"Sometimes, the most dangerous feeling is the one you pretend not to want."
đïž Late Night â Claire's Apartment
The moment Claire stepped into her penthouse, the silence swallowed her whole.
The soft click of the door behind her echoed like punctuation to the chaos of the day â a day that had started in a hospital hallway, turned into a storm of rain, and somehow⊠ended with him.
She stood there a moment, her fingers still curled around the doorknob, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor as she walked forward. The warmth of the space contrasted the cold she'd carried with her all day. But now⊠now there was a strange flutter in her chest.
Leo's voice haunted her in the most unexpected way.
"Thank you."
Two simple words. No drama. No explosion of feeling. Just quiet gratitude.
But it was him. Leo â the man who had built walls between them so high they scraped the sky. For him to say that⊠even softly⊠it had sent something tumbling inside her.
She dropped her heels by the velvet settee, shrugged off her coat, and made her way to her bedroom. Her bare feet padded across the warm wooden floor, her hair still damp from the earlier storm. She hadn't bothered drying it completely â her mind had been too full. Still was.
He said thank you.
That shouldn't have been a big deal. But it was.
She collapsed onto the bed, the soft sheets welcoming her like an old friend. With a sigh, she reached for the nearest pillow and hugged it tightly to her chest. Her eyes fluttered closed, her mind replaying every second of the moment she saw Leo's expression change. His hand reaching out to steady her. The way his voice lowered when he said her name.
The pillow wasn't him, but she squeezed it anyway.
What would it be like to wake up with his arm around her? To feel his breath on her neck, his warmth covering hers like a shield from the world?
She turned to her side, smiling like a teenager. A fantasy bloomed behind her closed lids â Leo cornering her in the rain-soaked hallway, his voice low, angry, but his hands gentle. Pulling her closer. Letting the storm pour while his forehead rested against hers. A kiss, almost desperate. A confession, trembling on his lips. That same man who said thank you would let go of control â for her.
Claire bit her lip, burying her face in the pillow.
She was falling again â dangerously, stupidly â and she knew it.
But this time, she didn't want to stop.
đ€ïžNext Morning â 9:00 AM
By morning, the dreamy haze had been replaced by the sharp edge of clarity. Claire sat at her sun-drenched kitchen island, a sleek espresso machine humming behind her. She wore a silk robe and a no-nonsense expression.
Her phone was in hand, her fingers tapping with brisk precision.
đ "Get me the contact details of the intern who filed that false police report yesterday. And check which department she works in. I want her in my office in an hour."
Her voice was calm â too calm.
By the time Claire entered her office, the girl had already arrived.
The girl looked⊠startled. Nervous, yes â but also overly excited. As if she'd been summoned by royalty.
"Director Han," she said breathlessly, adjusting her tight skirt, "I can't believe you called me personally! Everyone said the CEO of Ahn Group doesn't usually meet lower staff like us. I thought I was getting a promotion or something! Hahaâ I even wore my best lipstickâ"
"Sit," Claire cut her off gently.
The girl sat quickly, beaming like she'd won a prize.
A moment passed. Claire picked up her coffee. She stirred it once, casually, then looked at the girl.
"Where did you go yesterday afternoon?"
The girl blinked. "Uhâyesterday? Oh! The cafĂ©. CafĂ© Lune. I went to that little place near the stationâ"
Claire tilted her head. "And?"
The girl laughed dramatically, throwing her head back like she was reliving a comedy.
"Ugh, don't get me started! There was this rude barista girl â like, who the hell does she think she is? And then this guy, some broke dude in an apron, thinks he can talk to me like I'm trash! I swear, if I wasn't in heels, I would'veâ"
Claire interrupted her by slamming a file down on the desk.
The girl jumped.
Claire didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to.
"This year's bonus? Gone."
The smile on the intern's face froze.
"Whaâwait, what?"
Claire didn't answer. She opened the file. "You don't work for another company, sweetheart. You work here. In a separate division under Han Group."
Her mouth dropped open. "Waitâwait, I work forâ"
"You do." Claire stood and walked slowly around the desk. "And you're not here for a promotion. You're here because you insulted two employees at Café Lune⊠a branch owned by Han Group."
The girl's eyes widened.
Claire leaned close. "Every time you ask a question, you lose something."
The girl blinked, confused. "Whaâ"
"Now your monthly allowance. Gone."
She gasped.
"Still questioning? Great. Say goodbye to next quarter's training budget."
"No, wait! I didn't knowâ"
"There goes half your annual appraisal score."
"Please stop!"
Claire raised an eyebrow. "Still talking. That's another month of pay."
The girl covered her mouth.
Claire stared at her. "Now you understand. Don't ever mistreat anyone â especially my people. The boy you insulted runs that cafĂ©. And the girl you mocked? Happens to be someone very important to me."
Claire returned to her seat.
"You will go to CafĂ© Lune today and apologize to both of them. My assistant will accompany you. If you question me againâ"
"I won't!"
Claire smirked. "Too late. That's seven months of deductions. You're learning⊠slowly."
The girl stood in a daze. As she turned to leave, Claire looked through the file and added:
"And don't forget to smile when you say sorry. We're all about brand image."
The door shut behind her with a soft click.
đ§Ÿ Later â Mira's Office
Jisoo walked in with a silent expression. Claire was sipping from a glass of water, one leg crossed elegantly.
"She's on her way," Jisoo said.
"Good," Claire replied, not looking up.
Jisoo lingered a moment. "You⊠really cut her salary?"
Claire's eyes flicked up, sharp.
"I told you. I don't like when people touch what's mine."
Jisoo lowered her voice. "You're not just protecting him, are you?"
Claire said nothing for a long time.
Then softly, almost to herself:
"I'm not sure if I'm protecting him⊠or finally protecting the part of me that still believes in us."
âApology Scene â CafĂ© Lune
Leo was behind the counter when the door opened.
The same girl from yesterday stood awkwardly at the entrance, flanked by Jisoo.
Leo narrowed his eyes.
The girl shuffled forward, lips twitching.
"I'm⊠sorry. I was rude. I didn't mean to insultâwell, I guess I did, but I didn't knowâ"
He blinked.
Jisoo stepped forward and whispered something in her ear.
The girl straightened.
"I sincerely apologize for my behavior yesterday. I was wrong. You were just doing your job."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "And?"
She hesitated. "And⊠I hope you'll forgive me."
Leo shrugged. "Sure."
She bowed awkwardly and rushed out.
Jisoo stayed behind, smiling faintly.
Leo looked at her. "What just happened?"
Jisoo winked. "CEO things."
đ Final Twist Scene â Claire's Office
Jisoo burst into the office holding a tablet.
"Claireâlook at this!"
Claire took it slowly. Her heart sank as she read the ad flashing on the screen.
It was her. Her photo. Her name.
"CEO Claire Han Mira involved in shady employee abuse and illegal deductions â exclusive leaks from former intern!"
Jisoo's voice dropped. "It's spreading like wildfire."
Claire's eyes narrowed.
She didn't blink. Didn't flinch.
But her voice was ice-cold.
"Let them come."