An unexpected side of him
716 Words
Chapter Five: An Unexpected Side of Him
The next morning, Amelia woke to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifting through the mansion.
She glanced at the clock.
7:00 a.m.
There was another knock on her door.
"Mrs. Knight?" Mrs. Brooks called gently. "Mr. Knight asked me to let you know that breakfast is ready. He would like you to accompany him to the office today."
"The office?"
"Yes."
Amelia smiled to herself.
"This should be interesting."
---
The headquarters of Knight Holdings towered over the city like a monument to success.
Its glass walls reflected the morning sun, and employees hurried through the revolving doors with purpose.
As Ethan's sleek black car pulled up to the entrance, security guards immediately opened the doors.
"Good morning, Mr. Knight."
"Good morning, Mrs. Knight."
Amelia felt dozens of curious eyes following her.
She leaned closer to Ethan.
"They're staring."
"They've never seen me bring anyone to work."
"Not even your ex?"
His expression remained calm.
"Especially not my ex."
She couldn't help smiling.
---
Inside the executive elevator, silence settled between them.
"You don't have to stay with me all day," Ethan said.
"I don't?"
"No."
"So why invite me?"
He looked at her.
"Because if we're going to make this marriage work—even for a month—we should get to know each other."
His answer caught her off guard.
She gave a small nod.
"Fair enough."
---
The executive floor was elegant and surprisingly quiet.
Employees greeted Ethan with respect, but Amelia noticed something else.
Fear.
Everyone seemed nervous around him.
A young assistant accidentally dropped a stack of files.
"I'm so sorry, sir!"
The poor woman looked as though she expected to be fired.
Instead, Ethan bent down, picked up the papers, and handed them back.
"It's alright."
"T-Thank you, sir."
"Just be more careful next time."
The assistant smiled with relief.
As she hurried away, Amelia looked at Ethan in surprise.
"I thought you were supposed to be terrifying."
"I've never understood why people think kindness makes a leader weak."
She blinked.
That wasn't the answer she expected.
---
Around noon, Ethan invited Amelia to lunch at the company's private dining room.
As they sat together, another woman approached their table.
She was tall, confident, and dressed in an expensive navy-blue suit.
"Mr. Knight."
Ethan looked up.
"Claire."
Amelia sensed tension immediately.
Claire smiled politely at Amelia.
"So this is your wife."
"Yes."
"I'm Claire Morgan, Head of Marketing."
Amelia shook her hand.
"It's nice to meet you."
Claire smiled, but something about it felt forced.
"I hope married life is everything you expected."
Before Amelia could answer, Claire's phone rang.
She excused herself and walked away.
Amelia watched her leave.
"She likes you."
Ethan calmly sipped his coffee.
"No."
"You're very sure."
"I've known Claire for years."
"And?"
"I've never given her a reason to think there could be more."
Amelia studied him.
"You really don't notice when women flirt with you, do you?"
He looked genuinely confused.
"Was she flirting?"
Amelia laughed.
"You really are impossible."
The sound of her laughter filled the room.
For a brief moment, Ethan simply watched her.
He realized something.
He liked hearing her laugh.
---
That evening, rain poured over the city.
As Ethan and Amelia left the office, a strong gust of wind turned Amelia's umbrella inside out.
"Oh, great."
Without saying a word, Ethan stepped beside her.
He removed his suit jacket and draped it gently over her shoulders.
"You'll catch a cold."
"What about you?"
"I'll survive."
They ran together toward the waiting car, laughing as the rain soaked their clothes.
When they finally climbed inside, they were both out of breath.
Amelia brushed a wet strand of hair from her face.
Ethan reached out instinctively and tucked another loose curl behind her ear.
His fingers lingered for just a second.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
The world outside seemed to disappear beneath the rhythm of the rain.
Then the driver cleared his throat.
"We've arrived, sir."
Both of them quickly looked away.
Neither was ready to admit what had almost happened.
But one thing was certain.
The walls around their hearts had begun to crack.
Neither of them knew it yet...
But love had quietly taken its first step.
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