Chapter 4

When Lukas left Shaina alone in the office, she finally had time to look around. And when she did, she couldn’t help but be amazed. The room was big, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that showed the whole city, and polished floors that looked like no one had ever stepped on them. Not a single piece of trash, not even a candy wrapper. Everything was neat and in order. From the dark wood furniture, the black leather swivel chair, to the minimalist paintings on the wall.

Beautiful, she whispered to herself.

And above all, it smelled like a man. Not the bad sweaty smell, but a fresh, woody scent that made anyone turn their head.

“This will be your desk.”

She jumped when she realized Lukas was already standing beside her, one hand in his pocket, pointing coldly at a desk near her.

What the heck! Why are you so cold? she screamed in her head.

She walked toward the desk he pointed at, feeling awkward.

Wait! Does this mean we’ll share the same office? she asked herself in shock. She stopped walking and looked back at Lukas, but his face stayed blank and serious. With no choice, she went to the desk.

It was smaller than Lukas’s, but it had its own computer and neatly arranged supplies. The problem was, it was too close to his desk.

Does he really want me to watch him twenty-four seven? Like I’m a walking CCTV?

“You won’t have a separate office,” Lukas continued, like he had read her mind. “It’s more efficient if you stay here in my office. Every second counts, Miss Dela Cruz. I don’t want to waste time calling you from another room.”

She grimaced but nodded. At least it was still a job.

Couldn’t he just put a bell on his desk? He’s like Batman with his own Robin, who should always be ready.

She started fixing her desk, opening the drawers, arranging the notepads, and putting her bag underneath. The office was so quiet. No sound of a keyboard, since Lukas was busy reading papers. The only sound was the ticking of the wall clock.

It felt like she was in a library where even breathing too loud was not allowed. To stop herself from going crazy, she gave her mind its own soundtrack and imagined she was at a Taylor Swift concert.

When she finally finished fixing her desk, she sighed in relief, thinking the torture was over.

But it wasn’t.

“Miss Dela Cruz,” Lukas called, not even looking at her. He was standing and staring at his laptop.

“Yes, Sir?”

He pointed at his own swivel chair. “Sit here.”

Her eyes widened. “On your chair?”

What is this guy thinking now?

“Yes.” His tone was straight, with no hint of a joke. “I want to test your typing skills. Now sit.”

She had no choice but to follow. When she sat on the leather chair, her body sank into its softness. Before she could even adjust, Lukas stood beside her, leaning slightly on the desk, and started dictating words.

It felt like she was in an exam, with the teacher watching her every answer.

She tried to focus, listening carefully to every word Lukas said. Even though she was nervous, she forced herself to keep up with his fast pace. He spoke quickly and nonstop, almost like he was teasing her.

Her heart was racing as she typed as fast as she could. But the longer it went on, the more distracted she became—not by the pressure, but by something else.

His scent. It was so addicting. Fresh and tempting. He was so close that she could almost touch his skin. She could even feel the warmth of his body. She didn’t know if she should be mad that he was abusing his power as her boss, or thrilled because it felt like a scene from a romantic movie.

Argh, Shaina! Focus! You can’t fall for him. He’s Lukas the Arrogant. Lukas, the one you wanted to bury alive yesterday. Not Lukas the Charming who smells like heaven.

But every time she glanced at his sharp nose and broad shoulders, she got more confused. Was this anger? Or butterflies? Or both?

While Lukas continued dictating sentences, she forced her eyes on the screen and her fingers to type fast, even though they were shaking. The real problem wasn’t his speed—it was his scent, which was almost sticking to her nose.

Focus, Shaina. Don’t think about his perfume. Don’t think about his shoulders. Don’t think about—

She got so lost in her own thoughts that instead of typing the word “agreement,” what appeared on the screen was:

He smells so good.

Her eyes grew wide. She froze, almost jumping from her seat. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lukas frown and slowly turn his gaze to the monitor.

They both paused. She didn’t know if she should bow her head or erase it quickly like nothing happened.

She chose to delete it and act as if nothing was wrong. She waited for Lukas to continue dictating, but he said nothing. The office fell silent, with only the blinking cursor on the screen moving.

She wanted the floor to swallow her whole. The embarrassment was too much.

Oh my God. Why did I type that? Why couldn’t lightning just strike me now?

She braced herself for a harsh comment from Lukas. But that wasn’t what happened.

Instead, he smiled.

A small, quick, but clear smile. And that was the first time she saw the serious Lukas Vergara smile.

Suddenly, everything felt like slow motion. Her heartbeat sped up. Even though she wanted to be mad, her heart was drowning in butterflies. But before she could fall deeper, Lukas’s face went back to normal.

“Impressive,” he said coldly, like nothing happened. “You type fast. Faster than most secretaries I’ve had before.”

She swallowed hard and tried to calm down. “T-thank you, Sir.”

But it didn’t end there. Lukas raised one side of his lip, like he was teasing her.

“Do I really smell good, Miss Dela Cruz?”

Her eyes went wide. “W-what?”

His gaze was direct. He wasn’t joking, but he wasn’t angry either. It was like he just wanted to hear her answer.

How was she supposed to reply? Should she admit yes, he smelled amazing? Or deny it even though the whole air around them already smelled like heaven?