"Sir, you can't enter. This is the VIP suite; you need verification."

Exiting the elevator, Gwenda peeked around the corner. Lan, menacingly leading a group of men, was advancing while the hotel manager desperately tried to stop them. They were only fifty meters from the elevators. Leaving now meant certain capture, but staying in the elevator wasn't an option.

Seeing the manager losing, Gwenda gritted her teeth, crouched, and slipped back to the elegant door she'd come from. She knocked quietly, her eyes darting nervously.

The door opened quickly, revealing a pair of legs. Gwenda smiled awkwardly and looked up.

"Um, Mr. Petit"

"Yeah?" Olivier asked with a faint smile, raising an eyebrow.

Gwenda pursed her lips in embarrassment. After all, who wouldn't be embarrassed about running away and then returning?

Noticing her reddening ears, Olivier smiled indulgently. He patted her head gently and stepped aside. "Come in."

The door closed, silencing the outside world. Gwenda breathed a sigh of relief; she was safe.

She glanced around. Olivier had been about to have dinner; a simple meal was laid out. Gwenda sat on the sofa, her eyes drawn to the steak. She hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day, and her mouth watered.

Noticing her gaze, Olivier poured her water and slid the meal tray closer. "Eat. I haven't touched it."

"But how could I?" Gwenda protested.

Before she finished, her stomach growled loudly, making her blush crimson.

Olivier laughed, handing her the cutlery. "Just eat," he said, amused.

Refusal would seem pretentious, so Gwenda smiled shyly and began to eat. Olivier sat, watching her with kind eyes.

Soon, she'd eaten most of the meal, but untouched were the prawns. Olivier noticed. "You don't like prawns?" he asked.

"They're a hassle to eat," Gwenda said dismissively.

"So, you don't dislike them," Olivier chuckled, reaching a conclusion.

Gwenda remained silent. Olivier put on plastic gloves, peeled the prawns, and placed them in her bowl. "Eat."

Gwenda froze, staring at the prawns then at Olivier. Her eyes held a complex mix of emotions. It wasn't the peeling; Martin, her former love, had loved prawns, and she'd always peeled them for him. Seeing them now reminded her of her past inferiority. She'd stopped eating them. She never expected Olivier, a CEO, to do this.

Sensing her gaze, Olivier smiled, continuing to peel prawns. "I'll peel them for you if you want them next time."

An unfamiliar feeling surged in Gwenda's heart, breaking down her defenses.

"What are you waiting for? Eat."

Gwenda gazed at the prawns, then ate one. The sweet taste filled her mouth, and a sense of joy filled her heart. She ate heartily. When she put down her cutlery, the dishes were empty.

Just as she finished cleaning up, the doorbell rang. Gwenda tensed, looking at Olivier. ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐