Kimberly woke up from her sleep after feeling a pain in her stomach. She gently rubbed it until the pain gradually subsided. She could have gone back to sleep, but she thought it was already five in the morning, so she decided to get up and head straight to the bathroom.


    After finishing her shower and getting dressed, Kimberly tiptoed her way to the kitchen. She just didn’t want to make any noise that might disturb Nichs’s sleep. He had scolded her enough the night before. She couldn’t bear to hear him grumble again so early in the morning.


    Kimberly paused in one corner of the kitchen ind. “Let’s see,” she thought, “Is his supply of groceriesplete?” Then she reached out and began opening the drawers in the refrigerator, contemting what to cook for breakfast.


    “What should I cook?” she pondered. “I don’t even know Nichs’s taste in food.”


    Kimberly stood in front of the fridge for quite some time before finally deciding to make toast with eggs and bacon. Even though she hadn’t put on any makeup after her shower, her beauty still radiated from her face. Her usual brown hair, which was usually left flowing, was now tied up in a casual bun at the top of her head. She let a few strands fall to the side of her face. As she cooked, she hummed softly, creating a soothing atmosphere for anyone who heard her.


    “Finished,” she said to herself. “Now it’s time to change.”


    After finishing cooking breakfast, Kimberly returned to her room and quickly changed into her work clothes. She hurriedly got ready and applied makeup to her face. When everything was done, Kimberly grabbed her work bag and shoes before returning to the dining area. Just as she was about to leave, Nichs was seen opening the door to his room.


    “You look all set,” Nichs greeted her in front of his room.


    “I’ve even prepared breakfast for you,” Kimberly replied.


    Kimberly headed to the dining room, with Nichs following closely behind.


    “What did you cook?” Nichs asked as he adjusted his tie around his neck.


    “I’m not sure about your preferences, so I’ve prepared toast with eggs and bacon,” Kimberly answered.


    Seeing her conversation partner still struggling with his tie, Kimberly looked at him affectionately. Then she approached Nichs with the intention of helping him.


    “Do you want me to help you?”


    Nichs shifted his gaze toward Kimberly. “As long as it doesn’t inconvenience you.”


    Without replying, Kimberly reached for the tie knot that Nichs had been struggling with. With two quick moves, she neatly fixed the tie around Nichs’s neck.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    “Why does it take you so long for something as simple as this?” Kimberly teased.


    Nichs chuckled softly. “Alright, starting tomorrow, your duties will increase.”


    “What?” Kimberly asked.


    “You’ll be in charge of tying my tie before heading to the office,” Nichs replied casually, then began to sit down to enjoy the meal that had been set before him.


    “Unfair!” Kimberly muttered under her breath, but Nichs ignored her.


    During the meal, Kimberly couldn’t help but continuously watch Nichs as he calmly ate in front of her. She thought that he looked quite handsome when he behaved like this.


    “You don’t have to keep staring at me like that. I’m afraid you’ll fall in love with me,” Nichs remarked, realizing that the woman in front of him had been continuously observing him.


    Kimberly scoffed in annoyance. “Overconfident!”


    “Confidence is necessary for a leader. Besides, ‘insecure’ and ‘pessimistic’ aren’t in my vocabry,” Nichs exined.


    “Stop with your lecture and finish up so I can clean up after your meal,” Kimberly ordered.


    Nichs ced his fork and knife down simultaneously. “No need to clean up. My house assistant will be here shortly. You better get ready; we’re leaving for work now.”


    Kimberly furrowed her brow. “Are you sure we’re going to work together? Aren’t you worried about what other employees might think if they see us together?”


    Nichs chuckled again at Kimberly’s words. “Everyone at Alpha Beta knows you’re my personal secretary, so there’s no need to hide it if we go to work together, stupid girl!”


    Kimberly widened her eyes. “What did you just call me?” she asked indignantly, while the one being questioned got up and left without saying anything, leaving Kimberly still seated in the dining room.


    “In three seconds, if you don’te out, I’ll lock you inside the apartment!” Nichs shouted from a distance. Unsurprisingly, Kimberly quickly followed Nichs, who was already prepared to leave.


    ***


    “Kimmy, is everything okay with you?” Keyra asked when she noticed her friend hadn’t touched her lunch and had been silent for a while.


    Kimberly shook her head weakly. “My stomach hurts a lot.”


    Alex, who had also been observing Kimberly’s pale face, finally spoke up. “Are you sick? Should we take you to the health unit on the second floor?” Alex offered.


    Once again, Kimberly shook her head. “Maybe it’s just my perioding soon, that’s why my stomach hurts so much. Or it could be because I skipped dinnerst night.”


    “Alright, for now, eat your lunch, and then we can head back to the office,” Keyra suggested.


    Kimberly finally obeyed Keyra’smand and started eating. It wasn’t the first time she had experienced stomach pain or cramps. Usually, every time her period was approaching, she would experience this kind of pain. But for some reason, the stomachache today was worse than usual.


    After finishing lunch, Kimberly and her two friends decided to return to the office building. However, as soon as they entered the lobby, Kimberly suddenly fainted, causing panic among the other employees present.


    Nichs and Edward, who had just returned from lunch as well, looked puzzled when they saw themotion near the lobby entrance. Curious, they approached the crowd.


    “What’s happening?” Edward asked one of the passing employees.


    “Kimberly fainted, sir.”


    Hearing Kimberly’s name mentioned, Nichs immediately pushed through the crowd ahead of him.


    “Why did she faint?” Nichs asked Keyra.


    “Kimberlyined of stomach pain earlier. It might be cramps before her period, as she usually experiences,” Keyra exined.


    Without further dy, Nichs immediately carried Kimberly’s body and then took her directly to where his car was parked. Meanwhile, Edward followed his friend’s steps from behind.


    “Please open my car door, Ed,” Nichsmanded.


    “Where are you taking her? Isn’t the health unit on the second floor of the building?” Edward asked, confused but still extending his hand to open the car door.


    “I’m taking her to the doctor.”


    “In that case, I’ll apany you,” Edward offered.


    “No need, you have to stay at the office. There’s a meeting in a little while. Help me handle it.”


    Edward nodded in agreement. “If there’s anything, you can let me know.”


    Nichs then drove his car quickly with Kimberly.


    “How is she, doctor?” Nichs asked the doctor examining Kimberly.


    “It seems to be just a regr stomach cramp. But if this stomach cramp continues for more than five days, you should take her to the hospital for further examination.”


    Nichs nodded and shortly after asked again, “But this isn’t serious, right?”


    “It shouldn’t be. That’s why I’m asking you to keep an eye on her symptoms. See if the pain persists or goes away in the next five days.”


    “Alright then, thank you for your exnation, doc.”


    The doctor then left Nichs alone in the room. Yes, the man didn’t take Kimberly to the hospital; he chose to take Kimberly back to the apartment and intentionally called a private doctor to examine her.


    Nichs couldn’t help but worry. He vividly remembered when Kimberly fainted out of fear some time ago. Now, she had fainted again, but with a different issue.


    Nichs sat down on the edge of the bed, not far from where Kimberlyy. He stared intently at her pale face. His eyes kept gazing, and his hand reached out to adjust the strands of hair that had fallen on Kimberly’s face.


    Nichs smiled unconsciously.


    Beautiful.


    But s, you’re too tomboyish for a woman.


    Your demeanor is more like a man’s.


    The man smiled again before his expression changed when the phone rang.


    “Hello…”


    “How is Kimberly?” Edward asked.


    “Kimberly is fine.”


    A relieved sigh could be heard on the other end.


    “Thank goodness. Which hospital is she at? I’ll visit her after work,” Edward asked.


    “No need to visit her, Kimberly is fine, Ed. She’s not in the hospital.”


    “What do you mean?” Edward asked, sounding puzzled.


    “Kimberly is at my apartment; she’s staying with me for now,” Nichs said casually. His conversation partner on the other end was shocked and even doubted what he heard.


    “You’re not joking, right?” Edward double-checked.


    Nichszily replied, “Kimberly is indeed staying at my apartment for the time being. Don’t ask too many questions, Ed. I’m also confused about how to exin it.”


    “Alright, I’ll drop by your apartment after work,” Edward replied.


    “No need to-” Before Nichs could finish his sentence, Edward rudely hung up, leaving Nichs cursing inwardly.


    Damn!


    He hung up without even listening to what I had to say.


    Nichs lost hisposure, even though he was usually the one to end the call before Edward finished speaking. Could it be that Edward was deliberately retaliating for Nichs’s earlier behavior?


    ****