Virgin At 25-Chapter 79: THE WRONG KIND OF PROPOSAL

SHARON’S POV

Maxie stood in front of me, anger blazing in her eyes... I wondered how she found out that I spent the weekend with Aec... I was still sitting, trying to process everything, when a sudden knock echoed through the apartment.

She turned her head toward the door, exhaling sharply. "I’ll get it," she muttered, stomping away.

I stayed silent, rubbing my temple, until I heard her voice again, this time, a sarcastic laugh.

"Talk of the devil," she said.

Then came the sound of heavy steps. Maxie thumped back into the living room, face twisted with irritation. Behind her stood Ace, tall and unreadable, his usual cold aura filling the air like winter frost.

My heart skipped. "Hey... Ace," I said quietly, my voice coming out lower than I intended.

He didn’t reply immediately. His gaze moved from Maxie’s furious face to my tense expression. Then, in that deep calm tone of his, he asked,

"What’s wrong, Pookie?"

Maxie gave a sharp, bitter laugh. "Pookie, huh? You see..."

Ace didn’t even look at her. He stepped closer to me instead. His presence was heavy, commanding.

"Grab your things," he said coldly. "You’re staying with me for a while."

I blinked. "What? Why?"

He didn’t answer.

"There’s no way you’re doing that!" Maxie snapped, moving between us. "You can’t just come around and..."

Ace turned his head toward her. That was all it took. The look in his eyes made her freeze, words dying on her tongue. The air around him seemed to drop ten degrees.

"This is more serious than you think," he said flatly.

My chest tightened. "Ace, what’s going on?"

He stepped forward, took my hands gently, his touch at odds with his voice. "Don’t ask now. I’ll explain on the way."

I swallowed, still unsure, but I nodded. His grip lingered a moment longer before he let go.

Behind us, Maxie sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Do whatever you want," she muttered, slumping back on the couch, clearly tired of everything.

I went into my room, packed a few clothes, and when I came out, Ace was already waiting by the door. Maxie refused to look at either of us.

We left together in his car, the silence between the three of us thick with tension. Ace dropped Maxie off at her place, barely saying a word. When we reached her place, she got out, slamming the door behind her.

Then it was just the two of us, heading toward his private apartment, the city lights passing like ghosts outside the window.

His apartment was quiet and clean....Too clean

The moment we stepped inside, the warmth from the heater brushed against my skin, but Ace still looked distant.

He removed his jacket and finally turned toward me.

"I’m sorry," he said, his voice softer now. "For coming over unannounced."

I shook my head. "You scared me, that’s all."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before looking at me again. "I thought things were going to be easy for you," he said slowly. "I thought ignoring you would end my family’s interference, their plans, their obsession with controlling everything."

He paused, eyes blank for a moment. I couldn’t read him.

"But it didn’t," he continued. "They won’t stop, Sharon. And that’s why I need to step up now."

The words hung in the air between us. His tone was quiet, but I could feel the weight in it, the promise, the regret, the tension that never really left us.

I looked at him, searching for what he wasn’t saying. And for the first time in a long while, Ace didn’t hide behind that cold mask.

He looked... scared.

Ace leaned against the wall, his gaze still fixed on me. "Sharon," he said quietly, "just... be careful. Especially around my family. You don’t know what they’re capable of."

I nodded slowly. "I will," I whispered.

He didn’t say anything after that. The silence that followed was oddly comforting. I was too tired to think about what he really meant or the danger behind his warning. My body felt heavy, my mind spinning from everything that happened. I sank onto the couch, meaning to rest for a few minutes. But before I knew it, I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, sunlight was spilling through the wide windows. Ace was already gone, but the faint smell of coffee filled the apartment. On the dining table, there was a note in his handwriting...

"Be careful today. I’ll handle things on my end... Ace."

A small smile tugged at my lips.

By the time I got to work, everything felt... different. Maybe it was because of last night. Maybe it was because I knew what I felt for Ace was real now. Whatever it was, I couldn’t act like nothing had changed.

Ryan waved at me as I entered the office, his usual bright grin on his face. "Hey, Sharon!"

I forced a small smile. "Hey."

Normally, I’d stop to chat with him, maybe laugh about something random. But today, I just walked straight to my desk.

Throughout the morning, everyone was in high spirits. Emily and Liam were teasing each other as usual, Samantha cracked a few jokes, Alex and Ethan were throwing papers at each other like kids, and Ava was recording it for her story.

Ryan joined in, but every time he tried to get me involved, I found a way to dodge the conversation. Pretending to be busy. Checking emails that didn’t exist. Typing nothing.

After a while, I could feel his eyes on me.

When the laughter died down, Ryan finally walked toward my desk. His tone was soft, but his expression told me he knew something was off.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly.

I looked up, startled. "What? No, I just..."

Before I could finish, Mrs. Rachel’s voice cut through the office.

"Sharon, my office. Now."

I blinked, standing up quickly. Ryan stepped aside as I walked past him.

---

"Good morning, ma’am," I greeted when I entered Mrs. Rachel’s office.

She smiled warmly. "Good morning, Sharon. How are you doing?"

"I’m fine, thank you."

Mrs. Rachel nodded, flipping through a few files before looking up at me again. "You’ve been doing really well lately. The board noticed your performance on the on going project."

My eyes widened slightly. "Thank you, ma’am."

"Well," she continued, "we have a client who personally requested you to represent the company this afternoon. Apparently, he was impressed by your work profile."

My heart lifted. "Really? That’s... that’s great news!"

Mrs. Rachel’s smile widened. "I thought you’d like that. The client’s name is Mr. Victor Langley. He owns several multinational companies worldwide."

The name hit me like a cold wave. My fingers tightened on the file I was holding.

Victor Langley?

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

Mrs. Rachel tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

I forced a small smile. "No, not at all. I’m honored, really."

"Good," she said, handing me the meeting details. "Make sure you prepare well. You’ll be representing the company, so I trust you’ll do great."

"I will, ma’am. Thank you."

Walking back to my desk, my mind was a storm. Victor Langley... Ace’s father.

Should I tell Aec?

I opened my phone, my thumb hovering over his contact for a few seconds before locking it again.

"No. I’ll handle it myself." I muttered under my breathe

That afternoon, I left the office with my files in hand, trying to steady my breathing. I didn’t know what the meeting would bring or if Ace would forgive me later for not telling him.

But I knew one thing.

Running wasn’t an option anymore.

The afternoon sun spilled across the marble floor as I arrived at the restaurant. It was one of those high-end places where silence felt expensive. A waiter guided me through a private hallway until we stopped in front of a door labeled VIP Room A.

I took a deep breath before stepping in.

Inside, Victor Langley was already seated. His tailored suit was sharp, his expression calm. His presence filled the room like a quiet storm.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Langley," I greeted politely, forcing a professional smile as I took the seat opposite him.

Victor’s eyes moved slowly from my face to the files I placed on the table. He didn’t say a word.

"I’ve reviewed the contract draft," I began, flipping open the folder. My voice was steady, though my palms felt cold. "Our company is proposing a partnership that will benefit both sides. We can increase the..."

"I like you, Sharon," Victor said suddenly.

The words sliced through the air, cutting me off mid-sentence.

For a second, I thought I misheard him. "S–Sir?"

His gaze was unwavering, sharp and intense. "I said I like you. And I want you."

My throat went dry. Every professional instinct screamed at me to stay composed. "Mr. Langley, I... I think there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m here on behalf of my company to discuss a project."

He leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I know. But I don’t mix business with desire. Still, sometimes, they cross paths."

My hands trembled slightly under the table.

I swallowed, forcing myself to breathe. "If we could please focus on the proposal..."

"I’ve already seen the proposal," he interrupted smoothly. "What I haven’t seen is a reason to refuse you."

His tone was calm, but his eyes told a different story, something dark, something possessive.

My pulse quickened. I tried to steer the conversation back, flipping another page. "Our target expansion..."

He leaned forward, voice low. "Tell me, Sharon, does Ace know you’re here?"

The name hit me like a slap. My heart skipped. "W–what?"

"I asked if Ace knows," Victor repeated, his lips curling faintly. "You seem... close to him."

My body froze. "This isn’t about him," I said quickly, gathering my papers. "If you’re not interested in the project, I’ll report back to my supervisor..."

Victor chuckled under his breath, a sound that sent chills down her spine. "You’re brave. I like that."

That was my cue. I stood abruptly, clutching her files. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Langley."

"Leaving already?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone.

I didn’t answer. My heels clicked sharply against the marble as I rushed out of the room, every muscle in my body trembling.

The door shut behind me with a soft click, but my heart was pounding loud enough to drown everything else out.

Outside, I leaned against the wall, trying to steady my breathing.

I didn’t know what scared me more, Victor’s words, or the look in his eyes when he said them.