Chapter 6 Moody

Later, at Sterling Corporation, lunchtime.

Tiesto and Javi arrived at the cafeteria. Senior staff had a private dining room, but for Tiesto, meals were functional-just fuel for the day. He preferred the main cafeteria with ready-to-eat dishes, avoiding the wait for freshly prepared meals.

The moment he stepped in, chatter faded. Employees instinctively knew they couldn't act freely around him. He picked his food and sat in a corner. Only then did the room slowly return to murmurs.

Javi went to grab his own lunch. A young manager, Chris, waved him over.

"Hey, Javi, when did you start seeing someone?"

"What? Seeing someone? No-why?"

Chris smirked. "You were spotted yesterday getting coffee with a girl. People are talking. She's... really beautiful!"

Other coworkers leaned in. "Yeah! And her smile-it's amazing!"

"Only someone like you could manage a girl like that. We're jealous!"

Chris nudged him. "Seriously, when are we going to meet her? Did you meet her through friends, family, work?"

Javi felt his heart race. That same cold, piercing gaze he'd felt yesterday-Tiesto's-was on him again, sharp and silent, freezing him in place.

"Uh... she's just a friend," Javi said quickly, trying to sound casual. "We were just grabbing coffee. That's all."

Tiesto's footsteps paused as he walked by. Javi felt a sharp tug of anxiety in his chest-he'd underestimated how possessive Tiesto could be, even without saying a word.

Liam, oblivious, continued teasing. "Not your girlfriend? Fine. Just bring your friend next time, then!"

Javi exhaled slowly, relief washing over him.

Hearing Tiesto's footsteps approaching, groaned inwardly. Thinking fast, he said: "My 'friend' is married and has a good husband. How could she have time to come eat with you all? Stop joking-eat, eat."

The group looked disappointed.

Javi turned and saw Tiesto quietly taking his food.

"Mr. Sterling!"

No one dared tease in front of Tiesto, and everyone returned to their seats, picking at their meals.

Tiesto said in a low voice: "There's progress on the business department's projects. This month, everyone works a bit harder and pushes deadlines."

Translation: everyone had to work overtime.

Chris and Liam, from the business department, immediately stopped smiling. The food in their hands lost all appeal.

Javi silently lit a mental candle for them.

...

That afternoon, Old Madam Sterling-Tiesto's grandmother-video-called.

As soon as he answered, he heard her coughing. Normally, he'd wait quietly while she lectured.

"Tiesto! You rascal!" she barked. "You promised to bring her here after the wedding. Are you taking advantage of an old lady who can't get out?"

"Grandma, now isn't a good time," he said.

"When will it ever be a good time? I've lived seventy-plus years-I've seen more of life than you've even dreamed. Ella is wife material. If you don't bring her here, I swear I'll make a scene!"

Tiesto stayed silent, letting her rant.

"Tiesto, answer me!" she demanded.

"I want to wait until our feelings are solid. Grandma... would you rather we rush and break up in a few months, or have a lasting relationship?"

His tactic worked perfectly. Sterling huffed, then relented. "Fine. Focus on your relationship. Everything else can wait."

Tiesto's lips twitched into the faintest smile.

Then Grandma Sterling added: "Are you living together? How can feelings grow if you don't spend time under the same roof?"

The older generation never missed a trick.

By eight that evening, Tiesto left the office.

"Javi, get the car ready," he said.

Javi nodded, already expecting that he wouldn't be going straight home.

Once inside the car, Tiesto instructed, "Take me to Ella's place."

Javi froze, then understood. It was unexpected, yes-but made perfect sense.

"Mr. Sterling... should I wait for you?"

"Wait for me. I'll need a ride back later."

Javi shook his head slightly. Tiesto clearly cared about Ella, yet they were married but not living together. How exactly did that work? Ah, the mind of a CEO.

As Tiesto approached the apartment complex, rain began to drizzle. Weather changed faster than a kid's mood swings.

The rain intensified. Inside, Ella gathered half-dried laundry and draped it over the living room furniture. Thunder cracked and lightning split the sky.

She turned off the lights, wrapped herself in a blanket on the sofa, and queued up a thriller. The weather was perfect for it. She buried her face, heart pounding, utterly absorbed.

Tiesto arrived and rang the doorbell. No answer.

He called her-still nothing.

A flicker of worry crossed his eyes. In this weather, had something happened?

He remembered the door code and entered it; the lock clicked open.

Inside, the sounds of a chilling scream and sinister laughter filled the room. Someone swung a mop at him.

Tiesto extended an arm, catching the mop with ease. Simultaneously, he grabbed a slender waist.

Ella screamed.

He switched on the lights. A girl struggled in his arms, her bathrobe slipping, revealing smooth, pale skin. Her curves, partially concealed, drew his gaze like a magnet.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

The sudden light made Ella blink, and she realized it was Tiesto-not a stranger, not an intruder. Reflexively, she slapped him-but missed.

She immediately noticed where his eyes had lingered and panicked, pulling her robe tight.

"You said you weren't coming back here!" she exclaimed, half-annoyed. "If you're visiting, at least warn me!"

Since learning Tiesto wouldn't stay at the apartment, she'd been dressing casually these past few days.

"The phone didn't answer, and no one answered the door," he said.

Ella felt guilty. "I... I was watching a movie." She quickly turned off the eerie soundtrack.

"Is there a reason you're here?" she asked.

"To come home. Do I need a reason?"

Tiesto crossed the room, dropped onto the sofa, and casually scanned the space like he owned it.

Ella had tidied the apartment meticulously.

She followed his gaze around the living room with quiet confidence-there was nothing for him to criticize. She cared about the place; she was a responsible tenant.

Until her eyes froze.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Her underwear-brought in from the drying rack earlier because of the rain-was still hanging in plain view.

How had Tiesto's eyes landed exactly there?

The pink lingerie swayed gently in the air from the AC-impossible to miss, impossible to ignore.

Her cheeks flared crimson. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a bottle of water and set it in front of him. "Mr. Sterling... have some water first," she said, forcing her voice calm.

While he was distracted, she snatched up the garments and bolted to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Clutching her clothes, her cheeks burning, she swore silently: 'Never again will I trust a man who says he won't stay at home!'

Tiesto's lips curved in a faint, amused smile as he watched her flustered retreat. He lifted the bottle and took a sip-it was refreshing.

A moment later, Ella reemerged in modest loungewear, trying to appear composed.

"Mr. Sterling... are you staying here tonight?" she asked, her tone steady, but her heart racing.

"No."

Her obvious relief didn't escape him. She'd been worried he might move in unannounced.

"I just came to take a few photos for my grandmother," he added casually. "To prove that we're... living together."

Ella nodded, understanding perfectly. Elders loved to pressure for marriage these days.

Tiesto casually snapped a few photos of the inside of the house.

Seeing Ella standing there with her head lowered, lost in thought, he said, "Come here. Let's take a couple together."

"Oh-okay."

Ella immediately cooperated.

Since their marriage was meant to keep the elders from worrying, mutual cooperation was only fair.

She stepped closer, but remembering what had just happened earlier, she still felt a little stiff.

Tiesto looked at the two of them on the screen-one expressionless, the other awkward. They didn't look like a married couple living together at all.

"Smile," he said.

Ella forced a polite smile.

When she smiled, her eyes curved beautifully, and the faint fullness beneath them made her look especially charming.

Tiesto placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and quickly captured a few shots that at least looked somewhat intimate.

The moment he finished, Ella immediately stepped away and sat down on the couch.

The warmth lingering on her shoulder from his touch felt almost too intense. She wasn't used to it. It made her flustered.

Everything that had happened tonight was something she didn't dare replay in her mind.

She was so embarrassed she wished the floor would just swallow her whole.

Looking at the photos, Tiesto noticed the faint curve of his own lips.

When his arm dropped back to his side, it landed on empty air. He watched Ella move away from him as if he were some kind of natural disaster.

He straightened and put his phone away. "I told you I won't move back in. I won't. You don't need to worry."

"It's your house. You have every right to decide. Just... next time you plan to come over, let me know in advance."

"Mm."

Ella glanced outside at the raging storm. "If it's inconvenient for you to head back tonight, you can stay here."

After all, he was technically the homeowner.

"No need." Tiesto had only come to complete his grandmother's assignment.

He had no intention of staying.

Ella didn't insist.

When the doorbell rang, she frowned slightly. Who would come at this hour?

She hurried to open the door.

Javi stood outside.

"Mr. Javi! What brings you here?" Ella smiled warmly. Knowing he was Tiesto's friend-and that Tiesto was here-she added politely, "Come in and have some water."

Tiesto's expression darkened.

When she faced him, she looked guarded and reluctant.

But when she looked at Javi, she was all smiles.

It was true-Ella felt much more at ease around Javi.

Meanwhile, every single cell in Javi's body was screaming in resistance.

'Madam, please don't be this polite to me.'

To her, it was basic courtesy.

To Tiesto, it was practically a death sentence.

"I-I came to deliver an umbrella for President Sterling... and take him back," Javi explained quickly.

"President Sterling?"

"Uh... Tiesto. I was just joking," Javi improvised smoothly.

Ella nodded. "Oh, I see. Then I won't keep you. The rain's really heavy-drive safely."

"Tiesto, your wife really cares about you," Javi quickly redirected all of Ella's concern straight to Tiesto.

Tiesto brushed past Ella and walked out.

Ella stuck out her tongue after him. This man had half the temper Javi did!

He got moody for absolutely no reason.

Once both men were gone, she finally let out a breath of relief.

After closing the door, she thought about what had happened earlier and patted her chest.

What a night...