For a moment, panic engulfed her mind. “Oh my God, what have I done?” she whispered to herself. Carefully, she released her embrace, trying her best not to wake Daniel.
“Did I sleep with a human last night?” asked Daniel, breaking the silence, which made Emily gasp in surprise.
“Did I do something wrong last night?” asked Emily as she tried to remember what she had done.
“It was like sleeping with a savage bear, ready to pounce on me at any moment. Not to mention you’re always snoring,” Daniel said, his voice flat but sharp.
Emily, surprised by the comment, could only give a small, nervous smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize,” she replied, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Daniel looked at Emily with a stern and direct gaze. “Get ready, we’ll be home soon,” he said, his voice leaving no room for protest.
Daniel checked the watch on his wrist. The hands read 07:00 and at this hour, their bodies still hadn’t changed.
They both went downstairs, their steps synchronized in the morning’s quiet. Daniel’s personal driver was waiting. Emily curiously asked him, “Last night, the motel were full and where did you sleep?”
The driver turned his head, a small smile gracing his usually serious face. “Ah, not far, miss. There is a small room behind the reception, quite cozy for a cold night,” he replied in a calm tone.
The three of them walked towards the car parked near to the motel entrance. The morning air was still cold, and their breath formed small clouds in the air. After getting into the car, it drove quietly through the streets that were now bustling with morning activities. After arriving at their respective homes, they took a moment to get ready before heading to the office.
A few minutes later, Emily and Daniel finally arrived at the office. Emily, who arrived first, bowed her head when she saw Daniel’s arrival. As usual, she brewed a cup of coffee for Daniel and placed the coffee cup on the table. Until suddenly the door to Daniel’s room opened with a bang. Someone with rough steps entered the room without knocking first.
A young man, who was no less handsome than Daniel, stepped into the room with confident steps. The morning light streaming through the window highlighted the firm contours of his face.
“Can’t you knock first?” asked Daniel in a striking tone, his eyes narrowed at the young man who was none other than his cousin, Sean, the son of Daniel’s aunt.
Sean just smiled, waving his hand as he said. “Hey, come on. You’re no fun at all, and too stiff,” he said as he sat on one couch in the room. “We are a family, aren’t we? No need for stiff formalities.”
Daniel looked at Sean with a sharp gaze. “You know very well, Sean, that I’ve always respected privacy and boundaries,” he replied, his voice remaining controlled despite the obvious annoyance.
Sean laughed lightly, the sound echoing in the room. “Oh, c’mon, Daniel. We both know that formality is only for outsiders. Among family, we should be able to be more relaxed. That’s why you’re still single, because you’re so stiff.”
Emily, who had been silent, felt the atmosphere of the room change. She asked permission to leave the room, her voice barely audible.
“Hey, wait,” Sean called in a light but commanding voice, stopping Emily’s steps before she could leave the room. “Can you make me a cup of coffee? Two spoons of sugar, please.”
Emily turned her head, her eyes meeting Daniel’s cold and sharp gaze. With a subtle nod, she replied, “Yes, sir. I’ll prepare it right away.”
Daniel, who had returned to the pile of documents on his desk, raised his gaze for a moment. “What brings you here?” he asked, his voice firm and to the point.
“Relax, Dan. Let’s sit here and talk for a while,” Sean said.
Daniel, however, remained at his post, his back straight and eyes focused on the work that was piling up. “I have a lot of work to do,” he said in a voice that was calm but carried the weight of responsibility.
“Go ahead, just tell me what you’re here for,” Daniel said, without taking his eyes off the documents scattered across his desk.
Sean stood casually, as if he had all the time in the world. “Give me a position in this office,” he said in a light tone. “You’re the CEO. Surely you can give me a job here, right?”
At that moment, the pen in Daniel’s hand stopped. The air in the room seemed to become denser. He raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing Sean. “You think you can easily get a position here?” he asked, his voice controlled but with a hidden echo of challenge.
Daniel stared at Sean, his eyes blazing like a raging fire. “This office is not a place for nepotism,” Daniel said firmly. “Everyone who works here has to go through the same process and prove their worth.”
Sean smiled, seemingly unperturbed by Daniel’s firmness. “Oh, of course I know that, Dan,” he said as he sat down in the guest chair in front of Daniel’s desk. “But I also know that I have the qualifications. I’m just asking for the opportunity to prove it.”
Daniel sighed, as if it was hard to get it out. “All right,” he said finally. “You can start work here as an assistant manager. But remember, I won’t give you any special treatment. If you want to move up, you’ll have to work hard like everyone else.”
“Hey, come on. Assistant manager? You can give me a higher position than that,” Sean refused.
Daniel looked at Sean with a sharp gaze. “You understand that in this company, we value merit and hard work,” he said in a lower voice than usual. “Assistant manager is an excellent position to start in, and it gives you the opportunity to learn and grow.”
Sean winced, dissatisfied with the offer. “I expected more, Dan. I know I’m new here, but I also know I’m capable of more than that,” he said, his voice filled with conviction.
“Your will prove your abilities over time, Sean,” Daniel replied, refocusing on the document in front of him. “And if you are indeed as good as you say you are, you will rise quickly. But for now, this is the best offer I can make.”
The tension in the room was almost palpable, as if the air became heavier with each passing second. Sean, who stood tall with his hands clenched and jaw hardened, looked like a defiant statue. However, the knock on the door and Emily’s soft voice seemed to bring a breath of fresh air.
“Excuse me, sir. Where should I put it?” she asked Sean politely, the cup of hot coffee in her hand adding a warming aroma.
Sean, momentarily distracted from his argument with Daniel, stepped closer to the sofa and sat back down. “Just put it here,” he said, pointing to the small table in front of the sofa.
Emily was about to set down the coffee cup carefully, but she tripped over the edge of the folded carpet. With quick reflexes, she tried to stabilize herself, but the movement only made the hot cup of coffee in her hand slip away.
When the hot coffee cup slipped from Emily’s grasp and spilled onto Sean, the atmosphere in the room turned chaotic. Sean stood up quickly, his face flushed, as the heat of the spilled coffee hit him.
“Ah, what are you doing?” shouted Sean, his voice echoing in the room.