Chapter 6

Her friend's laughter exploded close to her face.

"That hunk got to you, huh?!" She shook her head with playful gestures. "You need a man, and you need one now. You can't keep going on like this; just look at yourself, you're pale."

"That's not what impressed me. It's you and your dramatics," she complained, feigning offense, but her hands still trembled.

"Honey…, I think it's high time you started acting normal. The first step is forgetting those daydreams, or rather, not giving them any importance," her friend advised. "The more you cling to your fantasy world, the harder it'll be to navigate reality."

"Look at how you're acting just from seeing a good-looking guy. You know what I think? Your dreams are a desperate cry for help, brought on by your lack of living, since you spend all your time locked up at work and in your apartment, alone and with no action."

"You're missing out on the good things in life because, just like our delicious CEO, there are plenty of men out there; for example, Marcos; it's obvious he's drooling over you, but you spend your time dreaming of never-never land." She gave Nora's shoulder a gentle pat. "Now, scoot to the conference room before Stone comes looking to chew you out."

"Shoot, you're right!" she exclaimed, snapping back to reality.

If her friend knew she had just seen the man who starred in her dreams, would she still be giving her that advice, or would she think she'd finally lost it?

After running her fingers through her hair, Nora tried to slip in unnoticed, a feat that proved impossible as everyone was intently focused on the new CEO's speech when she crossed the threshold. She stole the attention fixed on their new boss.

For her, it was yet another mortifying moment in front of the prominent man. How she wished it were one of her dreams! Or, in this case, a nightmare.

Attentive gazes followed her until she took her seat, consequently forcing her new boss to clear his throat to recapture the room's attention. It was one of those days when Nora wished the earth would swallow her whole.

"Ms. Allen, it's your turn to present the editing reports." His words jolted her from her reverie, as she had been lost in contemplation of the man she believed existed only in her dreams.

Nora shot to her feet, startled and mortified, while everyone watched her, confused by her strange behavior. She had always projected the image of a woman with composure and self-control; however, at that moment, she seemed like a lost girl, about to present for the very first time in front of her colleagues.

"Uh— I—" She tried to open the folders, but with a cruel twist of fate, they tumbled to the floor. As a result of the accident, the papers she had painstakingly organized became a jumbled mess.

Nora tried to gather them and put them back in order, but her attempt was futile as her trembling hands betrayed her.

Her mind went blank, her eyes welled up with tears, and her voice cracked as she apologized for her clumsiness. Kneeling on the floor, she retrieved the sheets that crumpled at her touch, victims of her nerves and the burning shame that prevented her from acting or thinking straight.

Her former boss was red with fury.

He had always praised her ability and competence, but at that moment, everything she had achieved was slowly crumbling before his eyes.

Some of her colleagues covered their faces in vicarious embarrassment, while others, more malicious, snickered and murmured, amused by her lack of coordination. She was not a woman prone to tears; nevertheless, she felt like she could burst into sobs at any moment.

Suddenly, surprise flickered across her face as her new boss knelt in front of her and, with a friendly smile, began to help her gather and organize the papers back into the folders.

"I don't know the order, but at least they'll be safe," he said kindly. "When the meeting is over, I'll see you in my office. I'll give you an hour to organize them and regain your composure, as I need your reports to get a handle on how things work around here." He winked at her conspiratorially.

Disconcerted and slightly flustered, she nodded in agreement and thanked him with a timid whisper. Never in her life had she felt so embarrassed and touched at the same time.

While her longtime colleagues, people she had always helped, advised, and supported, mocked her mistake. A stranger, who was also the owner of the company and who should have been filled with doubts about the position she held, came to her rescue.

Nora stood up silently, unable to tear her gaze away from her savior. Edward, for his part, also made no secret of his impression, and his honey-colored eyes maintained their scrutiny of her while they were there, stirring a sea of thoughts and speculations in the minds of those present. It was obvious that this meeting would unleash the juiciest gossip and fabricated stories.

***

"Nora." Her former boss's voice startled her, as she had once again drifted into her thoughts. She thought she had locked her office, but apparently, she had forgotten. "What the hell was that?" he questioned angrily.

"I'm so sorry about today..." She looked at him, mortified. "I don't know what came over me; you know me—"

"It's because I know you that I'm asking!" he interrupted, his voice rising. "I didn't recognize you today, Nora. What the devil happened to you?! Do you want to get fired? Or are you trying to make me look bad? What have I ever done to you?!"

"Of course not! I would never do that. Lately, I've been out of sorts... I— I don't know," she sighed. "I'm not okay." Tears threatened to spill. "I promise I'll apologize to Mr. Anderson. Anyway, I have to see him in a few minutes to give him my report, so I'll take advantage of the moment."

"Of course you're going to apologize!" he said, shaking his head repeatedly. "At least he didn’t seem upset—he totally played it down," he added, sounding more at ease now. "But... did you guys know each other from before? He couldn’t take his eyes off you, and you were practically eating him alive with yours."

Nora shook her head, cheeks burning. At least her boss wasn't angry anymore, and that brought her a sense of peace.

"I've never seen him before..."

Only in my dreams, she thought.

"He just reminded me of someone, that’s all."

"Alright," he sighed, "I’ll let you get back to it. And please—be yourself again and show Mr. Anderson what you’re made of." He smiled warmly before stepping out of the office.

Nora glanced at the clock. Only five minutes left before meeting her new boss, and nerves came crashing back over her like a wave.

"Not this time," she whispered to herself. "Pull it together, Nora. Just breathe." She let out one last breath, grabbed the documents, and headed toward the new CEO’s office.

She took the elevator to the next floor and soon stood before the assistant’s desk. The woman gave a quick call to inform him that Nora had arrived. With a polite smile, she told her she could go in, but Nora froze, standing motionless in front of the door, trying to steady her breath.

"You can open it," the young woman said gently, smiling as she noticed Nora hadn’t moved a muscle.

Nora nodded and slowly turned the handle. As she stepped inside, she met those honey-colored, intense eyes—and once again, she trembled.

"Have a seat," Edward said, motioning to the chair across from his desk.

Nora sat down, shyly—something that didn’t usually happen to her—and glanced around the office. She had been in this room countless times before, but never imagined she’d be sitting here with the man from her dreams. Especially not while awake.

She noticed a few changes already. The office Mr. Stone had occupied for so many years looked more modern now, though it hadn’t lost its elegance or the touch of luxury that made it the finest office in the entire building. Mr. Stone had always had good taste, and clearly, his successor did too.

"I want to…" Her voice cracked as he fixed his eyes on her the moment she began to speak. She took a breath, gathered herself, and went on. "I want to apologize for what happened during the meeting today. That’s not how I usually behave—I’m truly sorry about it."

"You had a rough day, no need to fret." He cut her off, his tone surprisingly lenient. "I'll let it slide this once, but I'm not usually this generous." His gaze, however, held a sharp edge. "I expect the people I work with to be competitive and have their wits about them, so I trust this unprofessional behavior won't be repeated. This isn't just about your inability to deliver your report smoothly, but also your tardiness, disrupting the meeting." She nodded, shamefaced. "Good." A small smile touched his lips. "Now that that's clear, shall we proceed?"

The next hour was an exercise in discomfort for Nora, as her new boss's eyes remained fixed on her, forcing her to focus intently on her surroundings to maintain her composure. Despite her unease, she delivered her report with the clarity and professionalism that were her hallmark.

"Well, very good, Ms. Allen. Now I see the person Mr. Stone spoke of with such pride," Edward complimented her. He smiled that flawless smile, the one that was wreaking havoc on Nora's insides, sending euphoric and intense tremors through her heart.

"Thank you," she replied, returning his smile. A subtle shiver ran through him as he watched her. It was the first time he had seen her truly smile, and he found himself captivated by the beauty of her lips.

"One question..." he began, addressing her directly while attempting to mask a hint of nervousness. "Have we met before?" A jolt went through her, and she almost laughed at the sheer irony. How could she possibly explain that she dreamed of him?

"I... don't think so," she answered hesitantly.

"My apologies." He smiled again, a touch more relaxed this time. "You just seemed familiar... If I'm being honest, I got the impression I gave you the same feeling, given that you couldn't seem to take your eyes off me..." She coughed, a nervous and embarrassed sound.

"I apologize for that." She closed her eyes briefly, mortified. "It wasn't my intention to make you uncomfortable. If I'm being truthful, you did seem familiar to me as well," she admitted, a blush creeping up her neck as she sought the probing honey gaze that scrutinized her without reservation.

Bad idea.

Their eyes locked, and it was as if they were caught in the curious depths, drawn together with the undeniable force of a magnet to iron.

What was this sensation? How could she feel a sense of longing for someone she had only just met?