Chapter 5

The rest of the day passed in a haze, but my mind was stuck in a loop, replaying Drew’s piercing gaze as he walked away. His eyes had spoken volumes, even if his lips stayed sealed. I could still feel the chill of his unspoken accusation, as though my mere interaction with Max was some kind of betrayal.

Max, ever observant, had noticed my distraction. He insisted on walking me to my car after work, claiming it was “just to catch up,” but I suspected he had picked up on the lingering tension from Drew’s appearance.

“So,” Max started, leaning casually against my car, “is it always that intense between you two, or was today just special?”

I hesitated, fumbling with my keys as I avoided his gaze. “Drew’s just... complicated,” I said, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “He’s not really the kind of person who lets people in.”

Max tilted his head, his expression softening. “And yet, you’re working for him.”

“It’s complicated,” I repeated, but the words felt hollow. Was it really complicated, or was I just making excuses for Drew’s behavior?

Max studied me, his dark eyes probing for answers I wasn’t ready to give. “You deserve better than complicated, Lila. You deserve someone who knows what they want and isn’t afraid to show it.”

His words hit deeper than I wanted to admit, and for a moment, I considered telling him everything; about the pregnancy, the night with Drew, the constant push and pull that left me reeling. But something held me back.

Instead, I gave him a small, weary smile. “Thanks, Max. I’ll keep that in mind.”

As I slid into the driver’s seat, Max crouched beside the door, his expression soft but earnest. “You’re not alone, Lila. Whatever’s going on, you don’t have to handle it by yourself.”

I nodded, his words wrapping around me like a warm blanket. But as comforting as his presence was, it didn’t erase the gnawing uncertainty inside me.

That night, I lay awake, staring at the ceiling as the events of the day replayed in my mind. Max’s sincerity, Drew’s coldness, the way my heart had twisted when their gazes met, it all swirled together in a chaotic storm of emotions.

I didn’t know what I wanted. Or maybe I did, but I was too afraid to admit it.

The faint buzz of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. I reached for it on the nightstand, my heart skipping a beat when I saw Drew’s name on the screen.

Drew: We need to talk. Tomorrow morning, my office.

That was it. No greeting, no explanation, just a command. Typical Drew.

I stared at the message, my chest tightening. What did he want to talk about? Was it about Max?

Sleep was impossible after that.

The next morning, I arrived at the hotel earlier than usual. Sleep had eluded me all night, and my mind buzzed with thoughts of Drew, Max, and the unspoken tension that seemed to weave through every interaction.

I barely had time to settle into my desk when Drew’s voice cut through the quiet. “Lila, my office. Now.”

His tone was clipped, all business, but something in it made my stomach twist. I hurried to his office, my nerves already frayed.

When I stepped inside, Drew was standing by the window, his back to me. The morning sunlight framed his tall figure, highlighting the sharp lines of his shoulders. He didn’t turn as I closed the door behind me.

“You wanted to see me?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He finally turned, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine. “We need to review the guest list for the investors’ dinner next week,” he said, his tone impassive.

I nodded, relieved that it was just work. “Of course. I’ll pull up the list.”

But as I moved toward the chair opposite his desk, I felt his gaze linger on me. It wasn’t just the usual scrutiny; it was sharper, more focused, like he was searching for something.

“Who was that man yesterday?” he asked suddenly, his voice casual but laced with an undercurrent I couldn’t place.

The question caught me off guard, and I froze mid-step. “What?”

He leaned against the edge of his desk, his arms crossed. “The man you were speaking to in the lobby. You seemed... close.”

My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly masked my surprise. “That’s Max,” I said cautiously. “He’s an old friend.”

Drew’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes asomething I couldn’t quite decipher.

“An old friend,” he repeated, the words rolling off his tongue like he was testing them. “He seemed very interested in you.”

I frowned, unsure of where this was going. “Max is just catching up. It’s been years since we last saw each other.”

Drew’s gaze was unwavering, his calm tone belying the tension I could feel crackling in the air. “He didn’t strike me as someone who simply ‘catches up.’”

I stared at him, confusion turning into irritation. “Why do you care, Drew?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. “Why does it matter who I talk to or who’s in my life?”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately. For a moment, the room was filled with heavy silence, the kind that made it hard to breathe.

When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost too calm. “It doesn’t. I was simply making an observation.”

But the way his eyes bore into mine told a different story. There was something simmering beneath the surface, something he wasn’t saying, and it made my skin prickle.

“Then maybe you should keep your observations to yourself,” I snapped, my frustration boiling over. “Because I don’t owe you an explanation for anything, Drew.”

His lips twitched, like he was fighting a smirk, but his eyes remained cold. “Noted,” he said, his voice like steel.

I stood there, the tension between us thick and suffocating. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to scream at him or demand answers, but before I could decide, the door opened.

Drew’s secretary stepped in, her expression apologetic. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Sinclair,” she said, glancing between us. “But a package just arrived for Lila. I thought she might want to know.”

Drew’s eyes flicked to her, his irritation barely concealed. “Thank you, Rachel. That will be all.”

Rachel nodded quickly and left, leaving the door slightly ajar.

“I’ll... go check on that,” I said, seizing the opportunity to escape.

Drew didn’t respond, but as I turned to leave, I could feel his gaze burning into my back, like he was trying to pin me in place with sheer force of will.

I reached the front desk, my mind still tangled with the interaction with Drew. The delivery guy handed me a bouquet, its delicate petals peeking from the wrapping. I glanced at him, confused. "This is for me?"

"Yep," he nodded. "You’ll see who it’s from on the note."

I took the flowers from him, my curiosity piqued. As I signed for the delivery, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me. There was something about receiving flowers that felt... strange. I tucked the note beneath the bouquet, eager to see who would send me something like this.

As I turned to walk away, I felt my heart beat faster. The weight of Drew’s cold gaze seemed to follow me like a shadow, lingering in my thoughts. But I shook it off, focusing instead on the envelope.

My fingers fumbled with the envelope as I tried to retrieve the note to see who the flowers came from but before I could make sense of it, I walked right into something solid.

I stumbled back, the bouquet slipping from my hands. “Oh!” I gasped, startled. My heart raced as I looked up to see Drew standing in front of me, his eyes locked on the flowers in my hands.

“I didn’t see you there,” I muttered, reaching down for the bouquet.

But Drew didn’t move. His gaze was focused on the flowers, and then it shifted to the note I was clutching. Before I could stop him, his hand shot out, taking the note from me. I went for it, but he held it out of my reach, his expression unreadable.

“What’s this?” he asked, his voice a little too calm, a little too distant.

“Drew, give it back,” I demanded, my pulse quickening.

His lips tightened into a thin line as his eyes scanned through the note, he looked at it as if it held some secret I wasn’t aware of. I could feel my frustration rising, and the longer he stood there, the more I wanted to snatch it from him.

But he didn’t move. Instead, his gaze flickered back to me, the quiet tension between us thicker than ever.

And then, just as quickly as it had all begun, the silence stretched out between us, unbearable. Drew held the note, but something in his posture, his stillness told me that he wasn't happy with what he just read.