Page 17 of Strictly Against Policy

The corner of my lips itched to give her a wry smirk. My expression hardened with a tired, exasperated exhale instead. Technically, she hadn’t done anything upsetting professionally.

However, she was still rude, condescending, and got under my skin too easily.

“My apologies. It was my lack of professionalism that caused tension between us,” I said.

My hand was still extended, and she made zero attempts to shake it. Her expression continued to carry no hint of readable emotion.

“Dr. Lee,” I grumbled hoarsely. “I’m sorry.”

“Make it sound more sincere, Dr. Lo,” she pressed with a slow drop of her eyelids into this domineering and frosty exterior.

A thick lump of pride and ego swelled in my chest as I stared into those cold, black depths she called eyes. When it came to her, I always had the desire to win. It didn’t matter whether that meant winning from the top or from underneath—just win.

It wasn’t just because she was rude. It was also because she knew how to push me to the edge. She got under my skin while I blundered and burned with a dislike that might as well be hatred.

But this wasn’t hatred. I could learn to be cordial with Lina Lee, that much was true. I had learned years ago, and I could still do it now.

“Consider accepting my apology, Dr. Lee,” I said with a dry throat.

I tipped my head forward and plastered on a soft smile—one I knew eased most people. We may be two feet apart, but our egos were centimeters from throttling each other. “As I said earlier, I’m sorry. I’m . . . aware of how childish and unprofessional I’ve been, and I apologize for that behavior.”

Lina’s mouth fell open, wide and shaped like an ‘O.’ Shock cracked across her blank face. It was another indication that she wasn’t the mechanical, emotionless shell of a robot I once thought she was.

“Woo, it’s warm in here!” laughed Grace, walking into the break room. Lina and I jumped as she went straight to the locker to take off her scarf. She continued talking without another glance toward us. “Jonathan, thank you for coming in early to turn on the heater and make a fresh pot of coffee. Lina, you’re in quite early, too, aren’t you?”

I hesitated to answer her. “Actually, it was Dr. Lee who did that. I was fixing the doorknob to the janitor’s closet,” I said.

Grace stopped midway through stashing her purse and finally looked at us. Her dark-brown eyes were curious as she peered at Lina. She slowly turned to me, and I knew there were certain thoughts already forming in her head that probably shouldn’t be there. Her bright, warm smile beamed blindingly as she glanced between the two of us again.

“You two came in together?”

“No,” Lina and I answered in unison.

She laughed—almost giddy. “Pour me a cup of that coffee, Jonathan.”

Like a nephew who always listened to his aunt, I grabbed a cup from the cabinet. But I didn’t move to pour her a cup.

“You sure, Grace? Dr. Lee likes her coffee strong and bitter.”

Lina’s jaw tightened despite me pointing out the truth. Her glare at me was just short of daggers plunging into me, and the smile I had on my mouth pulled wider into a grin. Good to know there were micro-emotions seething underneath her perfect composure.

Grace’s smile softened slightly as she said, “No. I think I’m good.”

I smiled. “No problem, Grace. I can go ahead and make you a new batch.”

“Thank you, Jonathan.”

Lina was silent and seemed calm as I tossed the half-filled pot of her coffee down the sink. But the flare of her nose made me grin wider.

She may have her ways of getting under my skin. But so do I.

CHAPTER 10

Lina

Growing up, I was known as the easy child, the youngest of three after an older sister and brother. Raising me was so effortless that, as far as my parents were concerned, I was a child, then suddenly an adult, and now a pharmacist. My parents always loved to say that when they bragged to anyone who’d listened to them. Between my siblings and I, I was the least complicated. The smartest one. The child who never had to be told to be the best.

I kept my head down at home and at school. I kept to myself, doing the only thing I was good at—staying quiet and studying. I never caused trouble or inconvenience to my parents or anyone else.