Breaking Through His Walls

isdirected aga

always got the better of her. And after Ethan had just complimente

t. Surely, he'd lash out or summon the head of staf

. sil

out, eyes scanning the room-everywhere but

elaxed slight

e to my office in t

Lena answe

t over. I might be expecting someone so

le. Was that... a joke? But

e replied, trying not

an, then checked t

p.m.-same with the nearby staff. Ten minutes passe

ten all day. Audrey's morning check-up had draine

bag and made f

n to close, she saw hi

back, but he held the doo

as glued to his phone again, endlessly scrolling but not really doing anything. Le

e sound rattled th

he asked, loo

she stammered, scan

r jolted. T

the doors open, anything to undo this nightmare.

tched in

ped against the wall

?" he fin

ck," she

" He leaned back cas

of si

soon," he added, "we mi

na asked,

Comes and goes. Rarely used. I don

-

pounding. Of all the scenarios she'd imagined for

y herself than anything else. "Do

"Doubt it. You said you

no

low-up message," he said, lifting his phone an

widened. "Yo

"Does it lo

a tiny metal box with a man who never smiled, rarely blin

I didn't mean to forward that ca

igur

needing to say it. "I've only

his voice low but n

one word-it wasn't dism

ime meeting her eyes. "People mess

the elevator jolt. A small

ed her over-not inappropriate

udent, right

eplied, surprised a

he said. "Most appli

rying to im

t's

g, but real. Lena stared, unsure what surprised her more

ore. Not warm, not friendly, but... somethi

ain, the lights flickered and the elevat

to re

then turned halfway toward her. "Let Christian know I

s,

d L

pa

t bad unde

lked

ly open, heart racing-but this

lunch. I had barely sat down before I overheard a few staff whispe

hat close to

compliment? Eth

iles at you in the morn

who could smile and scowl at the same time. Others referred to him as the unfeeling boss, always calm, never shaken. They said he did

s he numb or simply t

ected, Ethan didn't miss a second of his routine. At exactly

gleamed like glass, and his name-Ethan O'Martin, CEO-was engraved on the front of his black glass desk. Behind him, a massive floor-to-ceiling window showcas

nd?" he said flatl

sir," I

this. And next time, don't wait until lunc

y, hugging the

glancing at his watch. "Would've asked y

d worn what I thought was

d, almost to himself, "but l

of my cheek, unsu

comes, tell her

sir," I said,

"Sir... I have a questio

s eyes. "Then

he photo on your desk

ath-half sigh, half la

." I pointed gently.

lightly, just enough to

s my mother," h

autiful," I

all. No flicker of e

d. The woman in the photo. His tone. They said she's my moth

ight of a storm-calm on t

tes crawled toward the end of my shift. When E

Christian will join me at the mee

oing through them, flipping each page like it held s

Lena. There's noth

ut confused by his s

r the first time since morning. His vo

everything you

etween a warning and a

zen, heart

y did he me

eting him, did it feel like I was ju

-