Chapter [6]

Chapter 6

Noah.

"How did you..." I began to ask her how she knew so much, but before I could finish my sentence, she cut me off with a confident smile that hinted at her self-assurance.

"I'm a swimmer! Or, in another sense, I used to be a professional swimmer! A worldwide champion, actually," she blurted out, her eyes drifting away as if she were recalling an old, bittersweet memory of her time as a swimmer. The pride in her voice was palpable, but there was a weight to her words that suggested a deeper story.

"Why?!" I narrowed my eyes, intrigued by this sudden revelation. There was clearly something deeper in her words, a complex story begging to be told. I could sense that her past was a mixture of triumph and perhaps regret.

"Why what?" she whispered, still avoiding my gaze. This girl seemed to have a talent for reading between the lines; no one had ever done that with me before! Her ability to capture the nuances of our conversation was both impressive and unsettling.

"Yes, why?" I moved closer, my curiosity intensifying as I leaned in, hoping to catch a glimpse of her thoughts. I wanted to peel back the layers and understand what lay beneath her confident exterior.

She looked straight at me, her gaze piercing into my eyes, as if she were searching for something within me as well. "I miss my old life," she sighed wistfully, her voice barely above a whisper, filled with longing.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn't find the right words. I wanted to ask her so many questions about her life, but I instinctively knew that delving into her past might take a long time and lead to complexities I wasn't prepared for. It felt like opening a door to a room filled with shadows and unanswered questions.

I mumbled to myself, "Why am I so curious about you?" The thought echoed in my mind, a mix of confusion and fascination.

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, a confident smile creeping back onto her lips. "Because I know who you are!" The assertion hung in the air, heavy with implications.

Those words left me with a bewildered mind racing with questions as she turned and walked away. 'Who sent her?! Why does she keep insisting that she knows me?! What did she mean by that?!' My thoughts swirled in confusion, a cacophony of wonder and doubt.

I grabbed her arms, pulling her tightly to my chest. "Who are you really?" I demanded, my voice low and intense, searching for clarity in the haze of uncertainty.

She gazed at my hand, raising an eyebrow in challenge. "I'm the only woman who will accept you and embrace your real identity without fear! Because I want to," she said boldly, her confidence both alluring and disconcerting. Then she released her hands from mine, stepping back to create distance, as if she were testing the waters of our connection. I pulled myself away, trying to make sense of her cryptic words. She was undeniably smart and mysterious, but that only served as a warning to me — I shouldn't trust her completely.

"Where are you going?" I hollered at her, stopping her in her tracks with a sense of urgency that startled even me.

She turned her head slowly, her expression calm yet determined. "To change my clothes; they told me there's a party tonight!" What? She was planning to attend a party with people I knew?! My mind raced at the implications of her decision.

"It's for businessmen and politicians!" I narrowed my eyes, genuinely surprised by her intention to join such a high-profile gathering. The fact that she seemed unfazed by the environment made me both intrigued and wary.

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "So what?! I can still go! I'm your girl!" She winked playfully, then rushed away toward the suite. I couldn't shake the feeling of disbelief. It was as if she were hiding something, and I found myself wondering if fate had truly brought her into my life or if she had orchestrated this encounter all along.

I finished some meetings and fired a few employees who had been underperforming. I made several calls, my mind racing with business matters and concerns. I had completely forgotten about breakfast and lunch, so engrossed was I in my work and the whirlwind of my responsibilities.

Suddenly, Selena stormed into my office, her presence commanding as she placed her hands on her hips, interrupting my meeting with an intensity that was hard to ignore. "So, do you think that I'm a slave?!" she murmured, her tone laced with annoyance and indignation, her frustration palpable.

I widened my eyes, flabbergasted at her sudden outburst. "What?!" I gestured for all my men to leave the room, grateful that there weren't any businessmen present at the moment. Her attitude could have damaged my reputation, and I couldn't afford that.

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, her posture radiating frustration. "I didn't eat anything! I'm starving! If this is the kind of relationship you're talking about, then I would prefer to be single!" Her tone was a mix of frustration and determination, and I could see that she was genuinely upset.

"Why didn't you eat anything?!" I raised my brows, genuinely curious about her outburst. I had never encountered someone so assertive before, especially not in such a personal context. Her honesty was refreshing, but it also caught me off guard.

She huffed, her breath heavy with exasperation. "Having a boyfriend! Living together! This means we should eat together! Sleep at the same time! Take showers together! Shop for groceries with each other! Almost share everything!" she explained, her annoyance palpable and her words striking a chord.

I cleared my throat, taken aback by her view of a relationship. I had never been in a serious one before, but I knew that in my life and in my country, there was nothing like that. Beyond any doubt, she was unique and different from anyone I had ever met, and that made her all the more intriguing.

"I don't know about that!" I said, glaring at her with a plain look, trying to maintain some semblance of authority in the conversation. But deep down, I was beginning to question my own beliefs.

She looked me up and down, assessing me with a critical eye, as if she were trying to gauge my sincerity. "Say sorry."

I shook my head, thunderstruck by her demand. "What?! I never used that word!" The very idea felt foreign to me, as if it belonged to a different world.

"You will! Now! Or I'm leaving," she smirked, her demeanor almost childlike as she huffed repeatedly, as if daring me to challenge her. I could see the determination in her eyes, and it both irritated and fascinated me.

I gritted my teeth, feeling the pressure mount. "Fine! Sorry."

She stepped closer to me, her body mere inches away, placing her arms around my neck and licking her lips seductively. "I like dangerous guys like you. Anyway, see you at the party," she said, her voice a sultry whisper that sent shivers down my spine.

I pulled her back, my heart racing. "What? Are you going alone?! Wait for me!" Panic surged through me as I realized I couldn't let her out of my sight, especially not with the way she seemed to attract attention.

She chuckled, teasing me with a wink as she walked away. "I’m going with another man. See you, handsome!"

'What?! Another man! Who the hell dared to invite her?' I rushed after her, trailing behind like a madman. Thanks to her, I didn't even have time to change into a proper suit! My anger simmered just beneath the surface, mixing with an unsettling sense of urgency.

As I entered the ballroom, I spotted her kissing one of the French businessmen. I kept my eyes on her from afar, feeling a mix of jealousy and frustration boiling within me. Just a few minutes later, I stormed inside the ballroom, my presence commanding attention as everyone bowed their heads in respect. Except for her; she was glaring at me with a big smirk, as if she wanted to convey that she wasn't afraid of me! As if she wanted to show that my wealth and status held no sway over her.

I pulled her hand and pushed the French businessman aside, my irritation boiling over. "Why are you with him?!" I demanded, my voice low and menacing, filled with a fury I could barely contain.

She innocently smiled, teasing me with her response. "I do like him; I like French men!" She turned her back to me, ignoring my presence as she resumed her conversation with him, leaving me fuming.

I gazed at him with a death glare; he trembled and gulped, clearly intimidated by my fury. I pulled her by her waist, leaning in close to whisper huskily, "You are mine! Stay away from him."

She licked my ear, whispering provocatively, "I am not yours, and I like him!"

"Don't make me..." I hollered, then paused, realizing that I might be crossing a line I couldn't uncross.

She laughed hysterically, her amusement ringing in my ears, echoing off the lavish walls of the ballroom. "What?! I told you I hate blood!"

"Who the hell are you?" I groaned loudly with a snort, making all the businessmen nearby stop breathing. Everyone knew my bad temper, and when I looked like that, it meant someone was about to face serious consequences.

"Selena! Is that you?" A familiar voice shouted her name, cutting through the tension like a knife.

"What?! Steven! The son of the most famous Italian ambassador and...?!" I mumbled, almost losing control over my hands. I tightened my grip on her arm until Steven pulled her to him, kissing her cheeks in a friendly manner, completely disregarding the storm brewing in my chest. My heart raced with a mix of jealousy and confusion as I watched them interact, feeling like an outsider in a world I was supposed to control.