The memories halted, and the person in his arms was stiff as a board.
"You look really ugly when you cry," he said on purpose, though she didn’t look ugly at all right now. Her eyes were red, her nose was red—just like the rabbit she had kept all those years ago.Lena’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t argue back, didn’t scold him. That only made Alaric more nervous. Her once-dry tear ducts were now moist again. The previously empty corner was suddenly filled with people, and to any onlooker, it seemed like he was bullying her.Alaric regretted getting involved. He wondered just what had hit Lena so hard that she was crying like this. Her current behavior didn’t resemble her at all. Even when he kept his arm around her waist, she didn't react or pull away.Carefully, he moved his hand, and a teardrop the size of a bean rolled down her cheek. He froze. Then, his hand returned, patting her back gently as he turned his face away, feeling awkward. After a long moment, he cLena greeted each of the senior management team members one by one, while the rest of the employees had already received an internal email about the new CPO’s arrival. The entire building was buzzing with gossip all day about the new arrival, especially since she had been a frequent face in the news recently. Seeing her in person only fueled the chatter.Lena's office was set up on the same floor as Alaric's, about a two-minute walk away. The reasoning was that it would make discussions and decision-making more efficient. "So why is it just me and him? What about everyone else?" she asked her new assistant, Iris.Iris was a recent graduate who had been with the company for only six months. She replied, "I heard the others felt it was too stressful working so close to him, so they all asked to be moved to different floors."Lena wasn’t surprised; she had heard similar comments about herself at her old company."By the way, who else is in the Project Development and Ma
"Lena, why didn’t you contact me yesterday? I was worried sick about you all night." Lena stared coldly at Diya’s "late" message, feeling a chill pass over her. She couldn’t help but find Diya’s performance both amusing and pitiful."When did you get involved with Owen?" Lena shot back.The message was read, but there was a long silence. That kind of silence often speaks louder than any excuse. If Diya had just told her from the beginning that she liked her brother Owen—even though Lena thought he was a nearly thirty-year-old slacker—she would have given them her blessing if it made Diya happy.The only reason Diya wouldn't tell her was because she was plotting with Owen or doing something that would harm Lena’s interests. It all made sense now, from the family’s financial troubles to Diya’s excuse of her parents not allowing them to meet. Lena had thought Diya’s usual naivety was genuine, but it turned out everyone around her had hidden motives...Two days passed, a
With everyone watching, Lena downed the drink in one go. Instantly, her throat and stomach burned—a fiery sensation—as she caught sight of at least five different types of liquor mixed into that single glass. The alcohol hit her brain quickly, but she forced down the discomfort and used a napkin to dab at the corner of her mouth.Bob broke into a broad grin and clapped his hands. "Now that's what I call bold! I like it!"The disdain in his eyes from earlier had vanished, replaced with a hint of admiration. Lena felt that the drink was well worth it. “I’ll be counting on your support from now on,” she said.Only when Bob had signed the contract right then and there did she finally allow herself to relax.“Take me home.” That was the last coherent thing she said to Iris before everything became a blur.The alcohol truly kicked in once everyone had left. Lena had made an excuse about someone coming to pick her up so that the others would go ahead. Only Iris stayed b
Alaric took a deep breath, kicking away his wandering thoughts. "Lena, you troublemaker, let go."Lena ignored him, smiling smugly like she'd just won a victory.Alaric was at a loss, silently repeating to himself to stay calm. He tried to put some distance between them and freed one hand to pry her fingers off, but her hands were clasped tightly behind his neck, holding on for dear life.With no other choice, he resorted to his ultimate move—he shifted his hand to her waist. Lena was extremely ticklish, but he didn’t realize this position was even more suggestive. Alaric’s throat tightened as he found her waist and started tickling her lightly. Lena blinked, completely unfazed."..." Why isn’t it working this time? Alaric felt a bit defeated. He didn’t want to drag this out; something felt like it was about to snap in his mind.He stubbornly tickled her waist again, and this time, Lena's grip around his neck loosened slightly. Alaric looked up in surprise, but i
Lena thought that since Alaric had given her the position of CPO, she should make the most of it. However, she knew her limits. The last time she negotiated a discount on electrical appliances with the representative from Door, it wasn’t just about closing the deal quickly—she didn’t want to lose.But in general situations, like attending today’s business chamber event, she stopped after her third drink. After toasting a few important figures, she took the chance to slip away to the restroom for a brief break.When she came out, she saw someone waiting outside—since she hadn’t seen anyone else in the restroom, the person was probably waiting for her. She looked up and made eye contact with the person.“Do you have a moment to talk?” Elise asked, her tone neutral. But Lena could tell she wasn’t here to make trouble.Lena wasn’t too surprised that Elise had come to find her. Earlier, she had seen Elise moving around the venue with her parents, and she had caught Elise
As they made their way back to the main hall, Lena was still caught up in the thrill of being "rescued by a beauty." Elise was just too cool—so young, yet so decisive and straightforward, never wasting a moment.The look on Stellan’s face, furious but unable to act, was absolutely satisfying.Elise, catching Lena’s unfiltered look of admiration, felt a bit uncomfortable. She glanced to the side, trying to play it off. "Just so you know, I didn’t do that for you. I just couldn’t stand what I was seeing.""Well, I helped you once, and now you’ve helped me. I’d say we’re even."Elise gave a haughty look. "I told you, it wasn’t to help you..."Her refusal to admit it was adorable. Lena handed over a phone. "Alright then, leave me your contact. In case I need help in the future, I can reach out to you, right?" With Elise's personality—someone who doesn’t like owing favors—Lena knew she wouldn’t refuse.After saving her number, Elise mumbled, "If you ever want to g
As soon as Alaric stepped into the suite, Lena grabbed him by the collar with surprising force. His first thought: Again with the collar? She already ripped off two buttons last time.Lena’s eyes were red as she released him, pointing straight at him. “What the hell did you do to me?”“What? Don’t make stuff up!” Alaric’s panic was obvious; his eyes widened as he realized that none of his mental preparations included being suddenly interrogated like this.“Making stuff up?” Lena’s skeptical gaze closed in on him. Alaric’s back hit the wall, leaving him with nowhere to retreat. She held up the items in her hand. “Then explain why I have two of your buttons.”It was a custom brand, after all. Alaric hesitated, found himself at a loss for words.Lena scrutinized his expression, looking for clues. One of the buttons was from the night after a business meeting, but what about the other one? She distinctly remembered leaving the bar with Diya and going up to her room a
Lena’s new job—her family must have heard about it by now. But she hadn’t received any messages from them. She figured it was because her brother must have told their parents about the frozen 15 million dollar right after meeting her. As Owen had pointed out, she had lost all her "value" in their eyes. Add to that their father being investigated for embezzlement, they were probably lying low to avoid attention. She doubted they’d reach out to her anytime soon.She had a sliver of hope her parents might at least try to explain, but after waiting so long, there was nothing.Before starting her new job, Lena filed a complaint with the corporate registration authorities to revoke her position as a legal representative. After reviewing the relevant documents and facts, the business bureau notified her of the result—the representative change had been annulled.Lena heaved a sigh of relief. The weight on her shoulders felt a little lighter. Her lawyer handling the civil case su
Lena felt that Alaric was kissing her with more intensity than usual tonight—like he was trying to consume her whole.He pressed her down onto the bed, his long legs kneeling over the mattress. Tilting her chin up, he captured her lips in a deep, relentless kiss, his tongue invading without hesitation. The sharp line of his jaw was accentuated by the dim glow from the bedside lamp.He didn’t let her go for a long time.Lena’s tongue ached, and she let out a muffled hum, signaling for a break.Alaric finally loosened his grip, but instead of stopping, he redirected his attention elsewhere. His strong, veined fingers moved to unfasten her belt.Lena reached toward the bedside lamp to dim the lights, but he pul
"Claire?"Lena recognized the woman instantly—it was her old seatmate from middle school.She stood up and reached out her hand. "It’s been so long! I thought you’d moved abroad for work and weren’t coming back.""I actually came back two years ago, but I lost all my old contacts, so I couldn’t reach anyone." Claire’s voice carried a mix of excitement and nostalgia. "I never expected to run into the two most brilliant from our class right here!"Alaric shook her hand as well, and it clicked—Claire had been in their class during their last two years of high school. Back then, she and Lena had been inseparable, but after graduation, she had seemingly disappeared. Now he remembered—she had moved overseas after finishing school.
Alaric had made a reservation at a rooftop restaurant perched atop a sleek, triangular-shaped skyscraper. A staff member pressed the elevator button for them in the lobby.The doors closed slowly, and the elevator began its ascent to the 66th floor.It was just the two of them inside, both staring straight ahead, yet somehow, the air felt thinner.Alaric’s fingertips lightly brushed against her skin—soft, fleeting, yet unbearably ticklish. Lena couldn't help but glance at him. Their eyes met, and she quickly looked away.He tilted his head slightly, dark lashes casting shadows as he studied her.Lena stiffened, refusing to turn back toward him.A soft
"Oh my god, did you guys see that huge bouquet of roses this morning? It was bigger than half my body—like someone was trying to open a flower shop in the office!"Winfield, one of the front desk staff, animatedly described the scene to his coworkers in the company cafeteria.Another colleague chimed in, "Yes! I was in the elevator with Iris when she was carrying it up to Lena’s office. It was gorgeous, completely over the top, just stunning!"The others, who hadn’t been lucky enough to see it, grew even more curious.Colleague B: "Who on earth would go to such lengths? I bet it’s Mr. Jones from that landscape design firm."Colleague C:
Alaric dreamed that he was back in school, on a rainy day.The rain blurred the campus into a hazy blue-gray. Droplets pattered against the eaves. His nanny had called the school office, saying there had been an accident on the way and she would be about 40 minutes late.After finishing his extracurricular music class, Alaric lingered in the piano room for a while. When the time was about right, he grabbed his umbrella and made his way to the school gate.Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a familiar figure waiting at the entrance. The moment she sensed someone approaching, she straightened her back and tucked her already neat hair behind her ear—only to freeze when she saw his face.Her expression instantly turned unfriendly as she looked away.
Lena really did guess it right—Edith had pulled his grandmother aside so mysteriously just to find out if Alaric was currently single.Alaric helped his grandmother into the car first before walking around to get in from the other side. The cool night air slipped in briefly before being swallowed up by the warmth inside the vehicle.He held the phone he had just hung up, not putting it back into his pocket. His fingers absentmindedly brushed over the still-warm screen.Facing the car window, he let the dim interior lighting mask the unrestrained amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.Isla pressed the seat’s massage function, and a faint humming sound followed. After a whole evening of walking around, she was indeed a little tired. But she had also gath
The cool autumn breeze drifted through the windows of the hotel’s banquet hall. Holding a glass of wine, Alaric stood beside his grandmother, Isla, listening to the hum of her conversation with the other guests.Officially, the gathering was to celebrate the birth of a friend’s great-grandchild, but in reality, it was just an excuse for a group of old friends to get together.The event was held at Taurus Hotel, one of Alaric’s properties.Soft lighting cast a warm glow over the hall, where cream and pale yellow decorations adorned the space. Silver trays, neatly arranged with delicate pastries, lined the center table.Guests were busy cooing over the baby, the sound of camera shutters clicking nonstop.Alaric was one of the few younger people in attendance, unable to tell who was who. But after realizing how little time he had spent with his grandmother recently, he decided to accompany her when she casually mentioned this gathering and that no one else was avail
Just after confirming their relationship, Alaric wanted to take things to the next level—bringing Lena to meet his family. He was eager to announce the good news to the world.Lena's pupils shrank slightly. She suddenly recalled that Alaric’s mother had visited her office not long ago, probing her, trying to confirm that she had no romantic feelings for Alaric.She had put on a flawless act back then.If she treated social interactions like high-stakes business deals worth millions, she could conceal her emotions without a trace.But now, Alaric had blindsided her with his confession.One moment, she was putting on a front of complete indifference in front of his mother, Daisy. The next, she’d be showing up
Feelings are like a floodgate that, once opened, cannot be closed. Alaric had no intention of trying to hold it back.When Lena’s breathing finally steadied, Alaric slowly pulled back, meeting her gaze filled with tenderness. He cupped her cheek gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead.If not for the constraints of time and place, he would have held her until the night deepened.Exhaling softly, he shifted his gaze to rein in his emotions, straightened her shirt, and brushed stray strands of hair behind her ear.“Thirsty?” he asked.Lena nodded, taking the glass of water he handed her and drinking most of it in one go. The water felt like sweet relief, helping her regain clarity.