The CEO's secret smile

His Absence

Elena

I couldn’t stop smiling. My cheeks were starting to hurt, but I didn't care. Every movement I made around my room was laced with a sort of grace that surprised even me. I was humming a song I didn’t even realise I knew, dancing lightly as I changed into my nightwear. The air in my room felt warmer than usual, softer too, like it had absorbed my happiness and was reflecting it right back at me.

The memory of him offering me a ride kept looping in my head. His car. That car. It wasn’t just a car. It was a sleek black Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the kind you only see in movies or in a music video. I’d never been that close to luxury before. And there he was, inside it, with his arm resting casually on the wheel, his voice calm and smooth as he told me to get in.

I didn’t even hesitate. I just did it, hopped in like some girl in a romcom. The interior of the car smelled of expensive leather and something else I couldn’t place,maybe his cologne, or maybe just money. Whatever it was, it got into my head and made me dizzy.

Laying on my bed now, I let the memory replay itself. How he looked straight ahead and didn’t say a word after I gave him my address. How focused he was, how composed. How I was lost beside him, secretly glancing at his hands on the wheel, wondering what those hands would feel like if they ever touched me.

I pulled my duvet up to my chin, still smiling like an i***t. Sleep came easily.

For the first time in a while, I didn’t need a lullaby or a prayer to push me into rest.

The next morning, I woke up before my alarm. I opened my eyes and just stared at the ceiling for a second, wondering why I was up so early. Then I remembered. And boom, the smile came back. It stretched across my face and wouldn’t go away. I rolled off the bed, stretched dramatically and let out a laugh that sounded too cheerful for the time of day.

It was like I was floating. Everything was moving fast. I brushed my teeth while doing a little dance. My toast popped and I caught it mid-air like some ninja. I didn’t even sit properly to eat. I just bit into the toast, grabbed my bag and bolted out of the house.

The taxi driver looked at me strange when I hopped in and said good morning like I was on top of the world. I didn’t care. Let them look. Today was going to be a good day.

The building came into view and my heart fluttered. Not because of work. Not because of my colleagues. But because he was here. Somewhere in that building. Maybe in a meeting. Maybe in his office. Just knowing he was nearby was enough.

I pushed the door open and walked into the office with the brightest smile I could manage. My colleagues glanced up at me, and I could hear the murmurs starting already.

"Why is she smiling like that?"

"What happened to her?"

"Did she win the lottery or something?"

Let them talk.

I greeted everyone like I was running for office, waving and smiling, even complimenting one of the girls on her hair. She looked stunned. I didn’t care. Let them all be stunned.

Nina, sweet Nina, walked over with a suspicious look on her face. She dropped herself into the chair beside my desk and gave me that look she gives when she’s about to dig into something.

"Alright, spill it. What happened? Why are you glowing like this?"

I laughed and tried to shrug it off.

"Nothing. It's just... it's a good day. That’s all."

"You? Saying that without a reason? Come on, Elena. I know you."

"No, really," I said, fiddling with my pen. "I just feel good today."

She narrowed her eyes at me but didn’t push further. Instead, she clicked her tongue and stood up.

"Okay. Keep your secrets. But I’m watching you."

I chuckled and waved her off.

Once she left, I sat back and let my eyes wander. My desk. The hallway. The door to his office. Every ten minutes or so, I found myself glancing that way. Just to see. Just to check.

But there was nothing. No sign of him.

By the time it was break time, I was already feeling antsy. The anticipation had started to morph into anxiety. I needed to talk to someone. Maybe Nina had heard something.

"Let’s head to the canteen," I said, standing beside her desk.

She nodded, grabbed her purse and followed me.

The canteen was full but we managed to find a quiet corner. We ordered food, but mine just sat in front of me, untouched.

Nina raised a brow. "You’re not eating. That’s rare."

"I’m not that hungry."

"Okay, now I know something’s up."

I sighed. I was trying not to let it show, but I guess I wasn’t doing a great job of it.

"Nina... do you know where the CEO is today?"

She looked surprised for a second, then smirked. "Ah. So this is what it’s about."

"No. I mean... I just noticed I haven’t seen him today."

"He’s away. Business trip. Won’t be back for a few days."

Just like that, my mood plummeted. It was like someone pulled the brightness out of the room. I slouched in my chair and poked at my food with a fork.

"Oh," was all I could say.

Nina watched me carefully. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Just tired."

She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push. She went back to her food, humming softly as she ate.

I stared at my food like it had offended me. Suddenly, the canteen felt cold. No appetite. No excitement. Just this hollow feeling like the highlight of my day had been snatched away.

I managed a few bites just to keep up appearances and then told Nina I wanted to go back early.

Back at the office, I tried to focus. I really did. But every email, every printout, every filing job just felt pointless. My mind kept drifting. To last night. To his voice. His car. The way he didn’t even glance at me after I gave him my address.

It was as if the day had chosen to move slower just to frustrate me. Every tick of the clock echoed in my head like a drumbeat of boredom and exhaustion. My eyes darted to the corner of the screen again to check the time. Still far from six. I sighed and slumped a little in my chair, feeling completely drained.

I was unusually tired, and for reasons I couldn’t place, everything felt heavier than usual. My fingers lagged over the keyboard, and the documents in front of me might as well have been in another language. My usual rhythm, the confident flow I always had when working, was just not there. I had barely gotten anything done, and all I could think about was how badly I wanted to go home, curl up in bed and escape into sleep.

I kept telling myself I needed to hold on for just a few more hours, but it felt like a punishment. Maybe I was just being dramatic, maybe I was overthinking, but I knew part of the reason I was feeling this way had to do with him. The CEO. He was still not back. I had spent the entire day glancing toward the hallway, hoping to see that familiar walk, the commanding presence that always made the air feel a little different. But no, nothing. Not even a rumour of his return.

The curiosity was gnawing at me. I needed more information, and the only person I could trust to give it to me without raising eyebrows was Nina. She had always been kind to me and never asked too many questions. Quietly, I stood from my desk and walked over to hers, trying to act casual.

“Do you happen to know where he went for the business meeting?” I asked, keeping my voice low as I leaned slightly closer.

She looked up at me, brows raised in mild confusion. “Not exactly. I know it’s somewhere in town but I’m not sure of the exact location.”

I nodded slowly, biting my bottom lip in thought. Then she added casually, “He went with Clara.”

“Clara?!” The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it, loud enough to make her flinch.

She blinked fast, clearly startled. “What is wrong with you?” she asked, her tone laced with a mix of concern and suspicion. “You have been acting really weird since morning.”

I blinked rapidly, trying to recover from my reaction. “Oh... I’m sorry,” I mumbled quickly, forcing a small laugh that did nothing to ease the awkwardness. “I just forgot that Clara is his assistant. It slipped my mind.”

Nina tilted her head slightly and stared at me with that expression people give you when they are trying to decide whether to say what they’re really thinking. “You forgot Clara is his assistant?” she echoed, the corner of her mouth twitching.

I forced a weak smile and looked down, avoiding her gaze. “Yeah, I guess I’ve just had a long day.”

She didn’t say anything more. Just gave me that look again, the one that said I might be losing it, and then returned to her work. I took that as my cue to retreat back to my desk before I did anything else to embarrass myself.

Once I sat down, I placed my head in my palms and tried to breathe. What was wrong with me? Why did hearing Clara’s name spark something so sharp in my chest? Was I… jealous? It sounded ridiculous. I had no claim over him. I was just an intern. An intern who shared a car ride with him once. That didn’t mean anything. Right?

The rest of the day dragged by like a tortoise with a limp. I kept checking the clock every five minutes, willing it to speed up, but it was stubborn. Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, six o’clock rolled around and I could not have been more grateful. I didn’t even wait for my body to protest. I packed my things immediately and slipped out of the office before anyone could stop me.

It was my first time leaving work early in weeks. Normally, I was one of the last to leave, lost in tasks and trying to prove I was more than just a temporary staff. But today? Today I had no strength to pretend. I needed my bed, and more importantly, I needed to stop thinking about a man who probably didn’t even remember my name.