We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 41

Cedar’s POV

I finished reviewing the last proposal on my desk and stood up, stretching my tired muscles.

I glanced at my phone, noticing the friend request I’d sent to Ridley still showed no response. Not surprising, really. As CEO of Sterling Design Group, he probably received hundreds of connection requests daily. Mine was likely buried among countless others, easily overlooked.

But I still needed to return his clothes. The thought of Aiden’s anxious face when he’d endured his father’s temperament made me hesitate to involve the boy further. Whatever awkwardness existed between Ridley and me, I wouldn’t let it affect the child.

A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts. Albert, Ridley’s assistant, appeared in my doorway with an serious expression.

“Mr. Sterling is here. He wants to see you in the executive office upstairs.”

I blinked in surprise. “Me? Specifically?”

Yes. Top floor, CEO’s office.”

“But I thought he only visited branch offices every few months. Now he seems to be here constantly,” I said, unable to hide my confusion.

Albert kept his expression carefully neutral. “We’ve signed several new projects with Nest Design recently that Mr. Sterling is particularly invested in. You’d

better head up right away–don’t keep him waiting.”

My face fell. Speaking with Ridley Sterling over the phone was one thing, but facing him in person made my stomach knot with anxiety.

I gathered my project files and grabbed the bag containing his cleaned clothes before heading to the elevator. Whatever this meeting was about, I’d face it

with professional composure.

I stepped off the elevator just as a flood of executives emerged from the adjacent lift, Thomas among them. They hurried toward the building’s largest conference room. I hesitated, wondering if I should join them, but remembered Albert’s specific instructions to wait in the CEO’s office.

I approached the imposing double doors, knocked twice, and when no one answered, cautiously entered. The office was empty. I settled into a chair near the

entrance, placing the bag beside me.

The executive office was impressively minimalist–all clean lines and monochromatic tones that spoke of power and sophistication. Every object seemed

deliberately placed, creating an atmosphere of controlled perfection that matched everything I’d heard about Ridley,

To avoid fidgeting, I reviewed my project files, determined to be prepared for whatever questions he might have. As minutes stretched into an hour, even my typically patient demeanor began to fray.

Was I being deliberately kept waiting?

My gaze wandered across the office, eventually settling on a high bookshelf where a particular volume caught my eye–the rare first edition of a noted designer’s architectural manifesto I’d only ever seen in digital form. Unable to resist, I carefully retrieved it using a nearby chair as a step, then lost myself

in its pages.

When I finally finished examining the book, I realized how much time had passed. I needed to return it exactly as I’d found it. Standing on tiptoe on the chair, I stretched my arm to reach the high shelf, my pencil skirt restricting my movement as I twisted my body to reach the precise spot.

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Chapter 41

The sound of the office door opening came at exactly the wrong moment.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing? A cold voice cut through the silence.

I turned, nearly losing my balance. Ridley stood watching me with dark, evaluating eyes, his expression somewhere between amusement and contempt.

I hastily stepped down, clutching the book. “I was just–the book was–I was putting it back.”

‘Is that so?‘ His tone made it clear he didn’t believe me.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I realized how the scene must have appeared. “I’ve been waiting for an hour, Mr. Sterling. I saw this book and-”

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