Untitled Episode
1056 Words
Ella woke up earlier than usual, mostly because her aunt’s voice carried through walls like a megaphone, but also because her nerves wouldn’t let her sleep. Today was important. Starlit had given her a big project — scouting potential recruits at one of the partner companies. She’d prepared everything last night: files, forms, her notes, even backup pens.
Kate was still half-asleep when Ella left, mumbling something like: “Good luck. Don’t let Jake stress you. Don’t let Thompson distract you. And run before your aunt wakes up.”
Ella almost did.
The office was quiet when she arrived. Jake’s door was open, suitcase by his desk. He looked up when she stepped in.
“Ella,” he greeted, too softly. Too kind again. “My flight got moved earlier. I can’t go with you to the scouting event today.”
“Oh.” She blinked. “Should I reschedule?”
“No,” Jake said quickly. “You can handle it. Take your assistant. You’ll be fine.”
She nodded, ignoring the small pinch of relief in her chest. She preferred doing things without him hovering.
As she walked out of Jake’s office, she noticed Thompson leaving the elevator at the same moment.
Her heart did that thing again.
He paused when he saw her. “Morning.”
“Morning,” she replied, trying not to sound breathless. “I’m, uh… heading out for that recruitment trip today.”
“I know,” he said simply.
“Of course you do,” she muttered.
His lip twitched. “Jake told me.”
“Right.”
Ella turned to leave, her assistant calling her name from down the hall. But before she could take two steps—
“Ella.”
She looked back.
Thompson’s hands were in his pockets, shoulders relaxed, expression deceptively calm.
“I’ll be joining you,” he said.
She blinked. “Huh?”
“The company is important to Starlit,” he said, all business tone now, “and I want to ensure everything goes smoothly. So I’ll come along.”
Her assistant froze behind her. “Wait… Mr. Hale is coming?”
Thompson nodded once. “Yes.”
Ella frowned. “Since when do you—”
“Since today,” he cut in, his gaze briefly softening. “I’m free.”
Ella’s stomach flipped. But she only said, “Fine. Let’s go.”
The drive was long — almost two hours — and they stopped halfway at a small, cozy restaurant tucked off the highway.
The moment they stepped inside, Thompson surprised her.
He opened the door for her.
Let her order first.
Pulled out her chair.
Didn’t tease her once.
Ella kept giving him confused glances.
“You’re unusually quiet,” she whispered.
“I’m behaving,” he replied.
“For who?”
He met her eyes. “You.”
Her chest tightened. She quickly looked away, pretending to focus on the menu.
Her assistant watched the entire exchange with the expression of someone watching a live telenovela.
Thompson kept speaking to Ella in that gentle, considerate tone — asking if she wanted water, if the AC was too cold, if she was comfortable. It was… disarming.
And a little unfair.
Ella tried to maintain her usual cool, but she failed every time he said her name softly.
When they finished eating, Thompson insisted on paying.
“Again?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
“Again,” he said unapologetically.
Her assistant whispered to her, “Ma’am… are you guys secretly dating?”
Ella stepped on her foot under the table.
The partner company was huge — all glass, greenery, and modern décor. The owners greeted them warmly, even offering refreshments before the meeting.
Ella and her assistant were shown into the large training hall where dozens of potential recruits stood waiting — mostly young, fit, and annoyingly handsome men.
Ella blinked.
Her assistant whispered, “Wow.”
Thompson’s jaw flexed.
The guys noticed Ella immediately. A few of them straightened. Some gave small smiles. One even winked.
Ella felt her face heat. “Please behave,” she muttered to her assistant.
“I’m not the one they’re staring at,” her assistant whispered back.
From behind them, Thompson cleared his throat sharply.
Every muscle in his shoulders went tense.
He was… annoyed.
Very.
The entire time Ella asked the candidates questions, Thompson hovered behind her like a shadow — arms folded, murder expression every time one of the recruits smiled too much.
At one point, a particularly confident guy stepped forward.
“I’d love to work under Starlit,” he said, gaze fixed on Ella. “Under you especially.”
Thompson stepped forward so fast the chair behind him scraped.
The guy immediately looked away.
Ella shot Thompson a look.
He looked back unapologetically.
After selecting the final list of recruits, the company offered to treat them to lunch before they left.
The three of them sat at a round table.
Ella was exhausted. Her assistant was buzzing with excitement.
Thompson was silent, stabbing his food with unnecessary precision.
Ella nudged him under the table. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” he said.
“You look angry.”
“I’m not angry.”
“You’re frowning.”
“My face is always like this.”
“Liar.”
A muscle in his cheek twitched.
Her assistant watched them like, Should I be here? Should I not be here? Am I third wheeling? Am I hallucinating?
Halfway through the meal, Ella’s assistant’s phone rang. She stepped away to answer, came back, and looked panicked.
“I—I have to return to the office. Jake needs me to prepare some documents for a meeting.”
Ella blinked. “Now?”
“Yes. Immediately.”
She turned to Thompson. “Should we take her?”
“No need,” the assistant said quickly. “A driver is already coming. You two continue. Please.”
She ran out before either could argue.
Ella looked at the empty seat.
Then at Thompson.
Then go back to my seat.
“So…” she murmured. “It’s just us now.”
Thompson slowly set down his fork.
His eyes lifted to hers.
And there it was again — that quiet, dangerous electricity.
“Yes,” he said softly. “Just us.”
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