Chapter 13: The wrong door

I stepped out of my house, savoring the cool morning air and the early gossip of the birds. Everything felt calm, almost perfect, until something made me pause.

A familiar figure stood a short distance away, close to my neighbor's house, the big mansion on the other side of the street. It was Rui.

He wasn't far away, and I could see him clearly.

I didn't think much of it. Rui was an engineer, after all, and engineers went wherever their work took them. I shrugged off the thought, climbed into my car, and drove away.

I had barely reached the main road when the weather turned. Heavy rain began to fall without warning, and the sky darkened until it looked more like evening than morning. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. A little rain was not going to stop me.

Then the engine coughed, shuddered, and died.

"No, no. Not today," I whispered, turning the key again and again. Nothing happened. I leaned back in my seat, deeply disappointed.

I called a car repairer, and he arrived twenty minutes later, soaked and apologetic. After a quick inspection, he shook his head. The problem was serious, and it could not be fixed on the spot. I would have to wait, and I had no idea for how long.

But I couldn't wait. I thought of my boss and what he would say if I arrived late. He had never yelled at me, and I intended to keep it that way.

"Okay, then," I said with a sigh. "I'll take a taxi."

By the time I finally reached the office, I was drenched. My clothes clung to my skin, and there were muddy stains along my hem from the dash between the car, the taxi, and the entrance. The thought of sitting in a clean office chair in that state made me deeply uncomfortable.

Steven was already there, standing near his desk with a file in his hand. He looked up as I entered, and I felt my face grow warm.

"Sir, I am really sorry," I said, glancing down at myself. "My clothes are..."

Before I could finish, he lifted his hand to stop me.

"Don't worry about it," he said calmly. "Go ahead and freshen up. The room on your left is the guest room."

"Thank you, sir."

I hurried inside, shut the door, and let the warm water run over me. The chill of the rain slowly melted away, though a few cold shivers still lingered as the temperature of the room settled around me. For the first time that morning, I could breathe.

Then I reached for something to dry myself with, and my hand met only air.

There was no towel. I searched the small bathroom twice, hoping I had simply overlooked it, but there was nothing at all. Nothing to wrap around myself, not even a robe.

Think, I told myself. Just dry off and find something quickly.

I stepped out of the bathroom, hoping to find a cabinet or a shelf in the room beyond. Before I could take another step, I heard a sharp click. It was the sound of the door handle turning.

My heart stopped.

The door swung open, and Steven stood in the doorway.

For a moment, neither of us moved. I was frozen with shock, and so, clearly, was he. The silence stretched between us, heavy and unbearable.

"M-mm... I'm so sorry!" I gasped, darting behind the door and pressing myself against the wall, my face burning with shame.

Through the narrow gap, I caught a glimpse of his expression. It was not anger, exactly. It was something closer to disappointment, or perhaps disbelief. Without a word, he stepped back and closed the door.

I let out a long, shaky breath. "I thought this was the guest room," I whispered.

It was only then that I truly looked around. The large bed, the neatly arranged shelves, the framed photographs, and the faint scent of cologne that I now recognized all too well. This was no guest room. It was Steven's private room.

I had made a terrible mistake.

"What will he think of me now?" I groaned quietly, pressing my palms against my face. "Why, of all days, did this have to happen today?"

Panic pushed me into motion. I brushed the water from my skin with my hands as quickly as I could before pulling my clothes back on. They were still damp and uncomfortable, but at that moment, I could not have cared less. All I could think was that my boss had seen me with nothing on.

I squeezed my eyes shut. This cannot be happening.

I stood there for a long while, trying to gather what remained of my dignity. Eventually, I realized I could not hide in his room forever. I smoothed my hair, straightened my clothes, and took a slow, steady breath. Then I opened the door.

My eyes stayed fixed on the floor.

Steven was standing right in front of me with his arms folded across his chest. He did not move aside. He simply looked at me, his gaze steady and unreadable.

The silence was unbearable, and I was just about to apologize when he finally spoke.

"Are you trying to seduce me?"

My head snapped up. Of all the things I had imagined he might say, that was not one of them. My mind went blank, and the apology I had rehearsed so carefully dissolved on my tongue.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words broke off before they could form.