Seeing that Ethan Sterling no longer resisted, Ava Moore carefully pressed the warm egg against the injured side of his face, gently rolling it back and forth.
She still heard a faint, restrained gasp.
"I'm sorry," she asked softly. "Am I pressing too hard?"
Ethan shook his head.
At first, it was a little uncomfortable. But honestly, her movements were very light—gentle, like water flowing over stone.
From this close distance, he could clearly see her eyes.
They were dark and clear, and in them, he could see his own reflection.
Her fingers weren't long and slender, but their shape was beautiful and steady.
Ava didn't have the striking, delicate beauty of a movie star. But her features came together in a way that felt comfortable to look at.
The kind of beauty that wasn't obvious at first glance—but the longer you looked, the more pleasing it became.
Especially when she was focused.
Especially when she was focused on him.
"Ahem…" Ethan covered his mouth with his hand as he coughed.
"I'll get you some medicine," Ava said, pulling her hand back and starting to stand up.
Before she could move, Ethan caught her wrist.
"No need," he said hoarsely, coughing again.
"You're already like this," Ava frowned."Mr. Sterling, you really need to take care of your health…"
Otherwise, someone would worry.
That last thought flickered quietly through her mind.
There was something unreadable in Ava's eyes.
Sometimes, Ethan truly couldn't understand what she was thinking.
"What?" he said suddenly."Sounds like you care about me."
He leaned closer, pressing her back into the corner of the sofa, trapping her between his arms.
His gaze was sharp and dangerous—like a predator watching something it could swallow at any moment.
"What are you thinking?" he asked softly.
"N-no," Ava stammered."I'm your assistant. Of course subordinates should care about their superiors."
She wasn't used to being this close to anyone.
Especially not a man.
Especially not Ethan Sterling.
"Oh?" His lips curved into a faint, tempting smile.His eyes were full of probing curiosity—but Ava couldn't see any of it clearly right now.
Suddenly, Ethan coughed again.
Ava immediately pushed him away.
Heat surged from his skin through her palm.
"President," she said in shock,"you have a fever!"
For a split second, Ethan froze.
A memory surfaced.
Long ago, a girl had looked at him with worried eyes and asked softly,"Ethan, do you have a fever? Why don't we go see a doctor?"
He stared at Ava.
There was confusion—and shock—in his eyes.
As if he were seeing someone else through her.
His stare made Ava uncomfortable.
Ethan snapped back to his senses.
Realizing how inappropriate he had just been, he stood up as if nothing had happened, straightened his wrinkled clothes, and turned away.
"Don't worry about it."
The words hit Ava like a slap.
Did he… hate her?
She stood frozen in place.
Halfway down the room, Ethan stopped and turned his head slightly.
His fists were clenched.
His eyes were dark and complicated.
For just a moment, he thought he had seen her again—the woman who once loved him with everything she had.
Ava stayed at the venue until nine in the evening.
When she finally looked up from the documents, it was already dark outside.
She checked the time and began packing her things.
Just then, her phone rang.
"Ava?"
"Hm? Lisa?" Ava answered. "What's wrong?"
"Are you still at the venue?" Lisa Chen asked."If you are, could you bring the document from my seat back to the company this evening?"
Ava glanced at the desk nearby.
The file lay there clearly in sight.
"Okay," she said without thinking."I'm heading that way anyway."
After leaving the venue, Ava looked at the neon-lit city and lightly slapped her forehead.
Her ability to lie had really improved.
Because this way home—
was clearly the opposite direction.