Date The CEO.com

Chapter 158: Captured by Your Lips

``Yan: So you're saying it's okay if we're in public?``

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"How-HuhWhat?" Eve gasped. She reread the message over and over again. Mathematical formulas materialized around her head. They had been talking about the kissthe kiss that came out of nowhere and why it happened

Then, how did the conversation end up this way?

She wiped the front of her face, trying to keep up with the flow. 

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``Lin: Do you find it necessary in the relationship we're trying to portray?``

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'That had to be what he meant, right?' She asked herself. The question was seeking for consent on this new part of their agreement. The kiss earlier was a test on her part. It was to see how she'd react if it came suddenly like certain situations required.

A test she clearly failed Eve groaned and fell on her back. 

Meanwhile, Ambryan almost chuckled. 

She played right into his hands. The answer was quite obvious. 

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``Yan: Of course.``

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When Monday rolled in, Eve arrived at the office earlier than usual. She sat on her desk and buried herself in work. Anything she could get a headstart on was placed on the top of her to-do list. Staff groups would soon log in into their accounts and find several emails from her. 

It dampened their morning mood.

The elevator dinged.

Tapping noises from typing ceased. Eve stood up and straightened her work clothes. Her hair had grown a bit. She made a mental note to have it cut soon. For now, she tucked stray strands behind her ears. Footsteps echoed loudly in her earseven when they were muted by the carpet.

Behind the wall that blocked her vision

emerged a pair of thin lips.

Eve averted her eyes, cursing at her short hair. She had nothing to hide the blush that threatened to color her face. Her hands clenched on her slacks. Of all the things her gaze could land on, it had to be his l

"Is there something the matter?" Ambryan asked. He noticed the difference right away. Usually, his secretary greeted him as we walked to the office. He had caught her head turn from the corner of his eye.

Jumping slightly, Eve bowed her head and remembered her mannerisms. "G-Good morning, Sir Hathaway. I already went through your emails and sent them according to priority."

Ambryan deepened his scowl. "What time did you arrive?"

Eve looked up, blinking. "Oh..., I've been here for an hour?"

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to change your shift?" 

"It's nothing like that, Sir Hathaway," she defended and raised her hands in protest. "I merely woke up earlier than I intended. I had nothing else to do so I thought of starting work early. Since we'll be visiting the studios, I think it was the best choice for my free time."

Ambryan stared at her for a few seconds. He noted the bags under her eyes. There was something troubling her but he wouldn't push on the subject. It would be a lie to say he hadn't done the same thing whenever he faced problems outside of work.

"Then, you don't mind if you brew me a cup of tea?" He said, thinking it could be a good distraction. Since she did a lot of the work, he decided to take initiative on other ones. 

"Not at all." Eve smiled. Then, her eyes lit up like stars. "Would you like scones with that?"

Ambryan raised an eyebrow. "Are there any?"

"I stopped by the bakery and saw them. They were freshly baked so I ended up buying a few," she explained, leaving out a few details. She had skipped breakfast when she left the house. And the smell from the bakery caused her stomach to grumble.

Everything looked so good, she wanted to try them all.

"I'll have a few then," Ambryan decided. 

"I'll prepare both right away."

He checked his watch and proceeded to his office.

Eve heaved a sigh of relief when the door closed. Things had flown back to normal. What was she expecting exactly? Ambryan treated her like he always did. It wasn't like he magically found out that she was Evangeline. She just needed to act normal as well.

The scones had been in the pantry for the past hour. Although their texture seemed the same from when she bought them, Eve popped them in the microwave for a warmer bite. She placed them on a plate and left them on Ambryan's work desk.

Then, she proceeded to make his usual black tea.

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When she came back, Ambryan had taken a bite of a scone.

He brushed off the crumbs from his lips. 

Eve almost stumbled over her own feet. The teapot and cup clattered on the tray she carried. If they had spilled over her skin, she doubted that she'd feel the burn. Her temperature had to be at the same degree by how much blood rushed in her veins.

She avoided Ambryan's direction and left the tray on his desk. She did a quick clean up of the spill, trying not to be obvious. Her gaze flickered towards the scones as she moved them onto the tray.

The bite mark was evident on the half-eaten one.

"Eve."

"Yes?" She choked, lifting up her head. Her eyes landed on the glass windows. Was she looking at her face or at a tomato? She was as red as Evangeline's wig!

Ambryan kept his gaze on his monitor, oblivious to her internal panic. "Can you check with Riffle if Madison is in the building? I don't want to visit the studios if he's around. He'll interfere with our observation even if he doesn't mean to."

"Understood."

Eve chose this time to escape. She took out the business phone in her pocket and dialed a familiar number. Several notifications came from her email desktop app. Replies had come in from the ones she sent out earlier.

"Eve!" Riffle greeted as soon as he picked up.

"Riff."

He hummed for a few seconds, considering the nickname. "Fine, I'll let you off. What is it?"

Eve pressed the phone between her ear and her shoulder. Urgent emails had joined the crowding on her inbox. Her fingers and mind worked fast to accommodate them. "What's Madison's schedule today?"

"He has a meeting with the department heads and their concerns. I predicted that it would last the entire day. If he finishes early, there's a mountain of paperwork waiting for him on his desk. He's not allowed to step outside until most of them are done. Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. We'll be at the studios."

"Ah, got it." Riffle nodded even if she couldn't see him. He drew a cross over his chest and said, "President shall not interfere. No worries."

"Thanks."

"Also, if you're really up for a promotion, please save me and hire me as your secretary."

"Very funny."

"Just think about it."

"Goodbye, Riff." Eve chuckled with an eye roll.

"Hope you have a good one!"

Not a second later, her personal mobile vibrated in her other pocket. She took it out with her left hand while her right one continued to work on the computer. Her eyes spared a second to read the notification from the top bar.

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``Andie: Oi, missy! Are you at work? How could you leave without telling me? You could have been kidnapped for all I know! How was I supposed to explain your absence to both your boss and your boyfriend?``

``Eve: Don't be dramatic. I hold no value to be kidnapped but, yes, I am at work.``

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She shook her head and put the phone on her desk, leaving it unlocked. It vibrated several times as Andie flooded her direct messages. Eve left it alone. She'd get to it once her best friend stopped. Her eyes weighed heavily on her face.

Should she take a nap during lunch?

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``Andie: Hey``

``Andie: Hey!``

``Andie: HEY!``

``Andie: DON'T IGNORE ME! This is actually concerning you know! Check the news! Some bastard is claiming to be Evangeline's ex-boyfriend!``

``Andie: Are you canoodling with someone? What is keeping you too preoccupied to send one measly reply? You really need to check this out! You can't wait like last time!``

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The telephone rang. 

Eve pressed the answer button and placed it on speaker.

"This is Everlee Hart. How may I help you?" She responded, focusing on a missing document from her files. It must have been saved in another folder. She checked them one by one while thinking of a keyword to look it up with.

"Eve, would you contact the PR Team and my mother? I'm currently working on the email sent by the Chairman. I'd like to speak to them as soon as I'm finished. Wen is also busy at the moment," Ambryan instructed. His voice had an edge to it that could cut through wood. His fingers could be heard slamming on his keyboard.

The sense of urgency echoed in the background.

Eve was about to open her mouth and reply when he said,

"If you can, please contact Evangeline as well."