The CEO and the Secret Beneath the Moon

CHAPTER 2

The following days passed in the blink of an eye. I found myself involved in spreadsheets, meetings, and tight deadlines. Gradually, I began to memorize faces, names, and even small habits of colleagues. Dante, for example, had the habit of showing up every morning with two coffees — one for him, another for me. He never said anything, just left the cup next to my monitor with a discreet smile.

He was also addicted to astrology and always shared daily predictions, as if the cosmos had something personal to tell us.

Until I finally decided that I wanted — and deserved — to feel part of that world. I left work and went to a boutique downtown. I chose a wine-colored dress in light fabric, with an elegant and discreet cut, but one that highlighted my curves subtly. I also bought black medium-heeled sandals. Looking at myself in the fitting room mirror, I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time: confidence.

The next morning, arriving at the company, Dante gave me an amused look.

"Someone woke up powerful today," he said, feigning surprise. "Going out after work?"

"Of course. I have an unmissable date with my couch."

Dante left for a last-minute meeting, and I took advantage of the break to try to adjust the height of my chair, which had gotten stuck in an uncomfortable position.

I forced the lever a few times, but nothing. I crouched down to examine the mechanism underneath, trying to understand where the problem was. The chair swayed dangerously while I contorted myself to better see the adjustment system.

"Come on, it can't be that difficult..." I muttered, pulling harder.

That's when everything went wrong. The chair tilted sharply backward, taking me with it. I tried to grab the desk, but only managed to knock down some papers in the process. I fell to the floor with a dull thud, my legs still tangled in the chair's wheels.

"Oh, how embarrassing..." I sighed, trying to untangle myself.

Before I could even get up, I saw two impeccable dress shoes in front of me. A pair of firm hands appeared in my field of vision.

"Are you okay?" asked a low, husky voice.

I accepted the help and found myself being pulled up with an ease that surprised me. When I finally straightened up and looked up, I found Cael watching me. There was a contained smile at the corner of his mouth, as if he were trying not to laugh at the situation.

"I'm fine," I replied, feeling heat rise up my neck. "I mean... I think my dignity didn't survive, but physically I'm intact."

He laughed softly, a deep sound that caught me off guard.

"Your dignity will recover. As for the chair..." He looked at the toppled furniture with an expression too serious to be genuine. "I'm not so sure about that."

I couldn't help but laugh. "She started it. She was refusing to cooperate."

"I understand. Disciplinary problems with office furniture." He straightened the chair with a fluid movement. "Happens to the best of us."

"Cael," he said, extending his hand. "You're the new girl, right? We hadn't introduced ourselves yet."

"Isadora. But everyone calls me Isa." I shook his hand, surprised by the firmness and warmth of the touch. For a moment, he didn't let go.

"Isa," he repeated, as if testing the name. "It suits you."

I felt something stir in my stomach, but chose to ignore it.

"Where's Dante?" he asked, finally releasing my hand.

"He went to a meeting, but should be back soon. Want me to let him know you stopped by?"

He shook his head and took an envelope from his blazer pocket. "Actually, can you give this to him? They're tickets. We agreed to go, but I couldn't warn him before."

I took the envelope, curious. The band's name was stamped in gothic letters on the outside. My eyes widened.

"Wait... you like Zyntra?"

Cael raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my reaction.

"I do. You know them?"

"Know them?" I almost shouted, then lowered my voice when I realized I was in the office. "I LOVE this band! I literally have all their songs on my phone, including the demos they only released on SoundCloud."

His eyes lit up in a way I hadn't seen before.

"Really? Most people don't even know they exist."

"Exactly! I always try to introduce them to my friends, but they think the sound is 'too heavy' or 'too weird.'" I made air quotes. "As if it were possible to be too weird."

"Exactly." He leaned slightly forward, genuine interest in his voice. "What's your favorite album?"

"'Fractured Reality,' without a doubt. The way they mix electronic with progressive rock is..." I gestured vaguely. "It's impossible to explain. You have to feel it."

"'The Last Echo,'" we said at the same time, referring to the album's closing track. We looked at each other for a moment, a kind of recognition passing between us.

"No one ever chooses that song," he murmured.

"Because no one has patience for the nine minutes of build-up. But when it gets to that final solo..."

"It's transcendental," he completed, with a genuine smile that completely transformed his expression.

For a few minutes, we talked about music as if we were old friends. He knew obscure bands that I thought only I listened to, and I had discovered artists he'd been looking for for months. It was strange and natural at the same time.

"So..." he said, hesitating for a moment. "If you like it that much, maybe you should go with me and Dante."

My heart jumped.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this isn't a very popular band, and I know the owner of the venue. And you... seem like you'd really enjoy it."

"I..." I stopped, not knowing what to say. It was a tempting offer, but also confusing. "I don't know.."

"Why not?"

Before I could respond, we heard footsteps in the hallway. Dante returning from the meeting.

"Think about what I said," Cael murmured, returning to a more formal tone. "About the show."

"Cael!" Dante appeared in the doorway, smiling. "Can't see a beautiful woman alone?"

I felt my face heat up immediately. Cael just raised an eyebrow, maintaining a neutral expression.

"I was helping Isa with a technical problem," he replied, looking at the chair he had straightened.

"Technical problem?" Dante laughed, looking between the two of us. "Let me guess... the rebel chair attacked again?"

"How do you know?" I asked, surprised.

"That chair has a history. It's already knocked down at least three interns." Dante approached and gave a little pat on the backrest. "I always say to ask for help, but nobody listens."

"Maybe because you never mention that the furniture here has violent tendencies," I retorted, trying to disguise my embarrassment with humor.

Cael laughed softly, and Dante looked at us with that expression of someone who's having too much fun with the situation.

"Interesting... you two already seem well acquainted." He crossed his arms, clearly enjoying teasing us. "Talking about what?"

"Music," Cael replied simply.

"Ah, music." Dante nodded with a mischievous smile. "And did you discover you have compatible tastes?"

The question carried an obvious double meaning that made my stomach flip.

"We discovered we have the same favorite band," I said, trying to keep the tone casual. "Zyntra."

"Zyntra?" Dante's eyes immediately lit up. "You like Zyntra? Man, I was kind of afraid to play my music at my desk and bother you, this changes everything."

Dante took the envelope and looked at me with a gleam in his eyes. "Why don't you come with us, Isa?"

"I don't know..." I began.

"Why not?" Dante insisted. "You'd enjoy it a lot, we're not that weird. And that way you two can talk about music freely without me interfering."

I looked at Cael, who was observing the conversation with an unreadable expression.

"If she wants to go..." he said, his eyes meeting mine. "It would be interesting to have someone to talk about the performance with."

"Decided then!" Dante clapped once, as if he had solved a big problem. "Isa, we're going to represent the company at this important cultural event."

"Since when is a rock show an important cultural event for you?" I asked, laughing despite my nervousness.

"Since now." He winked. "And besides, you two talking about music is much more interesting, so I can talk to the girls."

The way he said "you two" didn't go unnoticed by any of us. There was a clear intention there, as if he were trying to push us toward each other.

"Dante..." I began, but he was already heading to his desk.

"It's decided. Cael, send her the details. Date, time, those things." He turned to us with a satisfied smile. "And let's have fun."

When Cael said goodbye, he looked directly at me.

"See you later, Isa." There was an almost imperceptible pause. "Think about what we talked about."

And then he was gone, leaving behind only the echo of his voice and a strange feeling that something had changed between us.

At the end of the afternoon, Helena appeared among the desks with an animated smile and clapping to get attention.

"Guys, today we have happy hour at pub!" she announced, raising her voice over the office buzz. "First round is on the company. Who's in?"

A chorus of approval echoed through the environment. Dante immediately turned to me, with that expression of someone who doesn't accept a "no" as an answer.

"You're going," he declared, pointing at me. "No excuses, no 'buts,' no 'I need to go home,' no commitment to the couch. It's company tradition, and you're already one of us."

"I didn't say I wasn't going," I protested, laughing.

"But you were thinking about saying it. I can see it on your face."

He knew me too well for such a short time of coexistence.

"So?" Dante insisted, following my gaze. "Are you going or not?"

"I'm going," I replied, maybe too quickly.

Helena was already going from desk to desk, confirming who would go, creating that collective excitement atmosphere that only happens when the workday is ending and the prospect of free drinks is in the air.

I grabbed my bag, trying to ignore the strange feeling in my stomach. It was just a happy hour. A normal get-together among work colleagues. Nothing major.

But something told me that night would be different from all the others.