FATE - can a person in one lifetime fall in love with the same person twice?

Chapter 16

It was Monday, and we found ourselves in the meeting room with Eden Miller, who appeared entirely unperturbed and was totally himself - acting normal, as if nothing had transpired. His demeanor influenced me to follow suit- to act normal, maybe it wasn't a big deal for him. Standing before us, he delved into the details of the new project, his deep voice commanding attention. With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, he resembled a model, his serious bluish-green eyes captivating our focus. Each word he uttered from his small mouth held authority and allure. "Miss Taylor..."

...The beauty mark above the left corner of his lips seemed oddly familiar...

"Miss Azalea Taylor."

"Yes...! Yes!" Oh my God, I was spacing out. Wait a minute. Why was I admiring him? Yes, I know. His proposal must have short-circuited my brain, and on top of that, he was incredibly handsome. All the girls in this building were crazy about him. Yes, that's right, it's just attraction... and nothing else.

"Don't space out in the middle of the meeting," he said, locking eyes with me. "Concentrate here."

"Yes...!" I mumbled, looking down at my lap. "I...I'm sorry!"

Throughout the meeting, I dared not glance at him, pretending to diligently note the points.

"The meeting is over," he announced, then swiftly exited the room.

I gathered my files and joined the flow of colleagues exiting the meeting room. As I neared my desk, a figure caught my eye—a woman I didn't recognize. She appeared slightly older than me, with fiery red hair, striking green eyes, impeccably dressed in a feminine blue tuxedo, radiating beauty as she headed towards Mr. Miller's cabin.

One she went inside the cabin, turning to Rose, I inquired, "Who's she?"

"She's Mr. Robert Smith's daughter," Rose began, "Elisabeth. Her father and Mr. Miller's uncle are best friends."

"Rumor has it that she and Mr. Miller are childhood sweethearts. Who knows, maybe they'll end up together," Rose added with a knowing smile.

"Oh," I murmured, processing the information before heading back to my desk.

James never mentioned her throughout our discussion. Perhaps he didn't find it appropriate to delve into gossip about his best friend's love life.

If he already had a sweetheart, then why did he propose to me? Yeah, men... People say it's hard to understand a woman, but it's totally the opposite. It's difficult to understand a man. They may love someone else but marry someone else, easily swayed by other women. It's really complicated.

I pushed aside those thoughts and focused on my work. I needed to complete these tasks and head home. Plus, I had to make progress on my book.

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It was past six, and I was still working. Yes, he had made me work overtime today, robbing me of my precious free time. My happy time was gone, I should have known it wouldn't last forever. This man... I swear, I will kill him and I'll get him back someday. I was certain he was seeking revenge again by making me work overtime. I just knew it.

Standing in his office, I tried to gauge his expression, but but I couldn't his expirations were blank and his face was inscrutable as he scanned through my reports.

"Miss Taylor," he finally spoke, still engrossed in the reports. "The project you're working on-I need it by day after tomorrow."

"What?" I exclaimed. "But you said you'd take it on Friday."

"I need it by day after tomorrow," he reiterated, locking eyes with me. "It's urgent."

Urgent, my foot.

"You're acting like this because I didn't respond to your proposal?" I blurted out, instantly regretting the words as they left my mouth. This mouth of mine would be the reason for my death someday.

He rose from his seat, and I instinctively shifted backward. He began to approach me, and panic seized me. I think it's my end today. He was only one step away from me, so I started to move further away, expecting him to halt, but he didn't stop until my back met the cool glass wall behind me. We were mere inches apart, and I could smell his distinct fragrance. Trapped between him and the wall, I could feel my heart racing. He towered over me, his presence overwhelming. He was huge, even in my heels, I barely reached his neck.

I swallowed hard, unable to meet his gaze. I dare not to look into his eyes. My focus fixated on the mole above the left corner of his lips, its allure undeniable. All I could concentrate was the mole, his attractive mole. I resisted the urge to touch it, its presence distracting me to no end. A wave of unease washed over me, a sensation foreign yet somehow familiar. It mirrored the excitement I felt reading erotic thriller novels, yet I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"What are you looking at?" His question jolted me, forcing me to meet his gaze, which was already fixed on me.

"N... Nothing!" I stammered, quickly averting my eyes. I lied through my teeth.

"I saw you. You were staring at me hard during the morning meeting," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone. It was true—I couldn't deny it.

"No, I was just... spacing out," I mumbled, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh, really?" he questioned, but I remained silent.

"I've mentioned this before, but let me reiterate—I'm not interested in any kind of revenge," he stated firmly. "I need that project on my desk by the day after tomorrow. It's urgent."

I nodded and managed to slip away from where I was standing, but he remained facing the glass wall. Grabbing my file, I hurried out of his office and dashed towards my desk. Snatching up my belongings, I rushed to the elevator and only stopped once I was outside the building.

Breathing heavily, my heart thudding in my ears, I tried to make sense of what had just happened. Why was I staring at his mole? I scolded myself, blaming it on those novels I shouldn't be reading, I should stop reading those novels. This had never happened before—I usually had good control over my emotions, but today was different.

As my cab arrived, I sank into the seat. Resting my head back on the seat I let out a loud sigh. All I wanted was to go home and sleep.