Just Before My Wedding: Trapped By My Ruthless Boss novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91

KISAREL

Jace’s car pulled up to the front entrance of Stark Sovereign Capital.

He killed the engine and turned to me, his hand coming up to cup my face before I could reach for the door handle

“I had a really great time yesterday,” he said as he leaned across the console and took my lips in his.

When he pulled back, his thumb brushed once over my cheek. “Have a good day, baby.”

I forced a small smile. “You too.”

I stepped out of the car and straightened my dress–burgundy, fitted, with a neckline that made me check myself twice before leaving Elgin’s apartment. He had called it revenge dressing.

I shut the door, and Jace waited until I turned away before driving off.

My heels clicked against the pavement as I turned toward the entrance.

And there he

Oceans an

standing near the revolving doors with Harold and two other men I didn’t recognize. He was wearing a charcoal suit, a white shirt, and no tie. His dark hair was brushed back from his forehead, and his silver–grey eyes were fixed on my

mouth.

He had seen the kiss.

Good.

No.

Not good.

God, I did not even know what I wanted anymore.

My heart kept hammering beneath all the composure Elgin had painted onto me. My palms were sweating.

But I kept my chin up, my heels clicked cleanly against the polished pavement, as I walked toward Oceans.

“Good morning, Mr. Stark,” I said, stopping a few feet from where he stood with his group. “Mr. Harold.”

Harold nodded, looked between us with the faintest lift of his brows, but he said nothing

The other two men murmured greetings, but Oceans said nothing. His silver–grey eyes moved over my face, my dress, the way my hair fell over my shoulders. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

I didn’t wait for him to speak. I walked past him into the building, and I felt his gaze on my back the entire way.

The lobby was busy, but I felt almost everyone was looking at me.

You look incredible, Miss Harry,” someone said.

I turned, and it was Marcus, from acquisitions. He was holding a coffee cup and looking at me like he had never seen me

before.

Thank you, Marcus.

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Chapter 91

“Did

you do something different with your hair?” He asked with his usual teasing smile.

“Something like that.” I winked at him.

He was still staring when I felt a chill crawl up my spine.

I looked past him, and Oceans was standing in the elevator, holding the door open with one hand.

His eyes were on Marcus. His expression had barely flickered, but something about the way he was standing made my skin prickle.

“Miss Harry,” he said. “The elevator is waiting.”

I walked past Marcus without another word and stepped inside.

The doors closed, and we were alone. The other men dispersed at the reception.

The silence was almost suffocating. I could hear my own breathing. I could smell his dark, expensive cologne, the one that made my chest ache. I kept my eyes fixed on the numbers above the door, watching them climb as my pulse climbed along with it.

When the doors opened, I stepped out first, because if I stayed in there one more second, I was afraid I would look at him and ask the questions I had no business asking in a workplace elevator.

****

I had barely opened my laptop when his voice came from behind me.

“My office.”

I

stood immediately, because some habits did not die simply because your heart was broken.

“Yes,

sir.”

“Close the door.” He ordered the moment I walked in, and I closed it.

“Sit.” He said, pulling out a blank sheet from his stack of files.

“I’m fine standing, sir.”

His eyes lifted to mine, but I looked at his shoulder instead.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

“The Avalon Estate files?” He finally asked, looking away from me.

I set it on his desk. “It’s ready for your review.”

A stupid part of me thought that he might say something to me… Something that’ll help me understand what’s going on.

But, no.

Instead, he asked me a list of other professional questions and gave me instructions that were enough to keep me very busy all day.

That was it. We had been reduced to this.

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Chapter 91

By lunch, my head was beginning to hurt from pretending

I hadn’t eaten breakfast. The thought of food made my stomach turn, but now the hunger was winning, and I needed to out of the office.

The cafeteria was crowded when I walked in.

I grabbed a tray and moved through the line without looking at what I was putting on it.

I decided to sit at the table near the far window. I had barely sat down when I heard his name.

“Oceans Stark.”

“He took her cake tasting? That’s so romantic.”

ger

“I heard he’s completely obsessed with her. My cousin works at the bakery and said he wouldn’t stop touching her. Holding her hand. Looking at her like she hung the moon.”

Two women from marketing were sitting at a table near the window with their phones and a photo on the screen that I could see even from here.

Oceans and Moonie at the bakery. Moonie was leaning toward the camera with that fork and that smile.

They were looking at the photo like it was the cover of a romance novel.

“I saw the post this morning,” the other woman said. “She’s so lucky. Do you know how many women would kill for a man like that?”

My chest was caving in. My eyes were burning. My throat was so tight I could not have spoken even if I wanted to.

“Honestly, they’re perfect together. Rich, beautiful, powerful. You can tell he’s crazy about her.”

“Did you see the way he looked at her? Someone needs to bottle that and sell it.”

They all laughed.

That was it. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I left my meal untouched and walked out before I could break down in front of anyone else to see.

If only he had let me walk away when I wanted to, maybe I would have felt this used and discarded.

But, no. He made sure he was the main character here, and he said the movie was over when he wanted it to be.

*****

The day crawled.

I worked like a machine because anything less would have left room for thought.

And by five thirty. I had survived the day. I had answered emails, attended a meeting, and avoided being alone with Oceans for seven hours.

I had just lifted my bag when the doors opened, and Moonie walked in.

She was radiant. Her blonde hair was loose, and on her wrist was a diamond bracelet that caught the light with every movement she inade.

She was holding coffee.

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Chapter 91

1 recognized the bracelet. Oceans was looking at it two weeks ago, and for some stupid reason, I was convinced I was the one he wanted to get it for. But I was foolishly wrong.

“Oh, good.” she said, her smile wide and bright and absolutely vicious. “You’re still here.”

I straightened. “Moonie.”

I couldn’t keep my eyes off the bracelet, and she noticed.

She paused and glanced at it dramatically, “Oh. You like my bracelet?” She asked excitedly, flashing it in my face, “Oceans

it to me. He told me it was custom–made. Said he wanted me to have something no one else in the world owned.”

gave

“That’s… Great,” I forced a small, polite smile. “And, about my mother’s…” She didn’t let me finish.

“I need you to arrange something for the wedding.” She placed her coffee on my desk like she was marking territory. “The florist is being difficult, and Oceans has had a very emotional weekend, and I’m trying not to overwhelm him.” She paused. as if to let it sink in. “Besides, he told me not to stress myself over little things.”

Her eyes swept over my desk.

“So I thought of you. You’re good with little things. You are his personal assistant, after all.”

My fingers curled around the edge of my desk.

“I need a full proposal by the end of the day. Color palette, flower varieties, and sample centerpieces, Oceans wants to review everything personally before we make a final decision.”

Oceans wants to review everything personally….

The words landed like small, intentional cuts.

I sighed and shrugged it off. “I’ll handle it.”

“I know you will.” She smiled again. “That’s what makes you so useful, cousin. You always handle it.”

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