she hated to admit it, he was getting under her skin in more ways than one. She had always been confident in her abilities, but something about Adrian made

ng you needed, or were you just checking in on your employees to make sure we're suffering enough?" Adrian chuckled, the sound low and warm. "I came to drop off a file for Carol, but I couldn't help noticing the light in your cubicle. It's rare to find someone so dedicated." Elena frowned. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a warning." "Maybe both," he said, his voice softer now. "Just make sure you're not burning yourself out, Miss Hart. No job is worth losing yourself over." The words surprised her, their sincerity catching her off guard. Before she could respond, Adrian turned and walked away, leaving her staring after him, her heart pounding in her chest. A Moment of Weakness That night, Elena couldn't sleep. Adrian's words played on repeat in her mind, along with the memory of his fleeting smile and the warmth in his eyes. For the first time, she wondered if there was more to him than the cold, demanding CEO she'd come to know. The next morning, she arrived at the office early, determined to shake off the strange mix of emotions that had taken root in her chest. But when she stepped off the elevator, she found Adrian already there, standing in the break room with a cup of coffee in hand. "Good morning," he said, his voice unusually gentle. "Morning," she replied, keeping her tone neutral. He gestured to the coffee pot. "Need a refill?" Elena hesitated before nodding. "Thanks." As he poured her a cup, the silence between them felt heavier than usual, charged with something unspoken. "I wanted to apologize," Adrian said suddenly, surprising her. "If I've been too hard on you, it wasn't my intention." Elena blinked, caught off guard by the admission. "You've been...challenging," she said carefully. "But I