Chapter 38 Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Closing hour.
“Lastly,” Celine said quietly as her fingers pressed the final key on the keyboard. She let out a small sigh and leaned back. Her eyes burned a little from staring at the screen for too long. She checked the time on the corner of the laptop screen. It was already past seven.
“I know Ariana must be so worried,” she whispered, picking up her phone. She had missed three calls and two texts from her already.
The whole floor was quiet now. The rest of the staff had gone home.
The only lights still on were from the glass-walled office where Ethan Castellan sat across from her. His desk faced hers, though a few feet apart. He didn’t speak much barely even looked her way all through the day but his presence was strong enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
Celine shut her system down and started gathering her files. She was careful not to make much noise. The smallest sound echoed in the silence. She zipped her bag and stood, ready to leave.
Ethan was still typing, his eyes fixed on his laptop screen. He worked like a machine calm, steady, never distracted. Celine had learned quickly that he didn’t like small talk or unnecessary questions.
“Good night, sir,” she said softly as she walked toward the door.
He didn’t look up.
Just a simple nod, his eyes still fixed on the screen. That was it — the usual cold, professional response.
That was normal. She had gotten used to it. She smiled faintly and walked out.
The hallway outside was quiet too. A few cleaners were far down the corridor, finishing their duties. The sound of her heels on the floor felt too loud. She pressed the elevator button and waited.
It took a few seconds before the glass doors slid open. Just as she stepped in, she heard slow, steady footsteps behind her.
She turned. Ethan.
Of course.
He entered too, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his phone. He didn’t say a word. Celine moved slightly to one side, pretending to check her reflection on the glass wall just to avoid looking directly at him.
The silence between them was heavy. She could almost hear her heartbeat. She tried to distract herself by scrolling through her messages, but her fingers were shaking slightly.
And then, without warning, the elevator stopped.
It wasn’t a slow stop it jerked.
Her eyes widened. The light above flickered once. The numbers on the panel froze.!
“What’s happening?” she whispered.
Ethan’s face didn’t change. He pressed a few buttons. Nothing happened.
Celine’s heart began to race. Her palms grew sweaty. “Oh God…” she whispered, backing against the glass wall. “Please don’t let this happen now.”
Ethan kept his eyes on the small floor indicator. No change. No movement. He sighed quietly, pressing the emergency button. Still nothing.
Celine’s breathing became uneven. “What if the glass breaks?” she muttered, her voice trembling. “What if we fall? I can’t—”
“Calm down,” Ethan said, still not looking at her.
“I can’t,” she whispered again, shaking her head. She wrapped her arms around herself and crouched slowly to the floor.
Her mind began to spin, voices overlapping in her head.
And then — it came.
A blurred flash.
She saw herself standing near the edge of a mountain, wind slapping her face, her feet slipping. There was no water below — just endless rock and depth. Her vision blurred before she hit the ground.
And then darkness.
The image disappeared as fast as it came.
Her body shook uncontrollably, and a scream tore out of her before she even realized it.
Ethan flinched. His heart jumped hard against his ribs. But his face didn’t change. He didn’t move toward her, didn’t say a word. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t allow himself to.
He clenched his fists quietly at his side and turned his eyes away. The sound of her scream replayed in his head, again and again.
Celine held her head tightly, trying to catch her breath. Tears ran down her cheeks. She hated this — hated losing control in front of him.
Moments later, the elevator gave a soft jerk and started to move again.
She opened her eyes, breathing fast, her entire body trembling.
Ethan glanced at her briefly — her hair slightly messy, her face pale, her hands shaking. Something in him wanted to reach out, to ask if she was okay. But he stopped himself. He looked away again.
When the doors finally opened, she stood up quickly, straightened her clothes, and kept her head low. Without saying a word, she walked fast out of the building.
Ethan stepped out after her, calm as always, but his chest felt tight in a way he didn’t understand. He walked to his car and leaned against it for a second before getting in.
“That scream…” he said under his breath, gripping the steering wheel.
He could still hear it clearly, the echo of it stuck in his head. He shook it off and opened his glove box, searching for his pills. He swallowed one dry and sat back.
He was supposed to stop by Dr. Lui’s, but he didn’t. He just drove home instead.
The drive was quiet. City lights blurred past, but all he could think about was her face.
The sound of her voice.
By the time he reached his penthouse, he was exhausted. He went straight to the gym, trying to distract himself. The pull-ups, the punches — nothing helped.
After a shower, he took another pill and sat by his desk with his laptop.
But every time he tried to focus, her Face came back.
That face.
He slammed the laptop shut and rubbed his temples. “What’s wrong with me,
” he muttered.
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a long time.
Then he laughed bitterly under his breath. “Leave my head already,” he said, his voice rough. “I have no time for that.”
He took another deep breath, stood, and walked toward the window.