No strings attached |(UNDER REVISION)

Chapter 21- Enjoying the moment

I rolled my eyes. "Sheena, I swear to god-"

She smirked. "Ang tanong, kayo na ba ulit? O trip-trip lang?"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Sheena, please. I have a meeting."

She laughed. "Ayan na naman siya! Nage-evade ng tanong. Pero fine, magpapakabait na ako." She walked toward the door but paused before stepping out. "Pero seryoso, Aiah. Huwag mo na siyang pakawalan ulit, ha?"

I looked at her, my expression softening just a little.

"I won't," I said, my voice firm. "Not this time."

Sheena nodded, smiling. "Good. Kasi pag pinakawalan mo ulit, baka ako na ang sumapak sa'yo."

And with that, she left, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I leaned back against my desk again, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Not this time, indeed.

As I stepped out of my office, my eyes immediately landed on Mikha. She was sitting at her desk, flipping through some documents, but I knew she felt my gaze. When she finally looked up, I gave her a small smile.

Her eyes widened slightly, like she wasn't expecting it. Then, ever so subtly, the corners of her lips lifted, as if she was fighting the urge to smile back.

Before I could say anything, Sheena-of course-ruined the moment.

"Aba! Aba! Ayan na! Tumitig lang si boss, kinilig na si secretary!" she teased, her voice loud enough for everyone in the vicinity to hear.

Mikha rolled her eyes, throwing a pen at Sheena, which she dodged effortlessly. "Shut up, Sheena."

I smirked but chose not to engage. I had a meeting to get to. "I'll see you later," I murmured, just loud enough for Mikha to hear before I walked away.

Heading straight to the conference room, I immediately spotted Maloi, the HR head, already setting up. She looked up as I entered and gave me a polite nod.

"Good morning, Aiah," she greeted, arranging some files. "Ready for the discussion?"

I took a seat at the head of the table, my CEO mask slipping back into place. "Always," I replied, setting my phone on silent.

The meeting began, diving into recruitment strategies, employee performance reviews, and upcoming company initiatives. My mind was sharp, focused-at least, that's what I made sure everyone saw.

But in the back of my head, Mikha's words still echoed.

"Ako naman ang lalaban ngayon."

And damn, wasn't that the best thing I had heard in years?

Maloi paused mid-sentence and narrowed her eyes at me. "Aiah, are you even listening?"

I blinked and straightened in my seat. "Of course," I replied smoothly, picking up the nearest document and pretending to skim through it. "You were discussing the latest recruitment strategies and retention rates."

Maloi crossed her arms, clearly not convinced. "Right. So, what do you think about our proposal to expand the internship program?"

I hesitated for half a second-just enough for her to smirk knowingly. Damn it.