Chapter 53

Naomi naturally linked arms with him. Wilkins, who had been watching them, hurriedly stepped forward.

"There's a break room over there. Let's talk while having some coffee."

When he politely pointed in one direction with his outstretched arm, Naomi made an expression of delight, saying "Oh."

"My, how kind. Thank you."

Naomi made a gesture of putting her hand to her lips, then removed it and blew a kiss toward Wilkins with a "hoo." At her lovely appearance, everyone watching felt as if their hearts were melting and collapsed on the spot with sighs. Leaving them behind, Naomi walked to the break room with her hand on Greyson's arm, her steps light and flowing. The men who had been staring blankly at their backs finally opened their mouths one by one after the couple disappeared through the door.

"That bastard really is a celebrity."

"I thought he was just a crazy guy because he was so weird, but after all, a Miller is a Miller."

"To think he knew Naomi Parker, I'm jealous."

"Should I try to get close to him now?"

"Come on, how could you humor that weirdo? That's not what friendship is."

It was a textbook statement, but no one particularly sympathized. They let out deep sighs and trudged back to the fitness room with dazed faces, as if awakening from an empty dream.

* * *

"Ah, it's hot. The air conditioning is too weak here. It's already a hot place, isn't it getting even hotter?"

Naomi, sitting across from Greyson in the cafeteria, fluttered one hand beside her face as if fanning herself and smiled suggestively. No one would miss the hidden double meaning in her words. It was a natural sex appeal for someone who had come to the headquarters of firefighters, symbols of sexiness. Only the fact that her counterpart was Greyson was off the mark.

"How did a princess think to come to such a humble place?"

As Greyson took a sip of iced coffee and put it down demonstratively, Naomi glanced at him with narrowed eyes.

"You're always so good at flattery."

"I only ever speak the truth."

Greyson took Naomi's hand on the table, kissed the back of it, and smiled. Naomi also smiled affectionately before naturally withdrawing her hand and speaking.

"I was curious how you were doing, so I came to see you. How's the firefighter job?"

She tilted her head at her most confident angle and leaned her elbow on the table, resting her chin on one hand.

"I was shocked to hear you became a firefighter. You've never done this kind of physical work before, have you?"

Though she blinked with a genuinely surprised and sympathetic expression, Naomi Parker was an actress. And one who had won an Academy Award for Best Actress at that. And Greyson knew well that the expressions he 'read' could sometimes be completely wrong depending on the person. Because of this, her feminine wiles didn't easily work on Greyson. He was merely pretending they did.

"Life is long, Naomi. Everyone needs to challenge themselves with something new."

"That's a good attitude."

To Greyson, who was nonchalantly deflecting, Naomi naturally flipped her hair behind her shoulder and narrowed her eyes.

"If you're not here looking for your destiny, that is."

Greyson hesitated, and Naomi, confirming his reaction, smiled brightly. Seeing her face, Greyson shook his head as if in disbelief.

"My, word travels fast."

It was something he had mentioned at the party just the day before, yet it had reached Naomi's ears in half a day, and she had even come to visit. It could only be described as the speed of light. Seeing Greyson's reaction, Naomi asked with a suggestive smile.

"Do you know how I found out you became a firefighter?"

"You heard it from someone."

"Wrong!"

In contrast to Greyson's cynical answer, Naomi responded cheerfully.

"There's a video of you on the internet. Someone saw it, was shocked, and contacted me! Imagine, Greyson Miller standing at a fire scene in firefighter gear, of course they couldn't believe their eyes?"

This was news to him. Greyson was a bit surprised, but that was all. These days, anyone can easily make videos about trivial things, so uploading a fire scene would be natural. Plus, being a rare phenotype, becoming the object of attention by having his picture taken was all too common. A fire and an extreme Alpha—there couldn't be a more interesting subject.

But even so, questions remained.

"How did you know I was here?"

To his genuine question, Naomi answered as if she had been waiting.

"My secretary found out. It didn't even take half a day."

And she proudly added.

"My secretary is competent."

"Haa, I see."

As Greyson sighed as if that was enough, Naomi looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"All I found out was that you had joined a fire station. The rest was my speculation."

As if she had expected this, she added while bringing the iced coffee to her lips.

"You wouldn't voluntarily take on such hard work unless 'destiny' was at stake. You're not the type to seek honor either."

A man as selfish as you.

She swallowed her next words along with the cold drink and smiled brightly.

"So, have you found them? How is it?"

Seeing Naomi leaning her upper body forward and asking eagerly, Greyson instead leaned back.

"Since when have you been so interested in my destined partner?"

As expected, he immediately became suspicious. In times like this, Naomi had a universal card she could use, and she used it appropriately.

"We're friends, Greyson. Of course I'm curious."

She deliberately put on an affectionate expression and added.

"I hope you find that person soon."

"Thanks for thinking that way."

Greyson gave a formulaic greeting, but Naomi knew it wasn't sincere either. Did I come too early? Has he not found them yet? Or...

Just as she was feeling anxious inside, suddenly Greyson frowned and looked in one direction. At this unexpected reaction, Naomi turned her head curiously and likewise froze.

An incredibly tall, eye-catchingly handsome man was standing there.

"Oh my, goodness..."

Naomi couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. She momentarily lost herself at the sight of him talking to a much smaller man, looking down as if greeting a visitor. Though being an actress meant she had met many incredibly handsome men, including Greyson sitting in front of her, there was something special about that red-blonde handsome man. Just standing there, he had a charisma that captured attention, a somewhat indifferent expression, and even the way he casually brushed back his hair with his fingers was breathtakingly attractive.

"Who is that man? On the same team as you?"

Naomi turned to Greyson with curiosity but hesitated. Greyson was still looking at that man. Naomi, who was subtly observing, reached across the table and waved her hand in front of Greyson's eyes.

"Greyson, Greyson?"

"What?"

Moving his head to a distance where her hand couldn't reach, Greyson asked halfheartedly, still fixing his gaze on that man. Naomi glanced at the red-haired handsome man and then looked back at Greyson. Her eyes emitted a strange glow.

"Who is that man? He's incredibly handsome. I didn't know there were firefighters like that?"

Greyson's gaze finally turned to Naomi. Though only his eyeballs moved.

Naomi's history with men was already well-known. Moreover, there was no man she wanted but couldn't get. She had slept with Greyson too, but now they were friends. On the surface, at least. Greyson wouldn't dream that Naomi was grinding her teeth at him, just like the countless partners he had met and broken up with before.

He probably doesn't care either.

Naomi looked at him with a mischievous smile.

"Should I try to seduce him?"

At her question, asked with well-founded confidence, Greyson stared at her with no expression. As the time lengthened with him staring without even blinking, the smile gradually disappeared from Naomi's face, which had been grinning until then.

"I was just kidding."

As she laughed and glossed over it as if it were a joke, Greyson finally withdrew his gaze and looked outside again. Naomi, stealing glances at his serious profile, thought to herself. What? What was that reaction? Could it be...

"Is he the destined one you found?"