Adrian typed furiously on his keyboard, anger wrapping its claws around him as he heard the whispers of his colleagues around him.
"Did you see that? She's the first woman to visit the boss at the company," a hushed voice said.
"You've not heard? They're getting married," another voice replied, sounding confident.
Adrian's fingers paused above the keyboard as he heard those whispers, his brows creasing.
He glanced behind him at Alexander's door and frowned. It's been a minute since Chloe followed him inside. What could they be doing now? Fucking?
'Alexander was getting married to Chloe?' He frowned, his hands going under the table to scratch his knees, 'Then why did he ask me to marry him?' He chewed on his bottom lip.
He couldn't even tell who was angry, Adrian, who has a secret crush on his cold boss, or Adrienne, the billionaire's escort.
Whoever it was that was angry, none of them had the right to get upset over Alexander's involvement with Chloe, especially Adrian, who seemed to be the most upset, and he wasn't even the proposed bride.
His crush was unknown and would remain unknown. After all, he hated Alexander now, he couldn't imagine himself with a selfish, calculating man who only thought of ways to extort people's potential.
He was just angry on behalf of Adrienne, Alexander was cheating on her, and she didn't deserve it.
Should Adrienne go ahead with the contract marriage?
She had to, Alexander was the only hope they had at the moment. Chloe looked like she would be a huge obstacle and threat to Adrian's secret, but, he trusted Adrienne, there was nothing she couldn't handle.
Adrienne was a master of deception, nothing, and no one could crack her, and she wasn't about to step back because she saw her unofficial fiancé kissing someone else.
He blinked, focusing his blurred vision on the screen.
"Shit, it's time," He grabbed his table and stood from his chair, heading toward Alexander's officers.
With each step, he dreaded the scene he would meet inside the office.
Chloe is on Alexander's lap kissing him?
On her knees sucking him?
Adrian shook his head, forcing the heartbreaking thoughts out of his head.
He took a deep breath and knocked once.
"Come in," Alexander's calm voice called from inside the office.
"Be steady," Adrian muttered, staring at his shaky hands as he pushed the door in.
He walked into the office, and the first thing he saw was Chloe lounging on the long sofa at the corner beside the glass wall. He frowned slightly, hating how she acted as if she were the owner of the company.
He ignored her and walked over to Alexander's table, "Boss, here is the -"
"Fetch me my coffee," Alexander cut in smoothly, extending his hand to Adrian, "design." He said.
Adrian blinked rapidly and immediately placed the tablet on Alexander's hand, careful not to brush his hand didn't brush on his boss's. He couldn't afford to lose his composure at that moment.
Alexander placed the tablet on the table and continued with his work, not sparing Adrian a glance.
"I'll go get your coffee," Adrian said and turned away from Alexander's desk.
"Hold on," Chloe suddenly called to Adrian, who was almost to the door.
Adrien paused, balling his fists as he slowly turned to face Chloe, "Are you talking to me?" He questioned.
Chloe crossed her legs and regarded Adrian with a disdainful look, "Is this your secretary, Alexander?" She asked, her tone dripping with disapproval.
Adrian moved his eyes to Alexander and realised that he had been staring at him since he turned to answer Chloe. He felt heat creeping on his cheeks from the unreadable look his boss was giving him.
Nervous. Anxious.
He wanted to escape from the office. This wasn't the kind of scenario he envisioned. He thought he'd just show Alexander his designs and be out of here.
After meeting Alexander last night, every second in front of him now felt like his soul was being scrutinised under the scrutiny of those icy eyes.
"He is," Alexander said, a reply to Chloe's question.
"Hmm... he looks shabby, Alexander. Not like someone to walk the floors of this organisation. I think you should dismiss him," Chloe stated, her eyes degradingly ran up and down Adrian's body.
Adrian chewed on his bottom lip, stopping himself from responding because, if he did, he would just get himself into trouble. He turned to Alexander, who still wore a stoic expression.
'Of course, he'd side with his girlfriend. Who am I to hope?' He dug his nails into his palms.
Alexander looked away from Adrian's face, finding that the way Adrian bit his lip irritated him. He wondered if the guy couldn't stay without chewing or suckinv on something. He either chewed on his pen, or sucked on his darned lips.
Annoying.
"We deal with brains, Chloe. I don't run a model industry like your workplace which only requires a pretty face and not your brains. I need him. His skills are exactly what I need. Go fetch my coffee, Mr. Cole," Alexander dismissed.
"Y-yes, boss," Adrian nodded, forgetting how to walk for a few seconds.
'He needs me! No, no, no! He needs my skills, yes, my skills. It has to be my fucking skills!' Adrian screamed in his head, hating the way his heart thrummed for the devil.
He turned, hurrying over to the door.
"Double the coffee, Mr. Secretary," Chloe ordered as Adrian walked out the door.
Adrian was pissed, raging.
He pushed through the elevator on the 40th floor and stepped into the executive lounge. It was a sleek, modern space tucked into the executive floor__ walls lined with black marble veined in gold, ambient warm lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the glittering city. It felt less like a café and more like an exclusive lounge.
"Double the coffee, Mr. Secretary. How about a 'no' Ms. Girlfriend," he muttered, angrily smoothing down his tie for the third time as he stepped into the quiet gleam of the executive barista counter.
The rich aroma of roasted beans hit him instantly, calming yet sharp, just like the man he fetched coffee for every morning.
"Good morning, Mr. Cole," the barista greeted politely, already reaching for the black marble grinder. "The usual for Mr. Devereux?"
Adrian nodded quickly, his stormy grey eyes wandering. "Yes… Americano. Extra hot. No sugar. Double order." His voice was soft, almost swallowed by the hiss of the steaming wand.
The barista offered him a faint smile but his curiosity still shone through even though he didn't inquire why the order was doubled, "Of course. You never forget."
Adrian's lips curved in a nervous, self-mocking smile. He couldn't forget. Forgetting would mean facing Alexander's sharp blue gaze, the kind that stripped him down to every fault.
As he waited, he shifted awkwardly, adjusting the tie around his neck. The scent of freshly ground coffee filled the space, the hiss of steam matching the thrum of his pulse.
The barista slid the porcelain cups across with practised grace. "And for you? Another latte?"
Heat crept into Adrian's cheeks. "N-no, thank you. Just the Americano." He wrapped his hands around the cups carefully, as though they carried not coffee, but the weight of his entire job.
Turning toward the elevators, he exhaled slowly. Soon, he'd step into Alexander's office, place the cup on his desk, discuss the design, and vanish into the background like he always did.
A ghost by day.
And tonight… something else entirely... Alexander's centre of attention.
He stood in front of Alexander's door once more and took a deep breath, "You've got this." He said and pushed on the door with his elbow.
Carefully, he walked into the office and walked straight to Alexander to give him his coffee first, "Here's your coffee, boss." He said, silently praising himself for staying calm for thirty seconds.
He gently placed the coffee on the desk and walked over to Chloe, his brows creasing slightly, "Here's your coffee, Chloe." He said, handing the coffee to her.
"Chloe? It's Mrs. Devereux to you -"
"Take your coffee, Chloe, I need him to get back to work," Alexander interrupted her nonsense without lifting his head from his screen.
Chloe looked over at him, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her eyes. She stared at him as he sipped his coffee, not even sparing her a glance after making her look stupid in front of his Secretary.
Huffing quietly, she extended her bright red manicured fingers and took the cup from Adrian, "Too hot." She said, frowning.
"It's coffee, Chloe-Mrs. Devereux," he replied in a flat tone.
She waved him away as she lifted the cup to her lips.
Adrian had just turned to return to Alexander's desk when he felt the piping hot coffee on his back,
The scorching liquid seared through his shirt, biting into his skin.
"Ah—!" Adrian gasped sharply, stumbling forward. His hand shot behind him to pat uselessly at the spreading heat. "Hot! It's—ahh—" His voice cracked, low and panicked, but never loud enough to echo across the office.
His stormy grey eyes darted toward Alexander instinctively, wide with alarm, as though silently begging for rescue yet terrified of drawing too much attention.
His heart jumped in his chest as he saw Alexander stand from his chair and move toward him with an unreadable expression on his face.
Instinctively, he stepped backwards, unsure of what Alexander wanted to do.
"Alexander, can you imagine? He brought me coffee with no sugar," Chloe shoved past Adrian to get Alexander before he could reach his secretary.
Adrian watched as she wrapped her arms around his, posing cutly at him as she complained, "You know how I like my coffee sweet -"
"You weren't specific, Mrs. Devereux," Adrian said, forcing his touch not to sound harsh, even though he wanted to curse her to death as he kept feeling the stinging sensation on his back.
"Sit down, Chloe," Alexander spoke gently to her and led her back to the sofa.
Adrian moved out of their path, balling his fists beside him in contained anger.
"I'll... I'll go get a mop -"
"Come here, Mr. Cole."
Before Adrian could realise what was happening, Alexander's hand closed firmly around his wrist, the warmth of his grip startling against Adrian's clammy skin.
"A–ah, sir, I can handle—"
But Alexander didn't slow. His strides were long, purposeful, dragging Adrian along the polished marble floor until they slipped past the heavy oak doors at the far end of the office.
Adrian blinked as the room opened before him — dimly lit, quieter than the buzzing office outside.
A spare chamber, not lavish but intimate. A thick leather sofa sat against one wall, an untouched bed neatly made in another corner, a mahogany nightstand stacked with files and a wristwatch resting like a forgotten crown. The faint scent of Alexander's cologne lingered, heavier here, as though the room itself belonged only to him.
"Sir—this is your…?" Adrian's words trailed off, nerves twisting with the sting in his back.
"My private room." Alexander's voice was cool, deliberate.
He guided Adrian forward until he was standing near the sofa. His piercing blue eyes dipped briefly to Adrian's damp shirt clinging against his skin.
"Take it off."
Adrian froze. "What?"
"You'll burn if you leave that on." Alexander's tone was steady, commanding, yet there was a subtle undercurrent — something dangerously close to concern.
Adrian swallowed hard, his fists tightening at his sides.
Stripped of his armour of professionalism, he suddenly felt far too small in the billionaire's shadow.