The Wedding Plan

Chapter 14

Sebastian was standing in the corridor. Leaned against the wall sipping on his black coffee, he observed Eleanor walking around the office helping everyone, always with a smile on her face, even though she was tired. He could see clearly that she was overworking herself.

Someone would call her name and she would get up in a heartbeat with a smile on her face, and she sat beside her co-workers until they didn't need her assistance anymore. He only watched for a few minutes, but while he was watching her, several people asked for her help and she never complained, not once.

Eleanor raised her head, and her eyes interlocked with his. She didn't have to look for him; she was already feeling his gaze on her for a while, making her shiver.

She walked towards him. To everyone's surprise in the office, since usually people didn't approach him in such a nonchalant way. Most of the time he didn't even care to leave his office, let along talk with the other workers.

'Are you going to stay here long? Making us jealous of your expensive coffee as we drink dirty water?'

'It's not that expensive, nor that good, sadly. And since you think that the coffee here is dirty water, I'll make sure that it gets upgraded.'

'Thank you. That would be appreciated by everyone here. But what are you doing here? Don't you have work to do?'

'I have, too much actually, but I'm bored. You seem tired. Do you care for some coffee? Take a break, drink some with me, good one.' He smirked, throwing his disposable coffee cup into the trash can.

He lied. The coffee was indeed delicious, and it was a waste throwing it away like that. But he would much rather spend some time with her, learning more about her.

Eleanor looked down at her feet. Does my face look that bad? Are the bags under my eyes that big? She worried.

'No,' he said as if he could read her mind, 'you don't look bad, so please don't hide your face from me. Never hide your face from me. I just sensed that you need a break. Come with me.'

They both entered the elevator and Sebastian pressed zero and the descent began while they exchanged uncomfortable looks and awkward, timid smiles.

'Do you still feel that uncomfortable around me?'

Even when she used humor or provoked him, it was clear that she still felt uneasy beside him.

'Last time the both of us were close to an elevator, things didn't go so well.' She had a soft smile as she looked at her feet and tugged a piece of hair behind her ear.

'Am I that scary?' he asked with a sigh as he looked at her.

'No. If anything, I find you intimidating, not scary. There's an obvious difference between the two.'

'What's the difference?'

'If I thought you were scary, I would be afraid, and I am not. I'm just nervous. I don't exactly know how to deal with you. I mean... I barely know you.'

Sebastian was still getting used to Eleanor's honesty, as he could not fully comprehend it since most of the people around rarely were honest. Everyone around him walked on eggshells, always afraid of saying the wrong thing and end up on his nasty side. Most people around him were afraid of losing all the perks that come with befriending a billionaire. At least that's what Sebastian always felt from the people around him. He never felt a genuine connection with anyone besides his family.

'I understand.'

'Not to mention that you are the CEO of the company I am working at, and you can't deny that we are in odd circumstances. I don't trust you. Yet.'

'Right. But don't look so frightened. I don't bite.' He smiled in a way that told otherwise. 'And yet you agreed to go to a wedding overseas with someone you don't trust.'

'I'm hoping that you can solve that before we leave for the wedding.'

She tried to be bold and play the same game as him, but her blushed complexion did not help her accomplish that.

'I'm the one who needs to solve this?' he frowned.

'Of course. You are the one who needs me.'

'I know. You keep reminding me of that.'

He glanced at her with a dazzling smile, dancing on his lips as he teased her. Indeed, I do need you. He thought to himself.

As for Eleanor, she was way too conflicted about him. Sebastian came across as pretentious, and that annoyed her. He was a handsome and powerful man and that intimidated her, but he was hiding himself and that made her curious, which was dangerous.

Curiosity was always the thing that moved her in life. It was curiosity that made her an outstanding student and a good professional; it gave her an insatiable thirst for knowledge, which kept her learning more and more things, bettering herself every day. When she was curious about something, she dedicated herself to it.

That's part of the reason she said yes, even though she wasn't aware of it. She was curious about him, and this mess was an opportunity to understand him.