로그인공유
Chapter 6
최신 업데이트:
2025-04-21 14:05:16Pagpasok ni Paula sa unit niya nang gabing ‘yon, hindi agad siya nakagalaw. Nakatayo lang siya sa may pintuan, hawak pa rin ang handbag, habang umiikot sa isip niya ang huling sinabi ni Akihiro.
“Don’t assume it’s just about the drink.”
Hindi siya sanay malito. Laging klaro sa kanya ang plano, ang galaw, ang objective. Pero ngayon, may kalituhan—hindi dahil sa hindi niya naiintindihan ang mga nangyayari, kundi dahil ayaw niya agad aminin na naiintindihan niya.
Ano nga bang laro ‘to, Conjuangco?
Napalunok siya habang ibinaba ang bag at nagsimulang magbihis. Naka-tank top at lounge shorts na siya nang maupo sa sofa, bitbit ang phone, pero hindi nagbubukas ng kahit anong app. Gusto niyang i-message si Bela, magbiro tungkol sa impromptu coffee run… pero may pumipigil. Parang ayaw niyang gawing biro ‘yung gabing ‘yon.
Dahil alam niyang hindi na lang ‘to tungkol sa trabaho.
Kinabukasan, bumalik si Paula sa dating rhythm—professional, calm, sharp. Walang kahit anong traces ng personal moment nila ni Akihiro kagabi. Pero kahit anong galing niya sa pag-maintain ng façade, may iilang segundo pa rin na lumulutang ang isip niya.
Katulad ngayong nasa harap siya ng desk niya, nagpe-prepare ng daily summary para kay Akihiro. Biglang dumaan ito, tahimik lang na naglakad papasok ng opisina. Walang bati, walang tingin. As if nothing happened.
Pero pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, isang message ang pumasok sa internal comms:
From: Mr. Conjuangco
Bring the report personally. And coffee.
Napangiti si Paula ng bahagya. Hindi lang pala about the drink, huh?
Sa loob ng opisina, parang may unspoken understanding. Akihiro was focused, professional, pero mas softened ang energy. Walang galit, walang taray—more like… curious. Parang inaantay kung ano’ng susunod na galaw ni Paula.
“Sit,” utos nito habang tinatanggap ang report. “I want to go through this now.”
Umupo siya. Tahimik silang dalawa habang binabasa ni Akihiro ang report, paminsan-minsang tumatango. Tapos, bigla siyang nagsalita, hindi pa rin tumitingin kay Paula.
“You didn’t ask what I meant last night.”
Nagtaas ng kilay si Paula. “I figured kung gusto niyong sabihin, sasabihin niyo.”
Sa wakas, tumingin ito sa kanya. “You don’t push. You wait.”
“I don’t play offense unless necessary.”
Tumango si Akihiro. “But you’re not passive either. You’re strategic.”
Napangiti si Paula. “I take that as a compliment.”
Nagtagpo na naman ang mga mata nila. Hindi ito ‘yung titigan na may kilig lang. May tension. May recognition. Parang parehong may gustong sabihin pero parehong pumipigil.
“I think you’re here for more than just a paycheck,” sabi ni Akihiro, diretso.
This time, si Paula ang unang nagbaba ng tingin. Here we go.
“I am,” sagot niya. “Pero hindi pa ngayon ‘yung tamang panahon para pag-usapan ‘yon.”
Tumango si Akihiro. “Fair enough.”
Pag-alis ni Paula sa opisina, parang humigpit ang hawak niya sa clipboard. Not from stress—from adrenaline. Mabilis ang tibok ng puso niya, hindi dahil sa kaba, kundi dahil sa excitement.
Akihiro Conjuangco was starting to see her. Not just as a secretary, but as something more—a player in his game. And now, she had his attention.
Sa lunch break, agad siyang sinabayan ni Bela.
“Uy. Spill. May aura ka ngayon na hindi ko ma-explain. Anong nangyari kagabi?”
“Coffee,” simpleng sagot ni Paula habang sumusubo ng salad.
“Coffee lang daw, o,” sabay irap ni Bela. “Eh bakit parang naiilang si Sir kanina nang batiin ko? ‘Di man lang tumango.”
“Maybe he’s just processing something.”
“Or someone,” sagot ni Bela, sabay sulyap sa kanya. “Girl, kung may na-unlock kang level sa boss na ‘yon, careful ka.”
Paula took a sip of her water, calm as ever. “I know what I’m doing.”
Pero sa loob niya, kahit alam niyang matalino at may control siya, hindi niya ma-deny… may part ng game na unpredictable. And that part was Akihiro.
Late afternoon. Another message from him:
From: Mr. Conjuangco
Dinner meeting with the board moved to 7 PM. Can you stay until after? I need summary notes drafted before 9.
Paula:
Noted. I’ll wait.
And she did. Nag-stay siya sa office kahit nagsimula nang mag-uwian ang iba. Nag-check ng emails, nag-update ng logs. Tahimik lang, pero alert.
8:48 PM—bumalik si Akihiro. Pagod ang itsura pero composed. Pumasok sa opisina at tumingin sa kanya.
“Board meeting notes. Come in.”
Pumasok siya, dala ang laptop. Naupo sa usual seat.
Pero this time, nagsalita si Akihiro bago pa siya makapagsimula.
“Do you believe in blurred lines?”
Nag-blink si Paula. “Context?”
“Work. Personal. Emotions.”
“Dangerous if undefined. But useful if you know how to manage it.”
“Do you?” tanong nito, mapanuri ang tono.
“I’m learning,” sagot niya. “And I’m very observant.”
Akihiro leaned back, pinagmasdan siya. “That’s what makes you dangerous.”
Ngumiti si Paula. “Only if someone underestimates me.”
Tahimik si Akihiro. Pero sa mga mata niya, may tension na mas malinaw kaysa dati. Hindi na lang professional intrigue ‘yon—may interest na. At si Paula, ramdam ‘yon.
“Dismissed,” sabi niya sa wakas. “But stay ready. I might need something later.”
Tumayo si Paula, composed pa rin. Pero habang lumalabas siya ng opisina, napangiti siya ng bahagya.
Blurred lines, ha? Game ka diyan, Conjuangco? Game rin ako.
At sa gabing ‘yon, habang naupo siya sa taxi pauwi, ramdam ni Paula na unti-unti nang nagbabago ang dynamics nila. Hdi na siya basta empleyado. Hindi na siya basta secretary.
Isa na siyang threat.
At isa na siyang possibility.
Pagkapasok ni Paula sa unit niya, hindi niya maiwasang mapatingin sa sarili sa salamin ng elevator lobby. Suot pa rin niya ang sleek na blouse na may lavender detail, ngunit sa mga mata niya, may pagbabago. Hindi niya masabi kung saan galing ang tension—kung sa mismong sinabi ni Akihiro, o sa paraan nitong hindi sumagot sa tanong niya. "Then what is it about?" A question left hanging.
At sa likod ng tanong na iyon, may pumasok na hindi inaasahan: hindi lang ito tungkol sa trabaho. Hindi lang siya secretary. Hindi lang si Akihiro ang boss.
Something was shifting.
Pagkauwi, hindi agad siya nakatulog. Nasa isip pa rin niya ang huling sinabi ni Akihiro. Don’t assume it’s just about the drink.
“Then what is it about?”
Ni-replay niya ulit ang tagpong ‘yon sa isip niya. Pauli-ulit. Parang isang scene sa pelikulang hindi matapos-tapos. Nagtataka siya kung bakit siya naguguluhan—hindi ito parte ng plano. She was supposed to be calculated. Composed. Strategic.
But that moment in the elevator?
That wasn’t part of the script.
The next morning, maaga ulit siyang dumating sa opisina. Pero iba ang energy ngayon. May bahagyang kaba, may curiosity. She kept replaying every move she made the past day, analyzing the interaction, the silences, the weight of that one lingering stare.
Pagdating ni Akihiro bandang 8:50 AM, dire-diretso ito sa opisina. Walang sinabi. Walang tingin. Walang "well done."
Paula sat still, unsure kung may mali ba siyang nagawa. She didn't expect warmth—pero nasanay na siya sa subtle acknowledgment. Kahit isang sulyap.
Was he pretending nothing happened? Was he testing her? Or was that night just… nothing to him?
Tumunog ang internal phone.
"Come in."
Tumayo agad si Paula, dalang clipboard at tablet. Pagkapasok niya, agad itong tumingin sa kanya—pero hindi ‘yung sulyap na pamilyar sa kanya. This time, it was longer. Controlled.
“Yes, sir?”
“You have a lunch break, right?”
Nag-blink si Paula. Hindi inaasahan ang tanong.
“Yes.”
“Take it with me today. I need to discuss something off-record.”
“Okay,” sagot niya, mahinahon. Pero sa loob-loob niya, parang may kung anong tumalon sa dibdib niya. Lunch? With him?
“12:30. My car. Don’t bring anything.”
At tuluyan na siyang pinaalis.
Pagdating ng 12:30, sumakay sila sa black luxury SUV. Tahimik ang biyahe. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya dadalhin. Ni hindi siya tinanong kung may gusto siyang kainin. Pero hindi siya nagreklamo. Hindi pa rin niya sigurado kung ito ba ay tungkol sa trabaho o—bakit nga ba siya sumasama?
They arrived at a quiet rooftop restaurant sa Makati. Hindi ito crowded, at may private corner na agad silang tinungo. Akihiro ordered for both of them—steak for him, salmon for her, with a glass of white wine each.
“You looked like someone who prefers fish,” was all he said.
Hindi agad nagsalita si Paula. Hinayaan muna niyang mag-sink in ang setting, ang pagka-pribado ng lugar, ang wine sa tanghaling tapat.
“You said this is off-record,” paunang sabi niya.
Akihiro took a sip of his wine before answering. “Yes.”
She waited.
“I want to understand how you operate.”
“I don’t follow.”
“You’re… different. Most people either try to impress me or avoid me. But you’re neither.”
“That’s because I’m not trying to do either,” sagot niya, calm pero may defense sa tono.
“Exactly.”
Napabuntong-hininga si Akihiro. Then he leaned slightly forward.
“What’s your real reason for working here?”
Tahimik si Paula. Hindi niya agad alam ang sasabihin. Hindi niya pwedeng sabihin ang totoo—na may personal siyang misyon, na may galit siyang tinatago. Pero hindi rin siya makapagsinungaling. Not fully.
“I had a plan,” sagot niya sa wakas. “I thought this job could help me prove something… to someone.”
“To who?”
She hesitated. Then she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Tumingin si Akihiro sa kanya. “You’re playing a long game. I can tell.”
“You should know. You’re doing the same.”
Sandaling katahimikan. Then he chuckled—mababaw, pero genuine.
“You really don’t get intimidated, do you?”
“I get confused sometimes,” sagot ni Paula, at hindi niya alam kung bakit niya ‘yon nasabi.
That was a confession. A crack.
Akihiro looked at her, brow raised. “Confused?”
She nodded. “Some things aren’t going the way I planned.”
“Like what?”
Paula looked straight at him. “You.”
That stopped him.
Hindi ito nagbiro. Hindi ito nag-react agad. Instead, he just stared—like he was trying to read between her words, trace her intentions.
Sa pagitan nila, may tension ulit. Mabigat pero tahimik. Then he leaned back, took a slow breath.
“So what now?” tanong niya.
“I don’t know,” sagot ni Paula, honest and bare.
Pagbalik nila sa opisina, tahimik pa rin si Akihiro. Pero sa halip na bumalik agad sa opisina, lumingon ito sa kanya sa hallway.
“Take the rest of the lunch hour off. I’ll call if I need anything.”
Paula nodded. Pero hindi siya dumiretso sa pantry or lounge. Umakyat siya sa rooftop terrace ng building—doon kung saan konti lang ang tao, tahimik, may view ng skyline.
Doon siya tumayo, nag-iisip.
“I don’t know.” That wasn’t the Paula she knew. The Paula she built was always sure, always composed, always a step ahead.
But now?
There was a pull. An unknown force tugging at her core—attraction, intrigue, the desire to understand this man who was known to be impossible.
Hindi na ito laro lang.
At ‘yon ang mas delikado.
Makalipas ang ilang araw, bumalik sila sa normal office rhythm. Meetings, calls, documents. Pero kahit wala nang pag-uusap na personal, may shift na. Akihiro became more intentional. He’d ask Paula’s opinion during meetings, defer to her judgment sa schedule management, and even pause outside his office to ask if she’s eaten.
Hindi ito grand gestures—but in the language of Akihiro Conjuangco, those were loud signs.
At si Paula, kahit ayaw aminin, unti-unti siyang naaapektuhan.
One evening, habang papauwi na siya, naabutan niyang si Akihiro ay nasa waiting area sa labas ng elevator.
“Sir?”
“I’ll drop you off.”
“Excuse me?”
“I figured you might be tired. Let me.”
She blinked. “You don’t have to—”
“I know.”
And that was it.
Naglakad silang dalawa papunta sa basement parking. Wala pa ring masyadong salita. Ngunit pagpasok sa kotse, may musika sa background—hindi corporate, hindi instrumental. Jazz. Mellow, moody, reflective.
Paula turned to him. “This your playlist?”
“I listen to it when I can’t sleep.”
Nagulat siya. “You don’t sleep well?”
“Not for a long time.”
She wanted to ask why. Pero hindi niya ginawa. Hindi pa ngayon. Hindi pa siya handa marinig ang sagot—o baka siya mismo ay hindi pa handang lumalim pa.
Habang nagda-drive si Akihiro, sumulyap ito sa kanya. “You never answered something I asked the other night.”
“Which one?”
“When I say I want coffee… what do you think it’s really about now?”
Tumahimik si Paula. Then she met his gaze. “Maybe you want a reason to talk. Without needing to explain why.”
He smirked. “Maybe.”
Pagbaba niya sa tapat ng kanyang building, hindi agad siya bumaba. Hawak pa rin niya ang seatbelt, hindi pa rin niya binubuksan ang pinto. Akihiro turned off the engine.
“Be honest with me, Paula.”
She faced him fully.
“Are you still playing a game?”
Nagtagal bago siya sumagot. Then she shook her head. “I think I already forgot the rules.”
Akihiro leaned closer. Not enough to touch, but close enough for her to feel the weight of his presence.
“Then we’re both in trouble.”
At bago pa niya masabing kahit ano, bumukas na ang pinto ng kotse. Siya na ang bumaba. Hindi siya lumingon. Pero sa puso niya, alam niya…
This wasn’t just a slow shift anymore.
It was a descent.
관련 챕터
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 7
Kinabukasan, mas tahimik si Paula kaysa sa dati. Maaga pa rin siyang dumating sa opisina, tulad ng nakasanayan, pero this time, habang inaayos niya ang mga dokumento ni Akihiro at nire-review ang calendar ng araw, may ibang bigat sa kanyang dibdib.“Next time I say I want coffee, don’t assume it’s just about the drink.”Paulit-ulit na umuukit sa isipan niya ang sinabi ni Akihiro. Hindi niya ma-decipher nang buo kung biro ba iyon, babala, o paanyaya. Pero isa lang ang sigurado—may shift na naganap kagabi. At iyon ang klaseng shift na hindi mo basta-basta iniiwasan.“Gising ka pa sa mundo?” tanong ni Bela na kararating lang, may dalang takeout cup.Paula blinked and offered a small smile. “Barely.”Umupo si Bela sa desk malapit sa kanya, tahimik saglit habang inoobserbahan siya. “Hey… You okay?”Tumango si Paula, pero hindi nagdetalye. “Just processing some things.”Hindi na rin siya kinulit ni Bela. Sanay na itong hindi sumiksik sa personal na bagay kung hindi pa handang ikwento. Pero
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 8
Pagkapasok ni Paula sa kanyang unit, agad niyang isinara ang pinto at sumandal dito. Tahimik. Masyadong tahimik. Ang tipo ng katahimikan na hindi nakakapagpahinga kundi nagpapalakas ng tunog ng sariling isip.She dropped her bag, kicked off her heels, at dumiretso sa kusina para magbuhos ng malamig na tubig. Pero kahit gaano kababa ng temperature ng baso sa palad niya, hindi nito mapalamig ang kung anong kumukulo sa loob niya—ang gulo ng isip, ang hindi mapangalanang nararamdaman.This wasn’t supposed to happen.Muling pumasok sa isip niya ang tingin ni Akihiro kanina, ‘yung subtle pero matalim, as if he was seeing past her exterior. At ang huling sinabi nito bago bumukas ang elevator doors:“Next time I say I want coffee, don’t assume it’s just about the drink.”She replayed it in her mind, over and over, searching for the cracks—what did he mean? Was it interest? Was it a test? Or worse—was it a trap?“Damn it,” bulong niya, hawak pa rin ang baso pero hindi iniinom. “You’re not supp
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 9
The silence after her confession weighed heavily on her chest, each breath feeling like it might crush her under its weight. As she walked away from Akihiro’s office, she didn’t look back—not because she didn’t care, but because she was scared of what she might see. The uncertainty was suffocating.Her steps were automatic, heading straight for her desk, but her mind was miles away, tangled in the aftermath of her decision. She had laid bare everything. No more lies. No more pretenses. She had made her choice.The phone on her desk buzzed suddenly, and she flinched. It was a text from her handler, the one she had avoided looking at since the moment she walked out of Akihiro’s office.She stared at the screen for a moment, the message feeling like an ultimatum, each word tightening the knot in her stomach.“We need to talk. Now.”There was no time for hesitation. With a shaky breath, Paula picked up her bag, silencing her racing heart. She made her way to the small café she had visited
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 10
Paula had always prided herself on her ability to control her emotions, to keep her feelings in check and her actions precise. But now, walking through the office every day, she felt a disorienting swirl of chaos inside her. It was as if the very ground beneath her feet had shifted, and she was unsure of where to step next.She couldn’t stop thinking about Akihiro. His coldness, the absence of warmth in his eyes, the way he had looked at her in that final meeting—like she was a stranger to him. It all stung in ways she hadn’t prepared for. She thought she had been prepared for the fallout, but the reality was far worse than any of her expectations.Her phone buzzed on her desk, and she glanced at it. It was a message from Bela, her only friend at the company. The words were simple, but Paula knew there was something more behind them:“Are you okay? I haven’t seen you around much lately.”Paula sighed and typed a quick response:“I’m fine, just... figuring things out.”She stared at th
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 11
The silence in Akihiro’s office was thick, almost suffocating. Paula could hear her own heartbeat echoing in her ears as she tried to keep herself steady, every muscle tense, every nerve alive with a mix of anticipation and fear. She had no idea how he was going to react to what she had just said, but this was the moment—the one where everything would either come together or fall apart completely.Akihiro was still standing by his desk, his expression neutral, unreadable. The sharp lines of his jaw were tight, his dark eyes focused on her but not revealing anything beyond the cold surface. Paula felt the weight of his silence like a tangible thing, something that pressed down on her chest.“I’m not sure I can just forget what you’ve done, Paula,” Akihiro finally spoke, his voice low but steady. “Trust isn’t something I can give freely, and you’ve already broken it once. Do you understand what that means?”Paula nodded, swallowing hard. “I understand. But I need you to know... this was
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 12
The days after her confrontation with the handler left Paula in a state of numbness, like she was walking through a fog that clung to her every step. It felt like everything she had built—her carefully constructed world, her mission—was now slipping away, piece by piece. But it wasn’t just the loss of her former self that consumed her thoughts. It was the guilt that gnawed at her, the constant reminder that what she had done to Akihiro was a betrayal, even if her feelings for him had become genuine.As she sat at her desk late one evening, the office empty except for a few scattered workers, Paula couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out. She had made her choice, but she wasn’t sure if the road she had chosen would lead her to redemption—or ruin.A knock at her door pulled her from her spiraling thoughts. She turned to see Akihiro standing in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the dim lights of the hallway.“I thought you’d be gone by now,” Paula said, her voice betrayi
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chaper 13
Paula stood motionless as Akihiro’s words echoed in her mind, their weight settling into her chest. She had known that what she was doing would be difficult. It would test her every boundary, every assumption about herself. But hearing him speak those words—the words that offered her a chance, a glimpse of something real—stirred something deep inside her. Something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for a long time. Hope.She took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking.“If this is your way of forgiving me, I don’t know if I’m ready for it,” she said quietly, her voice betraying the vulnerability she had worked so hard to suppress. “But I’m willing to try. I’m willing to fight, too.”Akihiro’s eyes softened, though there was a flicker of uncertainty still dancing in his gaze. “You don’t have to fight alone,” he said, his voice rough, almost as if he was admitting something he hadn’t planned to. “I’ll fight with you. But I need to know you’re all in, Paula. I need to know you
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 14
Days had passed since that intense phone call with Akihiro. He had been kind, understanding, but something still lingered in the air between them—an unspoken distance that neither of them could quite close. Paula hadn’t expected the world to immediately shift just because she had confessed her turmoil, but it didn’t make the weight of the silence any easier to bear. It seemed that every step she took toward a future with him only brought her closer to the past she was trying to outrun.She was starting to feel like a walking contradiction. A woman who wanted something real, something honest, but who had also spent years manipulating her circumstances, hiding behind the walls she had built for protection. Now those walls were crumbling, and the pieces were scattered all around her. And no matter how much she tried to gather them up, she knew some things could never be put back together again.Every conversation with Akihiro—every touch, every fleeting moment of tenderness—reminded her
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21
최신 챕터
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 20
The days following the conversation with Akihiro felt heavier for Paula than any of the intense moments leading up to it. The walls she'd built—so carefully constructed around her emotions and her mission—were now cracked, and the cracks deepened with every passing hour. She could no longer escape the gnawing feeling that everything was slipping away, her carefully devised plan unraveling in ways she hadn’t expected. She had gone into this with a singular goal: stop the wedding and take control of Akihiro’s heart and business for her own reasons. Now, it seemed, her heart was being pulled into the very web she had spun.Her handler, on the other side of her mission, had called that morning. Paula hadn’t answered, even though the call was important—more important than anything else. But what could she say? The mission was spiraling out of her control. She couldn’t bring herself to do it anymore. The lines had blurred, and she couldn’t distinguish between who she was working for and who
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 19
The days after the conversation with Akihiro felt like a blur, a haze of numbness that Paula could neither shake nor make sense of. Each morning, she forced herself to get out of bed, to put on the facade of composure, to walk into the office and act as if everything was fine, when in reality, everything had crumbled around her. Akihiro’s words kept playing on a loop in her mind: “I can’t keep pretending.” They cut through her like a blade, each repetition stripping away the last remnants of her confidence.She had left his office that day with a vague sense of resolve, as though the conversation had somehow marked a closing chapter. But even as she closed the door behind her, a part of her was unsure—was this truly the end? Or had it merely been a painful pause?Paula threw herself into work, pouring her energy into managing the tasks at hand. If she could just stay busy enough, maybe the ache in her chest would lessen. But as the hours passed and the days turned into weeks, the ache
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 18
The days that followed her conversation with Akihiro were marked by a strange kind of quiet. The weight of what had happened settled heavily in the pit of Paula’s stomach. She had made a choice, and though she knew it was the right one, there was no denying the hollow emptiness that accompanied it. The truth was, she had hoped for more than just a chance to rebuild trust. She had hoped for a resolution, for Akihiro to say he could forgive her, to tell her that everything would be okay. But instead, he had asked for time—and that alone was a constant reminder of the precariousness of her situation.Paula’s life was divided into two worlds now. One was the office, where she went through the motions of her job with the same precision and focus she had always had. Her work was a constant, a routine that grounded her, even as it felt increasingly hollow. But there was no escaping the ghosts of the past that haunted her. Every email she sent, every meeting she attended, was tainted by the k
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 17
The days after Paula’s decision were an uncharted territory she never thought she would enter. The first few hours were a blur of conflicting emotions: relief, fear, and an overwhelming sense of the unknown. She had chosen to sever her ties with the mission, to let go of everything she had built in the name of family, ambition, and survival. But in doing so, she felt as though she was standing at the edge of a cliff, gazing into an abyss with no clear way down.Her phone had remained silent for a few days after her conversation with her handler. It was almost eerily quiet, as though the world was waiting for the storm to hit. It was only when she received a message from Akihiro that the gravity of her decision truly settled in.Akihiro: We need to talk. Can you meet me?The words hit her like a wave crashing against the shore. She hadn’t expected him to reach out so soon, but there it was—an invitation to face the consequences of her actions head-on. She had no idea what to expect, bu
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 16
The door to Akihiro’s office clicked shut behind her, but Paula remained frozen in the hallway. She could still feel the weight of his words, lingering like a shadow over her. It’s over. Those words kept echoing in her head, and they felt like the death knell of everything she had worked toward. The mission, the plan, the quiet manipulations—it all seemed meaningless now. She had lost him, and in doing so, had lost her purpose.Her fingers clutched at the fabric of her blouse, as though it could anchor her to something, anything, other than the sense of devastation that was settling in. It wasn’t just the failure of the mission that hurt—it was the realization that she had genuinely begun to care for him. That somewhere along the way, amidst the lies and the half-truths, she had developed feelings that she never intended to have. And now, she had ruined it all.Paula’s knees felt weak. She couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t go back to her apartment and face the emptiness of her decision
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 15
Paula sat at her desk, staring at the blinking cursor on the screen, feeling like time had stopped. The minutes, the hours—it all blurred together. She had just come from the meeting with Akihiro, a meeting that felt like it shattered the walls she had so carefully constructed. Everything she had worked for, every calculated move she had made to slowly infiltrate his trust, now felt meaningless.Her phone buzzed, breaking the silence, and her heart skipped a beat. It was from her handler.Handler: You know what to do. Don’t let personal feelings cloud the mission.She stared at the message, the words reading like a cold reminder of why she was there in the first place. But it no longer felt like just a mission. It wasn’t just about preventing the wedding anymore, about using Akihiro to her advantage. Somewhere along the way, she had started to feel something real for him, and now it was eating her from the inside out.She leaned back in her chair, letting the weight of it all settle i
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 14
Days had passed since that intense phone call with Akihiro. He had been kind, understanding, but something still lingered in the air between them—an unspoken distance that neither of them could quite close. Paula hadn’t expected the world to immediately shift just because she had confessed her turmoil, but it didn’t make the weight of the silence any easier to bear. It seemed that every step she took toward a future with him only brought her closer to the past she was trying to outrun.She was starting to feel like a walking contradiction. A woman who wanted something real, something honest, but who had also spent years manipulating her circumstances, hiding behind the walls she had built for protection. Now those walls were crumbling, and the pieces were scattered all around her. And no matter how much she tried to gather them up, she knew some things could never be put back together again.Every conversation with Akihiro—every touch, every fleeting moment of tenderness—reminded her
SEDUCING THE CEO Chaper 13
Paula stood motionless as Akihiro’s words echoed in her mind, their weight settling into her chest. She had known that what she was doing would be difficult. It would test her every boundary, every assumption about herself. But hearing him speak those words—the words that offered her a chance, a glimpse of something real—stirred something deep inside her. Something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for a long time. Hope.She took a deep breath, steadying herself before speaking.“If this is your way of forgiving me, I don’t know if I’m ready for it,” she said quietly, her voice betraying the vulnerability she had worked so hard to suppress. “But I’m willing to try. I’m willing to fight, too.”Akihiro’s eyes softened, though there was a flicker of uncertainty still dancing in his gaze. “You don’t have to fight alone,” he said, his voice rough, almost as if he was admitting something he hadn’t planned to. “I’ll fight with you. But I need to know you’re all in, Paula. I need to know you
SEDUCING THE CEO Chapter 12
The days after her confrontation with the handler left Paula in a state of numbness, like she was walking through a fog that clung to her every step. It felt like everything she had built—her carefully constructed world, her mission—was now slipping away, piece by piece. But it wasn’t just the loss of her former self that consumed her thoughts. It was the guilt that gnawed at her, the constant reminder that what she had done to Akihiro was a betrayal, even if her feelings for him had become genuine.As she sat at her desk late one evening, the office empty except for a few scattered workers, Paula couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out. She had made her choice, but she wasn’t sure if the road she had chosen would lead her to redemption—or ruin.A knock at her door pulled her from her spiraling thoughts. She turned to see Akihiro standing in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the dim lights of the hallway.“I thought you’d be gone by now,” Paula said, her voice betrayi
