Morning light streamed through my window, forcing me awake. I blinked against the brightness, my mind sluggish as the events of the previous night came rushing back. Adrian’s voice still echoed in my ears, and the weight of our conversation sat heavy on my chest. The truth was, I hadn’t stopped thinking about him. Even when I wanted to shut him out, his presence lingered, refusing to let me move on. I rubbed my temples, willing the headache forming behind my eyes to disappear. There was no escaping the reality of what lay ahead—work, Adrian, and the endless spiral of emotions he seemed to pull out of me. ### By the time I made it to the office, the building was already buzzing with activity. I kept my head down, avoiding unnecessary conversations, and headed straight to my desk. But I wasn’t alone for long. “Good morning.” Diana’s voice cut through the silence, startling me. I looked up to see her leaning against the doorframe, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and a pas
The day had been a mess, the kind that seemed to unravel no matter how tightly you tried to keep it together. I’d been trying to focus, to push past the noise, but it was proving impossible. Bella hadn’t been herself since our argument, her words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. I couldn’t blame her. I’d hidden things—things she had every right to be furious about. Still, the coldness in her eyes, the sharpness in her tone... It wasn’t just guilt gnawing at me. It was the fear of losing her. I leaned back in my chair, staring out of the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office. Midtown bustled below, the city alive with its usual chaos. But even the view—a sight that had always reminded me of what I’d built—offered no comfort today. I needed air. Grabbing my coat, I left the office without a word to anyone. I didn’t have a destination in mind, but I let my feet carry me as my thoughts churned. ### The small café on the corner wasn’t one I frequented, but its quiet charm
The hours dragged like days after Bella left the office. It wasn’t just her absence that weighed on me—it was the silence. A silence that stretched across every moment, choking out any hope I had of fixing things between us. She hadn’t returned my calls or texts since our argument, and every second I didn’t hear from her only made the knot in my stomach tighten. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I wasn’t the kind of man who sat back and waited for things to fix themselves. It was late when I finally made the decision. I grabbed my coat and keys, not even bothering to alert security as I left. I needed to see her, to look her in the eyes and explain everything—no half-truths, no dodging the questions she deserved answers to. The drive to her apartment was too short, leaving me with little time to figure out exactly what I was going to say. By the time I reached her door, my fists clenched at my sides, I realized I didn’t have a plan. All I had was the hope that she’d hear me out. I
By the time I made it to work the next morning, the weight that had been crushing me for the past week felt lighter. Adrian and I had cleared the air last night—well, mostly. There was still so much to unpack between us, but at least the suffocating tension had eased. I tried not to think about how safe I’d felt in his arms, how his promise to fight for me echoed in my head like a lifeline I hadn’t realized I needed. No, thinking like that was dangerous. Adrian Langston wasn’t just a man; he was a force of nature. One that could consume me if I wasn’t careful. The elevator ride to the top floor felt longer than usual, the hum of its movement almost lulling me into a trance. But as the doors slid open, I stepped into the buzzing atmosphere of Langston Enterprises. The office was alive with energy, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Morning, Bella,” Diana greeted, her usual sass laced with warmth. “Morning,” I replied, clutching my bag a little tighter. My eyes instinctively darted
Bella’s POV* Adrian Langston was an enigma wrapped in a three-piece suit, and lately, he was making it impossible for me to focus. No matter how much I tried to ground myself, his presence lingered like the scent of his cologne—intoxicating and inescapable. I sat at my desk, the soft hum of the office around me, trying and failing to concentrate. The numbers on the spreadsheet blurred into a chaotic mess, each cell mocking my inability to stay on task. My mind was a tangled web of business strategies, unresolved arguments, and the memory of Adrian’s lips hovering dangerously close to mine. He’d almost kissed me. I couldn’t stop replaying the moment in my head. The way his hand had cradled my face, warm and firm, his thumb brushing my cheek like I was something precious. The intensity in his gaze had made my breath hitch, as if he could see every secret I was trying to bury. And then his words, *You’re irresistible.* “Ugh.” I groaned, burying my face in my hands. How had my l
*Bella’s POV* The city lights twinkled like fallen stars as Adrian’s car glided through the bustling streets of New York. I couldn’t help but glance at him as he drove, his focus steady on the road ahead. He wore a charcoal-gray suit tonight, paired with a crisp white shirt and a black tie that made him look like he’d just stepped out of a GQ spread. I, on the other hand, felt as though I’d spent the last hour overthinking everything, including my choice of outfit. Diana had insisted on lending me her emerald green dress—a sleek, off-the-shoulder number that hugged my curves without feeling overly revealing. Paired with silver heels and a matching clutch, it felt like something out of a movie, but it didn’t stop the nervous energy buzzing under my skin. “This place we’re going to,” I said, breaking the silence. “Is it… casual?” Adrian glanced at me, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips. “You’ll be fine. You look stunning.” His compliment sent a flush to my cheeks, and I tur
Bella’s question hung in the air, but I didn’t answer right away. I was too caught up in watching her from the corner of my eye as I drove. Her fingers kept smoothing the emerald green fabric of her dress, a habit that betrayed her nerves despite the confidence she usually exuded. The dress was simple yet stunning, clinging to her curves in all the right ways. “No,” I finally replied, my voice calm, “it’s not casual.” She turned to face me, her brow furrowing. “Adrian, you said—” “I didn’t say anything,” I interrupted with a smirk. “You assumed.” Her mouth fell open slightly before she shut it, her eyes narrowing. “If you’re trying to ambush me, I swear—” “It’s nothing like that.” I glanced at her as I maneuvered the car through the city streets. “Trust me.” She let out a quiet scoff, turning to look out the window. The streetlights illuminated her profile, highlighting the subtle arch of her nose and the delicate line of her jaw. Trust wasn’t something she gave easily, an
The morning air was crisp and cool, the kind that hinted at the season shifting. I’d woken up thinking about last night—how Adrian had surprised me with that rooftop dinner, how his kiss had left me feeling things I wasn’t ready to admit yet. The sunlight poured through my apartment window as I stared into my closet, trying to find something that felt... right. Professional but not too stiff, approachable but not too casual. My fingers skimmed over a sleek navy blazer and matching trousers. Paired with a white silk blouse, it felt polished yet comfortable. A few curls framed my face as I tucked my hair back into a loose bun. Gold hoops and a simple watch completed the look. If Adrian was going to throw any surprises my way today, I wanted to be ready. By the time I stepped into Langston Corp’s glossy lobby, the hum of the office was already alive. The sound of heels clicking against polished floors, the muted chatter of employees, and the faint scent of fresh coffee mingling wit
After everything that had happened over the last few weeks—the tension, the danger, the revelations—Adrian and Bella both needed a break. The office was no longer a sanctuary, not with all the lingering uncertainty. And so, Adrian finally made the suggestion: "Let’s go to the estate this weekend. Just you and me. We need a change of scenery."Bella had agreed, not because she needed convincing but because she too was yearning for a bit of peace. Still, there was something she couldn’t shake off. She had invited Grace to join them. Her younger sister had been a source of lightness in the midst of all the darkness. Besides, Grace had a way of cutting through the tension and making everything feel less complicated.When they arrived at the Langston estate, Bella couldn’t help but marvel at the sprawling grounds. The estate was nestled on the outskirts of the city, hidden from prying eyes. From the moment the gates opened, it was clear how expansive the property was—lush gardens, manicure
Langston Enterprises was quieter than usual, but not because the tension had faded. In fact, it was just the opposite.The air practically buzzed with anticipation.Everyone was pretending everything was normal. The departments operated as usual. Meetings were scheduled, presentations were given, and the coffee machine ran nonstop. But beneath the surface, a silent war was brewing—one that only a select few were aware of.Marcus Whitmore was the target. And the bait had been perfectly set.Adrian stood in his office, arms crossed, watching the monitors mounted discreetly in a corner of his private conference room. Each screen displayed live feeds from strategically placed cameras in the server wing of the company—the very place Marcus would try to breach.Bella entered the room, her heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. She wore an all-black fitted pantsuit, sleek and commanding. A sharp contrast from her usual soft colors—but it matched the mood perfectly. Her laptop was
Third Person POV**The storm had passed—at least, on the outside. Langston Enterprises was back to its usual hum the following day, but beneath the polished exterior, tension brewed.Adrian sat at the head of the strategy table, a silent figure of control and restraint. His dark suit was sharp, as always, and his face gave nothing away. On the surface, the meeting was about logistics—but Adrian’s thoughts were elsewhere.Lucas had requested a private word.And that wasn’t something Adrian could easily ignore.After the board had dispersed, and Bella left for a scheduled call, Lucas stepped back into the room, quietly closing the door behind him. The silence hung between them until Adrian leaned back, arms folded across his chest.“Let me guess,” Adrian said dryly. “You’re here to deliver more shade during someone else’s presentation?”Lucas smirked faintly. “You always did hate surprises.”Adrian’s expression didn’t change. “Start talking.”Lucas exhaled, stepping toward the glass wal
Third Person POV**Langston Enterprises buzzed with the mid-morning hum of productivity. The sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long, sharp shadows across the polished marble floor. Employees bustled around in quiet efficiency, the sound of heels clicking and keyboards tapping creating a low corporate symphony.Bella entered the office that morning feeling refreshed from the double date the night before. Her tailored tan suit and soft cream blouse gave her a professional yet calm appearance, her hair swept into a clean knot. She held a coffee in one hand and a folder tucked under the other arm, already making mental notes about her next pitch meeting with the design and tech teams.She hadn’t taken more than three steps into the executive corridor before she saw him.Lucas.The moment their eyes met, his lips curled into that familiar smug grin that always bordered on condescending. He leaned casually against the wall near the elevator, in a sleek gray suit tha
The boardroom at Langston Enterprises had been filled with the soft clicks of pens, murmured agreements, and the occasional sound of someone shifting in their seat. It was a quarterly strategy update, and though it had started like every other—formal, intense, and immaculately structured—there was something noticeably different in the air.Maybe it was the way Adrian kept subtly glancing at Bella across the table, a faint softness undercutting his usual steel-edged composure. Or perhaps it was how Diana no longer looked like she was suppressing an eye roll every time Oliver made a comment—because now, she actually smiled.As the final slides flicked across the large screen and the meeting drew to a close, Oliver leaned toward Adrian and whispered, “You’re unusually chipper today. Did you take up yoga or something?”Adrian shot him a deadpan look. “I had a good espresso.”“Must’ve been made with love,” Oliver muttered with a teasing grin, nodding toward Bella, who was already packing u
The following days at the Langston estate were painted in warm hues of laughter, quiet conversations, and subtle glances. Life was finding its rhythm again. But for Oliver and Diana, everything suddenly felt… different.Not uncomfortable. Not rushed. Just different — like stepping into a space they hadn’t dared explore for too long.Oliver strolled into the conservatory early that afternoon, where golden light filtered through high arched windows and bathed the lush plants in a soft, romantic glow. The room smelled faintly of lavender and citrus from the fresh blossoms along the edges, and a gentle classical piece drifted through the air from the antique speakers tucked between the ferns.And there she was.Diana Monroe.Sitting on the tufted bench in the corner, an open legal folder on her lap, her glasses perched delicately on her nose. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a low bun, and she wore a simple, elegant cream dress that hugged her figure like it had been tailored with her
**Third Person POV**The Langston estate had quieted down in recent weeks, its halls no longer echoing with the tension of crisis and whispered strategy meetings. With Monica finally behind bars and the tech empire stable once again, the family could breathe — for the first time in a long time. But even in the stillness, something stirred beneath the surface. Something gentler. More complicated.Oliver Langston leaned against the marble island in the family’s secondary kitchen — the cozier one, tucked away from the grandeur of the main space. A slice of lemon cake dangled between his fingers, and crumbs dusted the front of his faded jeans. His hair was a little too wild, his shirt a little too wrinkled, and his grin — as usual — far too smug.Across from him, Diana Monroe sat with perfect posture, her silk blouse tucked into a pencil skirt, not a hair out of place. She stirred her tea quietly, eyes fixed on the amber swirls dancing in her cup.“You know,” Oliver began, “I’ve noticed y
The courthouse was buzzing, reporters clustered outside the heavy wooden doors like moths to flame. Cameras flashed, microphones extended toward anyone who even looked like they had something to say. But inside the Langston Enterprise boardroom-turned-war room, silence reigned.Adrian stood by the window, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the chaos on the news screen. The live broadcast showed Monica being escorted into the courthouse, her expression unreadable behind large sunglasses and an expensive blazer that screamed defiance.Bella sat on the couch, her laptop open in front of her, though she hadn't typed anything for the past ten minutes. She was watching Adrian instead—studying the sharp cut of his jaw, the way tension rolled through his body like waves. He’d barely spoken that morning, save for the briefest exchange over coffee.The past few weeks had been war.But they’d finally won.The evidence Bella had uncovered—along with Oliver’s unexpected yet brilliant te
**Bella’s POV**The warmth of the morning sun streamed across the kitchen table, golden rays spilling through the tall windows of Adrian’s penthouse. I watched as steam rose from my tea, curling in the air like whispers of the thoughts I couldn't quite silence.Even though Monica was behind bars, even though her networks were unraveling piece by piece, it still felt like we were holding our breath.The calm after a storm wasn’t always peaceful. Sometimes, it was eerily quiet—like the world was waiting for something else to go wrong.Adrian stood by the stove, sleeves rolled to his elbows, flipping pancakes like a seasoned pro. It was such a domestic sight that I almost laughed. The man who once ran international meetings from helicopters now took pride in making breakfast from scratch.He glanced over his shoulder, catching my gaze. “You’re staring again.”I shrugged, sipping my tea. “It’s not every day I see you act like a responsible adult.”He smirked, placing a stack of fluffy pan