Chapter 19 Chapter 19
Chapter 19
It was just another normal day at Castellan Enterprise.
Celine sat behind her small desk, her eyes darting to the man seated across the office. Ethan Castellan hadn’t looked up from his work since morning.
His pen moved fast across the papers, his laptop screen flashing numbers and reports she didn’t understand.
But what caught her attention wasn’t the mountain of files it was the fact that he hadn’t eaten a thing all day.
Usually, by now, he would’ve ordered his favorite dessert or at least had some coffee. But today was different. His focus looked heavier, his brows more drawn.
Celine sighed quietly and took a sip of her own coffee. She had already eaten some cheese with it earlier. Still, she couldn’t shake the small worry building in her chest.
“How can one punish himself with hunger,” she muttered under her breath, glancing at him again.
She tried to ignore it at first, but something about the way he kept pushing through his work without pause made her feel uneasy. After a few minutes of hesitation, she stood up quietly and grabbed her purse.
Maybe he wouldn’t even notice she was gone.
The elevator ride was, as always, the worst part of her day. Her palms grew sweaty as the glass doors shut behind her. She could see the city from above the tiny buildings, the cars like dots, everything moving below her. Her stomach turned.
“Don’t look down, Celine,” she whispered, clutching her bag tightly.
When the elevator finally stopped, she exhaled deeply and stepped out. The company’s eatery was on the lower floor, warm and bright, filled with the smell of fresh pastries and grilled food.
She walked up to the counter.
“Can I have grilled shrimp and pasta, please?” she asked kindly.
The chef smiled and nodded.
“Of course, Miss. Give us a few minutes.”
Celine waited patiently, glancing around. It still amazed her how everything inside the Castellan Enterprise seemed perfect expensive marble floors, glowing lights, workers walking briskly, all looking busy and confident.
Within minutes, her order was packed neatly. She paid nothing.
The eatery inside Castellan Enterprise worked differently the company covered everything for its staff. At the end of every month, the company paid the eatery generously.
That was how powerful and wealthy the Castellans were.
Carrying the small pack carefully, she made her way back.
The elevator ride back up wasn’t any easier. Her heart thumped as the numbers blinked upward. She hated how the glass walls made her feel like she was floating in the air. When the doors opened, she almost ran out in relief.
Back inside the office, Ethan was still buried in his laptop. He didn’t even notice she was gone.
When she entered, he looked up slightly, then went back to typing.
Celine swallowed. “Here, sir,” she said softly, placing the food on his desk.
Ethan looked up again this time longer. His eyes fell on the pack of food first, then slowly trailed to the hand that placed it. He followed that hand up, and his gaze met her face.
And for the first time, he really looked at her.
Her eyes those soft brown hazel eyes stared back innocently. Her face was so gentle, so… beautiful. Very beautiful. Everything about her looked calm and unforced. There was no trace of makeup, no arrogance in her look, just something clean and natural.
He blinked, then quickly looked away.
He didn’t feel anything at least that’s what he told himself. He didn’t have time for any woman.
His heart so empty.
“Thanks,” he muttered quietly, still staring at his screen.
“I noticed it was already past three and you hadn’t eaten anything, so I decided to get you a meal from the eatery,” she said, her voice small but kind.
He paused for a second before replying. “Thank you,” he said again, his tone low.
Celine gave a small nod and went back to her desk. She didn’t expect him to smile or even look up again. That wasn’t him. She just wanted to be polite.
Ethan, on the other hand, sat quietly for a moment before reaching for the food. The smell hit him instantly grilled shrimp, pasta, and just a hint of garlic.
“My favorite,” he muttered under his breath without thinking.
He picked up the fork and took a small bite. It was perfect, exactly how he used to like it. For a split second, his mind drifted somewhere he didn’t want to go.
“She used to give me one of these,” he thought silently. “But I… I…”
He couldn’t finish the thought. The image that flashed in his head hurt too much. He forced the memory out and focused on the food again.
But then, within seconds, something felt off. His throat began to sting. A strange tightness followed, then a cough.
He coughed again harder this time.
Celine froze, hearing the sound. “Sir?” she said quickly, standing up.
He pressed a hand to his chest, coughing even more. “Get… water,” he said between gasps.
She ran fast to the small fridge near the corner and grabbed a cold bottle of water, unscrewing it with shaky hands. She rushed to him and handed it over.
Ethan took it and drank immediately, his eyes squeezed shut from the burning feeling.
A few seconds later, his breathing steadied. He wiped his mouth with the tissue on the table.
“You can throw that away,” he said quietly, still catching his breath. “I’m allergic to garlic powder.”
Celine’s eyes widened. “Oh my God sir, I’m so sorry,” she said quickly, bowing slightly. “I didn’t know—”
“It’s fine,” he cut in, his voice flat. He didn’t sound angry, just tired.
She didn’t say anything else. She just nodded and carried the food carefully to the trash.
The office went quiet again. The only sound was the faint hum of the air conditioner and the soft clicking of his keyboard.
Celine sat back at her desk, feeling awkward. Her heart was still racing from the scare. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or not. His face showed nothing, as always.
Ethan, on his part, tried to get back to work. But his mind
wasn’t calm anymore. He wasn’t thinking about the garlic or the cough.
He was thinking about her face. About how she’d looked at him, scared but gentle.
He shook his head slightly, closing the file in front of him. It didn’t matter. She was just a worker. Nothing more.