Marry Me Again: The New CEO Is My Ex-husband

The chipped steps creaked a familiar protest as twenty-six years old Mallory hurried down them, hearing the giggles of her kids from the living room.

She was fully ready for work - robed in a blue crisp blouse with collars that framed her perfect face. Her blouse was tucked into a curve-gripping black skirt, making her look like the P.A that she was. Her eyes and fingers were on her phone, typing vigorously.

"Mum!"

"Mummy!" The kids chorused as she stepped into the living room. She had been so engrossed in her phone, she didn't even notice she was there yet.

Quickly, she put out her phone as she smiled at the six year olds.

"How're my little monsters doing?" she tousled their hair, beaming a charming smile at them.

"I'm great. Although, I can't say the same for Cassius," Lyra shrugged.

"Silly you. Of course, I'm fine," Cassius nudged her.

Mallory chuckled as she watched them tease each other. Having both of them - male and female - had been her biggest blessing.

She glanced at the small dining table which was at the corner of the snug living room. It was steaming with appetizing meals, and almost immediately, her sister walked in with a pan carrying some fried eggs.

She walked pass Mallory like she was invisible and flipped the egg into one of the empty plates. Dabbing some beads of sweats with her elbow, she left, returning to the kitchen.

Mallory sighed pathetically and took a seat on the old dining. She had already gotten used to her sister's grumpiness.

Her kids were still on their seats, and while they chattered, they ate from their plates. They were already primped up in their school uniforms and had their bags beside their legs. Mallory was mandated to drop them off at school before proceeding to work.

She picked some bacon for herself and while she ate, she returned to her phone, checking out messages from the staff group chat. Everyone at the company was talking about the arrival of the new CEO.

They kept babbling about how handsome and extremely rich he was. According to them, he's been in a foreign country for sometime, handling the family business over there. But he returned the previous day and was going to be the acting CEO in the company Mallory worked. Today was meant to be his first day in the office.

Mallory didn't know much about the owners of the company she worked for. She just knew that Pemberton Synergy was the top company in the country and had respectable ranks in other countries. She considered it a blessing that she had been lucky to get a job with them through the connection of an old friend.

Mallory was actually more nervous because she knew she'd be working directly under the new CEO as she was going to be his P.A. That was the position she'd been assuming under the former CEO. And since there was going to be a new CEO, it was normal for her to continue working as his P.A. Although, she heard the new CEO had the right to change her and give the position to someone else if he wanted. Mallory prayed heavily for that not to happen. She couldn't risk losing that position and hoped she'd get to create a good impression on him.

She was lost in her phone, reading through the fun chats and talks about him. A lot of people said he was very rigid and loved perfection. Some said he was extremely neat and could get anyone fired for being dirty. The descriptions from the people made her really curious to meet him.

The sound of a plate shattering on the floor snapped Mallory out of her thoughts. She looked in shock and discovered Lyra had accidentally broken the plate she'd been feeding with.

"My God! Are you okay?" Mallory gasped, standing up from her seat and pulling Lyra closer. She scanned her eyes around her body for any possible injury. Luckily, there was none.

"You have to be extremely careful, Lyra. You could've hurt yourself," she scolded lightly.

"I'm sorry, mum."

The kitchen door swung open with a bang, revealing Isla, her face etched with concern. But seeing it was just a broken plate, a flicker of annoyance replaced it. She disappeared back into the kitchen without a word.

"Careless brat! You need to be more careful around here 'cause you don't know what it takes to buy one of those," a chilly voice suddenly said.

The words were like daggers, cutting through the air.

Mallory glanced to see her grandmother clumping down the staircase, her usual scowl on her face. In fear, Lyra gripped Mallory's waist, hiding behind her back.

"If you keep breaking such valuables, you might have to start eating from the floor. Do you want that? Huh?" The aged woman taunted.

"Grandma! Can you stop that? It's just a plate," Mallory frowned. Although, she showed annoyance, her heart raced with fear and disappointment. She knew how rude and blunt her grandmother could be with words.

"Just a plate?" She scoffed. "What do you contribute, Mallory? You work your ass off only to pay off your parents' debt. I get nothing from you - nothing! You and your kids are nothing but a burden to me." Kissing her teeth, she slammed into a chair at the head of the table, the force of it making the old furniture groan.

Mallory watched sullenly, her grandmother's words piercing through her heart. Then, tapping Lyra, she urged her to go wash her hands, while she dashed into the kitchen to get a broom.

Her grandmother dished out her food and began eating grumpily. She was a seventy-eight years old woman who had always disagreed with the fact that she was old. Although they were poor, but from time to time, she'd buy some cosmetics to use on her skin. It baffled her granddaughters who couldn't say a thing about it.

Shortly, Mallory returned with the sweeper and got rid of the broken plate on the floor. Then, she returned to the dining to resume eating, noting Lyra was still not back. The poor kid was probably sulking in her room over her grandmother's words.

They ate in silence for a long time until Heather suddenly looked at Mallory.

"Where's your sister? Where's Zara?" She questioned, running her eyes around like she was just noticing her absence.

"I don't know. She hasn't been home for two days now," Mallory mumbled, her gaze focused on her meal. Zara was her youngest sister.

"Seriously?" Heather thumped the table, making young Cassius shudder for a moment.

The way she scared her son angered Mallory so much, but she could only seethe with rage.

"Every one of you wants to put me into trouble, huh? Where's that sister of yours now? She keeps going on and off like a ghost. If she's fed up staying here, she should let me know 'cause I'll gladly throw her things out!" Heather hollered vehemently.

Mallory said nothing, neither did she look at her. Her grandmother's temper was nothing new to her, but she wondered how the old woman could be so hostile towards her own grandchildren. The family was a mess.

"I wonder why your mother had to die and leave you all in my care. You're so difficult to deal with," she mumbled beneath her breath, but Mallory was still able to hear her.

Now, that hurt her really bad. She concluded she was done with breakfast.

"Cassius, go get Lyra. Tell her it's time to leave for school," she instructed.

Humbly, her son took the old staircase that groaned with each step he took.

The house was so old, Mallory feared it might collapse someday.

"Done eating, huh?" Heather asked, glancing at Mallory from beneath her brows.

"Obviously," came the curt reply.

Heather looked around before settling her gaze on Mallory.

"It's a good thing you sent the boy away," she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial tone. "I actually wanted us to talk about you and Ronan. Doesn't he have plans of proposing yet?"

Malloy's heart skipped a beat at the mention of that name. Goodness, she couldn't talk about him. Especially not with someone like her grandmother

"It's nothing, grandmother," she stood up.

"Sit back, Mallory!" Heather ordered huskily.

Feeling hopeless, Mallory returned to her seat.

Heather leaned forward on the table and spoke in hushed tones: "I've noticed you always trying to give him distance, making it seem like you're not interested in him. How can you be so foolish, huh? Ronan is a very rich guy - very rich. And he loves you so dearly. Are you forgetting all the things he's promised to do for us once you get married to him? He's promised to clear all our debts, Mallory, and give us a better life. To make it even better, he loves your children and is ready to accept them as his kids. Your kids will finally have the one thing they've always wished for - they'll finally have a father! Think about everything. How can you be so foolish to let this opportunity slip away? For heaven's sake, Ronan is a man no woman would dare reject!"

Mallory looked away as the old woman ranted. It was true that Ronan was a very rich man - young, handsome and powerful. And he loved her a lot. But he had his own demons.

"He wants to have dinner with you tonight," Her grandmother finally said something that made her heart twirl. What?

"And you have no choice but to go with him, Mallory, 'cause he already paid me for it." She added.

Mixed emotions flooded Mallory at once.

"Are you being serious?" She chuckled finding it ridiculous. "You got paid to send me out on a date with him? You must be joking", she sprang to her feet.

"Don't even think of disobeying me, Mallory, 'cause you won't like my actions!" The old woman snarled at her, making her freeze.

As Mallory looked at her, she saw eyes smoldering with rage.

"You and your sisters moved in here six years ago when you lost your mother, and since then, I've had to bear the burden of raising you all by myself. Don't forget the fact that you had showed up with those fatherless babies and had me take care of them while you went to school. Think about it, Mallory. This whole burden has been on me from the very start! If it wasn't for me, you and your sisters would have probably been locked up in jail! Your mother was soaked in so much debt, you're still trying to pay them off till this point. Our life has been miserable, Mallory! Now, we've finally seen a man who wants to elevate us, and you dare try to act proud? How dare you?"

Mallory couldn't withhold the tears anymore. They came trickling down her face.

"Did you say proud?" She sniffed, dabbing some of the tears from her eyes, but more came rolling down.

"I can be anything, grandmother, but never proud. If Ronan was a good man, I'd have never hesitated to marry him. But you know who he is!"

"Oh! Spare me that," Heather rolled her eyes. "Nobody is perfect. At the end of the day, we all have our faults."

Mallory couldn't believe it. How could a woman be so rigid?

She sniffed again and wiped some of her tears away.

"My children aren't fatherless. So, don't ever say that about them again," she uttered.

Heather's crinkled eyes lit up in a grin.

"They're not? So, where's their father, then?" She taunted.

Mallory felt her heart shattering all over again. She thought of what to say, but words failed her. And just then, the kids came climbing down the stairs.

Heather hooted with laughter and went back to her meal.

"Grab your bags, let's go," Mallory said to the kids as she equally reached for her bag on the table.

In a few seconds, she and the kids were walking out the door, her heart completely shattered.

Mallory dropped the kids off at school before proceeding to her place of work. The whole time she spent in the local cab, she couldn't stop herself from reminiscing over her grandmother's hurtful words. She felt humiliated, insulted.

'You showed up with those fatherless babies.'

'Where's their father, then?'

The old woman's words haunted her. That wasn't the first time she was saying such words in front of Mallory, and each time she did, it reopened her scars.

Mallory forced herself not to wet her cheeks as her mind drifted to the painful memories - to the father of her kids.

Seven years ago, she had been so happy, married to her bestfriend and heartbeat. At that time, she was still living in Duskwood. Although, they married at a very tender age - she was eighteen, while he was nineteen - they were still happy and lived in the best way they could.

His name was Wilder - Wilder Pemberton - and back then, his family was one of the richest in the country. His parents hated the fact that their only son had fallen for someone as low as Mallory. They kicked against their relationship, but Wilder had been stubborn enough to marry Mallory in secret. It had been just them in the church with the priest. And despite how unserious it had seemed, it meant the world to them.

They attempted getting a court wedding, but Wilder's parents made use of their connecting and ensured no court agreed to wed them.

So, they decided to wait. Wait until they were old enough to find their way around it

They were so young, yet courageous.

Mallory recalled how his parents had punished him for getting married to her. They'd frozen his accounts and restricted him from all the benefits he enjoyed from the family. Wilder had to endure a lot, and at a point, depended on Mallory's family for his daily meal. His parents did all these with expectations that he would leave Mallory and come back to them, but Wilder had been stubborn and didn't.

However, three months later, Wilder strangely went missing. That was the day her torment started.

She had nearly lost her lucidity looking for him. She ran to the police, but being so poor, she couldn't even afford a proper investigation. She had ran to Wilder's family as well, pleading with them to assist in the search, but the family had refused and acted non-challantly to the fact that their only son was missing. This made Mallory believe they might have had a hand in his disappearance.

She spent weeks, crying and hoping Wilder would return. Every voice had sounded like his. Every approaching footstep made her alert, hoping he'd be the one. She began to lose her mind, her mother was the only comfort she had.

A week later, Mallory discovered she was pregnant. It took her a lot to go through the whole process alone, and when she put to bed, it turned out to be her cute set of twins.

Unfortunately, her mother passed away not long after, and things became even more terrible for them. Their mother's debtors began threatening them. So, they had to move out of the city - moved to Havencrest to live with their impossible grandmother.

Mallory's life has been hell since then.

For seven years, there was never a day she stopped thinking about Wilder. Never a night she didn't stay up late, wishing he'd return. Where could he be? Did his parents really take him away? How come he never made any attempt to find her? Was he still alive?

Memories of the beautiful times they'd spent together was still inscribed in her head. How they'd play around and spend every night in each other's arms. It had been so good, so amazing.

Mallory sniffed and noticed a lone tear was trickling down her cheek. She glanced at the passengers beside her to be sure they hadn't seen her. Then, quickly, she wiped the tear off.

She rose her hand to the hidden necklace in her blouse. It was too long. Hence, the pendant always got lost in her shirt.

That was the only thing Mallory had of Wilder - his necklace. He had left it behind on the day he went missing. And since then, she's had it on herself, promising to never let go.

The cab pulled up at the gate of the company, and settling the cabby, Mallory got off.

For a second, Mallory stood to admire the modern glass building that towered high in the sky. She was always so proud of working in such an enterprise that ranked first in the country. She had been really lucky getting the job, and she'd never forget her excitement when she'd gotten it six months ago.

Drawing a deep breath, she headed for the gate, passed the security measures by showing them her staff ID, then proceeded into the company.

Her heels clicked on the pavement as she strode purposefully towards the revolving doors. Entering the first floor, she was greeted with busy activities of people rushing around in suits and business attires, their faces serious and focused. It was a very big company with about thirty floors. So, Mallory could barely know all her colleagues.

She smiled at the few she recognized while heading for the elevator.

Her floor was the fifteenth floor and was the most organized. That was because it only had high ranking staff, including the CEO's office.

Mallory walked into the large open-plan office where a lot of her colleagues were. The room was filled with desks, files, computers and the chatters of her colleagues. Seeing Mallory, they stopped talking to welcome her.

"Miss pretty is finally here," one of them teased.

Mallory's face turned crimson at once. "Please! Not again. Good morning, guys."

"Good morning, beautiful. Your beauty is just like always, radiating!"

"And your smile is the comfort I need."

"I wish I could have your eyes for a minute."

Mallory's hand rose up to her face at once, covering it up in embarrassment.

Her colleagues were always fond of teasing her. But it wasn't just them. A lot of people were actually obsessed with her beauty. They said her face was like a work of art, with her high cheekbones, a perfectly straight nose and cherry lips that were always perfectly tainted. Her eyes were a perfect shade of green, they sparkled like jewels in the sunlight. Her voice was soft and melodic, with a hint of accent that's hard to place. When Mallory speaks, its more like she's casting a spell, and everyone within earshot can't help but listen intently. She was a wonder in human form.

Even when Mallory was with Wilder, he always revered in her beauty.

"Come on and have a seat, Mallory; you can go to your desk later. Besides, we all have to be here when the CEO arrives," One out of the six ladies said, tapping at the empty seat beside her.

"Yes. I heard he'll be here soon," Another giggled with excitement.

Mallory nodded and proceeded to take a seat.

They were right - they all needed to be there when the CEO arrived 'cause he'd be addressing them as the staff closest to him. His office was just a few steps away.

"I really can't wait to meet this new man," Chloe cooed, cupping her cheeks with her hands.

"Same here! I've heard a lot about him! Urgh, he's so lucky - having so much wealth in his name!" Kaida added.

"What do you mean so much wealth in his name? He isn't the permanent CEO yet. He's only acting for now. The company doesn't exactly belong to anyone yet."

"Yeah, but we all know he's the favourite grandson. Isn't it obvious, considering the fact that Mr. Arlo had to step down for him to take over? I heard their grandmother adores him more."

"I heard the same. There's a high possibility she'll be willing everything to him."

Mallory felt lost in the conversation. Well, they'd been working in the company much longer and had more knowledge than her.

"Hey! You punks need to work hard so your children can be this lucky. Learn from your boss," Chloe pointed at the four men in the room. This made Mallory laugh so hard.

"Hey, watch it. My unborn babies are already luckier than you are. Moreover, Mallory would be the mother of my babies. Right, Mallory?" Silas teased.

Mallory covered her lips and laughed. It was always fun being around them. Always fun.

Her phone suddenly beeped from her bag. Bringing it out, she discovered she had a good morning text from Ronan - as always.

She sighed and put it away. Thinking about it, Ronan was a pretty nice guy. He was handsome, very rich, and had been really good to her and the kids. The only problem he had was his anger issues. He tends to get a little violent when angry, although he's been trying so hard to work on it. He even had a therapist he visited on a regular basis. He was trying so hard to work on it and had been pleading with Mallory for her understanding. Aside that, he was really good.

What if it was time to move on? Ronan was ready to settle down with her. Wouldn't it be wise to finally accept his feelings and get married to him?

She was in the middle of her thoughts when suddenly, one of their colleagues came running in like she was being chased by death.

"Freya! What is..."

"He's here! He's here!" The lady said in deep breaths, sweats trickling down her forehead. It was apparent she had been running from the first floor.

The other females in the room gasped with their eyes growing wider.

"Huh?! T... The CEO?"

"He's here?!"

"Where's he?"

"Are you sure it's him?"

"Everyone, look around! Is everything arranged?"

The room dived into a scene of unsettlement. Mallory just rolled her eyes and remained calm. Yes, she was equally curious to meet this new CEO, but her colleagues were really being over-dramatic. He's still human.

They maundered on, straightening their dresses and fixing their desks. They were all so nervous, very nervous.

Finally, they heard approaching footsteps and sprang to their feet in a swift move. Their breaths got suspended as three men walked in - two being managers of the company, and one being new. Instantly, they knew the unfamiliar face was their new CEO.

He was a young man, tall and well-built with broad shoulders and a muscular physique. His hair was thick and lustrous, his eyes having a deep shade of blue and long thick lashes that any woman would envy. He was too perfect, too gorgeous.

The lips of the females were parted open in bedazzlement. Even the males venerated his handsome features. Their new CEO looked just like a demi-god!

Everyone had their hearts in their palms, revering in his beauty. But as for Mallory, she had her eyes widened in shock and disbelief as she stared at the man before her. She felt she'd been struck by lightening, rooted to the spot and unable to move.

Her mouth hung open in a silent gasp, and her hands trembled beside her. How was this possible? How was it possible?

Her mind raced with questions and emotions, all jumbled in a chaotic mess. It was a moment frozen in time, the world around her seeming to fade.

How was it possible? The man before her was Wilder!

Mallory's knees buckled, threatening to dump her into her seat. Anxiety clawed at her throat as she stared, wide-eyed, at the man across the room.

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? Was his family the owners 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, his glacial blue eyes fixed on the two men hovering 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.

Heads snapped towards her. The managers whipped around, their faces etched with shock. Wilder, ever so slowly, lifted his gaze.

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!

Her heart fluttered as 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. Confusion and a crushing sense of dejection warred within her.

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 couldn't 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 who wasn't 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 to 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 PA 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! Even if they didn't sign or get a marriage certificate, 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.