Tara never expected that the person who called to arrange a roommate situation would turn out to be her boss: Selena.
Selena's personality was the exact opposite of what her name might suggest. She was bold, assertive, and undeniably stunning. Tara had only caught a fleeting glimpse of her when she first joined the company, but that was enough to make an impression—Selena was, in every sense, the embodiment of allure.
With her wavy, voluminous hair cascading down to her waist and dark business attire enhancing her strikingly fair skin, Selena's presence was captivating. She had slightly upturned eyes with a small, dark beauty mark at the corner, a feature that lent her both charm and an undercurrent of danger. Tara quickly noticed that Selena's favorite outfit was a fitted mermaid skirt, which showcased her silhouette perfectly, yet left her standing out in stark contrast to everyone else in the office.
In her first few days, Tara had pieced together others' perceptions of Selena: that she was ambitious, prone to using her looks to her advantage, manipulative, overly critical, independent, and even a bit haughty. But Tara had her own philosophy—she didn't care much for office gossip, and she wasn't interested in men.
When coworkers gathered to pass on "survival tips" for working with Selena, Tara smiled politely and let it go in one ear and out the other. She preferred to stand on the sidelines of such drama.
But now, facing her in person, Tara could no longer take her usual detached stance.
Tara had just finished drafting a breakdown of shared living expenses for the apartment. Selena hadn't returned yet, and, finally feeling hungry, Tara took a loaf of sliced bread from the pantry.
Plain sliced bread, her reliable fallback. It was cheap and filling, though not particularly appetizing.
Initially, she had planned to order takeout. There was a little Italian place down the block with pasta in a savory, tangy sauce that she hadn't had in ages. She craved that rich blend of flavors. But Selena, with her preference for simpler, milder dishes, likely wouldn't appreciate the strong garlic and tomato aromas filling their shared space. In passing at the office, Tara had glimpsed a few of Selena's meals: lots of greens with only the faintest sprinkling of meat, and absolutely no heavy spices.
Considering that Selena was her boss, and that they'd have to live together for several months, Tara didn't want a small issue like strong-smelling food to cause tension. With a sigh, she tore open the bread bag, pulled out a dry slice, and began to eat mechanically.
In this old building, the locks creaked whenever the door opened or closed. Tara poured herself some water, her head tilted down, her hair falling softly over her cheeks in a way that made her look almost gentle and demure.
Hearing a noise, she instinctively looked up. Her hand tipped the kettle slightly, and a stream of hot water spilled from the spout. Swiftly, Selena stepped up behind her and caught her wrist, steadying her. "Careful," she said.
Selena's breathing was slightly fast, and as she exhaled, Tara felt a faint warmth against the back of her ear. Her ears were always sensitive, so, not wanting Selena to notice, Tara gripped the kettle more tightly and quickly stepped aside, putting a polite but deliberate space between them. "Thanks, boss," she murmured, cautious but courteous.
Selena glanced at the stale bag of bread on the counter. "You're just eating this?"
Not sure why Selena was suddenly asking about her food, Tara answered uncertainly, "Uh, yeah. Didn't feel like going out."
"Is that so?" Selena's lips curved slightly as she spoke, and, as if by magic, she produced a takeout box from behind her and placed it on the counter. "I happened to buy an extra portion. Here, enjoy."
Selena's dark eyes glimmered as she smiled, with a look that was almost feline in its slyness. She ignored everyone around her, but with Tara, she came close as though brushing up against her in the subtlest of ways.
In contrast to the dry bread, the steaming hot pasta looked incredible—rich in every possible way.
Tara couldn't help smiling along with Selena. "Thanks, boss," she said.
She nearly offered to share the meal, but, after Tara thanked her, Selena's small smile faded, as if her interest had suddenly waned. "I already ate. It's all yours."
"You finished the expense list?" Selena asked, taking a seat on the couch. She picked up the paper and studied it intently. From Tara's angle, all she could see was Selena's elegant jawline and high-bridged nose. Her hand, which held the document, was pale with well-shaped fingers, her nails neatly trimmed to a practical length.
Impossible to tell if she was straight or not.
Just like Tara.
Tara bit into the pasta, savoring the rich burst of flavors. Despite having tasted this dish countless times, she couldn't help but feel a small spark of delight at the familiar tanginess.
She swallowed and nodded. "Yes."
"Looks good to me. Rent plus deposit is $2,000, right? I'll send it to you." Selena continued, "After you finish, we need to discuss…"
Suddenly, a ringtone cut through the air, interrupting Selena mid-sentence. She glanced at her phone and frowned, clearly annoyed, but after a brief pause, she accepted the call.
Selena stood up and walked toward her room. Although she hadn't put the call on speaker, Tara could still make out the angry, desperate male voice coming from the other end.
What was going on? As the door closed with a sharp "click," Tara felt a knot of worry tighten in her stomach.
Once inside her room, Selena's tone changed, becoming hard and severe. "How many times do I have to tell you? Stop bothering me! If you try this again, we'll be handling it in court." With that, she ended the call, ignoring the frantic threats about "ruin" and "mutual destruction" coming from the other end.
Originally, she had intended to invite Tara out for a walk after their meal. But this outburst had completely drained her interest.
She didn't want Tara to see her this worn out.
Might as well sleep it off.
Selena pulled the blanket over her head and drifted off.
After Tara finished eating and cleaning up, Selena still hadn't come out. Tara opened her phone to check for any messages from Selena. Rent and deposit together should have been $2,000, but Selena had transferred $20,000.
Tara refunded the extra amount with a quick note: "Boss, are you okay?"
Ten minutes passed.
Half an hour.
Forty minutes.
No response.
After what felt like the hundredth time she checked her phone, Tara suddenly realized her message might have come off as accusatory instead of concerned. Feeling guilty, she got up, walked to Selena's door, and knocked softly. "Boss, are you asleep?"
No response.
Guessing that Selena might already be out cold, Tara turned to leave.
Just then—click—the door opened.
Selena stood there in a black nightgown, her long, pale legs bare against the hardwood floors. Tara turned, calling out tentatively, "Boss?"
No response.
Selena continued walking, still half-asleep, until she was standing right in front of Tara. Then, as if guided by some dream, she leaned forward, collapsing into Tara's arms.
Feeling Selena's figure pressed up against her, Tara froze in place.
Selena sat on the edge of her chair, leaning just slightly with her chin resting in her hand. The fitted, wine-red dress she wore traced her figure perfectly and complemented her overly fair skin in a way that was nearly startling. Her gaze was on Tara—her eyes were slightly narrowed in a smile, but there was still a sharpness to them. "What's wrong, little one? Not happy to see me?"
Selena's eyes were bright and clear, their large pupils fixed on Tara in a way that gave her the strange feeling that, in that moment, she was the only one in Selena's world.
Flustered, Tara quickly looked away, catching a glimpse of Selena's slightly upturned lips. Her heart skipped a beat.
This was not a good sign.
Falling for a straight woman would bring nothing but heartache.
So, Tara gave herself a small pinch through her shirt to regain composure and, while hanging her bag on the wall hook, answered nonchalantly, "No, you're reading into things. I'm just surprised you'd want to share this cramped space with me, being my boss and all."
"Oh."
Selena's voice dropped a notch from the teasing tone she used when calling her "little one." "My house is under renovation, so until it's free of all those fumes, I'll be staying here with you. That's okay, right?"
"I'll get the main bedroom ready for you," Tara replied, reaching for a broom in the corner.
"No need," Selena replied, standing and, in a few steps, closing the distance between them. "First come, first served. The main room is yours."
A refreshing scent drifted into the room as Selena leaned in.
Tara normally disliked perfumes—the contrived sweetness was often overwhelming. But the scent on Selena's skin was subtle and oddly soothing.
"I'm not one for unnecessary fuss; the smaller room suits me fine," Selena said, resting a hand on her suitcase handle and heading to the spare room.
Watching her walk away, Tara noticed how Selena's jet-black hair swayed gracefully at her waist. Oddly enough, for someone in such high, sleek heels, Selena walked across the tiled floor without making a sound.
Tara chuckled to herself.
"She really is something," Tara thought and dropped any attempt at insisting.
For some reason, she had a feeling Selena was one of those rare people whose word could actually be trusted.
Once Selena settled in, she was surprisingly quiet.
In fact, until Selena knocked on her bedroom door, Tara had briefly forgotten there was even another person in the apartment.
Tara jumped up, struck with a feeling similar to being called out in class without having done her homework. "Yes, ma'am?" she asked.
Selena's delicate brows knitted slightly, a look of mild discontent. "Don't call me 'ma'am' all the time—it makes me feel ancient. Call me 'sister.'"
"'Sister'?"
It didn't seem like a big deal; her boss wanted her to call her "sister," so she would.
Tara hesitated only a moment before saying, "So, um, what can I do for you, sister?"
Amused by Tara's unease, Selena let out a small laugh. It was the first genuine smile Tara had seen from her—short, but so much warmer than the distant smiles she wore at work.
Tara's eyes widened, as if trying to catch something fleeting.
"I'm starving. Want to grab a bite with me, little one?" Selena's voice was soft, carrying a faint rasp as if she'd just woken up.
Quickly, Tara shook her head. "I'm not that hungry; you go ahead."
Selena studied her briefly before nodding. "Alright. In that case, could you draft a list of ground rules for our stay together? Things like how we'll handle utilities, quiet hours, and any personal preferences you might have?"
"When I get back, we'll go over it in detail," Selena said, her bracelet making a soft knock against the doorframe as she left the room.
Tara's head shot up, her eyes unexpectedly meeting a pair of smoldering ones looking back with a sly glint. But before Tara could decipher the expression, the look disappeared, hidden behind Selena's deep, dark irises. Tara quickly snapped back to reality, replying in a standard tone, "Of course."
Selena threw on a jacket and stepped outside. She remembered Tara mentioning once that there was a local diner nearby famous for its sour dumpling soup. Though Selena usually preferred milder flavors, Tara's description had piqued her curiosity. The place was a little dive owned by an elderly couple, and as expected, it was packed for the dinner rush.
While waiting for her food, a message from a friend popped up: "How's it going? Has your little roommate fallen head over heels for you yet?"
Selena tapped back: "Nope. She's way too proper for that."