Chapter 15 Rooftop
SIENNA
As soon as I stepped onto the rooftop, I was greeted by the scent of cigarettes. I looked around and saw a figure at one edge of the rooftop. His back was toward me, so I couldn’t tell who it was, even though the stance felt familiar.
Ignoring the sight, I walked to the opposite corner, placed my hand on the wall, shut my eyes, and let out a deep breath, feeling my bones relax and tension ease within me. This was the trickiest situation I’d ever been in in my life.
When I joined Limelight Corporation two years ago, I thought working at the same place as my husband would be fun. I was so lost in love and fantasy that I hadn’t considered the negative side of such a stupid decision. And now? My marriage had ended, and my so-called ex-husband wouldn’t even let me have some peace at work.
“Just hold on a little bit, Sienna,” I mumbled, tapping the railing with my fingers. Even though I’d managed to save myself with words today, it wouldn’t stop Ethan from returning another time. I knew my time here was gradually coming to an end. I should dust off my CV and start looking for a better job before he strikes. Ethan was a bastard, and a few words from me wouldn’t stop him forever.
“Wasting your time here during work hours?” a voice reverberated. I tilted my head toward it, and it turned out to be my boss, Lucian.
No wonder the demeanor and figure of the smoker felt familiar. My boss… the same one who broke the company’s no-smoking rule.
“Smoking at the company?” I raised an eyebrow, ignoring his jesting tone.
He chuckled, shaking his head. He dropped the cigarette, crushed it under the sole of his shoe, and tucked his hands into his pockets.
“I’m the CEO. Such rules don’t apply to me, do they?” He began closing the space between us.
“The rules exist for a reason, and they apply to everyone. It would be unfair to play favoritism here,” I spat.
His teeth clicked. “Take it easy, girl.” He raised his hands. “I’m just joking.”
“Well, it isn’t funny. The management made a rule. You’re part of management, yet you’re the one breaking it,” I retorted. Deep down, I knew I was diverting my aggression to the wrong target, but I couldn’t stop myself. Lucian was one of the problems I had in this company, so he deserved whatever I was giving him.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he stared at me for several seconds, his eyes wandering over me with a smirk that reached them. He looked like he could devour me on the spot, and I hated that it made me both anxious and expectant. I averted my gaze and turned to view the city one more time.
He mirrored my movement and rested against the railing. “Mind sharing what’s wrong with you?”
I blinked at his question. When I turned to look at him, our eyes locked. We stayed that way until I felt uncomfortable… or maybe scared.
“You should mind your own business,” I said with a heavy breath. “Being my boss doesn’t mean you should poke into mine.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.” His gaze returned to the city. “Indulge me, girl. What’s wrong?”
“Mind your business, Lucian,” I insisted.
“No, Sienna!” The way he called my name… oh my God! There was an inexplicable sensation coursing through my spine when it rolled off his tongue. It felt magical and monotonous, like something I would never tire of hearing. Perhaps it was because he rarely addressed me by name.
“Tell me. What’s wrong? I hate to see you unhappy,” he continued.
“And what if you’re the one making me unhappy?”
He turned his smirky expression on me and scoffed. “Then I don’t mind retracing my steps on the bed. That’s the only place I can make you shed tears of joy instead of sadness.”
It took me a moment to assimilate his words. When I finally did, flashes of that night rushed back, and for some unknown reason, my anger began to subside, and Ethan faded from my thoughts.
“You are crazy!” The words slipped out before I could stop myself.
“Crazy for you,” he said, leaving the wall and moving closer. Before he could reach me, I stepped back.
“Don’t touch me with those stinky hands.”
“Can I touch you after washing them?” A playful smile tugged at his lips. “I may even spray some perfume on them.”
My lips almost curled into a smile. That bastard! He knew exactly how to use words, even while being crazy. I hated that he could shift my mood from the lowest point to the highest in an instant.
At this point, I knew it was useless to argue with him. He would never stop taunting me.
“You’re a lost cause,” I hissed, turning toward the exit.
“I’m here if you need me,” he shouted, ignoring the fact that anyone could hear us. Lucian was truly insane.
Still, I was glad he had said those things. He had transformed my chaotic, bad mood into something different. Maybe Lucian wasn’t that bad after all.