CHAPTER 2 Accidental Proposal

Isabella POV

My heart was pounding as I stepped into the office, a fresh coffee in one hand, my laptop bag slung over my shoulder, and my thoughts spinning in a million directions. Yesterday's "proposal"- which I still wasn't convinced happened- had been the strangest, most embarrassing thing I had ever done. I could barely sleep, replaying it over and over in my mind.

There was no way I was letting this misunderstanding continue.

I reached my desk, dropping my things a bit too forcefully. My coffee nearly tipped over, and I barely managed to catch it before it spilled across my workspace. I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm myself, reminding myself that today, everything would be fine. I would go to his office, clarify that I wasn't trying to marry him, and things would go back to normal. Whatever "yes" he had given was probably his idea of a joke. Maybe he'd just been amused by how awkward I looked.

I took another deep breath and started walking down the hall towards the CEO's office. His door loomed at the end like some sort of final boss level, each step making my heart hammer harder. Questions raced through my mind. Why had he said yes, anyway? He was the CEO; he could've easily laughed it off and walked away. But instead, he smiled, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "Yes." I shook my head, pushing away the whirlwind of thoughts. I couldn't afford to get lost in why he had done what he did- I just needed to set things straight before this turned into a full-blown office disaster.

Finally, I found myself standing in front of his office door. I lifted my hand to knock but hesitated. I had always felt intimidated by him, and this situation certainly wasn't helping. My fingers hovered in the air as my nerves tried to talk me out of it. But I knew I had to do it. Taking a deep breath, I knocked.

A calm, cool voice from the other side called, "Come in."

I pushed the door open and stepped inside, clutching my coffee cup like it was some kind of shield. There he was, seated at his desk, focused on a report in his hands.

For a moment, I forgot why I was there.

He was dressed sharply, as always, in a perfectly tailored suit that looked like it was made just for him. His dark hair was neat yet slightly tousled, in a way that only seemed to make him look even better, as though he belonged on a magazine cover for some upscale fashion line. He looked effortlessly polished- calm, collected, and completely at ease in his power.

Why on earth had he said yes? There was absolutely no reason why a man like him would need- or want- a messy, accidental proposal from me.

Then he lifted his gaze, his eyes meeting mine over the rim of his glasses, and his mouth curved into a small, almost pleased smile. "Ah, there you are," he said, setting the report down and pulling his glasses off. His gaze stayed fixed on me, making it very difficult to keep my cool.

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could say anything, he dropped the report on his desk and said, "Good. I have something I wanted to discuss with you."

I swallowed, nodding, my voice caught in my throat for a moment. "Of course. I, uh… actually, I wanted to-"

But he was already on to business, diving straight into a discussion about the reports I have been working on. He asked if I had reviewed last month's numbers and whether I had completed the analysis he assigned last week. His tone was calm and efficient, and as I answered his questions, I felt myself slipping back into work mode.

"Right," I said, adjusting my stance as I went over the updates. "I've finished most of it, but there were a few areas that needed clarification. I've flagged them, and I'll have the final report to you by the end of the week."

He nodded, listening intently, his gaze sharp and focused on me as he asked follow-up questions. The intensity of his attention made me wonder if maybe the whole proposal thing was just a weird, out-of-place dream. We were here, discussing business as usual, like nothing had happened. Maybe he hadn't even taken it seriously.

When I finished answering all his questions, he gave a thoughtful nod and leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze still locked on me. "That's good. I'll expect the full report by Friday, then."

"Of course. Absolutely."

The room went silent. He was watching me, eyes steady, his expression unreadable. I tried to smile, hoping that maybe this was all he wanted to talk about. I began to relax, realizing I might be in the clear. Maybe he had forgotten all about last night's mix-up. Maybe he was just as eager to pretend it didn't happen as I was.

Just as I was about to excuse myself, he spoke up again. "Are you free tonight?"

I froze. My mind went blank for a split second. Did he… just ask me out? No, no. That couldn't be right. He probably just needed help with a last-minute project, right?

"Tonight?" I echoed, doing my best to keep my voice even.

He nodded, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, tonight. Are you available?"

The question hung between us, and I felt like I was standing on the edge of something I couldn't quite name.

Don't overthink it, Isabella.