Chapter 6 What I Feel for Him

The night after dinner with Adrián, Emilia couldn't stop thinking about what had happened. The sensation of the touch of his hand against hers, so fleeting yet so electrifying, kept her restless. Why did something so simple, such a brief gesture, leave such a deep mark on her? She wondered if he felt the same way or if it had all been a coincidence, a simple momentary connection. She couldn't understand it, and that worried her even more than she wanted to admit.

The next day arrived, and the routine continued as usual. However, Emilia's mind wasn't on the project plans or the tasks she had to complete. The hours passed slowly as her mind returned again and again to the conversation with Adrián. To the penetrating glances, that tension she couldn't decipher, and above all, that feeling of walking a tightrope, between the professional and something much more personal. Emilia tried to focus, but she felt something inside her was changing, something she couldn't identify, but that made her feel uncomfortable.

Noon arrived, and to Emilia's surprise, her office door opened without warning. She looked up and found Adrián walking in with the same arrogance that always accompanied him. His imposing presence seemed to fill the space immediately, making everything around her denser and harder to breathe.

"Adrián?" Emilia said, surprised by his appearance. She hadn't expected to see him until the next project meeting.

Adrián looked at her with an almost indifferent smile, as if it weren't strange at all to be there, in her space, occupying the same office where she felt so comfortable.

"Hi, Emilia," he replied, in a relaxed tone, but with an undertone that made her feel uneasy. She didn't know if it was because of the memory of the previous night or the intensity of his gaze now. He approached her desk with the same familiarity with which he would speak to a longtime colleague. "I need to talk to you about some details of the project."

Emilia, her mind still clouded by unresolved emotions, tried to remain calm and, above all, professional. She needed to understand what Adrian wanted and why her presence seemed to have the power to disrupt his concentration.

"Sure, what details do you need to review?" she asked, trying to sound firm and controlled.

But what began as a technical discussion about the project plans soon veered into something Emilia hadn't expected. The conversation was less about the changes and more... about them. Emilia couldn't help but notice how Adrian's voice, once so cold and calculating, now had a softness she'd never heard before. He wasn't just talking about the modifications to the plans, but about something else. Something that made her feel vulnerable, overwhelmed, and more confused than she could have ever anticipated. Adrián, without losing his composure, interrupted her train of thought with a direct observation.

"Emilia..." he said, leaning slightly toward her, putting aside the plans. "You look different."

Those words, so simple yet so loaded with meaning, made Emilia's heart skip a beat. Different? How could he perceive something so subtle in her, something she hadn't even understood on her own? Was it so obvious? Doubt began to invade her. Was he that observant, or was there simply something about her that made him impossible to ignore? She tried to remain calm, but the feeling of being thoroughly analyzed by him made her feel powerless.

"Different?" she replied with a slight forced smile, trying to hide her nervousness. "I don't know what you're talking about, Adrián."

Adrián, far from being annoyed, simply smiled with slight satisfaction. His gaze intensified, as if he were enjoying Emilia's bewilderment.

"You'll know when you let me know you better," he said with that confidence that disarmed her. "And I know you will, because you are stronger than you let on."

Emilia's discomfort grew. She felt caught between the desire to maintain distance and the need to understand the nature of this strange connection between them. There was something in his words, in the way he observed her, that left her speechless. She didn't want Adrian to analyze her like that, she didn't want to give in, but the truth was that at that moment, she felt powerless in his presence. Why did he affect her so much?

"I'm not a project, Adrian," she finally said, raising her head, striving to impose firmness in her voice. "You can't treat me like everyone else."

Adrian leaned back in his chair, watching her with an enigmatic smile that deeply disconcerted her. He seemed to enjoy the moment, this silent struggle in which he showed no signs of surrendering. On the contrary, he seemed amused by her resistance.

"Does it bother you that I read you so easily?" he asked, his voice soft but challenging, without looking away. "Don't worry, it's not a challenge, Em." I just want to know what moves you, what drives you. There's something about you that intrigues me more than you can imagine.

The feeling of helplessness increased. Emilia felt she was entering dangerous territory, that the conversation was taking a turn she wouldn't be able to emerge unscathed. She tried to regain control of the situation.

"The project, Adrián..." she said, changing the subject, desperately trying to steer the conversation away from that awkward place. "What adjustments do you need to the plans?"

He nodded, as if he was waiting for her to change the subject, but his gaze remained fixed on her, as if he couldn't escape her presence. Although the words they exchanged were technical, the emotional charge was undeniable.

"Yes, of course. But what interests me most, Emilia, is knowing what makes you get up every morning. What drives you?" he said, leaning back in his chair, without taking his eyes off her.

Emilia, feeling the atmosphere growing increasingly heavy, looked down at the papers on her desk. She was searching for something, anything, that could distract her from the uncomfortable feeling Adrian had created.

"What motivates me," she finally said, looking up with unexpected sincerity. "Is doing something big. Something that impacts people, that truly changes things."

Adrian watched her silently, processing her words. For a moment, her face softened, and instead of the defiant gaze, there was something warmer, almost... human.

"That's what I like about you, Emilia," he said, his gaze deepening. "You have a vision, and that's not something you see every day."

At that moment, a team member burst into the office with some urgent reports, interrupting what would have been a much deeper conversation. Adrian stood up immediately, as if it were all part of a pre-written script.

"I think it's time I let you work." "See you soon," he said with a faint smile before walking out the door.

Emilia sat there, watching him walk away. Confusion washed over her. She knew there was something between them, but she didn't understand what it was. And, worse still, she didn't know how to avoid it. The need to maintain control over her life and her decisions was increasingly threatened by something she couldn't control.

That night, when she got home, she lay on the couch, staring at her phone. A notification from Adrian appeared on the screen.

Adrian Vega:

"Emilia, I want you to know that I'm eager to see how you progress with the changes to the project. But I also want you to know that I'm interested in much more than that."

Emilia stared at the message, struggling with the emotions swirling in her mind. What did Adrian really want? Was it all part of a game for him? She knew she couldn't continue ignoring what she felt, but the doubt remained stronger than anything else.