Selena's forehead was resting against Tara's shoulder, her breaths warm and steady. Tara felt as though her blood had transformed—like molten lava flowing through her veins. Her cheeks flushed crimson, heat radiating all the way to her ears, yet she stood there stiff as a board, letting Selena lean on her.
Unaware of her surroundings, Selena adjusted her head slightly, causing her wavy hair to fall messily over her face. In that moment, Selena seemed to have shed the fierce persona she wore during the day, resembling more of a relaxed, sleeping cat that one might be tempted to gently pet. Selena murmured something in her sleep, and Tara instinctively leaned closer, trying to catch the words.
Sensing the movement, Selena shifted slightly, bringing her lips near Tara's ear. Tara felt the briefest brush of something cool and soft against her earlobe—a fleeting touch like a spark of electricity. Before she could react, Selena's slender arms wrapped around her from behind.
The familiar cool scent she carried was tinged with a faint herbal aroma. It reminded Tara of her younger sister, who had a chronic illness and grew up with a similar scent clinging to her, the lingering result of years of treatments.
"Don't go," Selena whispered, snapping Tara from her thoughts.
Sighing, Tara gently tugged at Selena's arm, trying to reason with her. "Hey, let's get you back to your room, okay?"
Selena seemed to understand, loosening her grip and dropping her arms. Tara took a few steps, expecting Selena to follow, but she didn't move or respond further.
After hesitating a moment, Tara gingerly slipped one arm around Selena's waist and the other under her legs, lifting her up with ease. Tara's frequent workouts made it easy, but Selena was even lighter than she looked, pressing against Tara's ribs uncomfortably as she carried her. Once in her room, Selena curled up on her bed, shrinking into a ball. Tara, who had studied some psychology in college, recognized it as a subconscious gesture for security.
The herbal scent brought her mind back to her sister. Watching Selena's peaceful sleeping face, she couldn't resist reaching out to gently poke her cheek. Selena murmured a soft "hmm" and, without warning, took hold of Tara's hand.
Selena's skin was soft as smooth ivory, her fingers warm and relaxed, resting her forehead against the back of Tara's hand. When her breathing evened out, Tara tried to ease her hand away.
But it was no use.
Each time she moved, Selena frowned, as if caught in a bad dream, clutching Tara's hand like it was the only lifeline she had.
Tara had always been a soft touch, easily moved by others' troubles. It was a trait she knew could be taken advantage of, and she'd spent years trying to toughen up. But around Selena, all that resolve seemed to dissolve instantly.
She blamed it on Selena's resemblance to her sister's condition. And on how beautiful Selena was.
The next morning, Tara nearly overslept.
She arrived at the office with her hair hastily fixed in the subway mirror, shadows of dark circles under her eyes. Her coworker Mara, in the next cubicle, stared at her in shock. "Oh my god, Tara, you look like death. Did you stay up all night working?"
No way could she tell Mara she'd spent half the night holding her boss Selena's hand. Saying that would shoot her straight to the center of office gossip. So, the fact that she and Selena were roommates had to remain a secret.
Tara mumbled a vague, "Yeah."
Mara sighed in sympathy. "Interns really have it tough," she said before returning to her own workload. There was a big account issue affecting the company, so everyone was swamped.
Sitting down to work on a design project, Tara soon found herself nodding off.
"Tara, Manager Selena wants to see you in her office." Tara jolted awake, glancing up to see the messenger watching her with pity.
Not just him; as the announcement sank in, others in the office paused their work and shot her sympathetic looks, sparing her a few seconds of commiseration.
Sales of a new product line had been terribly low, sparking a blame game between the design and sales departments. No one had taken responsibility yet, and since Selena headed Sales, it looked like she was calling Tara, a production intern, in to take the fall.
An intern fresh out of school, with little experience and no connections—perfect to pin this on.
Tara managed a wry smile. "Sure, I'll go."
"Hurry now, don't keep Manager Selena waiting."
With a nervous nod, Tara walked to Selena's office and knocked on the glass door.
"Come in." Selena's voice was as cold as ice, a chill that could seep into one's bones. This commanding, distant tone was new to Tara, but she now understood why her coworkers had been so wary.
This version of Selena inspired fear, making people instinctively keep their distance.
Tara entered. "Boss, you wanted to see me?"
Selena wore gold-rimmed glasses on her nose, dressed in a sharp black business suit. She looked as elegant as she was commanding, though there was a hint of gentleness when she lifted her gaze from her computer and saw Tara. She held up a folder and gestured to the chair opposite her. "Sit."
Tara sat, calm, perhaps the first person to do so without the usual fear or hesitation that everyone else seemed to have around Selena.
Selena studied the dark circles under Tara's eyes. "Rough night? Did I keep you up?"
Tara paused. She hadn't really been "kept up," but telling Selena she'd held her hand while she slept seemed too awkward. "No, just couldn't sleep. Happens sometimes."
Selena didn't press further, instead reaching into her bag and pulling out a compact. She walked over to Tara, flipped it open with a soft snap, and dabbed her fingers in the concealer, then gently applied it under Tara's eyes.
Her warm fingers touched Tara's skin lightly, her calm presence bringing the same faint, cool scent she'd carried last night. Tara was too caught up to think of pulling away. "You've got to watch your appearance here," Selena said. "We have a company image to maintain."
Watching the "cause of her sleep deprivation" up close, Tara's lips curved in a faint smile.
After finishing, Selena didn't return to her chair. Tara touched the newly-concealed skin under her eyes. "Is there something else, boss?"
Selena tilted her head. "Want me to do your hair?"
Tara should have refused, but something about Selena's presence made her agree. "Sure."
Selena pulled a brush from her drawer and stepped behind Tara. She worked gently, her fingers occasionally brushing Tara's neck. Through the glass reflection, Tara saw Selena's focused expression as she worked, and her hands folded themselves in her lap to steady her nerves.
"Done?" she asked softly.
Selena tied the final loop on a small black hairband, securing Tara's hair with a quick twist. "All done. About our living situation..."
So that's why she called her in. Tara realized and assured her, "Don't worry, boss. I won't say anything."
Selena blinked, then nodded. "Good. Now, about the poor sales for our new product—do you have any ideas?"
Tara sensed she wasn't being set up, so she relaxed and replied, "I think the product design didn't align well with our target customers. For the next batch, we could make some adjustments. And as for the unsold items, they could be repurposed as promotional add-ons to minimize losses."
Back at her desk, Mara approached right away. "Tara, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"She didn't give you a hard time?"
"Nope."
Mara was surprised. "Wait, she didn't call you in to blame you?"
"No."
Hearing this, her other coworkers glanced over, curious. Mara pressed on. "Then what did she want?"
"Manager Selena did my hair and covered my dark circles. Said it's important to look professional here."
Mara and the others exchanged glances, stunned into silence.
They'd heard all sorts of rumors about Selena, and now their reactions fell into the same usual pattern. But as Tara walked faster toward the door, Mara called out, "Hey, where are you rushing off to? The subway's not going anywhere."
Tara gave her a smile but didn't answer.
One coworker, watching her retreating figure, spoke up, "We're only telling you this because we're friends, Tara. How do you think a woman like Selena becomes department head at twenty-six? Jasmine, from our department, used to be her best friend, until Selena stole her boyfriend just to win a contract."
Tara lowered her head, listening to their chatter, feeling a headache forming. Just as she was thinking of an excuse to leave, Mara and the others fell silent.
"Good evening, Manager Selena. Headed home too?"
Tara looked up to see Selena leaning casually against a car, her gaze amused behind her glasses as she watched them.