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For a second, she let herself imagine it—waking up beside him, feeling his warmth every morning, the sound of little feet running through their home.
But reality crashed back just as quickly. She blinked, shaking off the dangerous thoughts.
She sniffled again, turning her face away. She pushed his hands off her, trying to remove the muffler, but he caught her wrists and turned her toward her apartment entrance.
"It’s cold. You’ll get sick. Wear it and get inside quickly."
She hesitated, but rather than prolonging the argument, she gave up and stormed back inside.
Christian remained in place, watching her disappear. Snowflakes began to fall again, but he didn’t move. He stayed there for a few more minutes before finally turning away and heading to his car.
Chapter 9 Stalker
“Wow, those people are such assholes!” Stella growled over the phone, her voice laced with anger. “It’s a good thing you quit. That place is just not safe for women. I can’t even imagine what would have happened if it were you in Jenna’s place. It’s such a horrible thing to do.”
"Yeah," Ivy muttered. "I’ve joined a different company." She adjusted her bag and continued, "I gave an interview a few days ago, and they hired me immediately. I’m heading there right now. It’s my first day."
“That’s nice. I hope this one is better.” Stella sighed in relief. “Let me know if you need help with anything, alright? And come by Licious. We all miss seeing you.”
Ivy smiled at the mention of the café. It had always felt warm and welcoming, the people even more so. Despite not working there for long, they had never treated her like an outsider, even though she wasn’t the most talkative. It felt like a second home.
"I’ll come by soon," Ivy promised. "I’ve been so busy with this new job that I haven’t had a chance to drop by."
“I’ll be waiting.” Stella beamed. “Just give me a call, and I’ll invite Ellie and the others too. We can all hang out together.”
“Sure,” Ivy murmured, coming to a stop in front of a towering glass building. Her gaze lifted to the impressive structure, andshe exhaled softly. “I’m at the office now. I’ll talk to you later. Bye, Stella.”
“Bye! Good luck!” Stella said just as the call ended.
Ivy stepped inside the building, making her way to the fifteenth floor. The office was grand, though not significantly bigger than her previous one. However, the company held a prestigious name in the industry, so she didn’t mind.
As she walked toward the office she had been assigned, she could feel eyes on her. People whispered as she passed, their hushed voices barely concealing their curiosity.
“Is she the one who got a personal office immediately after joining?” someone whispered.
"Yeah, I heard she demanded it as a condition for joining. She’s got guts!"
“Wow… isn’t she too young to be in such a high position? Is it really her skills, or does her pretty face have something to do with it?”
Ivy ignored the gossip, her expression remaining indifferent as she entered her office. A neat stack of files awaited her on the desk, with one marked as ‘most important’ on top. She picked it up and noticed a handwritten note from her new boss.
“Please go to this firm today and do your best to secure a deal for managing their business. They are a big client.”
Her eyes swept over the details. The meeting time was soon, and the location wasn’t far. Without wasting a moment, she grabbed the file and left. It didn’t take long for her to reach the location.
Just as she was climbing the stairs of the firm’s building, she collided with someone. She stumbled back, but before she could fall, a strong arm shot out, catching her.
Startled, she looked up—only to find Christian standing right in front of her.
Her body tensed immediately. She pulled away, adjusting her bag and frowning. “What are you doing here?”
Christian smiled lazily, his sharp gaze drinking her in. “You’re looking beautiful today. Did you come here for work?”
She ignored him and stepped aside, intending to walk past him, but he blocked her path. His hand wrapped gently around her arm, stopping her.
"Did you have breakfast?" He leaned in slightly, his sharp eyes scanning her face with concern. "Come, eat something with me first. What do you want? I’ll buy it for you."
Ivy shot a quick glance at her watch, impatience flashing in her eyes. Pushing his hand off her arm, she muttered, “I don’t have time for this right now. Please get out of my way.”