ANMELDEN(Amara)Rita’s questions keep coming one after another, each one digging deeper beneath my skin until I can barely sit still anymore.Not because of what she’s asking.But because every second feels dangerously close to exposure.To the truth.To my real identity.And right now, I can’t afford that.Not with Rayner sitting here.If Rayner hears the truth like this, then I’m sure he’s not going to like it.He’s going to think, once again, that I lied to him.That even after he asked me about my identity, I still hid the truth from him.And I can’t let him think of me that way.He still doesn’t understand everything yet. None of them do. So this isn’t the right time for any of this to come out.I have to say something. Anything.Because Rita’s only asking these questions because she doesn’t know anything yet. I still haven’t revealed who I really am to any of them.I squeeze my eyes shut when Rita starts talking about being worried I’ll get hurt. My chest tightens painfully and I inhale
(Rayner)“I’ve told you already, haven’t I? I’m okay with it.”I keep my eyes on the road as I say it, one hand resting lazily against the steering wheel while the other taps lightly beside me.Beside me, Stefan exhales heavily.“But I’m not okay with it.”I laugh softly at the frustration in his voice.“There’s nothing you can do about it now. I’m already driving.”His face twists again, still unable to recover from the shock of seeing me behind the wheel instead of seated quietly in the back while Hugo drove.For the past month, that had become normal.Me in the back seat.Him beside me.Silence.Work.Schedules.Meetings.Routine.Now I’m the one driving and Stefan looks like the world is ending because of it.Another sigh leaves him.“But—“ he pauses before adding, “this still doesn’t make sense.”“Let it go, Stefan.”I cut him off gently before he can start another lecture.“It’s been a long time since I drove myself anywhere. Since hiring Hugo, I’ve done nothing except relax in
(Amara)My fingers tighten around each other as I pace around my office.Back and forth.Back and forth.Worried. Tensed.The moment my office door opens and Maya steps in, I spin around immediately.“Maya…”She walks straight to me and reaches for my hand.“Maya, he’s here. Rayner’s here. He saw me.” My words tumble out too quickly. “He saw me.”“Relax, Amara. You need to calm down.”“Relax?” I pull my hands away from hers and stare at her in disbelief. “How can I relax?”I drag a hand through my hair.“How can I relax when…”My words suddenly die off as another thought crashes into my head.I turn back to face her fully, eyes widening.“What if he starts asking questions?” I whisper. “What if he tries to find out how I’m here? Why I’m here? Or what I’m even doing here?”A shaky breath leaves me.“I’m worried, Maya. He might end up finding out that I lied again. That I…”“And why are you even bothered about that?”Her question slices through my panic so sharply that I go still.“You’
(Rayner)She pulls herself away from my arms immediately.The warmth leaves me too fast.My hands loosen around her waist as she steadies herself properly on her feet. For one second, my fingers almost tighten again instinctively, pulling her back before she fully slips away from me.But I stop myself.“My apologies,” she says quickly, avoiding my eyes at first. “I didn’t see you coming.”I don’t answer immediately.I just stand there staring at her.God.She looks different.Or maybe I’m the one seeing her differently now.My eyes drift over her face slowly. Her lips. Her soft skin. The brightness in her eyes. Even the way her lashes flutter lightly under my stare feels painfully familiar.Too familiar.Like my body still remembers her — every detail of her presence after thirty-five days apart.Then a hand nudges my arm.I snap out of it instantly.“Ah… y-yeah.” I clear my throat quickly. “It’s fine. Mistakes happen.”Silence falls.Neither of us looks away.The hallway suddenly fee
(Rayner)Minutes pass. Then days. Then weeks.And somehow, just like that, it has already been thirty-five days.Thirty-five days since Amara left.Thirty-five days since she returned home.Thirty-five days since—A knock lands against my office door, pulling me out of my thoughts.“Come in.”The door opens immediately and Stefan steps inside with hurried movements, an iPad clutched tightly against his chest.“Sir,” he says quickly, placing it on my desk. “Here’s your meeting schedule you asked to see.”I stare at him for a moment before exhaling softly and leaning back into my chair.“Thanks.”The screen glows beneath my fingers as I scroll through the list absentmindedly. Meetings. Investors. Contracts. Numbers.None of it has felt important lately.A silence settles between us before I finally look up at him.“It’s been a month since you started working as my P.A, right?”Stefan blinks before nodding quickly.“Yes, sir.” A nervous chuckle slips out of him. “It’s all thanks to you t
(Amara)ONE MONTH LATERA knock lands softly on my office door and I lift my gaze immediately.Nathan stands there.The moment our eyes meet, a smile spreads across his face as he walks inside.“You’ve been working too hard, Amara.” He shuts the door behind him. “Why not give yourself a little break?”A tired sigh leaves me as I gather the scattered files across my desk.“I have to finish this presentation,” I mutter. “You know how important this project is to me.”“Yes,” he drags the word knowingly. “I know exactly how important it is. Everyone feels like this when they’re given their first real project to prove themselves.”He pauses.Something softer settles into his expression.“But you shouldn’t let work consume you completely.” His brows furrow slightly. “You even left the house without having breakfast again.”I still.The words hit harder than they should.Because he’s right.For the past month, my life has become nothing but work. Endless files. Late nights. Cold coffee. Head
(Rayner)The tension in the room thickens as the door clicks shut behind us.For a moment, neither of us speaks.“I’ll take the couch,” I say finally, clearing my throat. “You can sleep on the bed.”“Yeah.” She nods and walks over to sit on the mattress.I drop my coat on the chair and head straigh
(Amara)I’m lying on my bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, but I’m not really seeing it. My mind keeps replaying Rayner’s question.“You’ve never been to Switzerland?”The way he looked at me when he said it. Not casual. Not random. Assessing. Like he was waiting for something. Like he already knew so
(Rayner)I watch her from behind as she walks into the kitchen.I knew she wouldn’t say no.Honestly, I hadn’t expected her to agree either. I only tried my luck. Yet here she is, tying the apron around her waist, moving around my kitchen like she belongs here.And I stand there, pretending my arm
(Amara)I catch him staring at me several times as I drive.Out of the corner of my eye, I see it. That steady gaze.Even I’m still shocked that I offered to drive him home.What were you thinking, Amara?I almost grin at myself, but I keep my expression calm. He doesn’t need to see the chaos in my







