It was unexpected and oddly refreshing.
Chapter 18
Immanuel waved to indicate that Zara could go out without commenting further. The glass of milk, however, remained untouched on his desk.
Once she was gone, he stirred the milk idly. His gaze was fixed thoughtfully on the door. “Zara Cobain… Who exactly are you, and why are you here?”
On his desk lay a file delivered by his assistant, Chris Alvaraz, half an hour earlier. Opening it, he found her résumé on the first page.
A master’s degree from Carfield University should have guaranteed her a promising career, yet she had no prior work experience. This position at Nielsen Group was her first job.
Flipping through, he noted her exceptional academic record. Even while dating her then- boyfriend, she had achieved remarkable success. She’d won numerous awards alongside him. There was no sign of incompetence or mediocrity
The information about her boyfriend caught his attention.
His gaze lingered on the name–Andy Wakefield, Immanuel had no recollection of this person. Someone as talented as he was should have made waves in the country.
Frowning, he picked up the phone and instructed Chris, “Look into Andy Wakefield and his
connection to Zara.”
“Sure, Mr. Nielsen.”
Chris was highly efficient, and it wasn’t long before a new file was delivered.
After opening it, Immanuel’s eyes were trained on the small line of text below a photo that read: “Deceased four years ago.
He stared at the file for a long time before finally looking away.
Immanuel shifted his focus back to the file on Zara. Could someone who once loved another so deeply truly move on so quickly? Could she have been so madly in love with another man right after Andy’s death that she relentlessly pursued and married him?
And if her obsessive love had driven her to forget her past, how could her divorce and sudden appearance at Nielsen Group now be explained?
Of course, Immanuel was clueless about the depth of love that would drive someone to such extremes. So much so that one would chase after every fragment of the person they had lost. That was why Zara was like a puzzle he couldn’t figure out.
Regardless, Zara completed her three–month probation and secured her position at Nielsen Group.
Immanuel deliberately kept her close, observing her behavior and trying to uncover her true intentions. She accompanied him to various events, during which he sought to uncover any
cracks in her facade.
a
Finally, four months later, they ran into Soren at banquet.
After half a year, Soren had returned to his former glory. He was confident, powerful, and commanded everyone’s attention. He had an even more acerbic air around him, and those who interacted with him sensed the change.
The group of rowdy friends who once surrounded him was noticeably absent.
His gaze faltered momentarily when it landed on Zara, who was trailing behind Immanuel demurely. But he quickly composed himself and acted as if he hadn’t seen her.
Soren didn’t approach Zara, and she was more than happy to avoid him.
Immanuel was always accompanied by a secretary and an assistant whenever he attended social functions. While his assistants had come and gone, Zara remained his secretary since joining.
Yet, most of the time, he didn’t assign her tasks. His assistant handled work and social obligations, leaving Zara with little to do other than eat, drink, and observe. It seemed as though Immanuel brought her along just for her to enjoy herself.
She didn’t flatter herself into believing she held any special status. She could see he was cautious of her and held her at arm’s length, but she didn’t mind.
If Immanuel eventually fell for her, that would be ideal. If not…
Leaning against the balcony railing, she watched him mingling in the banquet hall effortlessly while holding a glass of juice. He looked at ease as he exchanged pleasantries with others.
Well, it didn’t matter to Zara because she had patience.
If he fell for her, it would be perfect. But if that didn’t happen, staying by his side was enough. At the very least, she could prevent him from falling in love with someone else.
arily to
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure approach her from afar. She turned warily see Soren coming closer.
“Well,” he began. His tone was laced with sarcasm. “It seems your progress over the past six months hasn’t been very impressive.”
Annoyed, Zara turned back around so that she wouldn’t have to face him. Fearing he might cause another scene, she responded curtly, “Whether it’s going well or not has nothing to do with you, Mr. Blight.”
