She was asleep beside him.Joana.Breathing softly, her hair tangled in the pillow, arm draped over his chest like she belonged there.But she didn’t.God, she never did.Jayden lay still, staring at the ceiling like it was mocking him. Every breath he took was shallow not because of her warmth pressed to his side, but because he wished it wasn’t her at all.He blinked once. Twice. Trying to erase the image in his mind.But it came anyway Maya.Maya, with that stupid little laugh when she was nervous. Maya, biting her bottom lip when she was deep in thought. Maya, falling asleep on his chest in the backseat of her mom’s old car because they missed the last bus home.“Damn it...” he muttered under his breath.She used to trust him. With her whole heart.Her only rule just one.“No sex until we’re married,” she had said, holding his face in her palms. “That’s all I ask. Don’t break it.”He had nodded. Smiled. Promised her.And then he’d gone and broken it anyway.For what? For someone
The room was steeped in shadows. Not the kind born from a flickering bulb or a power cut but the kind chosen deliberately. The drapes were drawn. The only light came from a dying cigar tip, glowing like a heartbeat in the dark. A voice, smooth as aged wine and colder than ice, slipped through the silence. “It’s been so many years since the incident…” A long pause. Smoke curled lazily to the ceiling. Silence again. “…How about I pay my darling mother a visit?” Another pause then a soft, almost amused chuckle. “She won’t even know what hit her.” He leaned forward, revealing nothing. Only the dim gleam of his rings, a faint silhouette moving from leather to marble. There was no rush. No thunder. Just quiet intent. A coat was picked up. Glass doors slid open. He stepped into the light of a waiting car. And the city swallowed him whole. --- The afternoon was uneventful. Quiet. Too quiet. She stirred her tea in slow circles, her gold bracelet clinking against the fine china. Ou
The room had quieted, but tension lingered in the air like mist.Nathaniel sat at the head of the polished conference table, fingers interlaced, gaze forward. He wasn’t speaking. Just watching.Across the room, Gael leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, flashing that same smug smile that had been testing boundaries since the meeting began. He had come in too confident, too casual for the setting as if he knew something everyone else didn’t.Maya sat beside Nathan, notebook open, pen poised, every movement precise. She didn’t speak unless addressed. But she noticed it the way Gael’s eyes kept drifting toward her, lingering too long, like a child pressing their hand too close to a flame. She didn’t meet his gaze. She didn’t flinch. But the chill in her spine said everything.Nathan said nothing. Still watching.The discussion had shifted from numbers to logistics. The team from the hosting firm this state’s prestigious developers. was nodding along, clearly impressed
He’s going on blind dates.”Sophie blinked, sitting up straighter, her blanket falling slightly from her shoulders. “Wait what? Who?”Maya didn’t answer right away. Her eyes were focused on something behind the screen, as if she were still standing outside that hotel door, still hearing the muffled voices through the wood.“Maya,” Sophie’s voice pulled her gently back. “Who did you say?”Maya’s voice was a whisper. “Boss Nathan.”Sophie’s mouth opened slightly. “Oh.”A soft silence settled between them.Maya sank down into the hotel chair beside the window, one leg curled beneath her. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” she said. “I really didn’t. I was just about to knock, like the hotel manager asked, but then I heard Jason’s voice. He was on a video call with him. They were laughing a little… and then it turned quiet. Jason said something like, ‘You need to try again. Give someone else a chance.’” Her voice lowered. “And Boss Nathan didn’t argue. He just… agreed.”Sophie stared at her fo
Dinner time came with the soft ringing of Maya’s hotel phone. She’d just finished freshening up, her thoughts still lingering on the plane ride, the weight of Nathan’s gaze, the quiet moment they’d shared. Something about the way he’d said “It’s nice… having you here” kept looping in her mind, no matter how much she told herself it meant nothing. The call came from the hotel’s front desk. “Good evening, Ms. Brooks. Dinner for our corporate guests will be served shortly. We were wondering… would you be kind enough to inform Mr. Hawthorne? The hotel staff thought it might be more comfortable coming from a familiar face.” Maya blinked. “Oh. Uh, sure. I can do that.” “Wonderful. No rush, just whenever you’re ready.” She hung up and sat there for a second, smoothing the edge of her dress. It wasn’t anything fancy—a sleek, deep green dress with cap sleeves and a slim belt—but it was still more formal than her usual work attire. She’d worn it just in case dinner turned out to be anythin
After that little moment, silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t awkward. It felt softer, like a calm before the storm. Maya adjusted her seatbelt and sat up straighter, fingers curling slightly around the folder in her lap. She peeked sideways, unsure if she should speak again or just let it all fade like a passing cloud. “We should probably review these before we land,” she said finally, her voice low, professional, almost too careful. Nathan didn’t move immediately. His gaze had drifted back out the window, where clouds had begun to break apart to reveal the city lights glowing beneath them. Then he turned slightly, just enough for their eyes to meet again. “You know,” he said quietly, “it’s nice… having you here.” Maya blinked, lips parting slightly. “What do you mean?” He shrugged lightly, not breaking eye contact. “It’s been a tough few weeks. Having someone who actually cares, who’s real....it’s... different.” Her heart gave a small thud. She wasn’t sure how t