Chapter 3 You're Coming To The Dinner With Me Tonight

Seeing that Brayan looked nonchalant, Thalia managed to calm herself down.

"It's nothing. Thanks for asking, Mr. Rogers."

"Alright." Brayan didn't probe further. His question was just a casual one, coming from a place of concern for those he oversaw. "If you ever feel unsafe, the company is here to help."

Thalia let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, thank you."

Brayan nodded, and then noticed the papers she was holding. "Are you the secretary who's here to drop off the documents? Please, come to my office and give me a rundown."

With that, he walked past Thalia toward the CEO's office.

Following him, Thalia couldn't help but think how absurd the situation was.

It never crossed her mind that her soon-to-be ex-husband, with whom she'd unexpectedly spent a night, would turn out to be her new boss.

Lost in her thoughts, she entered the office after Brayan.

As soon as they were inside, Thalia got down to business. "Mr. Rogers, here's the latest quarterly report. There are a few issues I need to discuss with you directly."

She cleared her throat, ready to start, but Brayan cut her off, saying, "Hold on a second."

"Do you need something?" Thalia felt puzzled.

"You've got a scratch." Brayan gestured for her to put the documents on the desk, and then dialed his assistant Jasper Hoffman. "Please bring a first-aid kit to my office."

Thalia tensed up for a moment, only then noticing that during her scuffle with Ablett, she had accidentally caught her right hand on a sharp edge of a cabinet.

Now, the cut was still bleeding, and some blood had stained the back of the report.

Shortly after, Jasper departed, having delivered the first-aid kit.

Sitting on the couch, Thalia tried to apply the ointment herself, but it was proving to be a challenge. While she was struggling to open the ointment, suddenly, a larger hand took over the task, holding the ointment and a cotton swab.

"Let me do that for you." Brayan took a seat beside her. His face was expressionless, yet his actions were tender.

As Thalia gazed at his attractive profile and felt his touch, her heart fluttered, leaving her bewildered.

She hadn't expected Brayan to be anything but distant.

Nervously, Thalia shifted backward.

"Stay still," Brayan urged her with a firm grip on her hand.

Thalia's heart raced. She felt the warmth of his hand and caught the distinct scent of his cologne, embodying the same intense and commanding presence he always had.

Just like the night before, he was relentless, strong, and assertive. He made love to her repeatedly, indifferent to her tears and protests, yet his touch softened eventually.

Suddenly, Thalia felt her ears heat up. Memories of the previous night flooded her mind, making her squirm with discomfort.

Brayan experienced a similar turmoil.

They sat close enough for him to breathe in Thalia's fresh and appealing scent, making his body warm slightly.

This fragrance was strangely familiar.

It brought back vivid memories of the previous night's wild encounter.

The woman beneath him was tender, and her pleas ignited his desire.

What struck him most was how her scent closely matched Thalia's.

Could this be her perfume?

Watching Thalia silently receive treatment, Brayan was engulfed by an odd sensation.

But his daydream was soon overshadowed by the awkwardness he felt this morning with Sabina.

Earlier this morning, he woke up to find Sabina looking at him with sad eyes, her tears streaming down her face as she revealed that the previous night had been her first experience. She pleaded with Brayan to take responsibility.

Yet, Sabina's presence didn't have the charm it had the night before. Instead, it made Brayan feel uneasy.

Even though he didn't feel emotionally connected, Brayan felt obliged to make things right.

He quickly started looking into what had happened the previous night, finding out that he had been drugged by an unfamiliar model, sent by a business partner, for personal gain. He promptly had someone get back at the model.

But dealing with Sabina was more complicated.

This thought frustrated Brayan.

He let go of these thoughts and continued to tend to Thalia's wound with a band-aid. Just then, Jasper knocked and entered.

Noticing the sound, Thalia quickly withdrew her hand and her face turned red.

After a brief silence, Brayan casually looked at Jasper and said, "Go on."

Jasper remained expressionless, acting as if he hadn't noticed the office's earlier tension. "Mr. Rogers, there's a dinner party tonight."

Upon hearing this, Brayan glanced at Thalia and pondered for a moment.

He had caught up on the latest company news, acknowledging Thalia's contributions and her recent promotion to secretary general. With this realization, Brayan decided to involve her in his evening plans.

He turned to Thalia and announced, "You're coming with me to the dinner tonight."