CHAPTER SIX — THE FIRST RESCUE
The morning air felt heavier than usual as she stepped into the office. Papers rustled under her arm, and the faint hum of conversations filled the hallway.
She kept her head down, trying to appear busy, but the memory of Mei's lingering attention and the boss's suspicious words from yesterday clung to her mind. Don't slip up. Don't let him see anything.
The day started normally enough: sorting files, reviewing budgets, and drafting client reports. But by mid-morning, the tension that had been building all week finally snapped.
"Lin!" A voice shouted across the office. She looked up just in time to see two clients from a rival company storming through the doorway. Their expressions were sharp, anger flashing in their eyes.
"What's the meaning of this?" one barked, pointing a finger at her.
Her pulse hit her throat. She barely had time to respond. "I… I'm just reviewing the proposal—"
The second client shoved past her, knocking her shoulder. Her papers tumbled to the floor.
She bent down to gather them, but one of the men's hands shot toward the folder.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, but her voice sounded small and unconvincing.
Her heart pounded, and panic set in. In her real life, she could have called security, waved her father's name, or shouted for help. Here? She had nothing but a borrowed body and a fragile disguise.
Just as the men began arguing, a shadow fell over them.
"Enough."
The room froze.
The CEO stood there, tall and imposing, a calm fury radiating from him. One glance at his face, and the aggressors stopped mid-step.
"Sir," she managed, voice trembling, "thank you—"
He didn't respond. He simply advanced, placing himself between her and the clients. His eyes, sharp and unwavering, bore into them like steel.
"You will leave. Now. Or you will leave escorted."
The men hesitated, then exchanged uneasy glances. Without another word, they turned and stormed out of the office, muttering under their breath.
Her knees nearly gave way. She sank into the nearest chair, her hands shaking as she clutched the scattered papers.
The CEO stood beside her, his expression softening slightly. "Are you hurt?"
"No—no, I'm fine," she said quickly, though her chest still heaved with adrenaline.
He nodded, finally stepping back. "Good. Because if anyone ever threatens you in my office again, I won't wait to act next time."
She could only nod, words failing her. The raw intensity in his gaze left her tongue-tied.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur. Colleagues whispered behind closed doors, glancing at her and then at him. The subtle shift in office dynamics was palpable.
By lunchtime, she had retreated to the small break room, trying to calm her racing heart. She stared at her reflection in the coffee machine's chrome surface, hands gripping the edge of the counter.
He had saved her.
Not just in a physical sense but from embarrassment, from exposure, from disaster.
And yet… his eyes had lingered on her longer than necessary.
Her cheeks warmed at the memory. Focus, she reminded herself. This isn't about him. It's about surviving.
But fate, it seemed, wasn't done testing her.
That afternoon, she was tasked with delivering a contract to a client across town. The office driver had called in sick, leaving her to take public transport something she had never done in her life.
She cradled the folder tightly as she navigated the crowded streets, trying to ignore the curious stares and the noise that made her head spin.
Halfway there, a sudden commotion caught her attention. A man tripped on the sidewalk, knocking over a woman carrying shopping bags. The bags spilled, and papers went flying.
Instinctively, she stepped forward to help and in doing so, felt a strong grip on her arm.
"Watch where you're going!" a passerby snarled, pulling her toward the curb.
She yelped, resisting. The folder threatened to spill everywhere.
Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.
"Let go of her!"
The CEO.
Her eyes widened as he pushed through the crowd, moving faster than humanly possible in a city filled with bustling pedestrians. Within seconds, he had intercepted the man, his grip firm and unyielding.
"Are you insane?" he demanded, his eyes flashing with anger. "This woman is under my protection!"
The would-be aggressor hesitated, then backed off, muttering as he disappeared into the crowd.
She exhaled shakily, feeling both relief and awe. "Thank you… Sir," she said, voice barely above a whisper.
He turned to her, expression softening ever so slightly. "Are you hurt?"
"No… no, I'm fine," she repeated, though her hands still shook.
He studied her for a long moment, as if memorizing every detail of her face, her posture, the tremor in her hands. Then, in a quiet, almost private tone, he said:
"Be careful. You can't always rely on me to step in."
She nodded, though the thought of him protecting her in the streets of a foreign city made her pulse race faster than any danger ever could.
Back at the office, she avoided his gaze, focusing on her work, trying to act normal. But the energy between them had shifted. There was a tension now, subtle but undeniable, a magnetic pull she couldn't ignore.
Even when he passed by her desk, offering a brief nod or glance, she felt her chest tighten. Her thoughts kept drifting back to that moment on the street his protective stance, the way he moved without hesitation, the way his eyes lingered on her when danger passed.
This isn't real life, she told herself. It's a disguise, a borrowed body. Nothing more.
Yet, as the day ended and she packed her bag to leave, she realized something dangerous.
It wasn't just Mei's attention or the constant fear of being exposed.
It was him.
Her boss.
And the pull she couldn't quite control.
That night, she lay awake in the cramped apartment, staring at the ceiling.
The memory of his eyes, the heat of his presence in the middle of chaos, haunted her.
One thing was clear: surviving this world was going to take more than cleverness.
It was going to take heart.
And maybe… more courage than she had ever needed before.