His Assistant

Chapter 28

Brandon

I woke up the next morning determined.

Determined to finally break down the walls between Kiara and me. Last night’s encounter left me with a mix of guilt and resolve. I’d seen the fear in her eyes, the way she flinched at my voice, and it killed me. That wasn’t the reaction I wanted from her. I wasn’t angry at her—I was angry at myself for not handling the situation better. 

I stared out the window of my room, the sprawling view of Seoul before me. The city was alive, bustling with activity even this early in the morning, but my mind was elsewhere. Today had to be the day. I couldn’t keep dragging this out. The tension between us was palpable, and if I didn’t address it, I’d lose my chance. 

I quickly showered and dressed, opting for something casual but neat—a white button-down and dark slacks. I wanted to look approachable, not like her boss. I ran a hand through my hair, sighing as I glanced in the mirror. 
“Let's do this,” I told myself. 

I stepped out of my room, the smell of freshly brewed coffee hitting me immediately. Kiara was in the kitchen, her back to me as she poured coffee into a mug. She was wearing a large hoodie and sweat pants, her hair tied in a messy bun. She looked... vulnerable, like in Colorado. 

I cleared my throat softly, not wanting to startle her. She jumped anyway, her hand jerking slightly and spilling some coffee on the counter. 
“Sorry,” I said quickly, stepping forward. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“It’s fine,” she mumbled, grabbing a paper towel to clean up the mess. 

An awkward silence settled between us as I watched her. She seemed tense, avoiding eye contact as she busied herself with the cleanup. 
“Kiara,” I began, my voice steady. “We need to talk.” 

She froze for a moment before straightening up and turning to face me. Her expression was guarded, her arms crossed over her chest. 
“About what?” she asked, her tone neutral. 

I gestured toward the living room. “Can we sit?” 

She hesitated but finally nodded, walking ahead of me and taking a seat on the couch. I followed, sitting down a few feet away from her to give her space. For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension thick in the air. 

“I want to apologize,” I said finally, breaking the silence. 

Her eyes flicked to mine, surprised. “For what?” 

“For yesterday. For barging into your room, for yelling. I was worried about you, but I handled it poorly. I scared you, and that’s the last thing I ever want to do.” 

Her expression softened slightly, but she still looked wary. “You don’t have to apologize. I overreacted. I just... I didn’t know how to handle everything.” 

“I get that,” I said, leaning forward, my elbows resting on my knees. “But Kiara, I need you to know something. The way I’ve been acting lately, the things I’ve been saying—it’s not just random. There’s a reason.” 

She tensed, her hands gripping the edge of her hoodie. “What do you mean?” 

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “Since we came back from Colorado, I’ve realized something. Being around you every day, seeing how hard you work, how passionate you are—it’s made me see you in a different light. I know I have been really unfair to you these years, but now I am starting to see the real you and understand you. You’re not just my assistant, Kiara. You’re so much more than that to me.” 

Her eyes widened, her lips parting in surprise. “Sir, I - I mean Brandon , I—” 

"Wait", stopping her. “Let me finish. I’ve been flirting with you, trying to get closer to you, because I have feelings for you. Real feelings. But I realize now that I’ve been going about it all wrong. I didn’t consider how my actions might be affecting you, how they might be confusing or overwhelming.” 

She stared at me, her expression unreadable. “You... have feelings for me?” she asked softly, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.  Yeah even I couldn't believe that I would say this one day.

“Yes,” I said firmly. “And I know this might be a lot to process and hard to believe, especially with my past relationships. But I needed to tell you. I needed you to know.” 

She looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting together nervously. “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted. 

“You don’t have to say anything right now,” I said quickly. “I don’t expect an answer or anything like that. I just wanted to be honest with you. I care about you, Kiara. More than I probably should. And I want to make this work, if you’re willing to give it a chance.” 

Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hope there. But then she shook her head, her gaze dropping again. 

“I’m scared,” she admitted. “You’re my boss, Brandon. If things go wrong—” 

“They won’t,” I interrupted firmly. “I won’t let them. And if it makes you feel better, we can figure out a way to keep things professional at work. But outside of work... I-I want the chance to show you how much you mean to me.” 

She bit her lip, clearly torn. “I need time, to think about it,” she said finally. 

“Take all the time you need,” I said, my voice gentle. “I’ll be here, waiting. Just... don’t shut me out, okay?” 

She nodded slowly. “Okay.” 

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. It wasn’t the answer I wanted, but it was a start. 

As she stood to leave, I reached out, lightly brushing her hand with mine. She froze, looking down at our hands, then back at me. 

“Kiara,” I said softly. “You’re worth the wait.” 

Her eyes filled with emotion, and for a moment, I thought she might say something. But then she pulled her hand away, mumbling a quiet “thank you” before disappearing into her room. 

I sat back on the couch, my heart pounding. It wasn’t the resolution I hoped for, but it was enough. For now. 

Tomorrow, I thought, leaning my head back against the couch. Tomorrow, I’ll find another way to show her how much she means to me. 
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His my lovelies, a new chapter as promised. I hope you like it. Merry Christmas to you all 🎄🎄🎄🎁🎁
Love you ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️