Sheira approached Rey, bowing slightly as she handed him the document, inadvertently revealing a hint of skin.
"Wait a moment, sir," she implored softly. Filled with confidence that her plan would succeed, Sheira believed Rey's attention was drawn to her partially exposed cleavage. She imagined how he might react if he touched her voluptuous form. The thought of Rey possibly wanting to kiss her tempting lips also lingered in her mind.
"Here you go, sir," Sheira said, lifting her head to face him, only to be surprised when she noticed Rey engrossed in his lunch.
"When did he start eating?" she pondered internally.
"E-em, sir?" Sheira called out, trying to suppress her annoyance while maintaining a forced smile, realizing Rey seemed utterly uninterested.
"Ah, yes," Rey replied, taking the report from her for a closer inspection.
"Delicious, sir. Is that fish?" Sheira asked, still holding back her irritation.
"Very tasty," Rey answered without glancing her way.
"Made by your wife?" Sheira inquired.
"Yes," Rey replied curtly.
"Oh, that makes sense," Sheira said, looking away, disappointed.
"Why's that?" Rey asked, sensing her change in demeanor.
"Oh, it's nothing," she responded, quickly reestablishing her forced smile.
"Take this, I've signed everything," Rey said as he handed back the report file.
"Thank you, sir. I'll take my leave now," Sheira said, collecting the file and turning to exit. Just as she was about to open the door, she paused and turned back.
"Excuse me, sir, could I ask something?" Sheira ventured.
"Didn't you already?" Rey replied, raising an eyebrow. Sheira bit her lip, chuckling at her own foolishness.
"Sorry, sir."
Rey exhaled, "Yes, what is it?" Before posing her question, Sheira took a deep breath.
"Do you love your wife?" she blurted out unexpectedly. Rey frowned, surprised by her inquiry.
-//-
"Stupid! So stupid!" Sheira chastised herself, regretting her impulsive question. She felt frustrated that she hadn't thought it through before asking Rey something so personal. Plus, Rey's attitude only exacerbated her irritation, reminiscent of how he had always annoyed her.
"What's bothering you, Sheira? You seem upset," Zeny approached, noticing Sheira pacing and biting her nails.
"Oh, Zeny, why are you asking me?" Sheira responded, taken aback.
"I'm just a bit annoyed."
"Are you coming tonight?" Zeny asked.
"Uh, where?" Sheira replied, confused.
"We're just going out to eat after payday. Mr. Rey will be there too. Do you want to join?"
"Rey will be there? Isn't this a perfect opportunity for me?" Sheira thought to herself.
"But I just started, and I haven't even been paid yet," she said hesitantly.
"That's okay, Mr. Rey is covering this meal," Zeny clarified. A smile broke across Sheira's face,
"Alright, I'll join!"
-//-
Sheira was indeed a beautiful woman, and during her first day, many male colleagues tried to capture her attention as they celebrated their payday meal.
"Come sit here, Sheira!"
"Hey, Sheira, sit next to me!"
"Sheira, remember me?" Sheira responded with polite smiles, ultimately choosing to sit by Zeny, who faced Rey. Consequently, Sheira found herself sitting directly across from Rey.
"We have quite a few new employees today, don't we, sir?" Leo, Rey's assistant, remarked, to which Rey simply nodded. Throughout the evening, Sheira found herself stealing glances at Rey. However, whenever he looked back, she quickly diverted her gaze.
As the night progressed, the gathering turned into a drinking affair, with Zeny inadvertently giving Sheira a few drinks. Soon enough, she became quite intoxicated, and unexpectedly, Zeny received a call from his wife, demanding he come home immediately.
"Sheira, I need to leave now, is that alright?" Zeny said to her, who was now resting her head on the table. He knew she wouldn't fully register his words but was too concerned about getting home to care. This left Sheira all alone. Drunk and disheveled, she caught the attention of Rey, who couldn't help but notice her state.
"Let's get going, sir. The restaurant will be closing soon," Leo advised.
"Uh, what about her?" Rey asked, nodding towards Sheira.
"Honestly, she's being quite a handful," Leo remarked, glancing at her.
"Take her to my car," Rey ordered.
"What? Are you serious?" Leo was taken aback by the command.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Rey said coolly.
"Yes, sir," Leo complied and quickly made his way to Sheira, carrying her towards Rey's car in the basement.
Once done, Leo bid farewell to Rey, as they were not sharing a ride. As Rey got into the car, he shook his head at Sheira's behavior—the girl he had once liked. He intended to buckle her seatbelt but was startled when she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Rey…" she murmured. Rey froze for a moment.
"Rey, love me, please…" Rey immediately pulled away, looking at her with confusion. Sheira, her eyes now open, drew closer to him.
"You still love me, right? You remember how you felt back in school. Those feelings are still in you, aren't they?" she purred.
Her intoxicated gaze and closeness overwhelmed Rey, and the scent of her body sent his thoughts racing. Had it not been for lingering thoughts of his wife, he might have succumbed to temptation.
"Hey, it's just the two of us in this car, Rey. You can do whatever you want, I'm all yours," Sheira said, brushing her fingers against his lips. In his slightly intoxicated state, Rey faced a difficult choice: Sheira or his wife. Ultimately, he chose to prioritize his reasoning.