Illicit Touch (English. GxG)

Comforting Touch

When I was sure Natalia and her assistant had left, I walked out of the restroom. I honestly didn't know what to do at this point. She made it clear that she disliked reporters. So what if she threw me out the first time she found I was one of them?

What was the use of dressing very well if I already failed in the first place? Hell, I guess my career in the newspaper industry was over since I had no idea how to complete my assignment anymore.

I returned to the elevator that had brought me to this floor. I walked in as soon as it opened and clicked the button to proceed to the ground floor. That was the moment I realized I wasn't alone in the elevator. I didn't have to spin around just to check on her. The familiar expensive scent that I caught in the washroom told me that the woman behind me was none other than Natalia Johnson herself.

My hands began to sweat and my whole body tensed in sudden coldness. And when she cleared her throat, my heart began to pound harder as if it would explode in my chest anytime now!

Planning for an exit, I reached for the button to the nearest floor. But then I gasped when she spoke in a low but firm tone.

"You."

What the hell would I do? Wait, was she referring to me? Of course, you i***t. Who else will she call out since there are only the two of you in that damn elevator!

Slowly, I angled and turned my head over my shoulder behind me. I began to gaze at her stilettos first, then her fancy coat, before I fixed my sight on her face… on her beautiful face. Though I was nervous to face her for the first time, I also couldn't help but be amused at her profile. She was like one of those actresses in Hollywood.

"Are you a new employee? From what department are you?" She was frowning as she asked me.

My mouth opened but no words came out. I knew the moment I told her I was from Daily Express, she would kick me out of the elevator, out of her building forever.

"I, um… here for an initial interview." I heard my voice shiver. However, when I tried to continue my response, the elevator stopped and the power suddenly went out.

The next thing I knew, we were surrounded by darkness. I fished out my cellphone from my bag and turned on the flashlight.

"N-no…"

I pointed my light to the mirrored wall when I noticed Natalia shaking… seriously shaking. And the tiny light source also showed that her face was very pale just like a bond paper.

"H-help! Let me out! I… I can't breathe here!" she began pounding the walls with her hands.

I was confused by her reaction. How come a powerful woman like her was scared of being stuck in the elevator? In my case, well I'd been trapped once during my first few months in the Daily Express. Hogue asked me to just stay calm. It hadn't taken a couple of minutes when the elevator had been fixed and we were released.

Also, I was used to hiding in small and dark corners to avoid punishment from my aunt, especially when I was younger. That was why being in the dark area was no longer a new experience for me.

But, as I saw Natalia scream like a scared cat, I realized her fear wasn't common. Was she struggling from claustrophobia?

Although I was a bit hesitant to touch Natalia, I put my glowing phone on the metal ground and I hugged her to give comfort.

"Hey, hey, just stay calm. Maybe this is just a short power outage, and everything will be fine fairly soon."

She was still trembling, so I hugged her even closer. I started rubbing her back this time. "Just take a big breath and relax; this is your building, right? You're safe here."

"Y-you don't understand... I can't help it... " she stammered, her terrified eyes fixed on me. "This... this takes me back to the day I... we had our accident, and the feeling is... it's still there!"

"Accident?"

Even though I still didn't understand what she meant, I grabbed her hand to let her realize we weren't in some other place and time. "You can tell me what makes you afraid later, Miss Natalia, but for now, just breathe. It will clear your mind. Don't overthink. You are not alone here."

I could tell she was doing everything she could to fight what was going on inside her. Oh, poor lady. I wasn't saying literally poor because I was the one who was technically poor out of the two of us. However, she appeared helpless and vulnerable at this time, far from being the strong and fierce one. After all, she was still a human with her own set of flaws.

I took deep breaths in and out so she could imitate me. After a few minutes, I noticed that her hands were starting to warm up again, and her trembling had ceased.

"Are you all right now?" I murmured my palms on her soft cheeks. Her temperature returned to normal. I could tell because our faces were only a few inches away.

"I… I think I am now."

"Thank goodness." I let out a sigh. "Anyway, where is your secretary, and why are you riding the elevator alone when you know things like this might get you in trouble?"

"S-still she's in my office, and I told her I'm going home since my migraine is becoming worse," she said as she massaged her temple. "Thanks to those shameless reporters who are solely interested in fabricating news about me."

My chest tightened as I heard her out. What did she mean by fabricated stories? So the information that I read online about her was not all true?

When I heard her, guilt slapped me in the face. But, right now, I have to put our escape ahead of everything else first. "Miss Natalia, we need to figure out how to get out right now. Are you sure you're not panicking?"

"I guess," she said, her pale face brightening with a beautiful smile.

"O-kay..." I let go of her hands and took up my phone, pointing the light at the buttons.

"Do you know how to troubleshoot that?" she inquired,

"I think?" I laughed, wiping the sweat dotting over my forehead. "But I'd been trapped in the elevator once and this is what the guy with me did." I started by pressing the 'door open' button. When nothing happened, I pressed the 'door close' button and the button to the floor below us which was the 20th floor.

I continued pressing those three buttons when suddenly, the power came back and the door opened.

"This is faster than I thought!" I exclaimed, jumping up and down and turning to Natalia. I grabbed her hand and said, "We need to get out of here immediately before something happens again."

Then, as we took our steps on the floor, a group of uniformed men rushed up to us. "We're sorry for what happened, Miss Natalia," the huge man said, gasping. "We've already called for preventive maintenance, and they'll be here in a few minutes."

Natalia pressed her arms over her chest while staring at the closing of the doors. "This is unacceptable. The maintenance department isn't going to get away with this. I'm not paying them just to let people be traumatized because the elevators aren't functioning properly!"

The man bowed his head, his small flashlight still shining in his fingers. "This is never going to happen again."

"Of course, because I'm breaking the contract with them. When they arrive, tell them to go directly to Lulu's office and sign the terminating contracts. That's way better than getting sued for the failed work."

Natalia was back to being the cold and authoritative woman again. I wanted to touch her shoulder to put her temper down before she came up with the idea of terminating an entire department. I think it was the phobia that was making her mad.

She began walking away just as I was ready to suggest something better.

I locked my gaze on her as she walked away. Oh, wow, was she really going to scrap me like this? Nothing to appreciate the good I did for her? Unbelievable. But who was I to make such a demand?

"What are you still doing here, young lady?"

"Huh?" I turned to the man who grabbed my wrist. "H-hey let go of me!"

"How come you're still here? To spy on our boss? Your coworkers were already escorted out of this building," he hissed, glaring down at me.

"W-what are you talking about? I'm not a reporter!" I denied. But then I gulped hard when I realized that my bag was full of a reporter's gadget.

"Then let me see your bag."

Oh, hell!

"M-my bag?" I asked, my cheeks becoming flushed. Hell, I thought I was safe already since there were no inspections when I entered the lobby a while ago!

"Yes, so open it if you're not one of them. If you refuse, it means you're hiding something," he said, his grasp tightening.

Natalia reappeared just as I was ready to well in tears.

"Kato, leave her alone. This woman is with me."