Chapter 14


    “It’s not what you think,” It was Bryan who spoke and met Justin’s inquiring eyes. His voice cold and


    detached.


    “And what am I thinking, huh?” Justin’s eyes challenged Bryan’s. The atmosphere suddenly became


    tense. Serene felt trapped between two boulders about to sh on each other.


    “Mr. Rain,” Serene finally found her voice. “Mr. Cooper and I knew each other from when I was in


    college. We have not seen each other for quite some time. Let me assure you that there is nothing


    going on between the two of us,” she exined in a single breath.


    She’s not sure if the person in front of her believed her because the moment she opened her mouth to


    exin, the darker his expression became. “I’ll go ahead first, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Rain,” with that she


    hurried forward to the direction where she parked her car, not even waiting for either of them to


    respond.


    Not daring to look back, she quickened her pace. She did not want to be in this ce any longer. “I


    don’t want to be involved in your lover''s quarrel,” she muttered under her breath.


    The following day, Serene had summoned all her strength to pull herself out of the bed and go to work.


    This is the first time in the two years she’s been with Rain International that she felt like dragging


    herself to work. She did not want to see Bryan. “I am just a small first level leader. My work does not


    need direct interaction with him and his husband” she repeated this several times like a mantra.


    At work, Serene exerted extra effort in making sure that everything went smoothly. Since she made


    quite a blunder these past days and it has already upset her superior. She wanted to make sure that


    she redeemed herself today.


    Everything was working well until towards the end of the day when she got suddenly summoned to go


    up to the CEO’s office.


    “What is it this time?” she quietly asked under her breath.


    N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.


    While in the elevator, her heart raced. Recalling the previous day’s urrence, she became anxious.


    She left conference room so suddenly she must have left a negative impression.


    Caught with her internal turmoil, the chime of the elevator showing that she arrived at her designated


    floor startled her.


    She approached the receptionist and informed her that the CEO called her. The receptionist politely


    asked for her name and ushered her to the CEO''s office.


    The minimalist office was spacious. The monochromatic color scheme perfectly matched the owner’s


    personality. “You can take a seat first. Mr. Rain is just wrapping up a meeting. He will be with you


    shortly,” she gestured for her to sit on the sofa which Serene obediently followed.


    She sat there like a student called in the principal’s office. She did not dare make any sudden


    movements lest she’d get punished.


    She almost jumped up from her seat when the door opened. Justin strode in the room, eased the


    button of his coat, then directly sat to the chair directly opposite hers. His moves were swift yet elegant.


    With his legs crossed, and his fingers tapping his knee, he took his time to look at her like a predator


    nning how to attack his prey.


    Looking at his expression, she swallowed her saliva. The coldness she felting from him added to


    her nervousness.


    “Mr. Rain,” she began, mustering her courage to look him in the eyes. “About what you saw in the


    basement parking yesterday, although it might look like there’s something going on between Mr.


    Cooper and myself, I like to assure you, that everything between us is all in the past --"


    “in the past?” he cut her off. So they have a past. His face turned colder as he thought about it.


    His steely voice sent shivers down her spine. His interruption took her aback. She cannot help but cock


    her head to gaze at him. “He doesn’t recognize me?” She inwardly asked. With slight confusion etched


    on her face, she responded, “Yes, it is all in the past.”


    “What did you mean in the past? What was your rtionship with Bryan Cooper?” His voice raised a


    little and his brows met at the middle of his forehead, creating wrinkles in his otherwise immacte


    face. His irritation was obvious as his fingers tapped his right knee.


    She swallowed her saliva again. She felt her throat suddenly dry up. “Bryan was my boyfriend when I


    was in college. We broke up a few months after my graduation.” She went straight to the point and just


    dished out the facts.


    She furrowed her brows a little as a thought urred to her. "Did he know he had a girlfriend back


    then?" She smirked at the thought that this imposing person in front of her had so shamelessly stolen


    her boyfriend.


    She cleared her throat and tried very hard to make her voice sound as detached as she could,


    “However, Mr. Rain, as I have said before, I have no intentions of being a home wrecker. I assure you I


    will not entangle myself with your husband, and I have no inkling of ever being a third party.” She


    emphasized on the ''third party'' then slightly raised her chin. "Unlike you," she added in her thoughts.