My Boss Is Secretly A Softie - Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Confession: I think I’ve been…
When Elara woke up, her first instinct was to panic. How could she forget? Her phone—!

And then her eyes met a particular set of gray eyes, and she yelped.

“What are you…?”

Her left eye squinted, her right brow raised, and along with her spectacular mess of hair, she looked absolutely adorable.

“?”

She was confused. The blonde sat rigidly beside her bed, his large build staring nearly unblinking at her. The fact that she was still calm was a testament to her control.

After all, what 16-year-old wouldn’t be very disturbed right now?

“Have you forgotten something?” She sighed while slowly stepping out of bed, bypassing the startled male.

“Yes…?” He had dazed off, watching her yet again. She was so cute. So lovely and finally within the confines of his property.

The desire he had suppressed for quite a while now had almost come out to play, and the only thing holding him back was a much more intense wish to not hurt her.

He always had to remember that his Ela was now 16. His eyes trailed toward the girl, who stared at him blankly with a squint, and then she fiercely grasped at the edges of her shirt, leaving him diving into the bed headfirst.

“W-what are you doing?!” he stammered while digging deeper into the bed. Gosh, it smelt like her. Was this how his doom would come?

Elara laughed wickedly. “Nothing~. Have fun with my covers, though, you creep.”

She walked toward the bathroom door and shut it, leaving Terrence, who lay on the sheets with scattered platinum locks, sighing.

His eyes glanced toward the bedrest. “Aha!”

He clicked his tongue before smiling brilliantly. “So that’s what she was after. How smart.”

***

Elara sat on the toilet seat, quickly tapping through her phone with an anxious look. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she stopped.

“The location has been jammed…?” she muttered in disbelief.

Could it be…?

“Hey!” She slammed open the bathroom door, startling the male who curled up with a completely covered face.

She stared at him with a sarcastic expression but got no reaction. Terrence didn’t care anymore. It was true. He had become a creep. He had become a pervert. Call him whatever, but he’d do whatever he wanted!… As long as he didn’t hurt his Ela.

Elara rolled her eyes. “I don’t care what you’re doing, mister, but we die here if you dare anything.”

Her words were sharp and stung more than the sourest lemons. He did say he didn’t care, but this was just… just too much!

“Hey, I—” His voice rose as he flung up from the bed, only to come face-to-face with a shirtless Elara wearing only a bra and sweatpants.

“Fuck!” he screamed before diving back into where he came from. “You know that’s unfair, right?! I’ve been so nice! I might not have been the best adult, but why are you doing this to me?! I’m really trying to respect your age, but… please be kinder, Ela!”

Elara was left astonished before she smirked awkwardly. She didn’t mean to, honestly. She just kinda forgot in her hurry. But why was the male making her out to be the villain?! He’s the adult here, not her!

Also… was she that bad?!

As if right in tone, her memory swiftly recalled all her terrible actions and torment she had handed to the male, and she pouted.

Okay, maybe she was a bit mean.

Mind: Memories of more terrible actions of hers resurfacing.

Elara: Fine, I get it! I’ve been a bit—!

Mind: More memories—

Elara: —fucking evil, now cut it off!

She pursed her lips in exasperation but then shrugged it off.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean that, but can we forget about that right now?! I have a question.”

Terrence mumbled from under the pile of sheets. “Go on.”

She grimaced. “Did you, eh, take care of my location?? I kinda forgot about taking care of that, and from what I see…”

“Yes,” he responded. “Once you get to my place, any such thing is deactivated unless I specially allow it.”

“Oh.”

Elara blinked, then flushed lightly. She wasn’t usually the type to be caught lacking like this. As a hacker, she should bash her head against the wall for doing something so stupid.

By the way, this guy… he’s not that bad… In fact, he’s not that bad at all and would have been her best pal if not for how troublesome her feelings get when around him. That was one thing amnesia didn’t wipe out for sure.

She coughed. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I should’ve been more amiable with you, but—”

She paused, watching the man with his face stuffed into a pillow. She suddenly felt guilty.

[Slam!]

“The door is shut now, so you can come out…”

Terrence stiffened, then chuckled from under the covers. “Nah, I like it here.”

“….”

Elara: Give me back my sympathy!

“… Anyway, back to what I was saying. Do you know, Mr. Terrence, why I was so mean to you?”

She paused, feeling a bit nervous. She couldn’t tell why she’d suddenly divulge such things to him, but she just couldn’t help herself!

“No…”

She grinned, trying to suppress her wildly fluctuating heart. This is why she didn’t want to be too close to him—these feelings were no joke!

“It seems like I still like you. Even now. And I didn’t like it, so I stayed away from you, but—” The redness of her face deepened, and she lowered her eyes bashfully. “It’s for our good, right? I mean, you feel the same way, don’t you?”

There was silence for a long while, and Elara couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Well, what do you say!” She tried to open the door but found that it wouldn’t budge.

“Wha—?” Her ears sharpened, and her eyes widened.

“Take one step more,” Terrence muttered. His voice was as low as the grumbling of thunder on stormy nights, scraping against Elara’s ears and teasing her wildness.

“And this won’t end well for both of us.”

The surroundings suddenly became tense. Her breathing came with much difficulty, and the large bathroom space left her feeling more constricted than a child’s closet.

“Hah… Hah… Hah…” The pants that escaped her parted lips became harsher, and her eyes were wide with exhilaration.

Her adrenaline and rationality struggled intensely with each other.

Should she? Should she not?

Should she? Should she not? Should she? Should she…?

She gulped. Yes. Her teeth gritted against each other as she reached out to the door, only to stop with one last contemplation.

So silent. Maybe she shouldn’t? Eh, whatever!

She slammed open the door, and there it was, lying before her in the wide expanse of the room… emptiness.

She crumbled to the floor like a flattened box. Her face, which hung low, was covered by her long kinky curls, and underneath it was an expression as red as a monkey’s bottom.

Her vision spiraled. Her breathing remained heavy, and incoherent gasps escaped her.

This… Just what the heck had she been looking forward to?!

***

“Yeah, nothing.” John shook his head.

“Ugh!” Terra slammed her hand on the wheel, eliciting a series of screeches from the car, which got her a devastating glare from Star.

“I just fucking bought that. Watch it.”

Terra: So mean, wuwuwu T~T

“I don’t mean to be the harbinger of bad news or Captain Obvious, but I’m guessing I’m not the only one who knows of Elara’s technical prowess, right? Oh, she’s lost it ’cause she’s sixteen?”

Terra gasped. “That’s true! No way that brat would let us see even a hint of her skirt!”

“What?” Star’s voice was so cold it submerged to near zero, scaring the duo, especially Terra. “She knows tech?!”

“… A hacker, to be precise,” John added.

“Shut the fuck up!”

John: Sorry (・З・)

Terra: You’re purposely doing this, right? To fuck me up—brother, why (Ｔ▽Ｔ)

“Terrance!” Star grabbed her by her collar, leaving her glaring at John with resentment.

John: …

He didn’t mean it to turn like this, honestly.

“Elara can hack?! And from 16?!” She let go of Terra with an exasperated look. “You’re kidding!”

“You!” Her eyes met John’s. “I never really got into it because I wanted to respect Elara’s decision, but I see how stupid I was…”

Her eyes met Terra’s, who averted her gaze. She should have been like this one! Pestering until that bratty Elara spilled everything. Now she was just that friend!

“How do you know so much about Elara that I don’t?!”

John was beyond startled. His nervous look clashed with the lady’s skeptical gaze, and his eyes wandered to Terra, who blatantly ignored his plight.

“…”

Fair enough.

“This… I don’t know if I should, but…” He frowned, unsure, but sighed at the end. “I guess it’s only fair since she, Terra, already knows. Just pretend as you were—like you’re oblivious. There has to be a reason Elara left you like this.”

Star scoffed. “Fine!”