Chapter 2
1209 Words
Lena's Pov.
Finally,i was able to breathe a sigh of relief as work had ended for the day.Its been a week since i resumed.Settling in was not a problem for me because i was kind of a people person,i did get a few glances from the marketing manager though but i am not bothered.My rental car hadn't arrived yet so i'm going to have to find my way home.
My body ached.
Twelve hours of running reports, typing minutes, and fixing Mr. Cross’s schedule had left my feet screaming.I adjusted the strap of my tote bag and stepped out into the night.
The city’s chill air bit at my skin, laced with the smell of exhaust and late night rain. Streetlights painted the wet asphalt in streaks of gold. I sighed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, and started toward the bus stop down the block.
A black car slowed beside me. Sleek, Silent. The window rolled down.
“Miss Hart,” a deep voice called.
My heart jumped. There he was, Julian Cross,The CEO himself, in a black tailored suit, one hand on the steering wheel, his expression unreadable under the streetlight.
“Mr. Cross?” i said, blinking in surprise.
“You’re heading home this late?” he asked.
His tone was polite but carried that same quiet authority that filled the boardroom.
i hesitated, clutching my bag.
“Yes,Julian. I was just heading for the bus.”
He glanced toward the empty bus stop, then back at me.
“It’s too late for that. Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary, I…”
“Lena,” he said my name softly this time. “It’s not safe out here.”
Something in his voice, calm, certain, like an order wrapped in concern made me step forward before i could think twice. I opened the door and slipped inside.
The car smelled faintly of leather and cologne. The hum of the engine was so smooth it almost felt unreal.I clasped my hands together, trying not to stare at the man beside me.
Julian drove without a word for a while.
The city slid past the windows in soft blurs of light.
“You work too much,” he said finally.
I smiled faintly.
“Says the man who never leaves the office before midnight.”
A corner of his mouth twitched. “Touché.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was heavy, but in a curious way .Filled with the kind of awareness that made my pulse skip a beat.
When we reached my neighborhood, the contrast was sharp,quiet streets, dim streetlights, and a stray cat darting across the road. He parked in front of my small apartment building, a world away from his penthouse skyline.
“Thank you for the ride,” I said, fumbling for the door handle.
“You’re welcome.” His eyes lingered on me. “Do you live alone?”
I hesitated. “Yes. But it’s safe here.”
He nodded, but something in his gaze flickered a quick scan of the shadows around my building, like he didn’t quite believe me.
“Goodnight, Miss Hart.”
“Goodnight, Mr. Cross.”
I stepped out, the night swallowing me. The sound of his car pulling away echoed for a few seconds before fading into silence.
I turned towards my door, unlocking it with tired fingers,looked at the light and froze.
My bag slipped from my shoulder.
The living room window was open. The curtains fluttered.
My heart pounded. I remembered locking that window before leaving.
Slowly, i reached for my phone but before i could dial, something moved behind me. A hand clamped over my mouth.
I screamed, muffled and raw.
The man was strong, too strong.I thrashed, kicked, bit down hard on his gloved hand. He cursed, and i caught a flash of a familiar scent of coffee and cheap cologne.
He shoved me against the wall, his voice a low growl.
“Keep quiet, and I won’t hurt you.”
My mind raced. My keys. My pepper
spray. I struggled again, kicking backward until my heel met his shin. He yelped. I broke free, darting toward the kitchen.
My trembling hands grabbed a knife.
“Don’t come near me!” i cried.
The man paused. For a moment, his face caught the light.
It was someone from the office,i recognized him! A junior accountant, Derrick.
He blinked at me, wild-eyed.
“Lena, please I didn’t mean to…”
“What are you doing here?” i shouted, my voice breaking.
He took a shaky step forward, tears glinting in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,the marketing manger sent me”
My stomach twisted.
He flinched.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered.
“The manager just wanted me to warn you.”
My grip on the knife tightened.
“Get out. Now.”
He took another step, and i screamed a raw, desperate sound that filled the apartment.
Footsteps thundered outside. The door burst open.
Julian Cross stood there, his face carved with fury.
“Get away from her,” he said coldly.
Derrick froze.
In two strides, Julian crossed the room and pinned him to the wall.
“You follow my secretary home? You break into her apartment?”
His voice was low, controlled but the look in his eyes made even Lena shiver.
“I…I didn’t mean to” Derrick stammered,
Julian’s fist met his jaw, and he crumpled to the floor.
“Call the police,” Julian said without looking at me.
My fingers shook as i dialed. The next few minutes blurred,flashing lights, questions, the echo of my own heartbeat. Derrick was dragged away in handcuffs, muttering apologies i barely heard.
When the officers left, silence returned, heavy and broken.
Julian turned to her.
“You should have told me you were getting harassed at work.”
I stared at him. “I didn’t know. This is the first time.”
Julian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. For the first time, he didn’t look like the untouchable CEO. He looked human. Angry. Protective.
“I’ll take care of it,” he said.
Lena sank onto the couch, still trembling.
“Why did you come back?”
He looked at her, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
“I don’t know. Call it instinct.”
Our gazes met.
The clock ticked softly in the background. Rain began again, tapping the glass like a whisper.
And somewhere between the fear and the safety of that moment, i realized something had shifted, not just in my apartment, or my job, but in the quiet space between i and the man who’d saved me.
Julian turned toward the door.
“Lock everything. I’ll send security to stay outside tonight.”
“Julian…” she began,but he paused.
He didn’t turn around. “Goodnight, Lena.”
Then he was gone, leaving me standing in the doorway, my breath still uneven, my heart caught between terror and something i couldn’t quite name.
Outside, the sirens faded. Inside, the silence returned and the faint scent of his cologne lingered in the air, long after he had left.
- Writer
