"Then, you don't hate me?" Isabelle asked and he shook his head. "But what do I do?" She folded her arms, glaring sharply at him. "I think I already hate you for all you did to me."
Elias went silent.
Her declaration had sent a sharp pang through his heart but his expression stiffened even more.
What could he do to make her not hate him any longer?
He interlocked his fingers, his gaze down and his lips pressed firmly together.
He didn't want her to hate him.
He didn't want her to think he hated her either.
In truth, he li–
Isabelle sighed.
"I guess we should start with new beginnings." She said. "I'll take it that you were genuinely advising me but... I still hate you, Elias Yoon." She glared at him.
His chest tightened but his expression did not falter, as if her words did not affect him.
"And I don't think I can forgive you yet but I'll keep an open mind." She added.
"That will be enough." He said, calmly as he raised his head. "I look forward to working with you, Ms Han."
"Yes, likewise." She got up from the chair and so did he, stretching his hand for a handshake.
She shook him and then remembered one last detail she had forgotten.
"By the way, what's with that personality of yours the last time you transformed?" She asked and felt him flinch.
Since their hands were still connected from the handshake, she felt his flinch so vividly.
"That..." He turned his face away for a while. "...is a curse." He muttered.
"What? What did you say? I didn't hear it clearly."
This topic... He didn't hope to talk about it so soon and he also didn't think she would understand it clearly if he did say it. But now that she asked...
"It's a curse." He said. "One where I obtain a different personality each time my human appearance gets lifted." He messaged his nose bridge, tilting his glasses up. "Can we not talk about this, Ms Han? It's a topic you'll only understand once you see for yourself."
"Really?" She asked and he nodded. "I'm not that curious so I'll leave it for now." She said and then dropped her hand from his. "I'll get going now since most of my work is done."
"Ah, then... Allow me to drive you home."
Isabelle paused.
He wanted to take her home? Wasn't this too... Forward?
"You don't have to worry that I'll suddenly go to the police or anything." She said but he shook his head.
"No, not at all." He said. "It's already very late and I feel it would be better to take you home than leave you to call a cab."
Isabelle thought about it.
It wasn't a big deal for him to drive her home. Besides, it would save her time and travel expenses.
"Alright then." She said and turned around. "I'll let you take me home, but this doesn't mean we're on friendly terms, got that?"
"I understand." He simply said and watched her walk away.
Once she was gone, he bowed his head and sighed.
He finally got through the first phase of his plan. Now, he just needed to get closer to her.
If they shared more memories together, even if she hated him now, she would probably come to grow fond of him.
Isabelle finally cleared her desk and picked up her bag, tying her hair up, as if it mattered how she looked in the dead of the night.
Maybe she was just that bothered.
She always liked to present herself as poised, clean, and in control. If anything, Elias was the only one at her work who had gotten to see a haggard side of her.
Even during Friday nights at company dinners, she drank only the bare minimum while casually and brilliantly refusing more drinks from others.
Elias watched her, his eyes never leaving her for a second, until she raised her head to look at him.
He calmly turned his gaze away, as if he hadn't been staring the whole time and she tilted her head.
She could've sworn she felt his stare but judging by how calm he was, she felt she might've been overthinking it.
Once that was done, they walked side by side towards the elevator, got into the brightly lit elevator, and quietly waited as it went down to the lobby floor.
No one said a thing, and the little distance they kept between themselves, made the atmosphere feel even more awkward.
It didn't look like anything had changed since that morning, but there were so many changes that Isabelle could not ignore, even though she wanted to.
For example, the way he kept secretly glancing at her while acting calm and composed, making her unable to catch him in the act even once.
It was infuriating but she kept it to herself, thinking she would be the bigger person and just let it slide this time.
Once the elevator doors opened, they both walked down the quiet lobby, heading for the elevator that led to the underground garage, the sound of their footsteps echoing faintly against the clean tiled floor.
She could feel Elias trying to match her steps as they walked. If he walked in his usual long and composed stride, she would end up walking a few feet behind him, but he didn't do that.
Was he being considerate?
She wondered.
But she felt there was no need for that consideration.
After all, they were more like business partners so such things didn't matter.
As they got out of the elevator and into the underground garage, Isabelle folded her arms and deliberately slowed her steps but Elias did the same. He walked even slower to match her pace and it finally irked her.
"You don't have to escort me like this," she said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
"I insist," he replied. "It's only proper."
"Proper?" she scoffed softly. "You sound like you stepped out of an old drama."
"Is that so?" he replied, seeming unbothered.
A strand of Isabelle's hair fell loose but before she could tuck them behind her ear, Elias did it for her.
His fingers barely grazed her skin, but the contact made her pause.