The question did not sound sudden, nor did it sound forceful. It was spoken in the sa calm, controlled tone Benjamin always used.
And yet, the mont it left his lips, it pressed heavily into the space between them, making the air feel tight and difficult to breathe.
This is not the first ti.
Sienna still recalls the first ti he asked her out; she agreed without much thought.
Back then, she had just joined the company, still unfamiliar with everything, still trying to prove herself. And this man had appeared to be a kind superior, attentive, patient, and unusually considerate compared to other managers she had t before.
Refusing him had felt impolite. Even inappropriate.
After all, who would say no to their own boss when he invited them to dinner?
But that night had left a strange feeling in her chest, one she couldn’t quite explain at the ti.
The way he spoke to her, the way his attention lingered longer than necessary, the way his gaze held sothing deeper than simple professional concern, it all slowly beca clearer afterward.
His kindness was not the sa as the kindness he showed others. It was personal.
And that was exactly the problem.
"I’m sorry, sir, I can’t—"
She barely managed to form the sentence before he interrupted her.
"Ben," he corrected gently, his lips curving into a soft smile as if her refusal was nothing more than a small misunderstanding. His eyes remained fixed on her, calm and patient. "Only the two of us are here. No need to be so formal."
Sienna did not respond imdiately. Her silence was not hesitation... it was restraint.
Her hands clenched at her sides, her fingers pressing tightly into her palms as she held back the words rising to her throat. There was anger there, but she swallowed it down before it could take shape.
"And stop looking at like that, Sienna..." he added, tilting his head slightly, his expression still warm, almost affectionate. "You’re making feel like a bad person."
For a brief mont, sothing inside her snapped.
’Maybe because you are.’ The thought ca clearly, sharply. But it remained trapped inside her mind, unable to cross the line into reality.
Because she couldn’t say it.
She couldn’t afford to say it.
Instead, she lowered her gaze, forcing her expression back into sothing neutral, sothing acceptable.
"I’m sorry... sir." The word felt wrong, heavy on her tongue the mont she said it, but she let it stay.
Benjamin watched her quietly, as if asuring her reaction. For a second, it almost seed like he was dissatisfied, as though her submission was not quite what he wanted.
Then his hand moved.
It settled on her shoulder, light and gentle at first, but Sienna imdiately felt her whole body tense up.
She tried to step back.
But before she could move, his grip tightened just enough to stop her.
His grip does not feel rough. Not obvious. But firm enough to keep her exactly where she was.
’What should I do?’
Her thoughts began to race, one after another, faster than she could control.
’Should I push him away? Should I slap him? What if he fires ? Damn it... Why is he becoming more shaless?’
Her heart pounded against her chest, loud and unsteady, while her body remained still, trapped between instinct and consequence.
She searched for a way out, her mind running through every possible reaction and every possible outco.
But none of them felt safe. None of them felt right.
Before she could act, Benjamin spoke again.
"Alright," he said lightly, as if nothing unusual had happened. "Next ti, you can’t refuse again, Sienna."
There was no anger in his voice. No pressure. And yet, the aning behind his words was unmistakable.
It wasn’t a request.
It was a quiet warning.
Then, suddenly, he stepped back, releasing her shoulder as if the mont had never existed.
The space between them returned.
He turned without hesitation and walked toward the door.
The soft click of the door opening broke the stillness. Then it closed. And he was gone.
Sienna remained standing where she was, her body still stiff, her mind still trying to catch up with what had just happened.
For a mont, she didn’t move at all. Slowly, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.
It ca out uneven, almost shaky.
Her shoulders dropped slightly as the tension began to leave her body, though the feeling itself did not disappear.
Her hand lifted unconsciously to her shoulder... the place where he had touched her.
Her fingers pressed lightly against the fabric, as if she could erase the lingering sensation by sheer will alone.
A sharp wave of anger rose within her.
’Damn it... I should have said sothing.’
But just as quickly as her anger arose, it faded, as reality set in. If she confronts him now, she risks losing her job and her position.
She can’t risk losing her job right now, as her debt to the bank makes it difficult to keep up with paynts.
Sienna closed her eyes for a brief mont, exhaling slowly as if trying to steady herself.
’You can’t...’ she murmured to herself. ’Not now. Wait until you find a new job.’
Her hand slowly dropped back to her side.
When she opened her eyes again, the anger had not disappeared. Still, it had been buried, carefully hidden beneath control and caution.
If she couldn’t confront him directly, then she would do the only thing she could. Avoid him and keep a safe distance.
Draw a stern line, even if she had to do it quietly.
Because no matter what—
She would not let herself fall into sothing like this. Not again.
Sienna picked up her agenda and pen from the table, taking a mont to adjust her expression. By the ti she turned toward the door, her face was calm again, composed, as if nothing had happened.
She would not let anyone see her anger, fear, and humiliation.
But just as she reached the door, it suddenly opened from the outside.
As her eyes saw across the door, she froze.
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