Scarlett's POV.
"It's not a big deal Joshua. Just that the car isn't starting. It was making a weird noise earlier and I was supposed to take it for repairs but I forgot. I'll just get an Uber." I explained, hoping he would as well take the hint and leave but men were just too stubborn.
"No way I'm letting you take an Uber. I'll drop you-"
"There's no need for that, Mr. Jung." Joshua's last name dripped off Mr. Knight's tongue like acid, adding to the gripping tension that had wrapped itself around us like a blanket and I was caught in the middle.
"I already offered Ms. Fox a ride. No need to bother yourself." He cooed through gritted teeth, hands gripping the open door like a knife, his knuckles beet red as a flash of warning that Joshua seemed to either be too blind to see, or too brave to care.
I gulped as Joshua stepped forward, a quizzical look on his face as he watched Mr. Knight in silence before turning back to me with a tight clipped smile.
"That would be quite unnecessary. Why go through the hassle when I can just take her home? I already know where she lives and it wouldn't be the first time." His voice had taken on a mocking edge, as if daring to be challenged.
Pure masculine rage pulsated in the air and I held my breath, the toxic air stifling to my lungs.
Mr. Knight's lips upturned in a cold smirk as Joshua made his way to me, reaching out his hands for me to take. I stood motionless, staring at his outstretched hand like a ticking time bomb.
I had desperately wanted a break from the car rides with Joshua, but did I really have a choice? It was either him or Mr. Knight.
I peeked at him from the corner of my eyes. He was watching Joshua like a predator, ready to pounce at any moment.
I needed to dispel this tension as quickly as possible.
Awkwardly, I patted Joshua's outstretched hand, setting it back at his side in an effort to pacify him before turning to Mr. Knight.
Light blue eyes glinted with surprise.
"I really appreciate your kindness, sir. But like Joshua said, I wouldn't want to trouble you at all. My apartment is en route to his so it'll be easier for him to drop me off. Have a goodnight." I said as politely as I could, watching the glee drain from his eyes which watched me as I quietly made my way to Joshua's car.
"Night, boss." Joshua greeted and I could almost hear the smirk on his face from behind me.
He rushed to my side, opening the passenger door for me.
"Thanks." I whispered.
I could hear Mr. Knight's muffled voice but I couldn't decipher what he'd said through the thick window but when Joshua settled in beside me, his smug countenance had changed to something akin to wariness.
I could feel Mr. Knight's pointed stare burning straight through the window but I didn't dare turn. I held my breath till Joshua drove away, my skin still tingling even after he was out of sight
Joshua's breathing was heavy. I would've asked if he was okay, but my voice failed me.
Whatever had just happened had been charged with an energy foreign to me. I didn't even know how to tackle my straying thoughts.
It seemed like Mr. Knight and Joshua had been fighting over me. There was literally no other way to see it but that didn't stop me from trying to make sense of the whole ordeal without coming to that conclusion.
I tried looking out the window, but Joshua's frantic energy was like a living, breathing thing inside the car with us.
I turned to him, watching how his chest heaved, how he gripped the steering a little too tight.
"Are you okay?" My words finally formed and he spared me a side glance before turning back to the road.
"Yeah, I'm good. I'm fine." He muttered, as if trying to convince himself.
"What about you? How was your day?" He breathed, I guess to try to bring back a sense of normalcy, or so I thought.
"Um, it was more stressful than yesterday. Like I said, working with the CEO was nerve wracking. More pressure to get things done perfectly. But it was a good learning experience. I'm really glad to be part of the company and it's all thanks to you for getting me that interview." I hoped for my words to bring him a sense of peace, ease some of the waves of paranoia rolling off him but his breathing didn't slow, he barely seemed to register what I'd said.
"How was Mr. Knight? Was he mean, bossy…nice?" He squealed, tone drenched in desperation.
It was obvious to me that whatever that incident was at the parking lot had lodged itself deep into his mind.
I wasn't unaware of Joshua's crush on me and I also wasn't unaware of Mr. Knight's…unexplainable attitude towards me.
If Joshua had picked up on that and he truly liked me as much as Layla suggested, then I had no doubt in my heart that this was a disaster waiting to happen.
I thought through my words carefully.
"He was professional. He explained things clearly. He definitely was bossy, I mean, he is the boss." I laughed, hoping he'd crack a smile but his frown stayed in place.
"Um, yeah. That's pretty much it."
"Really?" He rushed, glancing at me expectantly, as if expecting to hear we'd shared a passionate kiss on the bed-wide desk.
It wasn't far-fetched with the way Mr. Knight had been staring at me all day, but I couldn't let him know that.
"Of course. What did you expect to hear? That he'd fired me?" I did my best to keep my voice light and playful. It was more exhausting than it looked. I just wanted to scream into my pillow.
"He just seemed…very fond of you." His voice was quiet, too scared to say the words we were both thinking.
"He probably just didn't want to lose an employee to a serial killer or something." He finally cracked a smile, shaking his head at me but it only lasted for a second.
"Just tell me if he's giving you a hard time. Alright?" His eyes held a vulnerability I'd never seen in him before and I found myself nodding.
Just then, he parked at the front of Layla's apartment complex.
"Thank you so much for the ride."
"You're welcome. Goodnight and say hi to Layla for me."
"Sure thing. Goodnight." I greeted, alighting the car and making my way inside and up the elevator.
I slid my key card in and they door clicked open.
"Welcome home, honey." Layla greeted with a high pitched voice, running to the front door with satin pj's and a green face mask in place.
"How was work?" She giggled as she took my bag from me, playfully massaging my shoulders as I took off my heels.
"It was a whole lot." I groaned, slumping on the chair and she settled beside me, breathing on my neck like the creep she was.
"Tell me all about it."
"I will but only if you stop breathing on my neck."
"But I missed you." She whined in a baby voice, blinking at me with puppy dog eyes.
"I swear I'll punch that cuteness off your face." I deadpanned and she flew off the couch like a feline.
I couldn't help but laugh at her dramatics.
"You're so dramatic."
"I know. You're obsessed with me. Common knowledge. Now spill the tea. As long as it doesn't involve you and my brother locking lips. That would be disgusting." Her face was contorted in irritation and I rolled my eyes.
"He is involved but so is the CEO. It's okay if you don't want to hear-"
"Bitch! The CEO? You better spill." She sat cross legged, eyes wide as I began by telling her how I'd been summoned to his office this morning.
I relayed our encounter at the office and she grinned and squealed at intervals.
"Oh my gosh, Scarlett. This is scandalous. The CEO totally wants to get in your pants." She jumped up and down as she spoke, sprinting round the living room in excitement.
"I'll end it there if you don't sit your ass down." I warned and she rushed to sit, ears perked as I continued with the almost kiss at the elevator and the resulting tension at the parking lot to the point of Joshua dropping me off.
"My gosh. Your life is like a movie. This is only the second day. Imagine what will happen when you take that promotion."
I grimaced.
"I don't know if I should." I admitted, feeling conflicted about this whole thing.
"What?" Layla exclaimed, eyeing me like I'd grown two horns.
"You can't be serious. This is a major opportunity for you. You can't reject it."
"Are you just saying that so I can feed you more drama?"
She smiled coyly.
"That's just a plus." She giggled and I rolled my eyes.
"But seriously, Letty. You can't not take it. You have something to prove to your parents. You've been presented with a golden opportunity. To work hand in hand with the CEO and possibly bang him." I picked up a pillow and aimed straight at her face.
She whimpered as it hit her smack in the face.
"Serves you right." I grinned at her now slightly masked face, the pillow having shared her skincare routine for the night.
"Like I was saying before I was brutally attacked. This is a golden opportunity. If you really don't want anything to do with the hot CEO, then that's fine. Focus on your work and impress him. But you simply can't reject it."
I sighed, exasperated and even more conflicted than before.
I knew what I'd felt at the office today. And even though a part of me wanted to believe the fairytale Layla was selling to me,a greater part knew that if Mr. Knight even made just a little more of an effort, my whole world as I knew it would come crashing to my feet.
Just then, my phone lit up.
It was a text from Liam, easing the tension that had me in a choke hold.
"Is that Mr. Hot Stuff?" Layla inquired, her eyes glinting with excitement.
"No." I answered with an eye roll.
"It's Liam. He's graduating tomorrow. I'm so excited for him." I squealed, smiling at the text he sent me.
"That's wonderful. I'm happy for him, even though we don't exactly get along."
I laughed as memories of Layla and Liam bickering over the years resurfaced.
"You guys need to get over your petty beef. Especially since he's coming back home in about a week, more or less. He can visit, right?" I yelled as she made her way to the kitchen.
"Ugh. Not like I have a choice." She grimaced, returning with two paper bags of Thai take out she'd ordered.
"Does this mean he's taking over the company?" Layla asked as we dug into the meal.
"It's basically his the moment he graduates. He'll do some prepping before being elected as the CEO though. I'm not sure how long that will take."
"That's cool. Maybe he'll be too busy to be annoying when he's the CEO." She quipped and I laughed.
We settled into a comfortable silence, watching TV shows till my limbs hurt from sitting on the floor.
"I'm gonna head to bed. Goodnight." I said groggily as I made my way to my bedroom.
"Goodnight." She replied, too busy texting on her phone to even spare me a glance.
I took a quick shower before collapsing on my bed. The day had taken a toll on me and I soon drifted to dreamland, a pair of ocean blue eyes haunting the edges of every dream. And the worst part? I wasn't sure I wanted them to stop.