Chapter 16
"Nat… who are you talking to?" Gracie asked as she slowly approached Natasha.
"Oh, it's him… wait," Natasha's eyes darted down to Drogen's finger, noticing the unmistakable blue emerald ring. Her glare spoke volumes, practically shouting why would you wear it? But instead of confronting him, she quickly turned to Gracie with a forced smile.
"It's no one... I'm just mad, that's all," Natasha said, trying to sound casual.
"You didn't have to yell at that poor guy… come, tell me what's wrong," Gracie offered, her concern evident as she took Natasha's hand, gently tugging her away.
Before they could get far, Drogen's deep voice interrupted.
"Natasha..."
Both women turned to him. Gracie's frown deepened at the sight of his face.
"My friend isn't in a good mood right now. You can come later," she said curtly.
"It's alright, Gracie. We have something to discuss," Natasha interjected, slipping free of Gracie's grasp and moving toward Drogen.
Gracie sighed but didn't press further. "Alright then, I'll be waiting," she said, walking away reluctantly.
Without a word, Natasha grabbed Drogen's hand and pulled him toward the nearest elevator. He followed without resistance, an amused smile tugging at his lips.
Once inside, the elevator doors closed, enclosing them in a tense, confined space.
"Why did you wear the ring? You almost got me in trouble!" Natasha hissed, keeping her voice low.
"I sensed you were in trouble. Your emotions were all over the place," he replied simply, his calm tone contrasting with her frustration.
"My emotions? How can you even tell?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"I feel everything you feel"
Her heart skipped a bit from his words, he could feel her emotions? What the hell. Was this some kind of side effects from the blood pact?
"I feel When you're angry, when you're sad, when you're…" He stepped closer, and Natasha instinctively backed away until her back hit the elevator wall. His voice dropped, soft and intimate, as he leaned in, closing the space between them.
"…when you're nervous around me. How your heart races, how you crave my touch even when you don't want to admit it."
His fingers brushed her jawline, his touch sending a shiver down her spine. Tilting her chin upward, he forced her to meet his piercing gaze.
"Tell me, Nat," his deep voice lingered, "do you love me?"
Natasha's heart hammered against her chest. Her cheeks flushed as butterflies wreaked havoc in her stomach. She wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, but the truth was complicated.
She liked him—liked him far more than she wanted to admit—but love? That was dangerous territory. She believed that as long as she's able to control her emotions, she might be able to get over it.
"No," she said firmly, forcing conviction into her voice. "I don't love you."
Drogen's eyes narrowed slightly, as though dissecting her words. So she wanted to play tough huh.
"Really?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But your emotions betray you. Don't deny it, Nat. Stop fighting it. Accept it. Accept that you burn for me, that you crave my kisses, my touch…"
His breath was warm against her ear, his words igniting something primal inside her. Natasha's knees felt weak, her breath uneven, and for a fleeting moment, she wanted nothing more than to pull him closer.
But the soft ding of the elevator shattered the tension.
Natasha pushed past him, her face flushed, and exited without a backward glance. Drogen followed leisurely, his hands in his pockets, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"You're so gullible," he teased from behind.
"Get lost," she muttered, darting into the nearest restroom.
Natasha leaned against the sink, staring at her reflection as she tried to catch her breath. Her hand pressed against her chest, feeling the erratic thrum of her heart. Was she really in love with him..but that would be too Soon, it wasn't even long since they met, yet it felt like she's known him for a long time. All thanks to those damn memories and flashbacks for making her develop feeling for a grim reaper who couldn't even love her back.
Get it together, Nat. He's a grim reaper, for God's sake. He can't love you back. He's cold, unfeeling… unattainable.
She turned on the tap and splashed cold water on her face, careful not to ruin her makeup.
"Pull yourself together," she whispered.
The restroom door opened, and a tall woman in a sleek black suit strode in. She exuded confidence, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she approached the mirror beside Natasha.
Natasha had followed Drogen to the highest floor and only people with the highest position in the company worked in the top floor. This woman must be among the highest executives, and they were the only ones who knew the CEO by face.
Natasha quickly straightened and greeted her politely, but as she turned to leave, the woman's voice stopped her.
"Who are you to Mr. Lee?"
Natasha frowned, unsure how to respond. "Am I obligated to answer?"
"It'll save me the trouble if you do," the woman replied coolly.
"Save you the trouble of what?" Natasha asked, her irritation growing.
"Of asking Mr. Lee myself," the woman said, her tone sharp.
"Then go ahead and ask him," Natasha shot back, walking out before the conversation could escalate. She didn't have the energy to deal with nut jobs right now.
Outside the restroom, Drogen was waiting. No wonder that woman asked, the great CEO Dante Lee was actually waiting for her outside the restroom.
"Drogen…" she began.
"Come to my office. I need to ask you something," he said, turning on his heel without waiting for her response.
Natasha followed reluctantly, ignoring the curious stares from the employees on the top floor.
In his office, Drogen took his seat behind the massive desk while Natasha stood before him, arms crossed defensively.
"Mr. Thompson said you asked him for a favor—to recruit your friend for a movie role. Is that true?"
Natasha nodded.
"For what reason?"
"Don't worry about it. I've already handled it," she said quickly.
"How?"
"I declined their offer to help," she admitted in a whisper.
"Was the person blackmailing you?" he asked, his tone sharp.
Her eyes widened. "How do you know that?"
"It was just a question," he said nonchalantly. "Was he?"
Natasha hesitated. "It's complicated. He kind of blackmailed me but… not exactly."
"Who is he?" Drogen pressed. "Was he the reason you were so upset earlier?"
"Partially," she admitted.
Drogen's gaze bore into her, unwavering. His gaze was fixed on hers not willing to look away. Just then, he noticed something unusual, his heart couldn't stop racing as he stared so intensely at her. This must be her emotion messing with his again.
"For the love of God, Nat, calm down," he said suddenly, brushing a hand through his hair as he looked away from her.
"I am calm," she retorted, confused.
"Then why is your heart racing? It's distracting. I can't concentrate," he said
Natasha blinked. "My heart isn't racing. Maybe it's yours."
Drogen froze as realization dawned on him.