CHAPTER 10: A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE

Calanthe looked back to where Kairos had been standing, but he had already left. She hailed a taxi, got in and sat in the back seat. She sat by the window in the taxi. She reflected on what had happened between her and Kairos.

Kairos was an arrogant and proud man who usually got what he wanted. But she wondered why he had let her go. Was he planning something new?

She reached her apartment and went inside. She sat on the couch, still reflecting on what had happened.

"Was I too harsh on Kairos?" she asked herself.

But she thought he needed it. He was used to everyone fawning over him. She stood up, went to her room and decided to take a bath. After bathing, she changed into her pyjamas.

Calanthe valued her independence, All she wanted was to work hard and be successful without relying on her wealthy parents. She didn't want to end up like her younger brother, Alex.

She sat down at her simple dining table, opened her laptop and started working. Kairos sat in his study, staring at his computer as thoughts of Calanthe consumed him. Despite his rude behavior, he couldn't shake the feeling that he genuinely wanted her.

With Calanthe no longer by his side, Kairos felt a growing sense of discomfort. He missed teasing her, touching her soft hands, sitting near her, and listening to her voice.

Unable to focus on his work, Kairos poured himself a glass of wine, hoping it would help him forget the events of the day and Calanthe's absence.

As he sipped his wine, Kairos found himself dailing Calanthe's number. When she answered, her voice sent a smile to his lips, but he quickly ended the call.

Calanthe wondered why Kairos had called her. She considered calling him back, but her phone rang again, this time Ryder's name on the screen.

"Hey, Calanthe, how's it going? What happened with you and Athena?" Ryder asked.

"Nothing happened, actually," Calanthe replied. "Kairos showed up unexpectedly."

"Kairos?" Ryder repeated, his tone laced with concern. "What did he want? Did he hurt you?"

"No, he didn't," Calanthe replied, he voice tinged with sadness.

"Why do you sound like something bad happened?" Ryder asked.

"I told Kairos where he belonged," Calanthe said. "I told him to never follow me and to leave me forever."

"That's great, then," Ryder said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

But before Ryder could say another word, Calanthe abruptly ended the call. Ryder wondered why Calanthe had ended the call so abruptly, but he shrugged it off and decided to get some rest.

Before drifting off to sleep, Ryder picked up his phone and navigated to Calanthe's instagram page. He scrolled through her photos, a smile spreading across his face as he gazed at her images.

It seems that Ryder has developed some level of affection or interest in Calanthe. His smile while looking at her photos suggests that he enjoys seeing her and might be harboring romantic or admiring feelings for her.

Calanthe went to bed, setting her to ensure she was well-prepared for work the next day. She knew she'd have to face Kairos, as they worked in the same company.

After good night's sleep, Calanthe woke up, had breakfast, dressed impeccably and grabbed her bag. She hailed a taxi and arrived at the office.

As the head of her department, but not yet the CEO, Calanthe walked into the office with confidence. Her eyes scanned the room, and she spotted Kairos sitting at his desk, his eyes fixed intently on her.

Calanthe glanced at Kairos before arranging her belongings on the table, preparing to start her workday. An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

As she worked on her computer, Calanthe couldn't help but sneak glances at Kairos. He looked particularly handsome when he was calm and composed, a stark contrast to his usual arrogance.

Kairos was aware that Calanthe had been stealing glances at him, but he pretended not to notice. He stood up and walked towards her. Calanthe saw him approaching and quickly pretended to pick something up from the floor.

Kairos banged his hand on her desk, making Calanthe jump up. Kairos couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you laughing?" Calanthe asked, smoothing her hair.

"It's nothing," Kairos replied with a smirk. Calanthe sat back down, trying to focus on her work. But Kairos moved closer, swiveling her chair and kneeling beside her. He wrapped his hands around her waist, his face inches from hers.

Their eyes locked, the air between them charged with tension. "I know you can't breathe when you're close to me," Kairos whispered in her ear. "I know you feel the same way I do. Don't you?"

Calanthe felt like she was suffocating, but it wasn't just the proximity to Kairos that made her uncomfortable. It was the unsettling sense that he might be right.

"Don't deny it, Calanthe, you like me," Kairos whispered, his lips brushing against her skin. He gently grasped her cheek, his eyes locking onto hers as she leaned in for a passionate kiss. The touch sent shivers down Calanthe's spine.

But she quickly pulled away Kairos, standing up abruptly. "I don't think we have feelings for each other," she stammered. "We're just lying to ourselves. We're enemies, right?"

Kairos pulled her into a gentle hug. "It's okay, I know you can't accept it yet, but I'm going to make sure you believe me. Let's put aside our hatred for business. I'm ready to give you my love."

Just as Kairos was pouring his heart out, a knock at the door interrupted them. Calanthe opened it to reveal a tall, handsome man with an air of mystery. His looks were even more captivating than Kairos'. The man strode in and wrapped Calanthe in a tight hug.

Calanthe seemed uneasy and quickly shook off the hug. "What was are you doing here, Ryan?" she asked, her expression stern.

Ryan flashed a charming smile. "I've come back, babe. Aren't you happy?"

Ryan's gaze shifted to kairos. "And who is this man, Lanthe?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Calanthe's irritation grew. "Ryan, you need to leave. I'm working. You can't just show up anytime you want."

Ryan's smile never wavered. "We ended things a long time ago, but that doesn't mean I'm gone for good. You're coming back to me, babe."

As Ryan left, he cast a lingering glance at Kairos, who remained calm, not wanting to upset Calanthe further.

Calanthe approached Kairos, gently touching his hands. "Are you Okay? Did his words hurt you?" she asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

Kairos smiled and pecked her on the cheek, before quickly returning to her desk to start working. Calanthe felt a flush rise to her cheeks and she too refocused on her work, her demeanor more serious than before.

As she worked, Calanthe thought to herself: "Am I really going to fall for this infuriating Kairos? I won't let that happen. I'll start ignoring him, and we won't talk anymore. I refuse to fall in love with him. I hate him," she mentally declared, trying to convince herself.