Secret messages
831 Words
The investor conference ended successfully.
Which should have made things easier.
Instead, everything between Naomi Blake and Ethan Sinclair became even more complicated after the business trip.
Because now there was tension everywhere.
In elevators.
During meetings.
Across conference tables.
Even silence between them felt dangerous.
And Naomi was starting to realize something terrifying:
She liked it.
By Wednesday afternoon, the executive floor of Sinclair Group was unusually chaotic.
Phones rang endlessly while employees rushed through hallways carrying files and laptops. An important overseas partnership was launching in less than forty-eight hours, which meant everyone was stressed.
Especially Ethan.
Naomi noticed it immediately.
He had skipped lunch again.
His jaw stayed tense through every meeting.
And sometime around 5 p.m., he snapped at three different department managers within ten minutes.
The entire office looked emotionally exhausted.
Naomi glanced toward Ethan’s office through the glass walls.
He sat alone at his desk, rubbing tiredly at his temples while reading documents.
For a second, guilt tugged at her.
Despite his terrifying reputation, Ethan carried the weight of the entire company constantly.
Alone.
Before she could stop herself, Naomi grabbed her phone.
Naomi: You should eat something before you accidentally declare war on the whole office.
She stared at the message after sending it.
Then immediately panicked.
Why would she text her boss that?
What was wrong with her?
Three seconds later, her phone buzzed.
Ethan: Are you insulting me during work hours?
Naomi bit back a smile.
Naomi: I’m protecting innocent employees.
Another reply appeared almost instantly.
Ethan: Too late for them.
Naomi laughed quietly under her breath.
Unfortunately, the sound caught the attention of a nearby coworker.
“You seem happy today,” one employee commented suspiciously.
Naomi nearly dropped her phone.
“Me? No. Never.”
The employee narrowed her eyes but thankfully walked away.
Naomi released a breath slowly before looking back at her screen.
Another message appeared.
Ethan: Coffee. My office. Five minutes.
Her heartbeat immediately betrayed her.
When Naomi entered Ethan’s office later, she found two cups of coffee already waiting on the table beside the windows.
“You bribed me with caffeine?” she asked carefully.
Ethan didn’t look up from his laptop. “You looked tired.”
Naomi stared at him suspiciously.
This man was becoming dangerously thoughtful lately.
“That’s new,” she muttered.
Ethan finally glanced at her. “What is?”
“You noticing other humans have emotions.”
“That’s a terrible accusation.”
Naomi laughed softly before sitting across from him.
For a moment, things felt strangely normal.
Comfortable, even.
Rain tapped softly against the windows while the city lights glowed below them. Inside the office, the tension between them had shifted again.
Still dangerous.
But quieter now.
More personal.
Ethan closed his laptop eventually and leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You handled the investors well in Lagos.”
Naomi blinked. “Was that a compliment?”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“I knew it. You almost acted nice for a second.”
A small smile appeared briefly on his face before disappearing again.
Naomi hated how much she liked being the reason for those rare smiles.
“You know,” she said carefully, “people are definitely noticing something strange between us.”
Ethan remained calm. “And what exactly is strange?”
“The fact that you voluntarily gave me coffee.”
“How scandalous.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
The way he looked at her after saying it made Naomi’s stomach tighten unexpectedly.
Too intense.
Too focused.
Like they were having an entirely different conversation underneath the normal one.
Naomi looked away first.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Then suddenly Ethan’s phone buzzed loudly on the desk.
He glanced at the screen briefly.
His expression changed instantly.
Cold again.
Distant.
Naomi noticed immediately. “Everything okay?”
Ethan locked the phone screen without answering.
A few seconds passed before he finally spoke.
“You should head home. It’s getting late.”
The sudden shift confused her.
A minute ago, things felt warm between them.
Now walls were back up again.
Naomi stood slowly. “Right.”
She grabbed her bag quietly before heading toward the office door.
But just before she left, her phone buzzed again.
Naomi frowned slightly and looked down.
Unknown Number: You should stop getting close to Ethan Sinclair before you get hurt.
Her stomach dropped instantly.
A second message appeared.
Unknown Number: Trust me. You’re not the first.
Fear mixed suddenly with confusion.
Naomi slowly lifted her eyes toward Ethan.
He immediately noticed her expression.
“What happened?”
Naomi hesitated briefly before showing him the screen.
The moment Ethan read the messages, something dark flashed across his face.
Not surprise.
Anger.
Real anger.
“Who sent this?” Naomi asked quietly.
Ethan’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t know.”
But the way he said it made Naomi realize one thing immediately.
That was a lie.
- Writer
