Everything Taken I Left to Become CEO (Darcy and Zane) novel Chapter 26

**TITLE: Pain Refines the Soul — Jason Brooks**
**Chapter 26: Are You Jealous?**

Cade observed Darcy with a mixture of admiration and disbelief. In the midst of a chaotic situation, she remained remarkably composed.

*It’s no surprise she’s the CEO. Just look at that emotional fortitude,* he thought, feeling like an anxious puppy in comparison, his heart racing with uncertainty.

As the minutes ticked by, thirty long minutes had elapsed without any word from Eamon. The silence felt heavy, almost suffocating.

Darcy, however, took a leisurely sip of her coffee, her demeanor cool and collected.

*+5 Peane,* Cade noted mentally, recognizing her unshakeable calm.

Her gaze swept over the bustling lobby, where a steady stream of people flowed in and out, yet the one person she yearned to see was still absent.

Suddenly, her focus sharpened.

Not far from where they stood, Zane, Zora, Kaia, and two engineers from SummitCore emerged from the security turnstiles, clearly having just completed their POC presentation for the Easemark project.

Darcy felt a twinge of recognition. *Of course, they’d be here,* she mused. The Easemark project was a golden opportunity, and she was well aware that nearly every company in the sector had signed up for the POC.

Yet, she hadn’t anticipated Zane’s personal appearance.

Back when she was in charge of business development, she had frequently invited him to join her for client meetings, but he had always declined with his usual refrain, “I’m busy. I have faith in you. You can manage it on your own.”

But when it came to Zora meeting clients, Zane was quick to drop everything and accompany her.

*It’s clear who holds a higher place in his heart,* Darcy reflected, feeling a strange mixture of acceptance and indifference.

She lifted her gaze once more. Zane’s eyes scanned the lobby, and in a flash of instinct, Darcy turned her head, lowering it to hide behind her coffee cup.

“Zane? What are you looking at?” Zora’s voice cut through the air as she halted mid-step, following his line of sight.

She only caught a glimpse of a couple seated near the café entrance, lost in their own world.

“Nothing,” Zane replied, pulling his attention back, though a fleeting thought lingered in his mind that he might have seen Darcy. *Must have been my imagination,* he concluded.

The group made their way outside towards the parking area, the tension palpable in the air.

“10 Feans,” Cade thought, feeling the weight of the moment.

Zora reached for the passenger door of the sleek Maybach. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Kaia moving to open a rear door.

She flashed a smile at Kaia. “Kaia, would you mind riding with the other two colleagues? There’s something I need to discuss privately with Zane.”

Kaia hesitated, her hand retracting as she pressed her lips together in a tight line. “Of course, Dr. Moss. I’ll ride with the engineers,” she replied, her voice tinged with reluctance.

Zora wasn’t just a vice president; she was now Kaia’s direct supervisor. Disobedience was not an option.

Once settled in the other vehicle, Kaia gazed out the window, her mind racing.

Zora was leaning in close to Zane, her words a soft murmur.

Suddenly, Zora stood on her toes, leaning in even closer, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.

Kaia’s eyes widened in shock. *They haven’t even left yet, and they’re being so brazen!*

She blinked slowly, guiding him with her gaze. “Zane, why are you angry?”

Still, he remained silent, his expression darkening.

With a sigh, he withdrew his hand and turned towards the driver’s side, needing space to breathe.

“Zane.” Zora’s hand caught his well-defined forearm, her grip firm yet gentle. “Are you… jealous?”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief, teasing him in a way that made his heart race all over again.

Zane swallowed hard, the color draining from his face as his thoughts raced.

“Alright, I’m just joking,” Zora laughed, releasing his arm, though the tension remained thick between them.

Zane looked directly at her, his heart aching to voice the truth—that yes, he was indeed jealous!

But he held back, his pride keeping him silent.

“I know Mr. Stone was your senior in college,” he said, his tone measured. “I know you two were close. But the way he looks at you… it doesn’t sit right with me. Zora, I hired you for your capabilities. You just need to do your job well on your own merit. I don’t want you making any… sacrifices for the company.”

Zane’s words were carefully crafted, yet Zora understood the underlying message perfectly.

He was telling her that she didn’t have to compromise herself or yield to any inappropriate demands from Bex to secure the deal.

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