His Reluctant Desire

Chapter 13:Silence and Avoidance

– Temptations and Evasions

The next day, Nathan drove himself to work, determined to focus on business and nothing else. I really need to avoid Emily, though she is a nice and hard-working girl,

How do I avoid Emily?

I don't want to disappoint my mom and my sister. He kept saying to himself.

He wanted his mind far away from the awkward tension at home with Emily.

The mansion was too quiet now, yet somehow heavy with unspoken words.

He didn't even call for the driver; he just wanted the wind in his face, the hum of the engine, and his thoughts buried in the day's work.

Nathan walked into Maxwell Enterprise wearing his usual crisp navy suit, but his mind was still heavy.

The drive to work had been quiet—too quiet—and even as the glass doors slid open, he carried the weight of an unspoken tension from home.

Kristy, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She looked like she had been waiting for him since dawn, sitting at her desk in a fitted red dress, legs crossed, one manicured finger tapping her tablet.

The moment she saw him, she stood up, her smile warm but her eyes holding that familiar glint.

Kristy was already in her element—heels clicking against the marble floor, red lipstick bold enough to announce her before her voice could. She had been working on a major marketing proposal for weeks, and today she was ready to present it.

"Nathan," she said brightly as she entered his office, holding a thick folder, her perfume preceding her by a second. "This is the final proposal. I think you'll be impressed."

Nathan leaned back in his chair, motioning for her to set it down. "You've been talking about this nonstop for two weeks, Kristy. Let's see if it's worth the hype."

She handed it over with a confident smile. He flipped through the pages, scanning the figures, diagrams, and detailed market analysis. His brow relaxed slightly.

"This is… impressive," he admitted. "Clean presentation, solid projections. You've outdone yourself."

Kristy's smile widened, her eyes glinting. "I told you I could deliver. You just needed to trust me."

"I do trust you," Nathan replied, signing the approval page. "This could bring in millions if executed right. Good work."

The praise rolled off his tongue without hesitation, but Kristy caught onto it like a lifeline. She straightened, brushing her hair back. "Well, you know me… always aiming to please."

Nathan ignored the double meaning in her tone, shutting the folder and handing it back. "Send this to the board before noon."

But as the day progressed, Kristy's energy only grew bolder. She found reasons to come into his office—first to drop off additional charts, then to "double-check" the signed documents, and finally to casually lean on his desk while discussing her weekend plans.

Nathan's patience thinned. He wasn't in the mood for her games today. He'd already been wrestling with his thoughts, trying to keep Emily's face from drifting into his mind every time he allowed a pause.

He didn't need Kristy's flirtations complicating things.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of meetings, calls, and sign-offs, but Nathan couldn't shake the gnawing thought at the back of his mind.

He needed a way to unwind after work—something, anything—to avoid the awkward, heavy atmosphere waiting for him at home with Emily.

By 5:00 p.m., he was already scrolling through his contacts, wondering if a drink with old friends might do the trick. But somewhere deep down, he knew running from his own house wasn't a solution—it was just postponing the inevitable.

By late afternoon, after the last meeting wrapped up, Nathan leaned back in his chair and sighed. He needed a distraction,

something to take his mind off the maid who had been haunting his thoughts more than he cared to admit

. He considered stopping by the golf club, maybe meeting a few old friends for drinks. Anything that would keep him out of the mansion until late.

He checked his watch—just enough time to head out without bumping into Kristy again. He didn't want her to misinterpret a casual drink invitation as anything more.

As he gathered his things, his phone buzzed. A message from one of his friends: Pluto Lounge tonight? We've got a table.

Nathan smirked faintly. That would do. Loud music, dim lights, plenty of chatter—exactly the kind of place where he wouldn't have to think too hard, and where Emily's quiet presence couldn't reach him.

He grabbed his jacket, locked his office, and walked out, ready to lose himself in the noise of the night.

At the club there was so much to drink, just to forget everything bordering him.

Nathan was so drunk that his driver literally carried him to his car and drove him home.