Now You Want Me? Too Late

Elena was fully immersed in her work when Elias walked into her office.

"It’s already time to leave," he said as he strode over.

Elena’s focus was still on the laptop screen, her fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard.

"I am almost done. Give me a few minutes."

Elias silently sat down across from her and watched her work.

Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed in concentration as she focused on the screen. The determination in her eyes made her look exceptionally sharp and confident.

A few loose strands of hair had fallen from behind her ear and framed her face. Every now and then, she would tuck them back absentmindedly while continuing to type.

The sight was strangely captivating.

She wasn’t trying to impress anyone, but she looked incredibly alluring.

The confidence she displayed while working drew him in far more than any expensive dress or carefully applied makeup ever could.

Elias found himself completely enthralled. His eyes lingered on her longer than they should have. He couldn’t simply look away.

He had no idea how much time had passed before Elena finally looked up.

"Elias?" Her voice brought him out of his reverie.

He blinked as if startled.

Elena chuckled softly. "You seemed to be lost somewhere."

A self-conscious smile surfaced on his lips. He couldn’t form a sentence.

What was he supposed to say? That he could spend the entire day watching her and never get bored?

"How long are you planning to stay here?" she asked.

"I’m ready to leave. It was you who kept delaying."

He rose from his chair.

Elena laughed softly and shut her laptop. "We can leave now."

She grabbed her bag and stood.

"Then let’s go." He held out his hand toward her.

Elena hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his.

A smile appeared on his face. Together, they walked out.

The car moved smoothly through the city streets.

Elena sat quietly, gazing out of the window. The scenery changed.

Several minutes later, her brows furrowed. The route looked unfamiliar

It wasn’t heading home.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"We are going out for dinner," he replied with a smile.

Elena stared at him with astonishment. A gentle warmth bloomed in her chest.

No one had taken her out for dinner in a long time, ever since Noah had gotten himself busy with Tessa.

Soon, the car pulled to a stop in front of a luxurious restaurant.

Elias stepped out first, walked around the car, and opened the door for her. Holding out his hand, he offered her a smile.

She accepted it and stepped out. The moment her eyes landed on the restaurant, her expression stiffened slightly.

She was familiar with this place.

Noah had brought her here before.

"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, anxious.

"This is one of the top-most restaurants in the city," he replied, oblivious to her discomfort. "Above all, I heard the food here is excellent. I thought we should try it together."

Elena took a slow breath.

He wasn’t wrong.

The food here was really good. That was exactly why Noah had loved bringing her here.

A faint uneasiness rose to her chest. But seeing the excitement in his eyes, she swallowed it down. She didn’t have the heart to spoil the evening.

"You heard correctly," she said with a small smile. "The food here is really good."

"You know that." He raised an eyebrow. "That means you came here before."

"Yes, I’ve been here before," she didn’t lie. "Let’s go in."

She walked toward the entrance.

Elias didn’t follow her immediately. The excitement in his chest vanished as a troubled thought crossed his mind.

’Did she come here with Noah?’

He was visibly disturbed and regretted bringing her here. Perhaps he should have chosen another place.

He wanted to stop her and tell her that they could go somewhere else. But she had already walked in.

Elias had no choice but to follow her in. Quickening his pace, he caught up and slipped an arm around her waist. Then he guided her toward a private corner table he had reserved earlier.

Once they were seated, he let his lips curl into a smile. "Tell me, what would you like to eat? I’ll order whatever you want."

"I am not picky." She handed him the menu. "You can order anything. But keep in mind that I’m allergic to peanuts."

Elias nodded. "I’ll never forget that."

He raised a hand and called a waiter.

A man came over and smiled at them. "Good evening, sir. Madam. What would you like to order?"

After glancing through the menu, Elias ordered a creamy mushroom soup, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and pasta.

The waiter wrote everything down. "The food will be served shortly." With that, the waiter walked away.

Elias turned to Elena. "So, tell me – are you enjoying working at the office? Are you facing any problems?"

Elena shook her head. "Everything is going well. The staff is supportive."

"And how about me?" A mischievous smile spread across his face. "Am I a good boss?"

Elena’s heart skipped a beat without her knowledge. She speechlessly stared at him.

"Say something." He chuckled softly. "Don’t keep staring at me."

She looked away, flustered. "You are good," she murmured.

"Only good?"

She pursed her lips and then said, "You are kind and caring."

"And?" he pressed on, wanting more.

"You are helpful."

"Okay? And?"

Elena’s iris moved from left to right, her teeth sinking into the corner of her lip. She couldn’t understand what exactly he wanted to hear.

"You are very talented and an excellent boss. I’ve heard people praising you."

He made a dismissive sound. "Of course, they praise their boss. It’s natural."

His gaze was firm on her. "I am not interested in what they think."

Slowly, he reached across the table and took her hand. His thumb brushed gently against her skin.

"I want to know what you think about me. Do you like me?"

His blunt question caught her off guard.

Her face warmed under his gaze. A soft flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks.

She lowered her chin, a shy smile slipping into her lips. "There is no reason for me not to like you," she said.

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but he had heard everything.

A grin threatened to spread across his face. His chest tightened with excitement.

"You mean you do like me." His fingers tightened around her hand unconsciously.

Elena smiled despite herself. Butterflies erupted in her stomach. She didn’t pull her hand back.

A comfortable silence settled between them. Neither of them felt the need to speak. Their eyes said enough.

For the first time in days, Elena felt genuinely at peace. The weight of pain crushing her heart seemed lighter.

Perhaps, she could finally overcome the pain from her past. Perhaps she could build a future with the man sitting in front of her.

The thought filled her with cautious hope.

While they were so engrossed in each other, someone watched them quietly across from the restaurant.

Tessa swiftly lifted her phone and pressed it against her ear. As the call connected, she said sweetly, "I have already arrived at the restaurant. Are you coming?"

"I am on the way," came Noah’s voice from the speaker. "I’ll be there shortly."

The call ended.

Her lips curled into a smug smile.

"Noah is coming," she murmured. "Now I want to see what happens when he finds Elena having dinner with another man."