CHAPTER 9: ELEVATOR RUSH

Only the heart knows the truth. But Catherine Walter kept fighting it.

She halted her car in front of her apartment and ran inside like she was being chased. She released a loud breath, she didn't realize she was holding onto. She sat on her bed and stared into space as tears gathered in the corner of her eyes. She doesn't know how to resist Sullivan or walk away. Everything about him keeps her on her toes. She was slowly losing control and that scares her the most. She snuggled her pillow and drifted off to sleep.

Today was her first day at work as she walked into the opulent building of Sullivan Jake's holding. 

The building was exquisitely designed to fit the standard of a first class real estate company. Its environ sparkled and the employees had pleasant looks on. 

Catherine was gracefully dressed in a lilac blazer with her hair pinned to the back in a ponytail.

She walked majestically into the reception like she ruled the world and beamed a beautiful smile at the receptionist.

"Good morning, I'm Catherine Walter, and I would love to see the Chief Executive Officer."

The young woman behind the desk— pretty, petite, with bold red lipstick. She flashed Catherine a knowing smile. "Good morning, Miss Walter. We've been expecting you. Welcome to Sullivan Jake's holdings. This way, please."

"Thank you."

The receptionist took Catherine through the elevator and they alighted on the third floor. She pointed to a door. "That's Mr. Sullivan's office. Please do enjoy your first day at work here." The receptionist turned and left.

Catherine stood in front of Sullivan's office. Her palms suddenly became sweaty as memories of last night's kiss rushed into her mind. She let out a heavy sigh. "You can do this, Catherine. You're not a scaredy cat," she mumbled to herself quietly.

She summoned courage and tapped softly on the door. 

"Come in," Sullivan's deep, magnetic voice responded.

She reached for the door knob and opened the door slowly. 

Sullivan looked up, his lips parted in a sly smile like he knew; it couldn't be anyone else but her. "My queen. I've been looking forward to seeing you. Please sit." He gestured to a seat.

Catherine smiled and slipped into the chair. She tried to maintain her composure so Sullivan wouldn't sense her nervousness.

"Are you okay?" he asked, like he heard her thought.

"Sure," she replied cheerfully.

"We have an investor brunch to attend this afternoon. I would love you to handle the pitch, is that cool with you?" he said while searching for a file.

We! I just resumed work, mister. Give me a break. Her mind spurned a gruff reply. But then, she smiled. "Yeah, but I would need a few minutes to prepare," she spoke through her teeth.

He found the file and handed it to Catherine. She opened the file. It was a property document. Quickly, she glanced through it like she had a photographic memory. "This is good. I can work with it."

"Okay, let's head out. It's almost noon."

The restaurant sat in the middle of the city, its ambience whispering hushed luxury. The private investor brunch whirred with wealth and polished politeness. The gentlemen in black-tailored suits sipped quietly on their glasses of champagne, and Catherine's heels clicked across the marble floor as they finalized on the property.

Sullivan stood on the top terrace of the restaurant. He had one hand in his pocket and the other wound loosely around a whiskey glass, watching Catherine.

She looked at the men and grinned. "If you do not hold back. My company will surely deliver a top-notch job for you."

"Uh! I see. Judging by how sleek your words are. You could make a man forget what he ought to inquire before making payment."

She burst into laughter. Her laughter floated over the restaurant. It was rich with honey and its sounded so delicate. The kind that made men stare in awe, forgetting what they came for. She was not just a runway model gorgeous. She was also highly intelligent and he couldn't help but give her a hats off. 

When he was about to take a sip of his whiskey, a familiar face popped into the restaurant. Batista Manuel.

Sullivan ticked his jaws as he observed the older man make his way through the crowd, trailing the scent of control and calculation.

Batista smiled and pulled Catherine in a too-familiar embrace. "God-daughter," he chuckled in a low voice. "Still charming the wolves, I see."

Catherine forced a smile. "I can't find any wolf here, godfather."

Batista scoffed, "You remind me of my late best friend, your father. Just be cautious of where you dig, honey. Some graves bite back wickedly."

Catherine froze. Only for a moment. Sullivan saw it all but maintained his posture like he didn't as he gulped down his whiskey. 

Batista patted her shoulder like a proud uncle. "My regards to your mother," he whispered in her ear and slipped away.

The sight of Batista being too close to Catherine snagged something in Sullivan. He felt a pang of jealousy, but there was more. Suspicion. Why did Batista breeze in like that and leave without a purpose? Making it seem like he specifically came to say hello to Catherine, he puzzled and flared his nose.

Later, in the elevator. It was just the two of them, and Catherine kept a safe distance. Sullivan noticed and his lips curved up but not entirely in a smile. "What did he whisper to you," Sullivan asked, his eyes fixed on her.

Catherine passed a side glance and stared elsewhere, not wanting to look at him. "Nothing, though. It was just a message to my mum," she uttered calmly.

The elevator's hum was the only sound, until… Sullivan turned towards her slowly. "I see you're avoiding my gaze," he murmured, licking his lower lip. "You left me hanging last night, Catherine."

She swallowed hard, heat pooling low in her stomach. The tension coiled between them. Heavy and electrifying. Catherine couldn't speak; she just stayed put. Sullivan moved closer to her, his hand pressed tight against the mirrored wall behind her, pinning her too close to his chest. His lips were inches away from hers.

Catherine's breath jerked, she closed her eyes tightly, praying for control, which she knew was slipping away really fast.

He leaned in, slowly parting his lips. He nearly kissed her. Almost. But the universe seemed to have answered Catherine's prayer. He stopped. "If I touch you now, I won't stop." A tug of war behind his eyes as they roamed over Catherine's body.

Suddenly, the elevator chimed and the door opened. Catherine hurriedly stepped out first. Her heels thudded sharply on the marble. She never looked back. She just kept walking as fast as her legs could carry her away from Sullivan.

As she was walking on the second floor, she saw the receptionist come out of an office, leaving the door ajar. 

Quickly, she slipped into that office and shut the door quietly. "I will stay here till I'm sure. I can face Sullivan without cracking."

Suddenly, she started coughing and had to clear her throat. She hovered her eyes around the office. It was dusty and filled with old documents, alphabetically arranged. Curiosity kills the cat. Catherine got up and went to the 'W' alphabet, searching for her last name. She didn't see any file in it. Then, she searched for her father's first name 'R', and just when she was about to give up. She found his name written in black: Robert Walter.