46 iii. Join me for Dinner

It has been a few months with not an inkling of her greatest fear coming into a reality. She hasn’t even seen Dominus’s shadow.

She has become more carefree now, and even a bit cheery. She loved this job, she felt useful, needed, and productive. She missed this feeling, she for once felt free.

Also, the overtime pay is the best, as most of her officemates go home early. She, the one who needed the pay stays late and grabs all the overtime pay the company is willing to hand.

She was about to forget Dominus was likewise in this building if not for that fateful night when she excused herself from her colleagues and ran to buy cup noodles for her dinner.

She was on her earphones and was even humming to the tune when the elevator door opened at the very same time the exclusive elevator for the VIPs did.

She stepped out of the elevator door and so did the man in that parallel elevator at the very same time.

Her humming halted as she was faced with the same bright golden eyes she remembered from all those years ago.

He stood tall and muscular but not anymore in that football athlete fashion. He now carries an expensive-looking suit perfectly well, the tuxedo clinging to him like a second skin.

His golden hair was now in a tidy haircut, his face well-shaven, revealing a scar on his left face which was the only sign he was ever injured years ago.

.....

She felt her throat dry up as his piercing gaze studied her. His face was cold and without any sign of recognition.

He also didn’t move from where he was standing, his gaze studying everything about her all at once. As if he was recording the moment through his eyes.

His gaze locked on the ID she was wearing though she knew that he won’t be able to read her name from the distance they are in.

He flinched as he looked at her shoes, they were too worn out. Her office uniform is fine as the company gave them away for free, but the shoes were hers. Has been hers for some years now.

She walked sideways trying to avoid recognition and for a minute she thought she successfully escaped until she heard him talk.

“Do you work here, miss?” his baritone voice filled up the hallway and made Mary’s heart tremble like a tree shaken by a powerful storm.

“Ahhhh... yes! I do indeed work here, sir,” she had no choice but to face him back. She couldn’t risk disrespecting the one who is paying her salary, can she?

It didn’t escape her that he called her miss, a telltale sign he didn’t recognize her. Maybe he even had forgotten all about her.

The thought made her feel her heart sting like acid was poured right over it. It does hurt to be forgotten when all her waking hours were spent thinking about him.

She never once was able to forget the memories of him, so knowing she has quite been forgotten makes her feel betrayed somehow.

She castigated herself, that is what she has been praying for, wasn’t it? To not be remembered when they meet again?

In fact, if he did recognize her then she would have to run away. And she is tired of running.

So this is for the best, she tried to convince herself and to pacify the part of her that continued to hope all these years.

“From what department? And why are you still here at this hour?” the man continued his inquiry, his gaze was still cold.

“From the marketing department, sir. Just doing some overtime work. I will still return to the office. I just went out to buy some ramen,” she bit her lower lip knowing that even is a lie.

She doesn’t have enough money on her to buy herself ramen. The most she was going for is an instant noodle.

She grimaced at how desperate she is to leave at least a not-so pitiful impression. Why does she even bother when the man has forgotten all about her?

But she couldn’t help it, it’s like an instinct that kicks in just by simply being faced with him again. The need to impress him, it’s there hanging above her head like a cloud that won’t go away.

“Join me for dinner,” she nearly choked as she heard his domineering voice command her. She wasn’t even sure if she heard him right? Why will the CEO of the company ask her to join him for dinner?

“I was just about to grab something to eat. But all the restaurants I know are already closed at this hour. You wouldn’t mind if I join you on your break, right?” she stared at him blankly and was jolted awake only when he started walking towards her.

“I don’t really have a lot of restaurants in my mind right now, they- they might be closed already at this hour. I was just about to try, sir. I mean about to try looking for a place to eat! I mean, try looking for a- a restaurant!” she blushed, hearing herself stutter.

“Then, let’s go together. If you don’t mind, that is,” he walked closer to her and for a minute she closed her eyes, her body remembering that when he is this near it means they are about to kiss.

She opened her eyes again to see an amused look on Dominus’s face, obviously pleased about something. She turned scarlet, knowing how foolish she must have looked.

They are just employer-employee now, so why is she acting like a fool?

It is her body’s fault for remembering every detail all over again, just by being near him like this.

She couldn’t help it, she missed this. Being close to him, seeing him up close, and hearing his voice. Just everything about him makes her heart quiver, her blood burn, and her insides churn.

Gods help her, she easily makes a fool out of herself just by being near him.

His eyes burn through her, yes it has to be that. We can blame that on him. For his golden eyes that seem to melt all her defenses away.

Dominus. He hasn’t changed at all, in the way his presence seems to take up every space in the room.

The authority he has just by simply standing near her. No, even if he was just simply in the same room, there is no way she won’t be aware of him.

His presence is the only thing in the world that can make her world come to a halt. His voice is the only thing that can make her lose her nerves. And his touch is the only thing that can make her forget everything else in her life.

She shook her head, what business does she have to be daydreaming in front of her boss, she reminded herself. She has to be a professional.

It is good enough that Dominus was unable to recognize her. So she has to play her part, she just has trouble remembering anything at all when he is this near.

How can anyone expect her to get a grip of herself when faced with the only man who can melt her from within? Sanity indeed is an impossibility from the start when it comes to him.

“Well, should we go try and find a place?” his voice was lighter now and his eyes were brighter than before. Like a child who has been told that candy is coming his way.

“Miss, are you okay?” he called her attention, loving the confusion in her eyes as she tried to recollect herself. He is satisfied to know that he can still affect her so easily.

“Of- of course, sir! I’m sorry about- about,” she couldn’t think of words.

“You are forgiven, of course,” a wicked smile formed on his lips and made her heart do a somersault.

“For- for, for what sir? Forgiven for what exactly?” she wanted to faint.

Dear lords, has he remembered? No, he looks too happy for that to be the case. She tried to keep a brave front as she returned his smile.

“Forgiven for your mind wandering to somewhere else just now. Obviously, miss, you have been starved likewise,” was that a tease from him, she couldn’t tell.

The atmosphere is now back to how it was before. When all he would do is tease her and make her blush.

The days when everything was just so easy, and when no complications push them apart. How she missed those days, really.

It’s like being transported back to the time before the accident. Before they parted ways. Dominus. Oh gods, she missed him so badly.

How can she focus on anything else when he is right in front of her? Not a ghost of the past that haunt her dreams and made her wake panting, needing, wanting.

He is here, flesh and bones. The only person larger than the world itself. No, that itself is an understatement.

He was her world. Was. That has to be the case. A past tense. But it pains her to believe that so. Maybe she can deal with these thoughts later, for now, she can pretend it’s all not yet over.

She found herself nodding as the giant loomed near her. Her knees trembled from the feeling of standing right beside him again.

“I don’t mind it, sir, I mean joining you for dinner. Ahmm... I mean trying to find a place to eat together... I mean, trying to find a restaurant together, sir!” she wanted to melt away, she sounded like a moron just now. She really has bad luck with good impressions.

historical

The deep chuckle of his voice was heard as he replied to her fondly, “Relax, Miss. I won’t eat you unless you starve me more by just standing there. Let’s go find something for dinner.”

She couldn’t think straight anymore, his suave masculine scent lingering in her nose, and the feeling of him towering above her making her feel so small and vulnerable.

“Aye, sir. I- I,” she bit on her lower lip. She is a disaster. Her anxiety is through the roof, and she can’t even form coherent thoughts.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you,” she realized she might have more than she can handle when he smiled and her heart skipped a beat.