5

Lucille hesitated for a moment before entering the elevator, her heart pounding with excitement and nervousness. She couldn't believe that she was seeing the stranger again, the man who had saved her from a dangerous situation and whom she had impulsively kissed to make it seem like they were a couple.

Valentino was very much surprised upon seeing her, and as Lucille entered, their eyes met briefly. He smiled timidly at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement but he was trying his best not to show a reaction too much.

He wanted to curse in his mind. The last interaction that he had with her last reincarnation was ages ago and Henry’s job as his assistant just started recently so he couldn’t blame the young man as to why Lucille ended up being close to him now.

It was very obvious that the woman was now working in his company because how the hell would she be in here if she wasn’t?

Valentino knows how fate works. It will surely fuck him up like it always does for so many centuries now.

The gears in his head were working, trying to find an immediate solution as to how he would be able to escape this current situation. But having her this close to him makes his resolutions falter in an instant.

Contrary to how Valentino was having an internal battle with himself, Lucille was feeling giddy all over.

She was surprised to see him again. She had been thinking about him for quite some time now and he never left his mind. But now, he was in front of her now.

Is this what they say the power of affirmation is?

She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. She had never felt so shy around someone before, especially someone she had kissed.

"Hi," Valentino said, breaking the awkward silence. "It's nice to see you again."

Lucille managed a weak smile, feeling tongue-tied and unsure of what to say. She knew she needed to apologize for what she did the last time they met, but she didn't know how to bring it up. She had apologized before but her system was haywire at that time and half of the things that she had said were already fuzzy to her.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out suddenly. "For what I did the last time we met. I shouldn't have kissed you like that."

Valentino's expression softened, and he shook his head. "It's okay. You were in a dangerous situation, and you did what you had to do to protect yourself. I don't blame you for it."

Lucille felt a weight lift off her shoulders, and she let out a relieved sigh. She had been so worried about how he would react to her impulsive behavior, but he seemed to be understanding.

The elevator doors closed, and they were both quiet for a moment, the only sound the soft hum of the elevator moving upwards.

"I never got your name," Lucille said suddenly, feeling embarrassed that she had never asked before. The fact that they were currently inside the company’s elevator made her think that it would be possible for them to see each other regularly.

She couldn’t help but feel a bit excited for tomorrow. She would definitely ask Janice about him tomorrow.

Valentino grinned. He was wondering if he should tell her the truth or not. After all these years, his feelings for this woman, no matter how many reincarnations she’s gone through, would always be the same.

And as much as he hates to acknowledge it, his dragon heart hasn’t beaten this fast for quite a while already.

More importantly, he feels like he can’t lie to her right now. So, a small smile escaped his lips, "That's because I never told you. My name is Valentino."

Lucille's eyes widened in surprise. "Valentino? As in the owner of the company?"

Valentino chuckled. "Yes, that's me. But let's keep that between us, shall we?"

Lucille nodded, feeling even more impressed by him now that she knew who he was. She had always heard that he was a successful businessman, but she had never imagined that she would meet him in person, let alone be saved by him.

Janice would surely go crazy if she tells her about what happened. Also, she could finally give her opinion about Janice’s rants of comparison between sir Henry and Sir Valentino’s physical appearance. Or maybe she’ll just keep that to herself so she won’t upset her. She’s a good friend after all.

As the elevator reached the ground floor, Lucille realized with disappointment that their brief conversation was over. She didn't want to leave yet, didn't want to go back to her aunt’s house where she would experience all kinds of sorrow. She suddenly wants to stay here because if she leaves, she was afraid she would forget about the man who had made her heart race with excitement.

"Thank you again, for everything," she said, as she stepped out of the elevator.

Valentino smiled at her. "Anytime. Stay safe."

She watched him as the elevator doors closed, feeling a strange mixture of longing and hope. She didn't know what the future held for her and Valentino, but she knew that she wanted to see him again.

And she would.

“Fuck!” Valentino cursed immediately as the elevator closes, his hand reaching for his chest. It was beating violently inside his chest and he was having a hard time controlling himself. It was a good thing that he had to stay inside the elevator because his car was in the basement because he wasn’t sure if he could control his longing for her if they stay with each other longer.

Knowing that there are security cameras inside the elevator, he made sure to look down afraid that the sudden flickering of her eyes would be caught on tape.

He hasn’t been in this situation for quite a while now that he momentarily lost control.

He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth. Despite his tendencies for immortality, there are certain human attributes now that his body had started to adapt.

With a few bullets of sweat on his forehead, he slowly went out of the elevator and headed straight to his car.

His eyes closes the moment he was sure no one would be able to see what was happening to him due to the heavy tint of his car.

“This shouldn’t be happening again…” he whispers to himself as he sees his eyes flickering in the rearview mirror.  

"I need to avoid her..." he whispered to himself.