6

Adrian typed furiously on his keyboard, anger wrapping its claws around him as he heard the whispers of his colleagues.

​"Did you see that? She's the first woman to visit the boss at the company," a hushed voice said.

​"You haven't heard? They're getting married," another voice replied, sounding confident.

​Adrian's fingers paused above the keyboard as he heard those whispers, his brows creasing. He glanced behind him at Alexander's door and frowned. It had been a minute since Chloe followed him inside. What could they be doing now? Fucking?

​'Alexander is getting married to Chloe?' He frowned, his hands going under the table to scratch his knees. 'Then why did he ask me to marry him?' He chewed on his bottom lip.

​He couldn't even tell who was angry: Adrian, who had a secret crush on his cold boss, or Adrienne, the billionaire's escort.

​Whoever it was that was angry, neither of them had the right to get upset over Alexander's involvement with Chloe—especially Adrian, who seemed to be the most upset, even though he wasn't technically the proposed bride.

​His crush was unknown and would remain unknown. After all, he hated Alexander now; he couldn't imagine himself with a selfish, calculating man who only thought of ways to exploit people's potential.

​He was just angry on behalf of Adrienne; Alexander was cheating on her, and she didn't deserve it.

​Should Adrienne go ahead with the contract marriage?

​She had to; Alexander was the only hope they had at the moment. Chloe looked like she would be a huge obstacle and a threat to Adrian's secret, but he trusted Adrienne. There was nothing she couldn't handle.

​Adrienne was a master of deception; nothing and no one could crack her, and she wasn't about to step back just because she saw her unofficial fiancé kissing someone else.

​He blinked, focusing his blurred vision on the screen.

​"Shit, it's time." He grabbed the table and stood from his chair, heading toward Alexander's office.

​With each step, he dreaded the scene he would meet inside.

​Chloe on Alexander's lap, kissing him?

​On her knees, sucking him?

​Adrian shook his head, forcing the heartbreaking thoughts away. He took a deep breath and knocked once.

​"Come in," Alexander's calm voice called from inside.

​"Be steady," Adrian muttered, staring at his shaky hands as he pushed the door open.

​He walked into the office, and the first thing he saw was Chloe lounging on the long sofa in the corner beside the glass wall. He frowned slightly, hating how she acted as if she were the owner of the company.

​He ignored her and walked over to Alexander's table. "Boss, here are the—"

​"Fetch me my coffee," Alexander cut in smoothly, extending his hand toward Adrian. "Designs," he said.

​Adrian blinked rapidly and immediately placed the tablet in Alexander's hand, careful that his hand didn't brush against his boss's. He couldn't afford to lose his composure at that moment.

​Alexander placed the tablet on the table and continued with his work, not sparing Adrian a glance.

​"I'll go get your coffee," Adrian said and turned away from the desk.

​"Hold on," Chloe suddenly called to Adrian, who was almost to the door.

​Adrian paused, balling his fists as he slowly turned to face her. "Are you talking to me?" he questioned.

​Chloe crossed her legs and regarded Adrian with a disdainful look. "Is this your secretary, Alexander?" she asked, her tone dripping with disapproval.

​Adrian moved his eyes to Alexander and realized his boss had been staring at him since he turned to answer Chloe. He felt heat creeping onto his cheeks from the unreadable look his boss was giving him.

​Nervous. Anxious.

​He wanted to escape. This wasn't the scenario he had envisioned. He thought he'd just show Alexander his designs and be out of there.

​After meeting Alexander last night, every second in front of him now felt like his soul was being scrutinized under those icy eyes.

​"He is," Alexander said, replying to Chloe's question.

​"Hmm... he looks shabby, Alexander. Not like someone who should walk the floors of this organization. I think you should dismiss him," Chloe stated, her eyes running degradingly up and down Adrian's body.

​Adrian chewed on his bottom lip, stopping himself from responding. If he did, he would only get himself into trouble. He turned to Alexander, who still wore a stoic expression.

​'Of course, he'd side with his girlfriend. Who am I to hope?' He dug his nails into his palms.

​Alexander looked away from Adrian's face, finding that the way Adrian bit his lip irritated him. He wondered if the guy couldn't go five minutes without chewing or sucking on something. He either chewed on his pen or sucked on his darned lips.

​Annoying.

​"We deal with brains, Chloe. I don't run a modeling industry like your workplace, which only requires a pretty face and not brains. I need him. His skills are exactly what I need. Go fetch my coffee, Mr. Cole," Alexander dismissed.

​"Y-yes, boss," Adrian nodded, forgetting how to walk for a few seconds.

​'He needs me! No, no, no! He needs my skills. Yes, my skills. It has to be my fucking skills!' Adrian screamed in his head, hating the way his heart thrummed for the devil.

​He turned, hurrying toward the door.

​"Double the coffee, Mr. Secretary," Chloe ordered as Adrian walked out.

​Adrian was pissed—raging.

​He pushed through the elevator on the 40th floor and stepped into the executive lounge. It was a sleek, modern space tucked into the executive floor—walls lined with black marble veined in gold, ambient warm lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glittering city. It felt less like a café and more like an exclusive club.

​"Double the coffee, Mr. Secretary. How about a 'no,' Ms. Girlfriend," he muttered, angrily smoothing down his tie for the third time as he stepped toward the quiet gleam of the executive barista counter.

​The rich aroma of roasted beans hit him instantly—calming yet sharp, just like the man he fetched coffee for every morning.

​"Good morning, Mr. Cole," the barista greeted politely, already reaching for the black marble grinder. "The usual for Mr. Devereux?"

​Adrian nodded quickly, his stormy grey eyes wandering. "Yes… Americano. Extra hot. No sugar. Double order." His voice was soft, almost swallowed by the hiss of the steaming wand.

​The barista offered him a faint smile; his curiosity still shone through even though he didn't inquire why the order was doubled. "Of course. You never forget."

​Adrian's lips curved in a nervous, self-mocking smile. He couldn't forget. Forgetting would mean facing Alexander's sharp blue gaze—the kind that stripped him down to every fault.

​As he waited, he shifted awkwardly, adjusting the tie around his neck. The scent of freshly ground coffee filled the space, the hiss of steam matching the thrum of his pulse.

​The barista slid the porcelain cups across with practiced grace. "And for you? Another latte?"

​Heat crept into Adrian's cheeks. "N-no, thank you. Just the Americanos." He wrapped his hands around the cups carefully, as though they carried not coffee, but the weight of his entire job.

​Turning toward the elevators, he exhaled slowly. Soon, he'd step into Alexander's office, place the cup on his desk, discuss the design, and vanish into the background like he always did.

​A ghost by day.

And tonight… something else entirely... Alexander's center of attention.

​He stood in front of Alexander's door once more and took a deep breath. "You've got this," he said, pushing the door with his elbow.

​Carefully, he walked into the office and went straight to Alexander to give him his coffee first. "Here's your coffee, boss," he said, silently praising himself for staying calm for thirty seconds.

​He gently placed the coffee on the desk and walked over to Chloe, his brows creasing slightly. "Here's your coffee, Chloe."

​"Chloe? It's Mrs. Devereux to you—"

​"Take your coffee, Chloe. I need him to get back to work," Alexander interrupted her nonsense without lifting his head from his screen.

​Chloe looked over at him, a hint of embarrassment flashing in her eyes. She stared at him as he sipped his coffee, not even sparing her a glance after making her look stupid in front of his secretary.

​Huffing quietly, she extended her bright red manicured fingers and took the cup from Adrian. "Too hot," she said, frowning.

​"It's coffee, Chloe—Mrs. Devereux," he replied in a flat tone.

​She waved him away as she lifted the cup to her lips.

​Adrian had just turned to return to Alexander's desk when he felt the piping hot coffee on his back. The scorching liquid seared through his shirt, biting into his skin.

​"Ah—!" Adrian gasped sharply, stumbling forward. His hand shot behind him to pat uselessly at the spreading heat. "Hot! It's—ahh—" His voice cracked, low and panicked, but never loud enough to echo across the office.

​His stormy grey eyes darted toward Alexander instinctively, wide with alarm, as though silently begging for rescue yet terrified of drawing too much attention.

​His heart jumped in his chest as he saw Alexander stand from his chair and move toward him with an unreadable expression. Instinctively, he stepped backward, unsure of what Alexander wanted to do.

​"Alexander, can you imagine? He brought me coffee with no sugar," Chloe shoved past Adrian to get to Alexander before he could reach his secretary.

​Adrian watched as she wrapped her arms around his, posing cutely at him as she complained, "You know how I like my coffee sweet—"

​"You weren't specific, Mrs. Devereux," Adrian said, forcing his voice not to sound harsh even though he wanted to curse her to death as he felt the stinging sensation on his back.

​"Sit down, Chloe," Alexander spoke gently to her and led her back to the sofa.

​Adrian moved out of their path, balling his fists at his sides in contained anger.

​"I'll... I'll go get a mop—"

​"Come here, Mr. Cole."

​Before Adrian could realize what was happening, Alexander's hand closed firmly around his wrist, the warmth of his grip startling against Adrian's clammy skin.

​"A–ah, sir, I can handle—"

​But Alexander didn't slow down. His strides were long and purposeful, dragging Adrian along the polished marble floor until they slipped past the heavy oak doors at the far end of the office.

​Adrian blinked as the room opened before him—dimly lit, quieter than the buzzing office outside.

​A spare chamber, not lavish but intimate. A thick leather sofa sat against one wall, an untouched bed sat neatly made in another corner, and a mahogany nightstand was stacked with files and a wristwatch resting like a forgotten crown. The faint scent of Alexander's cologne lingered, heavier here, as though the room itself belonged only to him.

​"Sir—this is your…?" Adrian's words trailed off, nerves twisting along with the sting in his back.

​"My private room." Alexander's voice was cool, deliberate.

​He guided Adrian forward until he was standing near the sofa. His piercing blue eyes dipped briefly to Adrian's damp shirt clinging to his skin.

​"Take it off."

​Adrian froze. "What?"

​"You'll burn if you leave that on." Alexander's tone was steady and commanding, yet there was a subtle undercurrent—something dangerously close to concern.

​Adrian swallowed hard, his fists tightening at his sides. Stripped of his armor of professionalism, he suddenly felt far too small in the billionaire's shadow.