Hazel stood in a flowing blue gown that shimmered under the soft lights of the room. Across from her, Chris approached, dressed in a sharp black suit that highlighted his confident aura. The soft melody of a romantic tune filled the air as he extended his hand toward her, a playful smile on his lips.

“May I have this dance?” he asked, his deep voice sending a flutter through her chest.

She placed her hand in his, and he guided her to the center of the room . His touch was firm yet gentle as he rested one hand on her waist and held her other hand in his. Their movements were slow and fluid, perfectly in sync with the rhythm of the music.

Hazel’s gaze met his, and she couldn’t help but smile. There was something so calming about the way he looked at her—like she was the only person in the room. Her heart raced, but in the best way possible.

"You’re beautiful," Chris said softly, his voice carrying a sincerity that made her cheeks warm.

Hazel bit her lip, shy under his intense gaze. “You’re not so bad yourself,” she replied with a teasing smile.

As they swayed to the music, Hazel felt a surge of emotion she couldn’t hold back anymore. Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes and said, “Chris… I love you.”

“Gosh!” Hazel jolted awake, sitting up abruptly. Her heart was racing, but for an entirely different reason now. "What the hell was that?" she muttered, running a hand through her hair.

She sat there for a moment, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. "Why do I keep having these nightmares about him? Gosh," she groaned, frustrated.

Hazel glanced at the clock on her nightstand, and her eyes widened in panic. "What?! I’m late for work already!" she exclaimed, throwing the blanket off her and scrambling out of bed.

She rushed to grab a glass of water to calm herself down, but there was no time to dwell on the bizarre dream. With a flurry of hurried movements, Hazel gathered her things and headed to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

......

Hazel rushed around her small apartment, trying to get ready for work. She glanced at the clock and groaned—she was too late. Pulling her hair into a quick bun, she fumbled with the pins, her movements hurried and frustrated.

Just as she was about to finish, the doorbell rang. She froze for a moment, letting out an annoyed sigh. "Not now," she muttered under her breath, still fixing her hair. The bell rang again, this time more insistently.

“Seriously?” Hazel snapped, tossing the hairpin onto the dresser. She stormed toward the door, her frustration bubbling over. But when she yanked it open, her anger had no target. The hallway was empty.

She looked down and spotted a neatly wrapped gift and an envelope resting on the welcome mat. Rolling her eyes, she bent to pick them up. Hazel already had an idea of who it was from. Tearing open the letter, her irritation only grew as she read the words.

---

Good morning, my love,

Are you getting ready for work? I hope you’re wearing something beautiful today—I know you always do. I can’t wait to see you. Hurry, Hazel. Every moment away from you feels like an eternity, and I’m counting the seconds until you walk through the office doors.
Come quick, my love. I’m waiting.

Yours forever,
Chris

---

Hazel crumpled the letter in her fist, her face flushed with a mixture of anger and discomfort. Without a second thought, she grabbed the gift and the letter, tossing both into the trash.

" freak," she muttered under her breath, slamming the door shut. Ignoring the lingering unease, she grabbed her bag and rushed out, determined to put Chris’s unsettling message behind her.

.....

The clock ticked relentlessly as Chris sat in his spacious office, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee swirling around him.

Chris stood by the large office window, his tall frame silhouetted against the morning light. A steaming mug of coffee rested in his hand as he gazed out at the bustling street below. He took a slow sip, his impatience growing with each passing second. His eyes flicked toward the building’s entrance every so often, searching.

"Where are you?" he muttered, his grip tightening around the mug.

Then, he saw her. Hazel stepped into the office . Chris froze, his coffee momentarily forgotten as a slow, almost involuntary smile crept across his face.

He watched her intently, savoring the moment. Her confident stride, the way her hair caught the sunlight—it was all mesmerizing to him.

He turned slightly, still watching her through the glass panels of the office. She glanced up, their eyes locking for a split second. Chris raised his hand in a subtle wave, the smile on his face softening, almost inviting.

But Hazel quickly looked away, pretending not to see him. Instead, she greeted her colleagues, chatting with them as though she hadn’t just ignored him completely.

Chris’s smile faltered, replaced by a sharp edge of annoyance. He set his coffee down on the windowsill, his jaw tightening. She’s avoiding me. Again.

Still, he knew she couldn’t keep it up for long. Her desk was right there in his office—there was no escaping him. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the window frame, his gaze unwavering as it followed her movements.

“Keep running, Hazel,” he muttered under his breath, a faint smirk returning to his lips. We both know you’ll end up right here, where you belong.

He returned to his seat, crossing his legs and drumming his fingers lightly on the desk.

For a while, he busied himself with documents on his table, but his eyes kept darting to the clock. Five minutes passed, then ten. Still, she didn’t come. The smile faded, replaced by a faint furrow in his brow.

Standing abruptly, Chris walked over to the large window of his office. He pushed the blinds aside, his sharp gaze scanning the scene below. There she was, still standing with her colleagues, laughing and chatting as if she had no idea he was waiting for her.

He exhaled sharply, letting the blinds fall back into place. Turning on his heel, he returned to his chair, his patience beginning to wear thin. He glanced at the clock again—fifteen minutes now.

Chris clenched his jaw, the irritation creeping into his expression. Picking up his phone, he pressed the intercom button. “Send Hazel to my office immediately,” he said to his assistant, his tone calm but laced with authority.

“Yes, sir,” came the quick reply.
.....

As soon as Hazel stepped in his office, Chris's sharp gaze locked onto her. His jaw was clenched, and his normally composed demeanor was replaced with an intensity that made the air around him feel charged. Before she could even greet him or explain herself, he crossed the room in swift, purposeful strides.

Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her roughly toward the door and pinned her against it, his movements controlled but seething with frustration. His face was inches from hers, his breath warm against her skin. Hazel tried to turn her face away to avoid the uncomfortable closeness, but Chris only moved in closer, his voice dangerously low as he whispered in her ear.

“I hate it when someone I care about ignores me,” he said, his tone simmering with anger. “And you—” he paused, his grip tightening slightly, “you’re not just someone I care about. You’re the one I love, Hazel. And that means you are definitely not allowed to ignore me.”

His words hung heavy in the air, each one laced with a possessiveness that sent a chill down her spine. He tilted his head slightly, his lips brushing against the edge of her ear as he continued, “Try doing it again, and I won’t be correcting you alone like this.  I’ll make sure to remind you—publicly—exactly where you make your mistakes.”

Her eyes widened as she turned to look at him, a mixture of shock and defiance in her expression. Chris met her gaze with unflinching intensity, his dark eyes burning with a mix of anger and something deeper, something almost uncontainable.

“I hope you understand what I mean,” he added, his voice cold and final.

He held her there for a moment longer, his hands gripping her wrists firmly against the wall, as though ensuring she wouldn’t even think of escaping his hold. The tension in the room was suffocating, his anger radiating off him in waves.

Then, as abruptly as he had grabbed her, Chris let go, stepping back with an air of deliberate control. He walked to his desk and sank into his chair, his sharp gaze never leaving her.

“Sit,” he ordered, his voice calm but edged with the same unrelenting authority. His eyes bored into her, making it clear that this wasn’t a request—it was a command. Hazel stood frozen for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest as she processed what had just happened.
......

Hazel’s fingers danced over the keyboard, the soft hum of the computer filling the quiet room. Her hair swayed gently, catching the breeze from the nearby window, framing her face in a way that made her look effortlessly beautiful. Chris sat a few desks away, focused on his laptop—or at least trying to be.

For a moment, his eyes shifted toward her, intending only a quick glance. But he froze, unable to look away. Her eyes shimmered with determination as she worked, and there was something about the way she furrowed her brows while concentrating that captivated him. She was stunning, and she didn’t even realize it.

Suddenly, Hazel stood from her chair, gathering some papers. Chris quickly shifted his gaze back to his screen, pretending to be engrossed in his work. But she had already noticed.

With a slight shake of her head, she approached his desk, her footsteps light but purposeful. “Here’s the file with the basic details of the project,” she said, extending the papers toward him.

He didn’t take them. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on her. “I wonder…” he began, his tone casual but his words carrying weight, “if you’d treat me differently if I hadn’t revealed myself to you. I regret doing it now.”

Hazel blinked, her expression hardening. Without a word, she slammed the file onto his desk, the sound echoing in the quiet room. Then, without so much as a glance back, she turned on her heel started to going back  to her seat.

Chris sighed, leaning forward as he ran a hand through his hair. “At least talk to me,” he called after her. “I didn’t bring you here to be treated like this.” His saying made her stop mid way. But then again she started going back to her seat .

Chris grabbed the file and started skimming through it. "Explain this point," he said, his tone casual yet teasing.

"Which one?" Hazel asked turning back .

"This one," he replied, keeping the file firmly in his grasp, holding it at an angle that made it impossible for her to see.

She frowned in irritation. "I can't see it unless you show me," she said, trying to maintain her composure.

"Come closer and see it for yourself," he said with a smirk, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

Hazel sighed, shaking her head. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath and turned to walk back to her desk, determined not to entertain his antics.

Just as she reached her desk, his voice stopped her. "You’re forgetting how important this project is for the company you work in," he called out, the mock seriousness in his tone making her pause. "If you don’t cooperate, I’ll have to dismiss it. You know what that means—your boss will suffer because of you."

His smirk deepened as the words hit their mark. Hazel turned to glare at him, her anger simmering beneath the surface. She clenched her fists but forced herself to stay calm.

“Stop being so stubborn and come here,” he said, leaning back in his chair “ I won’t bite. Just come closer and explain it.”

Reluctantly, she walked back to him, standing beside him. “Which point?” she asked, her voice clipped as she tried to keep the conversation professional.

“This one,” he said, pointing vaguely at the file.

Hazel leaned in slightly, explaining the point he’d mentioned, but midway through her explanation, she noticed his gaze fixed on her. He wasn’t looking at the file; he was looking at her, his expression soft, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Her irritation boiled over. “Are you even listening?” she snapped.

Chris blinked, caught off guard, but before he could respond, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, her expression lighting up as she saw the caller ID. A warm smile spread across her face.

"Excuse me," she said, stepping away to take the call.

But before she could walk off, Chris grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. The movement caught her off balance, and she stumbled, landing squarely on his lap.

"what the—" she began, but his hand covered her mouth, silencing her.

From the phone, a voice called out, "Hello? Hazel, what happened?"

Chris  grabbed her phone and ended the call without hesitation.