Elevator

Charlotte tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, then slowly lifted her head to meet Leonid's gaze. She stared at him for a moment before closing her tired eyes.

Preparing herself in just five minutes felt nearly impossible, yet she tried, even though she felt like she had failed.

"I apologize for the delay..."

She whispered in a hesitant voice, lowering her head slightly as if she didn't have the courage to face him.

In contrast, Leonid was already waiting for her, dressed in his black suit, stealing the spotlight and her attention.

She felt his hand gently pat the top of her head, a warm touch despite the coldness of his words.

"It's fine. By the way, it didn't take you long. A few extra minutes aren't considered a delay."

She slowly raised her head after his reassuring words, finding herself in front of his icy blue eyes. Those eyes were beautiful up close, and they seemed warm despite their cold hue.

"Anyway, I'm glad you look amazing, even in such a short time."

"Me? Do I look amazing?"

Charlotte was surprised, resisting the urge to look at herself in any nearby mirror. She had barely managed to shower, barely chosen her clothes, and even forgot to comb her hair, tying it up in a bun instead.

And when she decided to leave, she hurriedly untied her hair, letting her wavy locks fall messily.

How could he say she looked amazing? Maybe he was just trying to lift her spirits, or perhaps… he really meant it.

"Yes, of course, you look wonderful, my darling."

Leonid said with a slight smile, gently lowering his hand from her head to pinch her cheek, then casually took Hunter's leash from her hand.

"Let's go, I'll take care of walking the pup."

Charlotte's eyes sparkled, and she felt warmth spreading in her fingers when her hand brushed against his. She nodded slightly without speaking, and started walking beside him.

Leonid held Hunter's leash in his right hand, but he gently placed his left hand behind her, intertwining his fingers with hers.

As they walked toward the elevator, Charlotte heard a door opening at the end of the corridor, but she didn't turn; her attention was entirely on their interlocked hands.

Leonid stopped in front of the elevator and pressed the button. They waited for a moment while Charlotte stood near him, her eyes darting between the elevator and him. When their gazes met, she felt embarrassed, hesitating for a moment before quickly closing her eyes and turning away.

Her heart raced, pounding hard. Her skin slowly reddened her cheeks, ears, and the back of her neck. She didn't know why she felt so shy. She took a deep breath, then placed her free hand on her chest, as if trying to calm herself from within.

Leonid watched her with a gentle smile, still pleased by her shyness in his presence. He looked at the elevator when the doors opened and walked inside, but he noticed that Charlotte was still frozen in place, as if her body refused to move.

"Charlotte...?"

He turned slowly to her, noticing her black eyes flashing with mixed emotions, with fear being clear to him. In a sudden move, he grabbed her hand firmly yet gently and pulled her toward him, softly but confidently.

Her chestnut hair fluttered around her face, and in an instant, her face collided with his muscular chest.

Charlotte's free hand gripped Leonid's suit jacket tightly, then she slowly lifted her head. Her face was unsettled for a moment, as if she was trying to control something inside her before regaining her composure.

"Is something wrong? You look pale."

Leonid released her hand gently, then touched her cheek softly. His eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed her lips trembling slightly.

"I—"

Charlotte almost told Leonid, for seeing this person here was something she had never expected. Had he been living on the eighth floor for a while, or had he just moved in? But suddenly, the sound of slow footsteps approaching her ears made her lips freeze.

Leonid didn't take his eyes off her even when another man entered the elevator, but Charlotte felt suffocated and couldn't say anything. After a moment, she parted her lips and spoke in a low voice.

"I'm fine, but I just remembered I forgot something."

Charlotte quickly gave a more logical excuse than she had expected, releasing Leonid's jacket, placing her hands behind her back. But she could still feel those dark green eyes watching her closely, as if under a microscope.

The pressure from him suffocated her, making her feel the tight, suffocating pain around her neck.

"Would you like to go get it? We can still do that."

"Really?"

This was the opportunity she needed. She had to agree now, so she could find a way out of those piercing stares.

Suddenly, the elevator doors closed, and it began to descend, making Charlotte's heart leap in her chest.

Her eyes widened, then she looked at Leonid, who in turn asked.

"What's going on here?"

He slowly raised his gaze to the man who pressed the button for the lower floor. Leonid's expression was calm, but there was a questioning look in his eyes.

"Excuse me, sir."

Leonid addressed him in a quiet voice, but his words were laced with a cold tone.

"Didn't you notice we were about to head back? Why did you press the button?"

A heavy silence filled the elevator, broken only by Charlotte's heartbeat, which she could almost hear clearly, and the elevator's engine filling the space with its deep hum. The air was suffocating, as if the very air had become heavy, and every second seemed to weigh on her heart more.

"Hmm?"

Devin turned back, glanced at Leonid for a moment, then slowly shifted his gaze to Charlotte, as if waiting for her to look at him.

"What do you mean by that?"

Devin spoke calmly, refocusing on Leonid.

"I'm a busy man. You should've moved out instead of wasting time exchanging words."

"Who are you? Your attitude is awful."

Leonid furrowed his brows, feeling a slight annoyance.

"Leonid..."

Charlotte whispered to him and added,

"It's okay, maybe it's better we don't go back. In the end, I didn't forget anything important."

"Really? As you know, we can go back anytime. It's not that difficult, just press a button."

"No, I'm really fine. We shouldn't go back, it would just waste our time too."

Charlotte tried to smile, succeeding for a few moments. She didn't dare turn around and simply stared at Leonid, who was still gently caressing her cheek.

"Alright, as you wish."

Leonid shrugged and dropped the subject, but that didn't mean he would forget the face of the man who annoyed him with childish behavior. Also, since when had a man like him been in the building?

Had the absent tenants started returning from their holidays? Well, if that was the case, it would make the eighth floor issue even more complicated.

The elevator stopped, and Devin exited without looking back, while Charlotte listened to his footsteps until she realized he had left the elevator, then turned to walk with Leonid toward the gate.

Without needing to think more, Leonid took her hand again and started walking. Meanwhile, Charlotte was lost in thought, looking down, unconsciously touching her neck hidden behind her high collar.

Leonid glanced at her for a moment and noticed how she was touching her neck. He looked ahead and asked calmly,

"Is the sensitivity still bothering you?"

"Huh?"

Charlotte quickly responded to his question, shaking her head in reply.

"Stop touching your neck. It might make it more sensitive if you keep doing that, alright?"

"Okay..."

After answering, Charlotte lowered her hand and stopped touching her neck over the high collar.

Both of them, along with Hunter, left the building and headed to the car. Charlotte was used to driving with Leonid, so she remained calm, gazing out the window while Hunter sat on her lap.

Due to the traffic jam, it took longer to reach the site. In the meantime, Leonid felt a bit suffocated, so he opened the windows. Charlotte's lashes fluttered for a second as the cold autumn air hit her face. She glanced at Leonid for a moment, studied him, then spoke in a calm voice,

"Are you okay?"

"Don't worry, just side effects from not smoking for a while."

Leonid answered her quietly and patiently.

"Side effects? Are you really that addicted?"

Charlotte furrowed her brows as she asked, then added,

"I heard from someone that smokers can find alternatives, like lollipops."

"Where did you read that..."

Leonid gently pulled at his tie, his eyes never leaving the congested road.

"As you know, it's silly to think a lollipop is a real substitute for cigarettes."

"So, what do you consider alternatives, Mr. Leonid?"

Leonid paused for a moment, thinking, then spoke in a low tone.

"What about an intimate moment between us? You know, when a smoker quits smoking, sometimes they become addicted to something else... Do you understand what I mean?"

The drivers slammed their car brakes, and Leonid did the same, as silence enveloped them. He slowly turned his eyes and looked at her, expecting to see her blushing and her eyes filled with tears.

And he found her that way, but for some reason, he could barely swallow when he saw her looking at him with a look of disapproval for his bluntness, her cheeks flushed with a soft pink hue, and her eyes barely holding back those innocent tears, making her appear even more vulnerable and beautiful in his eyes.