CHAPTER 4
1346 Words
The next morning came faster than Cecelia expected.
It felt as though she had barely closed her eyes before her alarm went off, pulling her out of a restless sleep. For a few seconds, she remained in bed, staring at the ceiling as the events of the previous day slowly returned to her.
Alex.
His face, his voice, the way he had looked at her.
Cece shut her eyes briefly, pushing the thoughts away before they could settle. She had already decided she would not let him disrupt her life again. Yesterday had been unexpected, but today will be different. It had to be.
She got out of bed, went through her usual routine, and stepped into the bathroom. The cold water helped clear her mind, grounding her enough to move through the rest of her morning without overthinking.
By the time she was dressed and seated at the small dining table, her breakfast in front of her, she felt more in control.
Her phone rang just as she picked up her spoon. She glanced at the screen and answered.
“Hello.”
“Good morning,” the voice on the other end said, warm and familiar. “You did not forget about tonight, right?”
A small smile formed on Cece’s lips. “I did not forget.”
“Good,” Lucas replied. “I will pick you up from work.”
“Alright,” she said. “I will be ready.”
They exchanged a few more words before the call ended. Cece placed her phone down, finishing her meal in silence.
After washing her plate, she picked up her bag and left for work.
The office was already alive with activity when she arrived. Conversations flowed quietly between desks, keyboards clicked steadily, and the familiar rhythm of work had already begun.
“Good morning,” she greeted as she walked in.
A few people responded, and she made her way to her desk.
She paused slightly.
Sandy was not there, which was unusual. Sandy was always early, often one of the first to arrive. Cece’s eyes moved to the chair, noticing that her bag was already there.
So she had come in, just not at her desk.
Cece sat down, setting her things aside, but the thought lingered. After a while, she noticed Mika standing up and heading toward the office kitchen.
Without thinking much about it, Cece followed.
Mika turned slightly when she heard footsteps behind her. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Cece replied. “Have you seen Sandy?”
Mika nodded as she reached for a cup. “She is with HR.”
Cece raised a brow slightly. “Since when did he start coming early to work?”
Mika shrugged. “Maybe he is trying to impress the new director.”
Cece let out a quiet breath. “That sounds about right.”
Mika began preparing her drink, and Cece reached for a cup as well. Even though she had eaten before leaving home, she suddenly felt the need for something warm.
Or maybe she just needed a distraction.
They spoke casually for a few minutes, nothing serious, just small conversation that filled the quiet space.
Then they returned to their desks. Work began. For a while, everything felt normal again. Emails, files, deadlines. The usual.
Then Sandy finally returned.
Cece noticed her immediately.
She stood up and walked over. “Where have you been?”
Sandy looked exhausted as she dropped into her chair. “Do not even ask.”
Cece frowned slightly. “What happened?”
“The HR,” Sandy said, her voice filled with frustration. “He made me work on so many things. Things he should have been doing himself all this time.”
She leaned back, letting out a small cry. “Now that the director is here, he suddenly wants everything done properly so he does not look bad. And guess who is suffering? Me.”
Cece could not help the small smile that slipped through. “You will survive.”
“I am already tired,” Sandy complained.
Cece patted her shoulder lightly before returning to her desk. “Just finish what you have to do.”
The morning continued quietly after that.
Until it did not.
The sound came first.
Footsteps.
Slow. Confident. Steady.
The kind that demanded attention without asking for it.
One by one, people began to greet them.
“Good morning, sir.”
“Good morning.”
The shift in the room was immediate.
Cece felt it before she saw him.
Her body reacted before her mind could catch up, and she found herself standing almost instantly.
“Good morning,” she said, her voice softer than she intended.
Alex walked past, acknowledging greetings with a calm nod. There was something about him, something in the way he carried himself, that made it impossible not to notice him.
An aura.
That was the only way to describe it. He did not need to say anything. His presence alone was enough.
Cece kept her gaze steady, but she was aware of every step he took until he disappeared into his office.
The door closed behind him.
And just like that, the tension broke.
A quiet wave of relief moved through the office as people returned to their seats, conversations resumed, work continued.
Cece sat down slowly. She hated how aware she was of him.
The rest of the day passed without incident.
Or at least, that was how it seemed.
A little before closing hours, the HR manager stepped forward again, drawing everyone’s attention.
“I have an announcement,” he said.
The room quieted.
“The director is hosting an office dinner tonight to celebrate his arrival. Everyone is invited.”
Murmurs immediately spread across the office.
Excitement, whispers and laughter. People turned to one another, already discussing plans.
Once the HR manager left, the energy only increased.
Sandy appeared beside Cece almost instantly, Mika following closely.
“This is so exciting,” Sandy said. “It has been a long time since we had something like this.”
Mika nodded. “Are you going?”
“Yes, of course,” Sandy replied quickly before turning to Cece. “You are coming too, right?”
Cece shook her head slightly. “I have plans.”
Sandy blinked. “Plans?”
Cece nodded. “Yes.”
“With whom?” Sandy asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
“Lucas,” Cece replied.
Sandy and Mika exchanged a look.
The kind of look that said more than words.
Cece noticed immediately.
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, a hint of irritation slipping into her tone.
“Nothing,” Mika said quickly.
Sandy smiled. “We are just surprised. You do not really go out.”
“I have a social life,” Cece said, her voice firm.
Sandy raised a brow. “If you say so.”
Cece sighed. “I already made plans.”
“Just stay for a while,” Sandy insisted. “You can still go meet Lucas after.”
Mika nodded in agreement. “It will not take long.”
Cece hesitated. She did not want to stay. But at the same time, leaving immediately would only make things more obvious.
“Fine,” she said finally. “Just for a bit.”
Sandy smiled brightly. “Good.”
By the time closing hour came, the office had transformed. Conversations were lighter, people moved around more freely, and there was a shared sense of anticipation.
Cece packed her bag slowly.
She reminded herself that this meant nothing. It was just dinner and nothing more.
Together, they left the office and headed toward the reserved venue.
As they walked, the sky had already begun to dim, the evening settling in quietly around them.
Cece adjusted her grip on her bag, her thoughts beginning to drift again. She did not know what the night would bring. But something told her it would not be as simple as she wanted it to be.
- Writer
