Bitter Love

Chapter 27:Smiling

Evie's pov

The office had long since emptied, leaving behind a heavy stillness, broken only by the rhythmic clicking of my keyboard as I worked through the last few reports. My eyes were starting to blur, the screen a constant stream of numbers and figures that no longer made sense.

It had been a long week—no, a long few weeks—since I'd been promoted. The weight of the responsibility had settled heavily on my shoulders, like a constant reminder that I couldn’t afford to falter. The progress, the metrics, the details... they all needed to be perfect. There was no room for error, not now.

I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, trying to fight the relentless fatigue that was creeping in. I’d been at this desk for hours, barely taking a break. The quiet hum of the overhead lights seemed louder in the stillness, almost lulling me into a trance, the exhaustion clawing at my bones.

Just one more report. That’s all I needed to finish. I could do this.

But the moment I started to read through the final numbers, the lines on the screen swam before my eyes, and a yawn escaped before I could stop it. My head felt heavy, my body screaming for rest. Maybe just a quick break...

I glanced at the clock in the corner of my laptop screen.
11:03 PM

“Evie,” I muttered to myself, shaking my head as if I could shake off the fatigue. “You’re overdoing it.”

But there was no stopping now. I couldn’t leave anything unfinished, not with all the pressure on me. Not with the silent expectation that I prove myself every single day.

I reached for my coffee cup, the mug cold and forgotten on the edge of my desk, but it was empty. I let out a quiet sigh, the kind that comes from deep in your chest, and rested my forehead on my crossed arms just for a moment. A moment to breathe, to close my eyes, to gather my strength.

But that moment stretched longer than I intended, and before I knew it, the hum of the lights and the cool surface of the desk had become oddly soothing. My exhaustion wrapped around me like a heavy blanket, pulling me under completely. Sleep crept in, uninvited but impossible to resist.

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Adrien's pov

The office was quiet—eerily so. The soft hum of the lights above was the only sound as I walked through the halls, heading toward the elevator to go home. I’d assumed everyone had gone home by now; it was late, far later than any of us should’ve still been here.

But then I saw her.

Evie.

She was slumped at her desk, her head resting on her crossed arms. For a moment, I thought she might just be leaning there, but as I stepped closer, I realized she was asleep. Her breathing was slow and steady, her lashes casting faint shadows on her cheeks.

I froze, staring at her. She looked different like this—so peaceful, so... soft. The hard edges she carried during the day were gone, replaced by something quieter, more vulnerable.

The glow of her desk lamp caught the freckles dusting her nose and cheeks, drawing my attention to them, as it always did. And then my gaze dropped to her lips—parted slightly as if she’d drifted off mid-thought.

She was... striking.

I didn’t mean to move closer, but I did. Slowly, quietly, I stopped just beside her, looking down at her sleeping form. A few strands of hair had slipped from the bun she’d pinned up earlier, falling across her face. Without thinking, I reached out, brushing them back behind her ear.

Her hair was softer than I expected—silky against my fingers. I lingered for a second too long, the light scent of her shampoo hitting me, and for a moment, I almost forgot myself. Her freckles seemed to stand out more now, a subtle contrast against her flushed cheeks.

I drew my hand back abruptly, cursing under my breath. What the hell was I doing? Staring at her like this? Touching her hair? She was asleep, for God’s sake.

I cleared my throat quietly, trying to snap myself out of it. “Freckles.”

She stirred faintly, her brow furrowing. I bit back a smirk, watching as she shifted slightly in her seat, her lips pressing together before parting again with a soft sigh.

“Freckles,” I repeated, my voice soft but firm.

Her eyelids fluttered open, just one eye at first, hazel and still fogged with sleep. She squinted at me, her expression a mix of confusion and irritation, and I couldn’t stop the smile that pulled at my lips.

She blinked again, her other eye opening as she looked up at me fully now. Her brow furrowed, and that little frown she always seemed to wear when annoyed appeared. Damn it, it was cute.

“Freckles,” I said again, smirking as her expression turned exasperated.

“I’m not... Freckles,” she mumbled, her voice groggy and thick with sleep.

“Sure, you’re not,” I said, leaning against her desk. “Wake up.I'm taking you home."

She groaned, her head dropping back down onto her arms. “Just... just five more minutes...”

I chuckled, low and quiet, unable to help myself. “Five more minutes?” I echoed, shaking my head. “Sorry, Freckles. I’m not leaving you here all night.”

Her response was a soft mumble I couldn’t quite make out, her eyes still shut tight.

I leaned in slightly, my voice dropping. “Come on, Freckles. Wake up. You need to go home.”

She groaned again, and I swore I caught the faintest hint of a smile pulling at her lips, even as her face remained buried in her arms.

This was too much. I should’ve been annoyed, frustrated even, that she hadn’t left hours ago. But instead, I was... smiling.

Smiling like a damn idiot.

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Ahh these two are sooo cuteeee I can't 🤭

Please vote and comment guys❤️