CHAPTER 27: 27: TOO CLOSE, MR. DEVEREUX

They were back in the black SUV, pulling out of the glittering showroom and back onto the main road. The change in atmosphere from the showroom’s cold, manufactured perfection to the genuine heat and tension inside the car was jarring.

Adrian stared out the window, his exhaustion fighting with the exhilarating high of the successful pitch. He had saved Alexander’s deal, but he had done so by revealing a hidden competence. A talent he never wanted anyone to know. But for the sake of a loan, he showed it.

Alexander drove in silence for a few blocks, his mind clearly still processing the unexpected turn of events. He finally cleared his throat, the sound loud in the quiet interior.

"You handled Madam Li with astounding skill, Mr. Cole," Alexander began, his voice purely analytical. "Your Mandarin was impeccable, your pitch hit every key cultural point, and you secured a deal that my own team has been failing on for six months. You didn’t just speak the language; you understood the unspoken protocol." He kept his eyes straight on the road.

Adrian swallowed, waiting for the hook. "Thank you, sir. I lived in China with my father throughout my high school. I had no choice but to learn the language..."

Alexander was quiet, he was learning new things about his overlooked secretary and was slowly realising that he had an interesting life that was worth following.

Adrian should have stopped with the already given information, but no, he went on to tell his boss more, "I also studied Linguistics as a second degree... I love learning languages.

"Linguistics," Alexander mused.

He parked the SUV on the side of a dimly lit street, shutting off the engine. The sudden silence was absolute. He finally turned in his seat, his elbow resting on the steering wheel, his full, unwavering attention fixed on Adrian.

"I am not interested in your degree, Mr. Cole. I am interested in the discrepancy," Alexander stated, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "The man who speaks different languages, negotiates billion-dollar deals, and shows that kind of composure when facing down a titan like Li Xueyi... that man does not fumble for words, trip over his own feet, or fall asleep on his desk."

He leaned closer, his blue eyes intense. "Which is the real you, Adrian? The clumsy secretary at my office, or..." he paused and stared at Adrian, who was slowly starting to drum his fingers on his knees.

His anxiety was back.

Alexander clenched his jaw, "Or the man who had spoken so brilliantly to Madam Li Xueyi. Tell me the truth, Adrian. Don’t be two-faced with me -"

"T-two-faced? That’s a strong word to use, Boss," He chuckled nervously.

Alexander didn’t blink, letting Adrian absorb the full weight of his scrutiny.

Adrian felt the blood drain from his face, his mind scrambling. Alexander wasn’t just observing him; he was analysing him like a piece of faulty code.

Adrian was trapped. The deal’s success had only pulled the rug out from under his flimsy persona. The fear wasn’t about the debt anymore; it was about the dangerous, unpredictable shift in his boss’s attention.

He straightened his back, taking a deep, steadying breath, and decided to provide Alexander with an answer that would be both distracting and logical.

"The reason, sir," Adrian started, his voice firm, "is because... Madam Li is not my boss. With her, I’m not scared of getting my pay docked, or being criticised for not doing something right or perfectly. I... I felt comfortable with her." His hands gripped the side of his seat so tight his knuckles turned white.

Alexander was still staring, making Adrain super uncomfortable.

"And, I do all those things you listed?" Alexander questioned, eyes cold and narrowed.

’Shit!’ Adrian realised that he had indirectly told his boss what he felt about his approach toward work.

He gulped, his throat suddenly feeling dry.

He cleared his throat, "No. The timid act—the clumsiness—it’s all on me. It’s an attribute of mine that comes into play whenever I’m under pressure, especially in the workplace. What I said earlier is what I ’feel’ every boss would say... not you, boss." He breathed slowly, praying that Alexander would drop the discussion.

He usually craved Alexander’s attention as his secretary, but now that he was getting it, it felt too intense. Maybe he wasn’t ready for the attention...yet.

Adrian held Alexander’s gaze, forcing himself to remain still under the intense gaze of his boss.

Alexander slowly looked away, his jaws tightening.

He wasn’t even the least offended by what Adrian said. Instead, he was offended at himself for almost asking Adrian to speak to him the way he spoke to Xueyi: charming, adorable, and full of smiles.

How would that make him look?

The car resumed driving, the silence deafening between them.

Adrian was holding his breath, afraid he’d draw Alexander’s attention again by moving around.

A thought suddenly popped into his head and before he could stop himself, he was already blurting it out, "Boss, I don’t want you knowing where I live. Stop the car." He panicked.

He couldn’t let him know. He had Adrienne to protect.

What if Alexander saw Adrienne in his neighbourhood one day? There was no way he wouldn’t connect the final dot on that day.

"That’s too late, Adrian. Don’t you think?" Alexander asked as he slowed the car down in front of a building.

Adrian blinked in shock and stared out the window at his apartment building.

"But... how did you know my –"

"You’re my employee. That’s one of the pieces of information I’m supposed to check before hiring," Alexander faced Adrian, his eyes less intense now, "You don’t expect me not to check your background before giving you a role that brings you so close to me. Do you?" He leaned very slightly toward Adrian.

Adrian immediately unfastened his seat belt, "No, I never said that. Thanks for the ride, boss... goodnight." He immediately turned and tried to open the door, but failed at every attempt.

"You said you fumble only under pressure..." Alexander’s low voice suddenly sounded behind Adrian, freezing him.

Adrian was startled by Alexander’s sudden proximity and immediately turned to push him off.

He shouldn’t have.

The moment he turned, he came face to face with Alexander, and his words died in his mouth as he stared at the gorgeous man in front of him.

No one said a word, not even Alexander who was rendered speechless by the sudden movement of his secretary.

He gulped, watching Adrian watch him.

They could feel each other’s warm breath on their faces, still, no one moved away, almost like they had been cast a spell on.

Alexander took in Adrian’s reddened cheeks and quickened breathing.

"Are you under pressure right now, Mr. Cole?" Alexander was surprised at how low and husky his voice was.

Adrian shook his head, clenching his fists until his nails left marks on his hand, "N-no, Boss," his breath hitched as he spoke. He could no longer hold Alexander’s gaze; the situation was too much for him to handle, and he was almost passing out.

Alexander frowned when he noticed how Adrian pressed his back on the door just to get away from him, "Then why are you fumbling right now, Mr. Cole?" He questioned.

Adrian licked his dry lips, "N-no, n-not, fumbling... It’s just I’m claustrophobic... you’re too close... I feel cornered." He blurted out.

Alexander furrowed his brows, ’Claustrophobic?’

Adrian’s panic suddenly skyrocketed as he saw Alexander leaning closer, "Boss, don’t come any closer –"

"Leave, Mr. Cole," Alexander easily opened the door behind Adrian and returned to his seat, his face hard.

Adrian felt the cold night air blow over him from behind and realised that Alexander was just trying to open the door for him.

He blushed, embarrassed.

"Um, t-thank you, boss... goodnight," he scrambled out of the car, tripped, and almost fell a few times as he ran toward his apartment.

Alexander sat quietly, watching Adrian escape.

He couldn’t believe what had almost happened.

’For the briefest second, I wanted to kiss him,’ Alexander admitted the despicable thought to himself.

He couldn’t believe himself.

He blamed it on Adrian, the way he bit those his delicious lips was enough to make anyone want to taste them.

"Fuck," He slammed his hand on his steering wheel, blasting his horn in the neighbourhood, but he didn’t care.

He felt rage at himself, he felt betrayal.

Just that day, he had mocked Sebastian and Jacob in his head for finding Adrian Attractive. But, the moment Adrian opened his mouth to speak to Xueyi, Alexander realised that he might just have known that Adrian was an attractive man but chose to ignore it.

However, tonight, he could no longer lie to himself; his secretary was a fine ass man, a man anyone would go crazy to have.

But, not him.

Adrian is, and will always remain his secretary.

What he felt was just a momentary appreciation because of how Adrian had helped him tonight.

Whatever had possessed him tonight will be gone by morning.

He couldn’t let those dangerous feelings grow.

It was dangerous because if he ever allowed himself to get swayed, he’d make headlines.

«The Richest Tycoon Billionaire, Alexander Devereux, Is Gay.»

That won’t be him. It can never be him.

He wasn’t gay, just as his secretary wasn’t gay.

Tomorrow, he’d revert to his usual cold self. Adrian would become just an employee, as he’d always been.

Gritting his teeth, he drove the car away, heading home, and ready to face another part of his life.

The married part.

He couldn’t wait to set his eyes on Adrienne, she needed to be taught some lessons.

He would, quite literally, spend the rest of the night fixing the mess created by the two most unpredictable people in his life. And he had no idea that they were the same person.