My Secret Romance (English Version)

CHAPTER 2

Before heading to the office, Amirah stopped by a plant nursery. Lately, she had developed a fondness for collecting indoor plants. Just last week, she impulsively ordered a few imported cacti online. And now, she had two small pots of dwarf sansevieria in hand, which she thought would make perfect centerpieces for the office.

She planned to give one to her friend Alota, and keep the other for herself. Excited, Amirah drove off to work—only to be immediately disappointed upon reaching the building’s parking lot.

A car was blocking her usual parking space. Worse, it wasn’t even parked properly. Her temper flared; not only had someone taken her spot, but the driver clearly had no parking manners—no matter how expensive that luxury car looked.

“Hello, Alota? Can you check which employee owns this car that’s blocking the parking space? The way it’s parked, you’d think he owns the entire building!” she fumed into her phone.

“Oh dear, you guessed it right,” Alota’s amused voice replied. “He is the owner of the building! Just leave your car there; I’ll have Kuya Celso move it later. Come up here—you have a visitor waiting. He looks quite impatient already.”

Before Amirah could respond, her friend ended the call. Scowling, she grabbed the bag holding her newly bought plants and her handbag, then slammed her car door shut.

Hmph. So what if he owns the whole building? she thought irritably.

When she arrived at her office, she didn’t immediately notice the man sitting in her swivel chair, facing the large window with his back to her. Without glancing his way, she walked straight to the glass table in the receiving area and began taking out the plants.

“Alota, come get one of these for your desk—it’ll make a cute centerpiece,” she said, thinking her friend was the one sitting there.

Then, in slow motion, the chair turned around. But Amirah, still fixing the throw pillows, didn’t notice.

“Hi. How have you been?” a deep, familiar voice said—the kind of baritone that, even if she didn’t hear it for a hundred years, she would still recognize instantly.

Amirah froze.

“What are you doing here? I thought you and my father already agreed to forget about what your parents and mine arranged years ago?” she asked sharply, rolling her eyes. Her irritation only grew when she saw him smirk.

“Well, I thought that if you’re against an arranged marriage, maybe a short courting process isn’t such a bad idea. Let’s date for real,” he said, his gaze steady and assessing, as if studying every flicker of her expression.

She was speechless for a second—then laughed out loud. Of course. She was right all along. This man was a total jerk.

“That’s not exactly why I’m here,” Rustam said, his tone shifting as he stood and walked toward the wide glass window. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his cream-colored pants, paired with a navy blue polo shirt. Turning back to her, he met her eyes squarely. Amirah suddenly felt self-conscious and looked away, pretending to study the painting on the wall.

“I need you to consider the project proposal I made with your father,” he said. It was a lie—Rustam knew it. He just couldn’t admit that the real reason he’d come was to see her.

“What does that have to do with me?” she said flatly.

“This is a multi-million project that will take three years to complete. I need your consent before it can move forward.”

Amirah’s eyes narrowed. “Here we go again. Why don’t you discuss business and money with my father? Do you honestly think I come here every day because I’m rolling in cash? You can talk about your great project with my parents—they know more about it than I do. I’ve got tons of work to finish. And I don’t have time to date you, either.”

She caught herself too late—her last line had slipped out before she could stop it.

Rustam burst into laughter. He moved closer. Startled, Amirah stepped back until she felt the edge of her desk press against her hands. Her knees felt weak.

It was only nine in the morning, and she was certain the man had showered before coming. She could smell his cologne—clean, masculine, not overpowering. It suited him too well. For a ridiculous second, she even wondered what brand it was, before mentally shaking herself. Seriously, Amirah?

“You’re funny,” he said softly, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. Her skin tingled instantly—like a current of electricity running through her veins.

“You really amuse me, darling,” he murmured, then leaned down and placed a light kiss on her forehead.

Amirah cleared her throat, pressing her palms harder against the desk to keep steady. Rustam straightened up, stepping back a few feet.

“I guess your father hasn’t discussed the project details with you yet. I’ve saved your number in my phone. I’ll talk to you later about it.” He was lying again—he and her father had finalized the deal just last night. He didn’t know why he still felt the need to see her before leaving for Manila.

“I also came to check on my wife-to-be,” he added teasingly, flashing her a grin before turning toward the door. “Peace!” He even made a peace sign and winked at her before walking out.

Amirah stood frozen long after the door closed. She placed a hand on her blouse’s neckline and fanned herself, trying to calm her racing pulse.

Where does that conceited man get all that confidence? she thought, half-annoyed, half—something else.

Jerk.

She was still trying to collect herself when Alota suddenly entered the office.

“Has Alpha brought you the payroll for signature yet?” Alota began, then stopped when she saw Amirah’s dazed expression. “What happened to you? I just saw Mr. Montelibano downstairs. He didn’t stay long. What did he come here for?”

“Huh? Oh—he thought my father was here. He just dropped by to talk about the project they’re planning to build on our property,” Amirah said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as shaky as she felt. “Please tell Alpha to bring the payroll here so we can release salaries early.”

“Will Jay handle the bank withdrawal or will you go after lunch?”

“I’ll go. Let’s grab lunch together, and I’ll drop by the bank too.”

“Wow, you’re treating me? What’s the occasion—are you getting married or something?” Alota teased.

“You’re so random! Where did that come from?” Amirah shot her a playful glare, which her friend only laughed at.

“By the way, take that plant on the table—it’s for your office. I’ll message you later about lunch.”

With that, Amirah settled into her executive chair and opened her laptop to start the day’s work, while Alota left the room carrying her new plant—completely unaware of the storm still swirling inside her friend’s chest.