Lorena Jimenez quickly approached and knocked on the door, her voice timid: "Mr. Schwartz."
Just those two simple words, and I could clearly see Killian's expression changing.
His brows furrowed as he showed signs of inner struggle.
I pressed my hand over his.
Killian's eyes cleared slightly, his gaze falling to where our hands were intertwined. He pressed his lips together and said to the butler, "Show her out."
Once the noise outside completely disappeared, Killian let out a long sigh and slumped down onto the floor. "I'm exhausted. This is weird. Why is it every time that woman speaks, I feel like saying something strange?"
I silently opened Quora, reading a popular CEO romance post: "Is this what you want to say?" I asked.
Killian clearly felt hit by something, his face flushed red. "Is this... really something a carbon-based life form can say?"
I nodded. His face turned pale, and he asked in disbelief, "So, I've actually said that kind of thing to Lorena?"
I didn't want to crush his pride, so I cautiously answered, "Not yet."
Killian let out a deep sigh, his face relaxing as though he'd preserved his "innocence."
I repeated the "this world is like a CEO romance novel" scenario to him, including the details about the time travel.
The two words "absurd" were clearly written across his face.
"So, you mean that Lorena is my destined female lead? I'll love her to death and even throw away billions of contracts for her?"
"Theoretically, yes."
"Am I crazy?" Killian pointed to his own nose. "I've worked so hard to start this company, staying up late, working on projects, and you expect me to throw away billions of contracts just like that?"
"Well, that's the power of love..." I said, not sure how else to explain it.
"Ridiculous!" Killian growled like a frustrated pig, then blurted out, "If it were you, I'd accept losing the contract. But her? I don't even know her!"
Apparently realizing what he had said, his face turned a deep shade of red. With a tone of grievance, he muttered, "I'll choose my female lead myself, no one else gets to interfere. All these novel scenarios are crap!"
He restrained his language, aware that I was still there.
I turned to him, my heart trembling with the sudden thought that exploded in my mind. The words almost leaped out of my mouth: "Killian, do you… like me?"
I tried to keep it casual, holding on to the last bit of my dignity, like a snail cautiously poking out its feelers, prepared to withdraw at any moment.
Killian blinked, looking rather aggrieved. "A bit?"
"Patricia Calderon, I hate that you're such a blockhead!"
"I've liked you for so long, and you didn't even notice?"
The three sentences struck me dumb.
Killian quickly opened his drawer.
This wasn't the first time I had been in Killian's room.
But when he opened the drawer and pulled out a diary from the safe, I was stunned.
His gaze toward me grew more strange, a mix of shyness and grievance.
Instinctively, I looked at the page and was surprised to see my name.
Killian's handwriting ranged from neat block letters to flowing cursive, written during different periods, all for me.
But until now, I had never known this thing even existed.
"What's this?"
Killian lowered his lashes, looking like a little dog who had just been caught hiding its bone, hastily scrambling to put everything in front of me, his face showing a bit of smug pride as if he wanted praise:
"I was going to let you say it first, but since the situation's changed, I guess I'll take a bit of a loss."
I flipped open the first page, where there was a large heading:
"WHEN IS PATRICIA CALDERON GOING TO CONFESS TO ME?"
The second page read:
"Closed a business deal today, didn't get home until three. So annoyed by the smell of alcohol on me, but thankfully Patricia had already fallen asleep and didn't notice. She even made me some oatmeal, she really does love me. But when is she going to confess? So annoying."
The next page:
"Patricia paid off the loan. Took her out for a nice meal. I was going to confess, but she came down with a fever. Stayed up all night before finally resting. I secretly confessed in her ear, but I don't know if she heard."
On the next page, written in a different pen, was a furious note:
"SHE DIDN'T HEAR IT! DAMN IT!"
...
I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
