Rafael had just stepped into his office, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it on a hanger. The room was as quiet as usual, with only the faint sound of the air conditioner audible. He sank into his leather chair and turned on his computer screen, preparing to review today's work.
Shortly afterward, there was a soft knock on the door, and Nadine entered with a tablet in her hand. The young woman walked in calmly as usual, her face full of precision and focus."Good morning, Mr. Rafael," she greeted him briefly but politely."Good morning, Nadine," Rafael replied, straightening his shirt."Here's your schedule for this morning," Nadine said, handing him the tablet. At nine o'clock, you have a meeting with the finance division, and then at ten o'clock, you're asked to review the progress of the new marketing campaign. And-'Rafael raised his hand slightly, interrupting her. 'Delete all lunch appointments.'Nadine raised her eyebrows slightly. "Do you have sThe morning sun slipped gently through the gaps in the bedroom curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. The aroma of toasted bread and freshly brewed coffee slowly filled the house, marking the beginning of a new day. Aurora opened her eyes slowly, looked around, and found that Rafael was no longer by her side. She got up, pushed aside the blanket, and tidied herself before going down to the dining room.There, Rafael was already sitting in a neat work shirt, eating his breakfast. He turned when he heard Aurora's footsteps and smiled warmly."Morning, love," he greeted."Morning," Aurora replied as she sat across from him.On the table, there were two plates of toast, sunny-side-up eggs, and slices of fresh fruit. A cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice were also neatly arranged. Aurora gave a small smile at Rafael's effort, who clearly had woken up earlier to prepare their breakfast."You prepared all this?" she asked as she began spooning some fruit onto her plate.Rafae
Rafael's car slowly stopped in front of a classic-style restaurant located on a corner of the city. The dim yellow lights from inside the restaurant created a warm and inviting atmosphere. Rafael turned to Aurora, who was sitting in the passenger seat, still wearing her work clothes. Her face looked tired, but a small smile remained on her lips."I know you must be exhausted after a whole day of site visits and going back to the office," Rafael said in a serious yet caring tone. "That's why I thought I'd take you out for dinner tonight. No need to cook, no need to do dishes."Aurora turned to him, raising her eyebrows slightly in surprise. "I don't mind cooking, Rafael. I still have the energy for that."Rafael chuckled softly and patted Aurora's hand resting on her lap. "I don't doubt your capability or endurance, Aurora. But let me take over tonight. Consider it a token of appreciation for going through such a long day."Aurora looked at Rafael
Aurora's steps were hurried as she entered the office. The clock showed half past five in the evening, but the darkening sky made the office atmosphere feel deserted. When Aurora arrived at her desk, she found her coworker, Lia, closing her laptop and getting ready to go home."Hey, just got back?" Lia greeted her with a smile.Aurora pulled out her chair and quickly sat down, placing her bag beside the desk. "Yeah. Just got back from an off-site assignment. I thought I'd still have time to finish my work before the end of the day."Lia raised her eyebrows, then leaned back comfortably with her arms crossed. "Wait, you didn't know?"Aurora turned with a puzzled expression. "Know what?""Your pending tasks today were reassigned to another team," Lia replied calmly, then added teasingly, "Because you've been moved to the project team."Aurora's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Who moved me? I wasn't informed at all."Lia ch
After nearly an hour, Kevin closed his equipment and said, "Done. We can go back to the car and rest for a bit before heading to the second location."Aurora nodded slightly. "Alright. Thanks for explaining everything."Kevin looked at her with a brief smile. "No problem. You worked hard today too, even though you just intended to accompany me."Aurora gave a small smile, then walked back toward the car with Kevin.After placing the measuring tools back into the trunk, Kevin glanced at his watch and then turned to Aurora, who was busy checking her notes."Shall we head to the second location now?" Aurora asked, looking at him calmly.Kevin gave a short nod. "Yes, but... how about we have lunch first? It'd be good before we hit the road again."Aurora immediately shook her head. "No need, I already ate this morning."Kevin smiled, half convinced. "Are you sure? What time did you have breakfast?"Aurora g
The morning meeting was held in the main conference room on the seventh floor. Executives from Rafael's company and Elmore Group sat around the large table, discussing the agenda for their joint project, which was currently in the site survey stage.Aurora walked in quietly, carrying a tray of drinks. Her polite smile swept across the room as she placed cups of coffee and tea in front of the meeting participants. As she reached Kevin, Valery glanced sharply at her and suddenly spoke up loudly."Hmm... Aurora, I heard you were in the same major as Kevin back in college, right?" Valery asked casually, though her tone carried an underlying intent.Aurora paused, not expecting to be brought up in the middle of a meeting. All eyes turned to her, even Rafael looked up."Yes... we were in the same major," Aurora replied cautiously, trying to maintain a polite smile.Valery smirked slightly. "Wow, then you two must be a perfect match to do the si
Aurora smiled as Kevin handed her phone back."Thank you, Kevin. I didn't even realize I left my phone in your car." Aurora said as she took the device from his hand.Kevin leaned against the car door and looked at Aurora gently."You've got too much on your mind, Aurora. To the point that you forgot something as important as your phone. Is everything okay?"Aurora took a deep breath, trying to hide the turmoil behind her calm face."Yes, just a little tired."Kevin nodded slowly, but he didn't look convinced. His eyes studied Aurora's expression carefully, as if trying to read deeper than the words she was saying."In that case, let me drive you to the office. It's nearly lunchtime anyway. I could use a bit of fresh air too, it's good for the mind," he offered lightly.But Aurora quickly shook her head with a faint smile."Thank you, Kevin. But I can take a taxi. Besides, you've already gone out of your way for me.""It's no trouble, Aurora. I'm happy to help.""Even so, I feel more