It had been a long, draining day for Isa. She stood by the roadside, clutching her coat tightly to her chest as a breeze swept strands of hair across her face. She tilted her head to the sky. The stars and moon were nowhere to be seen—only a heavy blanket of night.
Since arriving at the office that morning, she had buried herself in work, trying to mend her mistakes. Her boss hadn't shown up. No calls. No texts. That only deepened her worry as she kept staring into the empty sky.
She remembered the restless way he had moaned in his sleep.
"Stacy,"she whispered the name he'd muttered. Isa exhaled heavily, her mind spiralling again. Who was Stacy? Was she gone? Missing? Dead? What guilt did Mr Alder carry because of her? Was that why he refused surgery? Did he want to die?
Isa sighed again. She had promised not to meddle in his personal life, but his absence today was unusual—and it made her anxious.
A sleek black Lamborghini approached and stopped in front of her. She blinked. The tinted window rolled down, revealing none other than her boss's doctor.
"Doctor Alex!" Isa bowed quickly in greeting. "It's good to see you again." Her face lit up with relief—finally, someone who could tell her how Mr Alder was doing.
"You look exhausted, Isa. Let me give you a ride."
Her eyes widened slightly. Did he just call me Isa? Like we were old friends?
She forced a smile, especially when Alex raised a questioning brow.
"I'm fine, Doctor. I don't want to trouble you." She hugged her coat closer to her body.
Alex chuckled and pushed open the passenger door. "It's no trouble. I insist."
Isa hesitated, then smiled. "Thanks."
She climbed in and shut the door gently. She drifted her gaze over the car's luxurious interior—charcoal leather seats, soft music playing in the background, and the faint, lingering scent of almond perfume. Her eyes lingered on the glass container on the dashboard, and for a moment, she was transported back to high school, remembering the fragrance her dad used to buy for her. The memory stirred a pang of longing—she missed him. Despite everything, despite the way he had betrayed her mother, she couldn't deny he had been a good father.
"You have a nice car, Doctor."
"Just call me Alex, and I'll call you Isa. Deal?" He tilted his head and smiled, his eyes locking with hers in a playful challenge.
Isa looked away with a shy smile, pinching her fingers in her lap. "Okay, Alex."
His lips curled into a playful grin, and he started driving.
"Hope you didn't have too stressful a day? I saw your announcement."
"Oh." Isa let out a nervous laugh. "It was okay. I'm just trying to fix my mistakes. I caused Mr Alder a lot of trouble." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm surprised he didn't fire me. I always seem to mess things up," she muttered, mostly to herself, eyes lowered to her hands.
Alex glanced at her and leaned back into his chair with a shake of his head.
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Isa. Losing a folder isn't the end of the world. Everyone makes mistakes—even Chris."
Isa arched a brow, her eyes meeting his with quiet curiosity. When he offered her a reassuring smile, the tension she hadn't even realized was clinging to her muscles began to ease. She turned away and let out a slow breath. It was hard to believe someone was being kind to her—genuinely kind.
She imagined what her mother would've said if she found out about the situation. Probably disown her, curse her, call her a disgrace.
Then there was her boss—always critical, never satisfied, never acknowledging her efforts. Though it wasn't surprising, he lost his temper when she misplaced his work.
The guilt ran deep. She'd even taken out her frustration on her brother—someone who had nothing to do with her missing lyrics.
"Thanks for your kind words."
"It's nothing," Alex said with a small shrug.
Silence settled between them.
Isa pressed her thighs together, fingers entwined in her lap. The awkward quiet weighed on her, silently begging Alex to break it. She stole a glance—he looked perfectly relaxed, lost in thought, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting casually on the door.
Her eyes lingered on the tousled hair falling over his forehead. His face looked tired. He must've had a long day too. Doctors never rested, she thought.
Still watching him, Isa admired his calm aura. He looked like the kind of man a girlfriend could lean on during hard times, and drift into peaceful sleep.
"Are you okay, Isa?"
Isa bit her lower lip as Alex glanced her way, almost as if he had caught her staring. She quickly looked away, her heart racing and her stomach twisting.
I hope he doesn't get the wrong idea.
"How's Mr Alder? He didn't show up at work today," she blurted, sidestepping his question entirely.
Alex's brows furrowed. His fingers tightened slightly on the wheel, but he relaxed again, brushing off whatever thought had passed through his mind.
"He's okay. Just resting, I think. Finally giving himself a break." He nodded. "He hardly ever does."
Another pause.
Isa cleared her throat.
"Why… why won't he agree to surgery?" Her voice trembled. "Doesn't he know how dangerous this is?"
Alex scoffed. "Not know?" He clicked his tongue. "He's stubborn. Once Chris makes up his mind, there's no changing it—unless he has no other choice."
Isa turned her gaze to the road, leaning back in her seat, slowly exhaling.
Alex glanced at her again but stayed silent. His hand gripped the wheel with quiet tension.
"He's lonely," Isa whispered. "When I was at his house, I saw someone vulnerable—hiding behind the flawless image he shows at work." Her voice softened. "But the worst part? He doesn't want anyone's help. Why?"
Alex rubbed his temple. "You're really worried about your boss."
"I can't help it," Isa whispered, her breath soft.
Another silence stretched between them as they neared her apartment.
Alex parked and stepped out. Isa followed, emerged into the cool night air.
"Thanks for the ride," she said with a warm smile.
"Don't mention it," he replied, hands shoved into his pockets. "I'm glad to help."
Isa chuckled and bowed slightly. "I'll head in now."
Alex nodded.
Just as she turned to go, he called out,
"Isa."
She stopped, heat rising to her cheeks. Her stomach flipped at the intimate way he said her name.
She turned slowly. "Yes?" Her voice came out hoarse. She cleared her throat. "How can I help you?"
"I'm just worried you might fall sick. Come in for a check-up tomorrow, okay?"
When Isa raised her brows, eyes wide in surprise, Alex chuckled softly.
"It's free, Isa," he said, stepping closer. With a gentle touch, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Electricity shot through her. Her breath caught as their eyes met. Her heart thudded wildly. She instinctively stepped back, brushing the same strand away herself.
"I'll… thank you. I'll come." She glanced nervously at her door. "I'll go in now."
Alex nodded, but before he could say goodnight, Isa had already turned and dashed to the gate.
The door closed with a bang.
Alex let out a heavy breath and ruffled his hair. Then, slowly, a satisfied smile curved his lips.
Inside her room, Isa dropped onto her bed, the mattress bouncing under her as she flopped back with a groan.
"It's not what I'm thinking," she whispered, eyes shut tight.
But the image came back—his soft gaze, the way he said her name, the light touch behind her ear.
She pressed her hands to her chest. Her heart was still racing.
"Ugh!" she groaned, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face in the pillow. "Did I really run like that? What if he thinks I like him?"
She shook her head, cheeks burning.
How could I react like that? Did I embarrass him? Did I...
"Gosh…" She curled up, trying to push the memory out of her mind, but it lingered—warm and embarrassing.