Chapter 4 Permission Not Granted

Marilyn

I woke up feeling disoriented. My head throbbed lightly, and my limbs felt heavy, like I hadn’t moved in hours. When I finally sat up, I rubbed my eyes and looked around. The room wasn’t familiar.

“How did I get here?” I murmured under my breath.

Someone stood near the window, tall and still. For a second, I thought it was Tom—but Tom wasn’t that tall.

The man turned, and my eyes widened.

“You’re awake,” the arrogant man from the club said, lowering his phone.

My pulse kicked. I looked around again, searching for any clue that made sense. My gaze dropped to my body, and I quickly lifted the blanket to check if my clothes were still on. Relief washed through me when I saw they were.

“I don’t touch women without their permission,” he said, his voice calm but edged.

“Then explain how I got into your bedroom,” I said sharply.

“This isn’t my bedroom. It’s the VIP sick bay in my company.” He slid his hands into his pockets and tilted his head. “Shouldn’t you be thanking me, Traffic Girl?”

I scoffed. “Thank you for what?”

“For bringing you here after you fainted in front of my company.”

Just then memories before I blacked out came back to me. But one thing stood out from it and what he had just said.

“I’m the CEO,” he said back then and he is still saying “My Company.”

Before I could say anything he spoke again.

“Did you do that on purpose? Did you faint to get my attention? I mean, it wouldn't be the first time a lady did that. But if you wanted it that badly, why did you walk away from me last night?”

I couldn't help but snort derisively at his words. “I didn't come here for you, Mr CEO.”

“Then what? Job hunting?”

“No. I have my own job and I am a CEO too.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie. Just… smaller than his kind of CEO.

“Then tell me why a “CEO” came to my company to faint?” he asked with a smirk.

I clenched my jaw. This bastard.

“I didn’t come for you,” I said slowly, willing myself to be calm. “I came for my fiance that cheated on me and hard the nerve to call off our engagement. I came to ruin him, to make people see him for who he is. I came to make sure he suffers the way he made me suffer.”

By the time I finished I was shaking, holding back tears I refused to let fall.

He stared at me a long moment, then moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Good thing you fainted,” he said. I turned to him, confused.

“What?”

“If you’d gone in there and made a scene, they’d have called security and thrown you out. He’d gossip and laugh, and you’d feel even more pathetic.”

I hated his brutal honesty but I knew he was right.

I’d known that before going to to Tom’s place of work. I just needed to do something—anything—to make him feel as broken as I did.

“When was the last time you ate?”

His sudden question pulled me out of my thoughts.

“What?” I asked, frowning at him.

“The doctor said you fainted because you were malnourished.”

“Malnourished?” I repeated.

“It means when—”

“I know what it means!” I snapped.

He only nodded slowly, smiling like he didn’t believe me.

I did know what it meant. I just didn’t understand why I’d faint because of it. It wasn’t like I hadn’t eaten for months. It was only yesterday night I hadn’t.

Well… maybe for the past few days, I’d been surviving on snacks and coffee because of work.

“Shit,” I muttered as it hit me. I hadn’t had a real meal in over a week.

“Come on, let’s go eat. Then we can talk more.”

“Talk more about what?” I asked, genuinely confused.

“How you plan to get back at your ex.”

“I am not interested in talking to anyone about that, especially when the person happens to be my ex-fiancé’s boss.”

“Exactly,” he said calmly. “Which is why you should talk to me about it. Because I’m his boss.”

My eyes narrowed, then widened as the realization hit.

“You’re going to fire him?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked with a sly smile.

“Then what are you going to do to him?”

“First of all, I don’t plan to do anything,” he said, glancing at his watch. “Second, we’ll have that conversation at dinner.”

“Dinner?” I echoed.

“Yes. You’ve been asleep for hours—it’s evening now. Can you stand?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”

He frowned, looking genuinely perplexed.

I stood up from the bed, but a wave of dizziness hit me. Before I could fall, he caught me. His arms were firm, steady, the kind of touch that made my body react before my mind could stop it.

I hated the spark that jolted through me when our bodies met in a warm, grounding way that was too familiar for someone I barely knew.

I pushed myself free, ignoring the way his hand lingered in the air for a heartbeat longer. “I’m fine. I can manage.”

“You need to eat…” he said quietly, eyes following me.

“I will when I get to my house, thank you.”

“At least let me drop you off.”

“You could be a serial killer for all I know. And you could also be faking being a CEO.”

A low laugh escaped him. “A serial killer with a corporate empire? That’s new.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time someone hid behind money,” I shot back.

He smirked, clearly entertained, then reached into his pocket and handed me a sleek black card.

Dante Killgore.

I read the name out loud and scoffed. “Your surname is Killgore? Yeah, that really screams safe.”

“If I wanted to do anything to you,” he started calmly, “I already could have. Honestly if you don't want me to take you home, then fine I won't, but I just want to make sure you are safe is all.”

The sincerity in his eyes caught me off guard. For a moment, I actually believed him.

Then I remembered why I was here. Why I was broken in the first place.

Because I trusted a man.

I looked away and grabbed my bag. His shoulders eased a little, as if he thought I’d given in

But when I turned back, I leveled him with a sharp stare. “I don’t want you to. Now back off, Mr. CEO.”

And before he could say another word, I walked out head high, heart pounding, pretending I didn’t feel the heat of his gaze trailing after me.