Aila adjusted the collar of her blouse for the fifth time that morning, glaring at her reflection in the tinted elevator doors of Santillan Enterprises. Her hair was curled just enough to seem accidental. Her lipstick? A soft cherry shade—subtle, flirtatious, and utterly non-threatening. Classic softboi bait.
"Okay. Game face, girl," she whispered to herself.
"Mission: Operation: Softboi. Let's go."
It was Day 2 of the bet, and she was determined to melt the iceberg that was Ryan "Ian" Santillan.
Yesterday was a disaster. Her fake meet-cute in the elevator ended with her spilling her tumbler on his leather shoes. He didn't even flinch. Just raised one brow and said in that devastatingly deep voice, "Be careful next time, Ms. Briones."
Her barkada had a field day replaying the scene in their group chat.
MAILA: Grabe, parang nasa military!19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gu4mwfg0y
AUDREY: Kulang na lang sabihin niyang, "Drop and give me twenty."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCJjNOj2AU
KIMBERLY: ... pero hot padin. Aila, wag mong sayangin. Ice prince 'yan. Challenge 'yan.
So here she was, on Phase Two of the plan: Strategic coffee placements, staged hallway run-ins, and a gentle avalanche of compliments.
Phase 1: Caffeine with a Smile
9:07 AM. She approached his desk carrying two cups of americano from the café downstairs — one with his usual two shots of espresso, no cream, no sugar. She made it her mission to memorize his order.
"Mr. Santillan," she said, voice all sunshine, "thought you could use a little caffeine. I was already in line."
Ian didn't even look up from his laptop.
"Thank you, Ms. Briones."
She blinked. No smile. Not even eye contact. But he took the cup.
Ayan na. Progress. She walked away with a hopeful smile.
Phase 2: Lunch "Coincidences"
12:42 PM. Aila waited outside the building lobby, timing her steps perfectly. According to Audrey's intel, Ian usually headed out for lunch between 12:45 and 12:50. She held her phone up, pretending to text while eyeing the entrance.
Right on cue, she heard the glass doors swing open.
"Ah! Sir Ian!" she said, turning with fake surprise.
He paused. "Ms. Briones."
"You're heading out?" she asked casually, pretending not to care.
"Yes."
She took a gamble. "Same! I'll just grab something light from the deli nearby."
No invitation came. Just a short nod.
She walked beside him anyway. They said nothing for three blocks. The silence was brutal — until they passed a small stray cat sleeping under a bench. Ian slowed down, crouched, and gently scratched its head.
Aila blinked. May puso?
"You like cats?" she asked, her voice softer now.
He shrugged, standing again. "They mind their own business."
A smirk. Was that a smirk?
Phase 3: Compliments and Confusion
Back at the office, she stopped by his cubicle after lunch.
"I like your tie today," she said.
He raised a brow. "It's just navy."
"But it suits you. Makes you look..." She trailed off, flustered.
...like a villain in a turtleneck. Or a dream sequence I didn't ask for.
He gave her a long look. Not cold this time — just curious. Then went back to typing.
By 5:30 PM, Aila plopped onto the couch in Maila's condo, exhausted.
"I don't think it's working," she groaned.
"Beshie, it's only Day Two," Kimberly said, handing her a soda. "Cold storage pa si Kuya. Pero he took the coffee, diba?"
"He petted a cat," Aila whispered, like it was a state secret.
Maila gasped. "Baka cat dad! That's emotional depth!"
Audrey nodded, pulling up an iPad. "Okay. Tomorrow, let's escalate. Eye contact. Light touches. Muntik-kang-malaglag-na-hawak-sa-braso type. Kilig tactics, girl."
"I'm going to hell for this bet," Aila muttered, but she was smiling.
Because somewhere deep down — past the chaos of fake flirting, office politics, and caffeine-fueled plans — a small part of her wanted to see him smile again.
To be continued...
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHCexzM1mz
and then Add to home screen.