The Erotic Artiste

CHAPTER 15

As Evelyn ascended in the sleek elevator, a sense of anticipation filled her thoughts as she made her way to Akeno's lofty office on the uppermost floor. Mentally preparing herself, she had hoped that she and Akeno would not cross paths that day, let alone delve into the previous day's events. Nevertheless, she could not deny the inevitability of encountering Akeno, given his prominent role as the CEO of the company.

Upon stepping into the corridor, she approached Alice's desk, where the striking secretary greeted her with a certain look, followed by a forced, brief, smile.

"Good afternoon," Evelyn greeted with her usual politeness.

"Mm. You may go in. Mr. Akeno is waiting for you."

With a nod, Evelyn walked away, unable to shake off the feeling that most of the women in her workplace seemed to harbor some level of hostility towards her. Or perhaps it was merely her own perception, and they were simply performing their duties diligently. On the other hand, the men consistently exuded friendliness and courtesy.

Evelyn knocked on Akeno's door twice before cautiously entering his office. There he sat, engrossed in his computer until her arrival.

The dashing billionaire looked up, offering a faint smile as he motioned for Evelyn to take a seat across from him, on the other side of his desk.

"Eve, please. Have a seat."

"Good afternoon, sir. Thank you."

Noticing that she had refrained from using his name, Akeno silently inhaled, hoping he hadn't irreparably damaged their relationship the previous night. After Evelyn settled into the chair, Akeno initiated the conversation.

"I won't beat around the bush," he began, causing her to hold her breath.

"Okay..."

"I'm sorry."

Evelyn's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the unexpected apology from Hiro, and he appeared genuinely remorseful.

"About yesterday. It should've never happened. It was inappropriate–"

"Mr. Hiro," she interjected. "I put myself in that situation. I asked to watch, and I gave my consent. Why are you apologizing for something we both agreed on?"

Akeno was momentarily speechless, then nodded in relief and smiled briefly.

"I assumed you were disturbed by what you saw. I saw your countenance while I accompanied you out of my home," he remarked.

"I won't lie. I was shaken. Disturbed even," Evelyn admitted boldly. "But I do not regret it either. Because other than the fact that I was slightly disturbed by it, I was also curious and excited. As someone who is still discovering the world, I have decided to try new things as much as I can."

Akeno nodded again, further relieved by her words.

"I'm glad to hear that."

A heavy silence enveloped them as they briefly locked eyes, both unsure of what to say next. How could he express his desire to make her one of his secret lovers? It was a toxic thought, and he was well aware of it. Yet there was something about Evelyn that the billionaire found difficult to pinpoint. Her mere presence in his red room had somehow enhanced his experience with Leticia. He simply couldn't explain it.

Realizing they had been silently gazing at each other for quite some time, they both looked away, and Akeno changed the subject to ease the tension.

"And so, how are you preparing for the press conference next Saturday? As the winning rookie of the new artist batch, a lot of cameras will be pointed at you. I hope you will be able to handle it."