𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

Chapter 2

Author's POV

In the midst of blaring car horns and the cacophony of street noise, the girl sprinted desperately, her heart pounding, to catch the bus that had come to a halt at the nearby bus stop. However, before she could reach her destination, the bus driver ignited the engine, and slowly but surely, the bus vanished from her sight.

An overwhelming wave of frustration washed over her as she berated herself for not waking up earlier. This marked the third interview she had missed due to her own foolishness. Standing there, she waited for what felt like an eternity, hoping to spot a taxi or another bus that could offer her an alternative route. Alas, her search proved fruitless.

Her frustration intensified, her disappointment growing with the realization that yet another opportunity had slipped through her fingers. Sighing heavily, she turned on her heels, resigned to return home. But just as she began her journey, her phone rang, interrupting her thoughts.

With a mix of anticipation and weariness, she fumbled to retrieve her phone, her eyes scanning the caller ID. Though her heart yearned to muster a smile, her upset state of mind made it difficult to even notice her surroundings. And in that moment of distraction, she collided with a solid, unyielding chest, causing her phone to slip from her grasp and fall to the ground.

Without bothering to lift her gaze, she gracefully bent down to retrieve her fallen phone, frustration emanating from her whispered exclamation, "Who on earth decided to erect a wall right in the middle of the road?" However, her eyes widened in disbelief as a deep, husky voice responded, "Excuse me, miss, but perhaps you should look before you speak, for I am certainly not a wall."

As she swiftly grabbed her phone and stood up, her gaze was met by a pair of enchanting stormy eyes. The shades of gray seemed to dance and change with every passing moment, captivating her completely. Those intense eyes held her captive, their beauty surpassing anything she had ever seen. It felt as if they were calling her to get lost in their depths, losing herself in their eternal gaze.

Her gaze then wandered to his broad shoulders, noticing the impeccable fit of his gray three-piece suit that perfectly complemented the hues of his eyes. Unbeknownst to her, she had been staring for far too long until he cleared his throat and raised an eyebrow, silently reminding her that her attention should be elsewhere.

"Still think I'm a wall?" he quipped, causing her cheeks to flush with a tinge of embarrassment. Hastily averting her gaze, she found herself captivated by anything but him.

Her eyes eventually landed upon her now broken phone, the second one to meet its demise within the past month. Her mother had issued a stern warning that if she were to break this phone, no replacement would be forthcoming.

She grew furious and glared at him, unleashing her frustration and embarrassment in a loud, angry outburst. "Look what you've done!" she exclaimed, thrusting her damaged phone towards him. "Can't you see where you're going? Are you blind?" She let out a sigh, her frustration palpable in the air.

"I believe it is you who is blind," he retorted, his voice low and laced with a hint of danger, causing a shiver to run down her spine. "You bumped into me because you were too engrossed in your phone, not to mention the shameless way you were staring at me."

Though she knew he had a point, she refused to back down and raised her voice once again. "So what if I wasn't looking? You should have moved aside instead of expecting me to do so. And as for staring, it's a human thing. Everyone does it. You could have simply ignored it."

Frustration and annoyance consumed her, eager to reach the sanctuary of her home as quickly as possible. However, it seemed he had no intention of letting her go so easily.