Intrigued by the CEO: Paranoid Obsessions

Harper forced a smile, “Bring them in, I’ll check.”

The bodyguards immediately started bringing in the cardboard boxes, stacking them in the center of the lobby. Harper knelt on the floor to inspect them, while Dylan waited nearby.

“Miss Shaw, how many maids should I arrange for you?” Dylan asked.

“No, I’m not used to having too many people around,” Harper immediately declined, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“But cleaning such a big apartment alone might be a bit challenging, don’t you think?” Dylan kindly reminded her.

Harper looked around and nodded. Yes, the place was definitely too big for one person to clean.

“Then I’ll find two cleaners,” Harper said.

“I can assist you,” Dylan offered.

“Mr. Foster,” Harper said seriously, pulling out her sketches, “Although Mr. Wychwood paid for this apartment, since I’m living here, I hope to have control over my own space.”

“Of course, Miss Shaw.”

Dylan had no objections as he watched Harper organizing things. Just as Blaze had said, Harper was a bit rebellious; she liked her freedom and resisted constraints.

“Thank you.”

Harper smiled, thinking to herself that she was only temporarily staying in this apartment. Once she found evidence to prove her innocence, she would leave.

Speaking of which…

Harper stood up from the floor, holding her sketches, and asked Dylan, “Mr. Foster, I’d like to inquire about what happened three years ago.”

Since she couldn’t go to the hospital for an examination, she had to get to the bottom of this whole thing.

“Miss Shaw, you still want to prove your innocence?” Dylan smiled and said, “Go ahead and ask.”

“What exactly happened three years ago?” Harper asked.

Dylan remained silent for a moment before responding, “Actually, I’m not entirely sure about the specifics. All I know is that on that day, Master attended a celebrity banquet on a super yacht called the ‘Serenity Sea.'”

“Serenity Sea?” Harper paused.

“Do you remember something, Miss Shaw?”

“Yes,” Harper nodded, holding her sketches tightly, “At that time, I and my university classmates went to apply for jobs as cruise ship waiters. The celebrity banquet lasted for three full days.”

She remembered the well-paid job with a daily wage of $1000 vividly.

“Miss Shaw, you finally remembered,” Dylan continued, “Yes, it lasted for three days. On the first day, Master was drugged… Somehow, that night, a woman entered his room, and then…”

Harper nodded, indicating him to continue.

“Master was furious and interrogated everyone on the cruise ship, eventually tracing it back to you,” Dylan explained, “At that time, Master only imposed a slight punishment on you and didn’t pursue it further.”

“A slight punishment?” Harper was astonished, recalling her time in college.

“Yes.”

“So, it was you who caused the school to discipline me for promiscuity?” She remembered.

“… Yes,” Dylan admitted.

“Are you kidding me? The whole school was buzzing with rumors, saying I slept with countless men, especially targeting married ones… Every teacher maliciously gave me failing grades, and I couldn’t even graduate properly!”

Thinking about it made Harper feel like she was going crazy. It was a dark period in her life. Rumors surrounded her, and she had no idea who was behind it. It turned out to be Blaze!

This man had already destroyed her once three years ago!

“Dare to drug me, the punishment was light,” a lazy voice chimed in from behind her.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

It was Blaze.

Dylan respectfully lowered his head.

Just as Harper was about to turn around, Blaze embraced her from behind. He was wearing a bathrobe, exuding the scent of men’s shower gel. He buried his head in her neck, inhaling deeply, sending shivers down her spine.

Blaze opened his mouth and bit her fair and smooth neck.

“Ouch!” Harper winced from the pain, instinctively covering her neck with her hand. Blaze then nibbled on her finger, not too lightly or too heavily.

Her finger trembled from being bitten.

Blaze chuckled softly. “Your fingers are quite sensitive.”

‘This pervert, didn’t he see the butler was still here?’

Harper turned around to face him, “I’m currently learning about the events from three years ago. I think it’s necessary to clarify things with you.”

Blaze stared at her, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

After a moment, Blaze lazily walked over to the sofa and sat down, leaning back. His voice was low and sexy, “Go on.”

Upon hearing this, Harper quickly put down her sketches and walked up to him, “Three years ago, I was indeed on the Serenity Sea cruise ship. But I swear, I didn’t drug you, nor did I sleep with you.”

“Enough!” Blaze’s eyes narrowed with displeasure as he glanced at Harper.

“Then… then you can’t just insist it was me who drugged you… With so many people on the cruise ship that night,” Harper questioned.

“Miss Shaw, we conducted the most thorough investigation before confirming it was you,” Dylan interjected.

“That investigation was completely biased!” Harper grew agitated, “Why don’t you conduct another search?”

“That’s it!” Blaze’s voice thundered with annoyance, “How long do I have to listen to your nonsense in the morning? Go make breakfast.”

“But…”

“No buts.” Blaze stood up from the sofa, grabbed her slender arm, and pulled her towards him, “Harper, listen to me, unless you have substantial evidence, stop wasting my time.”

“…”

“You can go make breakfast or we can go back to bed…” Blaze smirked evilly and then bit down on her lip.

What a jerk!

Harper winced from the pain, meeting his dark, sinister gaze. She dared not say anything further. “Okay, I’ll go make breakfast.”

“That’s more like it.”

Blaze smirked and turned to walk away, instructing as he went, “Dylan, inform everyone that there will be a meeting at the headquarters in two hours to discuss the acquisition of L. T. Company. They better come up with some useful comments, or they’re all fired.”

“Yes, Master.”

As Harper watched Blaze’s retreating figure, she reached up to touch her sore lip. She felt resentful. She would find the evidence she needed… And she would… get rid of him…. the jerk…

After breakfast, Blaze left with his entourage, leaving Harper alone in the kitchen to do the dishes. As she washed, she pondered the events of the Serenity Sea cruise ship three years ago.

‘If I could find Lena Abbott, the university classmate who worked with me at the time, there would be a witness to prove my innocence. But without any contact information for the classmates. How could I find Lena now?

Relying on Blaze’s power? He might just use that against me, taking advantage of my situation.

What should I do? How could I findLena?’

Her phone suddenly buzzed, a message from an unknown number: “Miss Shaw, there’s a porcelain gallery south of the neighborhood. Please purchase some dishes and bowls. – Dylan.”

Buying dishes? Blaze was certainly picky about tableware. Annoying.

Harper changed into a simple white hoodie, paired with sweatpants and sneakers, tied her long hair into a ponytail, and then headed out.

She took the elevator straight to the first floor, and as the elevator doors slowly opened, she saw a couple walking hand in hand down the corridor ahead. They were deeply engrossed in each other, with eyes only for one another.

Fiona and Logan…

Harper froze. Her first instinct was to hide in the elevator. Even though she didn’t know why. Perhaps deep down, she felt like a clown in front of them. A clown who had already left their world.

So they lived here. She hadn’t been mistaken last night; that figure really was Logan.

It made sense. Sky Harbor valued privacy greatly. Logan was the heir to a top-tier cosmetics company, and Fiona was a popular star. Choosing to live in Sky Harbor was the perfect fit for them.

Harper remained in the elevator, leaning against the cold wall.

Was it because Blaze had been driving her crazy lately that she felt numb instead of heartbroken when she saw such sweet scenes?

But it was too melodramatic. She ended up being their neighbor, both in Building A… If they found out she lived here, they would probably think she was trying to cling to them again.