Perfect Match: Irresistible Desire For You
Chapter 19

Mike meant that he said. As far as he could remember, his parents had always been affectionate toward each other, and his father was extremely jealous of his mother’s attention. When he got a little older, his father did not want him to cling to his beautiful mother all the time. It was not until his sister was born that his single-minded focus on his mother was diverted to someone else. Mike had worked hard to become the best brother to Ashley, and he tended to hover over the younger child and take care of her in all aspects.

As they grew older, it became increasingly obvious to everyone that Ashley had inherited her mother’s beauty. However, she came across as someone who was cool and detached, so boys who became attracted to her could only dare to appreciate her beauty from afar. Hardly any of them ever approached her. In secret, Mike had dealt with several boys who were determined to confess to Ashley. Moreover, he had warned his friends to never court his younger sister.

As a result, a lot of Ashley’s potential suitors were scared off by the sister-obsessed Mike, thereby nipping any potential romance in the bud. This was the primary reason why Ashley hadn’t been in a relationship for so many years. However, the absence of a love life mattered little to Ashley, who could be considered a late bloomer when it came to love.

Ashley shook her head helplessly at Mike’s words. “Don’t forget to remind me then. Mike, I really have to finish all of these,” she said apologetically, gesturing at the pile of materials she had taken home from the office. Then, she turned around and went back to typing on the computer.

Understanding the sign of dismissal for what it was, Mike ruffled Ashley’s hair and left the study.

They spent a pleasant weekend together at home.

All too soon, it was Monday morning again. Ashley, Lina, and another teammate went to Empire Group together. As soon as they entered the building and introduced themselves to the front desk personnel, they were ushered to the CEO’s office. The whole team, including Ashley, for once, was surprised by such a privilege.

Meanwhile, Lina was under the impression that this welcome by the Empire Group’s head was all due to her presence among the negotiating team. She believed that she was being given special treatment because of her role as the future hostess of Synder Group, so she swept out of the elevator with an even more pronounced air of arrogance. The others in the team, who had already grown used to her arrogance, paid her no heed.

What they had seen of the Empire Group building was already awe-inspiring, but nothing could have prepared them for the breathtaking grandeur of the floor of the CEO’s office. The shiny frosted glass wall gave a panoramic view of the city’s scenery, which was especially magnificent from this height. After a while, the secretary who had just then entered the office and reported the situation to the CEO walked up to Ashley and said politely, “Welcome. The CEO has asked for Miss Guzman to come in for a brief discussion. The others can follow me to wait downstairs.”

Before Lina and the others could react, another secretary was leading Ashley toward the CEO’s office, so they were left with no choice but to follow the arrangement and go downstairs.

Lina bristled with indignation at what she considered to be a snub. She was planning to see the Empire Group CEO, who was reported to be very handsome. The last thing she expected was for the man to single out Ashley instead of her. However, she could hardly lose her temper while in other people’s territory, so she stewed on the inside while trying to keep her anger hidden.

Ashley was beset by a barrage of warring emotions during the short walk across the floor to the CEO’s office. She didn’t know why the legendary Empire Group CEO wanted to talk to her. She might be the lead representative and negotiator for Synder Group, but there was no need for him to welcome her in person. What should she say to the man? After all, her only purpose was to negotiate and hopefully complete the contract with Empire Group.

The secretary knocked on the door, and then a deep, compelling voice responded with, “Come in,” from inside. After motioning for Ashley to enter, the secretary left.

Ashley was greeted by the sight of a tall man dressed in a sharp black suit seated behind a massive oak desk. He had handsome, finely chiseled features and dark, unreadable eyes. He had the air of a distinguished gentleman even in his relatively young age, but compared to the Joseph in the magazine, this man exuded a cold, untouchable aura.

With his face set in an expressionless mask, Joseph himself was conducting a similar inventory of Ashley’s appearance. As in the video, she was dressed in another business suit and had applied a light layer of makeup on her fair, delicate face. The video footage did not do justice to her beauty. Her found her staring at him with bright, astute eyes and then looked away. ‘She doesn’t recognize me,’ Joseph realized.

“Hello! Mr. Marshall, I’m Ashley Guzman, the manager of Synder Group’s marketing department. I’m here with my team to discuss the cooperation deal with your company on behalf of mine.” Ashley’s confident voice broke the oddly expectant silence as she explained the agenda of today’s meeting in a calm, professional manner.