/Building Manager POV\
*Before Akashic Arrived Home*
I sat alone in my office watching videos on my phone when I got an alert that the big boss who owned our company had come to visit.
A secret the tenants didn't know was that they almost lost their homes. Our parent company was planning to demolish this complex to build a mega-mansion.
All of a sudden, someone bought our entire company just to keep this place from being destroyed.
I had no idea who they were, since they had never even visited—until today.
I was nervous. Did they come for me? Did they finally find out about—no, they couldn't have. I was overreacting.
I stood up and rushed out the door, arriving in front of the building where I was met with luxury vehicles and guards.
I ran up and saw one girl standing in the middle, holding a bag in her hand. She seemed young, early twenties, with long purple hair and a face devoid of emotion.
I offered my hand for a handshake and introduced myself.
"My name is Ron, I'm the building manager here. Nice to meet you, miss…?"
She didn't move or speak, just looked me in the eyes. I swore I saw a flash of recognition before her gaze intensified.
I started sweating. It felt like a mountain was on top of me, making it hard to breathe.
I looked to her guards for help, thinking I'd said something wrong, but they just looked away.
"Alexia. Where's 17A?"
Suddenly, the pressure disappeared. She introduced herself and asked a question..
The change was so abrupt that I stood there in shock, trying to catch my breath.
Not wanting to keep her waiting, I forced myself to calm down, ready to lead her to the room she asked for—then it clicked.
'17A... the room of that brat? What connection does he have with her!?'
Now that I was thinking clearly, I recognized her. Alexia Sparrow. I'd be an idiot not to know that name.
17A. The tenant who lived there was someone I'd had run-ins with before—Akashic Torre.
I didn't like him. He was the one person in this building who didn't follow my orders. He had no status to speak of and constantly disrespected me.
I couldn't do anything to him though. He had never broken any rules, and he paid his rent on time.
Now the young lady of the Sparrow family was here. Wishfully, I hoped he had pissed her off somehow and she was here to punish him, but I knew that wasn't the case.
I led her to his room and knocked on the door.
After several minutes passed with no response, I spoke.
"Should I open it with my master key?" I reached into my pocket and showed her the key.
"No." She curtly replied and pulled out her phone. I assumed she was texting him, which was confirmed when I heard his voice through her phone.
*Picture*
"I'm out shopping right now, why? Are you okay?" I saw her show a small smile at his words. It was beautiful—yet it scared me even more.
She put her phone down and looked at me, the smile disappearing instantly. It seemed she was going to wait for him to return, so I offered her a seat in my office.
She declined, standing around until one of her guards approached and spoke.
"Miss, your father called. He says he and Mr. Vero have reached an agreement. They want you and Daniel at the house to choose a date."
That was all he said, but I saw her face go pale and her expression change when he mentioned Daniel.
I recognized the names but decided it was above my pay grade. I was already on her bad side.
"Miss, your father wants us back now. You can't wait for Akashic much longer." Her guards seemed to care for her, while I just tried to make myself as invisible as possible.
I couldn't help but notice the look in her eyes when that kid's name was brought up.
She looked at me and handed me the bag.
"Give this to Akashic when he gets back." After handing it over, she started to walk away.
I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it was over, when suddenly I felt the pressure return and heard her voice.
"Manager. Akashic may not care how you treat him, but I do. Please learn your worth before you run your mouth again. Or you die."
She stared at me, the most words she'd said since we met. With every word, the intensity grew, though she never raised her voice.
She was calm, and that made it scarier. I didn't move even after she was long gone.
Her eyes terrified me. The emotions swirling in them when she spoke about Akashic were completely different from when she looked at me.
For him, there was protectiveness and love—more than I'd ever seen in anyone's eyes.
For me, there was pure anger and disdain. I had never been looked at like that before.
I stood there shaking and sweating for who knows how long until I heard the voice I had been dying to hear.
"Why are you here?"