Chapter 5 This was her second time in the CEO's office . It was spacious . Beyond the huge desk , there was a sofa set , and tucked beside it , a small coffee corner . " If you're tired , go in and rest , " Gerhart said , nodding toward a door near his desk as he walked over to it . Latrina followed his gaze . The small suite adjacent to his workspace felt surprisingly homely , nothing like the place where they spent together that night . She thought , " Stop , why is my mind wandering again ? " ' I'll just sit out here on the sofa , " she said , taking a step back . " Suit yourself . " Gerhart returned to his desk , settled into his chair , and dove into a stack of files . Latrina stayed put , perching on the edge of the sofa to wait . Time slipped by , unmarked . Exhausted from a restless night , she eventually drifted off . Gerhart , meanwhile , kept poring over documents , handling work with seemingly endless energy . They'd slept together last night , and he'd been the one pushing through ... Yet , he still got energetic . When Latrina woke up , it was already I a.m. Gerhart stood by the floor - to - ceiling window , looking down at the city's night view . It was obvious he kept in shape . His broad shoulders tapered to a trim waist , veins subtly bulging in his forearms where he'd casually rolled sleeves . Latrina stirred , wincing as she stretched her stiff neck . The black suit jacket draped over her slipped off as she sat up . his up " Didn't you get some sleep ? " she mumbled , figuring he'd head to the suite once he finished work . " The elevator's fixed , " he said softly . " Alright . " " I'll drop you off , " he added , turning slowly . " Thanks , but don't have to . I can just grab a cab downstairs . " Latrina slung her bag over her shoulder . you Gerhart grabbed his coat and followed anyway . Latrina felt a twinge of unease . He was like a stray dog that wouldn't leave her alone . She couldn't even shake him off . She stepped outside , but before she could leave the parking lot , a car horn blared behind her . She stepped aside , but the black vehicle kept honking . She turned to look . ' Get in , " Gerhart said , his voice low and magnetic . Behind his rimless glasses , his dark gaze held a cool intensity . Latrina clutched her bag tighter , hesitated a beat , then climbed into the car Just then , a BMW with the license plate ending in 290 swerved sharply , speeding out of the underground parking lot . A harsh screech of tires echoed through the garage . Both Latrina and Gerhart turned to watch , their gazes following until the BMW vanished from sight . Latrina snapped back to her senses , quickly tugging at her dress . It had ridden up uncomfortably as she sat , nearly creeping past the tops of her thighs . She'd never liked this outfit . It fit awkwardly , like it wasn't meant for her . As she shifted slightly to adjust it ... A button on her chest gave way . 1311 2.3 % < Chapter 5 For a split second , her skin peeked through , and the faint marks he'd left the night before were exposed . Gerhart's gaze flickered over , then darted away just as quickly . His Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously . Latrina scrambled to cover herself , her face flushing redder . She froze , unsure of what to do . Pulling the fabric up would expose more , tugging it down was futile ... She thought if only she'd lost a little more weight . That stubborn curve of her chest had always drawn unwanted stares , leaving her feeling embarrassed . She'd often wished she could be ordinary and unremarkable as a flat - chested girl . Without a word , Gerhart reached behind him , grabbed his black suit jacket from the back seat , and tossed it to her . Latrina got the hint and put the jacket on . On the way , he pulled over at a street corner to buy a smoothie named " Berry Bliss " . The scent was subtle , but Latrina would recognize it anywhere . Because it had been her favorite for years . She'd assumed he was picking it up for someone else at home , but when they stopped outside her place , he held it out to Latrina directly . " Take it , " he said , his tone neutral . Latrina accepted it , murmuring a thank - you . " Berry Bliss " was a blend of raspberries , blackberries , strawberries , and blueberries . Every time she hung out, she'd get stayed open until 3 a.m , and there was always a line , even at this hour . herself one . The shop Menu How did he know about her favorite smoothie ? She lived at Plum Apartments , a short distance from the company . It was late and quiet . Gerhart parked downstairs , watching her walk into the elevator . He tilted his head , glancing up . Less than a minute later , a light flickered on the 16th floor . Only then did he start the car and head back to the office . Stepping out of the elevator , Latrina froze . A cluster of yellow tulips lay scattered on the floor , beside them a cup of cold coffee . The scene felt eerily like a final farewell ... Ugh , damn ! She remembered a saying : " Trash belongs in the trash . " Frowning , she picked up the coffee cup and hurled it into the nearby bin . Glancing back at the tulips , she clenched her fist and kicked them toward the trash can , too . The door unlocked with a beep from her fingerprint , and she stepped into her small apartment she'd missed so much . She shed Gerhart's oversized jacket , slipped into slippers , and headed for the bathroom , After a long , refreshing shower , she emerged feeling light and unburdened , It was already 2 a.m. She finally restarted her phone . Thankfully , it still worked . As it booted up , a flurry of notification dings erupted . There were dozens of unread messages . She skimmed them , marking all as read without replying ... until one caught her eye . Eduardo : " I called and texted , but you didn't answer . I was so worried . The flowers were fresh - picked this morning . Hope you like them . " They had been together all these years , and he was still so " romantic . " But his romance was over the top . It was the kind that really drew people in . 1311 WebNovel THREE ADDY ELE 2.3 % Open > < Chapter 5 He truly deserved the title of " master " at offering caring service to women . Though Latrina came from a single - parent home , her mother had raised her with strong values . Under that influence , she'd always been prudent and proper . Even when they had begun talking about getting married , she insisted they could do no more than hold hands . On the day of the Independence Day fashion show , as everyone was leaving , she'd spotted Eduardo , who rarely went shopping , lingering around . Menu She'd long known about what was going on between him and Sonya behind her back , but seeing them hanging out and flirting openly still made her feel like swallowing pieces of glass . And Gerhart and Kelvin had witnessed it all . Her expression must have given her away , because Kelvin mentioned it to Gerhart afterward . That was why , at the department dinner , she'd drunk too much ... Lost in thought , she secretly opened the chat box with Gerhart on WhatsApp . Staring at the screen , she zoned out for ages . Glancing at the suit jacket beside her , then the smoothie nearby , she remembered that absurd thing he'd he'd said that day . " How about trying to be Mrs. Crowley ? " She spaced out . 837 No matter how desperate she was for a man , she couldn't agree to someone's proposal recklessly ! She thought , " Gerhart is a CEO . How could he possibly like someone like me , just a regular employee ? " He's not here to do charity , so why would he single me out ? There must be something wrong with his mind . " She checked her Instagram again . It had blown up , with everyone commenting on how hard Latrina worked , still pulling overtime at the office . Then she spotted a familiar profile picture . Gerhart had liked her post ... She mused , " Did he come down to find me just because he saw my post ? " No , no , that's absolutely impossible . " She silently pulled her phone back , tossed it aside , and tried the smoothie . She took a small sip . It was so sweet ! 2345 WebNovel