Ivy stepped into the elevator, assuming it was empty. "Finally, some peace," she thought, exhaling. But the second she looked up, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
There, standing before her, was a man, a man so gorgeous, so impossibly handsome, that she thought she might have entered a parallel universe. A masked man!!!
"Am I still breathing?" Ivy thought, her brain malfunctioning as her cheeks turned crimson. This man could be a Greek god, or at least the star of her wildest dreams.
And those shoulders! What was he hiding under that suit? Six-pack? Eight-pack? Twelve-pack?! She almost giggled.
Then, her fantasy came crashing down when his face twisted into a frown, a deep frown, like she had just insulted his entire ancestry.
"Didn't I make it abundantly clear that this elevator is for me only?" the man growled, his voice dripping with annoyance.
Ivy blinked. Twice. She wasn't sure if she was more offended by his tone or the fact that he interrupted her mental swooning.
"Oh, and that gives you the right to shout at someone like they're a lost puppy?" Ivy snapped back, crossing her arms.
"I don't care how rich you are, you don't talk to people like that. And, just because you're tall and insufferably attractive doesn't mean you can treat me like some...pet!."
She whipped her head around, her chin lifted in defiance. "I can't wait to get out of this suffocating—ugh—your precious elevator!"
The man blinked, taken aback. Clearly, he wasn't used to being spoken to like that. His scowl deepened, but Ivy could swear she saw a flicker of surprise in those stunning brown eyes.
"What's your name?" he demanded, his voice cold enough to freeze the air around them.
She gave him the silent treatment. If he thought she was going to tell him anything, he was dead wrong. Instead, Ivy silently chanted the lyrics of "Pink Venom" in her head to block him out. *Strike him like a venomous snake, Ivy...stay strong.*
The elevator finally dinged, and Ivy practically leaped out. But then, she froze.
WELCOME TO THE C.E.O.'S PRIVATE OFFICE
Her stomach dropped as if she'd just been punched. "Wait. This is the CEO's office?" She turned slowly, horror dawning on her as she met the man's furious gaze again. "No...no, no, no, no, no. He is the CEO?"
He smirked, clearly enjoying the realization washing over her. "Get her out of here," he ordered the security guards who materialized like ninjas.
Before Ivy could protest, she was escorted out, and next thing she knew, she was standing outside the building. Again.
She glared up at the Spring Entertainment building, fists clenched.
"Oh, this is not over, buddy. I'll be back, and when I am, you won't even see it coming."
She wiped away a frustrated tear and paced, plotting her return.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. Delivery girl!
Ivy sprinted to the nearby delivery store where she worked part-time, grabbed a uniform, and hopped onto a delivery bike. "Ivy, where are you going?" Xia, her co-worker, called after her, but she zoomed off before he could finish the sentence.
Pedaling furiously back to the company, Ivy couldn't help but hum the chorus of "Love is Gone" as she dodged a speeding car.
"Whoa! Chill, Fast & Furious!" she shouted at the reckless driver, shaking her fist.
Arriving at the company, she confidently strutted toward the security desk in her delivery get-up.
"I'm here to deliver flowers... for the CEO," she said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.
The security guards, clearly not the brightest bulbs in the box, let her through without question even though they look amused.
"Nice try, C.E.O. I'm Ivy, and I always win!" she whispered under her breath, doing a victory dance in her mind.
Once inside, she hurried to the restroom, peeled off her delivery outfit, and transformed into her corporate look. Checking her reflection, she gave herself a pep talk: "We're getting that job, Ivy. And we'll avoid that grumpy C.E.O. like the plague. This building's big enough, he'll never find us."
With renewed confidence, she strolled to the receptionist.
"Hi, I'm here for the interview."
The receptionist, barely glancing at her, directed Ivy to an elevator.
"Take the left one with the 'C' on it."
Ivy smirked after turning away. Piece of cake.
Inside the interview room, nearly thirty candidates were seated, anxiously clutching their resumes. Ivy settled in, mentally preparing herself.
"We can do this, Ivy. Just smile and stay calm."
Then she saw him. Him. The C.E.O. The same man from the elevator, her worst nightmare. He was sitting calmly, conducting interviews like nothing had happened earlier.
Of all the people in the world, why does it have to be him?! Ivy thought, her nerves skyrocketing.
"Next!" called a voice, and it hit her she was next.
Ivy stood, legs slightly wobbly, and marched into the interview room.
"Calm, cool, collected. We can still do this". She chanted internally.
The C.E.O. glanced at her resume. "Xu Xiao?" His eyes narrowed slightly as if recognizing the name.
Ivy held her breath. "Please don't be him...please don't be him..." She said quietly in her mind.
He smiled, a slow, almost wicked smile and Ivy wasn't sure if he was amused, intrigued, or about to destroy her chances at landing this job.
"Miss Xu Xiao,let's see what you've got," he said smoothly.
And that's when she knew there was no escaping this man.