Lets just make it official now

"I asked her to leave."

Serena spoke with a serious face, her voice calm but laced with tension.

Ren raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"And she walked out of the room without a fight?"

he asked, his tone filled with suspicion.

"Yes," Serena replied firmly, nodding.

Ren stared at her deeply, his eyes sharp, radiating the intimidating aura typical of a 'big boss.' There was something about his demeanor that could corner anyone who faced him.

Seeing that, Serena instinctively raised both hands, as if surrendering.

"If you don't believe me, you can check the footage yourself,"

she said quickly, her voice almost pleading for Ren to stop pressing her.

Ren paused for a moment, then stood up and grabbed Serena's bag lying on the sofa. He handed it to her without a word.

Serena took out her camera from the bag, removed the memory card, and held it out to Ren. But just before he could take it, she slightly pulled it back, moving it out of his reach.

"But... can you watch it using an ear pod?"

she asked softly, her face showing a guilty expression.

Ren raised an eyebrow, eyeing Serena who looked increasingly anxious. After a few seconds, he gave a silent nod and took the memory card from her hand.

"Around two in the morning,"

Serena added, giving him a clue so he wouldn't have to watch from the beginning.

Ren inserted the memory card into his laptop, put on an ear pod, and started watching the footage. His face turned serious, expression unreadable. Serena watched him from the corner of her eye, trying to catch any clue from his face, but Ren remained composed and unreadable.

Eventually, Serena turned her attention to her phone lying on the table. She was surprised to see a flood of incoming messages, especially from her best friend, Iril. One by one, she read through them, then let out a long sigh and rubbed her temples, which suddenly felt heavy after taking in all the texts.

A few minutes later, Ren closed the laptop and took off the ear pod.

"I wasn't lying, right? I asked Lydia to leave, and she walked out immediately,"

Serena said seriously, trying to convince him.

Ren looked at Serena for a long moment, his gaze sharp yet filled with intrigue.

While watching the video, Serena's voice had sounded completely different—cold, firm, and full of pressure. Even though her face wasn't visible as she was facing away from the camera, her voice alone was enough to send chills. Even Ren had paused when he heard Serena utter her threats with such composure.

"What?"

Serena asked, confused by the way Ren kept staring at her.

"I just realized... when you threaten someone, you don't sound like a girl in her twenties at all."

Serena was stunned, her eyes widening. She didn't expect Ren to comment on that.

In an instant, her expression shifted to confusion. She tried to hide her surprise, but it was obvious in her eyes that she was unprepared for where this conversation was headed.

Ren watched Serena's changing expressions and, without realizing it, smiled faintly. So faint, in fact, that Serena didn't notice he was holding back laughter at her failed attempt to mask her awkwardness.

"Heh... heh... I guess I've always had a talent for threatening people,"

Serena replied with an awkward laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

Ren now smiled more broadly, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He observed Serena, still uneasy, and let out a short sigh.

"By the way, Boss..."

Serena said, trying to shift the topic,

"why does Iril think we're dating?"

Ren shrugged casually, his expression neutral but his tone teasing.

"Because what she thinks is bound to happen sooner or later. So I don't think it's worth explaining to her."

Serena immediately reacted.

"Still, that's different!"

she protested loudly.

"Different how?"

"It just is!"

Serena snapped, her cheeks starting to turn red—either from frustration or embarrassment.

Ren smiled meaningfully, then leaned in slightly and said in a calm yet firm tone:

"If you think there's a difference, then let's just make it official now."

Serena was stunned. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. She wanted to respond, but no words came out. Her face turned completely red.

"Ren!"

she exclaimed, glaring at the man in front of her. But for Ren, that look wasn't intimidating at all—in fact, it only made Serena look more adorable in his eyes.

Without another word, Ren stepped closer. Then, with a swift yet gentle motion, he planted a soft kiss on Serena's cheek.

Serena froze. Her body stiffened, eyes wide open, and her face—once slightly red—now turned as bright as a ripe tomato.

"Ren!"

she squealed,

immediately pulling a blanket over her face to hide her overwhelming embarrassment.

Ren burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained by Serena's spontaneous and endearing reaction. He couldn't help himself—this was one of the most delightful moments he'd ever witnessed from her.

From beneath the blanket, Serena mumbled incoherently, though she couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips. Her heart was pounding—caught somewhere between embarrassment, irritation, and... happiness.

For a while, silence wrapped the room. But it wasn't awkward. Instead, between the laughter and racing heartbeats, a warm feeling blossomed—one that couldn't be hidden.

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