"Mr. Zeller, I've organized all the company documents you requested," Sophia, the sweet-faced secretary, said as she placed a stack of files on Lucas's desk.
"Thank you. You can go now… Wait," Lucas looked up from the pile of paperwork, his expression thoughtful. "Where's Roy? I haven't seen him all morning."
Sophia blinked in surprise. "Didn't you ask him to show the new colleague around the company, Mr. Zeller?"
Oh, right. Lucas tapped his forehead as the memory surfaced. Yes, he had forgotten Claire Grace had started at the company today. But surely familiarizing her with the company shouldn't take all morning?
*Could Roy be… with her this whole time?*
*Ha!* If that guy dared to pull any stunts, he was dead.
"Sophia, go bring Claire Grace to my office. I need to speak with her." He frowned, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. *How could that girl be so naïve? Spending an entire morning alone with a man she barely knew! Sure, Roy was his friend and assistant, but still—a stranger to her.*
*The girl has zero sense of danger. It looks like she'll need a crash course in self-defense.*
"Claire Grace?" Sophia repeated, hesitating. "Mr. Zeller, who is she?"
"The new hire," he replied with a hint of irritation. He hadn't even thought to tell Sophia about Claire joining the team. It seemed his mind had been elsewhere.
"Understood, sir." Sophia gave a polite nod before exiting his office.
---
Meanwhile, out on the shaded path by the company gardens, Claire turned to Roy, genuine gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you, Roy. I really appreciate you explaining so much about the cosmetics field. Otherwise, I'd have been clueless about the company's work."
"Ah, don't mention it," Roy replied warmly. "We're all colleagues here, and besides, you're living with Lucas, so—" He stopped abruptly, his hand shooting up to cover his mouth.
*Oh no! Did I really just say that out loud?*
"I'm so sorry, Claire. That completely slipped out, I didn't mean to—"
Claire shook her head, smiling. "It's fine. You know about our situation, then." She looked at him curiously. "So, you and Lucas… you must be close?"
Roy nodded. "We go way back, all the way to middle school. I know most things about him."
*Most things?* Her eyes widened. Could that mean he knew about… Lucas's condition? She opened her mouth to ask but was interrupted by a young woman in a crisp uniform approaching with brisk steps.
"Assistant Lin." Sophia greeted Roy with a quick nod, then turned to Claire. "Miss Grace, Mr. Zeller asked me to bring you to his office."
*Lucas?* Claire felt her pulse quicken. "Did he say why he needs to see me?"
*Wasn't he the one intent on keeping his distance? And now he was summoning her in broad daylight?*
"Sophia," Roy interjected, frowning, "did Mr. Zeller mention what he wanted with Miss Grace?"
Sophia shook her head. "No, he just said he needed to see her. The specifics… well, I wouldn't know." She turned to Claire, gesturing toward the building. "Please, follow me."
"Alright." Claire gave Roy an appreciative smile before trailing nervously behind Sophia, her heart fluttering with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension as they walked into the bustling corporate building.