Morning light streamed through the office window as Bela stumbled to her desk, stifling a yawn. The circles under her eyes betrayed her sleepless night, haunted by the strange events that unfolded hours before.
"Late again..." Callista teased, smirking from her desk across the room.
Bela slumped into her chair, her body sinking as though gravity had doubled. “This is all so weird,” she muttered under her breath.
“What’s weird? Oh, don’t tell me,” Callista said, her grin widening. “Did the white wolf show up again and turn into a handsome prince?” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.
Bela let out a half-hearted laugh, shaking her head as she yawned again. “If only,” she mumbled, the exhaustion clear in her voice.
Callista chuckled, her amusement unrestrained. “You’re losing it, girl. Maybe you should see a therapist. You sound crazier every day.”
“I’m serious, Callista,” Bela said, her voice softer now, almost wistful. “Though... if the wolf *did* turn into a handsome man, that wouldn’t be the worst thing.”
Callista’s laugh echoed in the quiet office. “So, you’re hoping for a fairytale now, huh?”
Bela shrugged. “Why not? If he’s good-looking, maybe I could finally have a decent boyfriend.”
“Uh-huh. And what about Aaron?” Callista asked, raising an eyebrow. “Not handsome enough for you?”
Bela froze for a moment, the mention of Aaron pulling her back into reality. Her mind flashed to his face, twisted in pain after the stone had struck him. “He’s handsome, sure,” she admitted softly, her tone conflicted. A pang of guilt gnawed at her. Was he alright? That stone was enormous—his head must have been injured.
“And?” Callista pressed, watching Bela’s expression shift.
“Enough about him,” Bela snapped, suddenly irritated. “I don’t want to talk about Aaron.”
“Touchy,” Callista muttered, leaning back in her chair.
“I’m just... not feeling well,” Bela added, her hand coming up to massage her temples. A dull ache throbbed in her head, as though the night’s events had followed her into the daylight.
Callista watched her friend with a mix of amusement and concern. “Well, whatever’s going on in that head of yours, you better figure it out soon,” she said. “Before you really lose your mind.”
Bela gave her a tired glare but didn’t respond, her thoughts too tangled to form a coherent reply. Somewhere deep down, she couldn’t help but wonder if the white wolf—or whatever it was—had more to say to her.
Bela and Callista hurried to the office cafeteria for lunch, but the elevator they were heading to was packed with people. They were forced to wait for the next one, growing impatient. Time seemed to move slower as they exchanged tired smiles.
"Take it easy, Bela, I’m hungry too," Callista said with a slight pout. Bela simply shook her head, annoyed but still managing a soft laugh.
"I’m hungry, and I want to eat meat," Bela replied seriously, though her eyes were a bit blurry from exhaustion.
Callista chuckled softly, teasing. "Come on, just because you met a wolf, now all you can think about is meat?"
Bela sighed, her gaze distant. "I’m serious. I want to eat meat," she said quietly, the memory of the meat she left behind in the forest resurfacing. Had the wolf eaten it? For some reason, that thought bothered her.
Callista looked at her with concern, a worried tone in her voice. "You need to be careful, Bela. I think you’re losing it. I’m worried about you. Did your parents cause trouble again?" she asked sympathetically.
Bela gazed at her friend, feeling grateful. Callista always knew about her unstable family situation, which often left her feeling anxious and down.
"My dad left, and my mom is depressed..." Bela sighed, her voice heavy, and without realizing it, tears welled up in her eyes. Callista immediately took her hand, offering a comforting hug.
"Hang in there, sweetie. Everything will be okay," Callista said softly, and Bela could only nod, though her heart was full of questions. What will happen to her? What will happen to her family?
Suddenly, the elevator doors opened, and they both hurriedly stepped inside without checking who else was in it. They tried to catch their breath, but the atmosphere inside felt cramped. Bela felt squeezed and accidentally bumped into someone.
Startled, Bela quickly turned around, almost about to apologize, but the words caught in her throat when she saw who was in front of her.
"M-mister Sky?" her voice almost a whisper.
The CEO, Sky, stood tall in front of her, his handsome face often cold and unapproachable. Bela was shocked, realizing she had bumped into him.
"I-I’m sorry, sir..." Bela said, her voice trembling. She feared she might get reprimanded or even fired for this incident. Her mind was filled with overwhelming anxiety.
However, Sky just smiled warmly. "It’s okay, Bela, no problem," he responded, surprising her even more. His voice was gentle, unlike his usual sharp tone, as if there was sincerity in it.
Wait... did her boss accidentally take the wrong medication?
Aksara