I have been hearing rumors.

"No… Luthien, what are you saying?"Chris mumbles, in daze, baffled.

I knew he would say that.

"You haven't even met her…" He adds.

That too, I knew he would say, I sighed, meeting his gaze and looking away. 

"It's complicated." I mumble, walking back to my chair, Chris scoffs, "And? You gonna keep it right there? Incomplete?"

I roll my eyes, "There is nothing to complete, I haven't met her either."

I chuckle as I see him fuming, "Chill, dude." I shake my head, grabbing the tablet, "Oh, it's time for a meeting with the executives, let's move." I grab my coat, standing up, I gasp, being jerked back, "I am not done." He snaps.

"Come on, we are getting late." I say, pulling myself away.

"For fuck-" I raise my brow as he looks away, composing himself, "Luthien… this is big. How can you say… she is dead?" I frown, looking away.

"I don't want to talk about it, Chris. I am not ready." I say, hoping he understands, at my words, he huffs but nonetheless, nods and turns away. I could hear him sigh, exaggerating, and I chuckled, "Now, come on. Let's deal with a meeting. After that, we can go for coffee." 

Chris looks at me, nodding, he grabs the tab, "Don't forget the finance report, they would probably ask." I widen my eyes, "Right." I walk across my table, grabbing the drawer, taking the document out.

"I had it checked through. Who does these edits?" I scoff, "Why?" He questions.

"So many errors."

"I will make sure to have someone efficient do it for you next time." Chris adds, shaking his head, and I smile, "Thanks."

And we head for the door, the nerve-wrecking heavy conversation from before now turns light-banter as we walk out, heading to the meeting hall.

End of Luthien's Pov

"Sie?"

I look up, tilting my head and frowning, "Yes?"

I watch Vier smile awkwardly, "Come, let's have a word." He says, showing a document, and I nod, following him.

"What is it?" I ask, confused.

"Um, so… I have been asked to give this work to you." He says, handing me a paper document, "What is this?" I frown, checking the paper, which seemed to be a collection of reports.

"The one dealing with proof-reading has been doing a very bad job; the boss wants this work to be taken into immediate consideration." Vier says, "And?" I mumble, "Did he say I must do this?" I ask, as in if he wants me to do this because he thinks I will go, or as in he wants to make sure I have a very hard day.

Vier chuckles, "No, it's Assistant Chris who bestowed this work on me, and since you need to know how things go here, I think this would help you enough. It's a report, kinda has everything we do."

I nod, smiling a little as I look through the papers again, "Ouff… kinda nervous now. Hopefully, I don't disappoint either." I chuckle, nodding my head.

Vier chuckle, "It's just reading through, make sure it's well-spelled, sentence, and easy read." 

"Oh, I will look once for a few times if that makes you a little easier with the work." Vier adds.

I grin, nodding my head. "Gosh, Vier! You are such an angel." 

Vier shakes his head, "Now, we work together. It's great to come to help each other when needed." 

I nod, "I am lucky, my co-worker is such a great person!" 

Vier gasps, "Oh my, I thought we were friends too now!"

My eyes widen and I chuckle, "Right… oops, sorry. My friend." I grin, but suddenly we hear someone clearing their throat.

We turn around, and I gasp. What is he glaring at? 

"I didn't think work meant gossiping?" Luthien scoffs, Chris frowns and nudges him, and chuckles.

"So, you decided to hand her the work, huh?" Chris says, looking at Vier while I look away, annoyed.

"Yeah, she can get around easily with this work. I will look after her as well." Vier adds, patting my shoulder and grinning.

My eyes widen as I hear Luthien scoff and walk past us. Chris smiles and walks after him. Just what is his problem?

I bet he thinks I am cheap, flirting with Vier right now. Insane! Just utterly ridiculous man!

I flinch, "You are glaring." I blink my eyes, coming out of trance, "Huh?" Vier chuckles and looks at me, "They left, don't mind boss." 

I nod, "So, this is it?" I ask, gesturing to the document. 

"For now, after lunch, let's sit for a meeting. We will have to draft an action plan, set the work timeline." Vier says, I nod.

"Let's do that." I smile, happy to be included in the work structure. Vier smiles back and walks to his chair as I make my way back to my desk.

—-----

Third Pov

"Hey, Luthien." Chris follows, frowning and confused.

Luthien ignores him and rushes back to his office, "Stop." Chris mumbles, sighing in distress as to why he was acting so weird, mostly unusually unlike him.

Luthien walks in, shutting the door and heads straight to the window, banging his head firmly but not hard. Chris rushes in, startled, "Hey, what's this for?"

"Shut up." Luthien growls, staring out in the distance as he curses under his breath.

"Luthien?"

"Just leave it, will you?" Luthien heaves out a sigh, turning around as he slums down on the chair, leaning.

"No. What was that… back there?" Chris asks, walking to him, he pulls a side chair, sitting down and tilting his head, worried.

"Nothing." Luthien gulps, embarrassed.

"Didn't seem like nothing… at all." Chris smiles, shaking his head.

"Don't smile, it's not what you think it is." Luthien huffs, looking away, clearly embarrassed and flustered, "Oh?" Chris tilts his head. 

"And… what do you think I thought?" Chris teases, grinning as he leans against the desk, looking at him.

"Fuck off." Luthien growls, annoyed. Chris chuckles.

"No, seriously… I have been hearing rumors, you know?" Chris starts, studying his face as Luthien frowns, confused, "Huh? And what has that to do with me?"

"Because like always, you are the hot topic." Chris says, adding, "Oh, and miss Damaris. What's going on?" 

Luthien gasps, baffled. "And who?"

Chris chuckles, "The way you react says something."

Luthien rolls his eyes, "Like, the hell…" He looks away, and Chris leans closer, "Are you interested in her? Like… I mean, look at you, acting anything but yourself." 

Luthien chokes on his saliva, coughing as he tries to find a bottle. Chris laughs, standing up and walking to the mini-fridge and taking out a bottle, and handing it to him. Luthien gulps it down, panting and looking at Chris annoyingly.

"I must be the one asking! What's with you?" 

Chris chuckles, "Dude, please."

Luthien rolls his eyes again, huffing as he looks away, "What is the rumor anyway?"

"Hmm, something like 'The Boss' finally showed interest in women." Chris chuckles, "Some were happy you ain't gay." He adds, laughing while Luthien gasps out loud, "Me, what?" Luthien scoffs, pushing his hair back.

"They gossip instead of work? I need to deduct their paycheck, huh?" 

Chris widens his eyes at Luthien's words, "What? No!"

Luthien shrugs, "I didn't ask them to gossip."

"People, do gossip." Chris says, making an annoyed face, "Insensitive, duh."

Luthien grits his teeth, "What?"

"So, do you like her? She is a human, though." Chris says, Luthien gulps, his ear tip reddens as he looks away, "Like hell I will."

"Are you sure?" Chris smirks.

Luthien huff, throwing the paper onto him face, crumbling, Chris yelps, "The fuck?"

"Stop talking rubbish. You know… I, we… this is nonsense." Luthien struggles to put words to his thoughts, Chris smiles, "You said… your mate is dead. If so, then…" Chris says, hesitating.

"Then what?"

Chris shakes his head, "No, right… It will be wrong." He mumbles to himself and sighs.

"But, do you really like her?" Chris asks again, facing him.

"No!"

Chris frowns, "That's- anyway, I can see you acting weird, especially around her." Chris adds, crossing his arms. "Don't you say a word about this to my parents." Luthien hisses, leaning closer until he was eye-to-eye with Chris, who was smirking.

"I mean it… I don't want to have a replacement mate, and a human? No way." Luthien speaks, his tone authoritative and final as he stands up, "Wait." Chris says, following him.

"But, you can be nice to her. Don't be such a rude boss. You like-" Chris smiles, his words halting as Luthien snaps, glaring.

"Now, stop talking about her." Luthien says, taking in a deep breath, "I will have to go, I need to be somewhere." Luthien adds, Chris widens his eyes.

"Wait, no." Chris continues, "To where? Luthien… what do you do?" Chris asks, Luthien sighs, not meeting his gaze, "You can tell me, you know." Chris adds, sensing his silence. 

"I know." 

"Then?" Chris mumbles, holding his arm.

"When it's time, I will tell you." Luthien looks at him, smiling briefly. "For now, it's gonna be just me." Luthien says, patting Chris's shoulder as he walks towards the elevator.