That morning, the atmosphere at Dimitri Group's office was back to normal—or at least, it should have been. Employees were once again busy with their work, moving through the corridors with stacks of documents or engaged in phone conversations. However, something felt different.

Inside the CEO's office, Cleopatra Thompson sat behind her desk, her eyes fixed on the laptop screen. But in truth, she wasn't focused at all. Her fingers tapped irregularly on the table's surface, her mind still filled with memories of Tokyo. More precisely, her own words to Louis.


What was I thinking back then? she wondered, leaning back in her chair. Why did I just say that so easily?

Her eyes flickered toward the glass door of her office. Louis Toreto—the man who made it difficult for her to think straight—was sitting at his desk, pretending to be busy reading documents. But Cleopatra knew better.

That man was stealing glances at her.


Louis let out a long sigh, his fingers drumming anxiously on the desk. He wanted to ask about what had happened yesterday in Tokyo—about Cleopatra's statement—but his mouth felt too heavy to open.

'Should I ask?" he muttered softly, barely audible. 'But what if she was just joking? If I ask, I might look like a fool. But if I stay quiet, I won't stop thinking about it…"


He rubbed his face in frustration. Damn, this is complicated.

On the other hand, Cleopatra was expecting something. She was waiting. She wanted to know just how brave Louis really was.

You just need to greet me first, Louis. Do I always have to start everything? she thought, tapping her pen against the table. Don't tell me I have to drop some documents just so he finally speaks.

While Cleopatra was still waiting for Louis to make a move, Peter Moon entered the CEO's office with a stack of documents in his hands. The man, who was already used to the strange tension between his boss and Louis, immediately picked up on the charged atmosphere.

Peter glanced at Cleopatra. Then, with a sly expression, he looked at Louis, who appeared awkward at his desk.

This is hilarious. Like high school kids in love but too scared to talk.

Peter deliberately dropped his pen onto the floor, creating a small noise that made both Cleopatra and Louis glance in his direction.

'Oops," he said casually, bending down to pick up the pen. 'By the way, boss, you and Louis are okay, right?"

Cleopatra narrowed her eyes at her overly innocent secretary. 'What do you mean?"

Peter gave a mysterious smile before turning to Louis, who immediately pretended to read his documents with extreme seriousness.

'Oh, nothing. I just feel like the atmosphere here is a bit…" Peter pretended to think for a moment before grinning. 'Awkward."

Louis immediately cleared his throat, shifting his attention to the documents in his hands—even though he wasn't reading a single word.

Cleopatra simply smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. 'Maybe you've just been watching too many dramas, Peter."

Peter took a deep breath and shrugged lazily. 'Oh, fine. Well then, I'll be going."

He stepped out of the room, but before the door closed, he whispered softly,

'Don't stare at each other too long, or someone might catch feelings."

The door shut.

Louis immediately looked at Cleopatra. Cleopatra looked back at him.

Silence.

Cleopatra raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Louis opened his mouth—then closed it again.

Cleopatra sighed in disappointment.

'Oh my God, Toreto," she muttered with a sigh, then stood up and walked out of her office, leaving Louis, who still hadn't managed to say anything.

Louis covered his face with both hands.

'I'm such an idiot."

________________________________________

After a morning filled with awkward staring contests with Cleopatra, Louis decided to clear his mind by heading to the office pantry alone. He needed fresh air—or at least, a cup of coffee to refresh his head, which was still filled with thoughts about Cleopatra's words in Tokyo.

As he poured coffee into his cup, his mind kept replaying the events of that morning.

'Why can't I talk like a normal person? Why do I turn into a stiff rock every time I face her?"

He shook his head slightly, then carried his coffee out of the pantry, hoping to return to his desk without any weird incidents.

But that hope only lasted three seconds.

As soon as he stepped out—THUD!

Louis bumped into someone.

And of course, that someone was Cleopatra.

Cleopatra, who had been reading a report while walking, was startled and almost lost her balance. The report in her hands nearly fell to the floor, and her body tilted slightly backward.

But before she could actually fall, Louis instinctively grabbed her hand.

His fingers wrapped tightly around Cleopatra's wrist, his body leaning forward slightly to stabilize her.

For a moment, time seemed to stop.

Cleopatra lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting Louis's.

Louis could feel the touch of Cleopatra's skin against his—soft, cool, but also carrying an unfamiliar sensation that made it hard for him to let go.

This hand… always ready to protect me.

Cleopatra tried to read Louis's expression. His eyes looked panicked, yet he didn't immediately release his grip.

'Louis," Cleopatra finally spoke, her voice calmer than she expected. 'I'm not going to fall. You can let go of my hand now."

As if breaking out of a trance, Louis hurriedly let go of her wrist.

'Sorry, Cleo, I—"

Cleopatra blinked, then shrugged as if the incident was nothing significant.

"Next time, watch where you're going, Toreto."

Then, without giving Louis a chance to respond, Cleopatra simply walked away, leaving him standing there.

Louis stared at Cleopatra's retreating back, an odd feeling tickling his thoughts.

"She just nearly fell! And now she's acting like nothing happened? I really don't understand this woman."

He let out a long sigh, then glanced at his coffee cup, still perfectly intact in his hand.

"I'm the one who almost fell now."

________________________________________

As the night deepened, the Dimitri Group office grew quiet. Most employees had already gone home, leaving behind dimly lit hallways. However, in one of the rooms, Louis Toreto was still seated in front of his laptop, his eyes focused on the screen filled with numbers and graphs.

He couldn't go home yet. The company's report and strategy for Nakamura had to be flawless. He had promised himself that he wouldn't let them down.

Across from his office, someone was watching him from afar.

Cleopatra Thompson, who usually left early, was still at the office. Under the excuse of checking some data, she remained in her room. But in reality? She just wanted to see Louis working.

She leaned back in her chair, observing how he showed no signs of exhaustion despite working since morning.

"This man... he never does anything halfway. Is that why I can't ignore him?"

She reached for her half-empty glass of water, staring at it for a long moment before finally making a decision.

With a relaxed pace, Cleopatra left her office and walked toward Louis's room.

The door opened without a knock.

Louis, who had been massaging the back of his neck from sitting too long, immediately turned and found Cleopatra leaning against the doorway with a casual expression.

"Still not done?" she asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

Louis exhaled deeply, stretching his body in an attempt to shake off the stiffness creeping in.

"No," he finally replied. "I can't let Nakamura down."

Cleopatra gave a small smile, then walked closer and leaned against his desk, just inches away from Louis.

"I admire your determination, Toreto," she said in a low, teasing voice. "But I won't let you starve."

Louis raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Cleopatra crossed her arms. "I'm taking you to dinner."

Louis stared at her for a long moment, trying to decipher her intentions. Was this her way of showing concern? Or just another tactic to drive him crazy?

"If I refuse, you'll force me anyway, won't you?" he finally said, half-resigned.

Cleopatra smirked. "Of course. You know me well enough, Toreto."

Louis let out a long breath before finally nodding.

"Alright."

Cleopatra smiled in victory, then casually grabbed the sleeve of Louis's jacket and led him out of the office.

Tonight, Louis knew he wouldn't be able to escape Cleopatra.

And somehow, he didn't want to.

________________________________________

The upscale restaurant in the city center looked exclusive, with classic interiors adorned with sparkling chandeliers and small candles on every table. Soft jazz music played in the background, creating an unavoidable romantic atmosphere.

Louis Toreto, who had never dined in such a luxurious place, was visibly uncomfortable. He glanced around, noticing the well-dressed patrons with composed expressions, while he himself felt like an alien in this environment.

Cleopatra Thompson, on the other hand, looked completely at ease. With elegance, she picked up her wine glass and sipped it slowly before turning her gaze to Louis, who sat stiffly across from her.

"Relax, Toreto. It's just dinner," she said casually, setting her glass down.

Louis took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Yeah, just dinner... in a place where the food probably costs a month's salary."

Cleopatra smiled, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied expression. "Oh, so you're nervous because of the price? You should be more nervous about the fact that you're having dinner alone with me."

Louis sighed, but before he could respond, the waiter arrived with their main course.

A premium steak was placed in front of Louis, complete with an expensive-looking sauce and neatly arranged vegetables. Louis stared at the plate uncertainly, then turned to Cleopatra.

Cleopatra observed him with a barely restrained expression before finally chuckling softly.

"Don't tell me you don't know how to eat steak properly in a fancy place?" she teased.

Louis sighed in defeat, eyeing the knife and fork beside his plate as if they were an unsolvable puzzle.

"I'm used to eating at roadside stalls," he muttered, slightly embarrassed.

Cleopatra laughed quietly, then gently handed him the utensils. "Here, follow me."

Louis watched Cleopatra carefully as she cut her steak with grace and precision. He tried to mimic her movements, but his attempt looked more like he was wrestling with the meat on his plate.

Cleopatra stifled her laughter, then took another sip of her wine. "Why does this feel like a dining etiquette training session?"

Cleopatra smirked mysteriously. "Because I want you to get used to my new life."

Louis raised an eyebrow, slightly confused by the seriousness in her voice. "Your new life? You mean, I have to start getting used to fancy dinners like this?"

Cleopatra stared at him for a long moment, her expression shifting from playful to something deeper, more serious.

She slowly set down her knife, then leaned back in her chair.

"Louis," she said suddenly.

Louis, still struggling with his steak, paused and looked up at her. "Hmm?"

Cleopatra held his gaze without hesitation. "Let's date."

Louis instantly choked, hurriedly putting down his knife and grabbing his drink, gulping it down quickly.

"What?!" he exclaimed, eyes wide, nearly dropping his glass.

Cleopatra remained calm, absentmindedly playing with her fork. "I'm serious. I don't want to pretend anymore. I want us to actually date."

Louis fell silent, unsure how to respond. His mind swirled with questions. Was this just part of Cleopatra's plan? Was she playing another game?

After a long exhale, Louis finally gathered his words.

"Cleo... are you sure? I thought—"

"You thought I was just playing around?" Cleopatra interrupted, her voice softer but still firm. "I've been pretending for long enough. Now, I want something real."

Louis studied Cleopatra in silence, searching for any sign that this was just another one of her manipulations. But what he saw instead was sincerity.

"I... I need time to think," Louis finally said, his voice slightly unsteady.

Cleopatra didn't look disappointed. Instead, she gave him a small, knowing smile and raised her wine glass.

"Take your time, Toreto. But don't take too long—I hate waiting."

Louis could only stare at her, his emotions a chaotic mix. He wasn't sure if he had just stepped into another one of Cleopatra's games—or something far more dangerous.

Something real.

________________________________________

Louis was still trying to process Cleopatra's words. Her statement kept echoing in his mind like an unshakable whisper.

Let's date.

He glanced at Cleopatra, who casually sipped her wine, her expression unreadable as always. Meanwhile, Louis was still struggling to find logic in this situation.

"Cleo, you can't just decide this on your own!" he finally protested, his voice slightly rising.

Cleopatra turned to him calmly, raising an eyebrow. "Then what? You want to keep pretending?"

Louis ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "This is too fast..."

Cleopatra scanned the room before turning back to Louis with a sly smile, taking another slow sip of her wine.

"In that case, I have one more request," she said with a mysterious tone.

Louis narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What now?"

Cleopatra crossed her legs, leaning slightly toward Louis, closing the already dangerous gap between them.

"Starting tonight, you're moving into my penthouse."

Louis choked again!

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he exclaimed, frantically waving at the waiter for water. With trembling hands, he took the glass and drank quickly, trying to compose himself.

Cleopatra laughed in satisfaction at his reaction. "People need to believe we're really together. If not, my uncle will see through our lie."

"But—" Louis tried to argue, his brain spinning.

Cleopatra leaned in, her hand gently touching Louis's chin. He instantly froze.

"Don't worry, Toreto," she whispered in a teasing voice, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I won't eat you... unless you want me to."

"I am completely trapped in Cleopatra's game."

Louis exhaled heavily, realizing he had no way out.

"Fine. I'll move into your penthouse."

Cleopatra smiled victoriously.

"Tonight?" she asked lightly, though it was clear she wasn't offering a choice.

Louis sighed, staring at his now-cold steak.

"Tonight."

And with that, Louis knew his life would never be the same again.