Chapter 08- before

"Miss Janet!" Just as Janet nodded, preparing to leave, a voice, eerie and ghostlike, suddenly rang out behind her. Instinctively, she turned around and met his dark, penetrating gaze, waiting for his next words.

Elwin's eyes wandered over her, lingering on her delicate face before he finally smiled coolly. "Actually, your figure is quite nice."

The unexpected compliment turned Janet's cheeks a deep shade of red. She quickly spun around and hurriedly left the CEO's office, feeling a stark difference between the cold outside and the heated atmosphere within. His ambiguous remark only left her more confused.

Charles watched Janet disappear from sight, his gaze tightening. She must have forgotten, he thought. The night before, she'd been drunk, stumbling into his car and vomiting all over the place. Despite his usual cleanliness, he had done the unthinkable—brought her back to the hotel. The next morning, he had been caught off guard by how serene her face had looked, so pure and untouched, with a grace that seemed almost ethereal. But what truly threw him off was how she had vanished without a trace when he least expected it.

When they met again at the office, he immediately recognized her, the woman with the black-framed glasses, as the one who had shared his bed the night before. But he hadn't expected her to hide her face so deliberately.

Was she special?

Charles chuckled softly, pushing thoughts of the mysterious woman out of his mind. Instead, he turned to his desk, opening his tablet, his expression turning cold as he remembered the person he was set to meet that evening.

In just one afternoon, news spread that Janet had been appointed as the CEO's new secretary. Discussions about her quickly spread throughout the company, though Amos, the one who had promoted her, showed no signs of regret. He knew that, with Charles, Janet would have more opportunities for growth.

Under Novia's guidance, Janet learned the ins and outs of Charles's daily habits—his preference for black coffee over tea, his dislike of talkative women, and how important it was never to disturb him during his downtime. She also understood that he didn't need a pretty face for a secretary, but someone capable.

On her first half day, aside from answering a few phone calls, Janet hadn't received any specific instructions from Charles. With Novia around, there wasn't much for her to do, but she was carefully noting every word Novia had said. It wasn't just her strong sense of pride that motivated her; she wanted Charles's approval. She wanted to prove herself.

"When you're done, you don't need to wait for me. You can leave right after work," Charles said, noticing Janet sitting at her desk, watching him with focused attention as he walked out of the office, his suit casually draped over one shoulder. His fingers effortlessly adjusted his collar as he walked away.

"Huh? Yes!" Janet snapped back to reality at the sound of his voice. The man in front of her wore a white VERSACE shirt, his tall frame making him seem like a natural clothes hanger. The black-and-white ensemble was the perfect fit for him, as if the outfit was made to highlight his presence.

"Or are you waiting for me to give you a ride?" Just as Janet was packing up to leave, she noticed that the man, who had already turned to walk away, had somehow unexpectedly turned back.

"No!" Janet quickly denied, not noticing the playful glint in his eyes. By the time she realized, Charles had already turned, his left hand casually slipping into his pocket as he entered the CEO's private elevator ahead of her.

Taking another elevator down, Janet didn't realize it had already gotten dark by the time she stepped out of the building. It was her first day working closely with Charles, and she still hadn't figured out his temperament, which was why she ended up staying so late.

But she was secretly annoyed by his comment. This unpredictable CEO really had a knack for surprising her!

As she stepped onto the sidewalk, a Bugatti Veyron suddenly rolled to a stop in front of her, its headlights cutting through the night. As she tried to step aside, Charles reversed the car a couple of steps, then lowered the window, locking his intense black eyes onto hers. "Get in."

His firm, unquestionable command made Janet hesitate for a few seconds before she obediently walked around to the passenger side and climbed in.

Without her glasses, her face now appeared soft and serene, the yellowish light from the car casting a gentle glow on her fair skin. The faint fragrance of her perfume mingled with the air, and in the silence, the scent of Dior men's cologne filled the space.

A flash of memory struck Janet—ten years ago, a handsome boy wearing the same Dior fragrance had handed her a handkerchief. The feeling now, with Charles, was eerily similar.

But before she could dwell on it, she dismissed the thought. There were probably many men who wore that scent, but was it just a coincidence that the man who shared the same scent also had the same intense gaze?

"What are you thinking?" Charles asked, noticing her lost gaze fixed on his profile. He steered the wheel with one hand, using the other to turn on the music. Soon, soft tunes filled the car.

"Nothing... nothing at all!" Janet lowered her head, averting her gaze, feeling awkward. She hadn't realized she'd been staring at a man for so long. Charles's presence was so overwhelming.

Charles glanced at her briefly, his expression returning to its usual coldness. "Where do you live?"

When Janet told him her address, she didn't notice the brief flicker of surprise in his features. Moments later, he had dropped her off at the river Villa. Janet thanked him as he sped away, his car vanishing into the night with a sharp contrast to the earlier, slow pace.

He had been here once before, ten years ago. Back then, the driver had accidentally hit a little girl. As Charles leaned against the car, his heart rate quickened when they passed the spot where he had struck Janice. Her eyes, as clear as spring water, came to his mind again. He remembered that the girl's mother had called her Janice, and their clothes hadn't seemed like something someone living in a luxury villa would wear.

Charles let out a self-deprecating laugh. When did he start caring so much about a stranger?