Chapter 7: Rumors and Roses
895 Words
The next morning...
Montenegro Corporation was unusually lively.
Groups of employees whispered the moment they stepped out of the elevator.
"Did you hear?"
"The CEO attended the dinner with his assistant."
"I heard he even picked her up himself."
"No way."
"I'm serious!"
Sofia frowned as she walked past them.
"Why is everyone looking at me?"
Before she could reach her desk, Mia and Jenny pulled her aside.
"Sofia!"
"What happened last night?"
"Was the dinner romantic?"
Sofia nearly choked on her coffee.
"What?!"
"It was a business dinner!"
Jenny narrowed her eyes.
"Then why did the CEO personally drive you home?"
Sofia froze.
"...How do you know that?"
Mark suddenly appeared behind them.
"The security guards saw everything."
Sofia covered her face.
"I can't believe this..."
Mia laughed.
"Relax."
"They're only teasing you."
Before Sofia could answer, the executive elevator opened.
The cheerful atmosphere instantly disappeared.
Adrian Montenegro stepped out, dressed in his usual black suit.
Every employee immediately returned to work.
"Good morning, sir."
He acknowledged them with a slight nod before walking toward his office.
As he passed Sofia, he stopped.
"Miss Reyes."
"Yes, sir?"
"Bring me today's meeting schedule."
"Right away."
The employees watched in silence.
The moment Adrian disappeared into his office...
The gossip started again.
"He only called Miss Reyes."
"I told you something's going on!"
"No..."
"I think she's just his favorite assistant."
Sofia sighed.
*"They're going to keep talking no matter what."*
---
Inside the CEO's office...
Sofia handed Adrian his schedule.
"You have three meetings today."
"A video conference at one."
"And dinner with the board tonight."
Adrian looked through the documents.
"Cancel dinner."
Sofia blinked.
"...Sir?"
"I have something more important."
She nodded and made a note.
As she turned to leave, Adrian spoke again.
"Miss Reyes."
"Yes?"
"Ignore the rumors."
Sofia looked surprised.
"You heard them?"
"The entire building heard them."
She smiled awkwardly.
"I'm sorry if they're causing trouble."
"They're not."
His answer came without hesitation.
"What people say doesn't concern me."
For some reason...
Those words eased Sofia's worries.
"Thank you, sir."
She left the office with a small smile.
---
Around lunchtime...
Ethan entered Adrian's office carrying two cups of coffee.
"So..."
"I hear you're the hottest topic in the company."
Adrian didn't look up from his laptop.
"I don't care."
"You should."
Ethan placed the coffee on the desk.
"The employees think you're dating your assistant."
Adrian calmly signed another document.
"They're wrong."
"Are they?"
Adrian finally looked at him.
"She's my employee."
Ethan smirked.
"Keep telling yourself that."
---
Meanwhile...
Sofia decided to eat lunch alone in the company's rooftop garden.
It was peaceful.
The sound of birds softened the noise of the busy city below.
She smiled as a gentle breeze played with her hair.
"I finally found a quiet place."
"You don't like crowded places?"
She looked up in surprise.
Adrian stood a few steps away, holding a cup of black coffee.
"...Sir?"
"I come here when I need silence."
"Oh..."
"I can leave if you'd like."
"You were here first."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
It wasn't awkward.
Just... quiet.
Sofia looked at the flowers planted along the rooftop.
"They're beautiful."
Adrian followed her gaze.
"My mother planted those."
Sofia turned to him.
"You like flowers?"
"I don't."
"But she did."
His voice was calm.
Yet there was something different about it.
Softer.
Sofia smiled gently.
"Then taking care of them must be your way of remembering her."
Adrian remained silent.
No one had ever understood that without him saying a word.
Before he could answer, his phone rang.
His expression immediately returned to its usual coldness.
"I have to go."
As he walked away, Sofia looked at the flowers once more.
She didn't know why...
But she had just seen a side of Adrian that no one else seemed to know.
---
Later that afternoon...
Sofia returned to her desk and found a bouquet of white roses waiting for her.
She looked around in confusion.
"Who sent these?"
There was no name.
Only a small white card.
She opened it.
"For making even the coldest days feel a little warmer."
Her cheeks turned pink.
"Who would send this?"
Across the office...
Employees had already noticed the flowers.
Mia gasped.
"Oh my goodness..."
Jenny covered her mouth.
"Someone's confessing!"
Mark looked toward the CEO's closed office.
"Do you think..."
"No way..."
Inside his office...
Adrian glanced through the glass wall.
His eyes landed on the bouquet sitting on Sofia's desk.
His expression darkened.
He slowly pressed the intercom.
"Miss Reyes."
She quickly answered.
"Yes, sir?"
"Bring the flowers with you."
Sofia looked down at the bouquet.
"...The flowers?"
"Now."
She carefully carried them into Adrian's office.
The moment she entered, Adrian's gaze fell on the card in her hand.
"Who sent them?"
"I... don't know."
He extended his hand.
"The card."
Sofia gave it to him.
Adrian read the message once.
His jaw tightened.
Without another word, he looked up at her.
"From now on..."
"You are not to accept gifts from anonymous senders."
Sofia blinked.
"...Sir?"
His eyes remained fixed on the bouquet.
For the first time...
He wasn't annoyed.
He looked...
Jealous.
Neither of them realized someone had been watching the entire conversation from outside the office.
A pair of eyes narrowed as a slow smile formed.
"So..."
"It has already begun."
- Writer
