The Fallout

Chapter 6: The Fallout

Rose didn’t realize she had stopped breathing until she saw her.

Sophia stood a few steps away, her expression calm—too calm—but her eyes said everything. She had seen it. Every second of it.

The almost kiss.

The closeness.

The hesitation that should have never existed.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Rose felt her chest tighten, her thoughts scattering all at once. She stepped back instinctively, putting distance between herself and Jason like it could erase what had just happened.

It couldn’t.

“Jason,” Sophia said softly.

Her voice wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be.

It carried.

Jason didn’t respond immediately. His jaw tightened slightly, but his expression remained controlled, unreadable—as always.

Sophia took a few steps closer, her heels clicking softly against the floor. Her gaze shifted briefly to Rose, scanning her in a way that felt polite on the surface… but wasn’t.

Not really.

Then she looked back at Jason.

“I’ve been looking for you,” she said.

Simple words.

But there was something underneath them. Something sharp.

Rose swallowed, suddenly very aware of how this looked. How wrong it looked.

“I should go,” she said quickly.

Her voice came out steadier than she expected, but inside, everything felt off balance.

She turned, ready to walk away, to escape the situation before it got worse—

“Stay.”

Jason’s voice stopped her.

Rose froze.

For a second, she didn’t turn back. She didn’t want to. She didn’t want to be part of whatever this was.

But slowly, she faced them again.

Sophia’s eyes were on her now.

There was no smile this time.

“Is there something I should know?” Sophia asked.

Her tone was calm, composed. Not accusing.

Which somehow made it worse.

Rose opened her mouth, then closed it again. What was she supposed to say?

That her boss had just kissed her?

That she didn’t even understand why it happened?

That she hadn’t stopped it fast enough?

Her throat felt dry.

“It’s not what you think,” Jason said.

Sophia let out a quiet breath, almost like a small laugh—but there was no amusement in it.

“Then what is it?” she asked.

Jason didn’t answer immediately.

And that silence…

That was enough.

Sophia nodded slowly, as if she had already drawn her own conclusion.

Then she stepped closer to him—close enough to make a point.

“You should be careful,” she said quietly, glancing at Rose again. “People might misunderstand.”

The words were polite.

But the message was clear.

Rose felt something twist in her chest.

Misunderstand?

Was that what this was?

She straightened slightly, forcing herself to speak.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Both of them looked at her.

Rose kept her expression neutral, even though her heart was still racing.

“This was unprofessional,” she continued. “It won’t happen again.”

Jason’s gaze snapped to her, sharper this time.

“Rose—”

But she didn’t let him finish.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Carter.”

The way she said his name—formal, distant—hung in the air for a second.

Jason went still.

Sophia, however, seemed satisfied.

Rose didn’t wait for a response.

She turned and walked away.

She didn’t stop until she was outside.

The cool night air hit her face, but it didn’t calm her down. If anything, it made everything feel more real.

Her steps slowed.

Then stopped.

Rose pressed a hand against her forehead, letting out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.

“What was that…?” she muttered to herself.

The kiss replayed in her mind.

Too clear.

Too close.

And the worst part?

She hadn’t pushed him away immediately.

That bothered her more than anything else.

A sharp wave of frustration hit her.

At him.

At herself.

At the entire situation.

“Of course,” she said quietly, almost bitterly. “Of course he’s engaged.”

It made sense now.

The confidence. The control. The way he carried himself like nothing could touch him.

Why wouldn’t he be?

And yet…

He still kissed her.

Rose let out a short, disbelieving breath.

“Unbelievable.”

She wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling tired.

This wasn’t what she signed up for.

Not the tension.

Not the confusion.

Definitely not whatever this was between her and Jason.

She needed to set boundaries.

Clear ones.

No more mixed signals.

No more moments like that.

Just work.

That’s all it was supposed to be.

“Rose.”

She closed her eyes briefly.

Of course he followed her.

Slowly, she turned around.

Jason stood a few steps away, his expression serious.

For once, he didn’t look completely in control.

“What?” she asked.

Her tone was sharper now. Guarded.

Jason walked closer.

“We need to talk.”

Rose shook her head immediately.

“No, we don’t.”

“Yes, we do.”

“About what?” she shot back. “About how you’re engaged? Or about how you conveniently forgot to mention it?”

Jason’s jaw tightened.

“It’s not like that.”

Rose let out a short laugh.

“It never is, right?”

He stepped closer again, closing the distance between them.

“Listen to me.”

“No,” she said firmly, taking a step back. “You listen to me.”

That caught him off guard.

For a second, he didn’t interrupt.

Rose held his gaze, her emotions finally slipping through.

“I work for you,” she said. “That’s it. That’s all this is supposed to be.”

Jason didn’t say anything.

“That kiss?” she continued, her voice quieter now but just as firm. “It shouldn’t have happened.”

A pause.

Then—

“It didn’t mean nothing.”

The words came from him quickly. Too quickly.

Rose felt her chest tighten again.

But she shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter what it meant,” she said. “It was wrong.”

Jason ran a hand through his hair, frustration flickering across his face.

“Rose—”

“Don’t,” she cut in.

Her voice wasn’t loud, but it stopped him.

From now on, we keep this professional,” she said.

Her eyes didn’t leave his.

“Strictly work.”

Jason looked at her for a long moment.

Something unreadable passed through his expression.

Then—

He reached for her wrist.

Just like before.

But this time, Rose reacted immediately.

She pulled back.

“Don’t,” she said again, softer now—but final.

The air between them felt different.

Not just tense.

Closed.

Jason’s hand dropped slowly to his side.

Rose took a step back.

“I mean it,” she added. “Stay away from me, Mr. Carter.”

The formality hit harder this time.

And she knew he felt it.

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.

Jason didn’t follow her this time.

But Rose could feel it—

This wasn’t over.

Not even close.