Mallory felt her legs begin to wobble and threatening a fall. Anxiety spiralled through her as she continued staring at him.
That was her Wilder - the only man she's ever loved; the father of her kids.
Her heart continued to race heavily as she wondered if she was dreaming. But, she wasn't. Everything was real; Wilder being in front of her was real!
But how was it possible? How was he suddenly in front of her when he's been missing for years? Were his parents the owner of the company? How come she had no idea the whole time? She was losing her mind.
The new CEO - Wilder Pemberton - walked into the shared workspace and stood before the eleven staff.
"Good morning, sir."
"We're thrilled to have you here!"
"Welcome, sir."
They all chorused anxiously.
Wilder didn't bother to look at their faces but turned to the two managers behind him.
"Are these all of them?" He asked, his voice glacial, yet tuneful.
"Yes. They're the one's in charge of this department," One of the managers bobbed his head, but with a frozen inflection.
That was Arlo, and he had been the previous CEO before the arrival of Wilder. Now, he was ranked as a manager.
"Good." Wilder nodded in acknowledgement.
"Wilder?" A faint female voice suddenly called his name. It was Mallory.
Mallory couldn't restrict herself from calling out his name, her heart like a fragile butterfly, wings quivering with anxiety.
The rest of the staff snapped their heads at her in shock. The two people behind Wilder did same. And for Wilder, he equally lifted his gaze slowly at her.
Mallory felt her legs jerk when his eyes settled on her. Her breath hitched and her heart stopped beating. That was her Wilder! Her Wilder!
The staff threw inquisitive stares at her, wondering why she'd addressed him like that. They pondered, but couldn't utter the words.
Mallory's heart fluttered and she made to move out of the table, to run into his arms, but not until she heard him ask: "Did you just call me by my name?"
She froze instantly, his voice being as cold as icicles. Staring into his eyes, she saw how devoid they were of warmth. No, something wasn't right. Why was he giving her that blank look? Didn't he recognize her?
Cleft lines grooved her forehead as her lips wavered to call him again, but the cold expression on his face was muddling.
"I'm sorry, sir. Mallory is one of our hardworking staff and I'm sure she's just overwhelmed to meet you like the others," The second manager chipped in, wearing a cursory smile.
Wilder sighed and looked away from Mallory.
"I'm sure you've all figured out who I am by now," he said to them in general. "I'm Wilder Pemberton, grandson to the Founders of this company. And from now on, I'll be your CEO."
As Mallory watched him speak, tears welled up in her eyes. She's never been so confused, dejected. Or was she mistaken? Was her obsession over Wilder making her think he was her new CEO?
But how could they have the same names? And staring into those familiar blue eyes of his, they shot her a sense of feeling she'd only felt when she was with Wilder. There was no way she could be mistaken. That was her Wilder! Her very own Wilder! Why was he acting like he could not recognize her? What was wrong?
"I hope we can all blend smoothly here. Which one of you is meant to be my P.A?" Wilder asked along his address.
Mallory was lost in thoughts and had no idea the question was meant for her. She was just lost, staring at the face of her ex-husband that was not acknowledging her.
"Mallory," Chloe nudged her with a whisper, jerking her out of her thoughts. That was when the question replayed in Mallory's head.
"Uh...it's...it's me. I'm sorry. I'm your P.A," she stumbled over her words, her lids blinking rapidly and lowering to the floor. It was taking her a lot to keep her sanity in place.
Wilder stared at her for some seconds, pulling an unsatisfied look.
"I'll decide if you can retain that position or not," he uttered, making Mallory dart her eyes from the floor to look at him.
Huh? He was threatening her position?
"I guess that'll be all for now. See you later," he said in general and began walking away, headed for his office.
"Come on, Mallory!" Arlo called out to her in a husky whisper as he followed Wilder behind.
Mallory knew she was mandated to go after them, but her legs seemed to be frozen.
"Mallory, are you alright?" Chloe asked, touching her shoulder.
"Yeah. You were acting all weird like...like you knew him" Freya added.
Mallory blinked back her tears and sniffed. "It's nothing. I was just... confused."
Picking up her bag, she left without sparing them another glance. And instantly, she could hear them talking and singing praises about him.
She dropped her bag on her desk which was just in front of the CEO'S office. She had to take in a very deep breath, puff her cheeks repeatedly before proceeding to his office.
She found him there, seated on his executive seat with the two managers before him - seemingly giving him reports. There was a lot to fill him on.
Mallory was rooted at the door, her heart beating rhythmically as her eyes settled on him. It was still like a dream to her - a confused dream.
It wasn't until he glanced at her that she forced her legs to move. But she didn't stop looking at him; she couldn't.
Wilder tried to pay attention to the managers speaking to him, but when he noticed how the young lady stared at him, it got him uncomfortable.
"What's your name?" He asked, making the managers go shut at once. They followed his gaze and it landed on Mallory.
Mallory felt her soul being pierced. Did he just ask for her name? Her Wilder didn't even know her name?
For a while, she was dumbstruck and couldn't arrange the words in her head.
"Uh... her name is..."
"Let her speak for herself, Arlo" Wilder raised his hand at his cousin who zipped up at once.
Then, reluctantly, Mallory muttered: "I'm Mallory Harrington."
Wilder said nothing, his gaze on her unreadable.
Then, she asked. "Don't you... remember me?"
Her voice reverberated with so much pain and betrayal. Wilder's brows scrunched up in perplexity.
"Am I... supposed to know you?" He asked with an unfeigned doubt.
This broke Mallory even more. How can her Wilder not recognize her? Memories of how he used to touch and make her feel loved niggled at her mind immediately. How can he act so differently?
Her next breath came raggedly, she had to drop her teary gaze to the floor.
"How can you not remember me?" She winced. "We were..."
"Miss Harrington, what's wrong with you?" Arlo cut her off in a husky whisper. "You've always been sane. How can you act crazy today of all days? Do you want to lose your job?"
Wilder watched silently.
Arlo's scold had no effect on Mallory, but it was Wilder's oblivion that did. How could she even tell him they were married? How could she explain something so deep when he stared at her with eyes so cold and devoid of emotions? How could she tell him she had kids at home that belonged to him when he didn't even recognize her and made her feel she was a total stranger?
"Are you sure you're fit to be here today, Miss Harrington?" Wilder's voice broke into her head like a sledgehammer, shattering the glass of her thoughts. She didn't look up at him; she couldn't.
"You know, I get comments like this a lot," he scoffed, pirouetting in his chair. "I've met a lot of ladies who claim they know me or have dealt with me in one way or the other. At the end of the day, they just want my attention and money. I don't want to believe my supposed secretary is one of them."
Mallory shot her eyes at him, disbelief shadowing them. How could he compare her to 'those ladies'? How dare he? She wasn't one of those ladies; she was his wife! Although, his parents made her sign the divorce papers, still, they had a deep history together!
She blinked back her tears, praying they don't come spilling out.
"I'm... I'm sorry, sir. I'm just..."
"I guess Miss Harrington is just trying to act funny," Arlo said. "Don't take any of her actions to heart. She's a very diligent worker and I personally recommend her to be your assistant."
"I don't know, that depends," Wilder shrugged. "So far, she's been giving me a bad impression."
Mallory kept her gaze on the floor and said nothing. Then , Arlo resumed his conversation to the CEO to take his mind off her topic.
She battled with her tears and tried to remain calm throughout her stay in the office. She couldn't act crazy in front of him anymore. She didn't want to risk her job.
The rest of the time in the office, Mallory tried her best to remain calm and avoid getting on Wilder's nerves again. Despite how much it hurt her, she forced herself not to look at him and ignore the fact that he couldn't recognize her.Arlo and the other manager filled him in on some urgent issues. Then, they talked about his meeting with the board members happening in an hour. "Has everyone been duly informed and prepared for the meeting?" Wilder asked. "Yes, sir. I made sure to send a reminder email to every one of them yesterday." Mallory replied as quickly as she could, avoiding eye contact with him. She gulped tersely after that. "Get everything set, then."They spent quite sometime in the cozy office, until finally, Wilder dismissed them.The moment Mallory got to her desk, she hastened to the restroom. She wasn't pressed or anything but simply needed an isolated place to cry.Approaching the restroom, her steps became increasingly unsteady. She got into one of the room an
Mallory was already set for the meeting ahead of time. She got ready everything Wilder would be needing - some files and all. The meeting was very crucial as it was his first as the acting CEO. With poise and fitness, Wilder stepped out of his office when it was time. Mallory rose to her feet as quickly as she could, taking the arranged files on the desk into her hands. Wilder didn't spare Mallory's desk a glance as he walked past her, expecting her to follow. Trailing after him, Mallory couldn't help but stare at him as if he were a god. He looked too dashing in his designer suit; too perfect. He used to be hers...When they got to the open workspace, Mallory could tell her colleagues over there already heard them coming as they were seeming too busy and focused on their work. She caught them stealing glances at Wilder as they walked by. The meeting was taking place on the twentieth floor. So, Mallory and Wilder had to make use of the elevator. She stood behind him in the elevat
Mallory was about questioning the lady when the CEO's door opened, revealing Wilder. His presence was abrupt and interrupted the tensed atmosphere.Mallory saw how the strange lady forced herself to composure the moment she saw Wilder. Pulling a smile, she ran to him, her heels clacking hard against the floor."Wilder!" She beamed, giving him a hug.Mallory felt her heart skip a beat. Her throat got constricted and she had to take a very hard gulp. Did she know Wilder? Why was she giving him a hug?Wilder glanced at Mallory before looking away."Safiya," he called, pulling away from the lady's hug. "What are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were coming.""Seriously?" The lady chuckled, walking her hand on his chest. Mallory could see so much obsession and lust in her eyes. "Do I need to call the love of my life before showing up at his office?"Mallory couldn't stop the shock from reflecting in her eyes as she watched them, even Wilder noticed. Who was she to him? There was no w
Ronan had a bright smile on his face as he stared at the love of his life. He was the very picture of understated elegance.He was dressed in a plain black trouser that clung to his tall lean frame, with his crisp white long-sleeved shirt tucked into it. He had rich sleek hair that fell in thick waves, just enough to be ruffled by a playful breeze. And his face was perfectly sculpted to charm it's way into the heart of anyone.Man was facially and financially handsome.Mallory's heart summersaulted in her chest as he advanced towards her. Her hands turned damp from sweat.Everyone was present. Her grandma, her kids, Isla, and two of Ronan's friends. Although, Isla had a glum on her face. Her grandmother looked the happiest.Her breath caught up in her throat when Ronan got close enough and went down on one knee. God, no! Not now.His eyes, a deep and soulful
Ronan had his hand wrapped around Mallory's wrist as he walked her out of the house and stopped in front of his car. He let go of her wrist, inserted his both hands into his side pockets and darted his eyes around, taking a deep breath.Mallory felt a quickening in her chest. That gesture of his. He was definitely angry.She stayed quiet and just watched him for a long minute until he was finally able to pull himself together."Sorry about all of this." He finally said, his eyes on the ground. "I should've... I should've done this in private, maybe. You wouldn't be exchanging words with your grandma right now.""Stop blaming yourself, okay?" She spoke soothingly. "My grandma has always been like that, not just because it's you. And I'm sorry I turned down your proposal. I'm just not ready right now...""Hey, it's fine." He reached for her hand. "You don't need to explain anything. I should've waited, and I'm ready to keep waiting."Mallory had a heart-thumping moment right there. Was
Krester aggressively uncorked the wine bottle, swiftly filling a glass with it's crimson contents. He grabbed the glass and almost emptied it into his mouth. "Careful, Krester. Don't forget we still have work tomorrow." Kreeya reminded, resting her head on the bar counter which was just beside the living room. "Oh, fuck it. Fuck work. Fuck the company." He emptied the last content in his glass and reached for more. "Frankly speaking, I hate that I'm a part of this family.""Watch your tongue, Krester. The Pembertons are the most powerful family at the moment. Do you have any idea the thousands praying to be in your position?" Their mother scolded him, showing up in the living room and walking towards them. Krester rolled his eyes halfway and swigged from his glass. In no time, Valerie was with them, but didn't sit. "I understand things aren't going your way right now. But that's the point. Nothing good comes easy." She added. "Well, having a sane grandmother would have made t
The following morning, Mallory got the kids ready for school, and herself ready for work, as usual.She had breakfast with the kids in the room because she didn't want to sit with Heather at the dining and listen to her nags.Done with the kids, she proceeded out of the house but was greeted by Ronan's familiar car parked some feet away.Mallory paused to throw a keen look his way. Good lord! Why was he there so early?He was robed in a plain white curve-hugging shirt, which was tucked neatly into a pair of black tailored pants. His relaxed hair had a sheening texture. And man, he looked handsome.Mallory advanced forward and stopped in front of him."Good morning, uncle Ronan," Cassius and Lyra chorused happily."Hey... look at these cute pumpkins," Ronan leaned over, enough to tousle their hairs with his fingers.They giggled."Hi." Mallory tucked some strands of hair behind her ear. "Seems you're getting fond of coming over without informing me lately," she added a subtle chuckle.
Getting into the company, Mallory hurried pass her colleagues' place because she wasn't in the mood to fake laughter and smiles. She knew they'd definitely question her about it, and perhaps, she'd be ready for that time.She reached her desk and glanced at Wilder's office to know if he was there yet. Able to spot him from the large, glass-made transparent door, she confirmed he was in.She exhaled deeply, preparing herself to go meet him.She'd be lying if she said it wasn't difficult, addressing her ex-husband like her boss. A man she had been waiting on her whole life.She went for the door, knocked and walked in when he answered.He was there on his seat, an aura of authority surrounding him. His suit jacket was casually draped over the arm of his chair, leaving him in his crisp white shirt, elegantly tucked into his sleek black trousers.It was undeniable that he exuded an undeniable handsomeness. Good lord! Mallory was almost tempted to run into his arms. She wanted to lay on hi