Chapter 94 Who Pays Your Salary
Selena's POV
I really wanted to facepalm.
"Miss Anna has excellent taste," Royce's voice came through the phone clearly, with a hint of amusement. "To reward your good judgment, I've decided to give you a fifty percent raise."
Anna's eyes went wide.
"No... that's not necessary! Mr. Sterling! I..."
"Anna," I cut off her stammering coldly, "if you don't want your entire quarterly bonus deducted, get out of my office right now. And keep your mouth shut."
"Yes! I didn't see anything! Didn't hear anything! I swear!"
The office door closed, and the world was finally quiet.
I picked up my phone. On the screen, Royce was propping his chin with one hand, looking at me with a smile, his eyes practically overflowing with amusement.
"Is this how you treat your loyal assistant?" he teased.
"My assistant, I'll reward her myself," I said expressionlessly. "No need for Mr. Sterling to trouble himself."
"Fine," he shrugged. "So when can we go public with our relationship? I don't want to keep sneaking around like this."
Here he goes again.
"I'm busy. I'm hanging up."
"Wait," he immediately spoke up, his voice taking on a slightly whiny tone. "I've kept my whole day clear just to wait for you."
I saw his office door open, and that assistant with gold-rimmed glasses walked in, placing a document on his desk.
"Boss, this afternoon's meeting with the European bank..."
"Cancel it." Royce didn't even glance at him, his eyes fixed on me through the screen.
The assistant froze.
"But... this meeting is very important..."
"Is there anything more important than my fiancée?" Royce raised an eyebrow.
The assistant's jaw nearly dropped. He glanced at me on the screen, then at his boss, and said with a look of resignation: "No, boss. You're completely free all day today."
With that, he clutched the documents and fled the office.
This man was going to make me laugh despite myself.
"Royce Sterling, are you being childish?"
"I just want to spend more time with you." His voice softened again. "Let's have lunch together, okay? I'll come pick you up."
"I'm busy."
"Then I'll come up to get you."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Watch me."
This shameless man.
I eventually gave in. I didn't want the entire Hart Group to know that their queen was completely helpless against one man's persistence.
I hung up the video call.
--
At noon sharp, I went downstairs.
That black Bentley was already parked in the most conspicuous spot in front of the company.
I opened the door and got in, not even glancing at the person in the driver's seat.
"How about French food? There's a new place on Riverside Avenue..."
Before he could finish, I felt a powerful force.
The next second, everything spun.
When I came to my senses, I was no longer in my original seat.
He had lifted me up entirely and placed me heavily on his lap.
I was completely stunned.
"What are you doing! Let me go!" I struggled, my face instantly flushing red.
There was still a driver in front!
This bastard! Had he lost his mind!
"Don't move." With one arm like an iron clamp, he held my waist firmly, making it impossible for me to move.
His other hand cupped the back of my head.
Then, his lips came down on mine without warning.
"Mmph..."
All my protests were swallowed by him.
This kiss, like the man himself, was full of possessiveness.
I could clearly hear my heart pounding like a drum, and I could feel the almost solidified awkwardness emanating from the driver's seat.
Oh my god.
I wanted to crawl into a hole.
I don't know how long it lasted—long enough that I was nearly suffocating—before he finally released me.
I gasped for air, my lips numb and aching.
I raised my hand and, without thinking, tried to slap him.
But he seemed to have anticipated it and easily caught my wrist.
"Feel better?" he looked at me.
"Royce Sterling, you're insane!" I said through gritted teeth.
"Yes," he actually admitted it. "I'm crazy for you."
He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it gently.
"Selena."
My heart skipped a beat.
"I think I must be crazy too," he looked into my eyes with absolute seriousness. "I want to be your assistant, your bodyguard, drive for you, cook for you—whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."
"As long as I can be by your side."
This man...
He always knew how to use the most direct, most burning words to break down all my defenses.
He cupped my face, forcing me to look at him.
"I won't fall for anyone else, Selena."
His thumb gently caressed my cheek, the gesture impossibly tender.
"Not in the past, not now, and never in the future."
"The only person who can move my heart, from beginning to end, is you."
My heart was completely in chaos.
I could feel my cheeks burning.
I quickly turned my head away, avoiding those burning eyes.
"Smooth talker," I forced out a few words stubbornly.
"Shy now?" he chuckled softly.
He leaned closer, whispering in my ear in a voice only we could hear.
"You were jealous yesterday when you saw that woman clinging to me, weren't you?"
My body instantly stiffened.
I whipped my head back around, glaring at him fiercely.
"Do you want to die?" My voice carried a hint of danger that even I didn't notice.
The smile on his face deepened.
"Okay, okay, I won't say it anymore." He immediately raised his hands in surrender, looking like a big golden retriever trying to please its owner.
"I promise," he raised three fingers, swearing with a serious expression, "from now on, except for you and my grandmother, no female creature will be allowed within three meters of me."
That doting tone made me feel like an unreasonable little girl.
And damn it, I actually enjoyed this feeling.
I glanced at the driver's seat.
That poor assistant was sitting rigidly upright, eyes straight ahead, his whole body tense like a string about to snap.
I thought this job must be quite torturous for him.