Love Began with the First Meeting

She held back from stomping her foot, but snarled at him, "Eric, you're really infuriating!" Molly almost hit the roof because of his malicious behavior. "Are you happy when you see me feeling terrible?"

"Why would I feel that?" Eric shot back. He quickly shed the reserved look and focused his eyes intently on Molly. Eric watched her flinch at his serious gaze and then enunciated each of his next words. "Little Molly, I was sincere when I said all those things to you. I'm no longer the same person I was before. What I feel for you isn't just because I like to compete with Brian. If you feel horrible, I will be sorry for you. If you feel sad, it will break my heart. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

His sudden confession took Molly by surprise. She forced a small smile as she stammered with her reply. "You… I… Don't say that to me," she appealed.

"What then should I say?" Eric asked coldly. "Molly, I have more than just a terrible crush on you, and I'm very serious about my feelings for you."

It was all so confusing for Molly. Her heart and mind were a mess. She felt as if her thoughts were a ball of yarn that a playful kitten tangled up. Her eyes went blank, and she now didn't know what to say or how to act. But subconsciously, Molly wanted to resist Eric like she did Brian.

Before she could snap out of her trance, Eric's face loomed in front of Molly's and terrified her. She screamed and tried to back away from him but ended up pressing herself tightly against the back of the sofa. Eric leaned even closer, so she had no way to escape. The only choice she had was to push her hands against his chest.

Disappointment filled Eric's eyes. As he stared at Molly, the look in his eyes changed dramatically. Eventually, he opened his mouth and spoke in a tone full of resentment. "What is so special about you? Why did I fall in love with a woman as ordinary as you?"

The hands on his chest slackened. Molly bit her lips and looked into his eyes with a blank stare. Spitefully, Eric said, "I should never have fallen in love with you. Do you know that I…" He stopped in mid-sentence. But his eyes never wavered as he stared at Molly and finished what he was saying in his mind, 'I didn't wish to fall in love with you at all!'

pulled away from her. As he turned back, his eyes clashed with Brian's sharp gaze. The expression on his

Molly quickly pulled herself together and adjusted herself on the sofa. With tight lips and a

her with disinterest and then turned to Eric, and said in

the stairs. Eric paused and told Molly, "Wait for me here. I want to take you to

walk into the study and shut the door behind them. Molly now had time to ponder Eric's words earlier, and suddenly felt as if on pins and needles. Molly never imagined Eric falling in love with her, but he did sound serious when he expressed his affection for her.

Inside the study…

sat opposite Brian, as casually as if nothing happened earlier. With a careless tone, he asked, "You held

tight-lipped and

Eric extended his arms and leaned on the table and again tried to fan the flames. "I felt bored while

Brian let his fingers dance over the keyboard. It was unfortunate that he walked in

you held the press conference for Mark's sake! Am

statement. His fingers stopped typing and his eyebrows slightly knitted.