*next day*
I checked my phone again.
8:43 a.m.
The bus was latte. Again.
I moved on the bench and wrapped my blazer around me when a small breeze seemed to blow through. I scanned the road up and down─nothing. A few cars rolled by but no bus to be seen.
Great. Just great.
I sighed and massaged my temple. Why didn't I just sleep early last night?
Oh right─Aria.
We chatted untill 2 a.m., laughing about everything from Levi's sudden appearance to my near-death experience in heels at adrien's hands
Now here I was, functioning on five hours of sleep and half a granola bar.
"Come on, come on," I muttered under my breath checking the time again. 8:45. If I didn't get to the office by 9:15, Adrien was going to fry me alive with one of his silent, soul-scorching stares and heavy work load.
It's not like I wanted to impress him or anything. I just didn't want to be on his bad side. Again.
A car honked nearby and my head snapped up with hope─but nope, still no bus. I wish I can ride my scooter to work.
I rubbed my hands together, partly from nerves, partly from the morning chill.
"Lord, if You get me to that office on time, I swear I'll sleep at 10 p.m. tonight," I muttered. "Just… please. Save me from the hands of the devil. Adrien will skin me alive."
I was just about to give up and start walking when a car slowed down and stoped in front of me. At first I ignored it. Probably someone asking for directions or—
"Isabella?"
I blinked and turned toward the voice.
A sleek black car. Window rolled down.
Levi.
My jaw actually dropped. "Levi?"
He grinned from behind the wheel. "What are the odds?"
"Oh my God," I walked up, stunned. "Are you stalking me or—?"
He laughed. "Relax. I'm on my way to a meeting. Saw you standing out here looking like the wind was about to blow you away. Need a ride?"
I looked up the road again. Still no sign of the bus. Not even hope. "God, yes."
He leaned over and popped the door open. "Hop in. Where to?"
I slid into the passenger seat adjusting my skirt. "vantage and cole. Walton's Building."
He arched a brow. "No way. I'm headed to the office block just down the road from there. Thirty-third building after yours, I think."
"Seriously?"
"Fate," he said with a smirk. "Or maybe you're stalking me now."
I rolled my eyes. "Funny."
But inside? I was glowing. Because thank you, universe. No awkward explanations, no angry boss or me loosing my job. Just a very well-timed Levi.
As we pulled into traffic I checked the time. 8:53.
I just might live another day.
****
I walked into the office lobby with my ID in hand telling myself to act normal.
I stepped into the elevator, my heart doing a weird thud-thud thing even though I tried to tell it to chill.
It's just work.
By the time I got to our floor, the air-conditioning hit my skin like a slap of reality. I adjusted my blazer and walked out of the elevator.
I stepped into the office and the door clicked shut behind me, and I swear─the temperature dropped by ten degrees.
I took a hesitant step forward, already bracing myself.
There he was. Adrien. Behind his desk, his eyes glued to his laptop and Jaw clenched so tight I was surprised his teeth hadn't cracked. His fingers moved like weapons, punishing his keyboard with each aggressive keystroke.
And the vibe in the room? Hostile. Furious. Radioactive.
I could literally feel his anger from across the room.
No, wait—
Was that… smoke?
Oh God.
Was his head actually smoking?!
I blinked once.
Twice.
Squinted hard.
Okay, maybe not literal smoke—but metaphorically? Oh, he was a whole damn volcano on the edge of eruption. His aura screamed one thing loud and clear:
"Someone's about to die." And I had a strong suspicion that someone was me.
"You're late," he said without even looking up. His voice was smooth and controlled.
Too controlled.
The kind of calm that came right before a storm ripped the roof off your house.
"Again," he added, like a knife twist.
I cleared my throat. "I—I had a rough mor—"
He stood.
I shut up.
Slowly—so damn slowly—he turned toward me and that's when I saw it fully.
His expression was unreadable. No scowl or frown. Just a pair of piercing eyes staring me down like I'd committed treason.
I wanted to shrink into the nearest cabinet.
"I want coffee," he said. "You have five minutes."
I blinked. "From the café downstairs?"
"No." His tone sharpened. "Down the street. Mister Bean's. They have a new Ethiopian roast. Dark, Strong, Bold. Like I asked."
No. No, you didn't. You never mentioned this. But I didn't dare say that out loud.
He turned away, already dismissing me and tossed a file onto the edge of his desk. "Now."
I stood there for a second too long. Lord have mercy.
"You're still here?" he added, without even looking up again.
Okay, damn. Message received. My gosh
I spun on my heel and marched out.
This man was really about to send me out on a coffee quest like I was some unpaid intern. I didn't even know Mister Bean's carried Ethiopian roast. What the hell was Ethiopian roast supposed to taste like, anyway? And where did he even find out about this new roast? Did he have a newsletter subscription for special coffee updates?
I groaned and pushed through the office door. Ughh.
Welcome back bella. You're officially back in hell.
**8*
The wind nearly knocked the cup out of my hand as I power-walked back to the building, heels clicking like a ticking time bomb. Five minutes? Five?! What kind of madman gives someone five minutes to perform a full-on coffee miracle run?
By some divine intervention and an illegal jog across the street I made it back in six.
Sue me.
I paused outside his office door, trying to calm my breathing. No way was I walking in looking like I'd just survived a zombie apocalypse just to hand over coffee. I adjusted my blouse and wiped the sweat from my upper lip and entered.
Adrien was still seated at his desk, fingers flying across the keyboard, his eyes glued to the screen. The storm cloud above his head has reduced but I wasn't naive enough to assume the weather had cleared.
"Here's your coffee," I saidd carefully placing the cup on his desk like it was an offering to a particularly moody god.
And then… silence.
I was about to turn and sneak out when I heard it.
Soft. So soft I almost thought I imagined it.
"Thank you."
My eyes widened. I blinked.
What?
I looked at him expecting to see a smirk or a sarcastic glint in his eye but there was none of that. Just him, focused on his screen like he hadn't just delivered the biggest shock of my morning.
I stared a second too long.
He noticed.
His head turned and those sharp unreadable eyes locked onto mine.
"What?" he asked, a bit irritated.
I cleared my throat. "Nothing. Just... you said thank you."
"And?" His brow lifted.
I shrugged. "Didn't know you were capable of basic manners. Noted."
He didn't respond but his lips twitched—just slightly like he was holding back a smile.
I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me flustered then I turned and walked toward my desk resisting the urge to look back.
But inside?
Yeah.
I was weirdly, ridiculously proud of that thank you like I just unlocked a secret level in the Adrien Boss Battle.