Seducing the Ice-Cold CEO

Chapter 4(1)

Leah

Ha.

Any other person would’ve wanted the ground to open up and swallow them after being publicly turned down like that, but me? I just felt...frustrated.

Embarrassed? Not even a little.

If life had taught me anything, it was that delay wasn’t denial. Just because something didn’t happen the way I wanted it to, didn’t mean it wasn’t going to happen at all. It just meant I had to be a little more stubborn, a little more patient, and God knew I could be patient when it mattered.

I turned away from Dante’s car without a second glance, my mind already working through ways to salvage the day, when my phone vibrated against my palm.I glanced down, frowning at the unknown number.

Curious, and maybe a little desperate for any distraction from the wreckage of my morning, I answered. “Hello?”

“Miss Sparrow?” a smooth male voice said. “This is Mr. Hensley, Dante Kerlsen’s secretary.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“Oh! Hello, Mr. Hensley,” I said, forcing my voice into calm professionalism.

“We spoke briefly before,” he continued warmly. “First, I want to apologize again for the mix-up with your interview the other day. Mr. Kerlsen’s schedule was...unexpectedly disrupted.”

“That’s completely understandable,” I replied, squeezing my eyes shut and crossing my fingers tightly. Please let this be good news. Please, please…

“I’m happy to inform you that Mr. Kerlsen is now available,” Hensley said. “He would be willing to meet with you for the interview today, if you’re free.”

My heart leapt so high, I was surprised it didn’t crash right through my ribs. Still, I kept my voice steady. “That would be wonderful,” I said, every inch of me buzzing with excitement. “May I ask when and where?”

“In about thirty minutes,” Hensley replied. “At our headquarters. I tried your office line but was redirected to your mobile.”

I smiled tightly, grateful to whoever had thought to forward him to me. “Thank you, Mr. Hensley. I’ll be there.”

“Excellent,” he said. “Just check in with the front desk when you arrive.”

We exchanged a few more polite words before hanging up. The moment the call ended, I practically sprinted to the curb, raising my hand to hail a cab.

There was no hesitation in me now, no lingering anger at Ethan or Ashley or even the sting from the earlier comment. None of that mattered. This was my shot. And I wasn’t about to miss it. The cab pulled up with a screech, and I hopped inside, rattling off the address like a soldier reporting for duty.

As we sped off, I leaned back into the seat, trying to calm my racing heart. My foot tapped uncontrollably against the floor, the adrenaline making it impossible to sit still.

This had come completely out of nowhere, but I was ready.

Mostly.

My mind darted back to my interview prep and the carefully crafted questions I had scribbled down in my notebook the night before. It had all my talking points and my planned angles. I winced. My notebook was sitting safely on my desk. At the office.

A cold rush of panic hit me, but I fought it down.

Think, Leah. Think. I had made a backup. Sloppy notes, sure, but I remembered key points I’d jotted down into my phone’s notes app. It wasn’t ideal, but it would have to do.

Who knew if I’d ever get a second chance like this again? I straightened in my seat, mentally reviewing everything I could remember. Ten minutes away from the building, we hit traffic.

Of course. Of course we hit traffic now.

Cars were lined up as far as I could see, barely crawling forward. I stared at the clock on the dashboard, anxiety gnawing at my chest. Thirty minutes suddenly felt like thirty seconds.

Without hesitating, I shoved some cash at the driver and jumped out. “I’ll walk from here!” I called over my shoulder. He shouted something I didn’t hear, too busy weaving through the stalled cars and breaking into a brisk jog. I didn’t care about the stares or the slight burn in my legs. All I could think about was getting there.

Finally, the building loomed into view. It was tall and imposing, gleaming in the sunlight like a beacon. I wiped a bead of sweat from my forehead, trying to compose myself as I crossed the lobby.

The receptionist, a young woman with sleek hair tucked behind her ears, looked up and offered a polite smile.

“Good afternoon. Welcome to Kerlsen Enterprises. How may I help you?”

Swiping a few stray strands away from my eyes, I smiled back. “Hi, I’m Leah Sparrow from Turning Point. I’m here for an interview with Mr. Kerlsen.”

The receptionist typed something into her computer, her nails clicking against the keys.

Her brow furrowed. “Turning Point...?” she echoed, her voice uncertain.

“Yes,” I said, my heart beating just a little faster now. “Mr. Hensley called me about it just a half hour ago.”

The receptionist frowned deeper, her eyes scanning the screen. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but according to our records, the interview with Turning Point has already been completed.”

I blinked.

“What?” She nodded, gesturing vaguely toward the entrance. “In fact, the representative from your company just left about five minutes ago.”

My mouth opened and closed uselessly for a second.

“But…that can’t be right,” I said, feeling the first stirrings of true panic. “I just spoke with Mr. Hensley.”

The receptionist offered me an apologetic smile, but she was already glancing past me toward the next guest approaching the desk, signaling that, as far as she was concerned, the matter was closed.

I stepped back numbly. Someone had come here in my place. Five minutes ago. I had missed them by five minutes. I felt hollow, and so, so angry. I gaped at the receptionist, barely able to believe what I was hearing. My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water before I managed to croak out, “Who came for the interview instead of me?”