The question did not sound sudden, nor did it sound forceful. It was spoken in the same calm, controlled tone Benjamin always used.
And yet, the moment it left his lips, it pressed heavily into the space between them, making the air feel tight and difficult to breathe.
This is not the first time.
Sienna still recalls the first time he asked her out; she agreed without much thought.
Back then, she had just joined the company, still unfamiliar with everything, still trying to prove herself. And this man had appeared to be a kind superior, attentive, patient, and unusually considerate compared to other managers she had met before.
Refusing him had felt impolite. Even inappropriate.
After all, who would say no to their own boss when he invited them to dinner?
But that night had left a strange feeling in her chest, one she couldn't quite explain at the time.
The way he spoke to her, the way his attention lingered longer than necessary, the way his gaze held something deeper than simple professional concern, it all slowly became clearer afterward.
His kindness was not the same as the kindness he showed others. It was personal.
And that was exactly the problem.
"I'm sorry, sir, I can't—"
She barely managed to form the sentence before he interrupted her.
"Ben," he corrected gently, his lips curving into a soft smile as if her refusal was nothing more than a small misunderstanding. His eyes remained fixed on her, calm and patient. "Only the two of us are here. No need to be so formal."
Sienna did not respond immediately. Her silence was not hesitation... it was restraint.
Her hands clenched at her sides, her fingers pressing tightly into her palms as she held back the words rising to her throat. There was anger there, but she swallowed it down before it could take shape.
"And stop looking at me like that, Sienna…" he added, tilting his head slightly, his expression still warm, almost affectionate. "You're making me feel like a bad person."
For a brief moment, something inside her snapped.
'Maybe because you are.' The thought came clearly, sharply. But it remained trapped inside her mind, unable to cross the line into reality.
Because she couldn't say it.
She couldn't afford to say it.
Instead, she lowered her gaze, forcing her expression back into something neutral, something acceptable.
"I'm sorry… sir." The word felt wrong, heavy on her tongue the moment she said it, but she let it stay.
Benjamin watched her quietly, as if measuring her reaction. For a second, it almost seemed like he was dissatisfied, as though her submission was not quite what he wanted.
Then his hand moved.
It settled on her shoulder, light and gentle at first, but Sienna immediately felt her whole body tense up.
She tried to step back.
But before she could move, his grip tightened just enough to stop her.
His grip does not feel rough. Not obvious. But firm enough to keep her exactly where she was.
'What should I do?'
Her thoughts began to race, one after another, faster than she could control.
'Should I push him away? Should I slap him? What if he fires me? Damn it… Why is he becoming more shameless?'
Her heart pounded against her chest, loud and unsteady, while her body remained still, trapped between instinct and consequence.
She searched for a way out, her mind running through every possible reaction and every possible outcome.
But none of them felt safe. None of them felt right.
Before she could act, Benjamin spoke again.
"Alright," he said lightly, as if nothing unusual had happened. "Next time, you can't refuse me again, Sienna."
There was no anger in his voice. No pressure. And yet, the meaning behind his words was unmistakable.
It wasn't a request.
It was a quiet warning.
Then, suddenly, he stepped back, releasing her shoulder as if the moment had never existed.
The space between them returned.
He turned without hesitation and walked toward the door.
The soft click of the door opening broke the stillness. Then it closed. And he was gone.
Sienna remained standing where she was, her body still stiff, her mind still trying to catch up with what had just happened.
For a moment, she didn't move at all. Slowly, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.
It came out uneven, almost shaky.
Her shoulders dropped slightly as the tension began to leave her body, though the feeling itself did not disappear.
Her hand lifted unconsciously to her shoulder... the place where he had touched her.
Her fingers pressed lightly against the fabric, as if she could erase the lingering sensation by sheer will alone.
A sharp wave of anger rose within her.
'Damn it… I should have said something.'
Her jaw tightened.
'I should have told him to stop.'
But just as quickly as the anger appeared, it weakened.
Because reality followed immediately after.
Her job.
Her position.
Her current situation.
And the debt she was still struggling to pay.
Sienna closed her eyes for a brief moment, exhaling slowly as if trying to steady herself.
'You can't…' she murmured to herself. 'Not now. Wait until you find a new job.'
Her hand slowly dropped back to her side.
When she opened her eyes again, the anger had not disappeared. Still, it had been buried, carefully hidden beneath control and caution.
If she couldn't confront him directly, then she would do the only thing she could.
Avoid him.
Keep a safe distance.
Draw a stern line, even if she had to do it quietly.
Because no matter what—
She would not let herself fall into something like this.
Not again.
Sienna picked up her agenda and pen from the table, taking a moment to adjust her expression. By the time she turned toward the door, her face was calm again, composed, as if nothing had happened.
She would not let anyone see her anger, fear, and humiliation.
But just as she reached the door, it suddenly opened from the outside.
As her eyes saw across the door, she froze.