Nora's footsteps halted, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
"Is there something you want, Mr. CEO?" she asked with a playful smile, her expression feigning innocence.
"It's nothing major. I just wanted to invite you for a cup of tea. From a certain perspective, our company did make you misunderstand, didn't it?" Dominic raised his brow slightly.
This result pleased Nora immensely. This was precisely what she aimed for today—to get close to Dominic.
"If the CEO himself is so gracious, how could I possibly refuse? Please, lead the way."
"Of course."
Dominic led Nora to his office, instructing his secretary not to let anyone disturb them. He had something he wanted to discuss privately with her.
"What's the matter, Mr. Anderson?"
Nora deliberately adjusted her dress, hiking it up slightly as she cast a flirtatious gaze at the man in front of her. She refused to believe there was any man on earth who could resist her allure.
"Like Felix mentioned earlier, we're assisting you in gathering information." Dominic spoke as he typed away on his computer.
"You're being vague again. Shouldn't a task as simple as that be left to your subordinates? What's the point of having a CEO handle it personally?" she challenged, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Dominic paused, stood up, and slowly approached her, flashing a mischievous smile.
"Then, what would you like me to say, Miss?"
Nora didn't shy away. She grabbed Dominic's tie and yanked him close, forcing his face to hover inches from hers. Their noses almost touched as she whispered softly.
"With just the two of us in this room—one man and one woman—what do you think I should be thinking right now?"
Dominic feigned innocence. "As I said, I'm just here to help you find information about your boyfriend. I have a deep disdain for people who 'bite the hand that feeds them.'"
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really."
"Then go ahead and keep looking! Make sure you find him!" she teased before releasing his tie and retreating to the guest chair, crossing one leg over the other.
"Don't let me interrupt, Mr. CEO. Please, continue."
Dominic said nothing and returned to his desk, resuming his paperwork instead of searching for the fictitious "Etham."
As for Nora, she sipped her tea casually, watching him with growing interest. The man across from her was proving to be more intriguing than she'd initially thought.
About thirty minutes later, she broke the silence.
"Have you found the information yet?"
Dominic merely smiled without responding.
Seeing his cold demeanor, she moved closer.
Nora brushed the documents off the desk and boldly climbed onto it, leaning forward with her arms wrapped around Dominic's neck.
"Mr. Anderson, don't you think the air conditioner in this room is a little too cold?" Her eyes glimmered seductively. At that moment, she looked every bit like a hunter, while the man sitting before her seemed like prey.
Dominic remained silent, picking up a file and keeping his eyes on it. However, he didn't reject her intimate advances.
"Mr. Anderson?" Nora whispered softly, pulling down the strap of her dress ever so slightly.
But just as her dress was about to slip off, Dominic's hand darted out to stop it. He swiftly lifted her off the desk, leaning in close to murmur in her ear:
"You seem to be in quite a mood, huh? Just broke up with your boyfriend, and now you're in another man's arms?"
"Who is this 'other man' you're talking about, Mr. Anderson?" Nora teased, eagerly anticipating hearing him say, *It's me*.
"Oh, and don't call me 'Miss' or 'lady' anymore. My name is Nora, Nora Miller," she added.
"I'm genuinely curious, Miss Miller. How does it feel to find out your boyfriend cheated on you?" Dominic's voice dripped with curiosity.
Nora's heart skipped a beat as the image of Anna and Elias in the hotel room flashed in her mind. Her hands and feet began to tremble slightly. She pinched her thigh discreetly to regain her composure. She couldn't afford to lose her footing in front of Dominic.
"Don't call me Miss Miller; just call me Nora. After all, you're only ten years older than me. Calling me that makes us sound so distant," she said, her smile curving sensuously as she wrapped her leg around Dominic's waist.
"You're in quite the mood, I see."
"Of course! Standing in front of such a handsome and capable man like you makes 'Etham' nothing more than a name!" Nora gently placed her finger on his lips, silencing him.
She leaned closer, wrapping her arm around his neck, and whispered in his ear.
"You and that scumbag are worlds apart. How could anyone compare you two? He's just a useless employee with no real talent, and his morals are at the bottom of society. But you're the complete opposite—a successful, good-looking man, running a huge corporation by the age of thirty, and known to be incredibly loyal. Tell me, how could anyone possibly compare?"
"Alright, enough with the act," Dominic said suddenly, pushing Nora away and standing up to brush off his suit.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"There's no 'boyfriend' here. You never had a boyfriend named Etham. Everything was just a story you made up!" Dominic calmly sat down where Nora had been, casually picking up his teacup. He had seen through her tricks a long time ago!
"That was just a cover story, wasn't it?" Dominic continued.
Nora eyed the man before her, raising a brow slightly. *Wisdom comes with age*, indeed!
"When did you figure it out?" she asked, not bothering to deny it.
Dominic sipped his tea quietly without answering.
"No wonder you're the CEO of Anderson Corporation. Now I see how you managed to build such an empire single-handedly. Your vision is truly remarkable."
Nora smiled, readjusting her dress before taking a seat opposite Dominic. Her posture was much more proper than before.
"How old are you, Miss Miller?" Dominic suddenly asked.
"I'm twenty, a sophomore in communication studies. We already met earlier this morning—at the hotel."
"I know. But Miss Miller, don't tell me you did all of this just to get an interview with me. You're a second-year communication student?"
Nora laughed at his perceptiveness. The man in front of her was a real fox. There was nothing he couldn't see through.
"Yes, this has nothing to do with my major."
"So it's a personal matter then," Dominic said, chuckling softly.
"You're a smart man. Surely, you've figured out why I'm really here, haven't you?"
Nora's gaze turned sultry again, her fingers tracing the rim of her cup as her eyes locked onto his.
"Miss Miller, do you know?"
"Know what?"
"Those photos you edited are laughably obvious. Anyone could see they're fake with a closer look. Do you think someone who does such sloppy work would be worth my time?"
Nora was momentarily speechless. The man in front of her was infuriatingly sharp! Hadn't those photos fooled his entire staff?
"Stay calm, stay calm," she told herself.
She raised her eyes to meet his, locking gazes with Dominic.
"That's not necessarily true. If you didn't care, why did you invite me up here, Mr. Anderson?"