After Mr. Cyprus's burst in anger,
I turned around to see a couple snapping pictures and staring at us in disbelief.
"Mr. Cyprus, it's just a couple taking a pictures with themselves"
I reassured him in a quiet voice.
His breathing was shallow,
as if he was having difficulty regaining his calm and his breathe.
He stumbled over his words,
"I... I thought..."
I stepped in closer and reassuring him
"It's okay."
"They're not following us."
Clearly we're uncomfortable now,
the pair moved rapidly away, leaving us by ourselves.
Looking shaky,
Mr. Cyprus leaned against to his car.
He finally looked at me and said,
"I... I'm sorry,"
with a mix of appreciation and shame.
"I just... thought it was someone else."
"It's alright,"
I said while comforting him.
"Let's get you inside the car."
When we were both seated inside,
I handed him a bottle of water from the glove box.
With a few deep breaths and a sip of water, he gradually became little calmer.
"It's okay, Mr. Cyprus," I smiled to reassure him again.
"Everyone experiences low points. I'm just relieved that you're okay."
He appeared relieved as he nodded.
"Thank you for understanding. . . And for catching me back there."
He nodded, looking relieved.
"Anytime," I said.
"Just take it easy.
We had a successful meeting, and that's what matters."
He smiled weakly.
"You're right. Let's focus on that."
"Mr. Cyprus, why don't you let me drive?"
Seeing the lingering concern in his eyes, I made a kind proposal.
He paused for a bit,
his hands on the driving wheel still trembling a little.
"Are you sure, Melody?"
"Definitely," I replied with a comforting grin.
"You've had a rough moment, and I think it would be best if you just relaxed for a bit."
He Slowly nodding and obviously still shook because of what had happened.
"All right. I'm grateful, Melody."
We swapped seats,
and I took up on the driver's side,
adjusting the mirrors and seat.
Mr. Cyprus leaned back in his chair a little
and tried to gather
himself by inhaling deeply several times.
"Ready?" I looked over at him and inquired.
"Ready," he replied, managing a small smile.
As I drove, the tension in the car began to ease.
The city lights streamed past us,
casting a calming glow inside the vehicle.
I made sure to drive smoothly, avoiding any sudden movements that might unsettle him further.
"Thank you, Melody," he said after a few minutes of silence.
"You really are invaluable."
"It's my pleasure, Mr. Cyprus,"
I replied.
"I'm here to support you in any way I can."
We arrived at his house,
and I parked the car carefully.
Mr. Cyprus seemed much calmer now,
his breathing steady and his hands no longer trembling.
"We're here now, Mr. Cyprus," I said to him.
"Uhmm, how about you, Miss Violet?" he asked.
"Me? I reassured him with a smile,
"Don't worry, I can walk to the bus stop; it's near here.
As I turned to go,
I stumbled and fell after hitting my foot on a large rock that I had missed.
"AHHHHH," I screamed as I fell to the ground.
Mr. Cyprus hurried over, clearly concerned.
"Melody, are you okay?" he inquired as he assisted me in standing up.
I looked down and saw that I had a scratch on my foot and a bruise forming on my ankle.
"Well, that was unexpected," I remarked, a little shakily.
He took me into his arms right away.
"You shouldn't be walking on that,"
he added, anxiety evident in his voice.
"We need to get you to a pharmacy."
Before I could protest,
he carried me back to the car and gently placed me in the passenger seat.
He hurriedly drove to the nearest pharmacy,
his eyes darting over to check on me every few seconds.
When we arrived, Mr. Cyprus helped me inside the pharmacy,
his arm securely around my waist.
The pharmacist quickly gathered the necessary supplies while
Mr. Cyprus found a quiet corner for us to sit.
"Let's get you patched up,"
he said softly, kneeling down in front of me.
He carefully cleaned the scratch on my foot and applied antiseptic,
his touch gentle and focused.
"Your really so clumsy miss violet"
he said while patching up my wounds.
I watched him, my heart fluttering at how tender and attentive he was.
"Thank you, Mr. Cyprus," I murmured, touched by his concern.
He looked up, meeting my gaze with a warmth that made me feel safe and cared for.
"Call me Leo," he said with a small smile.
"And it's the least I can do. You've been a tremendous help to me."
As he finished bandaging my foot,
his hand lingered on my ankle for a moment longer than necessary,
his thumb gently brushing against my skin.
"There you go, all set,"
he said, standing up and offering me his hand.
I took it, feeling a spark of connection between us.
"Thank you," I said, my voice soft.
He helped me back to the car,
his arm around my waist once more.
As he opened the door for me, our eyes met,
and there was a moment of unspoken understanding between us.
"You really are something, Miss Violet,"
he said, his voice filled with admiration.
The drive back was filled with a comfortable silence,
both of us lost in our thoughts.
When we arrived at my apartment,
Mr. Cyprus insisted on walking me to the door.
"I want to make sure you get inside safely," he said with a gentle smile.
As we stood at my doorstep, I turned to him,
feeling a mix of gratitude and something more.
"Thank you for everything tonight, Mr. Cyprus," I said.
He took my hand, his touch warm and reassuring.
"Anytime, Miss Violet," he replied. "Take care of yourself.
And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me."
I nodded, feeling a sense of warmth and connection.
"Goodnight, Sir,"
"Goodnight" he replied,
giving my hand a gentle squeeze before letting go.
I watched him walk back to his car,
feeling a newfound sense of closeness and a flicker of something more between us.
Maybe I'm just imagining things—after all,
he is my boss.
Still, I couldn't help but blush,
remembering his touch and the intensity of his gaze.
Trying to shake off the thoughts,
I slapped my cheeks lightly and forced myself back to reality.
I remembered my otome boyfriend, Cyrus. I seek some comfort and
I retreated to my room and started playing the game.
"Do you want to tell me something?"
Cyrus asked when I selected the option to talk with him.
I hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
Was I happy? Had something bad happened?
Unable to find the words, I closed the game and curled up on my bed.
Tears welled up in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks.
Is this a profound sense of loneliness or just because of the pain of my ankle,
my heart aching so intensely that it felt hard to breathe.
The room felt heavy with silence,
the only sound being the soft hum of my phone as it powered down.
The walls seemed to close in, amplifying my solitude.
The dim light from the streetlamp outside cast long shadows,
making the room feel even emptier.
I hugged my pillow tightly,
seeking solace in its softness,
but it offered little comfort.
Each sob echoed in the stillness, a reminder of how alone I felt in that moment.
-----------
The next morning, as I entered the office,
my heart skipped a beat when I saw Mr. Cyprus walking in with a young lady.
They were deep in conversation,
her laughter ringing out as they approached his office.
A pang of jealousy twisted in my chest. Was she his girlfriend?
I couldn't tear my eyes away as they disappeared behind the door.
Throughout the morning,
my mind kept drifting back to them.
Every time I walked past his office and heard their voices,
the jealousy gnawed at me more fiercely.
By lunchtime, I could barely focus on my work.
To get my mind clear,
I made the decision to take a coffee from the break room.
I almost ran into Mr. Cyprus as I turned the corner.
Even when he was by himself, my heart raced at his sight.
"Good morning," he remarked with a kind and sincere grin.
I averted my gaze and murmured, "Good morning," barely audible.
With a worried expression on his face, he cocked his head.
"Is everything alright, your foot how was it?"
"Yes, everything's fine and thanks it's not hurt anymore,"
I falsely said in a tight, unconvincing voice.
He softly prodded, "Are you sure?"
"You seem a bit off today."
I feigned a laugh. "I'm just a little tired. Nothing to worry about it sir."
He stayed a little while longer and then returned to his office.
I was disappointed and relieved at the same time as I watched him leave.
I inhaled deeply and made an effort to get over my jealousy.
Later, while I was at my desk,
Bryle came over and leaned against the edge of my cubicle.
His presence was always a welcome distraction.
"Hey," he said with a smile.
"You seemed a bit distracted today. Everything okay?"
I sighed, grateful for his concern. "Just a rough day, I guess."
He stepped closer, his expression softening. "Anything I can do to help?"
I shook my head, trying to brush it off.
"Just the usual work stuff. I'll be fine."
Bryle didn't seem convinced.
He leaned in, his face close to mine, and lowered his voice.
"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
I nodded, feeling a bit overwhelmed by his closeness.
"Thanks, Bryle. I appreciate it."
At that moment,
I heard a cough behind me.
Turning around, I saw Mr. Cyprus standing there,
a puzzled expression on his face.
His eyes flickered between Bryle and me,
clearly trying to make sense of the situation.
"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, his tone polite but with an edge of curiosity.