Episode 3

The office buzzed with activity the next morning, but Aruka couldn’t shake the awkwardness from yesterday’s events. Patrick’s flirtatious remarks still lingered in her mind, but what unsettled her more was the intensity in Adam’s eyes when he interrupted their conversation.

She set her coffee on her desk and sighed. Why do things always have to be complicated?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her desk. She looked up to see Patrick standing there with his signature grin.

“Good morning, Ms. Takashi,” he said smoothly. “Care for some company on your lunch break today?”

Aruka hesitated. His friendly demeanor was charming, but she couldn’t ignore the tension his presence created with Adam.

“I... I’ll think about it,” she replied cautiously.

“Take your time,” Patrick said with a wink before walking away.

---

Across the office, Adam sat in his corner office, staring out the window but not seeing the cityscape. His thoughts were entirely on Aruka and Patrick.

Patrick had always been a wildcard—charming, unpredictable, and far too interested in stirring up trouble. Adam couldn’t decide what bothered him more: Patrick’s obvious interest in Aruka or the fact that Aruka didn’t seem entirely opposed to it.

His thoughts were interrupted by his assistant knocking on the door.

“Sir, the board meeting starts in five minutes,” she reminded him.

Adam nodded and stood, straightening his tie. “Cancel it,” he said abruptly.

The assistant blinked. “Cancel... the board meeting?”

“Yes,” Adam said, grabbing his phone. “Something more important just came up.”

---

At lunch, Aruka sat in the cafeteria, poking at her salad. She glanced up to see Patrick approaching her table with two cups of coffee.

“Thought you could use a pick-me-up,” he said, setting one cup in front of her.

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile.

As they chatted, the atmosphere grew lighter. Patrick was easy to talk to, and for a moment, Aruka forgot about the stress of her new role—or Adam.

That moment didn’t last long.

“Enjoying yourselves?”

The familiar voice sent a chill down Aruka’s spine. She looked up to see Adam standing at the edge of their table, his expression unreadable but his eyes dangerously sharp.

“Adam,” Patrick said with a smirk. “Care to join us?”

“No,” Adam said curtly. His gaze shifted to Aruka. “We have a meeting in five minutes. Let’s go.”

Aruka frowned. “But I didn’t see anything on my schedule.”

“I just added it,” Adam said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Patrick chuckled. “Easy there, cousin. Don’t scare her off.”

Adam ignored him, turning on his heel and striding away. Aruka sighed and stood, giving Patrick an apologetic look before following Adam.

---

In the privacy of his office, Adam turned to face her, his expression stormy.

“What was that?” he demanded.

“What was what?” Aruka shot back, crossing her arms.

“You and Patrick,” he said, his voice low but heated. “He’s not someone you should be spending time with.”

“Excuse me?” she said, her temper flaring. “You don’t get to dictate who I talk to.”

“I’m trying to protect you,” Adam snapped.

“From what?!”

“From him!”

The room fell silent as the weight of his words hung between them. Aruka stared at him, her heart racing for reasons she didn’t fully understand.

“Why do you even care?” she whispered.

Adam took a step closer, his voice softer now. “Because I know Patrick. He doesn’t take things seriously. He’s... reckless.”

“And you’re any different?” she challenged.

Adam’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, she thought he might argue. Instead, he turned away, running a hand through his hair.

“You don’t understand,” he muttered.

“Then explain it to me,” she said, her voice trembling with frustration.

But Adam didn’t answer. The tension in the room was almost unbearable, and before she could press him further, he spoke again, his tone dismissive.

“You can go. The meeting’s canceled.”

Aruka stared at him for a moment before turning and walking out, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and unanswered questions.

---

Back in her apartment that evening, Aruka paced the room, replaying the day’s events in her head. She couldn’t deny the strange pull she felt toward Adam, despite how infuriating he was.

Her phone buzzed with a text.

Patrick: “Dinner tomorrow? No pressure.”

She sighed, conflicted. As much as Patrick’s lighthearted charm was a welcome distraction, she couldn’t ignore the storm brewing between her and Adam.

“What am I getting myself into?” she whispered.

---

Elsewhere, Adam sat in his empty office, staring at the glass of whiskey in his hand. He couldn’t shake the image of Aruka smiling at Patrick, and it burned in a way he couldn’t explain.

“Get it together, Adam,” he muttered to himself.

But deep down, he knew—this was only the beginning of something he couldn’t control.

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