The CEO's Seductive Doll-Chapter 146: Rose-Colored Glasses

Two months had passed since the incident with Jakob.

It went without saying that he got fired from his job, and Evan had a restraining order against him. No further charges were made against him at Eternity’s request.

"He was once my friend," Eternity reasoned out to Evan.

Speaking of friends, she and J finally reconciled. Even though he spat some hurtful words at her, she forgave him and knew that J didn’t really mean it.

Meanwhile, working at RBAB with everyone knowing she was the CEO’s lover was quite... interesting. Some envied her, some hated her—well, the majority hated her.

But they could only talk behind Eternity’s back since there was nothing much they could do about it. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Evan also introduced Eternity to Mr. Royall. Needless to say, the Royall patriarch liked her and treated her as a daughter the moment he saw her.

"That’s his specialty," Evan joked. "Adopting people as his own."

Everything was going well—at least through the lens of Eternity’s rose-colored glasses.

***

"Sir Holz," Eternity said, placing a coaster on his desk before setting down a cup of freshly brewed coffee. "Here’s your coffee, just the way you like it."

"Sickeningly sweet?" Evan gazed at her as she returned to the sofa, where documents were piling up on the coffee table in front of it.

"Sickeningly sweet," she confirmed.

He took a sip and moaned in delight.

"Delicious!" he said, as if Eternity hadn’t been serving him the same coffee for the last four months since she started working as his secretary.

"I know," Eternity said, rolling her eyes.

"You’ve gotten cheeky, huh?" Evan chuckled, grazing his lips on his coffee mug.

Oh, how Eternity wished she was that mug.

"Stop looking at me like that," Evan said, covering his face with his hands, embarrassed.

"You’re making me feel self-conscious."

He paused, as if realizing something.

"It’s the gray hair, isn’t it?" he asked in a panic.

"No!" Eternity denied, knowing exactly where this conversation was heading if she didn’t put a stop to it immediately. "I just wish I were the mug you are holding so I could feel your lips against mine."

Evan looked at her, speechless.

"That’s awkwardly cliche," he said after a while, standing up from his office chair and walking toward Eternity on the sofa. "But I hope you know that you don’t need to be a coffee mug for me to kiss you, right?"

Evan leaned closer to her, bending down to her level since she was sitting on the sofa.

"So, can I kiss you now?" Eternity whispered, her breath hot against Evan’s skin.

"Yes, you may."

But it was Evan who swooped down and kissed her.

Everything was going well—at least through the lens of Evan’s rose-colored glasses.

***

Everything was going well until one day it all went downhill.

"Eternity!" Janus, also known as J, shrieked, standing behind Eternity as she admired herself in the mirror. They were now on a first-name basis with each other. "That dress looks fabulous on you!"

The wedding gown was made of satin. The bodice was fitted and decorated with delicate lace patterns, hand-stitched with floral patterns from the upper waist. The lace had tiny pearls and Swarovski crystals, adding a touch of sparkle to the dress.

"Really?" Eternity frowned, sounding unsure as she grasped the skirt of the dress and swayed left and right. "Doesn’t it look... old-fashioned?"

"Old-fashioned?" Janus echoed incredulously. "You mean classic! If someone on the streets saw you in that gown, they’d be tempted to buy one for themselves because of how amazing you look in it!"

A slight rush of warmth spread across her cheeks.

"Even if they’re not planning to get married anytime soon?" Eternity asked jokingly, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Even if they’re not planning to get married anytime soon," Janus nodded and grinned. "That’s the impact you have! In fact, you deserve to be on those haute couture wedding gown runways!"

She chuckled, feeling her ego inflate with his praise. "You still won’t stop insisting that I should’ve been a model instead of a corporate worker, huh?"

"Of course not!" He said, proudly puffing up his chest like a pigeon. "I have an eye for beauty if I ever see one. But speaking of corporate work..."

Janus grabbed her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. Eternity blinked, unsure of what was happening.

"What are your plans after you marry Sir Holz?"

"Plans?" she echoed, feeling confused.

He sighed, shaking his head. "I mean, you can’t possibly remain as Sir Holz’s secretary, right?"

Eternity furrowed her brows. "Why not?"

Janus looked at her in disbelief. "Don’t tell me you actually plan to continue working under him after your marriage."

"Why shouldn’t I?" she replied with genuine curiosity.

"I mean," he stammered, searching for the right words. "It’s not... appropriate for your standing—or would be standing, I guess."

"Me dating, much less getting engaged to my boss, is inappropriate in itself, Janus," Eternity pointed out.

Janus shrugged. "I guess you’re right."

She turned back to the mirror, giving the wedding dress one last thorough look before stepping out of the changing room.

"I’ll take this dress!"

"Really?" He gasped, following her out.

Eternity frowned. "I thought you liked this dress?"

"I do like the dress," Janus said. "But do you like it?"

"Well," she began, smiling teasingly at him. "If my best friend, who has an eye for beauty, says it’s a good dress, who am I to disagree, right?"

He smiled gratefully before walking up to her and giving her a tender embrace.

"I hope you’ll find eternal happiness with Sir Holz, Eternity."

Eternity chuckled, returning his hug. "He is my happiness, Janus."

"Ms. Doll," a voice called out urgently from the entrance of the dress shop.

It was Mr. Wolff, the bodyguard Evan had hired for her after the Jakob incident.

"Yes, Mr. Wolff?" Eternity replied, sensing something was wrong. "Is there some sort of emergency?"

Mr. Wolff nodded, his expression grave.

"Sir Holz had a heart attack."