The Dress He Chose
1025 Words
Elena stood in front of the mirror for almost ten minutes.
The soft coral red dress rested perfectly against her figure, the fabric falling just above her knees in elegant loose flares. The warm color somehow made her dusky skin glow beautifully beneath the morning light spilling through her apartment window.
Even the heels looked expensive.
Butter-yellow block heels with delicate straps that wrapped around her ankles comfortably.
Everything looked beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Elena still wasn’t sure if wearing them was a good idea.
Slowly, she touched the edge of the dress again.
Nobody had ever bought clothes for her before.
Not like this.
Not carefully.
Not intentionally.
That thought alone made her nervous.
Her long dark brown hair rested softly over one shoulder while the remaining half stayed pinned back neatly. She wore minimal makeup—just enough to look polished professionally—and a light perfume she had found inside one of the gift boxes.
Soft.
Elegant.
Dangerously feminine.
Elena barely recognized herself.
For a brief moment, she wondered what Adrian Stormfield had been thinking while choosing these things.
Then immediately pushed the thought away.
This meant nothing.
It was professional.
Necessary.
At least that was what she kept telling herself.
---
The moment Elena stepped onto the executive floor, silence followed.
Not complete silence.
But enough.
Heads turned instantly.
Conversations paused.
Even Ethan Cole looked up from his tablet for a second longer than usual.
Elena immediately became uncomfortable beneath the attention.
One female employee whispered quietly to another.
“That’s the intern?”
“She looks completely different.”
“I told you something was going on.”
Elena lowered her eyes quickly and walked toward her desk.
The heels clicked softly against the polished marble floor while nervousness twisted inside her stomach.
This was exactly what she wanted to avoid.
Attention.
Then suddenly—
The atmosphere shifted again.
Adrian Stormfield had arrived.
Employees immediately straightened.
The elevator doors opened slowly.
And Adrian stepped out.
Black tailored suit.
Silver watch.
Cold expression.
Power following him effortlessly like always.
His attention moved across the executive floor automatically—
Then stopped.
On Elena.
Completely.
For the first time since meeting her, Adrian looked at Elena properly.
Not as an employee.
Not as an intern.
As a woman.
The coral-red dress against her dusky skin looked dangerously beautiful beneath the morning sunlight pouring through the glass walls. Golden light wrapped around her softly, making her skin glow warmly while her long dark hair rested elegantly over her shoulder.
Even from a distance, Adrian could smell the faint trace of perfume surrounding her.
Soft.
Feminine.
Tempting.
And suddenly—
Distracting.
Adrian’s jaw tightened almost invisibly.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Across the floor, Elena slowly looked up—
And immediately met his gaze.
Her heartbeat stumbled instantly.
For one brief second, neither of them looked away.
Then Adrian continued walking as though nothing had happened.
But Ethan noticed the slight pause.
And that alone was enough to confirm his suspicions.
---
About twenty minutes later, Ethan approached Elena’s desk calmly.
“Mr. Stormfield wants to see you.”
Every nearby employee immediately became alert.
Elena stood quickly.
“Yes… of course.”
The walk toward Adrian’s office somehow felt longer today.
Especially in these heels.
She knocked softly.
“Come in.”
Elena entered carefully.
The moment Adrian looked up from his desk again, the same strange silence filled the room.
His gray eyes moved over her once slowly before returning to the documents in front of him.
“Sit.”
Elena obeyed quietly.
For several moments, Adrian said nothing.
The tension itself felt exhausting.
Finally, he spoke.
“Charlotte Quiver will be going on maternity leave starting next week.”
Elena blinked softly.
“…Oh.”
“For the next three months, you’ll temporarily handle her responsibilities.”
Elena stared at him in complete shock.
“What?”
Adrian’s eyes lifted toward her calmly.
“You’ll assist me directly.”
Her throat tightened immediately.
“Sir, I don’t think I’m qualified enough for that.”
“You learn quickly.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Adrian leaned back slightly in his chair.
“You’re capable, Miss Hart.”
The quiet certainty in his voice caught Elena off guard completely.
Because Adrian Stormfield did not sound like a man who gave compliments easily.
“I still have university classes,” Elena said carefully.
“You’ll attend them.”
“And Florista?”
Adrian’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“You’re still working there after leaving this office exhausted every night?”
Elena stayed quiet.
Because yes.
Of course she was.
She needed the money.
Adrian studied her silently for a moment before speaking again.
“You overwork yourself unnecessarily.”
“It’s necessary for me.”
Something unreadable crossed Adrian’s expression briefly.
Then—
“Cancel your evening shift today.”
Elena frowned slightly.
“I can’t.”
“That wasn’t a suggestion.”
The tension immediately returned.
Before Elena could respond again, Adrian stood from his chair smoothly.
“We’re leaving.”
“…Leaving?”
“Client lunch.”
Elena blinked.
“With me?”
Adrian looked at her once.
“You’re replacing Charlotte.”
Right.
Of course.
Professional.
Nothing else.
---
The black luxury car waiting downstairs looked more expensive than Elena’s entire apartment building.
Adrian entered first while Ethan sat in the front passenger seat.
Elena carefully entered beside Adrian, suddenly hyperaware of everything.
The leather seats.
The cold air conditioning.
His expensive cologne.
The dangerous closeness.
The drive remained mostly silent.
Adrian reviewed documents on his tablet while Elena quietly looked outside the window, trying to calm her heartbeat.
Then suddenly—
The car stopped sharply at a traffic signal.
Elena lost balance slightly.
Her hand instinctively reached sideways—
And touched Adrian’s hand.
Warm.
Firm.
For one brief second, neither of them moved.
Elena immediately pulled away.
“I’m sorry.”
Adrian slowly looked at her.
That same heavy gaze again.
Intense enough to make breathing difficult.
Then calmly—
“Stop apologizing.”
Her cheeks warmed instantly.
And beside them, Ethan silently looked out the window pretending he noticed absolutely nothing.
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