Aanya: "O-Oh no! I am sorry... I... I will clean it!"
Aanya lost her senses in panic. She immediately took out her handkerchief and came so close to Zain to clean his shirt that not even a grain's distance remained between them.
Intense Moment: Control vs. Anger
Aanya's Attempt: Aanya started rubbing with the handkerchief innocently, but instead of being cleaned, the coffee stains spread even more on Zain's shirt.
Zain's State: Zain's anger was already at its peak, but as Aanya came so close, he could feel her rapid breaths on his chest. That same old 'Oppa' scent of hers was making Zain lose his mind.
Zain gritted his teeth. On one side was his anger—his shirt was ruined and his most precious documents were being destroyed by the wetness—but on the other hand, Aanya's proximity was forcing him to lose control.
Zain (Roaring): "Move away from here! What are you doing? Can't you see what a mess you've made?!"
Zain grabbed Aanya's wrist with a jerk and pushed her away. He looked at the wet documents on the table, and blood rushed into his eyes.
Zain: "Do you know the value of these documents? This was an entire month of my hard work! I don't know why destiny sent such a stupid girl in front of me!"
Tears came to Aanya's eyes. She stood there trembling. She felt that Zain would surely fire her now or perhaps take her back to the 17th floor.
Zain's anger was now crossing his limits. Without hesitation, he tightened his lips and began unbuttoning his coffee-soaked expensive shirt with a jerk.
Aanya's eyes widened in shock. She immediately held her handkerchief in front of her face and started backing away. Her heart was beating so fast she felt she would faint.
Zain (In a heavy, angry voice): "What are you staring at my face for? Go and get another shirt for me!"
Aanya (Stammering): "B-But Sir... where would I get one? This isn't your house, it's the office!"
Zain took off his shirt and threw it on the table where the documents were already lying wet. He gestured with one hand toward a secret door behind his large bookshelf.
Zain: "Go there. That is my private dressing room. Take out a white shirt from there and bring it here immediately. If it takes more than 2 minutes, consider your year's salary gone as compensation for these documents!"
Without a word, Aanya ran toward that door with her head down. As soon as she opened the door, she was stunned. It wasn't a small room but a full luxury closet where expensive suits and shirts were hung in rows.
Aanya (To herself): "Does this wolf live here or run an office? So many shirts... but which one should I pick? If I pick the wrong color, he'll eat me alive!"
Aanya started checking the shirts with trembling hands, but Zain's shirtless avatar was still spinning in her mind. Her breathing was still out of control.
Zain was standing in front of the washroom mirror, his face turning red with anger and irritation. The hot coffee had fallen straight slightly below his stomach, where a slight redness had now appeared.
Zain (Brushing back his hair in anger): "Unlucky girl! This is nothing short of a disaster. To this day, no one has dared to raise a finger at me, and this newcomer... burned her Boss on the very first day!"
Zain was in pain, but he was more annoyed. He jerked his wet hair and decided to walk out in anger.
The Awkward Encounter: The Shirt and the Scent
Back in the cabin, Aanya had a new white shirt in her hand. She was looking for Zain, but when he wasn't visible, her gaze fell on the shirt. Inadvertently, Aanya brought the shirt close to her nose.
It carried that masculine scent of expensive perfume and sandalwood that permeated Zain's entire cabin. Aanya got so lost in that scent that she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Aanya (To herself): "Uff... such a good smell. Such expensive perfume... if only this 'Wolf' wasn't so rude."
Suddenly... "CLACK!"
The washroom door opened. Zain walked out without a shirt, in just his trousers, jerking his wet hair. Water droplets were still glistening on his body, and the coffee burn mark was clearly visible on his stomach.
Aanya froze right there, the shirt still near her nose. Their gazes met, and time seemed to stop in the cabin.
Aanya: Shocked! Her face turned as red as a tomato. She didn't know whether to lower the shirt or just stand there.
Zain: Astonished! He saw Aanya sniffing his shirt like some 'creepy fan.'
Zain (Raising an eyebrow, in a cold voice): "Miss Lu... is my shirt some kind of 'drug' for you that you are sniffing it like that? Or are you checking if it needs washing?"
Aanya jerked the shirt away from her face and started waving it in the air as if nothing happened.
Aanya: "N-No Sir! I was... I was just checking if there were any 'stains' on it! Yes, that's what I was checking!"
Zain started moving slowly toward Aanya. Aanya began backing away in fear, but Zain's large table was behind her. Zain placed both hands on the table, locking Aanya between them.
Zain (Looking into her eyes): "The stain is not on the shirt, Aanya... the stains are appearing on your intentions. First dreams of marrying me, and now the scent of my shirts... what is the next step?"
Aanya's breath hitched. Zain was so close she could feel the heat of his body.
Zain's cabin was as charged as electricity at this moment. Zain had completely trapped Aanya between the table and himself. Aanya's heartbeat was so loud she felt it could be heard outside.
The Table Trap: Shame and Terror
In her panic, Aanya adjusted her crooked glasses with her finger and tried to tuck her scattered hair behind her ear, but her hands were trembling. Zain's bare chest was so close to her face that she couldn't raise her eyes.
Aanya (Stammering): "B-Boss... you... that... I..."
Aanya was speechless. Out of embarrassment, she kept lowering her face, but Zain wasn't moving. Zain slowly leaned in even more, so much so that his chin was touching the hair on Aanya's head.
Zain (Whispering): "What happened, Miss Lu? Just now you were taking in the scent of my shirt... why are you so scared now? Is the 'Oppa' not coming to mind now?"
Aanya gathered courage and lifted her head slightly, but looking into Zain's deep eyes, her breath hitched again.
Aanya: "Boss... don't... come... so close... like this. This is an office and... my intentions are not bad!"
Zain gave a slight devilish smirk. He snatched the white shirt from Aanya's hand and brought his mouth close to her ear.
Zain: "The office is mine, the shirt is mine... and according to the contract, your time is also mine. Now quietly help me; my stomach is burning from the coffee. Clean it and put this shirt on me."
Aanya's eyes widened. She saw the red mark on Zain's stomach where the coffee had fallen. Her heart felt for him, but she was even more embarrassed by the idea of putting the shirt on him.
Action Moment: Compulsion or Romance?
Aanya wet her handkerchief with trembling hands and began slowly cleaning the coffee mark on Zain's stomach.
Zain's Reaction: When Aanya's soft fingers touched Zain's body, Zain took a cold breath. He gripped the table hard to maintain his control.
Aanya's State: Aanya was so close she could feel Zain's muscles and his masculine heat. She was just praying that no one would walk in.
Just as Zain placed his hand under Aanya's chin and lifted her face, the atmosphere of the cabin froze. Aanya's eyes were lowered in fear and shame, and Zain's deep gaze was fixed on her lips.
But at that very moment... "BANG!"
The heavy cabin door flew open. Huan Jing ran inside without thinking, with Qian behind her trying to stop her, but Huan Jing's fear had overwhelmed her. She thought her poor Aanya was being "hunted" inside.
The Awkward Silence: The Scene in the Cabin
The sight before them as the door opened stunned everyone:
Zain Yan: Shirtless, red coffee mark on his stomach, and cornering Aanya.
Aanya: Holding Zain's new shirt in her hand, messy hair, and face as red as a tomato.
Huan Jing (Screaming): "Aanya! Are you okay—"
Huan Jing's words got stuck in her throat. She saw the Boss was shirtless and Aanya was so close to him as if she were about to hug him. She immediately placed both hands over her eyes but continued to peek through her fingers.
Huan Jing: "O-Oh my god! Sorry! I thought... I thought the Boss had started giving you that 17th floor 'treatment'... but something else is going on here!"
Qian (Holding his head): "Miss Huan, I told you not to go in..."
Qian immediately turned his gaze away, but one of his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He, too, had never seen the Boss so close to a girl in such a state.
Zain's Anger and Aanya's Flight
Zain released Aanya with a jerk and threw a deadly glare at Huan Jing and Qian. Those old scars on his masculine back were glistening.
Zain (Roaring): "Qian! Take her out! And next time if anyone opens the door without knocking, it will be their last day in my company!"
As soon as Aanya got the chance, she slipped out from under Zain and ran toward the door like a bolt of lightning.
Aanya (Running): "Huan! Let's go!"
She grabbed Huan Jing's hand and dragged her toward the lift. It was only when they reached inside the lift that Aanya took a breath of relief, though her hands were still shaking.
The Lift Chaos
Huan Jing (Shaking Aanya): "Aanya! Have you gone mad? The Boss was shirtless! And you were that close to him? What was happening inside? Did he...?"
Aanya (In anger and shame): "Shut up! Nothing was happening! I spilled coffee on him, I was just cleaning it. But that 'Wolf'... he intentionally came that close to me!"
Aanya started touching her hot cheeks. That shirtless look of Zain's and his deep voice were still echoing in her mind.