A Bed Too Empty, A Boss Too Close

Sleep had completely abandoned Melinda that night.

Between the hollow ache in her body and the sting of what she had witnessed, rest never came to her.

Morning arrived nonetheless, and she managed to reach the office without being late.

The moment she stepped inside while stifling a yawn, an unusual tension seemed to ripple through the workspace.

"We have a new CEO starting today," Rosanna Baxter, her closest confidante at work, said as she leaned closer with excitement to share the latest gossip.

Only then did Melinda understand why every woman in the department had been fussing over compact mirrors and lipstick when she walked in.

Grabbing her by the arm in disbelief, Rosanna pressed her into a chair. "Melinda, how can you stay so calm at a time like this? Your makeup is barely there. Sit still and let me help you look presentable."

Shooting to her feet immediately, Melinda responded with indifference, "Why should the arrival of a new CEO concern me? I already have more than enough on my plate."

Following her university graduation, Belen had arranged for her to join this company under the pretense of broadening her horizons.

Behind that polished excuse, however, lay the real motive, which was to ensure that she would never hold any meaningful authority within the Douglas Group.

From the very beginning, the future of the Douglas Group had already been reserved for Alec and Sloane.

Given that she was born to Simon's mistress, no amount of academic excellence or tireless effort could ever earn Melinda a place within the family corporation, even if she surpassed both Alec and Sloane.

Unlike Alec, who carried the Douglas name as its rightful male successor, she brought no pride to the lineage, and unlike Sloane, she did not possess the effortless charm that won everyone's affection.

As a result, the moment she received her diploma, Belen ensured that the doors of the Douglas Group were firmly closed to her.

Adding to that silence, Kathryn never once stepped forward to argue on her daughter's behalf.

Years of such disregard had shaped Melinda's outlook, and over time, she had learned to endure it without protest.

Awareness of Belen's distaste for her potential and certainty of Kathryn's indifference had kept her cautious.

For that reason, she spent the last two years maintaining a low profile in this unremarkable company while steering clear of any overlap with Alec or Sloane.

Ambition no longer tempted her, and financial reward did not motivate her either. Therefore, the arrival of a new CEO truly bore no significance in her world.

Irritation flashing across her face, Rosanna forced Melinda back into the chair. "A brand new CEO is arriving, and you are acting as if nothing has changed. What's wrong with you? The whole company is polishing its image so it might impress him at first glance. You were born with a beautiful face, so why are you refusing to make the most of it? Word is that he is young and good-looking, and I doubt we would regret putting in a little effort."

With a dismissive flick of her gaze, Melinda replied, "If that excites you, then go and shine as much as you like. I truly have no interest in this. There is already too much on my desk waiting for me."

Determination tightening her grip, Rosanna kept her seated. "Even if I do not catch his attention, you might. I have come to understand something important. In this office, ability and diligence will only take you so far. What truly protects you is influence. Once the new CEO favors one of us, no one here will dare cause trouble again."

By the time the clock struck ten, the ground-floor lobby of the office building had filled.

Anticipation rippled through the crowd as everyone faced the entrance with a rigid posture, waiting for the moment he would appear.

Seizing her chance, Rosanna tugged Melinda along and maneuvered through the mass of employees until they secured a place in the very front row.

Unease crept into her voice as Melinda whispered, "We are standing far too close."

Then she attempted to retreat at the exact moment the new CEO made his appearance.

Without warning, a fleet of more than a dozen security vehicles rolled in ahead of a gleaming Rolls-Royce, which glided to a flawless stop before the entrance.

Through the open door emerged a tall figure clad in a tailored suit, dark sunglasses concealing his eyes.

Authority radiated from him so intensely that he resembled a sovereign stepping into territory that already belonged to him.

Encircled by a formation of bodyguards, he advanced toward the building with steady and commanding strides.

Grandeur and dominance defined the spectacle, and the atmosphere carried a weight that left the crowd breathless.

Not a single person dared to move, and many simply stared with parted lips as his presence overwhelmed them.

Compelled by curiosity, Melinda lifted her gaze toward him and found herself rooted in place.

Recognition struck her without mercy, and disbelief widened her eyes.

Standing before them was not a stranger in power, but the very doctor who had conducted her examination yesterday.

Astonishment clouded her thoughts.

For several heartbeats, she questioned her own senses and wondered if her mind had begun to deceive her.

In disbelief, she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if that could erase the sight before her.

Upon opening them again, she discovered that the man had already halted directly in front of her.

A sharp intake of breath escaped Melinda's lips.

With deliberate calm, the man angled his face in her direction.

Given the narrow space between them, there was absolutely no chance of confusing him with anyone else.

Standing only steps away was the doctor from yesterday, his sculpted features unmistakable, and he was the very man who had occupied her thoughts last night.

Shock gripped Melinda so completely that she could barely remain upright.

Thought itself abandoned her, leaving nothing but hollow silence inside her mind.

For no more than a fleeting moment, his eyes rested on her before sliding away with cold detachment, as though she were a stranger he had never encountered.

Once he passed, the crowd seemed to awaken all at once and called out in unison, "Good morning, Mr. Harvey!"

As she watched him step into the private elevator designated for the CEO, a heavy weight dragged her heart downward.

To reassure herself that this was real, she dug her fingers sharply into her own arm.

Pain shot through her arm, and that sting confirmed she was not trapped in a dream.

Despite that, she refused to abandon the last explanation available to her, which was that the newly appointed CEO merely resembled the doctor.

Desperation pushed Melinda to hold tightly to that fragile possibility.

With a mixture of shock and curiosity, Rosanna gripped her sleeve. "Melinda, do you actually know him?"

Startled by the question, Melinda blinked and replied, "What are you talking about?"

Excitement flickered in Rosanna's eyes as she leaned closer. "I clearly saw him stop for a couple of seconds when he reached you. Do you think you might catch his eye?"

A weary breath slipped from Melinda before she answered, "That is impossible. You must have misunderstood what you saw."

Without offering another word, she spun around and rushed toward the restroom, where she bent over the sink and let cold water splash against her face in an effort to steady herself.

Left behind in the bustling lobby, Rosanna remained motionless, confusion written all over her face.

...

Upon stepping back into the office, Melinda was met with a wave of excited chatter revolving entirely around the new CEO.

"Have you heard? Mr. Harvey's mother serves as the director of Ocean Medical Center, and his father is the senior official who frequently appears on the evening news. He studied overseas, where he completed two master's degrees in medicine and finance. Everyone assumed he would return to manage his mother's hospital, but instead, he suddenly took charge of our company."

Each word she overheard tightened the knot forming in Melinda's stomach.

The name Ocean Medical Center struck her sharply, because that was the very hospital she had visited for her recent examination.

Connections began to line up one after another, and the fact that the CEO's mother managed that institution while he himself had a medical background made her pulse race.

Dread crept in as the evidence seemed to confirm what she had been trying to deny, which was that the CEO was indeed the same doctor who had examined her.

At the precise moment she wished the possibility away, reality appeared to solidify before her.

Since that appointment, the only thing Melinda had desired was distance from him.

Fate had placed him not only inside her workplace, but at the very top of it as the new CEO.

Oddly enough, a small measure of comfort came from the distance between their positions, because he commanded the entire company while she remained an unnoticed employee at the bottom rung.

On that basis, she convinced herself that their worlds were too far apart to collide again.

Before she could cling to that reassurance, Danny Foster, their manager, approached with a stern expression and said, "Melinda, Mr. Harvey has personally requested that you report to his office immediately."

At those words, Melinda's heartbeat faltered.

All around her, colleagues lifted their heads in unison and stared as though they had just witnessed something unbelievable.

Instead of responding with composure, Melinda inhaled sharply.

A crushing weight settled deep in her chest.

Fear tightened its grip as she realized that escaping his presence might not be possible after all.