Chapter 3: The Ceo and The Clumsy Employee

I spent the entire night replaying yesterday's disaster. I couldn't help it—every time I closed my eyes, I saw that look in Alex's eyes as coffee dripped onto his shirt, like I had just wrecked his whole existence with one clumsy move. Way to make a lasting first impression, Anna.

The worst part? He didn't even have to say anything. His cold stare and the way he turned away said it all.

And now, I had to go to work. Great.

As I walked into the office the next morning, my stomach was doing flips. I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see him lurking somewhere, watching me with those judging eyes.

I walked past my coworkers, who were gossiping about the new CEO, and they all gave me the most awkward smiles. Did they know? My mind was racing, jumping to conclusions. I tried to ignore them, but it was hard not to wonder if my little coffee incident was the topic of their conversation.

Then, as if on cue, the elevator doors opened, and there he was—standing tall, in a perfectly pressed suit, looking like the most intimidating CEO to ever grace the planet.

I froze. There's no way he's the new CEO. This is some kind of mistake.

But the receptionist, Janet, was already ushering him toward the meeting room, greeting him with that overly polite smile people put on when they're trying too hard to hide their nerves.

I quickly ducked into the nearest empty office, hoping he wouldn't notice me—like that was even possible. Yeah, because I blend in so well, especially when I'm dressed like I've had five hours of sleep and a caffeine overdose.

Minutes passed, and the tension in the air only thickened. I could hear the soft murmurs of my coworkers as they gossiped about the new CEO. I'd be curious too, I thought. But all I could think about was how I was going to face him when he finally came out of that meeting. My stomach churned with each passing second.

Then, as if my day couldn't get worse, I heard the elevator again. My heart skipped a beat as the door slid open.

Of course, Alex walked out—his sharp eyes scanning the office, looking so cool, so in control. And then, his gaze landed on me.

For a second, time seemed to stop. He stared at me like he was trying to decide whether or not to roll his eyes or ask me to leave. The room felt smaller with every second that passed. I wanted to melt into the floor.

Instead, he took a slow step forward. "You," he said, his voice low and cold. "You work here?"

I nodded, swallowing hard, feeling my throat go dry. "Yeah. Anna."

He gave a half-smile, but it wasn't friendly. It was the kind of smile that said, I remember you. The one I'd rather forget. "Right. The… coffee incident."

My face turned a few shades of red. "I—uh, I really didn't mean to—"

"I know," he cut me off, raising a hand. "No need to explain. I'm sure it wasn't intentional."

I nodded again, my hands starting to shake. His presence was suffocating, like he could see right through me. The weight of his stare was more than I could bear, and I felt the sweat begin to bead on the back of my neck.

Then, without another word, he turned, his suit jacket swaying behind him as he walked away—like he owned the place, which, technically, he did now. "Make sure to clean up next time, Anna," he called over his shoulder, his voice still carrying that underlying coldness that sent a chill down my spine.

I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. I was so caught up in the whirlwind of everything that I barely noticed the phone buzzing in my hand. My gaze flicked down, expecting another work-related notification, but then I saw it. The name on the screen made my pulse spike—no name.

"My office. Now."

I blinked, staring at the message in confusion. My breath caught in my throat. Who sent this? Who could be calling for me now?

I scanned the room, my heart racing. The air felt thick, suffocating, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Then, I felt it—eyes on me. I looked up and froze.

Alex.

He was standing by the door to the meeting room, staring at me with a look so cold, so intense, it felt like a warning. His eyes flicked to the phone in my hand, then back to me, before narrowing into a glare that seemed to strip away every ounce of composure I had left.

The unspoken command in his stare sent a shiver down my spine. I knew exactly what it meant. Come to my office. Don't make me repeat myself.

My fingers tightened around the phone, the pulse of the vibration now feeling like a drumbeat in my chest. What did he want? What was this about? I tried to ignore the knot that was forming in my stomach, but it was useless. My hands were clammy, my pulse pounding in my ears.

I quickly shoved the phone into my pocket and tried to calm my racing heart. I couldn't—no, I wouldn't—go to his office like some obedient employee. But I knew that if I didn't, things could only get worse.

The air in the office seemed to grow colder, as if everyone had frozen along with me. I took a step toward the door, my feet heavy, my mind whirling with a million thoughts. But before I could think any further, Alex's voice cut through the tension.

"Anna," he said, the coldness in his tone sharper than ever, "You're not going to ignore me, are you?"

I froze. His gaze locked onto mine once more, and my breath hitched in my throat. The world around me felt like it was closing in, the walls pressing tighter and tighter. What did he want from me?

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