I Fell for the Man Who Ruined Me, Then He Forgot He Ever Loved Me Back novel Chapter 1

"Ms. Quinn, I hear I slept with you?"

Sitting in a black leather executive chair, the man was clad in a dark, tailored suit. His long legs were casually crossed, and he didn't even bother to look up as he spoke, his fingers nonchalantly adjusting his cufflinks.

His voice was deep and icy, carrying a suffocating wave of pressure despite his careless tone.

Standing across from the desk, Sienna Quinn discreetly pressed her legs closer together.

Even if she couldn't see his expression.

The freezing temperature in the room was enough of a warning.

This man was angry.

And not just mildly annoyed.

All because of the wild claim she had made down in the lobby.

—Your CEO and I have a child together.

She had actually been quite nervous before coming up here, but she hadn't expected Jorrod Vaughn to look so... breathtaking in person.

His features were sharply defined, a pair of wire-rimmed glasses resting on his straight nose, and the curve of his jawline was absolutely flawless.

Right now, as Sienna stared at his hands adjusting the cufflinks, she found herself momentarily captivated by his long, elegant fingers, pale and beautifully proportioned like a painting.

Jorrod was already radiating hostility, and her hesitation only poured fuel on the fire.

He lifted his gaze, the faint, superficial smirk vanishing from his lips completely. "Explain."

The single word dropped like an anvil.

Sienna jolted, swallowing hard.

The rumors were true; Jorrod Vaughn was not someone to be trifled with.

But her boyfriend had stolen her design draft and sold it to Stellaris Corp. If she hadn't resorted to this drastic tactic, she would have never gotten past his miles-long waiting list to meet the CEO before her designs were mass-produced and sold everywhere.

However, having made such an outrageous claim, Sienna naturally had an escape route planned.

She offered a polite smile. "What do you mean, Mr. Vaughn? My exact words were, we have a mutual child..."

Before she could finish, Jorrod scoffed coldly. "Is there a difference?"

Jorrod didn't seem to care about the manuscript at all.

A sense of justice was a rare trait in a successful businessman, especially for someone like Jorrod, who was known to be ruthless and unsparing when it came to profits.

His heart was cold, his conscience limited, and the thing he hated most was dealing with unnecessary trouble.

And right now, the woman standing in front of him was nothing but unnecessary trouble.

Jorrod arched an eyebrow. "Market similarities are incredibly common. Besides, designs aren't a secret. I recall Stellaris publicly announcing this project just last week. Bringing this out now..."

"Tell me, Ms. Quinn, what makes you think we copied you, instead of you 'borrowing' from us?"

Sienna's heart plummeted at his words.

Still, anyone would be upset at being accused of plagiarism, so she forced herself to remain exceedingly patient.

"Because my design was completed last year, and only my boyfriend had ever seen it. Meanwhile, your company's draft was likely finalized just last month."

"I believe you were unaware of this, Mr. Vaughn. The theft of my draft is a small matter to you, but leaving this kind of liability within your company would be a disaster for both Stellaris and yourself."