Dining Area 🍽️
The smell of coffee filled the dining area.
Ryan was already seated at the table, dressed in a crisp dark suit, sleeves perfectly aligned, posture straight. A newspaper lay folded beside his plate, though he wasn’t reading it.
He was thinking.
Or trying not to.
Footsteps echoed softly from the staircase.
He didn’t look up immediately.
Then she appeared.
Aria walked down slowly, sunlight from the tall window catching in her hair. She had styled it neatly, simple but elegant. Her outfit was modest and professional — soft colours that made her skin glow. She looked fresh. Effortless.
And she smelled—
Clean. Subtle. Floral.
Ryan’s fingers tightened slightly around his fork.
For half a second, he almost looked up fully.
He didn’t.
He forced his eyes down to his plate.
Professional.
Controlled.
Nothing more.
She reached the last step and paused briefly, noticing him at the table.
“Good morning,” she said calmly.
“Morning,” he replied without lifting his head.
She walked to the chair opposite him and sat down gracefully.
A house staff member placed breakfast in front of her and quietly left.
Silence settled between them.
Then—
“Don’t tell me you’re going to the company,” Ryan said flatly, finally glancing at her.
Aria picked up her glass of juice.
“Yes, sir. I have to.”
His brows drew together slightly.
“Why?”
She took a small sip before answering.
“People are asking too many questions. I’ve been absent. If I stay away longer, it’ll become a bigger issue. I need to act like everything is normal.”
His eyes sharpened.
“What people?”
She hesitated.
“Well… I have a friend there. She’s worried.”
He didn’t like that.
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You’ll go,” he said slowly, “but on one condition.”
Aria looked at him properly now.
“What condition?”
His tone hardened.
“You don’t talk to anyone who approaches you. Except your friend.”
For a second, she thought she misheard him.
“Are you being serious?”
“Yes.”
She stared at him, searching his face for a hint of humour.
There was none.
“I mean… how am I supposed to work if I don’t talk to anyone?” she asked carefully.
“You can do your job without unnecessary conversations.”
She let out a small breath.
“That’s not how offices work.”
His jaw tightened.
“I don’t want people getting comfortable.”
“With me?” she asked.
“With the situation.”
Aria placed her fork down.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I won’t be doing that.”
The words were calm.
Clear.
Respectful.
But firm.
His eyes lifted fully to hers now.
“You’re refusing?”
“I’m being realistic,” she replied. “If I suddenly avoid everyone, that will attract more attention. It’ll look strange.”
He studied her.
“You don’t understand how people think.”
“And you don’t understand how gossip spreads,” she answered softly.
Silence fell again.
But this time it wasn’t quiet.
It was charged.
Ryan leaned forward slightly.
“I’m trying to prevent problems.”
“And I’m trying to avoid creating them.”
Their eyes locked.
Neither backing down.
“You’re too comfortable arguing with me,” he said quietly.
“I’m not arguing,” she replied. “I’m just not agreeing.”
That almost made him smirk.
Almost.
He straightened in his seat again.
“You’ll keep your distance from anyone who crosses boundaries.”
“That’s reasonable,” she said.
“And you’ll inform me if anyone acts suspicious.”
She blinked.
“Suspicious?”
“Yes.”
She sighed lightly.
“Sir, it’s just work. Not a battlefield.”
His voice lowered.
“You don’t know that.”
A small pause.
She softened slightly.
“I can handle myself.”
His gaze lingered on her face.
He knew that.
That was the problem.
“You’ll go with the driver,” he said finally.
“I always do.”
“And you’ll leave when I say.”
Her brows lifted.
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t want you staying late.”
She studied him carefully now.
This wasn’t about professionalism.
This was something else.
“Is this about the company,” she asked quietly, “or about control?”
His expression hardened instantly.
“Watch your tone.”
“I’m just asking.”
Another silence.
He stood up slowly from the table.
“You’re going,” he said. “But remember your position.”
Her eyes flickered slightly at that.
“My position,” she repeated.
“Yes.”
She held his gaze as he adjusted his jacket.
“I haven’t forgotten,” she said softly.
For a brief second, something unreadable passed through his expression.
Then it was gone.
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he paused.
“Be careful,” he said without looking at her.
And then he left.
Aria remained seated at the table, her heart beating slightly faster than before.
She stared down at her untouched breakfast.
“Careful of what?” she whispered under her breath.
The house felt bigger suddenly.
Colder.
And the line between professional and personal?
It was getting thinner by the day.
🏢 Carter Group International 🏢
Hours later.
The building stood tall against the bright afternoon sky, glass walls reflecting the sun like polished mirrors.
Inside, everything moved with quiet precision — heels clicking against marble floors, keyboards tapping, assistants walking briskly with files pressed to their chests.
Aria sat at her desk, finishing the last page of her research report.
Her hands were steady.
Her mind wasn’t.
She reread the final paragraph, then clipped the papers neatly together.
A message popped up on her screen.
“Take the file to the group leader’s office. 18th floor.”
She inhaled slowly.
“Okay,” she whispered to herself.
She stood, smoothing down her blouse, and picked up the file.
Around her, the office buzzed softly with conversation.
She walked toward the elevator lobby, heels tapping lightly against the floor.
Three other female employees were already waiting there.
They barely glanced at her at first.
The elevator display counted down slowly.
22… 21… 20…
Then one of the girls leaned closer to the others and lowered her voice — though not low enough.
“Oh, my God. Did you see the CEO this morning?”
Aria’s fingers tightened slightly around her file.
Another girl gasped dramatically.
“Yes! I saw him near the executive entrance. He’s so handsome and tall and strong.”
The third girl clutched her chest.
“The way he walks? Like he owns the air.”
“He does own the air,” the second one replied, laughing. “He’s Mr Ryan Carter.”
They all giggled.
Aria kept her eyes forward.
Neutral.
Calm.
Invisible.
“I swear,” the first girl continued, “if he ever looked at me for more than two seconds, I would faint.”
“You wouldn’t faint,” the second one teased. “You’d embarrass yourself.”
“No, but seriously… his arms?” she whispered dramatically. “Oh, my God.”
The third girl nodded enthusiastically.
“And his jawline. How is that even legal?”
“I just wish I was his girlfriend,” the second one sighed dreamily.
The first girl squealed softly.
“Can you imagine? Being around him every day? Sitting next to him? Him holding your hand?”
Aria swallowed quietly.
The elevator doors still hadn’t opened.
“I wonder how his girlfriend feels,” the third girl said with a smirk. “I’m sure she enjoys it.”
“I bet she does,” another replied. “He looks like the type who’s intense.”
“Cold,” one added.
“Dominant,” another whispered.
They laughed again.
Aria’s heart beat once — hard.
She stared at the elevator doors, watching her own reflection faintly in the steel surface.
If they only knew.
If they had any idea.
“I wonder how his girlfriend feels.”
She didn’t know how she felt.
Confused.
Watched.
Pulled into something bigger than herself.
The elevator finally dinged.
The doors slid open smoothly.
They all stepped inside.
Aria stood in the corner, pressing 18.
The other girls continued.
“Do you think he’ll announce her soon?” one asked.
“Who?”
“His girlfriend. I heard rumours.”
“Rumours?” another gasped. “You think he’s actually dating someone?”
“I don’t know. But men like him don’t stay single forever.”
Aria kept her expression blank.
Her reflection in the mirrored wall looked calm.
Too calm.
“If I were his girlfriend,” one of them said dramatically, “I would never let him go to work alone.”
“That’s toxic,” the other laughed.
“Maybe. But look at him.”
They giggled again.
The elevator stopped at the 10th floor. Two people got off.
The doors closed.
One of the girls suddenly glanced at Aria.
“You’re quiet,” she said casually. “Don’t you think he’s handsome?”
Aria’s breath almost hitched.
She forced a small, polite smile.
“He’s… our CEO.”
They blinked at her answer.
“That’s not what I asked.”
The elevator dinged again.
18th floor.
The doors slid open before she had to answer.
“I need to get off,” Aria said calmly.
She stepped out before they could say anything else.
As the doors closed behind her, their soft laughter faded.
The executive floor was different.
Quieter.
Colder.
More controlled.
The carpet was thicker. The lighting softer. The air heavier.
Her heels echoed faintly as she walked toward the group leader’s office.
But her mind?
Still stuck in that elevator.
I wonder how his girlfriend feels.
She didn’t know how she felt.
Confused.
Watched.
Pulled into something bigger than herself.
She reached the office door and knocked gently.
“Come in.”
She entered, handed over the file, answered a few brief questions, and left just as quickly.
On her way back to the elevator, she paused near the large glass window overlooking the city.
From up here, everything looked small.
Simple.
Manageable.
Her reflection stared back at her again.
No one downstairs knew.
No one in that elevator knew.
And Ryan?
He probably didn’t care what anyone thought.
But for her —
This wasn’t just office gossip.
This was her reality.
And the more people whispered about the CEO’s mysterious girlfriend—
The closer the truth felt to the surface.