In a small apartment near her new workplace, Erika had just moved in with her bags still unpacked. The balcony was her favorite spot, adorned with vibrant flowers whose fragrance drifted into every corner of the room.
It was early evening when her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar. With a sharp tone, she answered,
"Can you stop calling me? I'm not going anywhere with you—not after yesterday's drama."
She didn't check the caller ID before a cold voice made her freeze.
"Miss Erika, I thought you had my number saved," her CEO said.
Erika swallowed her pride, immediately regretting her outburst.
"I'm sorry, sir. I thought it was someone else. My mistake."
He said nothing about it. Instead, he continued,
"Cancel tomorrow's appointment with the drilling company. I've sent you the files—Redima will provide the agenda details."
She sighed, but he wasn't finished.
"And Erika, it's better to keep your personal life out of work."
He hung up. Erika cursed herself quietly.
"Why am I thinking about him so much? Now my CEO thinks I'm unprofessional."
She tried to distract herself by observing the apartment—a classic-style bedroom, an en-suite bathroom, a cozy living room to the front, and a small kitchen to the left.
"Come on, Erika. Being a secretary isn't that hard," she muttered, forcing a smile.
But her thoughts kept spiraling. Her father still hadn't acknowledged her as his legitimate daughter.
"Why do I have to face everything alone?" she whispered.
She skimmed through the company's rulebook and noticed how different the work culture was here.
"A cup of coffee will calm this mess," she hissed, making her way to the kitchen.
Once her coffee was ready, she stepped out onto the balcony, looking out at a beautiful house across from hers. Its large balcony mirrored hers, decorated tastefully with harmonious colors and spotless furniture.
"The owner of that house has exquisite taste," Erika thought, admiring the rose-filled garden.
She tried to relax.
"I don't know where this marriage is going, but one thing's certain—I can't lose myself to him again."
Memories stirred—her last relationship ended in disaster when she followed her heart. She leaned against the doorframe, trying to hold back tears, and eventually fell asleep on the floor.
The next morning, she woke early and stepped out to grab her jacket from the balcony. A gust of wind blew through—and then she saw him.
A man stood shirtless across the way. Muscular. Confident. Charming in a way that made her forget to blink.
"Damn, he's hot," she muttered.
As if he heard her, he smirked, waved like a showoff, and whispered,
"Hi."
She turned away quickly, embarrassed. But he walked to the edge of his balcony and said with a knowing grin,
"This isn't the first time you've seen me half-naked."
Her eyes widened in shock.
"You! I can't believe it!" she shouted.
Before she could process anything, he jumped from his balcony to hers, landing effortlessly like a trained gymnast.
"The distance between us is so far—how did he do that?!" she thought, stepping back in disbelief.
He reached out, brushing his hand through her long, icy hair.
"I just had to make sure you're real, not a figment of my imagination," he said with a smile.
She almost slapped him but ended up pressed against his chest, hearing his unsteady heartbeat. His scent was intoxicating.
"How dare you?" she snapped, teeth clenched.
He released her gently, and she stumbled to the floor. He crouched beside her.
"I'm calling the cops," she said, breathless and flushed.
He just smiled, tapping her head like a child. She backed away as he gracefully leapt back to his own balcony.
"I'll visit you later. Gotta run," he said, standing at his glass door.
"I'm Ronald. Nice to have you as a neighbor." He winked.
Erika felt like throwing up. She grabbed her jacket, skipped the elevator, and ran down three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat.
"He thinks he's so charming. He's crossed every line," she fumed, rushing to her car.
"I got rid of Rafael just to end up living across from that eccentric doctor? What was his name again?"
She paused, unlocking her car.
"Right. Ronald."
At the company gate, a tall woman with short twilight-colored hair greeted her.
"I'm Redima, your coworker. Right this way, Miss," she said kindly, leading her inside.
Redima was about two inches taller than Erika, her figure glowing with confidence. She stopped in front of an office facing the CEO's.
"This is your space. Everything's ready. Let me know if you need help."
Redima smiled warmly. Erika nodded, still catching her breath—from the stairs or from Ronald, she wasn't sure.