Chapter 266: You’ll Marry Me, Won’t You?
*Flashback*
Things had a way of just working out. Brooke became Ethan’s personal assistant, or secretary, whichever one Ethan deemed fit to make her for the day.
At first, she felt uncomfortable with having her office in his, so he created a desk outside of his office, just for her. He also gave her a private pass to use his reserved elevator, so she wouldn’t have to see the others at the company.
"You only need to see me, don’t you?" He told her, when Brooke informed him that the interns were going out for drinks.
Brooke nodded, her eyes trained on his hand which rested on her waist. Lately, the CEO had been helping her get accustomed to the job, but at the same time he had been getting close to her while he did that.
’This is normal, it’s perfectly normal.’ she would tell herself whenever Ethan stood behind her to instruct her on what to do. He would have a hand pointing at the screen and the other rested on her waist.
Brooke knew that men like Ethan had the luxury to choose whatever woman they desired. She also knew that if she gave in to him, she would be nothing more than just a conquest to him.
He would get bored of her and might even fire her at some point.
Hence, she resolved in her heart that if Ethan ever asked her for sex, that she would refuse him. She was sensible enough to know that that was a line she should never cross.
But her mind had never prepared her for when after working for Ethan for only two months, he came up to her and asked her.
"Brooke, you say you’re single, am I right?" He asked, going through her computer.
It became a habit of Ethan to monitor all of Brooke’s actions at the end of the work day. Checking the group chat of the interns, making sure that Brooke didn’t indulge in such useless frivolities, and most especially, making sure no one in the office tried to lay claim to her.
Brooke nodded, "Yes, Mr Halton."
"Then why is this parasite messaging you to go out for dinner with you?" He asked.
Brooke swallowed, she knew that she should’ve deleted the message, but their intranet had a recycled messages feature.
She tucked her hand in-between her thighs, "I-I wasn’t going to go. I told him no already-" she was saying, until Ethan grabbed her by the chin and planted his lips on hers.
At first, Brooke was too stunned to even move, THE Ethan Halton was kissing her, the richest man in the city! Her head spun when he pulled her chair closer and deepened the kiss.
However, he broke it off with a bite on her tongue, and a fierce glare pointed at her. "What department does he work at?" He demanded.
Brooke was still in a daze, she barely heard his question. The pain from the bite and the thoughts spiralling in her head couldn’t let her form a single thought.
*Slam*
The loud sound of Ethan’s palm slamming against her keyboard forced her out of her daze. She blinked twice, only now seeing the angry look on his face.
She had gotten used to the sweet and seductive looks he gave her, that she was frightened to see him this way.
"I asked you a question! What department does this bastard work?!" He demanded.
Brooke shook her head, "I-I don’t know..."
"Lies!" He cursed. He grabbed the top of her chair and leaned in, "Are you covering for him? Are you two already together? Is that what this is? You’re trying to fool me?"
"N-No...I would never-"
Ethan laughed but his eyes never softened, "Brooke, will you abandon me too? Will you leave me behind?"
At that moment, with Ethan looking so vulnerable in front of her, she couldn’t help the swelling in her chest. He looked like he needed her, no one had ever looked at her that way, no one had ever needed her the way Ethan did.
Perhaps, it was the feeling of wanting to be wanted that pushed her to reach out and wrap her arms around his neck in a tight embrace.
"I would never leave you." She confessed in a soft whisper, hoping to soothe his worries.
"Prove it." Ethan hardened his tone.
Brooke could feel her blood rushing, in that moment she wanted to hold onto Ethan’s embrace and drown herself in his warmth. She felt that if she had let go of that man, she would never feel that warmth elsewhere.
No one would ever look at her as a woman, the way Ethan did.
"I would do anything, anything to prove myself to you." She begged, holding him tighter.
Ethan rested his hand on the back of her head and gave it a little rub. "Good girl, now first of all start by showing me the bastard who asked you out to dinner."
She pulled away, "W-What are you going to do with him?" Brooke asked, although she knew what would happen. She had read some scripts Cassie brought home and she knew where this sort of thing was headed.
She confirmed her doubts when Ethan ignored her question. He had her lead him to the man who asked her out, and although he didn’t confront him, the next day, it was posted on the company’s forum that he was involved in an embezzlement scheme and fired.
Naturally, Brooke panicked at the news, and when she tried to confront Ethan, he shoved her worries to the side with a question that would change her life forever.
"Brooke, you’ll marry me, won’t you?" He asked, sliding a ring through her finger.
It was a gold ring with a big diamond sitting on it. The biggest diamond Brooke had ever seen. And sitting on her finger, it stood out like a sore thumb.
She raised her confused gaze to Ethan, who had nothing but a smile plastered on his face.