Chapter 4

When Elian left the office, he felt a mix of strange nervousness and excitement in his chest. He closed his laptop and fixed the papers on his desk with a smile. A few months had passed since he started to change. He went from being a quiet and obedient worker to a confident man. And he knew who the reason for all of this was. Zara.

The woman who entered his life like a tornado, fast, messy, but in the end, she changed his whole world. Slowly, she broke the walls of nervousness and shyness that he had built for a long time.

While inside the elevator going down the building, he could not help but smile. He remembered Zara's text message from that afternoon. 

"Come over after work. Don’t make me wait, Good Boy." 

It was a simple message, but it was enough to make his heart beat faster.

His trip to Zara's expensive condo was smooth. The guards already knew him, so it was easy to get in. When he reached her floor, he took a deep breath before walking to the door. He was used to going there, but she always had surprises.

He did not even need to knock or use a keycard. The door was slightly open. This was a sign that she was expecting him. But before he could push the door, he saw a small yellow sticky note on the doorknob.

"Just come in, Baby. Go straight to the balcony. I have a surprise for you."

Elian's eyes widened. He was used to Zara's sudden ideas, but he was always nervous about what was on her mind. 

"Oh no... what is she thinking now?" he whispered to himself while carefully pushing the door.

He slowly went inside. The whole house was quiet, but he could feel a strange heat and tension in the air. The living room was dark. Only the lights from the outside window gave light. As he walked in, he smelled Zara's favorite expensive lavender candles. It was mixed with the delicious smell of cooked food, truffle pasta, his favorite. Soft jazz music played from the speaker in the living room. It gave a romantic and serious mood.

"Zara?" he called softly, putting his bag down on the sofa.

No one answered, but he heard a soft laugh from the balcony. It was the laugh that always made him weak for her.

Elian walked slowly to the glass door of the balcony. He was nervous with every step. He did not know what kind of 'surprise' was waiting for him. When he pulled the thick curtain, he saw a scene he did not expect. It was a scene that made him stop breathing, and slowly, a big smile formed on his lips.

The cold feeling of the city and Zara's usual modern balcony setup were gone. Instead, the whole place was full of warm fairy lights hanging on the plants and railings. Thick blankets and soft pillows were on the floor, turning the balcony into a cozy and private picnic spot. In the middle, there was a small wooden low table. Their favorite pasta, some slices of steak, and two glasses of red wine shining under the lights were ready on the table.

And at the end of that setup, Zara was sitting.

She was not wearing her designer clothes or the sexy outfits she often used to tease him. She was just wearing an oversized white t-shirt, which Elian knew was his shirt that he left last week and simple pajama shorts. Her long, curly hair fell on her shoulders. She had no makeup, but for Elian, this was the most beautiful version of Zara. She was looking at him with a teasing but sweet smile.

"Finally... you are here," Zara greeted. Her voice was sweet, matching the relaxing jazz music from inside the condo. "Come here. Do not be shy. The pasta is getting cold from waiting for my VIP."

Smiling but still nervous, Elian walked closer. He took off his shoes before stepping on the soft blanket. "Z-Zara... what is going on? Your setup is so beautiful. You really made an effort after work."

Zara sat properly and patted the big pillow beside her. "I just want you all to myself, is that bad? We have been too busy these past few days at the office. We only had meetings and deadlines. Now, I just want it to be only us. Come sit beside me."

Elian quickly followed and sat beside her. Before he could even sit properly, Zara leaned on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his arm. Elian felt her warmth and softness. His chest felt like it would explode because his heart was beating so fast. No matter how long they had been together, Zara's effect on him never faded.

"I thought we were going to eat?" Elian asked with a laugh while looking at the food on the table.

"We will eat, but I want to hug you first," Zara whispered, pressing her face closer into Elian's neck. "You still smell like the office, but you still smell so good."

Elian smiled and slowly put his arm around her. They started eating while talking about their day. Elian told her how he presented his report well earlier. It was something he could not do before because he was too shy, but he did it today because of Zara's advice. Zara just listened. She had a small smile while looking at the man beside her. It was clear she was very proud of how far he had come.

After eating, Zara poured wine into their glasses. They both leaned against the wall, looking at the beautiful city skyline while drinking. The lights from the buildings looked like stars below, matching the fairy lights around them.

"You know, Elian," Zara started. Her voice lowered and became more serious. She slowly turned the wine glass in her hand while looking up at the sky. "Since I met you, you always just follow. You always follow what I want, what I like to do, even when I know you feel awkward sometimes. I am always the one leading us."

Elian looked at her, trying to read the emotion in her eyes. "What do you mean? That is okay with me. I am happy when you are happy."

Zara sat up straight and faced him. She put her wine glass down on the table. She took both of Elian's hands and held them tightly. "That is not my point, Good Boy. Yes, I am used to being the boss. I am used to telling you what we will do. But tonight... I want you to be the one in charge."

Elian frowned. "Me? Why?"

"Because I want to see how brave you are now," Zara answered with a smile, but there was sweetness in her eyes. "I always take charge. Now, I want you to lead. What do you want us to do? What do you want to tell me that you have been hiding in your mind for a long time? You are the boss now, Elian. Try to control the situation."

Elian shook his head. He suddenly felt his cheeks get warm. He was used to just going along with Zara's energy. "I cannot do it. You are braver than me. I might just disappoint you."

Zara laughed softly. It sounded like music to Elian. She let go of one of Elian's hands to touch his cheek. "Come on. Just try it. You are a good boy, but I know you have it in you. I saw how you presented in the boardroom earlier. If you can face the board of directors, you can face me too. Do not be afraid of me, Elian."

Elian took a deep breath. He looked into Zara's eyes that were full of trust, love, and a little challenge. What she said was true, he always just went with her flow. It was his comfort zone. But this time, he felt he wanted to prove that he was not just a follower. He wanted to prove that he could match the bravery of the woman in front of him. He wanted to prove that he could be her equal partner in everything.

Elian slowly took his hands away from Zara's grip. He saw a little surprise in her eyes. Maybe she thought he was going to back out. But instead, Elian raised his hands and held both of Zara's cheeks.