After Mira interrogated me, she left Lucca's office so I could finish my work. She said she would still be sleeping at my house tonight, and I didn't refuse.
I went back to what I had been doing before lunch and tried to focus on it. After half an hour, the door opened, and Lucca walked in. I looked at him, and he looked so pissed. Had he figured out the video?
"Lucca," I called.
He looked surprised to see me. Maybe he didn't know I was already in his office.
"Where have you been?" I asked.
"Dominic's office," he replied before walking over to his desk.
I nodded.
Lucca kept looking at me. Then he asked, "Have you seen the video?"
It didn't shock me because I was expecting him to ask about it. I nodded.
"Did Mira find out?"
I nodded again.
"What did she say?"
"She was a little hurt that we hid our little secret from her. She already knows we're just pretending to make your ex jealous. She also knows you kissed me for the same reason."
"I'm working on getting the video taken down. I still don't know who took it," Lucca said, keeping his eyes on me.
"A lot of people have already watched the video. People kept staring at us when we were at the coffee shop."
"I didn't know kissing someone in public would lead to this," he said, leaning back in his swivel chair.
"It's okay. What matters most is that our friends aren't mad at us," I said, forcing a smile. Then I continued working since Lucca had told me earlier that I needed to finish everything by the end of the day.
Before 5 p.m., I finished my work and submitted it to Lucca. He simply nodded and told me I could go home. He said he'd be working overtime because he'd be busy meeting with clients tomorrow. He even offered to have his driver take me home, but I refused, telling him I could commute. He didn't insist and simply agreed.
I took the bus home. Mira texted me that she would be coming over to my house. I asked her what she wanted for dinner, but she told me Dominic had texted her saying he was bringing steak.
Twenty minutes later, I arrived home. Mira's car was already parked outside.
I went inside and found Mira watching television.
"Let me wash up first," I said before heading to the bathroom.
It only took me ten minutes to freshen up and do my simple skincare routine.
I put on my pajamas and went back to the living room.
"Why does Dominic keep sleeping here? It's very unusual for him," Mira suddenly asked.
I sat beside her while looking at the television.
"Did you ask him why he's doing that?" I asked, pretending I didn't know the answer. If Mira found out that I had been hiding that secret too, she would surely get mad at me, or worse, cut off our friendship.
"Not yet. But I'll ask him when he gets here."
I nodded.
A few minutes later, we heard a car pull up in front of the house. I looked outside and saw Dominic carrying paper bags in his hands, probably the steak Mira had mentioned earlier.
"Hi, girls," Dominic greeted us.
"Hi, Dominic. Is that the steak you told us about for dinner?" Mira asked enthusiastically.
"Yup, as promised," he said.
We headed to the kitchen together. Mira and I set the table and prepared the food. Once everything was ready, we all sat down to eat.
"Mmm. The meat is so tender! This is the perfect steak for me," Mira said happily, doing a little dance.
I took a bite as well, and the meat practically melted in my mouth. It was so delicious and satisfying.
"I'm glad you girls like it," Dominic said with a smile as he cut into his steak.
"By the way, Dominic, why do you like sleeping here at Seraphina's house? You've been staying here for two nights straight," Mira said while still munching on her steak.
"Don't you like it? You have a handsome bodyguard," he asked with a chuckle.
"It's just that I'm not used to seeing you sleep here. Wouldn't it make Seraphina uncomfortable?" Mira asked, looking at me.
"Ah, it's fine with me," I said with a smile. It was fine with me because I knew the real reason Dominic was staying here. They wanted to protect me from Damon.
"If she's fine with it, then it's fine with me too. After all, you're not a stranger to us," Mira said with a smile.
"Have you seen Damian today?" Dominic asked.
Mira, who had been in a happy mood a while ago, suddenly looked sad.
"I don't know where he is. He hasn't updated me yet," she said.
"Maybe he's busy at the company."
"That's what I was thinking."
After dinner, I volunteered to wash the dishes. Dominic stayed in the kitchen while Mira went to the living room to continue watching television.
As I was washing the dishes, Dominic suddenly asked, "Have you seen the video?"
I looked at him and nodded.
"I guess Mira found out about it too?"
"We both found out at the same time."
"I was shocked when I watched it. I couldn't believe it," he said before laughing. "It actually made me jealous."
I looked at Dominic, who was still chuckling. Jealous? Why would he be?
"Just tell me if Lucca is giving you a hard time. I can reprimand him for you," he said with a smile.
"He's not giving me a hard time. And if he does, I can handle him," I said while soaping the plates.
"I know you can. You're good at handling him," he replied, chuckling again.
"You seem to enjoy teasing me, huh?" I said.
"I'm not teasing you. I'm being serious."
"You keep laughing," I pointed out.
"Because I'm just happy that I'm here with you."
I didn't know what to say, so I stayed silent and continued washing the dishes until I finished.
"You can rest in your room now," I said.
"I should get my things from the car first. I need to take a shower," he said with a smile before heading outside.
I followed him to the front door. As I watched him get his things from the car, I noticed someone staring at me. He was smiling at me like a rabid dog, as if he wanted to devour me at any moment. I didn't think Dominic had noticed the man standing near the neighbor's house. It was already dark outside.
"Sera, you're spacing out."
I didn't realize Dominic had already come back after getting his things. I shook my head.
"Am I that handsome that you can't stop looking at me?" he joked.
"No. I saw someone staring at me like a rabid dog," I muttered.
His smile immediately faded, and he looked outside, but the man was already gone.
"I didn't notice anyone. You should've told me," he said.
"I didn't want to cause a scene outside. I didn't want my neighbors coming out and watching you fight someone," I replied before closing the door.
"I'll go to my room and get some rest. You should too," I said before heading to my room.
Mira was already lying on the bed, scrolling through her phone.
"I hope Dominic likes the room," Mira said when she noticed me lying down.
"What do you mean?"
"I redecorated your grandma's room."
"You did?"
"Yes. Did I make a mistake? Shouldn't I have touched your grandma's room?"
"No. Actually, I'm glad if Dominic likes it."
I had given Mira a spare key to my house, so it was easy for her to come and go whenever she wanted. I didn't mind because I knew she was only doing it to make the boys feel comfortable.
Dominic's POV
I went to the room as Seraphina had told me to. When I stepped inside, I immediately noticed a few changes.
As I looked around the room, my phone vibrated. I glanced at the screen and saw that Lucca was calling.
"Yeah, dude?" I answered.
"Give me an update," he demanded.
"Did you already miss Seraphina? Why don't you call her?" I teased.
"Are you that stupid?" he snapped.
"No, I'm not. Maybe you are. You're the one who kissed someone you're not even in a relationship with," I said with a smile. Teasing and provoking Lucca had always been my favorite thing to do.
"Shut the fuck up!"
"Hey, calm down. Seraphina is okay. But let me give you an update. Someone was watching her outside. It was probably one of Damon's men," I said, my expression turning serious.
"Keep an eye on them," he warned.
"By the way, why am I always the one sleeping here? Not that I'm complaining, I actually like staying here and spending time with the girls, but why don't you stay here instead?" I asked.
"I'm too busy with work right now."
"Yeah, I understand."
"I'll hang up now."
"Okay. See ya!"
I ended the call and laughed at Lucca's temper. He would probably never change, even if he got a girlfriend.
I lay down on the bed to rest. Today had been exhausting, and I desperately wanted to sleep. Being a CEO was never an easy job.
Seraphina's POV
I woke up early in the morning to get ready for work. I immediately went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I was also planning to pack lunch for the two of us so we wouldn't have to eat out.
"What are you cooking? Hmm. It smells delicious."
Dominic suddenly appeared in the kitchen, still wearing his pajamas.
"Do you want me to pack lunch for you too?" I asked. Since I had plenty of lunch boxes, it wouldn't be a problem to pack one for Dominic.
"You'd do that for me?"
"Yeah, of course."
"I'll gladly accept it," he said with a smile.
"Okay."
I packed rice and the pork adobo I had cooked into a lunch box. I prepared one for Mira as well since it was one of her favorite Filipino dishes.
For breakfast, I made avocado egg toast and blended a banana almond smoothie.
While Dominic and I were setting the table, Mira walked into the kitchen with her messy hair.
"I woke up because of the smell. Is that adobo?" she asked with a yawn.
"Yeah. I packed some for you."
"Wow. Thank you, Sera."
"Let's eat," I invited, and we all took our seats.
"You're such a good cook, Sera. That's why I always love coming here. I get to taste your cooking," Dominic said before taking a sip of his smoothie.
"It's nothing special," I replied while taking a bite of my toast.
"By the way, I'll drop you off at Lucca's company," Dominic said.
"I'll just commute."
"No need. And please stop declining my offer," he said with a smile.
I couldn't do anything but nod.
After breakfast, I took a shower and got dressed. Mira fixed my hair into a ponytail and applied light makeup.
"Tomorrow's the weekend. You don't have work, right?" Mira asked as she finished touching up my makeup.
"Lucca said I don't work on weekends."
"That's good to hear. Let's go shopping tomorrow and continue our makeover plan. I'm thinking of getting a haircut too."
"Why?"
"No particular reason. I just want a new hairstyle."
I nodded before standing up. Mira handed me my bag.
A knock came from the door.
When I opened it, Dominic was already ready to leave. We headed out, and he dropped me off at Lucca's company.
I took the elevator to the executive floor where Lucca's office was located.
When I walked inside, his secretary was placing some documents on Lucca's desk.
"Good morning, Ma'am Seraphina," the secretary greeted.
"Good morning. You don't have to call me 'Ma'am,'" I replied.
"But you're Sir Lucca's girlfriend, so I should address you that way."
Right. I almost forgot we were pretending.
"Whatever the reason, I'd still prefer it if you just called me Seraphina," I said with a smile.
He smiled back.
"Sir Lucca mentioned yesterday that he'd be leaving some documents for you to work on. He said he needs your help. I've already placed them on your desk."
I looked at my desk and saw several neatly stacked folders waiting for me.
"Where's Lucca?" I asked.
"He's visiting one of our clients. I'll be heading there as well."
Oh, right.
I almost forgot that Lucca would be busy with meetings today.
"Okay. Thank you."
After he left, I focused on the work Lucca had assigned to me. It wasn't difficult, and I finished everything in just an hour and a half.
"What should I do now?" I muttered while staring at the completed documents.
I couldn't touch Lucca's files because he hadn't asked me to organize them. I also didn't want to accidentally mess up the papers on his desk.
I thought about texting him to let him know I was done, but then I remembered he was in a meeting and probably wouldn't be able to reply.
I let out a quiet sigh and stood up.
Since I had nothing else to do, I wandered around Lucca's office.
His office was spacious and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the city skyline. Sunlight streamed inside, making the dark wooden furniture gleam softly. Behind his desk stood a tall bookshelf filled with business books, leadership guides, and neatly arranged binders. A few awards and plaques lined one shelf. A coffee machine occupied one corner of the room beside a compact mini kitchen complete with a sink, cabinets, a refrigerator, and a microwave. A charcoal-gray leather sofa with a glass coffee table created a comfortable seating area for guests. On the far side of the office, a wooden door led to a private bedroom with its own bathroom, where Lucca could rest whenever work kept him at the company late into the night. The office was spotless, organized, and surprisingly free of unnecessary decorations, exactly what I expected from someone as disciplined as Lucca.
After satisfying my curiosity, I sat down on the sofa and leaned back.
What should I do now? Should I just go home? But what if Lucca finished his meeting early and came back?
Then I remembered the lunch box I had prepared for him.
I stood up, took it out of my bag, and placed it on his desk together with a spoon and fork. It was a simple lunch, but I hoped he'd like it.
With nothing else to do, I scrolled through my phone while sitting on the sofa. I looked around for a book to read, but surprisingly, there wasn't one within reach.
Next time, I'll bring one.
When noon arrived, I ate the lunch I had prepared for myself. As I ate, my eyes wandered to the lunch box sitting on Lucca's desk.
Should I regret making lunch for him?
I had forgotten that he'd be spending the whole day in meetings. He had probably gone out to eat with his clients already.
I sighed and continued eating.
At least I remembered to prepare something for him. I had simply expected we'd have lunch together today.
After eating, I sat back on the sofa.
Maybe I'll just spend the afternoon sleeping.
Yesterday had been incredibly busy, but today was the complete opposite.
As I scrolled through social media, I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep until my phone vibrated.
"Hmm..."
I glanced at the screen.
Mira was calling.
"Hello," I answered, yawning.
"I'll be cooking dinner at your house. What do you want to eat?" she asked.
"Anything is fine."
"Okay. Are you heading home now?"
"What time is it?"
"It's already five."
Shoot.
I had slept for three hours.
"I'll head home now," I said before ending the call.
As I stood up, my gaze landed on the lunch box I had prepared for Lucca.
I sighed again.
Should I just take it home?
But if I did, Mira would definitely ask why I had packed lunch for Lucca in the first place.
Instead, I left the lunch box on his desk with a small note beside it.
I made this for you this morning. If it gets cold, just microwave it. Enjoy your meal. — Sera
I quietly left his office.
His secretary was gone too.
They were probably still in the meeting.
Lucca's POV
The whole day had been exhausting.
I met with five clients today, and it drained all my energy. I should have let my secretary, my executive assistant, handle those meetings. He was good at dealing with clients and often took care of everything whenever I wasn't in the mood to run the company.
Meetings were never my thing. They bored me and left me feeling unsatisfied.
Yet, for some reason, I pushed myself through five meetings in a single day.
"Are we going back to the office, sir?" my secretary asked as we sat in the car.
"Is Seraphina still there?" I asked.
"It's already past five. She has probably gone home by now."
I simply nodded.
When we arrived at the office, I headed straight to my room. I planned to take a short nap before finishing the rest of my work.
The moment I walked in, something on my desk caught my attention.
A lunch box.
There was also a small handwritten note beside it.
I made this for you this morning. I forgot you had meetings today, so I wasn't sure if you'd still be able to eat it. If you still want it, I left it here. — Sera
I stared at the note for a long moment before slowly sitting down. My gaze shifted to the lunch box.
A faint smile found its way onto my lips.
I'd been exhausted the entire day, yet something as simple as a lunch box from Seraphina was enough to brighten my mood.
I opened it and took my first bite.
It was delicious.
So delicious that I almost forgot I'd already eaten an afternoon snack.
As I quietly finished the meal she had prepared for me, one thought became painfully clear.
I missed Seraphina.