"Good day, Mr. Kan Kim. I'm Cherry, Ma'am Melissa's assistant."

"Good day, Miss Beautiful," he replied with an easy smile.

Cherry blushed faintly and cleared her throat. "Um... Mr. Kan, Ma'am Melissa lost her voice after the shock of losing her parents. She can't speak, and-" she glanced down at his file- "it says here you haven't done this kind of work before."

"You mean your boss is dumb? Like dumb and deaf? Dumb!" he laughed.

The room went silent. Everyone stared at him, shocked by his audacity.

Shut up, idiot. I'm not dumb. I just lost my voice, Melissa thought bitterly. If I could speak, I'd say things to this man that would make him wish he were never born.

"All the same, Miss, you're still dumb," Kan said aloud, his eyes glinting.

Melissa's head snapped up. What? He can hear my thoughts? Is he also a special human like me?

"Of course I'm special," Kan said smoothly. "But not like you humans who think like chickens."

"Excuse me?" Cherry spoke sharply, breaking the tension.

Kan blinked, realizing too late that he'd spoken his thoughts aloud. "Oh-sorry, Miss Beautiful."

Cherry blushed again. Melissa rolled her eyes. What an annoying jerk.

"The Moon Goddess should have made you deaf too," Kan muttered with a laugh.

Everyone gasped.

"Mr. Kan!" Cherry exclaimed, holding her face in her hands.

"Hahaha, I was only joking, Miss Beautiful!" Kan chuckled.

"GET OUT!"

The command rang out like a thunderclap. The maids and Cherry froze, staring at Melissa. She had spoken. Her voice, silent for so long, had returned.

Kan brushed invisible dust from his trousers and grinned, already walking toward the door. "Finally," he murmured. "Back to the heavens."

"Ma'am... you just spoke. Please-say something again!" Cherry pleaded.

Melissa shook her head. No sound came. Cherry's excitement deflated into sadness.

"Ma'am, what if you... employed him?" Cherry's voice trembled. "He isn't ordinary. He might be able to help you speak again. Look at what just happened."

Melissa hesitated, then used her hands to sign her response. What if it doesn't work?

"Please, Ma'am. Let's just try."

Melissa exhaled and nodded.

Kan, meanwhile, was muttering to himself. "Thank you, Moon Goddess. This human is rude and annoying. I can't wait to return to the sky. I miss everything... even my wolf. Don't worry, Kim-I'm coming back home soon." He pulled a shimmering leaf from his pocket and smiled.

Flashback

"Please, Moon Goddess, how am I supposed to help her find love? What am I, a Cupid?" Kan had groaned.

"Enough, Kan. Stop acting childish," the Moon Goddess said firmly. "Take this leaf. If it burns, it means you're staying to complete your mission. If it stays green, you'll return home."

"Thank you, Moon Goddess," Kan said, bowing as he accepted the leaf.

End Flashback

Kan glanced at the leaf again, its edges beginning to glow.

Kan smiled faintly as he pulled the leaf from his pocket. Closing his eyes, he held it tightly. Suddenly, heat seared his palm. His eyes snapped open-the leaf was burning.

"Oh, Moon Goddess... please, don't do this to me," he muttered desperately.

But the flame consumed the leaf, leaving nothing but ash that slipped through his fingers.

"Mr. Kan, please wait!" Cherry's voice called. She ran toward him, panting, her cheeks flushed. "Sorry about earlier, Mr. Kan... but you are qualified for the job."

Kan scoffed, his jaw tightening. "Seriously? The Moon Goddess must be joking with me."

"Mr. Kan, aren't you happy? Please, don't reject this offer. If you want, I can even talk to my boss about doubling your payment."

He studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine. I'll stay. But only because of you, Miss Beautiful." With a mischievous grin, he pinched her cheek.

Cherry's face turned scarlet, red like ripe tomatoes.

The Next Day

Melissa

It annoyed me to no end that I had allowed that man to work for me. All the maids behaved as if he had cast a spell on them. Worse, he could read my thoughts, while I couldn't read his. Is he also a special being like me? I kept asking myself.

I couldn't even rest properly the night before because he kept responding to my thoughts in real time. It was infuriating.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" Cherry tapped my shoulder gently.

I gave a small nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Breakfast is ready," she said with a smile.

"Okay."

We went downstairs. A maid entered carrying a tray of food and juices. She carefully set the plates on the table, then poured juice for Cherry and me. When she turned to Kan, however, she deliberately spilled the juice onto his shirt.

"Oh! Sorry, sir. It was a mistake," she said coyly.

"It's fine," Kan replied with a smile.

The maid quickly reached for a napkin and began wiping his shirt, her movements slow, her blouse conveniently low. She made sure he had a clear view of her cleavage.

Wow... he has such nice abs and a soft body, she thought to herself.

Kan's lips curved upward-he had already read her mind.

My blood boiled. Hearing her thoughts made me furious, but what angered me more was the way Kan seemed to be enjoying her little act.

I snatched the pen and paper beside me and scribbled quickly. When the maid finished dabbing at his shirt, I handed her the note.

Her face drained as she read it. She fell to her knees. "Ma'am, please don't fire me! I didn't mean it-I swear! Please, Ma'am, I don't want to lose my job."

"You should have thought about that before trying to flirt in front of me," I wrote coldly, refusing to look at her.

I continued eating my food as though she didn't exist.

Moments later, two security guards entered. Without hesitation, they escorted her out of the mansion.

After breakfast, Cherry pulled out her notepad and began reading the day's schedule.

"Ma'am, you have an appointment with your lawyer at 2:00 p.m. Also-" she turned to Kan- "I've prepared a speech for you. There's an event tonight, and you'll be speaking on behalf of Ma'am Melissa."

"Copy that," Kan said casually.

Cherry handed him the papers. "Here, go through it. We'll leave you to study so you won't be distracted. Any questions, Mr. Kan?"

"Nope, Miss Beautiful," he replied with a teasing smile.

Annoying jerk, Melissa cursed silently.

"I know, right," Kan answered out loud, chuckling.

Melissa's eyes narrowed.

"One last thing, Kan," Cherry added. "A designer will arrive later to take your measurements."

"No problem, Miss Beautiful." He winked, making Cherry's cheeks heat slightly.

Later That Evening

Melissa descended the grand staircase with effortless grace. She wore a sleek black, V-neck, backless gown that shimmered beneath the lights. Her hair was swept into a neat ponytail, baring the elegant curve of her nape. Silver heels clicked softly against the marble, her matching purse glinting in her hand. She had applied only the lightest touch of makeup-simple, clean, and stunning.

"You look beautiful tonight," Kan said sincerely.

Melissa's cheeks warmed. Thanks, she mouthed.

"You're welcome, Beautiful," he said smoothly.

"Ehmm... ehmm." Cherry cleared her throat, trying to mask her fluster. "Ma'am, the car is ready."

Someone's jealous, Melissa thought with a faint smile.

Kan chuckled under his breath, already having read her mind. Cherry glanced between them, confused, unaware of the silent conversation flowing above her head.

Within fifty minutes, they arrived at her late father's music company-now hers. The building loomed with banners and spotlights; the air buzzed with cameras and murmurs. Melissa's palms grew clammy, her nerves tightening.

Cherry noticed instantly. "Ma'am, don't worry. Everything is fine. I won't let anyone harm you."

Melissa squeezed her hand gratefully. Thanks, Cherry.

"No problem, Ma'am."

Kan reached for Melissa's other hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm here too, Beautiful."

She chuckled softly, inhaling deeply before stepping out of the car.

The moment her heels touched the red carpet, a swarm of reporters surged forward. Microphones and cameras surrounded her as voices overlapped, each trying to outshout the other.

"Miss Williams, is it true you've lost your ability to speak?"

"Does this mean you'll never sing again?"

"Ma'am, is it true you suffered memory loss after your parents' accident?"

The flood of questions pressed against her like a wave she couldn't escape. Melissa's heart hammered in her chest. She longed to answer, but no words came.

Cherry and Kan quickly flanked her, shielding her from the crowd. With firm gestures, they pushed through the chaos until the three of them slipped inside the safety of the building.