Chapter 4

Athena didn't sleep a wink that night. The emptiness in her body and the ache in her heart made real rest impossible.

Fortunately, she still made it to work on time the next morning.

Yawning as she walked into the office, Athena immediately sensed that something was different. The atmosphere buzzed with unusual excitement.

"A new CEO is joining the company today..." her best friend, Zoey Brooks, announced with barely contained excitement.

So that was the reason. No wonder every woman in the office had been touching up her makeup when Athena arrived.

Seeing how unfazed she was, Zoey quickly pulled her into a chair. "Athena, why aren't you getting ready? Your makeup's way too light. Let me make you look prettier."

Athena hurriedly slipped out of her grasp and replied indifferently, "What does the new CEO have to do with me? I've got plenty of work to do."

After graduating from college, Sharon had arranged for her to work at this company. Officially, it was so she could gain experience outside the family business. In reality, Sharon simply wanted to keep her away from the Kingsley Group and any position that truly mattered.

The Kingsley Group was always meant to be inherited by Nathan and Olivia. As the unwanted daughter born to Charlotte, a mistress, Athena had never been considered worthy of joining the company.

Even though she had consistently ranked at the top of her class and worked far harder than her siblings, she was neither the treasured heir, Nathan, nor the beloved daughter, Olivia. So the moment she graduated, Sharon made sure she stayed as far away from the Kingsley Group as possible.

Her own mother never spoke up for her, either.

Athena had endured this kind of unfair treatment her entire life. She had long since grown used to it. She knew Sharon hated seeing her excel, and Charlotte would never defend her.

As such, for the past two years, she had quietly remained an ordinary employee at this company. She never fought for recognition. She never competed with anyone. She did everything she could to avoid any conflict of interest with her siblings.

She had no interest in promotions, nor did she care about getting a raise. As far as she was concerned, the arrival of a new CEO had nothing to do with her.

Zoey shoved her back into the chair and sighed in frustration. "The CEO's coming, and you don't even care? Are you even human? Everyone in the company, men and women alike, is trying their hardest to look amazing. They're all hoping to catch the CEO's eye the first time they meet him.

"Sure, you were born gorgeous, but you can't just give up like this. I heard the new CEO is young and incredibly handsome. Trust me, you won't be disappointed..."

Athena refused with a wave of her hand. "Then you should make yourself prettier. I really don't need it. I still have a mountain of work..."

Zoey refused to let her go. "If he doesn't notice me, maybe he'll notice you! I've figured it out. If you want to survive in the workplace, talent and hard work aren't enough. You need a powerful backer. If the new CEO takes an interest in one of us, nobody at this company will ever dare bully us again..."

...

At 10:00 a.m. that morning, the company lobby was already packed. Everyone stood respectfully, eagerly watching the entrance as they waited for the new CEO to arrive.

After considerable effort, Zoey finally managed to drag Athena to the very front of the crowd.

"Isn't this a little too close?" Athena had barely taken a step backward when the new CEO arrived.

More than a dozen security SUVs escorted an ultra-luxurious Rolls-Royce to the front entrance.

The rear door opened.

A man in a tailored suit and black sunglasses stepped out. His expression was cold, and his presence alone was overwhelming. Surrounded by dozens of bodyguards, he strode toward the building with the commanding air of a king.

The spectacle was both imposing and awe-inspiring. Everyone present stood frozen in stunned silence. His overwhelming aura alone was enough to leave them speechless.

Athena instinctively looked up at him.

The instant she saw his face, she froze.

'How could it be him?' Her pupils contracted as disbelief spread across her face.

The company's new CEO was the very same doctor who had examined her at the hospital.

How was that possible? Wasn't he a doctor?

For a moment, Athena thought she had to be hallucinating. She immediately closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, the man had stopped directly in front of her. Her breathing nearly ceased.

Julian slowly turned to look at her.

At this distance, there was no way she could mistake him.

That perfectly sculpted face belonged to the very man she'd fantasized about the night before. It really was him.

'Oh my God! How could this be?!'

Athena's mind felt as though it had exploded. A loud buzzing filled her ears.

Julian's gaze lingered on her for less than two seconds before shifting away again. His expression remained so indifferent that it was as though he had never met her before.

Only then did everyone seem to recover from their shock.

"Good morning, Mr. Sterling!"

As she watched him disappear into the executive elevator reserved for the CEO, Athena felt her heart sink lower and lower.

She pinched herself hard. It hurt, which meant she wasn't dreaming.

There had to be another explanation. Maybe the new CEO and the doctor from that day simply looked exactly alike. Maybe they were two different people.

Athena desperately clung to that possibility.

Beside her, Zoey tugged on her sleeve. "Athena... do you know the big boss?"

Athena snapped back to reality. "What?"

Zoey's eyes sparkled. "I swear the boss paused in front of you for an extra couple of seconds. Don't tell me he already likes you."

Athena immediately shook her head. "Impossible. You're imagining things."

After saying that, she hurried into the restroom and splashed cold water on her face, doing everything she could to calm herself down.

Zoey remained where she was, looking puzzled. Had she really imagined it?

...

When Athena returned to the office, all of her coworkers were talking about the new CEO.

"Have you heard? The CEO's mother is the director of Westbridge Private Hospital, and his father is that government official who's always on the news.

"He grew up on a military base, then studied abroad and earned dual master's degrees in medicine and finance. Everyone thought he'd come back to take over his mother's hospital, but somehow he ended up running our company instead."

As she listened, Athena's heart skipped a beat. Westbridge Private Hospital was the very hospital where she had gone for treatment.

'So the new CEO's mother is the hospital director, and he studied medicine himself. This is bad...'

Everything pointed to one conclusion. He really was the doctor who had examined her that day.

'Just my luck...' After that examination, all Athena had wanted was to stay as far away from him as possible. Who would've thought he'd show up at her company as the new CEO?

Still, he was the CEO, while she was just another insignificant employee. Their paths probably wouldn't cross.

No sooner had Athena finished reassuring herself than her manager, Eon Holt, walked over and said, "Athena, the CEO specifically asked for you. Go to his office."

Athena's eyelid twitched.

Every coworker in the office turned to stare at her in astonishment.

She inhaled sharply as her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. 'Oh no! There's no escaping him after all.'