The top floor of the Sunrise Group was very quiet. The carpets were thick, and the walls were covered in expensive art. This was where the most important people worked. Calvin, acting as the shy secretary, was walking back to the CEO's office. He was carrying a folder for Alan, but his mind was not on work.
He was thinking about Lucy. He told himself he was just being silly. He was a powerful businessman on a secret mission. He didn't have time for feelings or pretty girls in yellow dresses.
"Focus," he muttered to himself. "You are here for revenge, not for her."
But just as he turned the corner, the heavy doors of the archive room swung open.
Lucy came walking out, and she looked like she was struggling. She was carrying a huge stack of old, heavy books. They were piled so high that she couldn't see over the top of them. She was wobbling with every step, trying her best not to drop everything.
"Excuse me! Sorry! Heavy books coming through!" she called out, her voice sounding a little strained.
Calvin stopped and watched her. He saw that her foot was about to hit the edge of a thick rug. He should have just walked past her. A normal secretary would have stayed out of the way. But Calvin couldn't move his eyes away from her.
Then, it happened.
Lucy's heel caught the rug. Her eyes went wide with fear as she started to fall forward. The heavy books began to slide out of her arms like a mountain of paper. She let out a little scream and closed her eyes, waiting to hit the hard floor.
But the floor never came.
Before she could fall, Calvin moved. He wasn't slow like "Oliver" anymore. He moved like lightning. He dropped his own folder and reached out, catching her just in time.
One of his strong arms wrapped firmly around her waist. His other hand grabbed her shoulder to keep her steady. He pulled her close against his chest so she wouldn't slip.
The heavy books crashed to the floor all around them with loud *thuds*, but Lucy was safe in his arms.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. The hallway was silent.
Calvin felt her heart beating fast against his chest. She was small and felt very light in his arms. Because they were so close, he noticed things he hadn't before.
She didn't smell like the strong, expensive perfumes of the city. She smelled like something sweet and natural. It was the scent of vanilla and fresh jasmine flowers. It was a soft, lovely smell that made his head spin for a second.
His hand stayed on her waist. He could feel the warmth of her body through her dress. For a moment, he forgot he was pretending to be someone else. He forgot about his mission and his anger. He held her just a second too long, his fingers pressing gently into her side.
Lucy looked up at him, her face only inches away from his. Her cheeks were bright red, and she was breathing heavily because of the scare. When she looked into his eyes behind his glasses, she felt a strange spark. It felt like a little bolt of electricity moving from his hand to her heart. She felt safe, but also very fluttery inside.
"I... I..." Lucy tried to speak, but she couldn't find the words. She just stared at him, wondering why this "shy secretary" felt so strong and steady.
Suddenly, a door opened down the hall.
The sound snapped Calvin back to reality. He instantly pulled his hand away and stepped back. His face turned cold and professional again, like a mask. He hid his hands in his pockets so she wouldn't see them shaking.
"You should look where you are going," he said. His voice was flat and robotic, as if he didn't care at all. "These floors are very slippery."
Lucy stood up straight, feeling a bit lonely now that his arms were gone. She felt confused by the "spark" she had just felt.
"Thank you, Oliver," she whispered, looking down at the floor. "You saved me again. I'm so sorry I'm such a mess today."
Calvin didn't look at her. He knelt down and started picking up the heavy books. He stacked them perfectly in a neat pile.
"It happens," he said shortly. He didn't want to show her how much his heart was racing. "This building is a difficult place for new people."
He handed her the stack of books, making sure their skin didn't touch this time.
"Thank you," she said again. She looked at him, trying to see the man who had just held her so tightly. But all she saw was Oliver—the quiet, awkward guy who wouldn't even look her in the eye.
"I have to go. Mr. Voss wants his tea," Calvin said.
He turned around and walked away quickly. He didn't look back once. But as he walked, he squeezed his hand into a fist. He could still feel the warmth of her waist. He could still smell the sweet vanilla and jasmine on his clothes.
Calvin ducked into a small break room and leaned against the door, taking a deep breath. He was supposed to be a "walking bomb" ready to destroy everything. But every time he was near Lucy, he felt like he was the one being blown apart.
He was in trouble, and he knew it. This mission was supposed to be about hate, but now, something else was getting in the way.