Chapter 4

• CYRUS :-)
• The first thing I felt when I woke up was warmth—soft, comforting warmth that made me want to burrow deeper. I stirred, the faint scent of something expensive lingering around me. My eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the unfamiliar space. It took a few seconds for me to remember where I was.
• Oh no.
• I sat up quickly, the jacket draped over me sliding to my lap. Darius’s jacket—again. I groaned inwardly. Did I really just fall asleep in his office? Heat rushed to my cheeks, embarrassment clawing at me. I hadn’t even realized how tired I’d been after my shifts at Ruby & Ralph’s lately.
• I looked around his office and spotted Darius sitting behind his desk focusing on something on his computer but I had a feeling he was watching me and knew that I had woken up.
• He glanced up, confirming my suspicion, his face softening into an easy smile. “Good nap?”
• I fumbled for words, looking down at my hands as I folded his jacket carefully. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—fall asleep like that.”
• “It’s fine, Cyrus. You looked like you needed it.”
• His calm voice somehow made me even more embarrassed. I stood up, clutching the jacket. “I really should go. You’ve already done so much, and I didn’t mean to take up your time.”
• His face softened as he looked at me. It made me wonder why he is being so kind to me. I didn’t know what to do under that kind of attention. People didn’t look at me like that—like I was important, like I mattered.
• “You’ve already done so much for me,” I repeated awkwardly, gripping his jacket tighter as if it were a shield.
• Darius tilted his head slightly, his smile lingering. “You don’t owe me anything, Cyrus.”
• I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I stayed silent, shifting from foot to foot. I almost want to run out of the big office and away.
• Darius finally spoke up breaking the uncomfortable silence. "Will you have dinner with me?" He asked with a smile.
• My eyes snapped up from looking at the ground. I looked at him like he had suddenly grown two heads.
• "What?" I asked.
• He smiled again, it was so comforting. "You and me, simple dinner." He said.
• Dinner? I couldn’t remember the last time anyone asked me to dinner—at least not someone like Darius Evergreen, the powerful CEO with the kind of charm that could make anyone melt.
• “Why?” The word slipped out before I could stop it.
• Darius blinked, momentarily surprised by my bluntness, but his lips twitched into an amused smile. “Because I want to. I like talking to you, Cyrus.”
• I opened my mouth, preparing to refuse. Dinner sounded so intimate and connecting, what would we even talk about. What would I wear? It was too much to think about.
• "Don't over think it, I just want to have a simple friendly dinner with you." Darius said before I could even say a word. "I won't bite." he added gently.
• A nervous laugh escaped me. “You really don’t have to—”
• “I know I don’t have to,” Darius cut in again, a small smile playing on his lips. “I want to.”
• His persistence wore me down, leaving me flustered and unsure. I couldn’t come up with a good enough excuse to refuse him. “...Fine,” I muttered finally, dropping my gaze to the floor.
• “Good.” Darius’s smile widened slightly, and I swore I saw a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes.
• I fidgeted awkwardly, still clutching his jacket. “But... how will I know when or where?”
• "Well, if I can get your contact details. I will call you a day before."He said.
• The air shifted. My fingers clenched around the fabric of his jacket, my face heating up again. “I... I don’t have a phone,” I admitted quietly, feeling small under his gaze.
• For the first time, Darius looked genuinely surprised. “You don’t have a phone?”
• I shook my head, cheeks burning. “I can’t afford one right now. It’s not a big deal.”
• He frowned slightly, a thoughtful look crossing his face. Then, without a word, he walked over to a sleek, dark cabinet behind his desk, opened a drawer, and rummaged through it. A few moments later, he pulled out a phone—an older model but still far nicer than anything I’d ever owned.
• “Here,” he said, walking back and holding it out to me.
• I stared at it like it might bite me. “What is this?”
• "A phone. An old one actually and it has been sitting in that drawer collecting dust so you might as well use it."He said.
• I still stared at the phone jn his hand, not ready to collect it. "I will pay you for it." I said to him. "You don't have to. Just take it." He replied.
• I collected the phone and he also handed me the charger. "Now let's get you home." Darius said moving towards the door.
• I followed him wordlessly, still feeling out of place in his world. Outside, a black car waited, sleek and polished like everything else that belonged to Darius Evergreen. He opened the door for me, and I slid inside, clutching the phone tightly in my hands.
• The ride to my apartment was quiet, and I was grateful for it. Every once in a while, I could feel Darius’s gaze on me, but I kept my eyes on the scenery passing outside the window. When we arrived, the car pulled to a stop, and Darius turned to me.
• “I’ll text you about dinner soon,” he said softly. “And, Cyrus?”
• I glanced at him hesitantly. “Yeah?”
• “Take care of yourself.”
• His words lingered in the air as I stepped out of the car. I watched as the vehicle disappeared down the street, leaving me standing there, phone in hand, heart pounding in my chest.
• Dinner.
• What had I just agreed to?
• "