BETWEEN THE LINES

7:

Ethan was exhausted.

He could feel it in every muscle, in the way his limbs ached as he walked through the glass doors of Herrera Industries. The fluorescent lights overhead felt too bright, the polished floors too pristine for someone like him to be walking on them.

He wasn’t supposed to be here.

Not in a place like this, surrounded by men and women in designer suits, moving with a confidence he had never known. The contrast between him and them was stark. He had barely gotten more than a few hours of sleep after his graveyard shift at the convenience store, yet here he was, being thrown into a world where exhaustion was hidden behind expensive cologne and well-tailored clothes.

He adjusted the strap of his worn-out bag and made his way toward the employee lounge, trying to ignore the way people subtly glanced at him. He didn’t belong here, and they knew it. But he couldn’t afford to care. This job paid more than all his part-time work combined, and if that meant swallowing his pride, then so be it.

He had just set his things down in his locker when a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You look like hell."

Ethan turned, finding Olivia leaning against the counter with a smirk. She was one of the few people here who didn’t look at him like he was some lost stray that wandered in by mistake. If anything, she seemed entertained by his presence.

"Gee, thanks," Ethan muttered, rubbing his eyes.

"Late shift again?"

"Something like that."

She tilted her head, studying him. "You're really pushing yourself. Most people would’ve quit by now."

Ethan let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, well. Most people have a choice."

She didn’t press further, and he was grateful for that. He wasn’t in the mood to explain that this job was the only thing keeping him from drowning.

"Anyway," Olivia said, "word of advice? Watch yourself around Lucas Herrera."

Ethan froze at the name.

Lucas.

Ever since that night, when he had found himself face-to-face with the CEO under circumstances he still couldn’t fully process, Ethan had done everything he could to keep his distance. He hadn’t seen him again, and he was hoping to keep it that way.

"Why?" Ethan asked, keeping his voice neutral.

Olivia sighed. "He's... different. Not just in the way most billionaires are. There’s something about him that makes people nervous, even the ones who’ve worked here for years."

Ethan swallowed. He knew what she meant.

There was something about Lucas that didn’t just command respect—it demanded obedience.

But that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was the way Ethan had felt in his presence.

Like he was being watched. Studied.

And maybe, just maybe, something else.

"Just be careful," Olivia said before grabbing her things and heading out.

Ethan shook off the uneasy feeling creeping up his spine and got to work.

For the rest of the day, he kept his head down, avoiding unnecessary interactions and doing everything he could to remain unnoticed.

And it worked.

Until it didn’t.

It was late when Ethan finally finished his shift. The office was mostly empty now, most employees already gone for the night. He exhaled in relief, rolling his shoulders as he walked toward the elevators.

The moment the doors slid open, his stomach dropped.

Lucas Herrera stood inside.

Ethan froze.

Lucas’s gaze landed on him immediately, sharp and unreadable. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, Lucas tilted his head slightly, a silent challenge in his eyes.

Ethan’s pulse pounded in his ears. Every instinct told him to turn around, to wait for the next elevator, but he forced himself to step inside.

The doors closed behind him, sealing them in.

Silence.

The air felt heavier, like something unspoken was lingering between them.

"You’ve been avoiding me," Lucas finally said, his voice calm, but there was something beneath it—something unreadable.

Ethan swallowed. "I don’t think employees are supposed to casually interact with their CEO."

Lucas hummed, as if amused. "That doesn’t usually stop people."

Ethan tightened his grip on the strap of his bag. "Well, I’m not like most people."

A pause. Then—

"I know."

Ethan looked up at him sharply, but Lucas wasn’t looking at him anymore. His gaze was on the elevator doors, his expression unreadable.

The air between them shifted.

It was subtle, but Ethan felt it.

Felt the weight of Lucas’s presence, the intensity of the way he carried himself.

It was unfair, really, how effortlessly powerful he seemed. Like he owned not just this building, but the very air Ethan was breathing.

The elevator continued its descent, the tension between them thick enough to cut through.

Ethan should say something. Should look away.

But he didn’t.

And neither did Lucas.

The doors slid open, breaking the moment.

Lucas stepped out first, his movements precise and controlled. But just as Ethan moved to leave as well, Lucas’s voice stopped him.

"Ethan."

He turned, and for a second, he thought he imagined it—the brief flicker of something dangerous in Lucas’s eyes.

Then—

"Try not to overwork yourself."

Ethan barely had time to process the words before Lucas walked away, disappearing into the night.

Leaving Ethan standing there, pulse unsteady, with the sinking realization that he was in trouble.

Because despite everything—despite knowing exactly what kind of man Lucas Herrera was—

He couldn’t stop himself from wanting to know more.