When I finished preparing the coffee, I brought it to Chak's office.
"Your coffee, sir," I said, placing it on his desk.
Chak looked at me, then his expression softened slightly as he asked,
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing…" I mumbled, but the way he looked at me made it impossible to lie.
I swallowed and quietly added,
"I overheard a conversation between Ploy and Nom… They were saying awful things. About you. And me."
Chak's expression darkened. He stayed silent, listening as I went on,
"They said you'll fire me soon. That you're always cold, arrogant, and angry. They wondered why you sent Pim on vacation and put me in her place…"
Without a word, Chak stood up and walked toward the door.
"Where are you going?" I asked, worried.
"To talk to them," he said in a cold tone. "They won't speak about you like that. Or me."
I stepped in front of him and grabbed his hand.
"Chak, don't."
His eyes searched mine, but I simply said,
"They don't see you the way I do. And even if they don't understand you… I like you. Because you're mine."
Chak didn't move. His eyes stayed locked on mine as if trying to read something deeper.
"Mine, huh?" he whispered, his voice softer now.
I nodded. "Only mine."
For a moment, the strict boss I saw every day disappeared. He looked... just like Chak. My Chaky. Without the cold walls, without the distance.
He let go of the doorknob and turned fully toward me.
"Come here," he said gently.
I hesitated, but he pulled me close, wrapped his arms around me, and let me rest my head against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat steady, strong, and real.
"Thank you for telling me," he murmured into my hair. "And for stopping me. I would've said something I regretted."
I held on to him a little tighter. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. I see you, Chak. I know who you are."
He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes. "And who am I, Niran?"
"You're the man I chose," I said, trying not to get emotional. "The man who brings me smile in the morning, who buttons my shirt, who draws tiny hearts on my wrist, who kissed my forehead every morning. That's who you are."
Chak smiled. It was small, but it was real.
"I don't deserve you," he said.
"I think you do," I replied. "And I'm not letting you go."
He leaned in and kissed my forehead, then whispered,
"Let's get back to work before I forget we're still pretending we're just colleagues."
I laughed quietly. "Yes, boss."
We let go of each other slowly, both of us holding onto that moment for as long as we could. Then he walked back to his desk, picked up the coffee, and took a sip.
"You know how I like it." he said
" Always. Just for you " I replied with a little smile.
Chak raised his eyebrows.
"I think you forgot something," he said.
"What did I forget?" I asked, frowning a little.
"You didn't read my message," he said, trying to sound casual but I could hear the quiet disappointment underneath. "I'm sad now."
My eyes widened slightly. "You sent me a message?"
He nodded.
"I didn't have my phone with me," I explained quickly. "But... I'll read it as soon as I get back to my desk. Promise."
Chak didn't say anything at first. Then he turned his head slightly and mumbled, "You better."
I chuckled and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.
"This is for forgiveness," I said gently.
His eyes flicked toward me with a warmth that melted his usual coldness.
"Forgiven," he murmured.
Then he added, almost teasing, "But I'll still be waiting for your reaction after you read it."
"I'll make it worth the wait," I replied with a shy smile.
And as I walked out of his office, I could feel his gaze following me the whole way.
I walked back to my desk, picked up my phone, and saw a message from Chak:
"Every time you enter the office, I want you to call me my Chaky. If you don't, I'll… I love you. " He had sent me a blue heart emoji.
I smiled and blushed a little.
"Alright, my Chaky," I replied, adding a kiss emoji and sending it back.
Then I got back to work.
Non walked over, leaned on my desk, and asked,
"So, how does it feel to be the boss's secretary?"
"Honestly? I miss Pim," I replied. "I'm completely lost in all this paperwork. The boss keeps asking for documents, and I have no idea where they are. And when I finally find them, he scolds me for taking too long. By the end of the day, I feel drained. I can't wait for Pim to come back."
Non nodded, then looked at me more seriously.
"I'm really curious—why did he choose you for this job?"
I lied without blinking.
"I have no idea. On Sunday night, I just got a message saying I had to come to his office. And the next morning, he told me I'd be covering for Pim this whole week."
I silently hoped he'd believe me.
Just then, Chak stepped out of his office.
"In twenty minutes, you need to be in the meeting room with your notebook. Set up five glasses and water on the table."
"Yes, sir," I replied.
He turned and went back inside.
"Sorry, I have to go," I told Non. I stood up and headed to the mini kitchen, grabbed five glasses, a bottle of water, and a white napkin.
In the meeting room, I laid out the napkin, placed the glasses upside down, and set the water on each side.
Then I went to my desk, picked up my notebook and a few pencils.
As I returned, Chak came out of his office again. I saw Kit arriving, followed by Vikran… and a woman I didn't recognize.