In the office, Dylan is staring at Ember from his chair, and she can't shake the feeling of anxiety gnawing at her. What had she done wrong? "Hey, Chi," he finally says, breaking the silence. "Can you wait for me in your cabin? I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay. Bye, Miss Ember. Think about the offer," he replies, giving her a playful wink. Ember's mind races. What offer? Confused, she watches him leave the room, feeling an unsettling chill creep up her spine.
Taking a deep breath, she turns to face Dylan, forcing a smile despite the tension in the air. He sits rigidly at his desk, and Ember can sense his bad mood. Maybe it was because she had left without his permission, or perhaps jealousy was stirring within him. She feels the weight of his gaze, but she can't summon the courage to meet his eyes. "Don't you have anything to say?" he presses.
"Yeah, I do," she responds, trying to sound confident.
"What?" he prompts, leaning in.
"Actually, there's a lot to tell."
"I have the whole day to listen to you... baby," he says coldly, but she can see the eagerness behind his facade. His words strike a chord in her; he really wants to hear her side. Ember thinks, Fine, I'll tell him. I haven't done anything wrong, so why am I so nervous? She steels herself, glancing at his stern expression, and mentally encourages herself: You can do this.
"Okay, so here's the thing." Ember takes a seat on the sofa and continues, "While I was working, your HR mistook my presence in your cabin for something inappropriate."
"Wait!" Dylan interrupts.
"What happened?" she asks, puzzled.
"What were you doing that made him misunderstand you?" he presses further.
"Actually, I was just sitting in your chair, spinning around," she replies in a soft, innocent voice.
He smirks, urging her to continue. "Go on, I'm listening."
"Then he assumed I was there for an interview, so he dragged me out and put me through one. He said I was hired, but I turned down the offer."
"What? You rejected it?" he asks, surprise evident in his tone.
"Yes! You know what's going on in my life right now. I don't want things to get even more tense and complicated." Ember sighs, feeling the weight of her words. "Then he offered to give me a tour of the company and asked if I wanted coffee. So, I accepted that. That's all."
Ember blinks rapidly, trying to steady herself. When she opens her eyes, she sees Dylan leaning closer, his expression softening. "Good," he says, his voice warm. "All your answers were correct." He moves to sit beside her, draping his arm around her shoulder. "The answers are right there, both in the question paper and in the canteen," he adds with a smile, making Ember feel shy.
She stands up abruptly, taking a step back to create some distance, her heart racing as the warmth of his arm lingers in her mind.
He pulls Ember's hand, and before she knows it, her legs twist, and she finds herself sitting on his lap. "Aren't you hungry?" he asks, his voice low and teasing.
"Yes, I am," she replies, feeling a rush of warmth.
"I'll take you out to eat, but first, let me have a taste of you," he says playfully, biting her earlobe. A shiver runs down her spine, and she finds herself unable to move, his grip tight on her hand. She watches as he glides his hand down her back, using a remote to close the curtains of the office. Then, he wraps his arms around her waist.
"Dylan, stop," Ember says, her voice shaky.
"Stop what?" he replies, pressing a kiss to her neck, sending a thrill through her. "Stop thi—" she tries to say, but before she can finish, he pulls her closer and kisses her on the lips. The moment their lips meet, a spark ignites between them. He draws her in tighter, closing any gap, and suddenly she's breathless, lost in the intensity of the kiss.
"Dylan, stop! You're making me—" she gasps, but her words fade between kisses as the heat envelops her.
She feels herself losing strength, her hands falling limply against his chest as the kiss deepens, becoming longer and more fervent.
Just when she thinks she might faint, he finally releases her. Ember gasps, "Huff! Huff!" as she struggles to catch her breath. Rushing to the glass of water, she drinks greedily, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Then she hears Dylan's soft voice, "Sorry, Ember," as he slips out of his office, leaving her alone in the silence.
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DYLAN'S SIDE
As he leaves, Dylan realizes the gravity of what he's done. He glances back at Ember, but he can't bring himself to meet her eyes.
Turning away, he takes a step toward the door, but the sight of her—fear glistening in her eyes, her body trembling—fills him with shame. As he walks away, the scene plays over and over in his mind, gnawing at him.
Finally, he reaches the terrace, the cool air hitting his face, but it does little to calm the storm inside him. How could I be so stupid? Because of my jealousy, I made her feel terrible, he thinks, frustration and regret coursing through him.
In Dylan's cabin, Ember's tears wouldn't stop. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't control her emotions. Everything that had happened today made her want to escape. She sat down at his desk and began to write a note:
"I need some time, so I'm going back. Don't worry, I'll return once I've cleared my mind.
Bye. Take care.
Love,
Yours, Ember."
As she finished the note, a single tear rolled down her cheek, landing on the paper. With a deep breath, she pinched herself as if to regain her strength, then left the cabin and returned home.
That night, sleep didn't come. The weight of the day clung to her like a shadow.
ON THE OTHER SIDE — DYLAN
When Dylan returned to his office, the sight that greeted him sent panic through his body—Ember was lying unconscious on his desk. He rushed to her, immediately calling his driver. "Bring the car to the front. We're going to the hospital."
"Mr. Dylan, are you alright?" the driver asked.
"Yes, I'm fine," Dylan replied sharply.
"Who's unwell, sir?"
"Just do your job!" Dylan barked, hanging up. His chest tightened with every passing second, guilt building inside him. He scooped Ember into his arms and carried her out of the building, laying her gently in the backseat of the car, her head resting on his lap.
"Sir, is madam alright?" the driver asked, concerned.
"I don't know... just take us to the hospital," Dylan muttered, his voice heavy with regret.
On the way, Dylan noticed a piece of paper clenched in Ember's hand. He gently pried it loose and unfolded it. It was a letter from her:
"I need some time, so I'm going back. Don't worry, I'll return once I've cleared my mind.
Bye. Take care.
Love,
Yours, Ember."
The words hit him hard. She needed space. She needed to get away from him. His heart ached as he read the note, the weight of his actions crushing him.
"Turn around," Dylan ordered the driver.
"But sir, madam—"
"She's alright. We're going home. She's just tired," Dylan interrupted, trying to convince himself more than the driver.
When they arrived home, Dylan carried Ember upstairs to his room. As he stood between the doors of their separate rooms, a wave of regret washed over him. I'll take her to my room, he decided, when she wakes up, I'll apologize.
He laid her gently on the bed and sat beside her, staring at her peaceful face. The memory of their kiss—no, the memory of him forcing that kiss on her—haunted him. She had looked so innocent, and he had behaved like an animal. Disgust filled him.
Dylan retreated to the bathroom, trying to wash away the shame with a shower. Afterward, he lay beside her, brushing a gentle hand across her cheek before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm so sorry, Ember," he whispered before finally drifting off to sleep.