A few minutes into her chaotic thoughts, she leaned her back against the car, sighing.
"I guess I have no other choice but to wait for him, then,"
she thought, gazing at the bustling city around her.
"While I'm waiting, I need to send him what he requested… because this is an opportunity that shouldn't be missed."
She reached into her bag for her stylus pen and hairpin.
"Great, another blunder. Good thing he isn't here,"
she muttered, bending down to pick up the things that had fallen out.
But to her shock, a hand reached out to help her.
She looked up — it was Lux.
"Someone please launch me off this place!"
She thought, staring at him with a smirking expression as he pulled down his mask.
"What are you doing here?"
he said calmly, handing her things.
"Hasn't got anything to do with you, so resume your way!"
She snapped coldly, eyes drifting toward his car and the manager standing behind him.
Lux's gaze met the car of his uncle nearby where Tiana stood. He smiled.
"I see. Still begging to get him to look at your work, huh?"
he whispered close to her ear.
"I told you I could help you get to him, and it's an instant acceptance. You give me what I want, Tiana, and I promise I'll help you become the greatest fashion designer ever known."
Not only was the closeness off-putting, but Lux's tone made Tiana even more uncomfortable. She stepped back.
"Alright, Tiana—refrain from slapping him before you lose your job!"
She calmed herself down, trying hard to hold back the urge to slap him.
"I'm sure you value your career as much as I do. It would be quite difficult for your uncle to explain a scandal involving his designer and you, don't you think?"
She smiled beautifully at him, though beneath it, rage simmered.
"Take that, trash!"
she thought.
Lux smiled back, not just at her beauty—which made her attractive to him—but at her defiance. She was different from the usual women he dealt with, and that intrigued him.
"Let's see how long you'll keep that act,"
Lux whispered, then turned and walked into the company.
"This bastard. Just wait till I pull off this plan with your uncle, then you'll see who has the last laugh,"
she gritted her teeth, watching Lux's imposing figure walk away.
But to her shock, Lux and Ethan passed by each other at the company entrance without a word, like strangers.
"Okay…"
she thought, clearly bewildered from afar.
"Why are you still here?"
His tone was not only cold but absolutely detached as he descended the stairs.
Tiana met him with a smile, though her thoughts screamed,
" smile brighter as if your life depends on it."
Not only was she embarrassed to ask for a ride back with him, she wished she could just fade away.
"I was doing as you said. To get out, right? So I'm waiting for you to come back out so we can return to the company,"
she said brightly.
"Good job coming up with that, Tia!"
she thought proudly.
Just then, she noticed something she thought wasn't there—a faint smirk? Or was it just her imagination?
"Oh well, that doesn't matter. After this encounter with Lux... Operation Seduce This Rock is officially underway!"
she thought as she grabbed the door handle.
"Uh? Why is it locked?!"
she panicked internally.
"Okay, let's try this again."
She tried again, but no use.
Her panic surged, fueled by the fear of being left behind as Ethan was already in the car.
She began knocking on the window in desperation.
"If I don't make it back with him, I'm fired Sir!"
Ethan glanced at her—not only was she a real problem, but he could see right through those smiles of hers.
"Trying to be witty with me, aren't you?"
He rolled down the window.
"Absolutely cold,"
Tiana thought, watching his brief glance at her.
"Of course not, sir. It's just that I'm currently broke and can't take a ride back,"
she finally said, her usual masked smile in place.
"Now's not the time, please help!"
she thought, screaming inside.
Then the door opened, and she stepped inside.
"Trust me, sir, I'm an honorable and the most honestly humble woman you'll ever meet."
"And what about the email, then?"
"This man is impossible!"
she thought.
Ethan wasn't just good—he was perfect.
"I got busy, that's all,"
she smiled again, tilting her head slightly.
"But rest assured, I'll email it to you before we get back to the company."
****
The ride back was not only awkward, but now she was beginning to feel uncomfortable—not because of anything he did, but because her cheerful personality was making it hard to focus.
"So, sir, please don't mind my curiosity, but could you tell me how you're so good at spotting errors, improvements, and the like in sketches?"
She said elegantly, striking a pose she thought looked perfect beside him.
A pause.
Then he glanced briefly at her.
"What are you now? A reporter?"
Not only did that remind her of the elevator disaster she thought she had forgotten, but he was seriously calling her out.
"Of course not. I just wanted to take inspiration from the most perfect and Handsome CEO in the country!"
She maintained a masked, closed-eye smile.
"Right?"
She tilted her head, glancing at him with seductive intent.
"Maybe I'm bad at seducing, but my appearance isn't bad enough for you to ignore me, mister man!"
Her thoughts proudly boosted her ego.
The silence that followed was even more awkward. He only glanced at her sideways before looking away.
Another hit of secondhand embarrassment washed over her.
"Can't even look him in the eye at this point!"
She thought shyly, embarrassed as she looked away.
Meanwhile, Ethan had been quietly observing her — every twitch, every attempt at seductive charm, every accidental burst of awkwardness.
His gaze drifted toward the window, and a rare, subtle smile touched his lips.
But one thing was certain:
She was chaos he hadn't expected.
And somehow… she'd piqued his interest.