Meanwhile, Devi practically sprinted towards her own workstation, weaving through the clusters of chatting employees. She finally reached her small cubicle, where Avni and Crystal were already holding court, surrounded by a few other colleagues catching up on the morning's buzz.
Devi plastered a nervous smile on her face, hoping to mask the frantic beating of her heart. "Hey, guys," she said, trying to sound casual.
But Avni and Crystal knew her too well. They exchanged a knowing glance. "What happened up there?" Avni asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Nothing, nothing at all," Devi lied quickly, busying herself with rearranging some papers on her desk. "Just dropped off the files."
Crystal raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Seriously? You ran back here like your life depended on it for 'nothing'?"
Under their combined scrutiny, Devi's carefully constructed facade crumbled. She sighed, finally admitting, "Okay, fine. Something… weird happened."
She recounted the entire bizarre encounter – the accidental "your highness," the unsettling shift in Silas's demeanor, his eyes turning that strange shade of red, the way he had cornered her, and the near-kiss.
As she finished, a stunned silence filled the small space. Avni, Crystal, and their colleagues exchanged wide-eyed glances. Then, as if a dam had burst, they all erupted in laughter.
"He was going to kiss you?" Crystal gasped between peals of laughter, clutching her stomach. "Because you called him 'your highness'? Oh my god, Devi!"
Devi's cheeks flushed again, this time with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. "It's not funny!" she protested, her voice rising slightly. "It was actually really creepy and scary!"
Crystal just wiped a tear from her eye, still chuckling. "Creepy? Yes. Scary? Maybe a little. Hilarious? Absolutely!"
Devi, thoroughly exasperated by their lack of seriousness, playfully swatted Avni and then Crystal on their arms. Her "hits" were more like gentle taps, doing little to quell their amusement. They stifled their laughter for a fleeting moment, only to erupt again, their shoulders shaking with mirth.
"Stop it!" Devi whined, landing another soft thwack on each of their heads. "It's not a joke!"
Just then, Tony cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Actually, Devi," he said, trying to suppress a chuckle, "since Mr. Rex's secretary is out, I overheard Mr. Leonard mentioning that you'll need to attend a meeting with the CEO shortly. Something about the data you just delivered."
Devi's eyes widened in dismay. She instinctively reached out and playfully grabbed a handful of Tony's hair, giving it a gentle tug. Tony yelped dramatically, clutching his head and laughing. This earned him another light smack from Devi.
"No way," Devi muttered, shaking her head vehemently. "Absolutely not. Not after what just happened."
But fate, it seemed, had other plans. A soft knock echoed on the entrance to their cubicle. A female colleague peeked her head in. "Devi? Mr. Rex has asked for you in his office."
A collective gasp filled the small space, followed by a fresh wave of suppressed laughter and exaggerated coughs. Avni and Crystal exchanged knowing glances, their eyes sparkling with mischief. "Ooh la la, Devi!" Crystal teased in a stage whisper. "Looks like the CEO can't get enough of you!"
"Maybe he wants to apologize for almost kissing you?" Avni added with a smirk.
Devi groaned loudly, her face a picture of annoyance. She shot her friends a withering look before sighing heavily. With a sense of reluctant resignation, she stood up and began the silent, dreaded walk back towards the CEO's office.
Devi's knuckles barely grazed the polished wood of the door before a curt, "Enter," echoed from within. She took a deep breath and stepped into the office.
"You… you called for me, Mr. Rex?" she asked, her voice a little softer than she intended.
Silas remained focused on the large monitor in front of him. Only he knew the immense effort it took to keep his gaze fixed on the screen, to ignore the captivating presence that had just entered his office.
Leonard was casually sprawled on the leather couch to the side, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as he watched the interaction unfold. Silas flicked his eyes towards his friend, a silent command in his gaze. Leo chuckled softly, offering a small, almost imperceptible nod before rising and strolling out of the office, closing the door gently behind him.
"Was there something important?" Devi prompted, feeling the weight of his unwavering gaze, even though it wasn't directed at her.
Silas finally picked up a file from his desk, his expression outwardly composed, betraying none of the internal turmoil. "Explain these previous company statistics to me, Ms. Devi." He slid the file across the desk towards her.
Devi picked up the file, her eyes scanning the columns of numbers and charts. She began to explain the trends, the successes and setbacks of past deals, her voice professional and clear despite the lingering awkwardness of their last encounter. Silas listened intently, occasionally interjecting with a sharp question.
"You'll be accompanying me to the upcoming investor meeting," he stated abruptly, his eyes finally meeting hers.
Devi's composure wavered slightly. "Oh," she said, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "Actually, Mr. Rex, I… I haven't really prepared anything for a meeting of that scale. And I don't have much experience with investor meetings."
Silas's gaze was direct, unwavering. "All you need to do, Ms. Devi, is stand behind me. And say nothing."