10 Disappointed

There was no need for surprise, Kimberly told herself. Absolutely none. 

The moment she had walked in and saw him seated behind Richard's desk, she had realized who he was. Of course, there was no way a random stranger would be in the chairman's office or seat behind the desk in his absence.

Yet, there was something about hearing him introduce himself that reeled in the full extent of her recklessness and the dreadful reality of her now shattered life. 

The outcome of her foolhardy was similar to a scene from those cringe-worthy romance soap operas she loathed, but one thing she was sure of was that there was nothing romantic about the mess she had gotten herself into. 

Awkwardly transfixed, she stared at him, seriously stared. There was some reluctance to admit to herself that not only had she slept with her boss's son, but she was also pregnant with his child. 

The knowledge of it had her struggling for control, and for a second there, she felt the ground slightly shift beneath her feet. 

Despite seeing the surprise on her face as he observed her carefully, Nicholas still couldn't bring himself to believe that it was all coincident. Nah. There was no way he was going to believe that his one night stand wasn't only an employee in his company, but also someone his father wanted him to get married to. 

"You seem surprised, but I'm sure you're not." He said, wanting to goad her into exposing her true colors. 

Quickly reclaiming her composure, Kimberly stoutly replied, "I'm not surprised." 

With each passing second he was all the more convinced how incredible of an actress she was, and if there was any possibility of according to her some benefit of the doubt, well, there wasn't anymore. 

"Good. I'm glad we are getting somewhere now. Because I wouldn't have believed you had you said you were," He said with a smirk, pleased with himself for succeeding in making her expose herself. 

That caused her face to squeeze in a frown. She didn't need him to believe her. "I didn't ask you to believe me."

"Even better, because you have no right to ask anything from me."

Furrowing her brows, Kimberly mused, was it just her, or was the man effortlessly annoying and arrogant?

Easygoing and gentle were how Richard had described him in the last year, and she'd unashamedly admit, that those words had built an impeccable image of him and his personality in her mind.

From how Richard had ceaselessly talked about him, she thought she knew him even without meeting him. And she had thought she'd recognize him at first glance. 

Tall, bright-blue eyes like his late mother, Helen— Richard's most beloved wife. Dark hair like Richard, except with the gray strands that gave Richard a charm soothing of his age. Shrewd and an astute businessman, properly groomed to steer the wheels of the Vice Enterprise after Richard finally retires— hopefully not in a few years.

Because right this moment, the man standing in front of her didn't seem fit to fill the shoes of his father. He was universes away from what she had thought he would be.

More than being peeved with her entanglement with him, she was rather offended he had ruined the enviable image of Richard's impeccable son, she had formed for a while now.

Who could have thought the day she would 'truly' encounter him would be the day every imagination she had of him would be shattered? 

"And neither do I have any desire to demand anything from you. Listen, I'm not sure what is going on here…."

"What is going on here is that I want you to admit that it had all been intentional."

"What had been intentional?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Meeting you?"

"Yes."

She scoffed. "Here I was thinking your arrogance was the only problem you had. I didn't realize you are also delusional."

"Delusion would be you thinking you can cook up a silly scheme and robe me in on it. I'm sorry to disappoint, Kim—"

"It's Ms Campbell to you. Only friends call me that, and you are definitely not one," Kimberly cut him off with a hiss. 

"Neither do I want to be one, Ms Campbell. I…."

"I have to say I'm disappointed." She muttered, cutting off whatever else he had to say. 

She wasn't just disappointed by him, but also with herself for having anything to do with someone like that. She really could have done better.

"Excuse me?" Nicholas asked, taken aback by that.

"When Richard bragged about his son, I had high expectations. I'm disappointed to know this is what you truly are." She told him squarely. Eyes leveled, and shoulders squared.

Nicholas took a step towards her. "And what do mean by that?"

There was an edge in his voice, and those flickers of mischief that had been gleaming in his eyes had been replaced by a glint of annoyance and impatience. 

"Exactly what you heard. It's unfortunate I met you while I was under the influence of Alcohol. That's the only explanation for my poor judgement of your person. But then again, I should have known better. Any man who seduces a drunk lady and has his way with her…."

"Seduce?" He growled as he came to stand in front of her, but Kimberly didn't so much as flinch. 

"Wasn't that what you did?" She asked, and there was defiance in the way she looked at him as though daring him to deny it so she could say more.

"You kissed me…."

"Oh, please! Let's not embarrass ourselves by bring up such an embarrassing and regretful encounter," she said and he scoffed.

"Yet you were the one who brought it up," he reminded her. 

"Only to tell you what I think of you," she said easily. 

"In case you haven't realized it yet, I do not care what you think of me. And you should know that there is something to say about an employee of your status who gets drunk and have sex with random men," Nicholas said and she glared at him. 

"I have no desire to spend a second more in your presence, Mr Vice." There was a grate on her inside for calling him that, because he was also ruining her fondness for the name. But she'd rather call him that than address him with his name.

"Now, unless you have something business related to discuss with me, I'd like to return to my office," Kimberly said in a scathing tone before turning to leave, not giving Nicholas any chance to say anything else.

As annoyed as Nicholas was by their whole exchange, he couldn't help feeling a bit amused and intrigued by her sharp tongue. 

Unless this was also all part of the plan, her anger sort of made him want to believe that she was innocent.