Handsome young man.
Claudia didn’t wait to see Sebastian’s reaction.
She quickly slid out of the car and walked toward the company building, where two guards stood on either side of the entrance.
Inside the car, Sebastian sat frozen, eyes wide with disbelief.
Did… did she really just slap me? he wondered, stunned.
He remained still for a full two minutes, then lightly caressed his own cheek before stepping out of the car.
“Umm… umm,” Sebastian mumbled as he cleared his throat, trying to catch Claudia’s attention.
She turned to face him, one brow arched. “Shall we?” Claudia asked, tilting her head slightly.
Sebastian swallowed hard, the movement visible in his throat. He gave a stiff nod and walked over to one of the security guards, tossing him his car keys.
Then he led the way inside the building, with Claudia quietly following behind.
As they entered the lobby, Claudia stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening.
The high ceiling was laced with golden light fixtures that cast a warm, elegant glow.
A soft, cool breeze circled the air, giving the space a calm, almost welcoming feel.
Several individuals, dressed in sophisticated work attire, wore eager expressions as they hurried to their various destinations.
Claudia’s lips parted slightly in surprise. The beauty of her surroundings was breathtaking.
“Snap out of it,” Sebastian spat coldly, snapping Claudia out of her admiration.
She turned her gaze to Sebastian, noting the hard frown etched into his face and Claudia could guess it had to do with the slap.
Without saying a word, she followed Sebastian toward the elevator.
When they arrived, Sebastian stepped inside the crowded lift but just as Claudia moved to join him, he pressed the button, and the doors began to close.
Claudia stood still, watching the doors slide shut right in front of her without uttering a word.
Then, a subtle scent caught her attention. She turned to the side and saw a young, handsome man.
He had a brown crew cut, wore a pair of jeans and a crisp white long-sleeved shirt.
The handsome young man was tall with a refined physique and soft, pink lips. His smile was warm, almost boyish—and completely disarming.
Claudia found herself momentarily mesmerized. The man looked like he belonged on a billboard, not in the middle of a corporate lobby.
His amber eyes glittered as the golden ceiling lights reflected off them.
“Hey,” he purred, waving casually at Claudia.
She swallowed hard. “Hey,” Claudia whispered back, the hypnotic scent of his cologne teasing her senses.
There was something about him that made her heart literally skip a beat.
He chuckled softly. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, raising a brow.
“You’re beautiful,” Claudia muttered, her voice low but clear enough for him to hear.
The handsome young man chuckled again just as the elevator doors beeped open in front of him. “Thanks for telling me I’m beautiful,” he said with a wink before stepping inside.
Claudia blinked rapidly, lightly slapping her cheeks in disbelief.
A moment ago, she thought she’d only said those words in her head, not out loud.
Flushed with embarrassment, Claudia hurried into the elevator behind him, followed by a few other people.
As the doors closed, Claudia stood stiffly, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.
She held her breath, terrified that the stranger might hear the wild pounding of her heart and that would make her feel even more humiliation at herself.
Seconds later, people began stepping out of the elevator as it stopped on their destinated floors, but Claudia remained inside.
“What floor are you stopping at?” the handsome young man from earlier asked, raising a brow.
Claudia exhaled loudly. Only she and the young man were left in the elevator.
“Umm… I’m going to meet Sebastian Harold,” she whispered, avoiding eye contact, still flushed with embarrassment.
“What?” he asked again. “Do you know him? Like, have you ever met the CEO before?”
Claudia gave a soft nod.
Even with Claudia’s quiet response, the man kept staring, as though waiting for her to elaborate on her relationship with Sebastian Harold.
But Claudia stayed silent.
“Would you mind telling me why you need to see CEO Sebastian? It’s obvious you don’t work here.”
“I don’t,” Claudia said quickly, finally lifting her gaze to meet his striking eyes. “I don’t work here, but… I really need to see Sebastian. What floor is his office?”
The young man scoffed. “His office?” he repeated with an arched brow. “Is this your first time here?”
Claudia nodded. “Yeah, but Sebastian and I… let’s just say we have an appointment. That’s why I need to see him.”
“Oh,” the handsome young man mumbled under his breath. “Well, I’ll take you to his office since I’m also here to see CEO Sebastian,” he added—a smooth lie wrapped in charm.
Without wasting time, he pressed the button for the upper floor.
Deep down, the real reason he claimed he was visiting Sebastian was because something about Claudia stirred a strange feeling inside him.
A minute later, the soft beep of the elevator broke the silence, and the doors slid open. He stepped out first, and Claudia followed close behind.
“Please, follow me,” he said quietly, leading Claudia toward Sebastian’s office.
Once they arrived at the door, he stopped, turned around, and looked directly at Claudia.
“What’s your name?”
“Umm…” Claudia swallowed hard, her heart fluttering.
The man’s presence was literally doing a strange yet blissful things to her body. “My name is Claudia. And you?”
He smirked. “I’m Ryan,” he said. “And since you seem like a very lovely lady, I’ve officially decided to escort you to our CEO’s office.” Ryan added as his voice carried a playful edge, but Claudia could tell that he was curious about her.
She said nothing, only forced a tight smile on her lips as Ryan pushed the office door open.
“Sebastian, a young lady claims she has an—”
Ryan had only taken a few steps inside the office when he looked up at Sebastian’s desk only to freeze in place, horror washing over his features.