Digging

Just as his lips were about to touch hers, there was a knock on the door and Zayn promptly entered without waiting for a response, "Sir, your meeting …"

Lianne quickly jerked back and turned her head, causing him to just kiss her cheek instead. Both of her hands were on his chest while her cheeks were flushed red.

Kai closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath before releasing it, turning to face Zayn who now stood there, his lips shut and eyes looking everywhere but at him.

Kai should have known better.

He should have locked the door.

Normally, what Zayn did was fine as Kai never did insist. All he required was that Zayn knock first before entering so as to give him an indication of his entry. Zayn was the only person that could enter like that and now, Kai wished he had revoked such access.

Zayn, in the meantime, mentally slapped himself on the forehead.

He should have known better than to enter immediately. He should have given Kai a few moments before he entered. Zayn just didn't think Kai would do such things in the office, but in hindsight, it was obvious.

Kai had always been very meticulous in his actions in the office. He had always drawn a very strict line about work. No personal stuff. Even family had to go through the strict protocols and there was no nepotism.

Then again, Kai was never close to the Shengs anyway so that was a no-brainer.

Now, however, he actually had someone special and those strict protocols seemed to have gone out the window.

Seeing how Kai was staring daggers at him right now, Zayn could feel the sweat pouring down his back. It had been a very long time since he gave such a look - and aura - that one could easily forget how ruthless he had been when climbing up.

He was laid-back now because he was secure in his position but before then, it had been full of schemes and bloodshed.

No one would suspect such a face to have such a background.

He never showed it to the public as his persona was supposed to be easy-going, charming, and even flirty. He was a firm and decisive businessman, but he was not ruthless.

In reality, he was anything but easy-going and he definitely was ruthless.

Now, however, it seemed like his 'public' persona became all-natural when he was with Lianne … and his private persona came gushing forth when it involved Lianne.

Suddenly, Zayn had an ominous feeling.

Perhaps Lianne wasn't going to be a 'fling' after all.

Once again, he was caught in his dilemma.

To tell, or not to tell.

"What. Is. It?" Kai hissed through gritted teeth.

Zayn cleared his throat, "Sir, your 2pm appointment is here."

Kai slumped his shoulders and wailed over the fact that time seemed to pass by so fast when he was with Lianne. It seemed like she had just arrived and now, she had to go? How did one-and-a-half hours pass by so fast?!

Lianne patted Kai on the shoulder and smoothened her blouse, "Time for me to go now, Kai."

Kai looked at her with his puppy eyes, silently begging her to stay but she shook her head, "No, Kai. I'll call you tonight, okay?"

"I'll walk you down," Kai began but Lianne put up her hand, shaking her head again.

"Behave, Kai," Lianne said, "I know my way down. Your appointment is here already so you can't delay that. You may be the boss, but you can't be willful."

Kai got up as she did and he pursed his lips, "I want to be willful."

Lianne laughed and kissed him on the cheek, "Why does it seem like you're the woman in this relationship?"

Kai held her close, rubbing her nose with his, "Trust me, I'm all male and I have the equipment to prove it."

"Shameless," Lianne scoffed, stomping on his foot as he attempted to kiss her, audience be damned. She slid out of his arms and he grabbed her hand as she passed him.

"I'll call you," Kai said, "Be careful on the way home."

Lianne blew him a kiss and he made a motion as if he caught it and placed it on his lips. Lianne rolled her eyes and left. Kai wanted nothing more than to follow her out but he knew she was right.

If he was too willful and did what he truly wanted, she would probably kick him back into the office.

Kai smiled to himself, then reverted back to his 'businessman' mode.

Zayn was relieved and went to allow the woman in.

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As Lianne entered the lift corridor, she greeted Clarisse and bid her goodbye. Once inside the lift, Lianne's smile disappeared and she furrowed her eyebrows as she thought back to what had just happened.

No, not the near-kiss.

Rather, Zayn.

The way he looked at her the entire time.

First, when they had just met, he was polite but indifferent. Then, he was clearly uncomfortable by the way Kai was blatantly showing his affection to her.

Not the 'I wish I wasn't here to see this' sort of uncomfortable vibe but more of the 'this is not good' vibe.

Initially, Lianne had thought it was the former but the way Zayn acted earlier dispelled that thought completely. There had been a flash of concern and displeasure that appeared on his face when Kai had almost kissed her.

Lianne noticed it as she had turned her head to avoid Kai's kiss, her attention on Zayn due to her embarrassment. As such, even though it had been fleeting, and the expression was gone by the time she turned her head back to look at him, it had been there.

Kai, of course, did not catch it at all since his back was to Zayn.

Ordinarily, Lianne wouldn't bother whether someone approved of her to be with Kai as that was not any of their business.

Zayn, however, was different.

He was Kai's most trusted man and the one who had his ear. She wasn't concerned about Kai being swayed by anything Zayn said since Kai had already proven to her how staunch he was in pursuing her. Passing Kyle and Zero's tests were not easy.

No.

What made her worried was about who Zayn was.

Rather, who he truly was.

Was he really just Kai's PA?

Looks like she needed to do some deeper digging.

Not just on Zayn, but that woman, too.

Lianne's eyes narrowed.

There was just something about her that rubbed Lianne the wrong way.

A woman's instinct is never wrong.