Chapter 2

As soon as I stepped off the plane, I was surrounded by people.

A staff member supported me as I was led toward the ambulance.

Then, as if pulled by some invisible force, my gaze shifted.

In the distance, a figure stood among a cluster of black-suited bodyguards.

Kian, my infamously stingy boss was scanning the crowd anxiously, his eyes darting in every direction.

The moment our eyes met, everything around me seemed to freeze.

Even from this far away, I could see his expression clearly, and for the first time, I was stunned by his state.

His eyes were bloodshot, his usual immaculate three-piece suit nowhere in sight.

Instead, he was wearing sleepwear, without shoes.

His pale feet stood directly on the dusty, grimy airport tarmac.

The sight made my eye twitch.

My boss, the Kian Homer, who was obsessed with cleanliness, standing on this filthy ground without even putting on shoes?

How was he even enduring it?

The moment he saw me, it was as if something came back to life in his dead, red-rimmed eyes.

Then, in a blur, he ran toward me.

His security team rushed to keep up, but in the chaos of the crowd, hardly anyone seemed to notice.

Before I could react, I was crushed into his ice-cold embrace.

My heartbeat, steady even during the near-death experience on the plane, suddenly went wild.

I had survived a plane crash, but at this moment, I felt like I might actually drop dead.

And then, wrapped in his freezing arms, I blacked out.

…

When I woke again, everything around me was stark white.

An IV was hooked up to my hand.

A nurse, noticing I was awake, quickly left to call the doctor.

My head looked like it had been wrapped up like a mummy straight out of an ancient tomb.

As the memories started trickling back, my body stiffened.

No!

I confessed to my boss.

And then… he came running without even putting on shoes.

Did that mean… he liked me?

No.

That couldn’t be right.

If he liked me, wouldn’t he have spoiled me? Given me special treatment? Maybe a raise or at least a few days off?

Just as I was spiraling in confusion, the door burst open.

Speak of the devil.

Kian stepped inside, his expression cold and unreadable, followed by the doctor.

He didn’t say a word, just stood stiffly to the side, watching as the doctor checked me over.

Suddenly, I felt incredibly self-conscious.

I didn’t dare look directly at him.

The doctor finished the check-up and assured me there were no major issues—just multiple soft tissue contusions and some swelling on my head.

Oh, and I had seven stitches, so I needed to be careful.

I nodded weakly, feeling as delicate as a tragic heroine from a classic novel.

Once the medical staff left, Kian still didn’t speak.

He just stood there, staring at me with an unreadable expression.

His gaze made my skin prickle.

I wasn’t tired anymore.

“Um, Boss, does this count as a work injury?”

“No.”

His reply was cold and distant.

My mood plummeted.

A mix of grievance and bitterness spread in my heart.

“Oh… well, good thing I have insurance. Anyway, about the message I sent earlier—I was just joking.”

Kian’s expression finally changed.

His sharp eyes locked onto mine. “Joking?”

“Yeah. Just a joke. That way, you’ll always remember your loyal assistant. Haha…”

My awkward chuckle echoed in the room, and his face darkened completely.

“Your bonus this month is canceled.”

“What?”

I was in utter disbelief.

Any lingering grievance or bitterness instantly vanished.

“You stingy tyrant! I went on a business trip for you! Not only is this not considered a work injury, but now you're docking my bonus too?

“Kian Homer, since when were you this heartless? Even if I were just a regular colleague, you should at least show some basic human decency!

“I’m a patient, not your sworn enemy!”

I wanted to scream at him, tear into him with every insult I could think of.

But as I looked at that devastatingly handsome face in front of me, I just couldn't bring myself to curse.