Chapter 2 A New Friend Request

Gabriela's table sat far from Wesley's, leaving her clueless about the hushed conversation happening across the room. She remained blissfully unaware that the man she'd encountered in Room 1205 last night hadn't been Brenden, but Wesley.

Watching Brenden wave his arms around, animatedly chatting with Wesley, Gabriela's nerves were shot.

Her pulse thudded in her ears, half-terrified she'd be recognized, but even more rattled by the fear that Brenden-the company's infamous flirt-might let something slip right in front of Wesley. She couldn't focus on a single thing all day, her thoughts spiraling with unease.

By some miracle, the day passed without incident, and the retreat wrapped up without drama.

When the company shuttle arrived to pick everyone up, Gabriela found herself lagging behind, every muscle in her body still aching from the intense lovemaking of the previous night. Moving stiffly, she ended up boarding last.

Aubrey spotted her and waved. "Gabriela, over here!"

The bus fell into a sudden hush. Wesley's voice broke the silence, laced with impatience. "Is there really nowhere else for her to sit?"

Gabriela froze mid-step, her nerves jolting. Why was Wesley on the shuttle bus? Was that sharp tone directed at her? Was he annoyed she was holding up the line?

She was only an intern-surely the CEO didn't care where she sat.

She darted a glance toward the front. A gorgeous woman was already halfway into the seat beside Wesley, her cheeks flushed with hope. Wesley met her eyes with an icy stare and jerked his chin toward the aisle, clearly dismissing her.

A soft sigh escaped Gabriela when she figured out Wesley's words weren't meant for her.

The woman shrank back, mumbling an apology before awkwardly squeezing into the row next to Aubrey-nabbing Gabriela's intended seat in the process.

With a scowl, Aubrey remarked, "That spot's for my friend."

The woman shot her a sharp, irritated look. "What? Does your friend's name come engraved on the seat? This shuttle belongs to the company-when did your friend get an exclusive spot in here?"

Aubrey's jaw snapped shut, her glare smoldering with outrage.

Only one seat remained-right beside Wesley. For a split second, Gabriela thought about fleeing the bus and blowing her savings on a cab ride home.

But Wesley's gaze pinned her in place, his expression thunderous. "Well? Are you sitting down or not?"

Gabriela froze, completely thrown off.

Was he really getting irritated just because she hesitated?

With everyone else watching-some barely hiding their jealousy, others shooting her looks of sympathy-Gabriela finally took the seat next to Wesley, her heart pounding in her chest.

A tense silence followed, until Wesley leaned over and inquired, "Do I really look that intimidating?"

Gabriela silently agreed with every word, though she'd never dare admit it.

She might have been hopelessly smitten, but at this moment, Wesley's expression was all sharp angles and stern authority.

If she spoke her mind, she'd probably be out of work before the week was over.

Instead, she mustered her brightest, most ingratiating smile and met Wesley's inscrutable stare. "Not at all, Mr. Moss. It's honestly an honor to sit with you."

Wesley's posture loosened a fraction. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and projected a chill so strong it could frost the windows.

Gabriela sat frozen with anxiety, trying not to fidget.

Luck really wasn't on her side.

She'd recently discovered her boyfriend was cheating and lost her virginity in a drunken blur. Now she was riding home beside the CEO himself, tense as a violin string, counting every minute until this ride finally ended.

The second Gabriela set foot outside the shuttle, she filled her lungs with the crisp morning air. For a brief, blissful moment, life seemed a thousand times brighter now that Wesley was nowhere in sight.

Aubrey fell into step beside her, practically bouncing with curiosity. "Tell me-what was it really like sitting next to Mr. Moss?"

Gabriela's expression didn't budge as she answered, "Like a naughty child caught in the act."

Blinked in confusion, Aubrey pressed. "Why?"

Gabriela let out a theatrical sigh. "Because I wouldn't dare move an inch!"

A look of pure sympathy washed over Aubrey's face. Without another word, she suddenly hurried off, casting Gabriela a glance so mournful it was almost comical-like she'd just seen something terrifying.

Gabriela frowned, tempted to call after her, but something on her phone caught her attention-a new friend request on WhatsApp from a bizarre jumble of letters. Figuring it was just spam, she declined it without a second thought.

Almost instantly, the same friend request reappeared. This time, there was a message attached. "You left something behind."

Gabriela racked her brain, trying to remember if she'd actually forgotten anything. As far as she could tell, nothing of hers was missing.

She nearly brushed off the message, but then a jolt of panic shot through her.

What if she had forgotten something in Brenden's hotel room last night?

Her stomach dropped. That would be a disaster.

Was this friend request actually from Brenden?

With her nerves on edge, she hit "accept" and typed, "What do you want?"

Almost ten minutes dragged by before a reply finally popped up. "Teaching you, naughty girl, a good lesson."

Gabriela's heart skipped a beat.

Had Brenden heard her venting about Wesley earlier? That would explain why Aubrey had made such a hasty getaway.

But what truly unsettled her was this odd tone-the person on WhatsApp felt less like Brenden and far more like Wesley himself.

That couldn't be right, could it?

Gabriela raked her fingers through her hair, half-laughing at her own paranoia. Clearly, she was just being ridiculous.

Without overthinking, she hurriedly typed out a message. "About last night-it was all just a mistake, Mr. Saunders. Let's put it behind us, all right?"

The moment she sent it, dread washed over her. That sounded way too blunt. Panic-flushed, she yanked the message back and tried again. "When would be a good time for me to come by and collect my things?"

Meanwhile, in the CEO's sleek office, Wesley sat behind his imposing desk. His jaw tightened as he read Gabriela's text. Each keystroke came down cold and deliberate. "You actually thought I'm Brenden?"

Gabriela could practically hear the tension crackling in the silence, picturing him grinding his teeth on the other end of the line. Her stomach twisted itself into knots as she responded, "Aren't you?"

The screen stayed stubbornly blank. Nothing came back.

Was Brenden just messing with her this whole time, and now that she'd caught on, he was pissed off?

That was funny. If anyone had the right to be pissed off, it was definitely her.

These situations always ended up with the woman taking the fall, every single time.

If she had even an ounce of true courage, she'd be striking back, going after Brenden with no mercy. Losing her job? So what?

But deep down, she wasn't really that fearless.

Gabriela forced herself to swallow her pride and asked quietly, "Mr. Saunders, when would you have time? I need to collect my things."

His reply was frosty and abrupt. "Just wait."

The blunt dismissal left Gabriela reeling, at a total loss.

Wait? But for how long?

With the team-building event over, everyone had left for the day. The shuttle had already dropped them at the office, and her colleagues had all vanished.

Even Aubrey was nowhere to be seen. Gabriela found herself alone in the echoing lobby, the empty space making her anxiety swell.

How long was she supposed to stand here, waiting for a man who clearly had no intention of making things easy for her?