Only it didn’t.
Because when she heard the elevator doors open, and she belatedly hurried to catch up—
S-Seriously?
The last thing she saw was Lyrius Havington’s impassive features as he allowed the doors to close, and Lara looking stunned behind their boss.
How could this be the same man who used to insist on waiting on her all the time, even to the point of using theHoldbutton for six minutes straight when she remembered she had accidentally left her phone at her desk, and he had insisted that she go back for it while they had the elevator on standby?
It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.
Since waiting for the elevator would take too long, she decided to take the stairwell in hopes of catching up with Lara and their boss. Kyara wasn’t sure if she was fooling herself at this point, but optimism was surely better than hopelessness.Right?
Lyrius watched the numbers on the screen on top of the elevator doors with a stoic expression. He could feel Lara staring at him from behind, but he wasn’t stupid enough to acknowledge this. He could also feel guilt eating him alive, along with an unhealthy dose of self-contempt. He was acting like some schoolboy who couldn’t handle being rejected by his crush, dammit. Was he not better than this?
The elevator doors opened, and when he stepped out, the doors of the stairwell also swung open at the same time—
Kyara.
His jaw clenched at the sight of her. Running down all those flights of stairs had her out of breath, her cheeks flushed, and her hair slightly—
“Kyara.”
Lyrius watched her jerk...just before spinning around so fast, it was as if she didn’t want to risknotseeing who had called her name out.
And that someone was not Lyrius but her ex-boyfriend.
Let it go,Lyrius told himself. She was obviously still in love with the boy. He should just fucking let it go and forget about her. But instead, he found himself slowly turning toward her. Maybe this time, she would choose him. Maybe this time, she would realize she had made a mistake.
But...it was not so.
Because Kyara had suddenly run past Lyrius as if he was the one who didn’t exist for her this time, her green eyes focused only on Wallace.
Kyara only had one thing in mind.I have to talk to him.Because the moment she had seen the look on Cyrus’ face when he called her name—
She had seen that look on him so, so many times, and in all those instances, she had tried to convince herself that she was wrong. That it didn’t mean he was the type to enjoy abusing people under his authority.
She knew better now, unfortunately, and that was why...
“Cyrus, wait!”
All she could see at that time was her ex. All she cared about at that moment was making him see reason. Cyrus alone mattered for all the wrong reasons while the rest of the world—including her own boss—had ceased to exist.
Lyrius could feel himself growing cold as he watched the woman he loved chase the boy she desired for the second time in twenty-four hours. The sight tore him apart, but he forced himself to continue looking. It was the only way to convince himself that no matter how much he wished it wasn’t so—
“Mr. Havington?”
He had forgotten Lara was still with him, and as he turned to his other assistant, and saw her dismayed expression...
Lyrius knew that the rest of the world would look at him the same way if he didn’t make a move soon.
Just give her up, Havington.
Give her up for good.
Because she’ll never be yours.
Chapter 10
