FOUR

In the silence, Lara remembered Stefani's words. She looked at the envelope in her hands. All she had to do was put this on the CEO's desk, right?

Lara inhaled deeply. She can do this. 

At that moment, she looked up and her eyes came in contact with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. 

The CEO was the owner of those eyes and she gasped the moment their eyes met. Her whole body froze and the words she planned to say to him in greeting were stuck in her throat.

The CEO narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you?" He asked, the authoritative tone in his voice made her shiver.

At that moment, she couldn't take her eyes away from him. She already knew he was ridiculously handsome. But she didn't know that he was this handsome in person.

She knew the CEO asked her a question. But all she could think of was that his photo didn't do him any justice, not at all.

Noah Smith was devilishly handsome,  and his eyes... very intense. His electric blue eyes looked at her like they could see into her soul if he wanted to.

On the other hand, Noah looked at the woman who entered his office. His eyes zoomed in on her when she came in.

Her lips gaped open after seeing his face. Like a dear in headlights, she froze up. Her eyes were dazed and her thoughts were not with her because she didn't respond to his question.

Noah stood up and walked around his desk, his eyes still studying the woman. "I said, who are you?" He asked again and that got her out of her trance immediately.

"Oh! I-I'm nobody, Sir." She replied after struggling for words. 

It wasn't the answer Noah wanted to hear from her, much to his dismay. 

Remembering what she came there to do, Lara swallowed. "I-I came here to deliver this." She stuttered, slowly approaching the CEO's desk.

Noah sat on the hardwood and crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes watched the woman as she squirmed under his gaze. She didn't stop her approach though, which was brave of her.

She stepped closer. Clutching the envelope close to her chest. "I-I'm going to put this on your desk, sir." She said and placed the brown envelope just beside where he sat. 

Noah looked at it and he saw the woman jump away from him from the corner of his eye. He frowned. It was as if his presence burned her and she needed to get away from him. He didn't like it. She didn't even look him in the eyes.

Noah glanced at the envelope again, burning holes at the innocent document before turning his eyes back to the jumpy woman. 

She was now awkwardly playing with her fingers. Standing there with no idea what to do.

"I-I'll be going now, Sir. I'm sorry for the disturbance."

Noah's eyes constricted. She's leaving. "You haven't answered my question yet." He said stopping her immediately when his voice raised in volume. He didn't mean to raise his voice at her, but for some reason, he was determined to make her stay.

Noah eventually regretted raising it because Lara's body flinched in response to his voice. She was afraid now.

Slowly, Lara turned around. "M-My apologies." 

"What's your name?" 

Lara inwardly frowned at that question. Did he shout at her because he wanted to know her name?

Eyeing the ID she's clutching close to her chest, Noah pieced her up with the tiny details he got from her appearance. At her silence, he continued. "Looking at your ID strap from this distance, it seems like you're one of my new employees." 

Lara blinked, surprised that he was able to discern that much by looking at her ID strap. 

"Y-Yes, I'm..." She bit her lip and her shoulders sagged at the thought of being reprimanded by him. Will he fire her next?

Noah frowned at her obvious hesitation. "Is it really hard for you to tell me your name?"

Lara immediately shook her head. "N-No, sir. I just- uhh. I find you intimidating." She said without thinking and she gasped. What did she just say?

Noah blinked at that unexpected yet honest response. He was taken aback by it, and the corner of his lips turned up for a second there. She finally said a straightforward answer. He was impressed. His smile vanished as soon as it appeared though. "I see..." He said.

"I-I'm sorry, sir! M-My name is not that important so," Lara said and regretted her words again. 

Deflating like a balloon she added. "P-Please forget what I said. I didn't know what I was thinking." She said, awkwardness filling the room.

Noah's face stayed impassive and didn't respond.

Uh-oh. Lara cleared her throat. "S-Sir?" The silence was killing her...

"I think it's my decision if asking your name is important or not." The CEO finally said and Lara flinched. 

Yikes!

"Y-Yes, sir. I-I'm sorry, sir." She immediately apologized and there was silence again.

"So, you find me intimidating, huh." 

Lara looked up and saw Noah leaning back, his eyes still focused on her. "Is that why you can't tell me your name?"

Lara blinked, confused by the question 

"Why am I getting interrogated like this?" 

In her mind, she said it, but she didn't realize that she actually said it out loud. Drat!

Noah didn't say a word after what she said. She knew he heard it loud and clear and she flinched away when he pushed away from his desk and slowly came towards her.

Oh, gods. Lara closed her eyes tightly when the CEO stopped and leaned forward towards her. His face was levelled with hers and he took her ID in his hands, flipping it over to read her name.

"Lara Louis…" He quietly said, his eyes flashing with awe and something dark which he quietly forced down in his throat as he swallowed. 

He looked at her face again. So, she's the one...

Lara slowly opened her eyes and saw Noah looking at her under his lashes. His electric blue eyes were getting darker the longer he stared at her face. 

"So, you're indeed new." He said, as a matter of fact.

Lara gulped. "Y-Yes, sir. I was assigned to the finance department today." She added then grimaced inwardly when she realized that she didn't have to say that information to his face since he didn't ask for it, but still she said it.

"I see." Noah said, his voice mysteriously gentle before letting go of her ID. "Tomorrow you won't be working there anymore."

Lara's eye's widened at the suddenness of his words. "Sir?" Did she just hear him correctly?

Noah didn't respond and took a step back from her. "I'll be transferring you to another department tomorrow." He said, going back behind his desk.

"Sir, please wait." He stopped and looked at her. She gulped. "May I ask why you're suddenly transferring me? This decision is too sudden, I'm confused." She thought she got fired for a second there. That initially made her nervous. But now, he's transferring her to another department. Why? 

Noah didn't answer her question. "Thank you, Miss Louis, for bringing the documents. You can leave now." He gestured for her to leave and that's it. No explanation. No additional words. She was dismissed.

Lara wanted to stay and demand answers from him. But she suddenly remembered she wasn't in the position to do such things so she turned around with a heavy heart and left his office.

Did she do something wrong? Did her actions angered him or something? Lara couldn't stop thinking about it. Suddenly, she was scared of tomorrow.

***

Lara dropped her exhausted self on the sofa and groaned. Home. She was home at last.

The softness of the furniture enveloped her back and she sighed.

She wasn't tired, but mentally she was. Meeting the CEO drained the life out of her, and now, she was going to be transferred to a different department. 

How in the hell is she supposed to tell Chance and Rachel about this? She groaned. 

"Hey guys, listen, I met the CEO yesterday and I think I was rude to him so he's transferring me to a different department just to punish me."

She can imagine the shock and the horror on their face if she told them that. Especially Rachel. Yes, Rachel. She will be lonely for sure.

Lara dug her fangs into an innocent plush pillow that was laying beside her. "Argh!" She rolled around in frustration, exerting all her emotions into it. Poor pillow...

Not long after, Lara emerged from the pillow with a huff. She just can't understand why the CEO would do that to her though. Evaluating herself at that moment, she knew she did a pretty good job today. 

She memorized the company rules and so far, based on her actions, she didn't do anything wrong. So, what did she miss? What mistake did she do? 

Lara's train of thought was immediately interrupted when her cellphone rang. She searched for it. The ringing was muffled so she searched inside her bag.

Her fingers touched a thin, sleek object amongst her things and it was vibrating under her touch so she grabbed the thing and pulled it out.

Squinting her eyes, she read the caller ID on the screen. She frowned. It was her father. Why is he calling her all of a sudden? Did something happen?

Lara pressed to answer it. "Hello?"

"Lara, my daughter," Her father's stern, a calm voice greeted her immediately. "What took you so long to answer?" He asked, concerned, he doesn't sound like someone with a problem.

"Apologies, father. I just got back from work so," She cleared her throat. "Did something happen?"

"No. Why? Can't I call my daughter when I feel like it? Today's your first day, right? How can I not check on you?"

Lara sighed. Looks like she was worried about nothing. "You know that's not what I meant." She can feel her father smiling from the other line. He was just teasing her. As always. 

"I know. So, how was work?" He asked, changing the topic to something he was obviously curious about. No wonder he called her... Sebastien knew it was his daughter's first day.

Lara stood up to get herself a drink. "Well, it was good." She dismissively said as she opened the fridge. There were 6 cans of beer and a pitcher of water. 

Hmm. The water would do, she thought as she took the pitcher instead of the beer. Lara was not in the mood to indulge herself with a beer tonight after what just happened with her in the office. 

Plus, she has work tomorrow, and the 3 days after that, so, no drinking.

"Just good?" Her father asked. He must have sensed something amiss in her tone. As always.

"Yep!" She can't tell her father that she almost got fired today. 

Yep. Absolutely not. Knowing her father, he doesn't like it when she suffers. He'll throw a fit at the office when he hears about it and that's for sure. 

Lara sighed while drinking.

"Okay... Did you meet any friends then?" Her father asked next. He sounded so interested that Lara answered him truthfully this time.

"Yeah, two, to be exact. Rachel and Chance. They're cool..."

"Are they human?"

Lara became silent for a while. "Yeah, they are..."

"That's good." She can hear her father sighing with relief. "I don't want your identity to be revealed while you're there. That is why I gave you the necklace, do you still have it? It'll keep you safe."

Lara sighed, reaching for the necklace beneath her blouse. "Yes, I'm wearing it now."

"Good. Never take it off."

She rubbed the stone between her fingers. "I know, father... Thank you for thinking about me."

"For you, always." He replied, but the worry in his voice was still there though. "I'm still worried about you, daughter  You're too far away from my reach. I can't protect you in the human realm. I have no power there."

She put down her glass and sighed. Here we go again... 

"Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore. I can protect myself just fine." She said.

"I know that but still, I'm worried." Her father's displeasure with her decision was clear. He didn't want her to leave their home in Velhellah, but he couldn't stop her from leaving. It was her choice.

"I'll make sure to be safe," Lara said.

"As you should." Her father warned. "Do not forget your promise to me..." 

Lara sighed. "Yes, and I won't break it."

"Make sure of that, Lara Louis." Her dad called her by her name. And when he does, it means he's really serious. "If you break your promise, I will take you back here and you will never step foot into the human realm ever again."

"I know. I promised you, I will keep it.

"Good! Anyway, I just snuck out of a council meeting to talk to you. I'll call you again tomorrow. Take care of yourself, okay?"

"Yes, father, I will. Say hi to Cedric for me."

"I will. In fact, he's right coming to me right now. Do you want to speak to him?"

Lara smiled at that. "Really? Put him on the phone."

"Cedric, it's my daughter..." 

She can hear her father calling her best friend over and not long after, a familiar warm voice reached her ears.

"Hey there, pumpkin! I heard you started working today. How was it?"

"It was fun! By the way, when will you visit me again?"

Cedric chuckled at that. "Why? Did you miss me that much?" He teased her. Cedric always teases her like this and Lara's unconscious reaction to it was to roll her eyes.

"I just wanted my regular delivery of Blood Cakes, dummy, I didn't miss you."

"Ouch! That hurt."

Lara laughed. Such a drama queen. "Enough jokes, Cedie. Seriously, when are you coming for a visit?"

"Hmm. I'm thinking next week? I'll call you when I'm certain. There's a problem in the council and I have a mountain of work to finish before I can visit you." He said and Lara nodded in understanding at that. 

Cedric was 2 years older than her, but he was the youngest member of the royal council and was competent in what he does, mainly lording everyone below him. Cedric was constantly busy as well, while she, the rightful crown princess of Velhellah, was not a part of that. Her father never let her get involved in politics, and for a good reason.

"Text when you're coming then." She said.

"I will."

"Also, take care of my father for me, okay? Even though he's practically invincible in court, I still worry about him."

"Of course, pumpkin. I'll do that even if you don't ask me to. Take care of yourself as well. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay. Don't forget my blood cakes."

Cedric chuckled. "You know I won't."