CEO's Revenge, My Second Chance At Love

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The summer after high school graduation, just as the world felt like it was opening up, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Of all times, that was when Sienna Sterling chose to confess her feelings to me.

With my life hanging in the balance and my future uncertain, I did the only thing I couldDI pushed her away as hard as I could.

But fate wasn't finished with me yet, and against all odds, I beat the cancer.

Six years later, Sienna appeared again, but this time she was the one sitting across the desk as my interviewer.

She cornered me in the men's restroom, her eyes burning with a cold intensity.

"Asher Lindberg, how about we swap roles today? You play the person begging, and maybe I'll let you pass this interview."

When I caught sight of Sienna Sterling sitting on the interview panel, my heart nearly stopped.

Without thinking, I turned and bolted toward the nearest restroom, desperate for a moment to breathe.

But she didn't let me go that easily. She followed me, her heels clicking rhythmically on the tile, until she had me trapped in a stall.

"Sienna, this is the men's room!" I hissed, my back pressed against the cold metal door.

"And this is my company," she countered, her voice smooth and dangerous.

I stared at her, my eyes wide.

After two years of fighting cancer, I had managed to get back into a top-tier university and thought I was doing great for myself.

But the harsh reality was that I had lost two years of my life, and my peers were already light-years ahead of me in the corporate world.

"Just let me out," I pleaded. "I have an interview to get to."

She was dressed in a sharp professional skirt that accentuated her curves, and I couldn't help but swallow hard as I looked at her.

Sienna noticed my gaze and intentionally adjusted the hem of her stockings, a playful yet mocking smirk on her lips. "Do you like what you see?"

I felt like a deer in headlights, nodding instinctively before shaking my head frantically.

"Hmph. You vanished for six years without a single word. Do you honestly think I'm just going to let you walk through that door?"

Guilt washed over me as I looked at her perfect, beautiful face, and I found myself at a total loss for words.

"This feels like you're using your position to settle a personal grudge," I managed to say.

"Good," she whispered, stepping closer until I could smell the faint, delicate scent of orchids clinging to her skin. "At least you remember we have a grudge."

I tried to back up, but I was already pinned against the wall with nowhere left to run.

"Asher, what if we trade places? If you do what I did back then, maybe I'll give you the job. What do you say?"

"What do you mean, trade places?" I asked, my mind racing.

"You tell me," she whispered.

Is she playing mind games with me?

While I stood there in a daze, she slowly closed her eyes, tilting her face up as if waiting for a kiss.

Looking at her soft, red lips, my brain felt like it was short-circuiting.

I came here for a job, and now I'm being cornered in a bathroom by a female CEO

This felt like a dream, but it was a dream I didn't dare to touch.

Taking advantage of the moment her eyes were closed, I didn't hesitate. I shoved past her and bolted out the door.

I knew this was her way of getting back at me.

Six years ago, I had broken her heart, and she clearly hadn't forgotten the sting of that rejection.

I decided right then that I didn't want the job anymore.

As soon as I stepped out of the building, my phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.

"Coward. Get your ass back here and finish the interview!"

I gritted my teeth and immediately blocked the number.

If I said I didn't regret it, I'd be lying. If I had known back then that I was going to live, I never would have pushed her away.

The memory of her heartbroken face after I rejected her still haunted my dreams.

The very next day back then, I had left with my father to a specialized hospital in another state.

I cut off contact with everyone I knew.

My dad always told me that I didn't just have a stubborn faceDmy heart was as hard as a rock too.

To put it simply, my pride was a disease of its own.

Luckily, I managed to land a job at a second company I interviewed for.

The awkward part was that it was located in the exact same office tower as Sienna's firm.

I was on the 18th floor, and she was on the 26th.

Every day, I lived in a state of constant anxiety, terrified that I might run into her in the lobby or the elevator.

Sure enough, during my second week, the crisis I had been dreading finally arrived.

I had started staying late for thirty minutes every day, convinced that a big boss like her would never work overtime.

I was wrong.

When the elevator doors slid open, Sienna was standing there, her head down as she looked over some reports.

I tried to pull a quick U-turn, but she was faster, grabbing my arm and yanking me into the elevator before the doors could close.

I'm a big guy, but she pulled me with such force that I nearly lost my balance.

She quickly leaned her head forward to steady me, her forehead pressing against my chest as I wobbled.

"You big idiot," she muttered.

I was stunned by the contact, frozen for a few seconds before I could pull myself together.

She realized how close we were and flushed a deep red, stepping back and smoothing out her clothes as the atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.

"Working on the 18th floor now?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"At least you've learned to stay within my reach this time."

Six years hadn't changed her; she was just as self-absorbed as ever.

I stayed silent, pretending I hadn't heard a word she said.

But when the elevator doors opened again, things got even more embarrassing.

I had forgotten to press the button for the lobby and had followed her all the way down to the underground parking garage.

"Sorry, I actually need to go back up," I said, feeling a bad omen creeping up on me.

She didn't listen. Instead, she grabbed my arm and dragged me toward her car.

"I'm driving you home."

I wanted to fight it, but she seemed to read my mind before I could even move.

"Try to run and I'll scream harassment. Your choice."

I sighed and slumped into the passenger seat like a defeated puppy.

During the drive, the silence was deafening. I caught her glancing at me occasionally, and she looked like she was fuming.

I guess being a CEO had made her temper even more unpredictable.

At a red light, she slammed on the brakes so hard I nearly ate the dashboard.

"Why didn't you go to college after graduation? Do you have any idea how long I waited for you that first semester?"

Back then, we had both been accepted into the same university.

But I knew I couldn't go. I had a bed waiting for me in the oncology ward instead.

"Family stuff came up," I lied. "I had to start my degree two years late."

"Are you sure you weren't just hiding from me?"

In a way, I was. I had been pretty brutal when I turned her down.

I'd heard through the grapevine that she took the rejection so hard she actually got sick for a while.

"I'm sorry, Sienna. I was wrong back then. I'm truly sorry."

She didn't say a word. She just laid on the horn at the car in front of her and sped off as soon as the light turned green.

When we finally reached my place, I fumbled with my seatbelt, desperate to escape.

"Thanks for the ride. See ya."

She looked at me with a blank expression and pressed a button on the console, deadlocking all the doors.

"Asher Lindberg," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "Are you playing me? You played with me for two years in high school, and now you want a sequel?"

I had no idea what she was talking about. When did I play her? She was the one who confessed to me!

"What are you even talking about?"

"Nothing. I'm just playing back."

Before I could process that, she leaned over and bit me right on the neck.

It didn't hurt, but it sent a jolt of electricity through my body that made my skin tingle.

I was completely stunned. "Sienna, what the hellD"

"What? Are you going to act like you're the victim now?"

I I literally had no comeback for that.

Suddenly, there was a sharp knock on the window. She jumped back and unlocked the doors, slowly rolling the glass down.

When I saw who it was, I felt like I was looking at my savior.

I scrambled out of the car the second the door opened.

Sienna stepped out, her face a mask of cold fury. "Who is she?"

I reached out and pulled Lana Shaw into a side hug.

"Hey, babe! You're finally here!"

Lana was confused for a split second, but she was sharp. She picked up on the vibe immediately and started acting.

"Hey, honey. Should I call the cops? This looks like a classic case of workplace harassment to me."

Sienna's face went pale, then dark with rage. There was a flicker of something that looked like heartbreak in her eyes.

Lana was a fellow survivor I'd met during treatment, and she lived right next door to me now.

She was the only one who knew the whole story between me and Sienna.

As Sienna's car screeched away, Lana looked at me. "Why don't you just tell her the truth about being sick?"

I kicked a loose stone on the sidewalk. "Playing the pity card just makes people resent you more."

"Why are you so sure? Don't you think she actually loves you?"

Why? Because it was obvious.

Back in junior year, I had lost a bet. I was forced to confess to Sienna in front of the whole school.

I never expected her to say yes.

But she had walked right up to me, pressed her body against mine, and whispered so only I could hear.

"I don't like you, but you can hold my hand so we can get away from this crowd."

We walked down the hallway hand-in-hand.

She gave me my dignity when I should have been humiliated. I knew then that there was a massive gap between our worlds.

For a while, everyone thought we were actually dating.

But before long, she started spending all her time with Harrison West, the school's golden boy.

The lie fell apart.

I became the guy everyone felt sorry for.

The funniest part? Harrison was the one who had come up with the bet in the first place.

He and I had always been rivals for the 'hottest guy' title, and the only thing he had on me was his family's bank account.

He was right. A girl like Sienna could never actually love someone like me. They were in the same social class.

I didn't see Sienna for the next few days.

But I did hear about her from some of her employees in the elevator.

"The secretary said Ms. Sterling is out sick. She's resting at home."

"No wonder she hasn't been around. I guess even the most beautiful people have a fragile side."

"Seriously. I heard she has to go to the hospital every month for some kind of holistic treatments."

I was floored. Sienna was sick? Was she really that fragile?

I couldn't help but wonder if I was the one who had upset her enough to trigger it.

Ever since we reunited, I could tell she wanted to get even with me, which is why she kept pushing me.

But she didn't realize that the love I had tried so hard to bury was crumbling the moment she got close.

That was why I had to keep my distance.

As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, my phone started blowing up with notifications.

I checked the screen and saw that Sienna had added me back into our old high school group chat. Everyone was tagging me.

"Asher Lindberg, you're finally back from the dead!"

"You have to come to the reunion!"

"If Asher doesn't show, the whole thing is cancelled."

I hesitated for a moment before typing two words. "I'm in."

The chat erupted in cheers.

I knew Sienna would be there. I needed to see for myself if she was okay.

At the reunion, everyone was dying to know why I had disappeared off the face of the earth.

I just gave them a vague smile and blamed it on some family issues, and luckily, they stopped prying.

The class president leaned in close to me. "So, have you and Sienna been in touch this whole time?"

I shook my head.

"That's weird. She told me she wouldn't come unless you did."

Just as I was processing that, the door to the private room swung open.

Sienna walked in, looking stunning, with Harrison West trailing right behind her.

I'd heard he had just moved back to the city after years of living in London.

I still felt that old, familiar spark of hostility whenever I looked at him.

Maybe it was because of that bet from years ago.

The group swarmed them, asking questions and making comments.

"Why did you two arrive together?"

"Is there something going on between you guys?"

"They were always close back then. It wouldn't be a surprise if they were finally official."

Sienna looked at me, a tiny, knowing smirk playing on her lips. She didn't deny any of it.

Well, she clearly looked fine now. Her cheeks were flushed and healthy.

As the night went on, the conversation shifted to careers and success.

We had been in the honors track, so most of the class was doing pretty well for themselves.

Then there was me. After beating cancer, I had to start all over. I was a full two years behind everyone else.

Whenever the spotlight turned on me, I tried to dodge the questions.

Every single time, Sienna would conveniently call for a toast, drawing the attention away from me.

I felt a wave of relief every time she did it.

"Asher, you haven't touched a single drop of alcohol tonight. That's not cool, man. Everyone's drinking. You can't just stick to soda."

One of our former classmates filled a shot glass with clear liquor and slid it in front of me.

"Sorry, I'm on some pretty heavy antibiotics right now," I lied.

The mood turned a bit stiff. My cancer was in remission, but I was strictly forbidden from touching alcohol.

"Asher is such a dedicated worker," Harrison chimed in, his voice dripping with condescension. "Coming to a reunion even when he's sick. It's fine, don't push him. I'll drink his share."

What a tool, I thought.

Harrison downed the shot in one go.

Sienna watched me intently for a moment before picking up a napkin and gently dabbing the corner of Harrison's mouth where some of the liquid had spilled.

"Thanks, babe," Harrison whispered.

They were being so domestic it was nauseating.

I couldn't stand to watch it anymore, so I made an excuse to use the restroom and slipped out of the room.

I stood by the hotel's back exit, looking out at a small garden, finally finding a moment of peace.

To be honest, Harrison and Sienna looked perfect together. They had the looks, the money, the status.

Why was I even upset? I was the one who rejected her, wasn't I?

But there was still a bitter knot in my stomach that wouldn't go away.

Suddenly, I heard a soft footstep behind me.

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