The next morning, Stephan woke up after barely four hours of sleep.
Again.
The exhaustion still sat heavily under his eyes, but somehow he continued moving through life as if his body no longer mattered much to him.
Because recently—
his priorities had changed.
And unfortunately for everyone around him—
Pixel had become one of those priorities.
A very dangerous one.
Stephan walked downstairs adjusting the sleeves of his shirt while staff members quietly prepared breakfast in the dining area.
His mother looked up immediately.
"You're leaving already?"
"I have an early meeting."
"You also skipped dinner properly yesterday."
"I ate."
Stevan snorted loudly from the table.
"One meal does not count as eating."
Stephan ignored him completely and reached for coffee instead.
His mother frowned slightly.
"At least sit and eat breakfast."
"I'll eat at the office."
"That means you won't eat."
Stephan picked up his car keys calmly.
"I'm getting late."
Before anyone could stop him further—
his phone vibrated.
Pixel calling.
And instantly—
the cold exhaustion on his face softened slightly.
Stevan noticed immediately and pointed dramatically.
"There. Look at that expression. This man is gone."
Stephan answered the call while walking toward the entrance.
"Hm?"
On the other side, Pixel sounded unusually awake.
"Are you ready?"
"For office?"
"Yes."
"I'm leaving now."
"Good. Come outside."
Stephan frowned slightly.
"What?"
"Just come outside."
He stepped out of the mansion entrance—
and froze briefly.
Pixel's car stood there.
She sat inside the driver's seat pretending to look calm despite clearly being nervous about his reaction.
For a few seconds Stephan simply stared at her through the windshield.
Then slowly walked toward the car.
When she lowered the window, he finally spoke quietly.
"…You came here?"
"Yes."
"Before office?"
"Yes."
Silence.
Because nobody had ever done this for him before.
Not like this.
Not simply because they were worried.
Pixel tried to look casual.
"You clearly weren't resting properly yourself."
Stephan opened the passenger seat slowly and sat down without taking his eyes off her.
"You woke up early for this?"
"You look exhausted."
That answer alone softened something inside him instantly.
As Pixel started driving, Stephan leaned back quietly against the seat.
For a few moments neither spoke.
Then finally—
"You really didn't have to do this."
"I know."
"Then why did you?"
Pixel kept her eyes on the road.
"Because yesterday you looked like you were about to collapse."
A faint tired smile appeared on his face.
"You're becoming strict."
"You're becoming irresponsible."
"That sounds dramatic."
"You had a nosebleed in the middle of office."
"That was one time."
"That should never happen even one time."
Stephan looked at her quietly after hearing that.
And for the first time in days—
the exhaustion inside him eased slightly.
Because someone was worrying for him now.
Properly.
When they finally reached the office building, Stephan was still looking calmer than usual.
Employees entering the building froze briefly after seeing Pixel dropping their CEO at work.
Whispers started immediately.
"Oh my God."
"Did she just drop him here?"
"She definitely matters to him."
"Look at his face."
"What?"
"He actually looks alive."
Inside the car, Pixel sighed softly after noticing employees staring.
"This is exactly what I didn't want."
Stephan looked outside once.
Then back at her.
"Let them stare."
"That's easy for you to say."
"It is."
Pixel glared at him slightly.
He almost smiled.
Then before getting out—
he suddenly paused.
"…I Love You."
Her heartbeat reacted instantly again.
"You say things suddenly."
"And you still react every time."
Before she could answer, Stephan finally stepped out of the car.
And immediately employees around the entrance pretended not to stare while absolutely staring.
A few hours later—
Pixel was sitting in a café during her lunch break when two familiar figures suddenly appeared across from her.
Johan and Hill.
Pixel blinked.
"…Why do both of you look suspicious?"
"Because we're emotionally exhausted," Johan replied dramatically while sitting down.
Hill placed coffee on the table calmly.
"We need help."
Pixel frowned immediately.
"What happened?"
Both Johan and Hill exchanged one look.
Then Johan sighed heavily.
"That man is impossible."
Pixel's expression softened instantly.
"Stephan?"
"Yes, your emotionally unstable CEO."
Hill rubbed his forehead lightly.
"He's overworking again."
"I know."
"No," Johan interrupted immediately. "You know partially."
Pixel's expression changed slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Hill stayed quiet for a moment before answering honestly.
"He's eating once a day."
Silence.
Pixel froze completely.
"…What?"
"We force him," Johan continued immediately. "Actually force him."
"He still skips meals."
"Coffee is basically running through his veins at this point."
Pixel stared at them silently.
Because suddenly—
so many things made sense.
The exhaustion.
The headaches.
The nosebleed.
The weight loss she started noticing slightly.
Her chest tightened painfully.
"He didn't tell me."
"Of course he didn't," Johan replied. "That man would collapse professionally before admitting weakness."
Hill leaned back slightly.
"He's trying too hard to balance everything."
Pixel lowered her eyes quietly.
Because she already knew what "everything" included.
Her too.
Johan sighed dramatically.
"And honestly? We know why he's doing it."
Pixel looked up slowly.
"He thinks if he slows down…" Johan said more quietly this time, "…he'll lose happiness again."
The sentence hurt her deeply.
Because she understood Stephan enough to know it was true.
Hill watched her expression carefully.
Then calmly—
"You matter to him more than work now."
Pixel's fingers tightened slightly around the coffee cup.
"And that's exactly why this is becoming dangerous," she whispered softly.
Neither Johan nor Hill argued with that.
Because honestly—
they were thinking the same thing too.
That night, when Pixel returned home—
she quietly opened her laptop again.
Stephan's company career portal still open from before.
Her interview mail visible on the screen.
She looked at it silently for a long moment.
Then finally whispered softly to herself—
"…At least this way you'll rest a little more."
And for the first time—
her decision stopped being only professional.
It became personal too.
The next few days slowly changed into something neither of them had planned.
Something quieter.
Softer.
More domestic.
And somehow—
that made it even more dangerous.
Because now love wasn't only living in confessions and emotional moments anymore.
It had started living inside routine.
Every morning, Stephan would walk out of the mansion expecting to drive himself to work—
only to find Pixel already waiting outside in her car.
At first he genuinely thought it was temporary.
One day.
Maybe two.
But by the fourth morning—
Stephan finally stood outside the car with narrowed eyes.
"…You're doing this again?"
Pixel looked up from her phone calmly.
"Get in."
"You came all the way here again?"
"Yes."
"You have your own office."
"And?"
"You'll get tired."
Pixel finally looked at him properly.
"So will you."
"That's different."
"How?"
"I'm used to it."
She crossed her arms slightly while sitting in the driver's seat.
"And I'm used to caring about you now."
That answer hit him harder than expected.
Stephan quietly sat inside the car after that without arguing further.
But his eyes stayed on her for a long moment.
"You really don't have to do all this."
Pixel started driving slowly.
"I know."
"Then why are you?"
A small silence settled between them.
Then quietly—
"You think you're the only one who loves someone?"
Stephan's breathing paused slightly.
Pixel kept her eyes on the road while speaking softly.
"You act like only you can care."
A pause.
"…Do you think I don't love you enough to worry too?"
The car became completely silent after that.
Because Stephan genuinely didn't know how to respond immediately.
No matter how many times she cared for him—
he still reacted like someone surprised to be loved back properly.
Slowly, a faint smile appeared on his face.
The soft one.
The real one.
Pixel noticed from the corner of her eye immediately.
"Don't smile like that suddenly."
"Like what?"
"Like you just won something."
"I did."
Her heartbeat reacted instantly again.
She looked away toward the road.
"You're impossible."
"And you love me anyway."
Unfortunately—
again—
he was right.
The changes didn't stop there.
By the next week—
Pixel had also started bringing lunch to his office.
At first Stephan genuinely thought she came for a meeting.
Until she placed food directly in front of him inside his cabin.
Stephan stared at the lunchbox for a few seconds.
Then slowly looked up at her.
"…What is this?"
"Food."
"I know what food is."
"Good. Then eat it."
Despite himself, he almost smiled.
Employees outside the cabin glass walls were already pretending not to stare while absolutely staring.
Because their terrifying CEO—
was currently being scolded about lunch.
By one woman.
And listening quietly.
Stephan leaned back slightly in his chair.
"You brought this here yourself?"
"Yes."
"You'll exhaust yourself doing all this."
Pixel placed another spoon beside him calmly.
"You're one person away from hospitalization. Please don't lecture me about exhaustion."
"That's dramatic."
"You had a nosebleed in office."
"That happened once."
"And now you're eating properly."
Stephan looked at her quietly for a few moments before finally opening the lunchbox.
The smell itself already made him realize something.
"…You cooked?"
Pixel instantly looked away.
"…Maybe."
A faint tired laugh escaped him.
"Dangerous."
"What?"
"You're making it harder to survive without you."
Her chest tightened immediately after hearing that.
Before she could answer—
a knock came suddenly.
Johan entered dramatically.
Then froze.
Hill appeared behind him.
Both stared at the lunchbox.
Then at Stephan.
Then at Pixel.
Johan looked emotional instantly.
"…He's eating."
Hill looked equally shocked.
"With actual food," Johan continued.
"And vegetables," Hill added quietly.
Stephan looked unimpressed.
"Both of you need hobbies."
"No," Johan replied immediately. "We need to document miracles."
Pixel couldn't stop herself from laughing softly.
And Stephan's eyes immediately moved toward her again.
Automatically.
Like they always did now.
Hill noticed.
Of course he noticed.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Then calmly—
"You look less tired."
Stephan glanced once toward Pixel.
Then quietly—
"I am."
Pixel's chest softened instantly hearing that.
A few days later—
Pixel sat nervously inside the reception area of Stephan's company.
Resume in hand.
Interview file resting on her lap.
She had intentionally told nobody.
Not Stephan.
Not Johan.
Not Hill.
No one.
Because she wanted this to be hers.
Completely hers.
The receptionist smiled politely toward her.
"Ma'am, the panel is ready."
Pixel inhaled slowly before standing up.
Her heartbeat was loud.
Not because she doubted herself.
But because this place mattered emotionally now too.
As she walked toward the interview room, she paused briefly near the large glass windows overlooking the executive floor.
Far away—
through another glass wall—
she could see Stephan inside a meeting.
Still serious.
Still intimidating.
Still carrying responsibilities endlessly.
But somehow—
looking at him no longer made her feel distant.
Instead—
it made her quietly whisper inside her heart:
Let me stand beside you properly this time too.
The interview lasted longer than Pixel expected.
Question after question.
Project handling.
Crisis management.
Presentation strategies.
Communication skills.
Technical planning.
Every answer she gave was calm on the outside—
but inside her heartbeat refused to slow down.
Because this wasn't just another company anymore.
This was his company.
And she desperately didn't want anyone to think she was there because of Stephan.
She wanted this position with her own ability.
Nothing else.
Inside the interview room, one of the panel members looked down at her resume carefully.
"You worked on the joint project with Mr. Stephan's company, correct?"
Pixel nodded politely.
"Yes."
Another interviewer adjusted his glasses slightly.
"And how was the experience?"
A small pause.
Then softly—
"Challenging."
That answer made one interviewer smile slightly.
"Only challenging?"
Pixel's expression softened a little.
"…Also very educational."
That was the safest answer she could give.
Because saying life-changing would probably be unprofessional.
The panel continued asking questions for nearly another thirty minutes.
And slowly—
Pixel stopped feeling nervous.
Because work was something she genuinely understood.
Something she built herself.
By the end of the interview, the senior HR manager closed the file and looked at her properly.
"You're impressive."
Pixel blinked slightly.
"…Thank you."
"We'll contact you soon."
She nodded politely and stood up.
But just as she reached the door—
another voice stopped her.
"Miss Pixel."
She turned back.
The HR manager smiled faintly.
"You handled the pressure very well."
A pause.
"…That's rare."
Pixel gave a small respectful nod after hearing that.
Then quietly left the room.
The moment she stepped outside the building, she finally exhaled properly.
Her hands were slightly cold from nervousness.
But somewhere deep inside—
she felt proud.
Not because of Stephan.
Because she did this herself.
Meanwhile, completely unaware of any of this—
Stephan sat inside another meeting looking dangerously exhausted again.
Hill noticed immediately.
"You slept two hours, didn't you?"
Stephan continued signing documents calmly.
"Three."
"That's not better."
Johan walked into the cabin carrying coffee before stopping dramatically.
"…Why does he look dead again?"
"I'm alive."
"Barely."
Johan dropped into the chair opposite him and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"Did you eat lunch?"
Silence.
Hill sighed immediately.
"That means no."
Stephan rubbed his forehead lightly.
"I forgot."
"That is not a normal sentence," Johan replied instantly.
Before Stephan could answer—
his phone vibrated.
Pixel calling.
And immediately—
his expression softened again.
Johan looked offended.
"See?? THIS IS THE PROBLEM."
Stephan ignored him and answered the call.
"Hm?"
On the other side, Pixel stood outside the company building trying very hard to sound normal.
"Are you busy?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"…Did you eat?"
Johan covered his face dramatically.
"Oh my God she already knows."
Pixel heard him instantly.
"…You didn't eat again?"
Stephan closed his eyes briefly.
"I was going to."
"That means no."
Hill looked impressed.
"She controls him professionally."
"I'm hanging up," Stephan muttered flatly.
"No you're not," Pixel replied immediately.
Johan looked emotional suddenly.
"This relationship is healing society."
Stephan genuinely looked tired of both of them now.
Pixel sighed softly from the other side.
"I left lunch with your assistant."
Stephan blinked slightly.
"You were here?"
"…Maybe."
"When?"
"Just now."
Something in his expression changed immediately.
"You came here?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Pixel smiled slightly to herself.
"Because unlike someone, I actually let people work."
Hill looked away trying not to laugh.
Johan failed completely and started laughing openly.
Stephan ignored both of them.
But his voice softened noticeably.
"You should've come upstairs."
"I had work."
That answer was technically true.
Just incomplete.
A small silence settled between them before Pixel spoke again.
"…Eat properly."
"Hm."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
"And sleep tonight."
Stephan leaned back quietly in his chair while listening to her voice.
The exhaustion inside him eased slightly again.
Like it always did.
Then softly—
"Did your day go well?"
Pixel's fingers tightened slightly around her phone.
Because suddenly—
she wanted to tell him.
Wanted to tell him immediately that she got selected.
That she would be closer to him soon.
That maybe he wouldn't have to destroy himself trying to create time anymore.
But then—
a small smile appeared on her lips.
No.
She wanted to see his face when he found out.
"I'll tell you later," she said softly.
Stephan frowned slightly.
"That sounds suspicious."
"Maybe."
"You're hiding something."
"You sound dramatic."
"You learned that from me."
Pixel laughed softly.
And once again—
Stephan's expression changed immediately hearing it.
Johan stared in disbelief.
"…He literally looks alive only during her calls."
Hill nodded calmly.
"Accurate."
Stephan ignored both of them completely.
But after the call ended—
for the first time that entire day—
he finally opened the lunchbox properly and started eating without being forced.
Johan nearly looked emotional watching it.
Meanwhile outside the building—
Pixel stood beside her car holding the official selection email on her phone.
And slowly—
a smile spread across her face.
Because for the first time—
she wasn't only entering Stephan's life emotionally anymore.
She was about to become part of his world too.