The CEO He Never Deserved

Chapter 1 Evelyn's POV The Interview The conference room smelled like expensive leather and desperation. I could see it in the way the candidates shifted in their seats outside, adjusting ties and refreshing lipstick, hoping this interview would save their sinking careers. I knew that look. I wore it once, three years ago, when I had nothing left but pride and a borrowed suit. "Ms. Castell, your ten o'clock is here," Sarah said through the intercom, her voice crisp and professional. I glanced at the file on my desk. Richard Monroe. The name sat there like a stone in my throat. I opened the folder slowly, even though I already knew what I would find. His resume was impressive on paper. Seven years in marketing, multiple campaigns, a degree from Oxford. What it did not say was that his last three positions ended badly. What it did not say was that he married Amanda Whitfield for her father's money and connections, and that marriage collapsed six months ago in a very public scandal. What it definitely did not say was that he left me with a note on the kitchen counter and a ring I pawned to pay rent. "Send him in," I said. The door opened. Richard walked in, and I made sure my face showed nothing. He looked older. The boyish charm I once loved had sharpened into something harder, more desperate. His suit was well-tailored but not new. His shoes were polished but worn at the heels. He smiled, the same smile that used to make me believe in forever. "Good morning," he said. "Thank you for seeing me, Ms. Castell." I gestured to the chair across from me. "Please, sit." He sat down, folding his hands on the table. Professional. Polished. He looked at me the way people look at strangers, with cautious respect and the hope of making a good impression. He did not recognize me. My hair was shorter now, styled in a sleek bob instead of the long waves I used to wear. I traded my glasses for contacts. I carried myself differently. The girl he left behind would never sit in a chair like this, in an office like this, with this much power. "Your resume is impressive," I said, keeping my voice even. "But I see gaps. Can you explain them?" Richard cleared his throat. "I left my last position to handle some personal matters. My marriage ended, and I needed time to refocus." "Refocus," I repeated, letting the word hang in the air. "And now you are ready to commit to a new role?" "Absolutely," he said, leaning forward. "I have learned a lot in the past few years. About loyalty. About what really matters. I am not the man I used to be." I almost laughed. Instead, I picked up a pen and made a note I did not need to make. "Tell me about a time you had to make a difficult decision. One that cost you something." He hesitated. For just a second, something flickered in his eyes. Guilt? Regret? It was gone before I could be sure. "Three years ago," he said slowly, "I made a choice that I thought was right at the time. I walked away from something... someone... because I believed it was the only way forward. I thought I was doing the right thing. I was wrong." My pen stopped moving. I looked up at him. "And if you could go back, would you change it?" "Every single day," he said, and his voice cracked just a little. "I would change it every single day." The silence between us was heavy. Outside, I could hear the hum of the office, phones ringing, people laughing, life moving forward. In here, time felt frozen. I closed the file and stood up. Richard stood too, automatically, like he was still trying to impress me. "We will be in touch," I said. He nodded, shook my hand, and left. I waited until the door closed before I sat back down. My hands were shaking. I hated that they were shaking. I hated that after three years, after everything I built, after becoming someone new, he could still do this to me. Sarah knocked and stepped inside. "How was he?" "Hire him," I said. She blinked. "Really?" "Yes. Senior Marketing Manager. He starts Monday." Sarah hesitated, her pen hovering over her tablet. "Ms. Castell, are you sure? His references are... mixed." I looked at her, and she must have seen something in my face because she nodded quickly and made the note. "I am sure," I said. "Send him the offer today." She left. I turned my chair toward the window, looking out at the London skyline. Somewhere out there, Richard was probably celebrating, thinking he just got lucky, thinking he just saved his career. He had no idea what I was about to do to him.