Out of Ashes Into His Heart

I quickly opened the door, only to see Tom being supported by another man.

"Are you... Ms. Summers?" the man asked.

I nodded, somewhat puzzled as I looked at the stranger before me. He seemed to know who I was. "And you are..."noveldrama

"I'm William Anderson, Tom's assistant."

"What happened to Tom?" I asked worriedly.

"The project was successfully completed today. During the celebration, Mr. White was so happy that he had a bit too much to drink..." William explained.

At that moment, Tom, who had been leaning groggily against William, suddenly opened his eyes. His dark gaze was surprisingly sharp despite the intoxication. There was still a hint of drunkenness in his demeanor, though.

"Grace?" Tom asked.

"Tom, you're awake?" I couldn't hide the relief in my voice. I thought I'd have to delay telling him about my move for another day. Thankfully, he was conscious

now.

Tom pushed William away and rubbed his own temples. "What's the matter? Were you looking for me?"

I nodded quickly.

"I'm fine now. You can go," Tom said with a slight frown as he glanced at William. William hesitated for a moment. He looked at me before finally nodding. "Alright, Mr. White."

Once he had left, Tom turned and opened the door. "Come in."

Since this wasn't my first time at his place, I felt at ease. After entering, I immediately poured him a glass of water. "Tom, have some water first. I'll make you some chicken noodle soup."

Clearly, Tom had drunk quite a bit. His body carried a faint scent of alcohol. He nodded, taking the glass of water and downing it in one go.

Seeing him lean back on the couch with his eyes closed, I quickly headed to the kitchen to prepare some soup. When it was ready, I came back to find Tom already asleep on the couch.

"Tom? Wake up..." I gently nudged him.

His eyes opened slowly. Perhaps because of the alcohol, his dark gaze seemed unusually bright, though it still carried a dazed look. He stared at me intently as he called out, "Grace..."

Hearing him call my name, I sighed in relief, thinking he was fully awake. "Tom, have some chicken noodle soup 4 held the bowl out to him. But instead of taking it, Tom's gaze remained fixed on me.

Sensing something off, I instinctively put the soup down.

Before I could, Tom grabbed my wrist. With a sudden pull, he drew me into his arms.

I let out a startled cry as the bowl slipped from my hands, and the soup spilled all over. "Tom, what are you doing?"

Seeing the mess on the white carpet, I panicked and pushed against his chest to get up.

"Don't move..." Tom's chin rested against my neck as his warm breath flooded my

ears.

I froze, realizing how intimate our position was. I desperately tried to break free from his embrace. But before I could get far, Tom pulled me back again.

This time, found myself

face-to-face with him. His sharp and cold features were so close that i

could hear his faint breathing and

see the fire burning in his eyes. My heart skipped a beat.

The next second, Tom leaned in abruptly.

Startled by his decisive action, I quickly raised my hand to cover his mouth. The moment I did, the both of us froze.

Tom looked up at me, his dark eyes swirling with an unfamiliar intensity.

Flustered, I turned my head. But Tom grabbed my hand, pulled it down, and pressed his lips firmly against mine.