Chapter 30

“YOU seem to be always in a good mood these past few days.”
Prudence cupped her cheeks immediately when she suddenly felt them burning. She was worried her cheeks were blushing in front of her secretary.
“Macy…” she muttered as she slowly withdrew her hands away from her cheeks. “Stop teasing me, will you?”
“I’m not teasing you, Ma’am. It’s a fact.” Her secretary flashed a smile. “Anyway, would you like some coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She smiled back.
When her secretary left the office, Prudence immediately checked her face in the mirror. Good thing she always used a blush whenever she went to work. She immediately shoved the mirror inside the drawer when Macy returned to serve her coffee.
“Here’s your coffee, Ma’am.” She looked at the scalding hot coffee on the mug and looked at her secretary afterward. “I-is there a problem?” Macy asked worriedly.
“N-nothing. Uhm… can you please get me some ice—oh, never mind.”
Prudence rose from her seat and picked up her cup of coffee. She brought it to the pantry herself and shoved in ice from the freezer. Humming, she went back to her office and resumed her work. Ah, her secretary must be right. She was in a good mood, and that surprised her.
However, it didn’t take long before that good mood was replaced with a bad one. Her burner phone vibrated inside the drawer. Her boss was calling.
She took a deep breath and locked the door before answering the call.
“Hello—”
“What the hell are you doing, Prudence?”
Her forehead creased. She couldn’t remember doing something that wouldn’t please her boss in the past few days. And it was impossible for the boss to know that she and Julian were slowly getting closer to each other.
“W-what do you mean?” Prudence did her best to remain calm. She didn’t want him to suspect that there was really something wrong.
“It’s been days since you last contacted me. I’m not hearing anything from you since then and—”
“You’re too impatient,” she said, cutting her boss’s words off.
“What?!” His voice sounded annoyed. “Are you calling me impatient, really, Prudence?”
“I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you—”
“Listen! And you better carve my words in your head… You’re not in the position to complain or disobey any of my orders! You must remember that I hold your life in my hands. One wrong move and—”
“I know.” She gnashed her teeth. “I don’t forget my place in this world. I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
Prudence felt her body shaking when the call ended. That moment the boss reminded her that he held her life in his hand, she instantly felt fear creeping through her system. She chugged down her coffee and pulled herself together. It wouldn’t help if she kept overthinking anyway.
After a few moments, she was able to get back on track. If not for her secretary, who reminded her that working hours were done for the day, she wouldn’t know.

PRUDENCE got off her car in a hurry that moment she successfully parked in the parking lot. She and Julian had made a deal to make things work between them and become friends, and she agreed to that for the sake of her special job. So, there she was, running to the elevator that would bring her up to his penthouse.
Julian wouldn’t like it if she were late, especially when he was the one who volunteered to be the host every night. He was also the one cooking their meal, so it would be a shame on her part.
She was inside the elevator when her phone suddenly rang. It was Julian. He must be calling her to ask where she was.
“I’m at the elevator. I’m almost there,” she told him upon answering the call.
“Alright. I’m waiting for you by the door.”
The call ended.
The elevator pinged afterward, and its doors opened. And just like Julian said, he was waiting for her at the door.
He checked his wristwatch when she reached him.
“You’re ten minutes late.”
“I’m sorry. I got stuck in the traffic.” She smiled apologetically and held her bag’s handle with both hands.
“I forgive you,” Julian countered with a smile.
He then ushered her to the dining table.
“Wow.” Prudence couldn’t help upon seeing the mouthwatering meal he had prepared that night.
“I thought you were vegan.” He sat down on the chair across from her.
“Nah.” She winced. “Have you forgotten that we ate lots of meat when we were at the island resort? Oh, and I served you meat that night we had dinner together with your father.”
Prudence immediately reached for the wine from the bucket and opened it. She filled his glass first before filling hers.
“O-oh.” He picked up the glass and raised it for a toss. “I’m sorry, I already forgot about that.”
She frowned and tossed her glass with his.
“You’re not good at keeping memories.” She sipped her wine without taking her gaze off him.
“Actually, I am.” Julian swirled his glass and stared at his wine for a couple of seconds before taking a sip. “Perhaps I was not that interested in you back then. That’s why I can’t remember.”
“Aww…” She made sure to make her voice as somber as possible. “It hurts to hear that, Julian.” Prudence even palmed her chest.
He turned his gaze on her and laughed. It was the very first time he laughed like that in front of her. And for some reason, it kind of sounded like a piece of fine music to her ears. Prudence was like… how was that even possible?
“Julian…” She clasped her hands.
“What is it?” He cocked his head to the side.
“You know what… I think we’re starting to get closer.”
“Well…” He flashed a boyish smile, and she knew it was genuine. “I think you’re growing on me, too.”
They just sat there and stared at each other for a couple of minutes before Julian broke the silence.
“We should eat before all this food gets cold.”