Chapter 5: Tangled Strings
1244 Words
The moonlight danced over the Manila skyline, casting silver shadows on Ashtine’s bedroom wall. But sleep never came easy—not with her mind spinning between two names.
Zeke. Rich.
One, charming and reckless. The other, cold and calculating. And yet… both of them had carved space in her thoughts without asking for permission.
Zeke’s warmth, his teasing smile, the way he checked on her, like he saw something behind her strong facade.
And Rich, her boss. Her tyrant. The man who drove her insane during the day but lingered in her head long after night fell.
“What the hell am I even thinking?” she muttered, rubbing her face.
She sat up, glancing at her phone. 3:42 AM. Not even the playlist she usually used to fall asleep could drown out the confusion anymore.
'' Haist, Ashtine just sleep, yeah, I need some sleep ''
And she closed her eyes, thinking that she would forget everything.
The next morning, Ashtine arrived at Dawson Empire with her usual poise: black slacks pressed, blouse crisp, and hair tied in a sleek bun. But inside, her emotions weren’t nearly as composed. She passed by the reception with a smile, breezed into her office, and took a deep breath.
Focus. New day. Same boss. You got this, girl.
The elevator dinged.
Zeke entered first, looking like he had just stepped out of a magazine.
“Good morning, Sunshine.”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the smile tugging her lips. “You’re early.”
“Couldn’t wait to see your face,” he winked.
Before she could react, Rich followed in. Charcoal suit. Sharp eyes. Quiet power.
He didn’t say a word as he passed her desk , just a flicker of something in his gaze that made her pulse skip. Was it curiosity? Jealousy? Disapproval? Whatever it was, she didn’t want to name it.
Not today.
As the glass doors to the boardroom closed behind them, Ashtine exhaled shakily and stared down at her trembling fingers.
This is getting dangerous.
Ashtine needed a reset so she headed to the office pantry, hoping a strong cup of coffee would knock some sense back into her. The hum of the machine, the scent of roasted beans, was a small comfort in the middle of the chaos she called life.
She stared at the slow drip of the coffee, willing her thoughts to quiet down.
Focus on work. Not on Zeke’s wink. Not on Rich’s stare. Definitely not on your embarrassing lack of emotional control.
She stirred her coffee absently, took a deep breath, and turned to leave,
“Oof—!”
Hot liquid splashed. The paper cup slipped from her hand as she crashed into a firm chest. Dark suit. Solid body. Familiar cologne.
She looked up and froze.
Rich Dawson.
His white shirt was now splattered with coffee, and the slow rise of his brows warned her the explosion was just a second away.
“Oh my God ! I’m so sorry!” she gasped, reaching for tissues from the counter. “I didn’t see you.”
He didn’t move. Not even an inch.
Just stared. Hard.
Their eyes locked, and time seemed to pause. For a second, neither of them said a word. The air between them felt like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap.
Then…
“You should really start watching where you're going, Secretary Maze,” he said coolly.
She bristled. “Well, maybe you should stop sneaking up on people like a corporate ghost.”
His eyes narrowed, but his lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Was that amusement?
She shoved the tissues into his hand and turned on her heel, cheeks flushed, heart pounding. Behind her, Rich stared at the coffee-stained shirt.
And at the woman who just dared talk back to him.
Interesting, he thought.
Ashtine had just sat down, still trying to forget the coffee fiasco, when she heard heels clicking against the marble floor like bullets echoing in the hallway.
And then she entered.
Tall, glamorous, red lipstick perfectly painted, hair curled like she walked off a runway instead of Manila traffic. Her dress hugged her body in all the places that made men forget they had meetings, and her eyes sparkled when they landed on Rich’s door.
Without knocking, she pushed it open.
“Riiiich,” the woman purred, leaning on the frame like she owned it. “Missed me?”
Ashtine blinked.
Excuse me?
Rich, seated at his desk, barely looked up. ''Tessa. You didn’t say you were coming.”
“Oh, come on,” she said with a laugh, walking in like she belonged there. “You know I never need an invitation.”
Ashtine stood frozen near the filing cabinet, trying not to eavesdrop , but how could she not when the woman was speaking loud enough for the whole floor to hear?
Tessa suddenly turned, finally noticing her.
“And who’s this?”
Ashtine stepped forward, keeping her voice steady. “Ashtine Maze. Mr. Dawson’s secretary.”
Tessa gave her a once-over. “Hmm. Cute.”
Then turned back to Rich. “We should catch up soon. Dinner maybe?”
Rich didn’t reply, but his eyes flicked toward Ashtine and for half a second. Just enough to make her stomach twist.
“I’ll have to check my schedule,” he said vaguely.
Tessa gave a dramatic sigh. “Busy as always. Fine, text me.”
With one last flirty wave, she left. Silence lingered.
Ashtine returned to her desk without a word, typing nonsense just to look busy.
Inside, her thoughts screamed.
Why does it bother me? I’m just his secretary. I shouldn’t care...
But something about that woman and the look Rich gave herit, it was something in her chest she didn’t want to name.
The rest of the day dragged on slower than usual.
Ashtine tried to focus on her tasks, but her mind kept circling back to the way Tessa said "dinner maybe?" like it was a routine, like she and Rich had history and the kind that left lipstick on his collar and scent in his office.
It was past six when she finally looked at the clock and sighed.
She gathered her bag, tucked her phone into her pocket, and turned off her computer. The office was dim now, most of the lights off and the staff gone. Just as she stepped out of the elevator, she froze.
Rich was standing by the glass doors of the lobby, one hand in his pocket, the other casually scrolling on his phone. His tie was loosened, suit jacket gone, sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
He looked like a man who waited.
She blinked. “You’re still here?”
He looked up. “I am.”
“…Why?”
“I thought I’d take you home.”
She stiffened. “There’s no need.”
He shrugged, eyes unreadable. “I didn’t say it was a need. Just a want.”
She frowned. “Don’t bother, Mr. Dawson.”
Rich tilted his head, a small smirk ghosting over his lips. “Too late.”
Before she could answer, he pushed the door open and held it for her. Ashtine stared at him, unsure what this was guilt, a game, or something else entirely.
Whatever it was, her heart wasn’t ready. But her feet moved anyway.
And just like that, they walked into the evening together, but worlds apart.
- Writer
