Aiden Carter rarely let emotions get the best of him. As CEO, he thrived on control, on knowing every detail about his company. Yet today, he sat frozen in his office chair, staring at the employee record glowing on his screen.
Name: Maya Thompson.
Position: Junior Assistant.
Hired: A few weeks ago.
His fingers tightened around the edge of his desk. Maya… The name echoed in his head, stirring something restless inside him.
The café's barista. The quiet woman who always had a gentle smile but carried an unspoken sadness in her eyes. The one who listened more than she spoke, who brewed his coffee just right but never let him too close.
Maya was Mia.
Aiden stood abruptly, sending his chair rolling back.His gaze darkened. His pulse pounded in his ears. She never told me. Was it intentional? Had she deliberately hidden the fact that she worked in his company? or she had other motive . I need to find her and get my answers.
A strange irritation flared in his chest, unfamiliar and sharp. He wasn't just angry—he felt… blindsided. It was unlike him to miss something so obvious. And yet, she had been right under his nose all along.
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Aiden's strides were firm, controlled, but the simmering frustration in his veins quickened his pace. Employees scared out of his way as he entered Maya's department, the usual air of authority surrounding him.
He found her easily.
Maya sat at her desk, typing something on her computer, oblivious to his presence. She looked exhausted—her shoulders stiff, her skin pale under the office lighting. She reached for a stack of documents, but the slight tremble in her fingers didn't go unnoticed.
Aiden's jaw clenched. Has she always looked this weak? Was I wrong?
He should speak. Demand an explanation. But for a moment, he just watched. Observed the quiet determination in her every movement, the way she forced herself to keep going despite her obvious fatigue.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, pausing as if the simple task required more effort than usual. Then, suddenly—
She swayed.
Aiden's body tensed as Maya's fingers slipped from the desk. Her knees buckled. Her breath hitched.
Before she could hit the ground, he moved.
One long stride, an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
Her weight was nothing—too light, too fragile. Her head tilted against his chest, her face alarmingly pale. His grip instinctively tightened.
"Mia —" His voice was sharp, rougher than intended.
Her lashes fluttered. "Aiden nor Mr.carter...?" The name escaped her lips in a whisper, weak and disoriented.
The use of his first name made something coil tightly inside him. But now wasn't the time for that.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" His words came out harsher than he meant. "Why are you pushing yourself like this?"
Maya stirred, trying to pull away, but he didn't let her. "I-I'm fine... Just a little—"
"You're not fine." His tone was unforgiving. "You nearly collapsed in front of me."
She pressed her lips together, her breath shallow. Aiden could feel the way she trembled against him, and something unfamiliar—something dangerously close to worry—coursed through him.
"You shouldn't be working like this," he said, voice tight. "When was the last time you ate?"
Maya swallowed, avoiding his gaze. "I… I had coffee this morning."
Aiden exhaled sharply, his frustration growing. "That's not food, Mia."
She tried again to pull away, but he held firm. "I don't need you to worry about me," she muttered.
His jaw tensed. "I don't ignore what's right in front of me." It is not my principle.
The weight of his words hung between them, unspoken emotions tangled in the air.
Aiden didn't understand why this affected him so much. Why the sight of her so weak and vulnerable sent something sharp through his chest.
Footsteps approached, breaking the tense silence.
"Mr. Carter—" One of the managers stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening at the sight before him.
Maya stiffened. Aiden ignored the onlooker. "She's done working for today," he said coldly. "Find someone to cover her tasks."
The manager hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "But sir, we—"
"Now." Aiden's tone brooked no argument. Or you don't want this job.
The man scrambled away, leaving them alone again.
Maya looked up at him, eyes filled with something unreadable. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yes, I did." Aiden searched her face. "Employees collapsing on the floor isn't exactly good for business."
A flicker of emotion crossed her expression, too fast for him to catch. "Is that all it is to you?"
He didn't answer immediately. He wasn't sure of the answer himself.
His grip on her loosened slightly, his fingers brushing against the fabric of her blouse. "You need to rest, Maya. That's all."
Maya's breath hitched. For a moment, neither of them moved.
Aiden didn't know what was happening between them, but he knew one thing for certain—he wasn't going to let her collapse in front of him again.
And he wasn't going to let her hide from him anymore.
He take her to the hospital, personally present there for all the time . He needs answer and he will get it.
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