Chapter 18

‎On their way driving, no one spoke. The silence in the car stretched, thick and heavy, lingering like a fog between them. Claire stared out the window for a while, her thoughts lost somewhere between curiosity and hesitation. Eventually, she broke the silence.

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‎“Sir, you said you wanted to talk about work,” she said, her voice soft but clear as she turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face for answers he hadn’t yet given.

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‎“I’ll tell you tomorrow,” he replied, his tone distant, almost cold. He kept his eyes on the road, but couldn’t resist a glance in her direction. Her expression shifted, expectation flickered in her gaze, then faded into something unreadable. Something he couldn’t quite grasp.

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‎A few minutes later, they pulled up in front of Claire’s apartment building. He brought the car to a stop and switched off the engine.

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‎“We’re here,” he said, his voice lower now, quieter.

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‎“Thanks for the ride, sir,” she replied, her eyes meeting his. The hardness in his green eyes had softened slightly, and she noticed.

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‎“It’s nothing,” he murmured, watching as she quickly reached for her seatbelt.

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‎“Why are you rushing?” he asked, a faint chuckle escaping him. He knew exactly what she was doing, trying to put space between them, maybe not wanted what happened in this morning repeat itself.

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‎“Nothing, sir,” she replied quickly, managing to unbuckle her seatbelt. She pushed the door open and stepped out into the night air.

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‎“Bye, sir,” she said with a small smile before walking toward her apartment.

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‎He stayed there for a moment, watching her figure as it disappeared up the steps and into the building. A quiet sigh escaped him.

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‎Why was he so drawn to her? Why did her presence unsettle him in a way no one else’s did?

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‎Shaking his head, he started the engine again and drove off into the night, questions still lingering in his mind.

‎When Claire reached their apartment floor, she walked down the quiet hallway, the soft thud of her heels echoing against the walls. She approached their door, unlocked it, and stepped inside, finally allowing herself to exhale. The familiar scent of home wrapped around her like a blanket. With a tired sigh, she kicked off her shoes near the entrance and stretched her arms over her head.

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‎“Finally arrived,” Cleo called out from the living room. She was lounging comfortably on the couch, legs tucked under her, a warm smile spreading across her face as she spotted Claire making her way in.

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‎Claire gave a small smile in return as she walked over and sank into the couch beside her. “Ah, it’s been a long day,” she murmured, resting her head briefly against the back of the sofa.

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‎Cleo turned slightly to face her, one eyebrow raised knowingly. “I don’t even have to ask—you got the job, didn’t you?”

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‎Claire let out a small laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah… I actually start right after the interview. Didn’t even have time to breathe.”

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‎Cleo’s eyes lit up with playful curiosity. She leaned in closer, grinning. “Seems like that demon was really eager to snatch you up. Is he tall? Handsome? Devilishly charming?”

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‎Claire’s face flushed with color. She tried to suppress the smile tugging at her lips but failed miserably. “You ask too many questions,” she said, laughing softly as she looked away. “Which one do you want me to answer first?”

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‎Cleo’s eyes widened in delight. “Oh my God, don’t tell me you like him already! What happened? Spill it, woman!”

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‎Claire bit her bottom lip, her cheeks growing warmer as her thoughts wandered back to that unexpected kiss with Edward earlier that morning, the way his lips had lingered just long enough to leave her dizzy, the heat that still tingled on her skin.

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‎“Well…” she began slowly, her voice dropping as if the memory itself made her shy, “let’s just say… the day started with a surprise.”

‎Cleo noticed a faint blush creeping up Claire’s cheeks and couldn’t help but giggle, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Ooh, someone’s blushing," she teased, leaning in with a mischievous smile. "Seems like there’s a lot to talk about, hmm?" Her gaze locked onto Claire’s, clearly eager to hear the juicy story behind the unexpected color rising in her friend’s face.

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‎Claire quickly looked away, her cheeks deepening to a more obvious pink. "What? I–I don’t know what you’re talking about," she stammered, trying to sound casual as she shifted in her seat. She made a move to stand up, clearly hoping to make a smooth escape.

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‎But Cleo was faster. She reached out and grabbed the hem of Claire’s shirt, holding her in place with playful determination. "No way," she said, grinning. "You’re not leaving until you spill the full gist behind that very telling, very blushy face."

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‎Claire groaned softly, her blush intensifying as she glanced down, her smile betraying her defeat. She knew Cleo too well, there was no dodging her curiosity. "Okay, okay, wait, just give me a second," she said, laughing helplessly. "You’re not gonna let me off the hook, are you?"

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‎"Nope," Cleo said firmly, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

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‎Claire was just about to open her mouth, her mind racing for where to begin, when Cleo’s phone suddenly rang. The sharp sound cut through the moment, startling them both. They turned toward the phone sitting between them, the screen lighting up and vibrating softly on the table.

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‎They looked at each other, momentarily distracted, the story still hanging in the air, waiting to be told.

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