---- Chapter 155 Tara rushed back to her desk and threw herself into work. No wonder Grace had told her to stay sharp. Jonah had been walking through the office. She kept working and soon forgot all about running into Jonah earlier. It wasn't until she sat up again to grab her water bottle that she looked up and locked eyes with the tall man standing across from her desk. Jonah stood there in a tailored suit, watching her. No one knew how long he had been there. Tara was startled.

She jumped to her feet and greeted him. "Mr. Pearson." Jonah walked toward her with long strides. She could faintly catch his scent and feel the quiet pressure of his presence. "Good work," he said. Tara quickly nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Pearson." Jonah didn't say anything else. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he walked away. Tara watched him disappear down the hallway. Her heart ---- skipped for a second, but she wasn't foolish enough to hope for anything more.

She was the villainess of the story, and he was the male lead. Their lives were never meant to overlap. Besides, a man like him would never fall for someone like her. The brief moment of longing faded just as quickly as itcame. The next morning, Tara stood in the lobby waiting for the elevator. It was almost time to clock in, so there weren't many people around. She suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her and turned to look.

Jonah was striding in while speaking on the phone, but his gaze met hers. Tara fixed her gaze on the approaching elevator, pretending not to notice him. Jonah's low voice drew closer. Amoment later, he came to a stop behind her. Although Tara didn't turn around, she could feel his presence. A wave of nervousness crept in. When Jonah spoke, Tara turned her face slightly toward him. He looked down at her. "Did you eat breakfast?" She nodded quickly.

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"I grabbed something on the way to the office." ---- Jonah let out a soft hum and stepped into the elevator behind her. The others waiting were too stunned to move. They stood frozen to the spot as the doors closed. Noah didn't follow either. He had taken the CEO's private elevator alone, trying to suppress his amusement. It was just the two of them inside the elevator. The shocked faces outside only added to Tara's growing unease.

The enclosed space and silence created a subtle tension that made Tara even more nervous. Jonah's deep voice broke through the quiet. "Dinner tonight?" There was no way Tara didn't understand what he meant. She was so flustered that she could barely keep calm. "N-no, Mr. Pearson." Jonah said nothing. He just watched as she rushed out with her head down, practically running away. Back at her desk, Tara tried to focus on her work, but her mind kept drifting.

She thought about how often she had run into Jonah lately. The way he looked at her, and how he had just invited her to dinner. It was obvious Jonah had feelings for her. Still, she could hardly believe it. He was Jonah Pearson, and there was no way someone like him would be interested in her. ---- Tara couldn't deny that in the moment he asked, she had been tempted. But she didn't want to fall into a romance. Especially not with Jonah, who was one of the male leads.

She always let reason win over emotion. After a brief moment of nervousness, she pulled herself together. The next day at work, someone brought in a huge bouquet of roses and asked Tara to sign for it. Surrounded by her colleagues' teasing voices, she stared at the bouquet in confusion. Her ears flushed as she signed for the bouquet. "Tara, who sent these?" "Yeah, spill it! We want to check him out for you." Tara quickly grabbed the card, keeping the writing hidden from everyone else. With a smile on her face, she said, "I'm not really sure."