❤︎ 𝓕𝓪𝓿𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮 𝓐𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 ❤︎

❤︎ 𝓒𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 3: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆 ❤︎

Aria walked out of the conference room in disbelief.

"I got the job..." she whispered.

The employees outside couldn't stop staring at her.

"Who is she?"

"The CEO never interviews people himself."

"And he smiled at her!"

Aria ignored the whispers and hurried toward the elevator.

Just as the doors were about to close, a familiar hand stopped them.

Adrian stepped inside.

The elevator suddenly felt too small.

Neither of them spoke.

When the doors closed, Adrian finally broke the silence.

"So... are you happy?"

Aria folded her arms.

"I don't know."

His eyebrow lifted.

"You don't know?"

"I came here for a job, not because I wanted special treatment."

"You think I hired you because I know you?"

She looked straight into his eyes.

"Didn't you?"

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"I hired you because you have courage."

"And because you argued with me?"

"That too."

Aria sighed.

"You really are impossible."

Before she could press the ground-floor button, Adrian pressed the top floor instead.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"I want to show you something."

The elevator opened into a private office with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.

It was breathtaking.

Adrian walked to his desk and picked up a blue folder.

"This contains your employment contract."

She reached for it.

"But..."

"There are two options."

She frowned.

"Option one: You work as a regular employee."

"And option two?"

"You become my personal assistant."

Her eyes widened.

"Your... what?"

"The salary is three times higher."

Aria's heart raced.

Three times higher?

That amount of money could cover her mother's hospital bills.

But working directly with Adrian?

That sounded like trouble.

"I need time to think."

Adrian nodded.

"I expected that."

As she turned to leave, his voice stopped her.

"One more thing."

She looked back.

"You still have my jacket."

Her cheeks flushed.

"I... I forgot."

"You can keep it."

"I don't want it."

He chuckled softly.

"I know."

She smiled without realizing it.

For the first time in years, Adrian saw something he hadn't expected.

A genuine smile.

And in that moment, he knew one thing...

She was becoming impossible to forget.

♡︎ End of Chapter 3 ♡︎

Cliffhanger: Will Aria accept the position as Adrian's personal assistant, or will she choose the safer path?