Date The CEO.com

Chapter 204: Kissable like Strawberry

Hearing those words, Eve wondered what exactly went through the CEO's head. She had a feeling that his suspicions leaned towards her having a dark past—maybe found on the streets or some place similar like a low-income establishment.

With that sort of expectation, he might actually become disappointed if he found out that she's his secretary. Maybe she should write her story in a dramatic fashion just to appease him.

Ambryan had no worries. Regardless of what Richard had said, he knew her from the past. She hadn't changed much. The only thing he regretted was not remembering her name. Every time he tried, all the nicknames he gave her would come up instead.

'Klutz.'

'Dummy.'

'Princess.'

'Klutz' for the countless times she fell during ballet practice. 'Dummy' for the moments when she puzzled over her homework or failed her tests. 'Princess' for the time they were understudies in a play when she auditioned in hope for that role. There was another person too—a loud one that liked to get under his skin.

Ambryan rubbed his chin. They were always joined at the hip. If he met her then he'd find out what Evangeline has been hiding. It might have been easy if he also remembered that person's name.

Eve finished the rest of her food. They strolled through the park, enjoying the twinkling lights. They hadn't spoken much since Ambryan revealed his suspicion of her. If he already went there, couldn't he have gone all the way and spared her? 

The moon shone through the barren branches of the trees. She watched its hazy light dance.

Then, she stopped walking.josei

Ambryan took a step forward and faced her. His hand didn't let go.

Eve pressed her lips together, avoiding his gaze. "I haven't given you a proper response."

"Is that still necessary?"

Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Of course it is!"

"I wouldn't have changed my mind." Ambryan said. He stared back at her hard. The shadows of the trees painted over his face. Eve couldn't tell if he was still blinking or not.

She opened her mouth but no words came out. She cleared her throat, choosing to share some of her thoughts. "Look..., I really appreciate what you've said, Ambryan. But I do have a contract to uphold that I can't risk. Maybe I can ask your mother about it. Just to be sure…"

Now, she was just blabbering.

"You... also might want to talk to her?" Eve suggested hesitantly. "Don't you have anything to lose? Otherwise, this wouldn't have lasted this long, right?"

Frown lines creased between Ambryan's eyebrows. He did have something. The gears in his head began to churn. Did his mother really choose Evangeline at random? Or did she know about their past together?

Things seemed too coincidental now that he saw the bigger picture.

He exhaled sharply. "I'll go over it with her." 

Eve flashed a shy smile. "And I will too."

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I think I had enough excitement for today."

One second she felt the pavement under her feet, the next the ground became uneven. Warm lips enraptured her senses. Any source of light was blocked by a tall figure. Rough bark dug onto her back. Her eyelids fluttered close as urgency pressed against her lips.

"In the park?" Eve exasperated as soon as she could catch her breath.

Ambryan had steadied himself with one arm above her head. He let out a low chuckle. "If I could, I'd kiss you every step of the way until we reached your apartment."

Eve slowly circled her arms around his neck. A giggle hummed in her chest. "My, my, my…, Mr. CEO. I heard you're the Coldest Person on Earth. What happened?"

"Well," Ambryan started to say. He brushed his thumb on the corner of her mouth. "There was this woman with eyes as bright as a morning valley. She had red hair that blazed like fire. Every time I felt her presence, she trapped me with her flames."

Then, he kissed the side of her hand. "Not even the iciest frost could stand a chance."

Nodding her head, Eve clicked her tongue. "My fault again, huh?"

"No, I think it was a clumsy princess who hated Math."

Ambryan sealed his lips against hers before she could say anything. Whether his words rang a bell or not, he didn't find out. The thought eventually left his mind. More important things had replaced it. 

For instance, how she no longer ran away from his advances. 

A smug smile stretched on his lips as he kissed her.

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Monday rolled in like a ton of bricks.

Eve found herself dazed on her desk. The weekend had seemed like a dream. If Ambryan had wanted her to forget the incident at the party, he almost managed to do so. He had entangled her in his touch and affection—erasing any trace left.

She touched her lips. 

How could something simple be so addicting?

The elevator doors dinged. She scrambled up to her feet and bowed her head. The sound of footsteps grew louder. She folded her hands over her stomach. "Good morning, Sir Hathaway."

"It's Madison."

Her head snapped up. "Mr. President—" 

Ambryan covered his mouth with the side of his fist. He turned his head towards his shoulder, muffling his laughter. A gray tie hung on his collar. He had chosen a blue suit to go with it.

"Sir Hathaway!" Eve accused. Her hands clenched on either side of her. "That wasn't nice!"

"What has you all worked up?" Ambryan asked after he calmed down. He checked for stains on his indigo jacket. "Weren't you able to rest?"

"I did. Thank you for letting me miss the party," she quickly replied. Her hand gestured towards the papers on her desk. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine, Sir Hathaway. You seem to be in a good mood if you could make jokes this early in the morning."

"I am?" He feigned innocence.

Eve's temple throbbed. Her lips felt tight when she smiled, trying to pacify the situation. "It's just an observation. Take it with a grain of salt."

Was this his true nature? A bully? Not only did he tease her during their dates, he now made fun of others—and she was his closest target. A series of curses jabbed out of her head and aimed in his direction.

Oh, may the depths of the underworld send karma his way.

"Very well then." Ambryan chuckled. He glimpsed at his watch. "Please order some coffee and pastries from Café Loctart. Mother will be coming by. You're welcome to treat yourself to something. Think of it as a token for taking over my work while I was sick."

She took it back.

He was one of the nice guys.

"Understood. Do you have any requests, Sir Hathaway?" Eve was all smiles. The cafe now sold chocolate croissants. She couldn't wait to eat it along with a good cup of coffee. Forget the coffee she had at the apartment. This wasn't an opportunity to miss.

"I'll have a strawberry cheesecake."

"Pardon?"

"A strawberry cheesecake," Ambryan repeated without a second thought. He headed for his office and closed the door behind him. 

Eve sank on her chair. Maybe he was fond of strawberries? The scones Madison brought last time did have strawberries and cream. How could she have not noticed before today?

'Sour candies and strawberries, huh..' Eve tested in her head. 

It sounded like an odd combination.

"Are these for me?! Aw, you shouldn't have!" A voice resounded from the elevator.

Eve hastily dashed towards it.

Avery held two paper bags from Café Loctart. She had her arms spread wide while her legs walked a narrow line. Her maroon bodycon dress reached down to her knees. It reminded Eve of a long turtleneck sweater.

"Mrs. Hathaway," she greeted, reaching for the bags.

The madam placed them out of her reach. "Don't worry, dear. I still acted in surprise."

"But—"

"I hope you don't mind but I took a peek," Avery continued, ignoring her protests. She saw the delivery guy in the lobby and volunteered to bring the deliveries up herself. There was one hot coffee cup that was almost half empty. 

"Are you craving for strawberries?" She asked and pointed to the transparent container. "What's with the cheesecake? Will you eat it with the croissant?"

"It's for your son."

Eve watched as the madam stiffened. Like a slow motion picture, the latter's gaze looked up. Her violet eyes blinked twice before her brain waves found her mouth. "Ambryan. Ordered. A strawberry cheesecake?"

"Yes." Eve nodded, understanding how she must be feeling.

"He likes… strawberries?" Avery wondered out loud. She closed the paper bag and regarded the secretary. Her head tilted to one side. "Since when?"

"I thought you'd be the one to know that…," Eve muttered. She gulped. The heavy stare made her feel like she was in deep trouble. It wasn't her fault that she didn't notice Ambryan's fondness of strawberries, was it? 

"Oh, you're right." The madam knitted her eyebrows at the floor. "You know what's missing?"

"What?"

She beamed and tackled Eve with a one-arm hug. She pulled the secretary close, skipping towards the CEO's office door.. "A red wig and a maid outfit so you can go and serve it to him, Ms. We-Shared-A-Strawberry-Cheesecake-During-Our-Date."