Across The Hallway

CHAPTER 27

HER WORLD

Jeffrey woke to Christine shifting beside him. He opened his eyes and took in the unfamiliar room before his gaze settled on her. Curled up beside him, she was still fast asleep. A quiet smile crossed his face. He leaned over and brushed a gentle kiss against her forehead, careful not to wake her. Memories of the night before drifted through his mind. For a long moment, he simply watched her sleep before quietly slipping out of bed.

He stepped into the living room and eased himself onto the sofa, the smile still lingering on his face. A glance at his phone told him it was only 5:12 a.m. Outside, the city was still wrapped in darkness, yet he felt completely awake. His eyes wandered around Christine’s small condo. It was simple and modest, but somehow, with her in it, the place felt warmer than any home he’d ever known.

After a few minutes, he quietly left the unit, making sure not to disturb her. Instead of heading back to his own condo, he walked a few blocks to the nearest convenience store. He grabbed a box of pancake mix, a loaf of bread, eggs, bacon, and a carton of orange juice before paying and making his way back.

The walk home felt different. Light. Easy. He couldn’t remember the last time he had smiled this much without even realizing it.

He slipped back into the condo and peeked into the bedroom. Christine was still asleep. Satisfied, he headed into the kitchen, found a frying pan, mixed the pancake batter, and started preparing breakfast.

Christine woke sometime later to the smell of bacon drifting through the condo. She blinked awake and instinctively reached across the bed, only to find Jeffrey gone. She stepped out of the bedroom and found him standing at the stove, focused on cooking breakfast.

“Good morning.”

Jeffrey looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Good morning. Did I wake you up?”

Christine shook her head as she walked over and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “No…” She took another breath and lifted an eyebrow. “I smelled bacon, then realized I don’t even have bacon in my fridge.”

He let out a soft laugh, turned to face her, and kissed her forehead. “Well… this was supposed to be breakfast in bed.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I woke up early, so I ran to the convenience store.” He paused before asking, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m a bit sore,” she admitted with a small smile. “But I’ve never been better.”

“Then I don’t think a good breakfast can hurt.” He carried a plate to the table before looking back at her. “Go sit down. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

She settled into her chair and watched him flip the bacon. Toast, sunny-side-up eggs, and pancakes were already waiting on the table.

“The toast is making progress,” she teased. “At least it isn’t burnt anymore.”

He laughed under his breath. “I know. My first attempt at making toast here was a disaster.”

He transferred the bacon onto the plate and placed it on the table. “So… let’s eat.”

She looked up at him, warmth settling in her eyes. “Thank you, Jeff.”

He looked at her for a moment before giving a small shake of his head. “No… thank you.” His voice was quiet. “Thank you for choosing me.”

A faint smile touched her lips as she picked up a piece of pancake and took a bite. “This is actually good.”

He smiled. “That’s just pancake mix.”

“I know.” She met his eyes. “But what makes it special is that you cooked it.”

Breakfast drifted by with easy conversation, quiet teasing, and comfortable silences. When they finished, they cleared the table together and washed the dishes side by side.

A little later, Jeffrey picked up his car keys and walked her to the door. “So… see you later.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’ll head back to my place, take a shower, get ready, then go straight to the office.”

Christine smiled. “Okay. Drive safely… see you later.”

“I will.” He gave her hand one last squeeze before leaving.

The drive back to his condo in Rockwell passed in a blur. Every so often, the memories of the previous night found their way back into his thoughts, drawing another quiet laugh from him.

“This is where I belong,” he murmured to himself. “This is exactly what I want.”

Later that morning, Christine arrived at the office. Jeffrey was already standing outside his office with two cups of coffee in his hands.

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“I got your macchiato.”

She accepted the cup with a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

He fell into step beside her as they walked toward her office. “If you need anything, I’m just across the hallway.”

“Okay.”

He stopped at her door. “I’ll head back now.” He hesitated for the briefest moment before adding, “See you at lunch later… I love you.”

Christine blinked, caught completely off guard. “See you.”

She remained standing behind her desk long after he had gone, the warm cup still resting in her hands. A slow smile found its way onto her face. Three simple words, spoken so naturally, had left her completely unprepared. She took a sip of her macchiato. Perfect. Just the way she liked it. He hadn’t forgotten a single detail.

Across the hallway, Jeffrey settled behind his desk, but every now and then his attention drifted toward the glass wall overlooking Christine’s office. The memory of her flustered expression kept replaying in his mind. For the first time in a long while, the weight he’d been carrying was gone. He simply felt… at peace.

The rest of the morning passed as usual—emails, paperwork, and meetings. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Jeffrey stepped out of a meeting with the company’s executives just as Christine walked down the corridor. Their eyes met. Without thinking, he reached for her hand before turning to the group.

“By the way… this is Christine Javier, my girlfriend.”

Christine froze. Warmth crept into her cheeks as every pair of eyes shifted toward her. “Hello.” She offered them a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, everyone.”

The executives greeted her warmly, several of them stepping forward to shake her hand. Jeffrey watched the exchange quietly, unable to hide the satisfaction on his face.

One of the executives grinned. “Now I know why Mr. Reyes has been unusually calm lately.”

Laughter rippled through the group. When the laughter faded, Christine excused herself. “I need to go, guys. See you around.”

Their eyes met once more. Jeffrey gave her a small nod. “See you later at lunch.”

“See you.”

Christine made her way back to her office and dropped into her chair. She pressed a hand against her chest, trying to steady the rapid beat of her heart. Girlfriend. Hearing Jeffrey introduce her that way still felt surreal. Whatever fragile wall remained around her heart had quietly fallen away. She stared at her computer, a smile lingering on her lips, completely unaware that the document on her screen had gone unread.

Across the hallway, Jeffrey wrapped up the conversation with the remaining executives, though he barely heard a word they were saying. His thoughts stayed with Christine—the surprise in her eyes, the blush that had spread across her cheeks, and the way her hand had fit so naturally in his. A quiet smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. By noon, he’d checked the time more times than he cared to admit.

The moment the clock struck 12:00 p.m., he stood, rolled up his sleeves, and headed straight for Christine’s office. He didn’t bother knocking. Instead, he leaned against the doorframe, watching her with an expression she immediately recognized.

Christine looked up from her laptop and laughed softly. “You’re a menace, Jeff. My phone has been buzzing all morning.” She shook her head. “Every department keeps asking me the same question.”

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, his grin widening. “And what’s that?”

She folded her arms, trying—and failing—to look serious. “Who is the boss’s new girlfriend?”

“I’ve waited too long to say those words,” he admitted. “I’m not wasting another day pretending you aren’t the most important person in my life.”

She closed her laptop and stood. “You know…” A smile slipped through despite herself. “You really caught me off guard.”

His grin softened. “Are you mad?”

“No.” She reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. “Why would I be?” A quiet laugh escaped her. “But I think you owe me a good lunch for giving me a small heart attack.”

He lifted her hand and pressed a light kiss against it. “My car’s ready to find the best lunch in Makati.”

She raised an eyebrow. “A car? Let’s just walk.”

He laughed. “As you wish.” He opened the door for her. “Lead the way.”

As they walked through the lobby, heads turned in their direction. Quiet whispers followed them all the way to the entrance. Jeffrey gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t mind them. You’re more important than whatever they’re thinking.”

The moment they stepped outside, the warmth of the midday sun greeted them. Christine stopped and turned to him. “So, what do you want for lunch?”

He smiled. “It’s your call. Whatever you’re in the mood for.”

“Well…” She thought for a moment. “I’ve been craving home-cooked food. Do you want to try the carinderia around the corner? They serve really good Filipino dishes.”

“Whatever you like.” He gestured for her to lead the way. “Come on.”

She looked at him with an amused smile. “Have you ever eaten in a carinderia before?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have to admit… I haven’t.”

She laughed softly. “Most of the employees from the building eat there for lunch. It’s a nice place to meet people.” After a brief pause, she added, “The food’s delicious, and it’s affordable.”

“I like the sound of that.”

When they reached the corner, the small carinderia came into view. Modest and unassuming, it was lined with trays of freshly cooked Filipino dishes. A long line of office workers stretched toward the counter, all patiently waiting for their turn.

As they approached, Jeffrey recognized several familiar faces from the office, including some of his own employees. Everyone waited without complaint, chatting as the line slowly moved forward.

Walking beside Christine, he noticed how naturally she fit into the crowd. She greeted people by name, stopped to exchange a few words, and shared an easy laugh before moving along. It was another side of her he hadn’t seen before, and he found himself wanting to know even more about the life she’d built outside the office.

A few employees noticed him and greeted him with surprised smiles.

“Hi, Sir Reyes!” Ken called out. “We didn’t expect to see you here.”

Jeffrey smiled back. “Hi, Ken. Christine’s been telling me the food here is excellent.”

“It is, sir.” Ken laughed. “She wasn’t exaggerating.”

Christine turned toward them. “Oh, hi, Ken. Have you ordered already?”

“Not yet, Ms. Christine.” Ken glanced at the crowd ahead. “It’s busier than usual today.” He stepped aside and gestured toward the front of the line. “Sir Jeffrey, you can go ahead.”

Christine shook her head before Jeffrey could answer. “We’re okay. We’ll wait our turn like everyone else.”

Jeffrey said nothing. He simply smiled as Christine continued chatting with the server. Standing quietly beside her, he watched the easy way she greeted people, remembered their names, and made each conversation feel effortless. It wasn’t just that she knew everyone. She made everyone feel seen.

He smiled to himself. Every day, she gave him another reason to fall in love with her.