Chapter 5 ~ Playing with Fire

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Nora didn’t stay in her office. She left instructions, then walked straight out of the building without a word. She didn’t wait for the elevator—she took the stairs.

By the time she reached the street, the sun had dipped low, casting golden streaks across the skyline. She didn’t notice. All she wanted was to disappear.

The moment she got home, she dropped her bag at the door and kicked off her heels. No pause. She headed to her bedroom, collapsed face-first onto the bed, and let the tears fall.

They poured out like they'd been waiting for permission.

Strange how she hadn’t even cried this much when she lost her entire family in a single day. Back then, grief had numbed her so deeply she hadn’t had the strength to shed a single tear. But now?

Now, she felt everything.

Anger.

Confusion.

Rejection.

Humiliation.

And worst of all... longing.

Dragging herself off the bed like someone who had just lost a war, she stumbled into the bathroom. Her reflection looked exactly how she felt—swollen eyes, pressed lips, and messy hair tangled with thoughts.

She washed her face with cold water, trying to snap herself out of it. After a quick shower, she pulled on a hoodie and leggings and wandered into the kitchen. Maybe food would help.

Just as she sat down and reached for her fork, her phone buzzed beside her plate.

She frowned at it like it had insulted her.

Kire! What does she want? Didn’t I leave instructions for her? Nora pondered as she rolled her eyes in irritation and picked up. “What?”

“You sound like Mr. Bamford,” Kire said on the other end, far too amused.

Nora exhaled, already pissed. “Is that supposed to cheer me up?”

“Huh! It was meant to be a compliment, Ms. Nora,” Kire chirped.

Nora scoffed, “How the hell is sounding like that asshole a compliment?”

Kire chuckled. “My point exactly.”

Nora pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why did you call me, Kire?”

“Oh, I wanted to ask when you’re coming back to the office.”

“Huh? Why would I come back? It’s already five.”

“Well…” Kire hesitated. “The documents Mr. Bamford gave you—he needs them for the 7 p.m. meeting with the breach managers. And you’re supposed to attend it with him.”

Nora jerked back. “What? Why am I just hearing about this now? Isn’t that your job?”

“I assumed he told you himself,” Kire said quickly.

“You’re joking, right? You really think that man takes time to tell me anything?” Nora’s voice rose. “Then what the hell are you my assistant for?”

“I’m so sor—”

“Enough,” Nora cut in coldly. Her voice dropped. “As I said earlier, I’ve been far too lenient with you.”

There was a long pause.

“So, here’s what’s going to happen,” she continued, calmly now. “Aside from the instructions I left you before leaving, you’ll meet with Mr. Bamford and explain your screw-up. Then, you’ll handle part of the documents yourself. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She ended the call without waiting for a response, dropping the phone on the table with a thud. A long sigh followed.

—

Back at the office, Kire stared at her phone, then slammed it onto her desk. “Why’s she acting like it’s my fault?” she muttered. “If she hadn’t stormed out like some drama queen, none of this would’ve happened.”

She stood abruptly, pacing. “Just because she was placed above me doesn’t mean she can walk all over me. I’m not some disposable assistant. Even if she left instructions, and told me to handle the documents, why the hell would I bother with that?” she hissed.

With a scoff, she returned to her seat, rifling through the untouched stack of documents Nora had left behind.

—

Across town, Nora sat in her dim apartment, unaware of Kire’s muttering—but she didn’t need to hear it to know. She could picture the look, the tone, and the practiced politeness that barely covered the disrespect.

Just like the others, Kire didn’t see her as someone to respect—only tolerate.

Not even when she worked directly under her. Maybe because she wasn’t hired the usual way. She wasn’t chosen by interview. Just reassigned from the intern pool, a secondhand secretary who clearly believed she deserved better.

Nora sighed, heavier this time.

This is pathetic.

How long was she going to chase a man who barely saw her? Worse, a man who was still stuck on someone else.

She stared at her plate, appetite long gone. But skipping dinner wouldn’t fix her life.

“Let’s just eat,” she said and forced herself to chew through the now-cold meal—completely unaware of the mess building behind her back.

—

“What do you mean she’s not coming back?” Noah snapped as he stared at Nora’s PA.

Standing stiffly, Kire kept her hands clasped in front of her. “I—I just got off the phone with her. She said she wasn’t coming back and didn’t really care how important the documents were.” Lies.

Noah clenched his jaw. He sighed, trying to keep calm. “Fine. Then give me the files she worked on and—”

“There are no files, sir,” Kire cut in quickly.

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I didn’t see her when she left. And she didn’t mention anything about handing over documents or that she worked on one. When I asked, she just yelled at me and said I was getting fired.”

“What? She can’t do that,” Noah barked. “What the hell is going on with her?”

“I’m not sure, sir,” Kire said, her voice small. “Honestly… she hasn’t been herself. I’ve taken over parts of her work lately. She zones out and barely responds. She seems... distracted.”

Noah didn’t reply right away. His expression changed—less angry, more tired.

“…That’s enough. You can go.”

“Yes, sir.” Kire gave a polite nod and walked out.

The second the door clicked shut behind her, her expression changed. A smug smile curved on her lips.

“Let’s see how long you keep that smug face, bitch,” she whispered, strutting back to her desk.

—

Inside the office, Noah dialed Nora’s number. Switched off.

He tried again. Still off.

“What the hell’s going on with you, Nora…” he muttered.

Before he could try a third time, the door cracked open. Lucas, his personal secretary, peeked in.

“Sir, the meeting’s about to start. Should we delay?”

Noah rubbed a hand through his hair and sighed. “No. That won’t be necessary.”

He stood, fixing his sleeves as Lucas followed.

“Should I bring the backup files?” Lucas asked.

“Yes. Bring them.”

They headed toward the conference room, but Noah stopped briefly by Kire’s desk.

“When your boss comes in tomorrow morning,” he said quietly, “tell her to come see me.”

“Yes, sir,” Kire answered sweetly, hiding her glee behind a polished smile.