Elaine returned to her desk with slumped shoulders and a tired expression. The day had barely started, and already she felt drained. Dropping into her chair, she rested her arms on the table and buried her face in them, letting her eyes rest for a moment.
Her phone screen blinked beside her. With a lazy hand, she picked it up.
1 New Message — Devil Alpha
"Come to my office."
Elaine blinked at the message.
Her spine straightened instantly.
Her fatigue evaporated, replaced by a jolt of nerves.
Dante.
Her fingers hovered over the screen. A part of her wanted to pretend she hadn't seen it—but how could she ignore him? He was her boss. The boss.
She puffed her cheeks in frustration, let out a soft sigh, and stood. "This better not be about the file," she mumbled to herself, walking toward the elevator.
The ride up was silent. The elevator stopped at the top floor with a smooth ding, and the doors opened to reveal a dim, polished hallway. It was luxurious, yes—but strangely shadowed. All the curtains were drawn tight, letting in only slivers of light. The air was cool, quiet.
Near a sleek marble desk sat a woman—sharp, efficient-looking.
"Good morning. I'm Elaine," she offered, trying to keep her voice steady.
The woman gave her a brief glance, barely hiding her curiosity. "Elaine. Go straight in. The CEO is expecting you."
Expecting me? The words echoed as Elaine approached the large double doors. She took a breath and knocked lightly.
"Come in," came his voice—low, clipped, unreadable.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside. The office was massive, elegant, and silent. Like the hallway, the curtains were drawn, leaving the space bathed in soft gray shadows. She blinked at the gloom.
Does he hate sunlight or something? she thought, her eyes adjusting.
At the far end of the room sat Dante Kim, his pen gliding across documents. He didn't even glance at her.
Elaine frowned.
If you're going to ignore me, why call me up here? she thought irritably.
"This is how you greet your boss?" His voice broke the silence—sharp, cool, and unexpectedly close. It sent a chill down her back.
Elaine flinched slightly. "Good afternoon," she said quickly, stepping closer.
He paused, finally looking up. His dark eyes scanned her slowly, from head to toe. She resisted the urge to shift under his gaze.
Dante twirled his pen between long fingers, studying her. It was the first time he saw her in office attire, and it showed.
Elaine cleared her throat. "D-Do you have something to say?"
"Nothing much." His voice was flat. "I just want you to work hard."
That was it. Two sentences. Cold. Standard. She nodded. "Thank you."
He gestured toward the small coffee table beside the sofa. "That," he said, "is for you. Good luck."
Elaine followed his finger and saw a beautiful bouquet of soft pink peonies in a glass vase. She blinked.
"…For me?" Her brows furrowed in confusion.
She turned to him suspiciously. "You didn't have to buy me anything. I—"
"I didn't," he interrupted calmly. "My assistant did."
"Oh." That made more sense. She nodded slowly—but for some reason, the confirmation left her oddly… disappointed.
"I can't take it back downstairs," she said, fidgeting. "People will talk…"
"Then throw it out." His tone was final, almost dismissive.
Elaine stared at him, speechless for a second. The man was impossible.
With a sigh, she carefully lifted the bouquet, cradling the flowers in her arms. As she turned to leave, she glanced back at him—and was struck by how composed he looked behind his desk. Silent. Intimidating. Every detail in place.
He was a CEO. She couldn't deny it. But…
Her mind drifted back to years ago—to the first time she'd seen him. She was younger, reckless, running down a hallway with her friends when she'd bumped straight into him. The look he gave her—stern, silent, unreadable—had nearly made her cry.
Even back then, standing beside his late father, the former Alpha, he had an aura that made her shrink into herself. He didn't speak often, but when he did, it carried weight. Cold, distant, terrifying.
And yet, despite everything, he'd once gone out of his way to meet her and warn her about her ex-boyfriend. She hadn't believed him then. She chose to believe the man she loved instead. How naive she'd been…
"Are you done gawking at me?"
Elaine jumped. A hint of musk wafted from him, making her aware of his presence near her now.
She hadn't noticed him move, but now he stood right in front of her, tall and silent like a shadow come to life.
"I-I wasn't gawking," she lied.
He raised an eyebrow.
She clutched the bouquet a little tighter.
"Just… remembering things."
"Remembering how stupid you were to not believe me, ever?" he asked, arching a brow, his voice calm but edged like a knife.
Elaine lowered her gaze. "I…"
There were no words, really. He was right.
"I didn't mean to—" she started, but he cut her off.
"You did." His tone was flat. Unforgiving. "You looked me in the eye and chose him."
Elaine's fingers tightened slightly around the bouquet. "I was in love," she said quietly.
"Love," he repeated, almost scoffing. He took a slow step forward. "You call that love? Ignoring warnings, defending a liar, making excuses—"
"Okay, I get it." Her voice rose a little. "I messed up."
She finally looked up at him, her eyes meeting his.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
He looked at her differently now—his usual coldness still present, but under it… something flickered. Disappointment. Maybe even something close to hurt.
"Do you always do that?" he asked after a beat.
"Do what?"
"Apologize only when you're cornered."
His words stung more than she expected.
Elaine swallowed hard. "I didn't come here to argue."
"No," he said, stepping even closer, "you came here because I asked you to. That alone should mean something."
She blinked. "Why? Because you're the CEO?"
"Because I don't waste time on people I don't intend to keep around."
His voice dropped a little—cool but intimate, like a quiet warning or a promise.
Elaine's breath caught in her throat. Her heart picked up speed. She couldn't tell if it was from fear, frustration… or something else entirely.
"Why do you even care?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "I'm just an intern to you."
He looked at her for a long moment, like he was trying to decide whether to answer honestly.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"You're not just anything."
Elaine stared at him, stunned. Her lips parted slightly, unsure what to say.
Dante's gaze lingered on her face for another second before he turned away and walked back to his desk, the moment vanishing like smoke.
"Dismissed," he said without looking back.
Elaine stood frozen in place for a breath, gripping the bouquet. Her thoughts were a mess. Her pulse was worse.
She didn't know what had just happened…
But it didn't feel like an ordinary meeting with a boss.
Not at all.