LIANAI woke up the next morning in a room that felt both unfamiliar and strangely recognizable. My head throbbed as I tried to piece together where I was. Just then, Zaylen walked in, his demeanor colder than I had ever seen. He placed a tray of medicines and a glass of water on the bedside table without a word."Where am I?" I asked, my voice still groggy from sleep."My bedroom," he replied curtly."Why?" I pressed, trying to understand the situation."You fainted, so I brought you here," he said, his tone flat and distant."Oh," I muttered, memories of the previous night slowly coming back to me. The events replayed in my mind, making me wince.Zaylen turned to leave, and panic surged through me. "Hey, are you mad at me?" I called out, desperate to understand his sudden shift."No," he replied, not even turning around."You seem mad, though,” I insisted, feeling the chill in his usually warm presence."Why does it matter if I am mad or not? You clearly don't think of me as someo
LIANAI took a deep steady breath, gathering my thoughts and summoning my courage. Knocking on Zaylen's bedroom door, I called out, "Zaylen, are you free now?"I pursed my lips, hoping he was free now. He just returned from the office an hour ago. I was hoping he was not in the shower or something right now, otherwise, I had to wait more.This morning, he had already left by the time I finished talking to Noelle, so I hadn't gotten the chance to speak to him until now. And this conversation was something I needed to have before I could move forward with anything else.I clearly couldn't go on a trip with this unresolved air between us. Zaylen meant way too much for that.After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened. My eyes widened as I saw Zaylen standing there shirtless. He was undeniably hot, with a sculpted chest and defined abs that made my cheeks flush involuntarily.And the fresh scent of him being out of the shower made him all the more enticing. His hair was ev
LIANAI stepped out of the airport, feeling the warm breeze brush against my skin. My feet were practically bouncing with each step. Ten days in the Maldives had been exactly what I needed. I felt rejuvenated, my mind clear and my heart lighter. I couldn't help but smile as I scanned the crowd, my eyes landing on two familiar faces rushing towards me."Lia!" Sara called out, her voice filled with excitement. She was looking healthier and happier, fully recovered now. Noelle was right behind her, equally ecstatic."Lia!" Noelle echoed, and they both enveloped me in a tight hug, their energy infectious."I am so happy to see you guys!" I exclaimed, hugging them back. The warmth of their embrace felt like coming home."We missed you so much!" Sara said, pulling back slightly to look at me. "You look amazing. How was the trip?""It was incredible," I said, my smile widening. "I feel so refreshed. It was exactly what I needed.""I'm glad," Noelle said, her eyes twinkling with joy. "By
LIANAI took a deep breath before stepping into Zaylen’s cabin, the chill in the air immediately hitting me like an ice pole. I closed the door behind me, trying to steady my nerves."Yes, Zaylen, what did you want—""Boss. Call me Boss from now on," he interrupted, his tone colder than the room temperature. I blinked, stunned. "Oh, okay, Boss."He pointed to a stack of files on his desk, his expression unreadable. "These are the product information of our latest upcoming launch. I want you to go through them and come up with the perfect marketing plan suitable for them."I nodded, trying to keep my voice professional, already getting the hint of why Zaylen was treating me like this. "Okay. I will look through them and get back to you by the end of this week."Zaylen's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with irritation. "Where did you hear me say by the end of this week?"I stared at him, confused. "Huh?""I want the marketing plan prepared before you leave work today," he said, his wor
LIANAIt was almost midnight, and I was the only one still working. The office was eerily quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the occasional creak of the old building settling. My back ached, and I could feel the jet lag etched into my bones, pleading for sleep. Yet, there I was, fighting off the overwhelming urge to let my eyelids drop.“If only that certain someone hadn’t called me to his office every hour,” I muttered under my breath, frustration bubbling up. Zaylen’s constant summons were driving me insane. Every time I started making progress, my phone rang, and it was him again. It was beyond annoying.I slumped my head onto the desk, the cold surface a slight comfort against my throbbing forehead. “I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered to myself. The temptation to quit was stronger than ever. Maybe it was time to just give up on this job.My phone chimed, interrupting my moment of despair. I groaned and lifted my head, squinting at the screen.Zaylen:
LIANAI blinked, taken aback. The heat of my anger evaporated, replaced by a confusing swirl of emotions. "You... missed me?" I repeated, totally dumbfounded. I even doubted if I heard Zaylen right.Zaylen nodded, his eyes still locked onto mine. "Yes, Liana. I missed you. And calling you here was the only way I could think of to see you, to talk to you."I stood there, stunned, my mind struggling to process his words. All the fire I had walked in with had melted away, leaving me feeling exposed and uncertain. The room seemed to shrink around us, and for the first time in a long while, I found myself at a loss for words. I didn’t know whether it was a good kind of loss of words or a bad kind.“I haven't seen you for ten days,” he added, his voice unexpectedly soft. “That's why I kept calling you to my cabin. I couldn't exactly tell you that earlier.”I blushed, feeling a sudden warmth creep up my cheeks. “Then why the extreme workload?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady despi
ZAYLEN"Why do you not like me?" I asked softly, my voice barely a whisper.The question hung in the air, heavy with anticipation. I waited, my heart pounding, but she said nothing."Liana?" I prompted, hoping for a response.When I looked down, I saw her eyes closed, her breathing even and peaceful. She was asleep. I couldn’t help but face-palm, a mix of frustration and amusement bubbling up inside me. "Of course, you fell asleep, idiot," I muttered under my breath.Shaking my head at her ridiculousness, a fond smile crept onto my face.How could someone be so infuriating and endearing at the same time? I brushed a strand of hair away from her face, tucking it gently behind her ear.Her features were so serene, so unlike the fierce, stubborn woman I was used to. At this moment, she looked vulnerable, almost childlike. My heart softened at the sight. I gently started stroking her hair again, unable to resist the urge to be close to her."I missed you so much," I whispered, my voi
ZAYLENBefore I could react, Jordan snapped a photo. “Seriously, Jordan?” I groaned, trying not to jostle Liana awake.“Oh, don’t worry,” he said, laughing. “This is definitely going to Sara. She will love this.”“Delete that,” I demanded, but I knew it was pointless. Jordan and Sara loved to gossip, especially when it was related to Liana and I. He grinned, clearly enjoying it. “No way. This is gold. Besides, it’s cute seeing you like this, our beloved Boss.”“Shut up,” I grumbled and shot him a sharp glare. “Go and bring two cups of coffee.” Jordan just laughed. “Alright, alright. It looks like you seriously need some coffee. I’ll get you two cups.”He was about to walk away but stopped and turned to me again.“What now?” I asked, not liking the look on his face at all. “Maybe I’ll send over the junior assistant instead,” he continued, a mischievous glint in his eye. “After that, the whole office can find out about your forbidden romance.”I frowned, irritation bubbling up. “Ro