Seeing Harrish's name display on my phone makes me unhappy, and I plan to ignore his message. However, it feels rude to disregard someone who sent breakfast for us, so I decide to read his message.
Harrish: 'Beautiful morning! I hope you enjoyed the breakfast!' I can't help but raise my brows at his message.
I scoffed and, without a second thought, tossed my phone onto my desk, not wanting to reply. Besides, I would meet him on site by noon, where I could give him the payment for the food he brought for us.
I turned my attention back to my work when my phone beeped again. I sighed and picked it up once more.
A smile spread across my lips when I saw Cielo's name on the screen. He texted me to let me know he would be late tonight and encouraged me to have dinner without waiting for him. This had become our tradition ever since we discussed Harrish's marriage proposal.
His cute message made me smile widely but also saddened me at the same time. Work was keeping him busier than ever.
I sighed and leaned back in my swivel chair, gently massaging my temple to wash away the tiredness that was starting to trouble me. Just then, Miss Kim returned to my office with my favorite cup of green tea. She gently placed it on my desk, and I mouthed a "Thank you!" before she left.
I happily took a sip of my green tea and got back to work, hoping to finish before lunch so I could freely visit the site.
Time flew by, and my lunch with Miss Kim was great and fun. We talked about some aspects of her life that she had never shared with me before, and I was glad she did.
Miss Kim also told me that she was afraid to be friends with me when we first met because of my cold personality, which I had never considered.
I laughed when she called me "The Ice Queen," as it reminded me of Elsa's ice powers. Unlike her, I don't have that power, and if people took the time to know me better, they would see that I'm not insensitive.
This isn't new to me; in fact, all of my employees call me that name, which I don't mind. I believe that "People see what they want to see."
It was one o'clock in the afternoon when I arrived at the site. The sun was high in the sky, and its strong rays heated the air throughout the messy area where the laborers were busy flattening and digging the four hectares of vacant land.
I parked my car in a vacant spot and locked it after stepping out. Looking around, I spotted our five contractors standing under a large blue tent to shield themselves from the sun. They were deep in conversation when I walked past them, but they stopped talking as soon as they noticed me. All their attention turned to me, and I felt uncomfortable being the center of their focus.
However, as their boss, I knew I had to act the part, even though it is not in my nature to be in the spotlight. Honestly, I would prefer to work alone in my office, away from everyone, simply because I find it difficult to connect with them.
Still, I always try my best to treat them well, knowing that their hard work contributes to our company's success.
"Good afternoon, Miss!" they greeted me in unison, which caught my attention.
I slightly bowed my head in response. Now that I was standing in front of them, I could sense the tension on their faces. I wondered how my younger brother handled this kind of attention so naturally while I felt so uncomfortable under their gaze.
"He-Here are the documents, Miss…" Jason stammered, one of our young contractors. I accepted the blueprint he politely handed to me with his shaking hand, sensing my brow furrow at his reaction.
'Am I really that hard to approach? I'm kind at heart if they only knew me better.'
After thirty minutes of discussion, they all left, giving me some much-needed space. I was busy checking all the project layouts when I heard someone whispering in my ear, just loud enough for me to catch it.
"You looked good today," he murmured softly, his deep voice brushing against my ear like a warm breeze. The unexpected compliment caught me off guard, causing me to falter. Just as I attempted to step back, I lost my balance and began to stumble. When I turned to face him, I felt a rush of relief as Harrish reached out, catching me with steady hands just in time.
I was taken aback when I felt his warm hand on my back and waist, steadying me to prevent a fall. It happened so quickly that I questioned whether I was imagining it. However, the sound of his heartbeat assured me that everything was real.
This close proximity tensed me up, and I felt the heat on my face when I noticed my hands resting on his broad chest.
'Shameless!' I told myself, hoping that this was not really happening.
"Hey!" he called, getting my attention. "Watch your steps, please!" His tone held a note of urgency that took me by surprise, and I momentarily froze, captivated by his presence. As I turned my gaze toward him, I realized how close he had moved; his dark brown eyes met mine, conveying genuine concern.
The fresh scent of his minty aftershave wafted toward me, wrapping around my senses and making my heart race. It smelled incredible and seemed to take my breath away, adding a strange thrill to the moment.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his brow furrowing with worry. "Your face is so red," he noted while looking at me intently.
Feeling the heat rise in my cheeks even more, I quickly glanced down, hoping to hide my embarrassment.
'This is bad!' my mind screamed in panic as I did my best to collect myself, trying to regain a sense of composure in this unexpected situation.
I took a deep breath, feeling the air fill my lungs, and cleared my throat to steady myself. As I slowly began to withdraw from his embrace, I noticed that he held me even tighter, as if reluctant to let me go.
When I look up, I was struck by his magnetic dark brown eyes that are staring at me with concern, within them shimmered a flicker of something more—that makes it hard for me to read his thoughts.
In response to my reaction, he let out a soft chuckle, a sound that was both warm and reassuring, before asking again, "Do you feel better now?" His voice held a tone of patience, inviting me to share my feelings.