𝐔𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞.

𝐊𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

Maxine's POV.

She closed the door and the room was eerily silent. I stared at the empty chair where, just a few minutes ago, Ms. del Fuego was sitting, her perfume still lingering in the air. She was like that-quiet but strong presence, staying with you even after she left.

But this time, it wasn't just her presence that lingered.

Am I and Damian dating?

Her words played in my mind, over and over, like a haunting refrain I couldn't escape. Why had she asked that? It was so unlike her-guarded, deliberate Ms. del Fuego, who spoke only when necessary and never let her thoughts slip by accident.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling deeply. My fingers drummed against the armrest, the rhythm betraying the nervous energy buzzing in my chest.

Damian.

I still could see her in this morning, standing by the hallway with the clipboard, her brows knitted as she concentrated. She had looked up when she sensed my attention, giving a brief small smile that stoked something deep within me, which I had no right to feel.

Now, due to Ms. del Fuego's question, I still couldn't help but think of her.

--

After finishing my rounds, I tried to focus on the patients in front of me: Mrs. Ramirez, with her persistent migraines; Mr. Park, who needed his blood pressure medication adjusted; little Emily, who gave me a shy smile when I promised her that her cast would come off soon.

Normally, these moments left me feeling fulfilled, even energized. Today, they felt like distractions-necessary, meaningful, but distractions nonetheless.

But because, at the back of my mind, there was always Damian.

By the time I got to my office, my head was a mess. Slumping into my chair, I couldn't help but mumble out loud, "After checking up on my patients, but Ms. del Fuego's presence is warmer than my patients... Why tho? Pftt, that's literally insane."

Insane. But was it?

Ms. del Fuego had been enigma on earth, intimidating and comforting at the same time. And Damian... Damian was the opposite side. She was warmth and familiarity, the one constant in my chaotic world.

And yet here I sat, caught between them - two people who could sneak up on the walls I had carefully constructed around myself.

I rubbed my temples and let out a heavy sigh. This wasn't supposed to happen.

My train of thought was destroyed by a gentle knock at the door.

"Come in," I called, sitting up straighter and laying a rather forced expression on my face.

And there she was. Damian.

She came in, clipboard under her arm; eyes scanning across mine with concern and curiosity tangled within them.

"Hey," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "You okay? You seemed. distracted today.

"I'm good," I said too fast. "Just tired, I guess."

Damian raised an eyebrow. She crossed her arms and leaned against the edge of my desk. "You've been 'just tired' a lot lately. What's going on?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to say. Damian and I had always been candid with each other, but this was different in some way.

It's nothing," I said finally, looking away. "Just a tough session with a client."

She frowned, her gaze sharpening. "Was it Ms. del Fuego?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Why would you think that?"

Damian shrugged, her expression unreadable. "I saw you talking to her earlier. You looked... off afterward."

I hesitated, then sighed. "She asked me a strange question."

"What kind of question?"

I looked down at my hands and would not meet her gaze. "She asked if we were dating."

The room became silent. Damian looked at me, her eyes wide with surprise. She was silent for a moment. Then, to my amazement, she laughed. A soft, melodic sound created a warmth spreading through me.

"Well, that's... unexpected," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "What did you say?

"I told her it wasn't something I discuss with clients," I said, my voice softer than I meant it to be. "But... it took me by surprise."

Damian nodded, her smile temporarily receding. "Do you think she was actually serious? Or was she just trying to throw you off balance?"

"I don't know," I said. "With her, it's always hard to tell.

There was a pause, the silence between us stretching thin. Finally, Damian spoke again, her voice softer this time.

"And... what would you have said if she wasn't a client?"

Her question hit me like a punch to the gut. I looked up, meeting her gaze, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Damian's eyes were steady, searching mine for answers I wasn't sure I had.

"I don't know," I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.

But even as I said it, I knew it wasn't the truth. I did know. I just wasn't ready to say it-not to her, not to myself, not to anyone.

Damian looked at me for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. "Fair enough," she said, pushing herself off the desk. "But... you know you can tell me things, right? About anything."

"I know," I said, forcing a small smile. "Thanks, Damian."

She returned the smile, her warmth radiating through the room like sunlight breaking through a storm. "Anytime," she said softly, before turning and walking toward the door.

And as I watched her disappear around the corner, my chest began to seize with an ache I couldn't define.

What was I doing?

Damian was my friend, my colleague-the one person I could always rely on. To complicate things with feelings-whatever these feelings even were-felt like crossing a line I wasn't ready to face.

Yet, as the door closed behind her, I couldn't shake off the lingering thought: Maybe Ms. del Fuego wasn't entirely wrong.

Maybe there was something between Damian and me. Something I was too afraid to admit.

For now, though, it would remain unsaid, tucked away in the corners of my mind where it couldn't hurt anyone.

But as I gazed into the empty doorway, I couldn't help but wonder for how long I could keep it there.

//Baka may gusto ka lang kay CEO?