Ruby's POV
Shock rippled through me as my eyes landed on him. The man from yesterday. The one I had bumped into. No way! He was the CEO!?
So this scent—this lingering, inexplicable scent—belonged to him.
He hadn't looked at me yet, too engrossed in his computer screen. The tension in the room thickened until his voice shattered the silence.
"What took you so long?" he asked, still not sparing me a glance.
"I'm sorry," I stammered, gripping the coffee cup tightly. "I went to the café on the first floor, and there was a line th—"
"What!?" he groaned, cutting me off, his irritation evident. "There's literally a coffee maker on the counter in your office." He finally turned to face me, his piercing eyes just as intense as they were yesterday. "I put that there so no one has to go all the way to the café for my coffee."
My throat tightened. "I—I'm s-sorry," I stuttered, holding out the cup with trembling hands. "I d-didn't know."
His sharp gaze softened almost instantly. "It's okay. You didn't know." His expression shifted into something... warmer, more approachable. Then, to my utter surprise, he smiled.
"Don't be afraid," he continued, his tone lighter. "I'm not the terror boss people make me out to be. I don't want you getting the wrong idea."
He stood, moving around his desk toward me, and gently took the coffee from my hands.
"Thank you," I murmured, my heartbeat still erratic.
Instead of returning to his desk, he strode toward the sofa set and placed the coffee on the table beside it.
I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, but the way he looked at me felt... different. I wasn't assuming anything, but there was something in his gaze that I couldn't quite define. Usually, I was good at reading people, at deciphering their body language, but this man—he was an enigma.
Unpredictable. And then...
Was he... sniffing?
His nose twitched subtly, as if he was catching onto a scent in the air. Weird.
Without another word, he shrugged off his coat and tossed it onto the sofa.
He loosened his tie, unbuttoned the top of his shirt, and slipped off his shoes before sinking into the cushions with a sigh of relaxation.
I stood there, gripping my own hands, unsure of what to do next.
This job was already proving to be a whirlwind, and I had barely even started.
He took his coffee and took a slow sip, his gaze settling on me with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
"Hey, sit down," he called out casually. "Why are you just standing there? You look weird." He chuckled, his voice laced with amusement.
I hesitated for a moment, my thoughts racing. What does he want now? But eventually, I moved toward him. He patted the seat next to him on the same sofa he was sitting on, signaling for me to sit. Even though I was a little confused, I obeyed, taking a seat cautiously.
"Why do you look so stiff? Are you nervous or something?" he asked, tilting his head slightly as he studied me. "Was it because of yesterday? Or are you just having a bad day?" He took another sip of his coffee before glancing back at me.
"N-no, I'm okay," I replied hastily. "Maybe just adjusting to the new environment." My hands unconsciously gripped my pants as I stared down at my knees. I could feel his eyes on me, his silence speaking louder than words.
Suddenly, his arm draped over my shoulder, giving me a small shake.
"Look, there's nothing to be afraid of," he reassured me, his voice softer. He leaned in slightly, and that same odd behavior returned—he was sniffing. It was subtle, but I could tell. Was he smelling me? My stomach twisted uncomfortably. Did I smell bad? No, I used deodorant. I just didn't wear perfume.
"Gosh, you're so silent." He laughed lightly, pulling away and settling back into his relaxed position. I exhaled, trying to shake off my unease.
"So, tell me everything about you," he said abruptly.
I raised an eyebrow. "Why are you even asking that?"
He turned to me quickly, pausing as if caught off guard by my question, then suddenly started laughing.
"Can't I?" he teased.
"I mean… it just seems out of place," I replied.
"Yeah, yeah, I see." He nodded, his laughter dying down. "You're so different."
"Why?" I asked curiously.
"Because you're so quick-witted, and you're interesting." He studied me before finishing his coffee. "You're… different."
"Why?" I repeated, mimicking his question from earlier.
He stared at me, then shook his head dismissively. "Nothing, just never mind."
I smirked. "Oh, no. You don't get to dodge the question this time."
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. I just meant you don't react the way I expect you to.
Most people are predictable." He leaned back further, placing his feet on the coffee table in front of him. His office was immaculate, far more luxurious than mine.
"You're exceptional as well," I remarked, watching his reaction carefully.
He blinked and turned to me with mild surprise. "Why?"
Now it was my turn to be vague. "Nothing. Just never mind."
His brows furrowed, and he feigned a serious look. "And who gave you permission to do that to me?"
I froze. "I'm sorry—"
"Just kidding!" he burst out laughing and reached over to ruffle my hair.
"Stop!" I pulled away, frantically fixing my hair. "You're ruining my hairstyle!"
He was still laughing, thoroughly entertained by my reaction. "Seriously, though. Why'd you say that?"
I shrugged, still smoothing out my hair. "I don't know. You just give off that vibe."
His expression turned thoughtful. "What vibe?"
I met his gaze. "Whenever I look at you, I can never tell what you're going to do next. I can't predict you. And that… that makes you interesting."
He smirked slightly. "But I'm not even thinking about anything."
"Exactly!" I laughed. "You look like you are, but you're not. It's confusing."
He exhaled, gazing at the ceiling. "Your vibe is really calming," he muttered absentmindedly. "Your voice, your energy, your image… and your scent."
My heart skipped a beat. So he really was sniffing me earlier. His words hung in the air for a moment before he suddenly realized what he had said.
Clearing his throat, he shot up from the couch, hastily fixing his shirt and tie before walking to his desk. "Okay, get back to work."
I sighed, standing up. "See? This is exactly what I'm talking about."
He glanced at me, then chuckled. "I see it now."
"And this!" I gestured to him. "The sudden shift in mood. I swear you're bipolar."
He grinned. "Maybe."
"Anyway, is there something you actually wanted me to do?" I asked.
"No, nothing," he said, now flipping through the stack of documents on his desk.
I frowned. "Then why did you call me here?"
He glanced up briefly. "I just wanted to check on you. That's all."
"Oh… well, okay then. I'm going." I turned toward the door, ready to leave, but when I pressed the unlock button, nothing happened. The door wouldn't budge.
Confused, I pressed it again. Still nothing.
I turned back to him and caught him silently laughing, his hand casually extended toward the side of his desk, where a small control panel sat.
"What?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Nothing," he said, barely containing his amusement.
"Let me out!" I groaned.
"Okay, okay!" He laughed, finally pressing a button. A soft click sounded, and the door unlocked.
I pulled it open, scowling. "What is wrong with you?" I muttered.
"I heard that," he called out, still grinning.
I bit my lip, suppressing a smile. "I didn't mean to say it out loud."
"Sure," he drawled, leaning back in his chair.
"By the way, how old are you?" I asked suddenly.
He raised an eyebrow. "Huh? 23. Why?"
I smirked. "That explains a lot."
His eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
I just turned and walked away, leaving him to wonder.