The apology

"Bitch"

Murmuring along with a glare, the man spat. "Excuse me?" In disbelief, L gasped. How could this asshole be so rude to a stranger? It was not like he appeared as someone pitiful to lend a hand. The security was trying to cease him like he was some sort of criminal.

He looked pretty much troublesome. Could anyone blame her for being selfish and hesitant to help? Obviously not! Humans were selfish anyway. As his brother approached, Adelio glanced at the woman who was gritting her teeth. She was exasperated clearly.

Howbeit, Adelio's gaze shifted down on the woman's lips. Perplexing L on the other side. Adelio, then raised his hand to beckon at L about something. And yet, Luke interrupted him. "Risa, cream. On your lips" Whispering while pointing at his own lip to signal, Luke alerted.

It was when L gasped and wiped her lips quickly. They two exchanged a grin; ignoring Adelio who was staring down at Luke. His hand lowered. He was about to point at his lip as beckon so that she noticed the cream. But his secretary took the chance to speak out loud.

Adelio did not state anything and walked away with his brother. It was when Mian ran towards the woman in panic. "Larissa! Are you okay?! Why did you look at him?! Didn't you know that you had to pretend to be deaf and blind when around him?!" A shout conquered.

Her face covered in sweats.

"I did not know about him! No one warned me!" L pouted to play innocent. Causing Mian to let out a sigh. "I should have told you earlier. He is the figure everyone avoids. I happen to find it out on the interview day" Mian began to disclose. Holding L's attention fully.

"He is Warren Vincent, the brother of our Boss. And let me tell you, he is certainly not someone you may want to be in touch. Our Boss and he got some problems, maybe a fight? But anyway, Warren Vincent is a troublemaker. I heard he gambled and lost a million"

Whispering the last sentence, Mian divulged the information about the man. It hushed down L for a moment. Gamble addict. The cold relationship between brothers. Somehow it sounded great in L's ears. Like a good opportunity for her to stand out in Adelio's sight.

Adelio must be tired of Warren, or, to be precise, the unemployed brother. While his own brother played around foolishly, the hardworking employee like her would catch Adelio's eyes for sure. "He will think of me whenever he sees his brother. How delightful"

A chuckle escaped between L's lips; being delusional as always. It confused Mian beside. "Huh? What are you murmuring?" Mian frowned. Not catching what her friend just muttered. "Oh, it is nothing. Let's get back to work. We should pretend nothing occurred"

Shaking her head, L flashed a beam.

"Okay. But be careful next time though. Don't ever bump into Warren Vincent; if not you will face unimaginable circumstances" Patting L's shoulder, Mian left an alert. "Yes, Ma'am!" The two went back to their desks to continue the work instead of gossiping more.

Few hours later, Adelio's appearance stunned everyone. He stood there beside the woman who had dozed off on the desk. Eyes shut, head resting on arms, the creamy bun on the side, and the laptop screen displaying the papers, dear L had fallen asleep while working.

"I will remember her. She is still young"

Others started to pray for the woman's life since they were aware how terrifying Adelio could become if he saw someone taking a nap during work time. "Come awake her" His eyes remained on L as he ordered others. It rushed up Mian to dash there. She patted L's back, gently.

It was hard to hide her trembling hands. "Larissa, wake up" Mian voiced. No reply. "Larissa, you have to get up" No one was more pressured and worried than Mian right now. "Larissa..." She called out again. "A minute... Give me one more minute. I couldn't sleep last night..."

L retorted, mumbling.

Believing it was Mian waking her up for a break. "Larissa, Boss is here, right beside you" Frowning, Mian whispered helplessly. It was the moment L raised her head in an instant and looked up. There he was. Standing with hands in pockets as a scowl tugged.

"Boss? What's wrong?" She grinned while having a heart attack on the inside. How come he appeared right now rather than her hardworking time?! "Come with me" Adelio commanded; turning around. "I hope everything goes right" Mian let out a mutter of prayer for her friend.

And so, L ended up standing in the man's office under tranquility. He had yet to utter a word. He just sat there, on lounge without any hesitation. "Um, Boss. Are you going to fire me?" Driven by curiosity and fright, L queried out loud. Furrowing brows tightly. Adelio, now looked up.

"Why do you think so?" He asked back. Giving the woman a hard time to find out what he was planning actually. "B... Because I was taking a nap" L lowered her gaze onto the floor to avoid the eye contact. "The aircons are fixed" Yet, the response puzzled the woman wholly.

"Pardon?"

L lifted her head in an instant; scowling. "You work late at night; I understand that you dozed off. But try to avoid it next time. Also, I wanted to apologize for my brother's harsh behavior. Not to fire you" Dead silence. L froze there like a dead chicken. She blinked, a few times.

Processing the situation. It seemed this man was not that cold-hearted but just failed in communication. At least, he apologized on his brother's behalf. A grin spread across L's face promptly. "I will never take a nap during work time, Boss!" She placed a firm vow.

"And I don't mind at all, Boss. Your brother must have been in a rush. I should be apologizing for getting in his way. I deserved to be dragged away" Portraying the forgiving, and sweet girl, L retorted. Hushing down the man across. It was only an image for him to fall for.

The actual L would have been cursing the fuck out of Warren, to be honest. For a moment, Adelio frowned. Expressing the dissatisfaction. Why? Why was this woman always apologizing like a fool even if she had done nothing wrong? "Is there any request?"

His brow arched.

"No, Boss. Please excuse me then" In rush, she attempted to leave the room. Without any words, Adelio allowed her to head back to the desk. "What happened?" As soon as L arrived, Mian waited with a list of questions like an interrogator. "He wanted to apologize" L smiled.

Stunning the woman. "Apologize?! How in the world did that happen?! There is no way!" The two friends shared the situation back in the office and waited for the time to reach the evening. Unlike the day before, L returned early. When Adelio walked past, his eyes swayed.

No sight of her. The hall was empty and dark. The hardworking woman he met yesterday was nowhere to be found. Unknowingly, Adelio was searching for Risa. His mind lingered. He headed to the café. "Welcome, Sir!" The girl flashed a bright grin.

"One espresso" His order never changed; but his focus did. Adelio's gaze glanced around to look for the woman. Was today not her day? He started to question himself quietly. "Risa, take this to table 3!" And the shout conquered as his head lifted in an instant. She's there.

Walking out of kitchen.

A bright smile displayed across. "Sir, you can wait at the table. We will make it in a few minutes" The girl grabbed the man's attention. "Okay" With his eyes glued upon L, Adelio replied to the girl. "Thank you, Sir" He walked to the table at corner. L had yet to notice him.

She concentrated over the other customers wholeheartedly so that he could tell how much she loved this job. Warren Vincent could never. The thought crossed. His brother and this woman were the opposite. "Risa, table 6!" Another shout echoed. This time, it was his table.

Adelio's brows raised to hear his table number. "Your espresso, Si...r Boss!" Approaching, L's face lit up with surprise. "Wow, do you come here often, Boss?" She placed the cup across the man. "I do" Adelio answered. "Really? It seems we will be meeting here often, Boss"

L let out a chuckle. "You can drop the Boss" The instruction fell suddenly. Catching the woman off guard. "Pardon?" She tilted her head. "We are not in the company. You can stop calling me like that" Adelio responded as L blinked. "But isn't it a bit rude?" She scowled.

"No, it is not"

The man denied. "Understood, Sir. Please enjoy your espresso" Like a winner of a game, L's lips curved up into a smirk once she turned around to back face him. It's working. Slowly, he would let her in for certain. Adelio spent around ten minutes to finish the cup, then he left.

"Risa, are you sure you have nothing going on with your Boss?" Cherry could not help but ask. "Of course not. Why do you ask?" L furrowed her brows, innocently. "He was looking at you as if he's going to devour you. How can I not assume it that way?" Cherry stated her view.

Causing L to smile. "Who knows..."

She shrugged. "What?!!"