Reclaiming Her Heart

Raymond didn't expect she would apologize to him at once. Why would he always feel sullen when he talked with her?

"Mr. Montague, I'll head over to the site for a look-see and then we'll discuss the design. If it's all good, I'll get the decorators on it," she said, trying to sound professional. Raymond's response was a nonchalant nod, his gaze never quite meeting hers.

As Selena pushed through the office door, she found herself face to face with a woman clutching a coffee.

With a calculated move, she stepped aside, but not before the woman 'accidentally' tripped, spilling the dark brew all over Selena's light-colored suit.

Embarrassment washed over her instantly. Her attire, now stained, was no longer fit for public appearance. She frowned at the woman, whose acting was as bad as her intentions. "Oh, my! I'm so sorry, Miss! Let me grab some wipes to help you clean up."

The woman feigned innocence, her eyebrows arched in mock surprise.

Selena glanced at the name badge-Sofia Stone. So this tarted-up woman with delicate makeup was a Stone.

"Sure thing! Please help me out with those wipes," Selena replied with a smile, catching Sofia off guard.

Sofia's face fell. She had expected Selena to brush it off, to let it go like the stain wouldn't. But Selena wasn't playing along. "I don't think a wet wipe will cut it," she said, her brow furrowing.

"Then come up with another solution, or order me a new dress online. I've got a tight schedule; can't afford to go home and change," Selena retorted, her tone cool.

Sofia's face hardened. Did this woman not catch a hint?

The top-level executives watched the drama unfold, some with glee, others with hushed whispers.

Sofia, the new intern from the Stone family, had been strutting around the department like she owned the place, always dropping her cousin's name with pride. It was because her cousin Olivia was rumored to be Raymond's unforgotten high school sweetheart.

"It's just coffee. I apologized, didn't I?" Sofia sneered. "You're being a bit much, don't you think? You do know who you were just visiting, right? My future cousin-in-law."

Selena found the whole thing amusing. The Stone family was nothing special in New York's high society, at least not to her knowledge.

Now and then, while skimming through information, Selena would catch snippets of Raymond and Olivia's past. They might have been high schoolmates; the reasons for their eventual union remained a mystery. Selena had no interest in digging deeper.

But she kept her smile in place, her demeanor turning indifferent. "This coffee spill has nothing to do with your family ties. Or should I just spill it back on you? How about that for even?"

Sofia was seething, her body shaking with rage. This was the first time anyone had dared to challenge her at the Montague Group.

"You!" she spat, her hand raised to strike.

But Selena was quicker, catching Sofia's wrist mid-air.

"Let go! Where are the security guards?" Sofia demanded, her voice rising. Just as she spoke, the office door swung open, and Raymond appeared.

Sofia's eyes sparkled with hope as she yanked her hand free from Selena's grip with a sudden, forceful motion.

But just as Selena released her, caught off guard by Raymond's sudden appearance, Sofia lost her balance.

With a clumsy lurch, she tumbled to the floor.

"1

Selena looked at Raymond with an innocent shrug, as if to say, "Not my circus, not my monkeys."

Sofia, furious and humiliated, looked up at Raymond with eyes brimming with tears.

"Ray..." she managed to say, her voice trailing off.

The air in the room shifted. The way she addressed Raymond showed how close they were because only Raymond's family would call him that way. Did that mean her cousin Olivia had married him?

No one knew Raymond was married, and with Sofia's slip, the rumors seemed to gain weight.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Raymond's affection for Olivia, it seemed, was more than just a tale.