A Billionaire's Lust Obsession

Chapter 3: Unspoken Tension

ZERI’S POV

The office felt… different today. Parang may tension sa paligid na hindi ko ma-explain. The usual hum of computers and faint chatter of employees was there, pero there is something. I sensed it before I even stepped into my office.

I dropped my bag on the desk, tracing a finger along the smooth wooden edge. The sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows hit my face, warm and sharp, forcing me to squint. Somehow, even that felt like a warning.

Sienna peeked in, holding a thick folder.

“Ma’am, may mga urgent emails mula sa clients and the monthly report is ready for review.”

“Thank you,” I muttered, rubbing my temples. Nang makalabas na si Sienna ng office ko ay binuksan ko ang thick folder na iniwan niya sa table ko. Pero kahit sinusubukan kong mag-focus, my mind kept wandering back to him. Dreyden. Somehow, ang dami kong gustong itanong—pero wala akong balak na ipakita kahit kanino na affected ako.

Hindi ko kasi alam bakit pakiramdam ko, nakilala ko na siya before. At pakiramdam ko parang nagkita na kami, hindi ko lang din lang din kasi talaga matandaan kung saan at kailan.

The intercom buzzed, pagkaupo ko pa lang sa swivel chair ko.

“Ma’am, Mr. Celestial is here. He asked if he could speak to you for a moment.”

I froze, halfway to picking up my coffee mug. My chest tightened. Actually, dapat naman alam ko nang anytime talaga pwede kaming magkita ulit dahil nasa iisang opisina lang kami. Pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit para akong teenager na kinikilig pa everytime na makikita ko siya.

Wait. Did I just say kilig?

Nailing ako at parang gusto kong tawanan ang sarili ko. I’m too old for that. For God’s sake Zerina!

May girlfriend siya, okay? Paalala ko sa sarili ko, then sinubukan ko na lang mag-focus.

“Send him in,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.

Seconds later, the door opened and there he was, calm as ever, with that unreadable expression that always made me feel exposed.

Even the faint scent of his perfume—warm, subtle, undeniable—drifted to me. His steps were measured, confident, echoing slightly against the polished floor.

“Good morning, Ms. Montealegre,” he said. Calm. Direct. But this time, there was something different in his gaze. Less teasing, more… serious.

I nodded, gesturing for him to sit. “What’s the matter, Mr. Celestial?”

He seated himself without hesitation, hands folded neatly on his lap.

“I wanted to discuss the upcoming campaign launch and the adjustments our team suggested. I think we need a few changes,” diretso namang sabi niya. He didn’t waste even a second.

I raised a brow. “Oh? I thought the team had already finalized the strategy. At ang alam ko that matter has already been discussed, Mr. Celestial.”

“They did, and yeah, we already talked about it,” he admitted. “Pero after reviewing the numbers, I think we can push it further. Higher ROI if we tweak the target demographics.”

I leaned back in my chair, studying him. Hindi ko maalis sa isip ko na parang ang taas ng confidence niya ngayon. Not the usual calmness he radiates, but more calculated. “So, you’re saying we should redo part of the plan?”

“Not redo, ma’am. Refine. Optimize. Make it sharper.” He smiled slightly, but this one didn’t tease—it was intentional, like he wanted to see if I could handle it.

I narrowed my eyes. “Fine. Show me the projections. I want hard numbers and a clear plan. No assumptions.”

He nodded, pulling out a tablet and swiping through charts. “Here. I’ve adjusted the KPIs based on our previous campaigns. If we allocate 20% more budget to digital, engagement can increase by 15%, and conversion by 8%. But it requires a stricter schedule and closer monitoring.”

I took the tablet, scanning through the data. Hindi ko mapigilang ma-impress sa ginawa niyang proposal na ‘yon—hindi ko maitatangi kung gaano siya ka-precise at ka-smart. But I refused to let that shake me.

“This looks promising. But why didn’t you bring this up earlier? You had access to these numbers last week, di ba?”

“I did,” he said smoothly. “Pero I wanted to present a complete picture. Not just partial results.”

I blinked. Okay, I couldn’t argue with that. And yet... “Hmph. Fine. We’ll run it, but if this fails, you’re explaining it to me personally.”

He chuckled softly. “Understood, Ma’am. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Silence fell for a moment, but it wasn’t awkward. It was the kind of silence that felt charged, like electricity in the air. I could hear the faint ticking of the wall clock, the soft hum of the AC, even my own heartbeat.

“You’ve changed,” I said quietly, almost to myself.

He tilted his head, curious. “Changed?”

“Yes,” I replied. “It’s not the same Dreyden... I mean Mr. Celestial, who came in a few weeks ago. You’re sharper, more deliberate. And somehow, more dangerous.”

He raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “Dangerous, huh? That’s a first.”

“Don’t test me,” I muttered, but the corner of my lips twitched despite myself.

He stood, tucking the tablet under his arm. “I’ll let the results speak for themselves, Ms. Montealegre. You’ll see soon enough.”

I watched him leave, every step deliberate, every motion controlled. And for the first time in weeks, I felt off-balance. Not because of fear, but because of anticipation. Something was changing between us—between him and me—or maybe it’s just me.

As soon as he left, my phone buzzed. Sienna was standing there, holding the rest of the files I needed. “Ma’am, I’ll schedule a review session with the team this afternoon. At nasabihan ko na po ang lahat ng heads.”

“Good. Let’s make sure they’re ready,” I said, forcing my focus back to the work. Pero deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that today was going to be… different.