Chapter 6

If I could make myself invisible, I would’ve done it already.

Sitting at my desk in front of my computer, I couldn’t focus. My head was still spinning from earlier. Of all the things that guy could bring,  why an adult magazine? I groaned and wiped my face in frustration.

“Girl, are you okay?” Rose’s worried voice pulled me back. “Did something happen again? You gave up? You got scolded? What’s going on? I can help you.”

“My stomach hurts,” I lied quickly. “I’m just going to the toilet.”

Rose nodded, though her eyes followed me as I walked away.

Instead of the toilet, I headed to the water station. I filled a paper cup, but as I raised it to drink, I froze.

That familiar scent again, clean, expensive, and far too recognizable. My spine straightened like a board.

“, Are you sure it’s not overlapping, Adrian?” a deep voice asked nearby.

It was Mr. Gibson, our department boss.

I quietly stepped to the side, giving them space as Sir Adrian filled another cup of water and handed it to Mr. Gibson.

“I’ve been double-checking everything, sir. I still can’t pinpoint why some products are delayed.”

Mr. Gibson nodded. “I’ll give you a week. If you can’t explain the delay, I’ll have to replace you.”

Panic flashed across Adrian’s face. “Sir, please,  my wife is pregnant. I’ll do everything I can to fix this.”

“You should,” Mr. Gibson replied coldly.

Then his sharp gaze landed on me.

I looked away quickly, pretending to sip my water, the paper cup trembling slightly in my hand. I still couldn’t shake off the embarrassment from earlier, and now I was stuck alone near him.

“You can leave, Adrian,” Mr. Gibson commanded.

“Yes, sir. Thank you,” Adrian replied, scurrying off like a terrified student.

Now it was just the two of us.

I prayed silently for him to leave, too. But he didn’t move. He stood there, his eyes still on me.

I kept my gaze down, toying with the paper cup, pressing the rim to my lips without drinking.

Silence stretched between us, thick and uncomfortable.

It was always like this around him, tense, intimidating,  like standing next to a lit fuse.

And right now,

It felt like that fuse was burning dangerously close.

“You should be working, not wandering around,” he finally said, breaking the silence.

See? Just when I thought he was in a good mood lately, here I go, messing it up again, at least in his eyes.

“Yes, sir. I just came to get some water,” I replied quickly and turned to leave, but his voice stopped me again.

“Did you tell your brother what I said earlier?” His tone was teasing now, playful even.

I frowned. It was like he knew something about my life that I didn’t. “We,  haven’t talked yet, sir,” I replied, confused.

His smirk deepened. “Or were you too busy fantasizing about those women? Hmm?”

My eyes widened in horror. “What? No! I told you, I only bought that magazine for my brother, it’s not mine! I’m into,  guys.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” His question came fast, straight to the point.

I froze for a second, trying not to overthink. Why is he asking? I reminded myself not to assume anything. He wasn’t the type of guy who’d notice someone like me, not seriously.

“No, sir,” I answered calmly. “Career first. Guys are just a headache. I don’t need one right now.”

Something flickered in his eyes. For a second, they looked amused,  then darkened, unreadable.

“Good then,” he muttered, turning to walk away. “See you around,  Audrey.”

He said my name.

The way he said it, casual, confident, like we were close, sent a tiny thrill through me. I couldn’t help but smile, even as I watched him disappear down the hallway, still smirking to himself.

Before anyone else could see the goofy look on my face, I rushed to the restroom.

Once inside, I locked myself in a stall, plopped down on the toilet, and pulled out my phone. I was about to scroll through F******k when a notification popped up.

Anya.

My stomach twisted.

What now?

ANYA: It’s so boring here, Audrey! I should’ve left with you! Grr!

I raised an eyebrow, a faint smile creeping onto my lips. My ever-sweet sister, who conveniently forgets to call me her sister half the time.

ME: Hello, Ate Anya. Yes, I’m fine. How about you? Mom and Dad?

ANYA: Ugh, chaos! I heard Mommy crying earlier. Dad found out something. Someone helped Mommy pay off our debts! But the problem is,  the interest is sky-high! Dad still grabbed it, though. Said it’d take a lifetime to pay, but he didn’t care. OMG, this life. I’m so over it!

My heart dropped. Just when I thought today couldn’t get worse.

ME: Stop them. I’ll do my best to pay for it, even if it takes years off my life. But,  do me a favor, okay?

ANYA: Ugh! You’re going to order me around again! What now?!

ME: Find out who they owe. Check the papers. I need the name, so I can contact the person. You know, Dad won’t let me help.

ANYA: WHAT?! Are you going to sell your body?!

ME: Stupid! Do I look like I can handle that?

ANYA: Honestly? Yes. But where are you getting a million? Selling your kidney, too?!

ME: Hurry up! I’ll deal with that problem, not you.

ANYA: Let me think. Bye!

The chat ended, but the heaviness in my chest lingered. I sighed deeply, leaning against the restroom wall, feeling like my brain couldn’t take much more.

What now? Should I text Miggy? His family was wealthy. He’d lend me the money without blinking,  as long as I agreed to get back together.

But would it be worth it? Trading my freedom,  my self-respect,  just to save my family?

I rubbed my temple, torn.

Before I could overthink it more, Romeo’s familiar voice cut through my thoughts.

“You sure you’re gonna finish all that? There’s always next time, sis. Don’t be a superwoman, you’ll burn yourself out,” he warned.

Rose and I were on our way home. There were still people around, but it felt like we were the only ones walking,  me, lost in my head,  and the weight of everything pressing on my shoulders.

“My family lives in the province, so it’s fine,” I told Romeo. “No one’s waiting for me. And I don’t want to get noticed again by Sir Adrian,  I’d rather finish this than do nothing at home.”

“When you finally move into my condo, we’ll go home together, ah?” Romeo teased.

I smiled. We’d been best friends for so long, and I’d been considering moving in with him for convenience and peace of mind.

They hugged me before leaving, and the office slowly emptied. Hours passed. The lights dimmed, leaving me alone in the middle of the quiet office. I stretched, cracking my neck, and forced myself to keep typing.

I was exhausted. My head pounded from a migraine, my eyes heavy. I rested my forehead on my arm for a second, just to breathe.

Then,

“Why are you still here, Ms. Watson?”

I nearly fell off my chair. My heart jumped into my throat. I looked up, startled. “Sir,  you scared me.”

Mr. Gibson stood there, his brows drawn together. “You didn’t answer my question. Why are you working this late?”

“I still have things to finish,” I replied quietly.

“Did anyone ask you to stay this late?” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Adrian? Did he tell you to do all that?”

Technically, no, but with how often Adrian scolded me for being slow, I didn’t want to risk it. I bit my lip, hesitating.

“No, sir, it’s my initiative,” I admitted. “But I’m going home. Just ten more minutes.”

“You should go now,” he said firmly. “It’s late. I don’t encourage my employees to stay past hours. They should finish within work time.”

I nodded quickly. “Okay, sir. But let me, ”

“I said, go home.” His tone left no room for argument. “Who’s your boss again?”

I sighed in defeat. “Fine, sir. I’ll just grab my bag and shut everything down.”

He stepped back, watching me as I logged off the computer and packed my things. His eyes followed every movement, making my nerves worse, but I pretended not to notice.

As we waited for the elevator, he spoke again. “Do you have a car?”

I shook my head. “No, sir.”

He didn’t reply. We both entered the elevator, awkward silence filling the space. I clutched my bag tightly, focusing on anything except how close we were.

The elevator doors opened, and the cool night breeze hit us as we stepped outside. I shivered, goosebumps rising on my arms.

Suddenly, Mr. Gibson shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

“Here,” he said simply. “You’re freezing. Don’t stay this late again, it’s not safe, especially alone.”

I swallowed hard, my heart stumbling. His unexpected kindness left me speechless.

Before I could process it, a sleek black vehicle pulled up, the unmistakable Mercedes I’d seen him in before. His driver stepped out, handing him the keys.

“I’ll go now, sir,” I said quickly, starting to walk away.

But he caught my wrist, gentle but firm, steering me toward the passenger seat. I barely had time to react before he opened the door and practically guided me inside.

He shut the door, walked around, and slid into the driver’s seat. My hands trembled as I fumbled with the seatbelt.

“Sir,  I can take a cab,” I protested softly as he buckled his seatbelt. “You don’t have to take me home,  I don’t want to waste your time.”

His hand paused on the wheel.

His eyes flicked to me, unreadable. “You’re not wasting my time.”

The car engine rumbled to life,  and my heart raced with it.

“You’re under my company. It’s part of my responsibility,” he said casually, eyes on the road as the engine hummed to life.

I held onto the seatbelt in front of me like it was the only thing keeping me together. I didn’t know what to say or do. His presence made me nervous, and something else I didn’t want to admit.

After a moment of silence, his voice broke through again. “You live alone?”

I swallowed hard. “Yes. My parents decided to move back to the province a few days ago. It’s way cheaper to live there than here.”

“And you? Where do you live now?” He glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable.

I kept my eyes forward, glued to the road. “In the house, they left. But,  they sold it already. I’m planning to stay with my best friend for now.”

“Who’s your friend?” His tone shifted, curious,  maybe even cautious. “A guy?”

I smiled slightly. “Yes and no. He’s gay. Romeo, my co-worker, too.”

His hands gripped the steering wheel with ease, every movement confident and controlled. The way he maneuvered the car was strangely attractive. I bit the inside of my cheek to snap myself out of it.

“Don’t you have anywhere else to stay?” he asked, stopping at a red light. His eyes landed on me, intense but calm.

I shook my head. “No, sir. But it’s fine. Romeo’s been my friend for years.”

“He’s still a guy,” he pointed out, not missing a beat. “And I think,  privacy matters. It’s important to have your own space. A place where you’re free to do what you want.”

His words lingered in the air as the light turned green and the car started moving again. I hesitated, then finally looked at him.

“I wish I could,  but right now, I’m out of budget,” I admitted quietly. “My family,  they need my salary more than I do.”

“In debt?” he asked, as if it wasn’t even surprising.

I nodded, and silence filled the car. My mind drifted back to that problem,  the endless debt, the impossible amount. Was it even possible for me to earn that much? I didn’t know where to start.

I stared blankly out the window, lost in thought, only realizing we were close to my house when the car slowed down.

I frowned. “H-How did you know where I live?”

“Your resume,” he replied simply, offering no further explanation.

Mr. Gibson stopped the car across the street from our house. Even though my mind was full of questions, I didn’t bother arguing. I knew I wouldn’t win with him.

“Yes,  this is okay. Thank you so much for driving me home, Mr. Gibson. That was really thoughtful of you.”

“It doesn’t happen often,” he replied bluntly, brushing off my gratitude.

Mr. Gibson looked almost uncomfortable now. I grabbed the door handle and stepped out, but before I closed the door, I noticed his suit still resting on my shoulders.

“I’ll wash this first before returning it,” I offered, adjusting it.

“You can keep it,” he said, his lips twitching into a teasing smile.

Oh, God,  Mr. Gibson smiled. That small, playful smile completely threw me off. I didn’t know if I could keep up with his mood swings.

“I, ” I cleared my throat, recovering quickly. “I’d love to keep it. But that’s a joke, sir,” I added, forcing a nervous laugh. “Thank you again. Please,  drive safe.”

He stared at me for a second longer, that unreadable look back in his eyes, then drove away.

I hugged the suit tighter as I walked inside, my heart still racing. His scent lingered on the fabric, clean, expensive, addictive.

Gosh!, I thought. I was floating on cloud nine. He actually drove me home. But why? I didn’t want to assume things, but,

What could he possibly like about me? My face was normal, my life plain. He could date a supermodel if he wanted to.

I shook my head, forcing the crazy thoughts away. This wasn’t the time to compare myself to anyone.

Leaning against the door, a smile crept across my lips again. I couldn’t help it, my mind wandered to what-ifs, imagining ridiculous scenarios where there could actually be something between us.

But just as quickly as the daydream started, my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out, and my heart stopped when I saw my sister’s message:

ANYA: His name is Jazper Ray Gibson. That’s the person we owe money to. Okay? K. Bye.

I froze in place, my stomach twisting.

Mr. Gibson?