The moment Stella heard the familiar voice, everything seemed to freeze. The scent that followed it—a refreshing, unmistakable fragrance—flooded her senses, the same one that had lingered around Weston every night they spent together. She lowered her head, refusing to meet the man’s gaze. After being pushed away, she steadied herself against the wall, keeping her eyes on the floor as she moved forward, determined to leave.
But the secretary had other plans. She grabbed Stella’s wrist with a vice-like grip and yanked her back toward Weston.
“Apologize to Mr. Ford!” she demanded loudly, pulling Stella closer to him.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Ford! She’s new here, still a bit clueless. Come on! Apologize!” the secretary urged, her tone desperate.
Weston didn’t even glance at Stella. His expression remained cool as he adjusted his collar, his white shirt flowing elegantly down his torso, tied loosely at his waist. He exuded a noble, almost untouchable presence that commanded attention, making everyone around him look like they were standing in his shadow—even though he hadn’t moved an inch.
Stella, however, refused to look at him. She kept her gaze fixed on the floor, still too overwhelmed to process what was happening.
“I’m sorry,” she muttered, her voice barely audible as she tried to slip away from the uncomfortable scene.
Her soft voice caught Weston’s attention, and he turned slightly, his broad shoulder shifting toward her. His piercing gaze locked onto her face.
“Wait!” Weston commanded, his voice low but firm. “Lift your head.”
Stella stayed silent, doing everything she could to break free from the secretary’s grip. But the secretary, sensing something was off, leaned in closer and whispered urgently, “How can you be so clueless? You agreed to come here, didn’t you? What’s the point of pretending now? How could you not know what kind of place this is?!”
As the tension in the lobby rose, more men approached, sensing a commotion. They quickly assumed Stella had done something to offend Weston.
“What’s wrong with this place?” one of them sneered. “How can you let a birdbrain like this wander in here?”
The secretary’s forced smile barely concealed her panic. “I’m so, so sorry! She’s new, so she doesn’t know any better. We probably didn’t train her well enough. I’m really sorry! I’ll bring in someone else right away!”
One of the men was far less forgiving. “Too late for that!” he barked, his displeasure clear. “Mr. Ford is here now, and you’ve ruined his mood! We’re here to discuss business. Can you afford the responsibility of delaying our dealings?”
“I am truly sorry,” the secretary said, her face pale with fear. “I’ll take care of this immediately…”
Stella could feel the secretary trembling, and for the first time, she understood how fragile human dignity could be in the face of overwhelming financial power.
“Forget it!” the man snapped, his annoyance growing. He glanced at Weston, who still looked disgruntled, and decided to act in an attempt to please him. The man walked over to Stella, his expression dark.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” he said, his voice dripping with scorn. “You bumped into Mr. Ford, huh? That’s very bold of you!”
Stella remained silent, her fists clenched at her sides, refusing to give the man the satisfaction of a response.
“Oh,” the man whistled, clearly amused by Stella’s defiance. “I see you’ve got a bad temper too!”
“Come on!” he barked. “Lift your head! Didn’t you hear what Mr. Ford said?”
Stella stayed motionless, gritting her teeth in an effort to stay calm. This only made the man more irate.
“Do you want me to teach you a lesson?!” he threatened, rolling up his sleeves. Just as he raised his hand to strike her, a voice cut through the tension, freezing everyone in their tracks.
“Get inside.”
It was Weston’s voice, calm yet filled with an authority that sent chills down everyone’s spine.
“Have you not humiliated yourselves enough?” he added coolly.
In those few words, his presence commanded respect, sending the entire room into stunned silence. The men fell back, visibly rattled by Weston’s unspoken authority. Even the secretary seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Taking advantage of the opening, Stella quickly moved behind the secretary, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t dare look at Weston, but she could feel his gaze following her as she passed. The intensity of it was unmistakable, and she fought the urge to turn around.
She kept her head low as she walked past him, her hands clammy with sweat. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare she couldn’t escape, but at least she was no longer the center of attention. Stella followed the secretary into a reserved private lounge, her emotions a tangled mess.
How had she ended up here? The thought replayed in her mind over and over, but for the moment, she had no answer. She had no idea what was happening or why Weston was involved, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that things were only just beginning.
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