CHAPTER THREE
1491 Words
"...Who is she?"
The question echoed through the quiet executive hallway.
Adrian's expression remained calm, but inside, his heart tightened.
He slowly turned to Ethan.
"She's one of the new cleaners," he replied in a flat voice.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"A cleaner?"
His eyes returned to the young woman pushing a cleaning cart a few feet away.
She wasn't wearing makeup.
She wasn't dressed in expensive clothes.
Yet there was something about her that was impossible to ignore.
She cleaned the glass doors with complete focus, unaware that three of the most powerful businessmen in the country were watching her.
Xavier smiled faintly.
"That's unusual."
"What is?" Ethan asked.
"You never stare at women."
Ethan laughed softly.
"I wasn't staring."
"Oh?"
"I was just... curious."
Adrian slipped both hands into his pockets.
"We have a board meeting in five minutes."
His voice was cold enough to end the conversation.
Without another word, he walked toward the executive conference room.
Ethan followed, but before entering, he looked back one more time.
Ava had already moved farther down the hallway.
For reasons he couldn't explain...
He smiled.
...
Inside the conference room...
The meeting began.
A giant digital screen displayed charts and financial reports.
Managers from different departments presented their monthly results.
Normally, Ethan was the most focused person in the room.
Today...
He wasn't listening.
His mind kept drifting back to the girl with the bright eyes and gentle smile.
He had seen countless beautiful women.
Models.
Actresses.
Socialites.
None of them had stayed in his thoughts for more than a few minutes.
But this girl...
She was different.
"Ethan."
Adrian's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"The financial report."
Ethan blinked.
"Oh."
He stood immediately.
"Sorry."
For the first time since they started working together years ago...
He had lost concentration during a meeting.
Adrian noticed.
So did Xavier.
After the meeting ended, Xavier caught up with Ethan near the elevator.
"What's wrong with you today?"
"Nothing."
"You've been distracted all morning."
"I'm just tired."
Xavier folded his arms.
"You've never been distracted because you're tired."
Ethan chuckled.
"You notice too much."
"It's my job."
The elevator doors opened.
Before either of them stepped inside, Ethan spoke again.
"Do you know the new cleaner?"
"The one from this morning?"
"Yes."
Xavier shrugged.
"No."
Ethan nodded thoughtfully.
"I'd like to know more about her."
The elevator doors closed.
Neither man noticed Adrian standing around the corner.
He had heard every single word.
His jaw tightened.
He had expected Ethan to forget about Ava after the meeting.
Instead...
His curiosity had only grown stronger.
...
Meanwhile...
Ava was carefully arranging cleaning supplies in the storage room.
Mrs. Wilson walked in carrying a clipboard.
"How's your first day?"
Ava smiled.
"I was nervous at first."
"And now?"
"I think I'll be okay."
Mrs. Wilson nodded with satisfaction.
"I've received two compliments already."
Ava looked surprised.
"Compliments?"
"Yes."
"The executive hallway has never looked this clean."
Ava laughed shyly.
"I was only doing my job."
Mrs. Wilson smiled.
"Keep that attitude."
"You'll go far."
Ava wasn't sure about that.
She didn't dream of staying a cleaner forever.
But for now...
This job meant everything.
It meant food on the table.
Medicine for her father.
School fees for her younger siblings.
She silently promised herself.
One day...
She would earn a better position.
Not because of beauty.
Not because someone pitied her.
But because of hard work.
...
Around lunchtime...
The employee cafeteria buzzed with conversation.
Ava quietly entered, carrying a simple lunchbox her mother had packed that morning.
She looked around for an empty seat.
Most tables were full.
Some employees whispered as she walked past.
"Isn't she the new cleaner?"
"I heard the CEO hired her personally."
"Really?"
"That's what everyone is saying."
Ava ignored the whispers.
She finally found an empty table in the corner and sat down.
She opened her lunchbox.
Rice.
A boiled egg.
A few slices of vegetables.
It wasn't much.
But she was grateful.
Just as she picked up her spoon...
A shadow fell across the table.
"Is this seat taken?"
Ava looked up.
Standing before her was Ethan Sterling.
The company's famous Chief Financial Officer.
Her eyes widened.
"N-No..."
Ethan smiled.
"Great."
He pulled out the chair and sat down across from her.
The entire cafeteria fell silent.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward them.
Ava could feel every stare.
Her heart began to race.
Why...
Why was one of the billionaire brothers sitting with a cleaner?
Ava looked around the cafeteria.
Every employee had stopped eating.
Some stared openly.
Others whispered behind their hands.
She suddenly felt uncomfortable.
"Mr. Sterling..." she said quietly. "People are looking."
Ethan smiled as if it didn't matter.
"Let them look."
He glanced at her lunchbox.
"Did your mother make that?"
Ava blinked.
"Yes."
"It smells good."
She smiled politely.
"It doesn't compare to what people like you eat."
Ethan laughed.
"You'd be surprised."
Ava lowered her eyes.
She didn't know what to say.
She had never imagined sitting across from one of the owners of Kingsley Group.
"I'm Ethan," he said.
"I know."
He smiled.
"Then stop calling me Mr. Sterling."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because you're my boss."
"I'm everyone's boss."
"Exactly."
Her serious answer made Ethan laugh again.
For some reason, talking to her felt easy.
Different.
There was no pretending.
No fake compliments.
No desperate attempt to impress him.
She simply spoke her mind.
"I heard today is your first day," Ethan said.
"Yes."
"How do you like the company?"
"It's beautiful."
"And the job?"
Ava hesitated.
"It's honest work."
"But?"
She sighed softly.
"I dreamed of something different."
"You wanted the office position."
"Yes."
Ethan nodded.
"You seemed qualified."
"I thought so too."
"So why are you wearing a cleaner's uniform?"
"I honestly don't know."
Before Ethan could ask another question, someone walked into the cafeteria.
The room immediately became quiet.
Adrian Kingsley.
His sharp eyes swept across the room.
They stopped on Ethan.
Then...
They moved to Ava.
Without changing his expression, he walked toward the executive dining area reserved for senior management.
But for a brief second...
His eyes met Ethan's.
Neither man smiled.
Neither looked away first.
Xavier entered a few moments later.
He noticed the strange silence immediately.
His gaze followed everyone else's.
Straight to Ethan and Ava.
"What did I miss?" he muttered.
One of the department managers whispered,
"Mr. Sterling has been sitting with the new cleaner for almost fifteen minutes."
Xavier looked surprised.
"Ethan?"
That wasn't like him.
Curious, he walked toward their table.
"Mind if I join you?"
Ethan looked up.
"Not at all."
Ava quickly stood.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Knight."
Xavier smiled warmly.
"You don't have to stand every time one of us comes near."
She gave a nervous smile.
"I'm still learning."
"I can see that."
Unlike Ethan, Xavier didn't ask many questions.
Instead, he watched.
He noticed the way Ava answered politely.
The way she listened before speaking.
The quiet confidence in her voice.
There was something refreshing about her.
Most people became nervous around powerful men.
Ava was nervous too...
But she never lost herself.
She remained respectful without trying too hard.
It was... rare.
"So," Xavier asked gently, "how's your first day?"
"It's been better than I expected."
"No regrets?"
She thought for a moment.
"Every honest job deserves respect."
Xavier smiled.
"I like that answer."
Across the cafeteria...
Adrian watched everything from behind the glass wall of the executive dining room.
His untouched coffee had gone cold.
He wasn't hungry anymore.
Marcus Hale, who had arrived for a business meeting, sat opposite him.
"You've been staring out there for a while."
Adrian didn't answer.
Marcus followed his gaze.
His eyebrows rose.
"Interesting."
"What is?"
"I've known Ethan for years."
"So?"
"I've never seen him sit with a woman during lunch."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Marcus looked again.
"And Xavier just joined them."
A long silence followed.
Then Marcus leaned back in his chair.
"This doesn't look good."
"What doesn't?"
Marcus smiled knowingly.
"Three friends."
"One woman."
Adrian's face remained unreadable.
"You're imagining things."
"I hope I am."
...
Lunch was almost over.
Ava packed her lunchbox.
"I should get back to work."
Ethan stood.
"I'll walk you."
"No, that's okay."
"I insist."
Before she could refuse again, Ethan was already walking beside her.
The hallway outside was quiet.
"So..." Ethan said.
"Can I ask you something?"
Ava nodded.
"What is it?"
"Would you like to have coffee with me after work?"
She stopped walking.
Her eyes widened.
"Coffee?"
"Yes."
"As friends."
Ava didn't know what to say.
No billionaire had ever invite
d her anywhere.
She looked down at her hands.
"I..."
At that exact moment...
A familiar voice echoed behind them.
"Ethan."
The two of them turned.
Standing at the end of the hallway was Adrian Kingsley.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
But his eyes...
His eyes were ice cold.
He had heard everything.
- Writer
