The CEO Is Obsessed With Me

AURELIA

It was the weekend.

Facing the mirror, I reapplied my lip gloss, pulling my hair into a high ponytail as I assessed my appearance with a critical eye. I paused on noticing the hickeys on my neck.

‘You do things to me, Aurelia, things that made me go mad,’

Heat burst in my cheeks, and I stood frozen for a moment, my eyes rounding as the events of the day before replayed in my mind.

I was still sore….

I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head, heaving a sigh as I let my hair down, hoping it would hide the hickey.

I was on my way to catch up with my former teammates, and I wasn’t ready for their intrusive questions if they happened to catch sight of it.

Chelsea stared at me as I paced about the room while fanning my face.

Gosh! This was so embarrassing! I had vowed not to give in to the CEO, but he came and broke down the walls I suffered to build. What happened was totally unexpected, and it continued to haunt me till now.

But did I regret it….. No.

It was complicated, to the extent it made me lose sleep. It took a lot of makeup to hide the dark circles under my eyes. After staring at the ceiling all night, I came to a conclusion.

I was screwed.

Just then I remembered the promise I made to myself, where I said I would fight back to get my supposed freedom. I stopped pacing and scoffed, then I laughed at my naivety.

Fight him my ass! I was busy moaning his name like a needy whore!

I faced the mirror again and cursed under my breath. My cheeks were still bright pink.

“Oh well.” I sighed, combing my hands through my hair as I bent to drop a kiss on Chelsea’s forehead before leaving. “It looks like I’ve got a natural blush.”

Maybe a good round of booze would help.

***

“Auri!” Olivia squealed, squeezing me into a tight hug. “I’ve missed you!”

I chuckled heartily, returning the hug with just as much vigor. “Trust me, I missed you more.” We pulled back and smiled at each other before bursting into laughter.

Olivia linked her arms with mine, her eyes shining with excitement as she led me into the restaurant. As we got to our table, I was welcomed with enthusiastic cheers from my former teammates. Mrs Juniper, Kendall, and Mathew sat around the table, but Caspian had yet to arrive.

“Aurelia in the building!” Kendall chants, raising his cup of beer in the air.

“Stop that you fool.” Olivia slapped the back of his head with her free hand, causing him to hiss in pain, giving her a pointed glare.

“I should have fucked you harder last night.”

My mouth fell open on hearing his statement, and I whipped my head to Olivia who was redder than a tomato. Her breath hitched as she returned Kendall’s glare, her lips pulled into a cute pout.

Kendall stiffened on realizing what he’d blurted out, but he soon relaxed, accepting his fate as he brought his drink to his lips, a light blush on his cheeks.”Oops.”

Mrs Juniper laughed out loud at the scene, and I was quick to connect the dots.

“Oh my goodness!” I exclaimed, pointing between Olivia and Kendall. “Are you guys dating?!”

Olivia groaned, burying her head in the crook of my neck, while Kendall sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

“They’re engaged Aurelia,” Matthew noted simply, like it was common knowledge. I gasped, my eyes rounding as my jaw hit the floor.

“What?!” Everyone seemed to know but I, and I suddenly felt out of the loop.

Just what did I miss in the short time I was away?

“Hey guys.” Caspian arrived, and everyone acknowledged him with a small wave, everyone but me who was still trying to grasp the new development.

Caspian approached the table with a broad smile, his eyes lighting up when they landed on me. “Aurelia,” he said warmly, pulling me into a hug that lingered just a bit longer than necessary. I snapped back to reality as I felt the warmth of his embrace seep into me, easing some of the shock from earlier.

“Caspian, it’s so good to see you,” I replied, mirroring his expression as I casually pat his back. I was glad he was looking good, glad that we could hug each other without feeling awkward.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Likewise,” he said, stepping back but keeping a hand on my shoulder. “You look great. How have you been?”

“Busy,” I replied softly, my thoughts briefly flashing back to the CEO. “But it’s good to be here with you all.”

“Well, we’re glad you could make it,” Caspian said, finally releasing me and turning to greet the others with more casual hugs and handshakes. He sat next to Kendall. “What’s with the atmosphere in here, what were you guys talking about?”

I took my seat next to Olivia, who had finally resurfaced from her hiding spot in my neck, her cheeks still flushed. Kendall was busy nursing his drink, avoiding Olivia’s gaze.

Mrs Juniper spoke next. “Aurelia just found out about Olivia’s and Kendall’s engagement,” she explained, and Caspian chuckled.

“Oh really?” He turned to me, “That must have caught you off guard.”

“It did,” I admitted, nodding at Mathew who took it upon himself to pour me a drink. “So is anyone going to tell me more about this engagement,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. “How did this all happen?”

Olivia sighed dramatically, but there was a glint of happiness in her eyes. “Well, Kendall proposed last week. It was supposed to be a surprise, but you know him, he’s not exactly subtle.”

“Hey!” Kendall protested, but his grin gave him away. “I thought I did a pretty good job.”

“You proposed during a team meeting,” Olivia retorted, rolling her eyes. “Right in front of everyone.”

“Well, it was memorable,” Kendall said, winking at her.

We all laughed, and the conversation flowed easily after that. Olivia showed me her engagement ring, and I couldn’t help but notice how she glowed while admiring it.

Was this the effect of love?

Kendall also looked brighter, and the way he looked at Olivia made my heart flutter with happiness for them. But it also left a bittersweet feeling behind, one I couldn’t describe.

As the evening went on, I couldn’t help but notice Caspian’s eyes on me more than once. There was something in his gaze, a mix of curiosity and something else. It made me feel slightly on edge.

“How’s work been treating you, Aurelia?” Mrs Juniper asked during a lull in the conversation.

I hesitated for a moment, another memory flashing through my mind.

‘Come for me darling, sing my name with that pretty voice of yours.’

I cleared my throat, plastering a lucid smile on my face. “It’s been… challenging,” I said carefully. “But I’m managing.”

“How’s he like?” Matthew interjected. “The CEO?” Everyone turned to me, curiosity evident on their faces.

“He’s….” My mind went blank…what was I supposed to say?

“He’s… a bit of a mystery,” I finally said, trying to keep my voice steady. “He has high expectations, and he doesn’t tolerate mistakes.”

Mrs Juniper raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “Sounds intense. But I suppose that’s how successful people operate.”

I nodded, but my mind was racing. The CEO was more than just intense. He was captivating, dangerous, and frustratingly irresistible. My thoughts drifted to the way he looked at me, the way his touch set my skin on fire, and the way he seemed to understand me in ways I didn’t even understand myself.

“Is he giving you a hard time?” Olivia asked, concern evident in her voice.

I forced a smile, shaking my head. “Nothing I can’t handle. It’s just… a lot to adjust to.”

Kendall snorted, taking a sip of his drink. “Sounds like a classic power trip to me. Guys like that always abuse their power.”

His words hit me like a slap. I felt a mix of anger and confusion rise within me. Was that what was happening? Was I just another fling? Or was there something more between us? Something real?

I recalled the way he’d bandaged my wrists during the gala, how he’d pressed a gentle kiss on my forehead the day before. How he’d cleaned me up and helped me with my clothes, going on to give me the rest of the day off.

“Not all of them,” I said defensively, surprising myself with the intensity in my voice. “Some of them are just… driven.”

Kendall shrugged, clearly not convinced. “Driven or not, it doesn’t give them the right to make your life hell. He looked like he had a personal vendetta against Caspian, then he took his anger out on you.”

“It’s his company though, he can do whatever he wants,” Mathew added, causing Kendall to roll his eyes.

“Not at the expense of someone else. That’s just wrong. But who am I to question him, he pays my bills.”

The conversation continued, but I found myself tuning out, lost in my own thoughts. I felt a hand on my arm, and I looked up to see Caspian watching me with a concerned expression.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

I looked up at him, grateful for his kindness. I nodded in response, forcing another smile. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he offered me a small, reassuring smile, his voice lowering to a whisper. “If you ever need to talk about you know what, I’m always here.”

I immediately knew what he was referring to, only he knew that I and the CEO were more than we seemed.

“Yeah, Thank you.” I appreciated his concern, but I wasn’t sure if talking would help. My feelings for the CEO were a tangled mess, and I didn’t know how to untangle them without breaking something in the process.

As the night wore on, I tried to push my thoughts of the CEO to the back of my mind, focusing on enjoying the time with my friends. But his presence lingered, a constant reminder of the chaos he had brought into my life.

Maybe Kendall was right. Maybe the CEO was just another power-hungry man who saw me as a challenge to conquer. Or maybe, just maybe, there was something deeper between us, something worth exploring.

Just then my phone buzzed, and my gaze shifted to the screen as I retrieved it from my purse.

It was a message, and my heartbeat quickened as I read it.

MASTER; Tomorrow, my driver will come pick you up. He’ll bring you to my home, be prepared.