Chapter 7
1244 Words
The office hummed with its usual rhythm—phones ringing, keyboards clattering, muted conversations drifting through glass walls. Kya sat at Julian’s desk, flipping through reports, her pen tapping against the margin. She was supposed to be reviewing numbers, but her mind kept circling back to Elena’s smile, Elena’s words, Elena’s presence.
Julian entered, carrying a stack of files. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but his tie was slightly loosened, a rare c***k in his armor.
“Hungry?” he asked, setting the files down.
Kya blinked. “You eat?”
His lips twitched. “Occasionally.”
She smirked. “I thought you survived on silence and spreadsheets.”
Julian ignored the jab, pulling out his phone. “Order in or go out?”
Kya leaned back in his chair, crossing her legs. “Order in. Less chance of running into Elena at some overpriced restaurant.”
Julian’s gaze flicked to her, steady but unreadable. “Fine. What do you want?”
“Surprise me,” she said, waving a hand. “But if you order salad, I’ll throw it at you.”
Just as Julian placed the order, a junior employee rushed in, flustered. “Sir, the conference room’s catering got mixed up. They sent all the food here instead.”
Kya’s brows lifted. “So we’re stealing lunch from the executives?”
Julian’s lips curved faintly. “We’re reallocating resources.”
Minutes later, trays of gourmet dishes filled his office—steak medallions, roasted vegetables, artisan bread. Kya laughed, shaking her head. “This is ridiculous. You don’t even have to order food. It just… appears.”
Julian sat across from her, unfolding a napkin with precise movements. “Perks of the office.”
Kya stabbed a piece of steak with her fork. “Perks of being terrifying, you mean.”
They ate in silence for a few minutes, the clink of cutlery filling the room. But Kya couldn’t hold back.
“So,” she said casually, “Elena.”
Julian’s fork paused mid‑air. “Not important.”
Kya tilted her head, smirking. “You keep saying that. Which makes me think it’s very important.”
His jaw tightened. “It’s irrelevant.”
“Not to me,” she pressed. “She looks at me like I stole her crown. Did you two date?”
Julian set his fork down, gaze steady. “Briefly. It ended.”
Kya’s brows lifted. “That’s all? No dramatic story? No tragic heartbreak?”
“Not worth discussing.”
She leaned back, feigning disappointment. “You’re no fun. Fine. I’ll trade you. You tell me about Elena, I’ll tell you about Sebastian.”
Julian blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. His silence stretched, heavy.
Kya grinned, savoring his reaction. “See? That got your attention.”
Julian finally spoke, voice clipped. “You’re manipulative.”
“Clever,” she corrected sweetly. “There’s a difference.”
He shook his head, lips twitching despite himself. “You don’t know when to stop.”
“Of course I do,” she said, stabbing another piece of steak. “I just don’t want to.”
Julian exhaled, leaning back in his chair. “Elena and I… dated briefly. It ended. That’s all.”
Kya’s eyes gleamed. “Ah, so it did happen. Thank you for confirming.”
Julian’s gaze narrowed. “Your turn.”
She chewed slowly, deliberately, before answering. “Sebastian was a mistake. I built him up, he tore me down. That’s all.”
Julian studied her, silent.
Kya smirked. “See? Not so hard, was it?”
The air shifted, heavier now. Julian’s gaze lingered on her, unreadable but intense.
“You push too much,” he said softly.
“And you hide too much,” she countered.
For a moment, neither moved. The office noise outside faded, leaving only the quiet tension between them.
Kya leaned forward, her voice low, teasing. “Statues don’t share lunch. Or secrets.”
Julian’s lips curved faintly. “Almost.”
Her heart thudded. Almost affection. Almost warmth. Almost something more.
The door burst open without a knock. A junior employee stumbled in, cheeks flushed. “Sir, I—I’m sorry. The catering team says they need the trays back. They delivered to the wrong office.”
Kya raised a brow, biting back a laugh. “So we’re officially thieves now?”
Julian’s expression didn’t change. “Tell them it’s already consumed.”
The employee hesitated, then fled.
Kya chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re terrifying. And efficient.”
Julian’s gaze flicked to her. “You enjoyed it.”
“Of course I did,” she said, leaning back. “Lunch with the statue. Who knew you had a sense of humor buried under all that marble?”
Just as the laughter faded, Julian’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening.
“Elena,” he said flatly.
Kya’s smirk returned, sharp as glass. “Well. Speak of the devil.” She didn’t even need to read twice when the screen lit up.
Kya lowered her gaze to the papers in front of her, pretending to study the numbers. Her pen hovered over the page, but her ears sharpened, catching every word.
Elena’s voice spilled through the speaker, smooth and deliberate. “Julian, about the revisions… I don’t understand why I need to change the campaign. Kya’s suggestions are making things unnecessarily complicated. She’s trying to make my life difficult.”
Kya’s lips twitched, fighting the urge to laugh. Oh, Elena. If only you knew how much fun I’m having.
Julian leaned back in his chair, his eyes flicking to Kya. He frowned at her, a silent warning, but then—almost imperceptibly—his mouth curved into the faintest smile. He wasn’t even paying full attention to Elena’s complaints.
Elena continued, her tone sharpening. “Luxury is about simplicity. Exclusivity. This data‑driven nonsense dilutes the brand. I don’t see why you’re siding with her.”
Julian’s gaze lingered on Kya, who was now pretending to read with exaggerated seriousness. He let Elena’s words wash over him, his patience thinning.
Finally, his voice cut through, calm but firm. “Elena. Just do what you’re asked. I have to go.”
There was a pause, then Elena’s reluctant sigh. “Fine.”
Julian ended the call without another word. The silence that followed was thick, broken only by the faint hum of the office outside.
He cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly, his tone smooth. “What exactly are you doing?”
Kya didn’t look up, her smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “Obviously reading.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed, amusement flickering. “Upside down?”
Kya froze, realizing the papers were angled toward him, not her. Heat rushed to her cheeks.
“That,” Julian said softly, his voice laced with teasing, “is a real talent.”
Kya’s smirk faltered, replaced by a blush she couldn’t hide. She quickly flipped the papers the right way, muttering, “I was multitasking.”
Julian leaned back, watching her with quiet satisfaction. “You’re relentless.”
“And you’re smug,” she shot back, though her voice wavered just enough to betray her flustered state.
His lips curved faintly, almost imperceptible. “Maybe.”
Kya busied herself with the papers, trying to mask the warmth in her cheeks. But Julian’s gaze lingered, steady and unreadable, as if he’d seen more than she wanted him to.
- Writer
