Wear It Tomorrow
1102 Words
Elena’s heartbeat felt painfully loud as she walked toward Adrian Stormfield’s office.
Every employee on the executive floor seemed to notice.
Some looked curious.
Others looked terrified for her.
Nobody spoke as she passed.
The massive glass doors stood slightly open.
Elena stopped outside for a second before knocking softly.
“Come in.”
His deep voice instantly made her nervous again.
Slowly, Elena stepped inside.
The office was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooked the entire city skyline while dark marble walls and black furniture gave the room a cold, luxurious atmosphere.
Everything inside felt expensive.
Controlled.
Just like Adrian himself.
He sat behind a large black desk, reviewing documents without looking up immediately.
“Close the door.”
Elena quietly obeyed.
The soft click of the door suddenly made the office feel even quieter.
More isolated.
More dangerous.
“Sit.”
Elena carefully sat in the chair across from him.
Adrian continued reading the documents for several long moments without speaking another word.
The silence alone was intimidating.
Elena clasped her fingers together tightly on her lap.
Finally, Adrian placed the papers down and looked at her properly.
Those cold gray eyes immediately made her straighten slightly.
“Blaze University,” he said calmly. “Business major. Scholarship student. Top of your class for three consecutive years.”
Elena blinked softly.
How much information did he know about her?
“You also work at a flower shop.”
Her chest tightened slightly.
“Yes, sir.”
“Florista.”
Again—
Not a question.
Adrian leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You walk home from work to save money.”
Elena looked down instinctively.
Something about hearing her life spoken out loud inside this luxurious office made her uncomfortable.
Adrian noticed immediately.
“You avoid eye contact whenever the conversation becomes personal.”
Elena froze slightly.
“I’m sorry?”
“It’s observational,” Adrian replied evenly. “Not criticism.”
Elena stayed quiet.
Because honestly—
That somehow felt even more unsettling.
Adrian studied her silently for a moment before speaking again.
“How many hours do you sleep?”
The question caught her completely off guard.
“…What?”
“How many?”
Elena hesitated.
“Four or five usually.”
Adrian’s expression darkened slightly.
“You attend university full-time.”
“Yes.”
“You work at Stormfield Corporations during the day.”
“Yes.”
“You work at Florista afterward.”
Elena nodded slowly.
“And you still maintain top academic performance.”
Silence.
Then calmly—
“Why?”
Elena looked confused.
“Sir?”
“Why exhaust yourself this way?”
For the first time since entering the office, Elena didn’t immediately know how to answer.
Because survival wasn’t something she usually explained to people.
“It’s necessary,” she finally said quietly.
Adrian’s eyes remained fixed on her.
“For rent?”
Elena nodded.
“And food.”
Another nod.
“What about family?”
The question made Elena’s fingers tighten instantly.
Adrian noticed that too.
Interesting.
“My father remarried,” Elena answered carefully. “His wife didn’t want me in the house anymore.”
“You were thrown out.”
The bluntness of his words stung more than Elena expected.
“Yes.”
“And your father allowed it.”
Elena looked down again.
Silence filled the office.
Then Adrian spoke quietly.
“You behave like someone expecting everything to be taken away from her.”
Elena’s breath caught.
The words hit too accurately.
Painfully accurately.
For a moment, she genuinely couldn’t speak.
Nobody had ever described her so clearly before.
Adrian watched her carefully.
The slight tension in her jaw.
The way she pressed her nails into her palm when uncomfortable.
The way she avoided vulnerability instinctively.
He understood people quickly.
That was one of the reasons he became powerful.
But Elena Hart interested him differently.
Because despite everything she lacked—
She still carried dignity.
Most people in her position would desperately seek attention, money, or advantage after being transferred to the executive floor.
Elena did the opposite.
She tried becoming invisible.
And somehow…
That made Adrian notice her even more.
His gaze drifted briefly toward her shoes again.
Still the same pair.
“You refused the clothes because you thought they were charity.”
Elena slowly looked up.
“Aren’t they?”
Adrian’s expression remained unreadable.
“No.”
“Then what are they?”
A dangerous question.
The room became quieter somehow.
Adrian held her gaze steadily before answering.
“A necessity.”
Elena frowned slightly.
“I don’t need expensive things.”
“That isn’t your decision to make.”
The words instantly created tension again.
Elena’s brows tightened slightly before she stopped herself.
Adrian noticed the reaction immediately.
“You dislike being controlled.”
“It’s not that.”
“What is it then?”
Elena hesitated carefully.
“I don’t want people misunderstanding things.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“What things?”
Elena immediately regretted saying it.
But Adrian continued watching her patiently.
Carefully.
Like he already knew there was more behind her words.
Finally, Elena answered quietly.
“People usually expect something in return after giving expensive gifts.”
Silence.
A very long silence.
Then unexpectedly—
Adrian leaned slightly forward.
“And what exactly do you think I want from you, Miss Hart?”
Her heartbeat stumbled instantly.
“I didn’t mean—”
“No,” Adrian interrupted calmly. “Answer the question.”
Elena suddenly felt trapped beneath his gaze.
Because there was no safe answer.
“I don’t know.”
Adrian watched her for several more seconds.
Then finally leaned back again.
Good.
Fear still existed there.
Which meant she wasn’t foolish enough to misunderstand him yet.
“Tomorrow,” Adrian said calmly, “you’ll wear the clothes.”
Elena looked up immediately.
“Sir—”
“That wasn’t a request.”
His tone remained even.
Controlled.
Absolute.
Elena’s throat tightened slightly.
“…Yes, sir.”
Adrian picked up another file from his desk casually, dismissing her without directly saying so.
“You may leave now.”
Elena stood slowly.
Still emotionally overwhelmed.
Still confused.
As she reached the office door, Adrian spoke once more without looking up from the papers.
“And Miss Hart.”
Elena stopped immediately.
“Yes, sir?”
“Stop apologizing every time you speak.”
Her fingers tightened slightly around the doorknob.
Then quietly—
“Yes, sir.”
And for the first time in years…
Elena walked out of a room feeling like someone had seen straight through her.
- Writer
