The tense atmosphere inside the CDV corporation distracted the employees nearby the CEO's office.
There was a hush silence, everyone subtly waited for the glass door to swing open.
Several heartbeats later, it finally did. The employees turned to their computer screens, feigning to pay attention to what they had previously been doing. However, they kept their ears open.
Click.
Clack.
Click.
Clack.
A woman stepped out. She held her head high, hiding the quiver in her gait. She flipped her hair, pretending to be unfazed by her audience.
All eyes were on her. Every employee she passed by tried to be subtle about the curious glances, but they weren't serious about that.
Once the woman reached the elevator, a few employees started to murmur.
Ding!
The elevator doors opened, allowing the woman to enter. Once she was in, everyone watched with bated breath as the metal doors slid close.
Out of sight, the woman's feigned confidence faded. Her hands trembled, and her shoulders shook. She leaned on the wall, and tears streamed down her face.
It has been heard that the CEO of CDV was straightforward and cold-hearted. He personally interviewed applicants, filtering them thoroughly.
But his way of conducting them was complicated and not for the weak-hearted. It was one of the many things that hindered most people from choosing CDV. However, being hired by the biggest accounting firm was an outstanding achievement for an individual starting from scratch.
Hushed conversations blew up after the woman left.
"Three minutes," one employee whispered to her gossip buddy. The latter shook his head, pulling his seat closer to the other.
"That poor soul. The last one was a minute stronger."
The sound of the elevator dinging and the doors slowly sliding open hushed the last traces of whispered conversations regarding the woman that had just left.
A different woman came in, swaying her hips while flexing her elegant white dress. She smiled ambiguously at the employees, not caring what they thought, although she had an impression of what they were.
She headed straight for the CEO's office, smacking her lips before pulling a charming smile. Her blonde hair danced behind her slender figure.
"Knock, knock! I'm coming in," she announced, not waiting for a response from the other side.
Having welcomed herself inside, the woman was greeted with a stone-cold stare. The owner leaned against his leather seat, folding his arms over his broad chest.
An unopened pen sat on top of his left ear, and the stack of folders in front of the man told the lady she wasn't welcome at all.
Ignoring his cold demeanor, the woman made herself comfortable, sitting on the cushioned seats available.
"Oh, come on, Collin," the lady clicked her tongue, crossing her legs and mimicking Collin's folded arms. "We've been friends for a long time. How come you're still salty about our past?"
"We have no past, Emery," Collin replied flatly. He gestured at the door. "Get out before you truly piss me off."
"Ooh, scary," Emery replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I won't be long. I just came by to check on you. How's Faye?"
Collin took the pen by his ears and tapped its end on the desk.
"If you're so concerned about her welfare, why don't you ask her yourself?"
Emery snorted, pressing her fingers on the armchair of the seat, and got herself back to her feet. She pulled a brown envelope from her purse, sliding it on Collin's desk.
"You should watch your back, Collin. You never know when she'll stab you from behind. Consider this a warning from a concerned friend."
Tapping the brown envelope twice with her fingers, Emery flipped her hair and turned to leave. She paused by the door and glanced at the man.
The latter didn't move. He stared at Emery, waiting for her to disappear from his sight.
"A piece of advice? Stop scaring the applicants, Collin. You need loyal people working for you. You won't find them if you keep being grouchy. Tata!"
Collin scoffed, his eyes lingering on the brown envelope on his desk. His curiosity dulled his logic for several seconds before he grabbed it.
He let it stay in his hand before getting on his feet and inserting the envelope inside the shredder.
Collin knew Emery's hatred toward Faye knew no bounds. She had consistently sent him reports from the private investigator she hired to follow his fiancé around.
He had a one-night stand with Emery; the latter had her issues and latched onto Collin. She presumed that what happened between them was the start of something.
But for Collin, it was simply that and nothing more. Unfortunately for him, Emery had resorted to attacking Faye in the hopes of winning him over if she successfully found some deep, dark secret.
While watching the envelope's contents getting shredded, a vibration from his device grabbed his attention.
The man got his phone out, squinting at the unknown caller id flashing on his screen.
Picking up the call, Collin waited for the caller to introduce himself.
"Hello, is this Mister Collin De Vera?"
"Yes, speaking."
"I'm Leila, and I'm calling about Miss Faye Lewis. Are you her guardian?"
"I'm her fiancé."
"I see. Miss Faye is no longer in critical condition. I'm calling from a clinic in Carlisle Avenue—"
Collin was no longer interested in what the woman had to say. He put away his phone and grabbed his coat hanging on the leather seat.
He opened the drawer beside the computer keyboard and fished out his car keys.
Upon leaving his office, Collin dialed his secretary. The in charge answered on the second ring.
"Yes Mister De Vera?"
"I'll be stepping out. If anyone is looking for me, tell them to give me a call."
"How long will you be out, sir?"
Collin glanced at his watch, contemplating.
"Clear my schedule for the rest of the afternoon."
"Alright. I've moved all your important appointments to tomorrow morning. I'll advise the people involved regarding the changes. Is that all, sir?"
"Yes."
The dial tone beeped. Collin stepped away from the desk, putting on his coat as he left his office.
A hushed silence echoed in the workspace. Every employee watched Collin walk past, wondering where he was headed, but no one dared to voice their thoughts.
Most tried to hide and not ogle, but the man's attractive features made it impossible for anyone to resist.
Collin ignored the stares. He rode the elevator and headed straight to the parking lot.
When he got to his car, he wasted no time and drove to Carlisle Avenue. There were a few clinics he knew were located in the area.
Using the name of the person he had talked to with the location on the search bar, it didn't take long for him to find the place.
Stepping on the accelerator, the man arrived at the clinic at the speed of light.
When he walked in, the receptionist and the medical staff with her gasped in surprise. Collin, used to the reaction, approached the two.
"I was informed that Faye Lewis is here."
"Oh! Yes!" the receptionist sang, springing to action almost immediately. "Give me a moment. I'll call Leila."
"I'm coming with you!" her companion chirped, eyeing Collin.
The receptionist and the medical staff disappeared, the latter not wanting to get left behind with the intimidating yet dangerously gorgeous man.
Collin gave the small clinic a quick look around. The permits and certificates proving they were legal were displayed on the wall right beside the desk of the receptionist.
The smell of antiseptic was a little too strong. Collin wrinkled his nose, checking his watch.
A different woman dressed in white scrubs came out of the room. She smiled brightly at Collin.
"Are you Mister Collin De Vera?"
"I am," Collin replied, his tone flat and his eyes cold. Leila tried to maintain the smile and gestured for him to follow her.
"You arrived in time. She's awake now."
The man didn't say anything. He pocketed his hands, piquing the assistant nurse's curiosity.
She tried not to think badly of him. Yet, his cold silence made it difficult.
However, Leila kept the opinion to herself.
"I managed to gather that she was in a car accident. Fortunately, she didn't suffer any fatal injuries. The second person with her, sadly, didn't make it. We reckon that she saved Miss Lewis from suffering the same terrible fate. We sent the dead to the morgue. Her face was so badly injured that it was impossible to identify her. It—"
Collin raised a hand, halting Leila from continuing. The assistant nurse pursed her lips, reluctantly following the command.
She hid her grimace, turned to a corner and ushered for him to enter the patient's room.
When the door opened, the receptionist and the medical staff immediately took their leave. Faye Lewis sat on a surgical bed.
A bandage was wrapped around her head. When she caught sight of Collin, she stared at him longer than necessary; her brows were knitted in confusion.
As far as Collin could gather, there was something different about her, the odd look she gave him made his heart pound and his muscles tense.
"Who are you?"