Hot for the Boss

Chapter 4

Tahimik ang loob ng sasakyan habang binabaybay ni Adeline ang daan palabas ng building. The air conditioning groaned softly, ngunit hindi nito kayang takpan ang bumabagabag sa kan’yang isipan.

Her hands were steady on the wheel, but her thoughts? It was pure chaos.

She could still feel the heat on her skin. Hindi mula sa makina ng kotse. Hindi rin sa init ng gabi.

It was him.

Noah.

His scent still lingered faintly in the air. It was woody, masculine, and aggravatingly persistent. Distracting, she had called it.

And it was. Way too distracting for her own good.

She reached for the knob and turned the AC colder, as if that would help. But it didn’t. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened for a second before she forced herself to relax. Pull yourself together, Adeline. Sita niya sa sarili.

This wasn’t the first time she found herself toeing a line. And she knew better now.

She wasn’t the type to flinch, let alone fold. She’s dealt with clients twice as arrogant, employees who begged for second chances, and even boardrooms where she was the only woman in heels and sense.

But tonight…tonight was different.

Naalala niya ‘yong itsura ni Noah habang nilalagyan ng jumper cables ang battery ng kotse niya. The way he lowered his head, his rolled-up sleeves, and the calm, quiet focus on his face. There was something about the way he moved—relaxed, sure of himself. Hindi trying hard, hindi nagyayabang.

Just...sure. And that was what messed with her most.

Why do you look at me like that? She wanted to ask him. Like she was a puzzle he enjoyed solving, not a problem he wanted to fix.

Pagdating niya sa red light, she eased her foot on the brake and let her head fall back gently against the headrest. She stared at the red glow reflected in the windshield, her own face could be seen in the glass.

The silence stretched, but her mind kept racing.

You know, you're too curious for your own good.

That was what she told him. Pero ang totoo?

Siya ang curious. About how he thinks. How he looks at the world. About why a man like him, who could easily play it safe, chooses instead to toe the line with her.

Don’t romanticize this, she warned herself. This isn’t new.

She’d seen this film before.

Years ago. Different city. A Different face. But same damn story.

She was younger then. Mas mapagtiwala. Mas idealistic. She let someone in—someone who told her she was special, someone who swore he admired her ambition. And for a while, she believed it.

Until admiration turned possessive. Until late nights at the office turned into whispered accusations. Until every success of hers made him feel smaller.

And when it all fell apart? She was left picking up the pieces—alone, judged, and doubted. Her competence was questioned, and her promotion was delayed.

Since then, she has made a vow.

No distractions. No blurred lines. No messy entanglements in the workplace.

And yet here she was again. Stirred by a boy with rolled-up sleeves and that damn smile. Not to mention someone younger than her.

Adeline didn’t work this hard to be derailed by flirtation. Because even though she bore the Ventura name, it didn’t mean everything was handed to her.

Successor sounded clean on paper. But behind closed doors? Definitely not.

Her father made it clear. He wouldn’t hand over the company to someone undeserving, not even his own daughter. And she understood why. Because deep down, she knew it wasn’t him who built the bones of Ventura Financial Group. It was her mother.

The quiet genius behind the projections, the one who kept the board in check, the woman who stayed out of the spotlight but made every bold move count. While her father played figurehead, it was her mother who brought life into the numbers.

But no one talked about that.

And now that her mother was gone, Adeline made a silent promise.

She would earn it. All of it. Every late night, every win, every inch of respect. Because no one else was going to protect what her mother built. And she’d rather burn the company to the ground than see it fall into unworthy hands.

She couldn’t afford distractions—not now. Not ever.

Lalo na from someone like Noah.

He was too observant. Too calm. Too curious.

And curiosity, she learned, was the first step to ruin. At hindi niya kayang isugal ang lahat ng pinaghirapan niya para lamang sa pansamantalang binata sa buhay niya.

She wouldn't be the girl who fell for potential again. She wouldn't be the story whispered behind closed doors. Not this time.

She scoffed lightly to herself.

"Next time, don’t wear that cologne. It’s...distracting."

Muli na namang pumasok sa isip niya ang sinabi niya kay Noah kanina. She didn’t even mean to say it out loud. It just slipped, like a thought that grew teeth and jumped right out of her mouth before she could stop it.

Tangina, Adeline whispered under her breath, rubbing her temples. You’re losing grip.

And she hated losing grip. Ayaw niya ang pakiramdam na wala siyang kontrol sa mga bagay-bagay. Because when you don’t know how to control things, it will be the one to control you. At least that’s what she believed in.

She glanced at her hand. May bahid pa rin ng grasa sa gilid ng daliri. Sa totoo lang, she didn’t even mind. May parte sa kan’ya na natuwa. Parang nahila siya sa lupa dahil sa duming iyon. Parang naalala niya ‘yong dating bersyon ng sarili niya before the title, before the office, before everything became so…calculated.

Before she became Adeline Ventura, the woman people tiptoed around.

At ngayon, may isang taong hindi natatakot magtanong. Hindi takot titigan siya ng diretso. Hindi pinatulan ang attitude niya—pero hindi rin umatras.

And she didn’t quite know what to do with that.

You’ve been warned before, her mind whispered. You know how this ends.

She’d built walls. Thick ones. Sharp ones. And they worked. They always worked.

But tonight, something cracked.

Not all the way—but just enough to let the light in.

Ilang sandali ang lumipas ay naging green ang traffic light. Binuhay niya ang makina ng sasakyan at muling binaybay ang kahabaan ng kalsada.

But somewhere between shifting gears and changing lanes, her chest tightened—not with panic, but something subtler. Something that felt like anticipation.

She shook her head and let out a breathy laugh. Get a grip, Ade.

Nothing happened. It was just a battery. Just a guy helping out.

But deep down, alam niya. That wasn’t just anything. And he wasn’t just anyone.

THE MORNING LIGHT spilled through the adjustable blinds of her glass-walled office. Adeline stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, a coffee in hand, and her hair pulled into a low, clean bun. Her heels clicked softly on the polished floor as she moved toward her desk, reviewing her schedule for the day. Maaga pa, pero gising na gising na ang isip niya.

She had a full schedule, back-to-back meetings, and reports waiting on her desk. Pero kahit puno ang araw niya sa papel, something still felt...off.

Which was exactly why she didn’t see him coming.

“Told you you’d need the coffee more,” a familiar voice called from the doorway.

Hindi na niya kailangang lumingon para malaman kung sino iyon. That voice was already filed in her brain—too smooth for this early and far too familiar after last night.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” sagot niya, hindi pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa monitor. “I always drink black coffee before meetings. Nakakatulong sa pakikitungo sa mga walang k’wentang usapan.”

Noah chuckled, unbothered. Lumapit ito ng bahagya, may hawak na folder sa kamay.

“Then you’ll love this one,” aniya. “Procurement sent over the updated vendor rates. Akala ko baka gusto mong ma-review muna bago pa man ito iakyat officially.”

Doon pa lang siya tumingin. She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “And now you’re volunteering as a procurement messenger?”

Noah gave a light shrug, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Let’s just say I wanna check on you.”

Kinuha niya ang folder mula rito. Their fingers brushed briefly, but neither of them flinched.

“No need. We’re not that close,” malamig niyang tugon habang binubuklat ang laman.

Saglit itong natahimik. “Noted.” Noah tilted his head, his eyes stayed at her as if analyzing him.

Binalot sila ng saglit na katahimikan bago muling nagsalita si Noah.

“Maayos na ba ang kotse mo?” tanong niya, medyo casual pero may concern sa tono.

Adeline nodded, eyes still scanning the page. “Pinalitan ko na ‘yong battery kaninang umaga.”

“Good.” Tumango ito, saka tumalikod na parang tapos na ang usapan. Pero bago pa tuluyang makalabas ng pinto, nagbitiw ito ng huling linya—one she didn’t expect.

“By the way…I’m not wearing cologne today.”

Natigilan siya. She didn’t look up. She didn’t even blink. But it really caught her off guard.

Pero habang paalis si Noah, a small smirk pulled at her lips. Konti lang, pero sapat para sabihing napansin niya. And maybe, just maybe…she liked that he listened.