Brinley swallowed her mouthful of meat, then glanced at the table overflowing with delicacies. With a soft sigh, she murmured, “There’s far too much here. How could the two of us possibly finish it all?”

Unbothered, Austin reached over and set more food on her plate. “I’d rather see leftovers than let you settle for something simple,” he said easily.

He kept his eyes trained on her, his gaze never wavering.

Her hunger took over, and she ate quickly, savoring every bite.

The sight of her puffed cheeks as she chewed made Austin’s gaze linger with quiet fondness, his own food forgotten as it sat untouched on the table. Seeing her eat with such appetite filled him with a warmth nothing else could match.

“You need to eat too,” Brinley insisted, sliding a neatly deboned piece of fish onto his empty plate.

Though he had little appetite, Austin picked up the bite and ate it, his voice low and tender afterward. “Just focus on enjoying yourself. Don’t worry about me.”

A sudden knock at the office door broke the cozy moment. Miguel stepped inside, flanked by two department managers. Both men froze as their eyes landed on the spread of dishes and Brinley cheerfully eating at the table.

Everyone in the company knew Austin’s strict views on order and cleanliness. Hosting a feast in his office was unthinkable—eating in front of him usually earned a harsh rebuke.

To ease the heavy silence, Miguel cleared his throat and announced, “Mr. Moore, these two managers have urgent matters to report.”

The warmth drained from Austin’s expression, his smile vanishing as quickly as it had come. Almost instantly, the familiar chill settled over him, restoring his distant facade. His gaze cut toward the managers with a hard edge, and he uttered a single word: “Speak.”

The sudden coldness in his voice was a jarring contrast to the tenderness he’d shown Brinley moments earlier.

One manager’s hand trembled as he passed a folder forward. Austin’s reprimand followed at once. “You can’t handle something this simple? Have the revised plan on my desk by three tomorrow afternoon, or you can submit your resignation.”

Austin’s frosty gaze locked onto the second manager before the man could even open his mouth. His voice cut in, sharp as a blade. “And you—letting such a glaring loophole slip through in the partner qualification review. Were you planning to drag the whole company down with you? Dig into it right now, and I want a full report on my desk by midnight. If you can’t manage that, don’t bother showing up again.”

His tone carried no trace of leniency, each word clipped and final.

The two managers—normally intimidating in their own departments—kept their heads bowed, shoulders stiff, hardly daring to breathe.

Across the table, Brinley quietly continued her meal, choosing not to step in.

Austin’s gaze flicked her way, his expression easing slightly. In a voice far gentler than before, he said, “If there’s nothing else, you’re dismissed.”

The managers all but stumbled out of the office in their haste to escape.

As soon as the door shut, Austin’s frosty expression melted away, and warmth flickered back across his features.

He reached for the ladle, filled a bowl with steaming soup, and set it gently in front of Brinley. “Did I startle you? They’re hopelessly slow sometimes—they need a firm push.”

With laughter threatening to spill out, Brinley tilted her head up toward him. “Did you notice how your subordinates trembled in your presence?”

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