Chapter 9

Gabriela remembered just how much Wesley relished a little flattery and wasted no time playing to his ego."Absolutely not, Mr. Moss. With a face like yours across the table, I'm worried my appetite might spiral out of control. I'm trying to watch myfigure,you know."

Wesley's expression stayed stoic, but a flicker of amusement threatened to break through his rigid facade.

Under the pressure of his cool, scrutinizing gaze,Gabriela found herself sharing an awkward pasta dinner with him.

She couldn't help digging in-every bite was enthusiastic, the clatter of her fork echoing off the conference table. She ate as if the meal was the highlight of her week, savoring every last bite.

But halfway through, she noticed Wesley had set down his fork and was studying her, eyebrows drawn together.

Startled, she wiped her mouth and quickly checked for any stray sauce before nervously inquiring,something wrong, Mr. Moss?" Wesley regarded her with dry exasperation. "Watching you eat at that speed, it's giving me the wrong impression."

Gabriela ducked her head. "What impression?"

He didn't hesitate as he remarked, "Honestly, it feels like I'm shoveling food to a hungry pig."

Gabriela replayed Wesley's words, feeling her blood simmer.Did he seriously just call her a pig? The nerve.

If only she could turn the tables and fire this arrogant boss for once. But reality bit back-her job was nowhere near that secure.

Reluctantly accepting her fate, she slowed her pace and dragged her fork through the pasta-twirling each strand with the precision of a food critic instead of her usual gusto.

Wesley finally deemed her behavior acceptable and resumed eating, visibly appeased.

Bored by her own exaggerated caution,Gabriela risked a sideways glance at Wesley. He wasn't just handsome -he had a natural grace, every movement refined.

Even the way he handled a fork was oddly mesmerizing. How was anyone supposed to compete with that? Honestly, he was the definition of adreamboat.

Once the meal was over, they handled the dishes together in awkward silence, the unspoken question of their sleeping arrangement hanging heavy between them.

Wesley's office featured a sleek lounge complete with a king-sized bed, as if it belonged in a luxury hotel.

He gestured toward it, inviting her to take the bed for the night.

Gabriela understood the unspoken rules of corporate survival all too well. If she dared let Wesley sleep on the sofa while she took the bed, she could kiss her job goodbye.

Steeling herself, she opted for the sofa without hesitation,and Wesley didn't press the issue.

Yet when morning arrived, Gabriela woke in a daze-nestled beneath the covers of Wesley's bed.

For a split second, she wondered if she was still dreaming. The memory of climbing into bed never surfaced. But there was no way the famously reserved Wesley would carry her-a mere employee-all the way over here.

Had she sleepwalked in the night? Flushed with panic, Gabriela scrambled out of bed and rushed to find Wesley and clear up the confusion.

She found him already impeccably dressed, seated at his desk, reading over documents as if nothing unusual had happened at all.

Overnight, the easygoing guy who'd shared dinner with her had vanished,replaced by the formidable CEO whom everyone admired but dared not cross.

Gabriela was still scrambling for a plausible excuse when Wesley shot her a cool look. "Why are you just standing there? Pull yourself together-Billy will be here any minute."

His words jolted her out of her thoughts. She was only an intern, and if anyone caught wind that she'd spent the night with the CEO-even under innocent circumstances-it would spark all kinds of rumors.That kind of gossip could do real damage, both to her and the company's reputation.

Wesley had covered every single detail without missing a beat.

Since he didn't seem bothered, there was no point in trying to defend herself. She gathered her things and offered a quick farewell, making a swift exit just as Billy bounded out of the elevator, his energy a sharp contrast to her nerves.

Billy paused mid-step, clearly caught off guard to find Gabriela there so early in the morning. He thought about Gabriela's bumbling attempt at flattery-and Wesley's uncharacteristic generosity. The more he dwelled on it, the more he felt like he'd stumbled onto some explosive office secret.

Gabriela was just as thrown.

Hadn't Billy been out sick yesterday, supposedly curled up at home with a stomachache?

Yet here he was, striding into work as if nothing had happened, the picture of health and efficiency.

That level of loyalty was rare-no wonder Wesley trusted him with everything.

When Gabriela was back in the sales department,Aubrey wasted no time pulling her aside, eager to hear every awkward and embarrassing detail of her blind date.

When Gabriela shared some of Rhys's most arrogant lines,Aubrey burst out laughing, barely able to catch her breath. "You're young, gorgeous, and honestly? If you wanted a boyfriend, there'd be a line out the door.Why torture yourself with blind dates?"

Gabriela let out a weary sigh,her frustration simmering just beneath the surface. Even if she dodged this setup by blaming work, she knew Phyllis would just cook up another scheme soon enough.

The only real solution was to find herself a boyfriend.But where was she supposed to pull one out of thin air?

That was when an idea hit her-a single name popped into her mind: Brenden.

Sure, he had a reputation for being a bit of a notorious flirt, but he was undeniably attractive, and more importantly, he always treated women with an easygoing patience that set him apart.

She remembered that night they'd shared together.Asking him to play the part of her boyfriend for one day didn't seem like such an outrageous favor.

Decision made, Gabriela grabbed her phone and fired off a message to "NotASaunders" on WhatsApp."Hey,Mr.Saunders. Got a sec? I need a favor."

There was a long stretch of silence before his response finally popped up. "What kind of favor?"

Gabriela didn't hesitate. She'd already mapped out her request in her head. "My cousin's getting married next month, and I really need a date for the wedding.Would you be willing to pretend to be my boyfriend for just one day?"

His answer came back almost instantly. "Absolutely not."

The text was blunt, but she could practically feel his annoyance radiating from the screen, which caught her off guard.

Aubrey-the office's queen of gossip-had always told her that while Brenden carried a reputation as a player,he wasn't the type to mess around with women.Even after breakups, he was the raresort who parted on good terms, always making sure his exes landed softly with generous compensation.

But this wasn't a breakup. She wasn't even asking for money-just a simple act. So why did he shut her down so fast?

She sent another message, her words genuinely earnest this time. "Mr. Saunders, I really don't have any guy friends I can ask. Could you please do me this favor?"

His response finally came through. "I can help, but I'm extremely busy. My time doesn't come cheap. How are you planning to repay me?"

His time didn't come cheap? Why not just claim that he made millions every minute like Wesley? Gabriela rolled her eyes and typed back, "Fine.How much for a day of your precious time?"

"I don't want money."

HHis smug reply made her heart lurch unexpectedly.

If it wasn't cash he was after, what was Brenden getting at? She was just a broke intern-what else could he possibly want from her?

An uneasy suspicion crept in. Was he hinting that he wanted to sleep with her again?