LOGINAvery's eyes didn't falter from Ronan's face. And neither did her smile.It just sat there—calm and smug, but edged with something sharper as she lifted her glass and took a slow sip.The doors opened behind them, and heavy, controlled footsteps echoed as a man stepped in with a bottle of rum.Ronan's gaze flicked to it and he scoffed lightly. “You remember." Avery’s lips curled. “By now, you should know you're not that easy to forget."Ronan knew what she meant, but didn't respond. He just watched the man uncork the bottle, pouring the liquid into the empty glass on the table.“Enough." Avery said, and the man stopped immediately, placing the rest of the drink on the table. Then she lifted her glass towards Ronan as the man walked away. “Cheers?" Ronan watched her for a beat. Then with an amused smirk, he lifted his glass and clinked it against hers. They both took a sip at the same time, turning towards the aquarium again.And for a second, they let the silence settle, like they
Solene sat in the private waiting area, her eyes flicking to the arrival board, then back to the time on her phone.‘Calm down, Solene,’ she told herself occasionally, pressing her palm lightly against her handbag resting on her lap.Her Mom’s plane wasn’t due until another hour, but somehow she’d shown up thirty minutes early—like she didn’t have anything else to do with her day.‘I don’t want her to wait too long,’ she’d told herself. And it’d sounded reasonable in her head when the car stopped at the airport and Ronan’s staff ushered her in.Now she had to wait for as long as who knew for her Mom to arrive.Ronan had left earlier to meet up with Micheal, and she’d been stopping herself from thinking too much about the last step leading up the ladder in the fashion industry.Honestly, she’d felt it was a better option speaking directly to Avery, and they’d be able to reason as partial colleagues.But if Ronan thought the best way was to convince Micheal to shove down his pride and s
“You always say that, then you end up not coming again.” “Oh, but I mean it this time.” Vanessa said from the other end. “I miss my granddaughter already. I’m scared she won’t recognize me anymore.”Solene smiled, leaning back in her chair. “Which one?”“Stop it, Solene.” Vanessa laughed. “You know I’m talking about Arianna.” Solène paused, then shook her head lightly. “Yeah…she pretty much won’t know who you are, Mom.” Vanessa gasped dramatically. “I’m on my way right now.” Solene laughed, the evening wind blowing through her hair in the garden where she sat. “I’m waiting.” There was a brief pause, and Solene focused on clicking through her laptop, her eyes moving carefully over the sketches Miss Wells had put together for her next pitch.Then there was a shuffle on her Mom’s end before her voice came through again.“What do you say I come tomorrow?” Solene froze mid-tap, her eyes shifting to her phone resting on the table in front of her.And for a second, she didn’t move. Li
Dinner that night was quiet.Not the uncomfortable kind, but the kind that one could tell something was off. That even the sound of the cutleries barely made a sound as it met the silverware.Well, except for Ari, who has somehow figured she could make little sounds while she drank water. So she carried the cup more times than necessary, just to show she could do it.But none of them really paid attention to it.Ronan just sat back in his chair, his attention fixed on Solene.She was picking at her food, taking small bites and chewing slowly like she wasn’t aware of what she was eating.She hadn’t complained about work, or how tired she was, or even said anything longer than a few words.Which was quite unusual for her.And the longer it lasted, the more his gaze seemed to burn into her skin, but she didn’t seem to mind.“Alright,” he exhaled, leaning into his seat. Both Solene and Ari paused, turning to him.But Ronan kept his eyes on Solene. “You’re quiet,” he said.Solene looked
Solene sat behind her desk, her elbows resting on the polished surface, her fingers locked beneath her jaw as she stared at the screen in front of her.The room was silent—still, like something serious was waiting to happen. But Solene’s face remained neutral, unshaken. Which was ironic compared to the chaos running through her mind as she stared at the email on the screen.Mae stood across from her, a more worried expression on her face as she gently set the iPad in her hand on the desk. “They were one of those who reached out, ma’am,” Mae finally said, breaking the silence.Normally, those words would have thrilled Solene to the bones.Actually, she’d been thrilled when she first saw their mail in her inbox. But with what she was looking at, that excitement was slowly dimming.It felt heavy.“They want a meeting. Initial discussion, nothing binding yet, but—”“I know how it works,” Solene cut in, her voice steady, her eyes still on the screen.Then she paused.“What’s the name?”M
The tension in the boardroom sat heavy—thick enough to notice, uncomfortable enough to avoid.The men around the table conversed in low tones amongst themselves, like they were avoiding speaking directly with Ronan, who sat at the head of the table.Little did they know their time was running out, and the only reason Ronan had stood up and walked out of there was because he’d warned them to only call for a meeting when it was very urgent.His eyes dropped to his wristwatch once more.The man closest to him caught it instantly. He cleared his throat, and the room fell silent instantly.Ronan leaned back slightly, exhaling. “You called this meeting.” “Yes, sir.” The man replied, adjusting his glasses.“What about?” There was a pause.“About the situation with your wife that has been…settled.” He said carefully. “We had a discussion amongst ourselves.” Ronan’s expression didn’t change. Neither did he meet anyone’s gaze.The man exchanged a look with the man beside him like he was reth
Solene sipped her coffee with one hand, her bag clutched in the other as she stepped into the elevator.Her phone vibrated in her bag, and she passed her coffee to Mae, reaching into the bag for it.It was a notification from Hannah.A smile tugged at her lips as she clicked on the message.It had
“If you need anything—anything at all, don’t hesitate to call me.” Her mom said at the door.Solene nodded, her smile as bright as ever. “I will.”Then Vanessa shifted her gaze to Ronan, who stood a little behind, looking worn out. “Ronan dear, please take care of my daughter.”Ronan pulled Solene’
The car drove smoothly along the almost empty road, giving the night the quiet satisfaction it deserved.Ronan sat in the backseat, his eyes fixed to an iPad in his hands as he scrolled leisurely.“And the reservation for tonight?” He asked.“Yes, sir, the—”A scratching sound cut through the line.
“Why didn’t you tell me all of this, and I had to hear it from Hannah?”Solene nearly rolled her eyes. “That’s because I wasn’t bothered about it. Why would I want to burden you with something that’s in my past, Mom?”“And when that past surfaces, is it still the past?” the woman asked on the other







