind.

But before he could say another word, the elevator doors opened.

Laura hurried out without looking back, clutching her résumé tightly against her chest. She quickened her pace as she made her way through the lobby, desperate to put as much distance between herself and the man behind her as possible.

She silently prayed that their paths would never cross again.