It was already seven in the evening,
and I needed to head home.
I stood up from my desk, feeling the weight of the day,
and made my way to Leo's office.
I knocked softly on the door before opening it slightly.
"Leo?" I called gently, peeking in.
He was buried in work, surrounded by stacks of documents and files.
His pen moved swiftly across the papers as his eyes scanned the text, fully immersed in whatever deal or contract he was reviewing.
It was no surprise
he is a workaholic man, after all he always pushing himself to the limit.
For a moment, I hesitated to interrupt him. He looked so focused and so driven.
There was something undeniably attractive about the way he handled it all
his sharp features illuminated by the soft light of the desk lamp,
his sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal his strong forearms.
He was the epitome of a powerful, dedicated CEO.
I cleared my throat to get his attention, and he glanced up,
his intense gaze softening slightly when he saw me.
"Hey, Melody. What's up?"
"I just wanted to ask if it's okay for me to head home and It's getting late,"
trying not to stare too much at how effortlessly good he looked, even after a long day.
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair.
"Of course, you've worked hard today. Go ahead, get some rest I just need to finish this first, Call me if you arrive at your home okay?."
I nodded, feeling a little flutter in my chest.
"Thanks, Leo and Don't work too late, okay, take some rest too?"
He smiled, a tired but appreciative smile.
"I'll try. Have a good night, Melody."
I turned to leave, but couldn't help glancing back one more time.
There he was again doing his job and completely absorbed in what he was doing.
Leo Cyprus a diligent, determined, and undeniably captivating guy that I met, I really do amazed his charm being a CEO.
As I reach at the bus stop, the evening breeze cool against my skin.
The streetlights had just flickered on, casting a soft glow over the pavement.
It had been a long day huh, and I can't wait to get home and sleep with my soft bed.
As I absentmindedly scrolled through my phone,
I caught sight of something across the road.
My eyes narrowed as I noticed Bryle, he was standing with Clarice, wait?
of all people? Clarice is with him?
They were deep in conversation, their faces close as they spoke in hushed tones.
Clarice, with her arms folded, looked frustrated,
while Bryle seemed to be trying to calm her down.
It piqued my curiosity.
What could they possibly be discussing?
Bryle was always kind and supportive toward me, but Clarice...
well, she wasn't exactly liked me.
She always carried that air of jealousy, and seeing the two of them together something felt off.
I considered walking over, but something held me back.
Maybe it was the fatigue from the day,
or maybe it was just that I didn't want to get involved in whatever was going on.
Bryle knew how to handle people, and
Clarice—well, she seemed to be venting more than anything.
Instead, I turned my attention back to the street
And noticing the bus rounding the corner,
its headlights cutting through the evening haze.
I stood up, straightening my bag over my shoulder, and took a deep breath.
Whatever was happening across the road, it wasn't my business.
The bus pulled up with a soft hiss, and as I climbed aboard,
I glanced one more time at Bryle and Clarice.
They were still talking, their figures becoming smaller as the bus rolled away,
leaving me with a lingering sense of unease.
The next morning, I walked into the office,
the usual hustle of early workday routines surrounding me.
As I made my way through the lobby toward the elevators,
something caught my attention.
Across the room, Leo stood with Clarice and Bryle waiting for the elevator
but what stopped me in my tracks was Leo laughing.
"what is he doing??? I thought he is cold and strict CEO?
Why he is interacting with Clarice???
Clarice, standing just a little too close to him and
saying something that her voice light and flirty, and Leo chuckled,
his usually serious face softened by a rare smile.
Bryle stood beside them, though his expression seemed more neutral,
like he was just there out of obligation.
I felt a strange twinge, a mix of curiosity and
something else that I couldn't quite name.
It wasn't jealousy—no, I wasn't that type—but seeing Clarice there,
with her all-too-familiar smug look, sharing a joke with Leo of all people, this is so ridiculous.
I hesitated for a moment, watching them.
What could they possibly be laughing about?
This wasn't my business after all.
I wasn't about to get drawn into some petty office drama or let Clarice get under my skin.
I straightened my shoulders and turned my attention back to my phone,
pretending I hadn't seen anything.
As they stepped into the elevator, Leo still smiling faintly at whatever Clarice had said.
"hah! Whatever, do what you like!
In a minute,
I stepped out of the elevator and go straight to our department,
the usual hum of activity filling the air.
Everyone seemed busy, glued to their screens and busy talking with clients.
Another normal day at work, I guess.
With a sigh, I headed to my desk, deciding to drown myself in tasks and let whatever I'd seen earlier slip to the back of my mind.
Hours had passed in a blur of emails, reports, and spreadsheets.
Leo still hadn't left to his office—not even a call or message from him.
That was… odd. Usually, he'd find some reason to call me in, ask about a file,
or even just check in.
But today, it was radio silence.
I tried not to overthink it, but I couldn't help wondering,
What's going on with him?
I shake off the thoughts; I decided I needed a break.
A coffee will do help me at ease.
I got up and made my way to the pantry,
hoping a caffeine boost would keep me focused.
As I approached, I heard the low murmur of voices—some of the girls from the office,
chatting away, and one voice stood out unmistakably: Clarice.
"Oh my gosh, you guys,"
Clarice said, her tone smug.
"I think Mr. Cyprus is finally noticing me.
Like it's for real this time."
The others giggled, clearly entertained by her excitement.
"What happened?" one of them asked, intrigued.
"Well, you won't believe it," Clarice continued,
sounding all too pleased with herself.
"This morning, we were in the elevator together, and he was laughing at something I said.
I mean, how often does Leo Cyprus laugh? Right?"
"No way! He laughed?" another girl chimed in, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Yeah, like, a genuine laugh," Clarice said,
her voice dripping with satisfaction.
"I could tell he was giving me extra attention today.
He kept looking at me like he was actually interested. I think I'm finally getting through to him."
The girls erupted into more giggles and chatter, sharing in Clarice's enthusiasm.
I clenched my jaw, feeling a knot tighten in my stomach.
So that's what she was bragging about.
I had no idea what Leo found so funny,
but the way Clarice was spinning the situation made it sound like something
it probably wasn't.
I wasn't about to stand there and listen to her delusional daydreams, though.
I grab my coffee and quietly slipped out of the pantry,
keeping my thoughts to myself.
Whatever Leo and Clarice had going on today,
I don't need to get involved with them.
Whatever, it's time to get back to work,
And take a deep breath to clear my mind as I headed back to my desk.
I handed the reports that Leo had asked for yesterday and made my way to his office,
the weight of the papers feeling heavier than usual.
My heart thudded in my chest, unsure of what to expect if I see him again.
When I reached to his door, I knocked softly and stepped inside,
I find him hunched over his desk again.
His eyes glued to the documents in front of him and He barely looked up when I entered.
"Here are the reports you needed, Sir" I said, keeping my voice steady,
Despite of the frustration bubbling up inside me.
Without lifting his gaze he just waved his hand dismissively.
"Just put them there and I'll just check it them later."
That was it.
No glance, no smile, no acknowledgment. Just… put them there.
My stomach churned with irritation.
What's going on with him?
I placed the reports on his desk and quickly left the office,
my frustration only growing with each step back to my desk.
I tried to distract myself with work, but it was impossible to focus.
Minutes later, I noticed Bryle casually entering Leo's office,
like he belonged there or something.
Why is Bryle always being called in lately?
I wondered, feeling a sharp twinge of jealousy mixed with irritation.
And in an hour, Clarice visit him bringing a coffee.
"What the?? Does he have a secretary??? Do they have some arrangement that I didn't know?
I clenched my fists as my fingers itching to type but unable
to concentrate on the words I needed to form.
Instead, my mind spun with frustration of every
little thing about the situation feeding to me today.
He maybe didn't even miss me.
Not even a glance.
And there he is, probably laughing with Clarice again later on.
Giving her all his attention while I sit here like an idiot,
My eyes narrowing at the screen in front of me.
I could feel the jealousy coursing through my veins, heating me up every nerve in my body.
As I furiously typed away as my fingers pounding the keyboard with an almost aggressive rhythm,
I barely noticed the atmosphere around me shifting.
My thoughts were consumed with irritation and replaying everything that had happened this morning with Leo and Clarice.
Seriously? "Just put them there?"
I smashed the space bar a little harder than necessary.
My eyes narrowed as if the computer screen were somehow responsible for my frustrations.
Huh, flirting with Clarice all day while I'm stuck here?
Do you think that I didn't notice?
My fingers jabbed at the keys so aggressively
that the sound echoed across the office like rapid-fire machine gun shots.
My colleagues eyes on me and slowly lifted their heads and notice me.
"Uh… is she okay?" one of them whispered to another.
"Maybe she's in the zone? I mean, she's really going at it..." another mumbled,
not even blinking as they watched me hammering away at the keyboard.
Out of the corner of my eye,I noticed one of my colleagues
nervously scooting their chair an inch further away from my desk.
Another cautiously picked up their coffee mug, like they were afraid
one wrong move might send me into a full-blown keyboard-smashing frenzy.
"Melody?" one brave soul piped up, their voice quivering slightly.
"You, um… you okay there?"
I stopped typing and glared at them,
though it's not really intentionally.
I was just too caught up in my irritation and annoyed to form any other expression.
"I'm fine," gritted my teeth, my jaw tightening as I hit the next key with extra force.
"Right, right," they quickly said,
hands up defensively, inching back to their desk like they'd just poked a sleeping bear.
I didn't realize how intense I looked until I caught my
reflection in my screen—eyebrows furrowed,
jaw clenched, fingers hovering above the keyboard like they were ready to fight.
My colleagues were practically huddled together in a corner now,
exchanging nervous glances and whispering
as if they were witnessing some sort of office meltdown.
"I bet it's about Mr. Cyprus,"
one of them whispered behind their hand. "Maybe she was scold again?"
"Shhh, don't say that! She might hear you!"
another whispered back, casting a wary glance in my direction.
I huffed, trying to focus again on my work,
but the way they were tiptoeing around me only made it funnier.
It was as if they thought I might explode at any second.
One of my colleagues silently placed a stress ball
on my desk with an awkward smile and whispered,
"Just in case…" before quickly retreating.
I blinked at the stress ball, then sighed,
shaking my head as I muttered under my breath,
"Am I really that scary?" But the frustration was too real to laugh it off,
so I tossed the stress ball into my drawer and went back to furiously typing away.