Aurora’s POV
The moment I walked into the office that morning, my eyes betrayed me. They sought him out, as if they had a mind of their own, and I hated it.
I tried to compose myself, to shove all those feelings down. I wanted to look past him, to pretend he wasn’t the reason my stomach felt like it was in knots. He didn’t deserve to know how much he still affected me. I told myself that today, everything would be strictly professional. No smiles. No stolen glances. Just work.
But it was hard. Too hard.
Even as I sat at my desk, pretending to focus on the endless pile of paperwork, my thoughts kept drifting back to him. The way he’d said “little one” last night on the phone, the warmth in his voice that made me feel… seen.
I shook my head. No. I wasn’t going to let him get to me. Not again.
But my resolve faltered when I decided to take the documents to him. Deep down, I knew I didn’t need to deliver them personally. I could have handed them to someone else or waited until later. But I wanted to see him. Just once. Just for a moment.
As I knocked on his door and stepped inside, my heart skipped. There he was, seated at his desk, looking as effortlessly perfect as always. His shirt fit him just right, highlighting the strength in his shoulders, and his hair was slightly tousled, like he’d been running his fingers through it.
I tried to keep my voice steady as I spoke. “These are the documents, sir. You need to sign both the front and back.”
He looked at me, his piercing gaze locking onto mine, and for a moment, I felt like the world had stopped. I couldn’t breathe.
But then Caleb, his friend, broke the silence with a cheerful, “Hi, Aurora.”
I turned to him, forcing a smile. “Hi, Caleb.”
I didn’t even glance back at Ryan. I couldn’t. Not after the way my pulse was racing.
And then the door opened again.
Karen.
She breezed in like she owned the place, her voice chirping as she said, “Hey, baby. I got you breakfast.”
I froze. My heart dropped to my stomach as I watched her walk up to his desk, smiling as if she belonged there. And then she kissed him.
It shouldn’t have hurt as much as it did. It shouldn’t have hurt at all. After all, she was his fiancee, not me. But it did. It hurt in a way I couldn’t even explain.
“I’ll come back for the documents, sir,” I said quickly, my voice clipped.
I didn’t wait for a response. I turned and walked out of the room, my steps hurried, my head down. I didn’t want anyone to see the tears threatening to spill.
When I got back to my desk, I sat down and took a deep breath. “This shouldn’t be your problem, Aurora,” I whispered to myself.
I needed to focus. I needed to work hard. I couldn’t afford to let distractions like this take over.
As I tried to center myself, there was a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I said, my voice still shaky.
It was Adam. His familiar face brought a small sense of relief.
“Hey,” he said, stepping inside. “Just thought I’d check on you. You seemed a little… off earlier.”
I forced a smile. “I’m fine, Adam. Just a lot on my mind.”
He pulled up a chair and sat across from me, leaning forward slightly. “If you ever need someone to talk to, you know I’m here, right?”
There was something kind about him, something that made me feel like I could let my guard down just a little.
“Thanks,” I said softly. “I appreciate that.”
We talked for a few minutes, nothing too deep, just light conversation. He told me about a new movie he wanted to watch, and I found myself smiling a bit.
But as much as I really enjoyed the distraction.
I buried myself in work after Adam left. It was easier that way, to keep my mind occupied, to focus on numbers and documents instead of the chaos in my heart. I worked and worked, letting the hours blur together until lunchtime arrived.
As usual, Sophie brought me lunch. She was cheerful as always, chatting about her weekend plans while I quietly ate, nodding here and there to show I was listening.
Once I was done eating, I decided it was time to retrieve the documents Ryan was supposed to sign. I also needed to input some files into the system. Work was piling up, and I couldn’t afford to slack off, not when so much depended on me keeping this job.
When I got to his office, I knocked softly.
“Come in,” his deep voice called out, sending an uninvited shiver down my spine.
I opened the door and stepped inside, clutching my tablet against my chest for some kind of barrier. The moment our eyes met, I felt like the ground beneath me tilted. He was staring at me-no, through me, with that intense, piercing gaze of his.
It wasn’t fair how he could unravel me like this without even trying.
“Sir,” I managed to say, my voice steadier than I felt. “I’m here for the files. And there’s a meeting scheduled for tomorrow at 12 p. m. Should I accept or decline it?”
His gaze softened, but there was something else in it, something that made my pulse quicken.
“Aurora,” he said, his voice low and almost pleading, “we can’t keep going like this.”
My heart stuttered. No. Not here. Not now.
“Sir,” I said firmly, “please, should I accept or decline the meeting? We shouldn’t be talking about this here. This is work.”
For a moment, he just looked at me, as though trying to decide if he should push further. Then he sighed. “Decline it.”
I blinked, surprised. Why would he decline a meeting?
“Okay,” I said simply. “What about the paper files I asked you to sign? I need to take them to another department.”
“They’re on the desk,” he said, gesturing toward a neat stack.
I nodded, quickly gathering them and turning to leave.
“Aurora,” he called softly.
I paused, my back to him.
“Nothing,” he said after a beat. “You can go.”
I didn’t hesitate to walk out of his office, I handed the signed files to the right department, then buried myself in work again.
*****
The day dragged on, a mix of productivity and brief distractions. I scrolled through the internet during short breaks, watching random videos to keep my mind off things. By the time I finished my tasks, I was exhausted…. not from the work, but from the emotional toll of being around him.
When I finally got home, I kicked off my shoes and sank onto my bed. “One day down,” I muttered to myself. “How many more days to go?”
How was I supposed to keep this up? Pretending I didn’t care, suppressing feelings I didn’t even want to have. It wasn’t love, I wasn’t naive enough to call it that. But I liked him. I was attracted to him. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make it stop.
I pushed the thought away.
To distract myself, I decided to treat myself to a movie. For once, I didn’t have to worry about where I’d sleep or what I’d eat. I had a cozy bed, a TV, and a little bit of peace. Ryan had helped me in ways I couldn’t deny, and Karen was lucky to have him.
After a long, hot shower, I stood in front of the mirror, tying my towel tightly around me. I rubbed lotion onto my skin, savoring the small luxury of taking care of myself.
That’s when the doorbell rang.
I froze. Who could it be at this hour?
I didn’t have time to throw on clothes, so I adjusted my towel and headed to the door. When I opened it, my breath hitched.
It was Ryan.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly.
His eyes darkened as they scanned me, taking in the sight of me standing there in nothing but a towel.
“I needed to see you,” he said simply, his voice low and rough.
I stood frozen at the door as Ryan walked himself in like he owned the place.
“Ryan, please,” I said, my voice trembling as I closed the door behind him. “You have to leave. We shouldn’t be seen here. We shouldn’t be alone.”
But he didn’t stop. He came closer, his presence overwhelming in the small space. Before I could say another word, he closed the door fully, turned the lock, and grabbed my wrist gently, pulling me into the living room.
I stumbled slightly as he sat me down on the couch. His piercing gaze locked onto mine.
“I need to tell you something,” he said, his voice low and serious. “And I need you to listen very carefully.”
I shook my head, trying to break whatever spell his words had cast on me. “Ryan, no,” I said, trying to sound firm, though my voice wavered. “There’s nothing you need to tell me. Go spend time with your fiancee. Whatever this is, it was a mistake, and it has to stop. Please.”
His jaw clenched, and I could see the frustration rolling off him. He dragged a hand through his hair, looking as if he was battling with himself.
Then, without warning, he closed the space between us, grabbed the back of my neck, and kissed me.
My breath hitched, and for a moment, I couldn’t think. His lips were warm and firm against mine, stealing the air from my lungs. My body betrayed me, leaning into him as I kissed him back for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds.
Then reality slammed into me like a truck.
I shoved him back with all the strength I could muster, my heart racing as I stumbled to my feet.
“Ryan, what the hell-” I stopped mid-sentence, my words dying in my throat.
What I saw didn’t feel real. His eyes… they weren’t their usual deep honey colour. They were glowing. A deep, fiery red, like embers burning in the night.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.
“What the hell are you?”