Chapter 2: The Calm Before the Storm

“I’d like to see more of you, Mr. Fall-boy.”

“Hey! I’m not Mr. Fall-boy!” Ethan shouted—much louder than he meant to.

Heads turned. A coffee cup shattered somewhere behind him.

And then—

“Ethan?”

That voice. Smooth as silk and colder than ice.

He turned.

Oh no.

Belle Shane.

President of the company.

Elegant, terrifying, and sharper than the stilettos she probably used as weapons.

Admired by every employee—not just for her cutthroat leadership but for her nearly mythical beauty.

But Belle wasn’t dangerous because she was beautiful. She was dangerous because she had presence.

That smile—icy, calculating. The kind that could freeze you in place… or lure you off a cliff.

Eyes that mirrored Marcus’s in color, but not in warmth.

Jet black hair cascading like ink over her midnight-blue suit.

A goddess carved from frost.

Ethan recognized the smile she gave him.

It wasn’t friendly.

It was the “I’m smiling because HR is watching” smile.

“I’m… very sorry, ma’am. I was just—”

“It’s alright,” she interrupted, her tone velvet-wrapped steel. “But shouldn’t you be at your desk, Mr. Intern?”

“Y-Yes, ma’am. Right away.”

She didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

Just watched. Like a queen toying with a court jester.

Ethan fled to his desk.

“I’m never surviving this internship,” he muttered.

Lunch break. Ethan spotted Ruhan and Cleo at their usual spot near the window.

“There he is!” Cleo grinned. “Late Boy strikes again.”

“Late Boy!” Ruhan burst into laughter. “That’s sticking.”

“Oh, come on!” Ethan groaned. “Why do I keep getting nicknames? Marcus started it. Then Miss Belle. Now you two—”

“Wait.” Cleo leaned in. “Did you say Marcus Shane?”

Ethan blinked. “Uh. Yeah? He caught me earlier when I tripped. Laughed. Called me Mr. Fall-boy. Then Miss Belle showed up and—”

“You need to stay away from both of them!” Ruhan said suddenly, making Cleo nod in agreement.

“What? Why?”

“They’re dangerous,” Cleo said softly. “Especially if you’re caught between them.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“No, but Marcus…” Cleo hesitated, then whispered, “He’s the CEO.”

Ethan froze. “Wait—what?! I thought he worked in, like… I.T. or something!”

“And Belle seeing you with him?” Ruhan said. “That’s bad.”

“Why? They’re siblings, right?”

“They are. Technically. But it’s more like a cold war than a family dinner,” Cleo said. “And word is, it all goes back to Belle’s mother.”

“Ophelia Shane?” Ethan asked. “I’ve seen her on TV. She seems… gentle.”

“That’s the TV version,” Ruhan said. “In real life? She’s the final boss.”

Ethan sighed, stabbing at his salad. “Maybe it’s just tough love.”

Cleo shook her head. “Nope. It's a full-on soap opera.”

Back at his desk, Ethan nearly collided with something tall and expensive-smelling.

Belle.

Standing a few feet away.

Glaring at…

Marcus Shane.

Leaning casually on Ethan’s desk.

“Mr. Marcus! You—you really shouldn’t be here,” Ethan blurted.

Marcus smirked. “Just admiring your mountain of paperwork. I thought I’d help.”

What?

Before Ethan could respond, Marcus grabbed a stack of files—and locked eyes with Belle.

Tension crackled in the air.

Belle didn’t speak. Her smile thinned, her eyes like sharpened knives.

Then—wordlessly—they turned and walked in opposite directions.

Storm clouds departing in different directions.

And Ethan?

He sank into his chair, dazed.

His brain? Fully scrambled.

By 6 p.m., the office had emptied out.

Ethan stretched, grabbed his bag, and stepped out into the evening air.

No sign of Ruhan.

Of course not. He’d promised to walk home with Ethan.

But nothing. Not even a text.

Sighing, Ethan pulled out his phone.

“Fall-boy. Out here again?”

The voice made him jump.

“Mr. Marcus?!” he yelped.

Marcus Shane stood in the glow of the streetlamp, hands in his coat pockets, looking like he belonged on a noir movie poster.

“You looked anxious,” he said. “Everything alright?”

“Just waiting for someone. He bailed.”

“Then… may I walk you to your destination?”

Ethan blinked. “Sure. That’d be… great. Thank you, Mr. Marcus.”

Marcus fell into step beside him.

And Ethan?

He was so confused.

Why was Marcus being so… kind? Gentle?

Wasn’t this man supposed to be cold and untouchable?

But as they walked, neither of them noticed the shadow watching them across the street.

A woman.

Slim. Still.

Eyes glowing like wildfire beneath the streetlight.

She saw everything.

And she was smiling.

A smile full of secrets.

And storms.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***