Boss's Important Person.

Tristan D'Leon's POV

The moment Jade gave her order, Kira led me out of her office without hesitation, clearly not wanting to waste any time since she had work to do herself.

As we entered the room, my gaze landed on the four workers, two women and two men each focused on the computer screens in front of them. They were completely absorbed in their tasks, oblivious to our presence, until Kira cleared her throat. The sharp sound broke the silence, prompting all four to lift their gazes toward us.

"I need your attention for just a couple of minutes," Kira began, exhaling a heavy sigh as she stepped forward. "This is Mr. Tristan D'Leon. He will be staying in the company from now on. He is someone very important to the boss, so I expect you all to treat him well."

A hushed murmur spread among them, and then one of the women, dressed in a sleek black suit with her curly black hair styled neatly in a bun, was the first to speak. Her eyes scanned me from head to toe with keen interest before she finally uttered, "Ohhh… Boss's important person? Is he the boss's boyfriend?"

Another woman, this one with short, golden-blonde curls resting on her shoulders, perked up at the question. She was dressed in a crisp white blouse tucked into a fitted black skirt, and she, too, was giving me an assessing glance. "Yeah, that makes sense," she chimed in, nodding approvingly. "And he looks so handsome. I'm Lina Thompson, by the way."

A man probably in his fourties cleared his throat, clearly unimpressed. His balding head shone slightly under the office lighting, the remaining strands of hair clinging to the back of his scalp. His lips pressed into a skeptical line before he spoke. "Why would the boss's boyfriend work in her company? That doesn't make any sense," he pointed out. "It's completely inappropriate. The boss would never date someone under her. So, if he's working here, then he can't be her boyfriend."

"That actually makes sense," a younger man, likely in his early twenties, added with a thoughtful nod. His eyes, however, sparkled with curiosity as he studied me more closely. "Are you a model, then? You have to be. Damn, I'm jealous! I always wanted to be a model back in high school, but, well… life isn't fair."

He exhaled dramatically before continuing. "If you're not the boss's boyfriend, then you must be here to advertise some new product for the company. Only if I had money for plastic surgery, maybe I could've been a model too."

Lina scoffed and turned to him with an amused smirk. "You talk too much, James," she said, shaking her head. "And even if you did get cosmetic surgery, I doubt it would be enough to land you in a modeling agency."

James's expression darkened for a brief moment, but he quickly masked his irritation. It was clear from the way he barely reacted that he was used to this kind of teasing.

Kira, who had been silently observing their chatter, finally spoke again, her voice carrying a note of finality. "I'm not in a position to introduce his relationship with the boss. If he wants to clarify it, he will or perhaps the boss herself will do so. Regardless, I've already told you that he's someone important to her, and that's all you need to know." She paused for a moment before adding, "So if I were you, I'd take that seriously and understand exactly what I mean."

Her gaze swept over them, making sure her point was clear. "Anyway, have a great day ahead," she continued, her tone softening slightly. She then turned to me, offering a polite nod. "I'll see you soon, Mr. D'Leon. If you need anything, I'll be right back. I just need to sign in first."

I gave her a slight nod in response, watching as she exited the room, leaving me alone with the four workers.

A heavy sigh left my lips as my gaze landed on an empty chair positioned in front of a laptop. Judging by the neatly arranged workspace, Kira must have set everything up for me yesterday afternoon.

Not wanting to waste any more time, I slid into the chair. A wave of exhaustion settled over me, and I struggled to keep my eyes open. My body craved rest, it always did during the day. Unlike humans, I didn't sleep at night. I only rested in the afternoons, but it would be ridiculous to fall asleep in a workplace like this.

Besides, even though I didn't have the same reaction to sunlight as some of my kind, being in this brightly lit space for too long made me restless. Jade was here, which dulled my discomfort slightly, but it didn't change the fact that I couldn't truly rest without my coffin. The light was simply too much.

"Here."

The unexpected voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I lifted my gaze to find the woman with the black bun standing in front of me. She held out a cup of coffee, her expression unreadable.

"I thought you might need this," she said simply.

I hesitated for a brief moment before reaching out and taking the cup from her hands.

"Cold coffee," I noted, the temperature cool against my fingers. "Thanks." I added as I took a sip from the coffee.

"You're welcome. I'm Evelyn, but you can call me Eve for short," the black-haired woman introduced herself, offering a friendly smile. Without hesitation, she pulled her chair closer to mine and sat beside me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"So, can you tell me about your relationship with the boss?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "Are you her boyfriend, or just a model? To be honest, you're incredibly handsome, and I've never seen you on a billboard before. Are you from the state?"

Before I could answer, James, Lina, and the balb head man also dragged their chairs closer, positioning themselves around me like a small audience. Their raised eyebrows and expectant expressions made it clear they were eager for my response.

"Yes, tell us," the older man urged, resting his elbows on his knees. "Even though I said the boss would never date someone under her, you don't exactly look like someone beneath her. And considering how her exes always come swarming around the company, it wouldn't be surprising if you were just one of them." He exhaled deeply, as if already exhausted by the thought.

"I'm Johnson Liam, by the way," he added before leaning back. "So, are you trying to win the boss's heart? You're not actually her boyfriend yet, are you?"

"Exactly!" Lina chimed in, nodding enthusiastically. "You're really not her boyfriend, right? You can't be!" She kicked her legs lightly like a child throwing a tantrum, her pout almost comical.

James, Eve, and Liam all turned to her with matching expressions of disgust, causing her to quickly compose herself with an embarrassed cough.

I sighed, my gaze sweeping over the four of them. "Why are you all so concerned about my relationship with the boss?" I finally asked, raising an eyebrow.

James exchanged a glance with the others before shifting slightly in his seat. "Well, you'll find out soon enough," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, we're just trying to save you."

"You'll see what we mean soon," he added cryptically.

Lina rolled her eyes. "What's there not to know though?" She reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, but the moment I shot her an irritated look, she quickly withdrew it.

Unbothered, I brushed off my coat as if ridding it of something filthy.

"We're just curious, you know," she continued, offering a sheepish grin.

Before I could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air from behind us.

"Your curiosity might actually cost you your jobs. You know that, right?"

The suddenness of the voice sent the four workers scrambling back to their seats, their faces instantly drained of color. Fear and panic flashed across their expressions as they recognized the source of the voice.

Jade.

I had sensed her presence the moment she opened the door, even though the others had remained oblivious.

She stepped fully into the room, her commanding gaze sweeping over them. "I thought I asked a question," she repeated, her tone colder this time. "Do you all want to lose your jobs? There are countless jobless citizens out there. At least your seats would be opened for them."

"We're sorry, ma'am," Lina spoke up, quickly standing along with the others, their heads bowed in submission. "We were just trying to get to know Mr. D'Leon."

Jade's sharp eyes landed on Mr. Johnson. "Mr. Johnson, you're the eldest here," she said, her voice carrying the weight of expectation. "You should be the one cautioning the younger staff when they cross the line, not joining them. This is working hours, and I don't joke when it comes to my work. If you're all tired of working, just say so, and your wish will be granted."

"It won't happen again, ma'am," Mr. Johnson replied quickly, his voice steady despite the tension in the room.

Jade let her gaze linger on them a moment longer before finally shifting her attention to me. Unlike the others, I remained seated, watching the unfolding drama with quiet amusement.

"Hey," she said, her voice softer now. "Let's grab something outside before the meeting starts. There are a few things I need to put in place." Without waiting for a response, she turned toward the door.

I didn't hesitate. Rising from my chair, I adjusted my coat and followed Jade out of the office, leaving James, Mr. Johnson, Lina, and Eve behind in stunned silence.