Chapter 100
Chapter 100
When Marina woke up, her head was still spinning.
She blinked, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, surprise flickering in her eyes.
She was lying in an unfamiliar bed.
The room was done up in cool shades of gray and white, making it feel chilly and sterile.
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She stared at the room in silence for a while, then peeked under the covers. Seeing her clothes were still perfectly in place, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. ‘Thank goodness, nothing happened, Marina thought to herself.
Just as she was letting out a sigh of relief, a deep male voice came from the doorway.
“Did you really think I’d do something to you?” Daron asked.
Marina’s head snapped up toward the door. There stood Daron, dressed in loungewear, his gaze cold and indifferent, with a hint of disdain flickering in his eyes.
“Of course not,” Marina said quickly.
She forced a smile and sat up, feeling a bit embarrassed to still be lying in bed.
Daron gave her a sidelong glance and said in a deep voice,
“With how little you can hold your liquor, you just drink whatever anyone gives you?”
Marina looked awkward.
“I thought I could handle a glass of red wine,” she said.
She never thought a single glass would take her down.
Daron shot her a look from above, his gaze full of superiority.
“So you’re admitting right in front of me that your self–assessment skills aren’t exactly top–notch?” he said.
His sudden question, which might have something to do with work, instantly made Marina snap to attention.
“Mr. Zamora, nobody’s perfect. Sure, I might’ve overestimated my tolerance for alcohol, but when it comes to my job, you can count on me. Please trust my professional skills,” she said,
Daron shot her a look, said nothing, and just walked out of the bedroom.
Marina quickly threw off the covers and got up. Just as she was about to follow him, she paused, turned back, and straightened the sheets and blanket before heading out.
Daron sat on the living room sofa, hands casually folded, leaning back with an indifferent air. His eyes rested
on her, clearly waiting for her to say something that would actually convince him.
Marina took a quiet breath, pulled herself together, and walked over to stand by his side.
“Mr. Zamora, 1…” Marina started.
But Daron cut her off before she could finish.
“I’m not ignoring all the other talent in my company just to listen to your excuses. Ross Group has a shareholders‘ meeting tomorrow. You’re going to represent me. On paper, you’re still a Ross Group shareholder,” he said.
“I’m not a patient man. I expect Zamora Group to control 80% of Ross Group’s shares within three months. Once that’s done, your assignment is finished,” Daron said coldly.
With that, Daron grabbed Marina’s briefcase from the sofa and dropped it onto the table.
He flung her phone onto the briefcase without a second thought.
His whole demeanor made it clear: ‘Get it done, or get lost. No second chances.
Marina just wanted to finish up here as soon as possible so she could get back to the city and help her sister
out.
“Got it, Mr. Zamora,” she replied.
She didn’t say a word about the pressure Daron was putting on her.
Marina grabbed her briefcase and phone, and as she was leaving, she said quietly, “I’ll be going now, Mr. Zamora. I’ll report directly to Ross Group tomorrow.”
Daron didn’t respond at all, not even sparing her a glance.
Marina gave a faint smile and headed out.
Once she stepped into the elevator, she let out a deep breath and couldn’t help massaging her brow.
Maybe it was because Daron had helped her so many times, or because he and Elnora were classmates, and she’d grown up hearing his name. Whatever the reason, she just couldn’t help but trust him.
Whenever she was around him, she’d relax without even realizing it, sometimes forgetting just how different their worlds were.
She silently reminded herself of her place, determined not to let herself imagine that she and Daron could
ever be friends,
She had to stay sharp and prove her skills and professionalism in front of him if she wanted to earn a chance for Finley Group to work with Zamora Group.
By the time Marina had calmed herself down, the elevator had already reached the first floor.
Just as she was about to pull out her phone to call a cab, Daron’s driver pulled up right in front of her.
The driver got out and opened the back door for her. “Ms. Finley, Mr. Zamora asked me to give you a ride
home.”
Marina’s eyes widened in surprise.
She hadn’t expected the man who’d just sat on the couch, barely acknowledging her, to actually be so considerate.
For a moment, Marina felt unexpectedly moved.
She was still a little dizzy, and with the afternoon heat blazing, ride–hailing apps were pretty much useless around here.
So she didn’t turn down the offer. She slipped into the car, flashing the driver a polite smile.
“Thank you, I really appreciate it,” she said.
The driver gave a polite smile. “Honestly, Ms. Finley, you should be thanking Mr. Zamora, not me. He figured you might not be feeling great after drinking, so he told me to make sure you got home safe. I’m just the messenger here.”
Marina smiled, but she couldn’t help remembering Daron’s frosty face and his famously sharp tongue. She lowered her voice and asked, “That doesn’t sound like something Mr. Zamora would actually say, does it?”
“That doesn’t sound like something Mr. Zamora would actually say, does it?”
The driver looked a little awkward for a split second, but his professional smile never wavered.
“Mr. Zamora talks tough, but he’s got a soft spot–he really does care about you, Ms. Finley,” the driver said.
Marina read the truth in the driver’s eyes, bit her lip, and turned to gaze out the window.
She knew all too well that sharp–tongued man would never let an opportunity to tease her slip by.
Seeing Marina go quiet, the driver lowered his voice and added, “When you got off the plane, Mr. Zamora actually carried you off himself. Honestly, I’ve been his driver for years, and I’ve never seen him go out of his way for any woman like that.”
Marina arched her brow slightly, her cheeks going a bit pink in embarrassment.
‘Why does that sound so familiar?‘ Marina thought.
It was just like a classic line from those overbearing CEO romance novels she devoured back in high school.
The driver was this close to saying, “I haven’t seen Mr. Zamora this happy in ages.”
‘No wonder the heroines in those novels always fall for this kind of thing,‘ Marina thought.
She couldn’t help but feel happy hearing that.
If only she hadn’t seen for herself the way Daron acted like a perfect gentleman around Joyce,
When Marina didn’t say anything, the driver glanced up at the rearview mirror. She was just gazing out the window, totally zoned out.
Her face was completely blank, not even a hint of emotion from his words. The driver decided to keep quiet, not wanting to push his luck.
Marina collected herself, then her phone buzzed. She checked her phone.
There were a few messages from an unfamiliar number.
[Marina, I know you’ve seen my messages. If you’re coming to the meeting, just text me back.]
Marina frowned at the message–she had a pretty good idea it was Lavern texting her.
She scrolled up with a frown–she’d already read them all, and there were at least a dozen.
Most were Lavern begging for forgiveness, promising he’d never let her down again, and telling her how much he missed her. He even tried to play the Ross Group card to get her sympathy.
‘No wonder Daron was so cold to me earlier, Marina thought. ‘He must’ve seen these messages.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
