The CEO and Fate✔️

Chapter 5

I stomped onto the elevator, angered that without even trying, the two troublemaking CEOs had already put their noses in my business. Without even meaning it, they had gotten me in trouble at work. Zane had little tolerance for mess ups. He had that in common with my mother.

I pressed the floor for the cafeteria, and then angrily tapped my foot as I waited for it to take me down.

The soothing music did nothing to take away my nerves.

They just couldn't help themselves, could they?

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. I stepped out, and was immediately greeted with the cafeteria—a floor entirely dedicated to food of all kinds. Salad bars, fruit bars, Chinese bars, margarita bars, it was all there.

I stared at it with an open mouth. Zane was so rich that he made an entire floor of his international headquarters a cafe? How American of him.

I started walking to the long line of refrigerators that I could only hope that one held his lunch. But on the bright side, if there was leftover cake, I didn't think anybody would notice if an extra slice went missing.

I opened the first fridge. It was stocked to the brim. How the hell was I supposed to find his salad in here?

"—oh I was in awe. Like, what would he be doing here?"

My ears perked. I tried to keep going through the food, but my mind told me I very barely knew that voice. And I was still young and dumb. I loved gossip. I kept listening as I rummaged through the food.

"I knew I just had to follow her down to the lobby and find out for myself, to tell you guys, of course?" The voice swooned. "When I got down there, there he was. And my God, his muscles were practically bursting from his shirt! I watched them argue, and heard something about a CEO, but then he left as soon as he came. I have no idea who he is, but I would give anything to find out."

I frowned. Was that the girl that had said that me and Jake would make cute babies?

My face twisted with disgust.

"Wait!" A male voice shouted suddenly. "Was he blond with cheekbones that could slice through butter?"

My mouth fell open. Unable to only eavesdrop any longer, I turned away from the fridge to see who the hell had just said that.

There were slews of metal tables and chairs littering the cafeteria floor. Surprisingly, they were all empty at 2 in the afternoon, except for one. Three people sat crowded around a table cradling cups of tea.

That was the girl from before. Crap, what was her name? I only remembered yelling at her.

She nodded. "Sounds right."

A male jumped up from his seat. "I know who that is!" He exclaimed. "That's Jake Hill! He's the CEO of Crimson, the tech company that merged with ProGo. Oh my God, Haley! I can't believe you got to stand in his presence. How did you not drop your underwear the minute you saw him?"

Haley smiled nervously. "Shut up, Henry. We were in public. Besides, he was there for a different girl."

"What? Who was the lucky bitch?" The male demanded.

My eyes widened. I tried to turn around and disappear behind the refrigerator door as fast as possible, but I wasn't quick enough. My eyes connected with the girl's and it was game over.

Haley immediately pointed at me. "Her."

The other two men turned. Their jaws went slack at the sight of me.