Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 287: Cold Stranger

Chapter 287: Cold Stranger

Having been Derek Haven’s personal assistant and spending most of her time next to him. Emily was used to being overlooked. Derek was one of those charismatic people that just drew people’s eyes to themselves whenever they walked into a room.

It had never been something that Emily had minded. After all, she worked better in the shadows. But now things were different. From the moment that she had set foot at Haven Group, all eyes had been on her. Some people were openly gawking, while others were stealing quick glances, and then looking back to their friends. No one dared approach her.

They all just stood at a distance and watched. Emily even happened to make eye contact with Lucas. The man looking her up and down before huffing and walking away, if there was ever any indication that she looked good, then it was Lucas’s reaction. He could never stand it when somebody was more fashionable than him. Taking that confidence boost, and holding it close. Emily straightened her back even more adding a slight sway to her hips. "Isn’t that Emily Molson?"

"Wow!"

"She is the CEO’s former personal assistant. What is she doing here?" The people at Haven Group might have kept their distance, but their words were reaching her loud and clear. Pretending like she could not hear them, Emily kept on walking, trying to ignore how the word former had affected her. She had not expected it to hurt. It was true after all. She was no longer Derek’s PA.

In her case, former was not a bad thing to be. She was not only his former PA as the people around her knew. She was also his former girlfriend, and she was currently a woman on her way to cut the last ties to a world that would have led to nothing but heartache and pain, had she stayed.

The elevator ride up to the HR department was silent, but not because Emily was on her own.

There were quite a number of people who were in the elevator with her. But none of them said anything. No one daring to make a sound. The awkwardness so thick that Emily was certain that if she’d had a knife, she would have been able to cut into it.

Every single person in the elevator with her, was clearly dying to ask questions. But no one had the courage to say a thing. And for those who tried to gawk at her.Staring to the point that their eyes were beginning to make her feel uncomfortable. Emily put on her most arctic smile, looking at them until they found someplace else to stare.

By the time that the doors opened. People were literally running out of the elevator to get away from her. It was a thrilling experience, but also a sad one. Emily had learned that move from Derek, the man often using it when he wanted to be alone with her so that they could discuss something confidential. Towards the end, he had been using it whenever he’d wanted to pay her compliments, and there were too many people around. Now, Emily was using the look to shield herself from his overly curious employees.

And the two of them were no longer an item. The world really was a funny place.

When she finally made it to Padma’s office. Emily could not help the thrill that shot through her, when the other woman raised her eyes, and just nodded at Emily in silent pride.

"Emily, you look lovely, please come in," She said. And Emily walked in and took a seat. Thankful that the other woman left the compliment at that. Not mentioning that Emily had looked less than lovely, the last time that they had seen each other.

Emily got down to business. "Thank you Padma, you look exquisite as always. I wish this was a social call but I guess you know I am here," Padma clapped her hands together. "Of course, of course," She said.

"You are here for your paperwork," She reached for a file on her desk, and handed it over to Emily.

"It is just a few things. Sign here, here, and here, and you will be done. Everything will be for our end to handle from here on out," In the end, it was as simple as that. Emily showed up, signed some papers and then she was on her way again.

Halfway to the elevators.

The strangest thing happened to Emily. She suddenly found herself not wanting to be out of there as soon as possible. So instead of taking the faster route, she went for the stairs. Taking her sweet time on them, fooling herself, and saying that she was only doing it because it would be the last time that she would ever really have any reason to be at Haven Group headquarters.

But Emily knew that she was lying to herself.

Inasmuch as she did not want to see Derek Haven ever again. She also really, really wanted to see him again.

So she was stalling, hoping to run into him.

Granted, very few people used the stairs, but Emily had heard some people whispering that Derek was out on a meeting. So she was hoping that her taking the longer route, would result in Derek coming back to headquarters before she left.

But the moment that Emily took the first step, she realized her mistake. She was not in flat shoes like she normally would have been at Haven Group. Instead, she was in stilettos and those shoes just were not made for steps. Glad that there was no one there to witness the unflappable persona that she’d come in with crack. Emily leaned over and took off her stilettos. Then she proceeded to walk down the stairs without any shoes on. Hoping that nobody decided that it was a great time to forego using the elevator that day.

She had come to leave a lasting impression as somebody who had their world together. Being seen walking barefoot with her heels in hand would not be a good look. Face flaming, Emily finally made it to the bottom of the stairs. She put her heels back on, wiping off the light sheen of sweat on her brow.

Emily was clearly out of shape after so many weeks without any proper physical activity. She would need to add that to her schedule now. She couldn’t just rely on walking around Haven headquatersto keep her fit. Making her way out to the main area, Emily was once again amongst people who were staring at her.

She ignored them, her eyes skimming over them. Searching for one particular face, but he was not there. Either he had already come in and gone upstairs, or he had not arrived yet. But Emily had stalled for as long as she could. There was nothing more that she could do.

And so she turned to the main exit and made her way there. If it were meant to be, she would have seen Derek. But it was clearly not, because she had wasted a bit of time around the building, but he still had not shown up. No sooner had Emily had that thought, the automatic doors opened.

Her heart clenched as she saw the first person to walk through. Everybody else just fading into the background when she took him in. Oh, he’d shaved his beard. Now he spotted a five o’clock shadow that made Emily want to rub her cheek against his.

No, no, no. He is the bad guy. There will be no rubbing cheeks. Her inner voice screamed, and it was like cold water poured down her back. Emily straightened further, wiping all emotion from her face. Derek turned in her direction then. Shock, confusion, and despair, clear to read in his eyes for a brief second. And that made Emily all the more angrier, reminding her exactly why it was that this man was no longer worthy of her time. He was the one who was engaged. He was the one who had not told her that they were just playing.

That it was nothing serious. How dare he look hurt. Squaring her shoulders, Emily took a breath. Looking away from him in an attempt to center herself. Her eyes unintentionally latching on to the figure next to him.

Blonde, blue eyes, a professional but polite smile on her face. A phone out as she appeared to be taking notes. The realization that she was staring at her replacement, was all the motivation that Emily needed to start moving again.

Given her luck, if she stayed any longer, Penelope would come crashing through the doors, screaming ’Der-bear! Der-bear!’ and the two of them would start making out right in front of her. Hips swaying, her heels clicking lightly, Emily walked right past Derek.Pausing only for a brief moment to nod in his direction, a cold and unfeeling gesture. Something strangers reserved for one another. Derek did not nod back, merely continuing to stare.

Frozen as Emily walked past.

The outside world called, and she walked into it willingly. She had done what she’d come to do. She had seen Derek Haven.

It might not have brought her much closure, but she could at least take comfort in the fact that Derek now knew that he had not broken her.

She was still standing. She was fine.

A total lie, Emily was not fine.

But she at least managed to hold it together, until Haven Group headquarters, was disappearing in the rear view mirror of the car that she was in, before she burst into tears.