The rain had finally stopped. The world outside Olivia's apartment glistened with the soft silver light of dawn, droplets clinging to the window like little crystals. The rhythmic sound of dripping water from the roof blended with the faint hum of the city waking up again after the storm.
Inside, warmth lingered — the faint smell of coffee, the quiet rustle of movement from the kitchen, and the gentle crackle of the heater still running in the corner.
Olivia stirred beneath her blanket, blinking as soft light filtered through her curtains. Her mind took a second to adjust.
She stretched, a lazy yawn escaping her lips. For a moment, she forgot that her boss was in her house. That is, until she heard the unmistakable sound of dishes clinking and the faint aroma of coffee brewing.
Her eyes snapped open.
He's still here.
She scrambled out of bed, ran a hand through her hair to tame the wild mess, and tiptoed toward the kitchen.
Aiden stood there, sleeves rolled up, his hair slightly messy but in an unfairly attractive way, pouring coffee into two mugs. He looked… relaxed — and oddly at home.
"Good morning," he said without turning, his deep voice calm and casual, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to be making coffee in his secretary's kitchen.
Olivia blinked, caught between surprise and something warmer. "You… you're up early."
"I'm used to waking up early," Aiden replied, finally glancing over his shoulder with a small smile. "Did you sleep well?"
She nodded, stepping closer. "Yeah. Surprisingly."
"Good," he said softly, handing her a cup. Their fingers brushed for the briefest second — just enough to make her heart skip.
She took the cup, looking anywhere but at him. "Thanks… for, um… not burning the kitchen."
He smirked faintly. "You sound surprised."
"Well, last night, you did scream at a ghost," she teased before she could stop herself.
Aiden froze mid-sip, then gave her a narrow look that only made her laugh harder. "That was— that was a sudden jump scare, not fear."
"Sure," Olivia said between giggles. "The couch might disagree."
He sighed, setting the mug down. "Remind me never to watch a horror movie with you again."
"Deal," she said, smiling into her cup.
For a while, silence fell between them — comfortable and warm. They stood side by side, sipping coffee, watching the brightening city through the fogged window. It was a strangely domestic scene, one that made Olivia's chest feel oddly tight.
But before she could think too much about it, the sound of a key turning in the lock startled them both.
The door swung open.
"Olivia? I brought—" Emily's voice cut mid-sentence as she stepped in, holding a folder and a takeout bag. Her words died when she saw Aiden standing in the kitchen… in sweatpants and a plain shirt.
For a second, the world went still.
Emily blinked once. Then again. Her mouth slowly opened in disbelief. "Wait. Am I— seeing things? Or is your CEO in your apartment, looking way too comfortable?"
Aiden straightened instantly, setting his mug down like it was evidence. Olivia's face turned crimson.
"It's— It's not what you think!" she blurted out, waving her hands. "He— He just stayed because of the storm last night. It wasn't safe to drive!"
Emily's eyes flicked between them, her expression half-amused, half-scandalized. "Mhm. The storm. Of course. And the matching morning coffee is purely coincidental, right?"
Olivia's jaw dropped. "Emily!"
Aiden cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. "Miss Emily, it's not—"
Emily held up a hand dramatically. "No, no, no, sir, you don't need to explain. I completely understand." She leaned against the doorframe, grin growing wider. "You two have always worked closely, haven't you?"
Aiden's ears turned visibly red. "It's really not what it looks like."
"Oh, it never is," Emily said, eyes sparkling. "Though I must say, this scene looks a little more domestic than boss-and-employee."
Olivia's face flamed. "Emily, stop it!"
Emily laughed, clearly enjoying herself. "Alright, alright. I'll stop teasing— for now. But you can't blame me! You two look like a married couple having breakfast after a cozy, stormy night."
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, struggling to form words, while Olivia groaned into her hands.
Emily just chuckled and set the takeout on the counter. "Anyway, I came by to see if you were still alive. Didn't know I'd be interrupting… whatever this is."
With that mischievous glint still in her eye, she slipped out the door — leaving a trail of amused laughter behind her.
The silence that followed was almost unbearable.
Aiden coughed, looking anywhere but at Olivia. "I… should probably get going."
"Y-yeah," Olivia stammered, still mortified.
He chuckled, moving toward the door. "I'll text you once I reach home."
"Okay," she said softly, walking him out.
Before leaving, he paused near the door, glancing at her once more. "Thanks… for letting me stay."
Her lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "Thanks for not setting my kitchen on fire."
Aiden laughed quietly and left, the sound of the door clicking behind him lingering in the silence.
Olivia leaned against the wall, burying her face in her hands. "Oh my God…"
She could practically see Emily's teasing grin in her mind and groaned again. But despite the embarrassment, a small, uncontainable smile crept up on her face.
Because for the first time, she realized that maybe—just maybe—what Emily said wasn't entirely wrong.
And neither of them could quite stop thinking about that for the rest of the day.