She's Just... Out of Reach

Soft city light spilled across Alina’s desk, reflecting off the glow of her screens. Files synced quietly, data uploaded, until a single alert blinked in the corner, breaking the stillness.

She leaned forward. Someone had tried to access her private research cloud. It was hidden, encrypted, but not smart enough to go unnoticed.

Her fingers moved fast, tracing the signal until the source appeared: an Atherian IP. Deliberate. Intentional.

Sebastian. Or someone working for him. Probably John, his assistant, the one who always did the digging.

A faint, dry smile curved her lips. "It took you this long to start looking for me?"

She opened another channel and worked quickly, erasing every trace he could follow: the security footage outside the Vaughn estate the night she left, Adam's car picking her up, the flight records to Marlowe. By the time she finished, it was as if she had vanished that night.

Her phone buzzed. Regina.

“You should see this,” the message read.

Alina opened the link. A headline stared back:

“Sebastian Vaughn and Natasha Fairfax: A Power Couple Reunited?”

Beneath it, a glossy photo showed Natasha close to Sebastian, her hand almost touching his arm, both perfectly lit. The story spread quickly across business feeds and social sites. Natasha had acted first, taking the spotlight before Alina's name could surface. The world had never really seen Alina as Sebastian's wife... their "marriage" was little more than signed papers arranged by Arthur, Sebastian's father. Natasha's image was louder, easier to accept, and much more visible than the quiet truth of Alina's tie to him.

Regina's next message appeared: "They look perfect together. Do you want me to say anything? Should we answer?”

Alina held the phone, city lights reflecting in her eyes. "No," she said softly, sipping from her cup. After a moment, she sent her reply: "Let them. I don't care about their headlines. I have my own life to live."

A wave of fatigue hit her, sharp enough to make her grip the desk. It eased after a moment, leaving a faint chill behind.

The door opened quietly. Agnes stepped in with a small tray of fresh fruit, her eyes immediately finding Alina. She set it down carefully and brushed a loose strand of hair from Alina’s face, a quiet gesture of care.

Alina looked up, offering a faint, tired smile. "Thank you," she whispered, fingers hovering over the strawberries. "I lost track of time. Too much to do."

Agnes lingered, her gaze soft. "You work too much. Even the strongest things can break if you keep pushing."

Alina smiled slightly. “I’m used to carrying the weight,” she murmured.

Agnes hummed softly, neither agreeing nor arguing. “Just remember, everything has its limit.”

Alina nodded, and Agnes stepped back, leaving a quiet comfort in the room.

Outside, Marlowe hummed with life, cars honking, voices echoing, lights flickering unaware of the quiet focus Alina carried. Inside, she worked precisely, sorting through her past one piece at a time.

Back in Atheria, John set a tablet on Sebastian's desk, his jaw tight. "Every trace is gone. Cameras that night? Wiped clean. Car records? Empty. Flight logs? None. It's like she disappeared."

Sebastian leaned back, drumming his fingers. "Too clean, too fast," he muttered. "How could she vanish so completely? She was supposed to be just... a housewife."

"Housewife?" John repeated, surprised. "Sir, she covered everything. Every detail. It's precise. Surgical."

Sebastian's jaw tightened. "Either she had help or she's more capable than I thought."

The door opened. Natasha stepped in, heels clicking. She wore a sleek dress with a high slit, hair over one shoulder. "Talking about her again?" she asked lightly, charm laced with challenge.

Sebastian didn't answer, eyes fixed on the city outside.

Crossing the room with her phone, she teased, "You work too much, Sebastian. Come out tonight. Dinner at Orval's. Your name's everywhere already."

He stayed silent.

Natasha tilted her head, playful, voice dropping just enough to tease. “Then let her hide. The world already thinks we’re together. Haven’t we been?” She brushed her fingers lightly against his arm, letting her gaze linger.

Sebastian finally spoke, his voice calm but sharp. "This isn't about the press. She's not gone, she's just... out of reach." His eyes met hers briefly, unyielding, challenging her to read more into it.

"Out of reach?" Natasha's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Or are you afraid of not finding her?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he picked up his phone and dialed her number. Dead. Blocked. He tried again. Same result.

Natasha smiled, sly and confident. "Blocked. Charming. Maybe she's not worth chasing after all."

Sebastian's gaze stayed distant. "It's not about worth. It's about control. And she... has taken it all."

“She really is clever,” Natasha whispered. “Who wipes every trace like that? Shows up, disappears like smoke?”

“And you?” he asked, calm but sharp. “You parade for the cameras, trying to be seen, playing the part.”

Natasha tilted her chin. “Better seen than hidden, don’t you think?”

He didn’t answer, only watched the city lights.

Later, leaving Vaughn Enterprises, Natasha moved closer, fingers brushing his sleeve as camera flashes popped. "Oh... I didn't expect them," she murmured, eyes flicking to him. Her pause seemed nervous, almost innocent, but every move drew attention.

Sebastian didn't slow down. His hand briefly touched hers, a silent acknowledgment.

The cameras clicked. Natasha leaned in slightly, appearing caught off guard, though every move was planned. Sebastian stayed calm, distant, in control.

As the car door closed, Natasha's polite smile returned. "Let's go," she murmured, fingers resting on his arm for a moment, testing the closeness that remained.

He didn't respond, but he didn't pull away.

Behind them, the flashes continued, shaping the story for the world.

Back in Marlowe, Alina let out a slow breath, her eyes on the city lights. A sharp wave of tiredness hit her, but she ignored it and went back to work.

No matter what Sebastian wanted or what Natasha planned, they couldn’t touch her. Quietly, steadily, her life was beginning to change and for the first time in a long while, she felt it could be for the better.