The office was alive with the usual hum of computers and soft chatter, but today it felt different—charged with the latest rumor swirling through the hallways like wildfire.
"Have you seen them?" whispered a junior staff member.
"The angel and demoness? Again?" another replied, smirking.
"Apparently, they got way too close during the team-building activities," someone added, glancing over conspiratorially.
Lila Moreno's morning started like any other, except she could feel the eyes of her coworkers following her every move. Every time she passed a desk, she caught snippets of hushed conversations, stifled giggles, and barely contained snickers.
Why do I even try to stay unnoticed? she thought, clutching her coffee cup a little too tightly.
---
The "Accidental" Encounter
Raven Hale, ever the opportunist, noticed her discomfort and decided to have a little fun.
He strolled by her desk, casually brushing against her shoulder.
Lila froze, her cheeks heating instantly.
He whispered, loud enough for only her to hear, "Looks like everyone's talking about us again. What do you say we give them something to really gossip about?"
Before she could respond, he smirked and walked away, leaving her both irritated and flustered.
---
Gossip Escalation
By mid-morning, the rumors had reached the upper management:
A coworker mentioned the "elevator incident," the "karaoke duet," and the "team-building mishaps" in one breath.
Suddenly, everyone believed Raven and Lila were romantically involved—or at least on the verge of it.
Lila felt her stomach twist. They're all imagining things… right?
Meanwhile, Raven seemed entirely unbothered by the gossip, his smirk widening whenever someone whispered about them. Perfect, he thought. Let them talk.
---
The Comedic Misunderstanding
The day's chaos peaked when a document meant for internal review accidentally ended up in a shared folder with the office chat:
The title: "Angel & Demoness: Project Collaboration Notes"
Instantly, coworkers assumed it was a secret love plan.
Lila's face turned crimson when she saw the chat notifications blowing up her phone.
Raven, pretending to be innocent, whispered beside her, "Uh-oh… looks like they finally noticed us."
Her glare could have frozen fire. "Raven Hale!"
He only laughed softly, enjoying the private amusement at her expense.
---
Private Banter
During lunch, they found a quiet corner away from gossiping coworkers.
"You're enjoying this way too much," Lila accused, still flustered.
"Maybe a little," Raven admitted, grinning. "But only because you're priceless when embarrassed."
Lila groaned, hiding her face behind her hands. "I hate you."
"You love me," he said, teasingly, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
Her heart skipped. Why does he have to be so infuriatingly charming?
---End of Chapter 11---