Avery had expected her back to hit the ground with a hard thud, and since she had instinctively pulled against Ethan, she also expected him to fall against her, so she closed her eyes, as she prepared herself for the pain that was to come from not just hitting the ground, but also from the impact of a fully grown man falling right on top of her.
But when she fell, she didn't feel the pain she had expected, she only felt a slight discomfort, and when she opened her eyes, she then realized that a hand was wrapped around her back.
She had fallen on Ethan's hand, and he was right on top of her, with his face dangerously close to hers. She could even feel his hot breath fanning against her face, and she caught a whiff of his cologne as it's alluring aroma gracefully danced into her nostrils.
She began to feel dazed as if getting drunk with his sweet scent, and the heat radiating from him as they laid there in a compromising position, made her stomach knot in excitement. Her eyes then trailed down to his full, pink lips, which was tempting her to sin, and she would have definitely given in to that temptation, if not for the next words that came out from that same lips.
"I knew you looked a bit familiar, but I just couldn't place it. But now, looking at you up-close, I know who you are." Ethan said while staring deep into her eyes.
Avery's eyes widened in shock, as she realized that her glasses had fallen from her face during the fall. 'Oh dear, I'm done for! Does he really recognize me? I knew this wouldn't work. Is he going to send me to jail?' Avery's head was about to explode with the countless thoughts running through her head all at the same time.
A dramatic gasp suddenly echoed through the office, catching the attention of both Avery, and Ethan. They both looked up, and saw Christian looking down at them with a horrified expression on his face, while his hand was covering his mouth, probably trying to stop himself from shouting.
Realizing that they were still embracing each other on the ground, Ethan quickly stood up, and Avery immediately did the same.
"Uhm… I didn't mean to interrupt whatever you guys were doing. I'm sorry, I'll go back to my desk now!" Christian spoke in a fast manner, and without waiting for any of them to say a thing, he ran out of the office like his pants were on fire.
Avery's face flushed, resembling ripe tomatoes in their bright hue. The intense redness of her face gave away her feelings of embarrassment. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, avoiding looking at the face of the man standing beside her. She saw her glasses on the floor, and she quickly picked it up, fixing it back in place.
"Did you intentionally wear it so that I wouldn't recognize you?" She heard Ethan say, and she looked up at him. He didn't even look fazed by the fact that his secretary had just walked in on them and was probably assuming they were doing something inappropriate.
Asides that, she also noticed he didn't even look angry anymore. If he really recognized her, wasn't he supposed to be raving mad at the moment. He was supposed to have called security on her, or even worse, he should have called the cops. 'Maybe he is mistaking me for someone else,' Avery said to herself, and a little hope bloomed in her chest.
Deciding to play ignorant, Avery shook her head, and said, "I don't know what you are taking about. I don't think we have met before."
Ethan raised his eyebrow, and a slight frown formed on his face, as he said, "Oh really? You really don't remember this face?" He moved his face close to hers, while pointing to his own face.
Avery swallowed nervously, but she still adamantly nodded. "I would like to say that I'm pretty sure I've never seen you before, but I have amnesia, so it's possible I just don't remember. Could you please refresh my memory?"
"Am I that easy to forget?" Ethan mumbled, more to himself than to Avery, "Well, unlike you, I have a really good memory. You were the one who saved me from almost getting run over by a car."
….
A month ago….
Elite Haven district,
Silver crest city.
In the early hours of the morning, Ethan, dressed in his cozy pajamas, strolled down the quiet streets of his neighborhood. The world around him was still and serene, as if time itself had taken a pause. Lost in his own thoughts, Ethan meandered aimlessly, the cool breeze brushing against his face.
His mind wandered so deeply that he failed to notice his surroundings. His bare feet padded softly against the pavement, connecting him to the earth beneath him.
As fate would have it, Ethan's absent-mindedness led him into a bustling road. The distant hum of traffic grew louder, gradually pulling him out of his reverie.
Suddenly, the blaring sound of a car horn pierced through the silence, jolting him back to reality. Startled, Ethan's gaze darted to his right, where he found himself face-to-face with a looming lorry hurtling towards him. How did he get there? He was so shocked so much that he couldn't even react on time.
Just as the lorry was mere moments away from a devastating collision, Ethan felt a force which pushed him forward. He was propelled forward, until he landed safely on the ground, a considerable distance away from the impending danger.
As Ethan's heart pounded in his chest, he slowly gathered his senses. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made it difficult for him to fully comprehend what had just transpired. And then, as he blinked away the haze of shock, he realized that he was not alone.
Lying next to him was a man, and the man's features was etched with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Before Ethan could gather his thoughts, and offer his gratitude, the man spoke with a hint of bewilderment in his voice.
"What is a grown man like you doing, walking on the road barefooted?" The man questioned, his words laced with a touch of amusement. Ethan's mind raced, attempting to formulate a response that wouldn't make him sound crazy, but before he could come up with a reasonable excuse, the man was already on his feet, leaving him lying on the ground.
Ethan later rose to a sitting position, intending to thank his savior, but the man had already gotten to the other side of the road. He could only watch as the man swiftly got on a motorcycle, and rode off.
…
"Do you remember me now?" Ethan asked, after telling her a summary of the whole thing, but he didn't say anything about the pajamas, and him walking barefooted, and there was a little hint of embarrassment in his words.
Avery was a little surprised by the story of how Ethan had almost gotten crushed by a lorry, but got saved by a man. She was surprised because she also remembered that about a month ago, Owen had told her a funny story about how he saved a strange looking man who was walking barefooted on the road in the early hours of the morning.
She had not believed Owen then because she had thought he was just making up stories, but hearing Ethan now, she was staring to wonder if Ethan was the one Owen had told her about.
If it was true that Owen had saved Ethan from an accident that could have taken his life, then she had to take advantage of the situation. Avery quickly faked an expression of realization on her face, and said, "Oh!… Now I remember. You wore pajamas that day, and you were barefooted."
Ethan's face turned red in embarrassment, but he cleared his throat, and said, "I'll appreciate it if you don't say that aloud, please."
Avery pressed her lips to a thin line to stop the laughter that was threatening to burst out of her. She nodded, and said, "Noted sir."
"So… now that you know that 'I saved your life', are you going to give me a chance to prove that I'm capable of being part of your company's IT professionals?" Avery asked, making sure to stress the fact that she saved his life.
"No." Ethan replied without any hesitation.
That one word almost sent Avery going mad. "What? You are still not giving me a chance?" She asked in disbelief.
Ethan walked away from her, and went back behind his desk, and sat comfortably, while Avery watched him like an hawk. "I really appreciate that you saved my life, and all, but I still can't trust you to be in the technical department just yet." He paused and then continued, "How about this? My personal assistant is on leave for a month, so I'm in need of a replacement. You can take his place till he returns, and if you act right all through your time as my personal assistant, a spot in technical department will be guaranteed for you."