Chapter 17: Related?
The door clicked shut behind Bella, and she didn’t stop walking until she reached the ladies’ restroom. She needed space and that was the only place she knew she could get it.
The moment she was alone, her knees nearly gave out. She gripped the sink counter and stared at herself in the mirror.
Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted as if she’d just run a mile. Her chest rose and fell too quickly. She turned on the tap, splashing cold water on her face, trying to drown the racing of her heart.
What was that back there? She thought bitterly. Was he trying to seduce me? Or was that just how he treated his secretaries? Was that why they all end up trying to get in bed with him because they’d gotten the wrong signal?
Her stomach twisted. The rumors Chloe had whispered about him—ruthless, cold, quick to fire—none of that matched the man she’d just been with. Oh, he was intimidating, yes, but not with anger. With something worse. With charm. With deliberate closeness. With the kind of presence that made her body betray her against her will.
Was he doing it just to torture her?
She gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles went white. Is that why he fired the last four assistants? Because they didn’t fall for his games? Or maybe they did fall, and that wasn’t what he had wanted?
The thought sent a shiver of disgust down her spine. She hated herself for how her pulse had quickened when his fingers brushed hers. For how his gaze, hot and piercing, had made her stomach clench. For how the simple word breathe had stayed with her even after she’d left his office.
Her reflection in the mirror mocked her. The mole on her nose—one of the very reasons he had recognized her—seemed sharper now, a cruel reminder. She touched it lightly, jaw tightening. He remembered her, no matter how much she denied it. And if this... act of his was some sort of power play to make her slip, she couldn’t let it happen.
She would continue playing pretend and have him double guess his thoughts.
She straightened, wiped her face with a tissue, and forced herself to look composed. "You’ll get through this, Bella," she whispered under her breath. "You have to. For Timothy."
The reminder of her son’s bright smile, his innocent questions, gave her strength. She smoothed her blouse, squared her shoulders, and walked back to her desk as if nothing had happened.
The rest of the morning crawled by under the weight of Jake’s presence just beyond the closed office door. Every time the intercom buzzed, Bella’s heart leapt, but it was only for routine instructions—copies of this, confirmations of that. Professional. Nothing more. And yet, the memory of his closeness lingered like an unwanted perfume, refusing to fade.
By the time noon arrived, she was starving but hesitant. Should she slip away quietly for lunch or stay glued to her desk just in case he called again?
She was still debating when a shadow fell across her desk. She looked up—and blinked.
Raymond Stones stood there, hands casually in his pockets, his smile warm and easy in a way Jake’s never was. His suit was just as sharp, but his whole demeanor was softer, more approachable. Now that she was taking a closer look at him, she could see the difference in their face.
His ash blond hair was neatly styled, his features handsome without the sharp edges that made Jake look dangerous. Were they sort of related? She mused, wondering why they looked alike with their only difference being Raymond’s hair color.
"Miss Howells," Raymond said smoothly, his smile widening when her eyes met his. "Settling in alright?"
Bella nodded, a bit startled. "Yes. Trying to, at least."
He leaned against her desk lightly, not invading her space but still close enough to make her notice the faint scent of his cologne. "Good. First days can be brutal, especially around here." He tilted his head. "Lunch?"
Bella blinked again. "Sorry?"
"Lunch," he repeated, his tone light, almost teasing. "As in—you’ve been stuck in here all morning, and I’m sure you could use a break. Come to the cafeteria with me. My treat."
Her instinct was to refuse—she didn’t want to attract attention, especially not from another devilishly handsome person like Raymond. But before she could find the words, her stomach gave a loud, traitorous growl.
Raymond gave her a knowing smile, letting her know he had heard that.
Her cheeks heated, making Raymond chuckled softly.
"I’ll just take that as a yes." He gestured toward the hallway. "Come on, Miss Howells. It’ll do you good."
She hesitated only a moment before gathering her courage. "Alright. Thank you."
The cafeteria at StoneTech Solutions was nothing like she’d imagined. Instead of the sterile, bland atmosphere she’d expected, it buzzed with life.
The scent of roasted chicken and fresh bread filled the air. Employees laughed in small groups, some hunched over laptops while others chatted animatedly. The décor was sleek but warm—modern lighting, wooden tables, even a corner with plush chairs where people could relax.
Bella found herself surprised, even a little impressed.
Raymond guided her toward a quieter corner table, grabbing a tray along the way. He ordered roasted chicken with vegetables and coffee for himself, while Bella settled for a simple sandwich and juice.
They sat down, and for the first time all morning, Bella felt her shoulders ease just a fraction.
"So," Raymond began as he unwrapped his food, "how was your first round with the infamous CEO?" His eyes twinkled with amusement.
Bella almost choked on her juice. "Excuse me?"
He grinned. "Don’t look so alarmed. Everyone knows Jake Stones reputation. Cold. Demanding. Hard to please. I was curious if you’d made it past the first hour."
Her lips pressed into a tight line. She didn’t want to give anything away, but Raymond’s grin made it hard not to relax at least a little.
"He’s... intense," she said carefully.
Raymond chuckled knowingly. "That’s one word for it."
Before he could say more, a familiar voice chimed in.
"There you are!" Chloe said as she breezed into the cafeteria, her locs flying due to the breeze, her eyes alight as they landed on Bella.
She plopped down beside them, her tray in hand. "I went to your office earlier to get you here but didn’t see you. I just thought to check here. Didn’t know you’re already have an admirer," she said, making Bella gasped.
"What admirer?"
She turned to Raymond, flashing him an apologetic smile but he waved it off.
"Fine. Just kidding. How was it? Working for the CEO," Chloe asked and Bella shook her head.
"I already told you about that," she said and then turned to Raymond. "Is there a reason you look like the CEO? Is he like your brother or something?" Bella asked curiously.
"Of course not. How can I be related to him? We’re not," Raymond said with a nervous laugh.
Chloe laughed too. "C’mon. If he was, I would’ve known," she said and then glanced at Raymond who smiled back at her.
"You both do have some similarities though," Bella said more to herself.
"I’m sure it’s nothing," Chloe said as they ate.
As they ate, Raymond kept the conversation light, teasing Bella about working for Jake just enough to draw small laughs out of her.
Chloe kept darting glances at him, joining in whenever she could, but her voice carried a slight edge of forced cheer.
Bella noticed but said nothing. She’d talk about it with Chloe at home. Right now, she was too busy battling her own thoughts. Because no matter how pleasant Raymond’s company was, and no matter how normal lunch felt... she couldn’t stop her mind from drifting back to Jake.
Back to his voice, his presence, his promise of professionalism wrapped in something else.
And she wondered—was this exactly how it had started for the women before her? Or was there more?