12 Face to Face

Anna's heart hammered against her chest.

The proximity to Kristofer Almodiiel was making it hard for her to breathe. Nevertheless, Anna knew that she couldn't afford to let what she felt deprive her of doing something.

It was what Kristofer Almodiel expected her to do—nothing.

With the strength that she could muster, Anna pushed Kristofer Almodiel away from her. Yet he was strong enough that she only managed to distance him and herself with a little bit of sufficient space for her to at least calm her heart down.

Anna then scoffed.

"You're no different, Mister Almodiel. You're just like everyone else," she stated, to which Kristofer Almodiel merely raised his brows.

"Wow," he said, sounding amused. "You have branded me as one of the people on your jerk list?"

Anna scoffed yet again. She then laughed sarcastically before locking eyes with him.

"You are not on my list," Anna said. "You are not on any list at all. You are the jerk incarnate itself."

It was Kristofer Almodiel's turn to belt out a laugh. He was no longer trying to suppress his amusement at what Anna Mendoza had just remarked.

For Kristofer, being called a jerk was nothing new. People had called him worse names than just a jerk. Even one woman called him a douche in front of many people.

But Kristofer did not really care. He rarely ever does. He was used to the nicknames as he, admittedly, represented those most of the time, especially when it came to women in whom he was not interested.

Looking at Anna, Kristofer Almodiel began to smirk.

"I feel so honored," Kristofer stated, doing a mock bow to gesture his acceptance of the title the mysterious lady had just called him to be.

"Wow, I think I just wasted my time having this nonsense conversation with you," Anna replied and, for the second time, attempted to get inside her car.

However, Kristofer Almodiel shut the car door, and Anna had no choice but to face him again.

"Seriously, what is your deal?"

Kristofer smirked at her again as he held her captive against her car.

"You placed me in a land of no return, Miss. That good luck from you was quite a curse. So, you have two options here. Either you give me your name, or..." Kristofer let his words hang as he caught the look on her face again.

He couldn't help but be amused and suddenly desired to add fire to her agony.

Anna waited for a few seconds for him to continue. It irked her that there seemed to be no escape from Kristofer Almodiel's persistence.

She glared at him, making sure that he could feel the burning desire inside of her to kick him where it hurt the most if that was the last thing she needed to do to free herself from his prison.

"Or what?" Anna prompted.

Kristofer only deepened his smirk as he leaned in a little closer.

"Or we could stay like this all day. After all, I have all the time in the world. But do you?"

That was a blatant lie. Kristofer did not have such a luxury. But he would not admit that to the mysterious woman he had been trying to track down for quite some time and somehow now ran into. 

The work can wait, but this can't. It was a matter of great urgency.

Kristofer watched the woman in front of him hold his gaze before shaking her head. Disbelief was plastered on her expression.

"Time? You're bluffing, Mister Almodiel. I think neither of us has any free time to spare. Hearing you say a flat-out lie is quite amusing."

Anna almost couldn't believe that Kristofer Almodiel had said that. Of all people, it was he who claimed that he had some time to spare.

For what exactly, though? To talk to her? Or, better yet, to get her to talk?

Anna shook her head. The longer Kristofer Almodiel kept her in such a position, the more incredulous he would become.

"You and I both know that if there's one person who would rarely have time to do anything other than work, it's going to be you, Mister Almodiel. Unless you are not doing any work at all."

"Are you accusing me of simply sitting in my office just for appearances?"

Anna let out a laugh once again.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I do think that. Unless proven, then yes. You did inherit it by your birthright. That's given. But, have you actually done anything to make you deserve that position other than it being handed to you because of heritage?"

Kristofer was only getting more amused with every passing second.

"If I had a choice," Kristofer stated, catching himself before it was too late to take it back.

For a brief second, Anna saw a look of vulnerability on Kristofer Almodiel's face.

However, before she could even figure out what it was about, it was gone in an instant.

Yet Anna somehow came to a conclusion about what he might have said. She knew. She knew what he must feel like.

He was trapped. He had little to no option to get away from being the CEO of the company his ancestors had started.

Anna understood that if he had a choice, he would be pursuing a different path than the one he was already on.

"You do not have to finish that sentence. However, my milkshake is probably melting, and if you have time to spare, you're right. I don't have the same privileges."

Anna pulled her car door open from behind her. But then Kristofer continued to block her way in. He appeared to have been serious with his threat, which only made Anna's heart rate soar high all of a sudden.

"I gave my conditions. All I want is a name, woman. Just a name, and I would let you go."

Anna considered his offer. She was confident that no one would find her, and yet she was found—by Kristofer Almodiel, one of the most influential and famous people, nonetheless.

Anna contemplated hard whether she was going to disclose her name or if she was going to give him a fake one.

If she decides on a fake one, she will have to face the consequences later on.

'That might not fare too well.'

Mentally sighing, Anna knew he was bound to find out who she was sometime later. Lying to him would save her for now. But what if that lie would cause more trouble than the truth?

With a grimace written on her face, Anna stared right through the arrogant CEO's captivating eyes and pursed her lips.

"Anna. My name is Anna."