CHAPTER 4:

AMARA'S POV

" Amara, it was just a kiss, and that was a mistake, nothing more." That was what I told myself as I stepped into Ardent Holdings that morning.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely slept last night because of Julian’s kiss. I didn’t expect it at all, and worst of all, it had awakened feelings I had spent years trying to bury. By morning, I was irritated with myself for even thinking about it.

The executive floor was already busy. Workers moved quickly between offices, and elevator doors were being opened and closed every few seconds. I expected the day to feel normal, but it didn’t, because I felt him immediately as I walked toward my office.

Julian stood in his office, watching me through the glass wall as if he had been waiting for me to arrive. His sleeves were rolled slightly. His tie loosened just enough to make him look less corporate and more dangerous. Our eyes met briefly, but he didn’t look away. I did and continued to my desk.

"He had the nerve to look completely calm, like the man who kissed me against my office desk the night before hadn’t been him." I was so pissed that it showed on my face. A few minutes later, at the entrance of my office, my phone buzzed.

A message from an UNKNOWN NUMBER. "Lunch today? I promise better conversation than spreadsheets.

"Who could this be?" I became a bit lost in my thought, trying to figure out who the message was from, before another message appeared. "Adrian."

I blinked, then my instinct made me glance around the floor. Adrian Cross stood near the conference room, leaning casually against the doorway. He wore a sharp navy blue suit with gold accents. His shoes were well-polished and pointed. I could smell his cologne from miles away.

When he noticed I was looking at him, he smiled with confidence and then waved. I almost laughed. The man had absolutely no fear. I typed back as I walked to my desk before I could overthink it.

"I work during lunch." His reply came immediately. "Then dinner." Before I could respond, a shadow fell across my desk. It was Julian. He placed a file on my table. “Review this before noon,” he said. I glanced at the file, then back at my phone screen.

“Sir, you have assistants,” I said in an unbothered tone.

“And you’re my analyst.”

“Mid-level analyst, file reviews are for junior analysts.” I corrected calmly. He stayed quiet. Then his attention shifted to my phone, still lighting up beside my keyboard. Adrian’s name remained visible on the screen. Julian instantly became anxious and jealous. “You seem distracted this morning,” he asked.

"Maybe because people keep interrupting my work," I said, keeping my voice calm even though I was already losing my patience. The words hung between us. Then he cleared his throat before speaking. "You should focus on your work." I finally looked up from my desk and met his eyes. "And you should focus on running your company."

A short distance away, from my glass windows, I saw Adrian walking toward us calmly.

“Amara,” He greeted smoothly as he entered my office. “Have you decided whether I’m worth one meal yet?” Julian turned to look at Adrian. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. They just stared at each other, and I could feel the unease between them.

“What do you want, Mr. Cross?” Julian said with a calm voice.

“Dinner,” Adrian said politely. Julian’s expression changed. “With Ms. Cole.” He continued. We all became silent after that. I leaned back slightly in my chair.

“Mr. Cross, you are an investor here, and you have no business with my employee.” Adrian didn't even blink. A slow smile spread across his face as he looked straight at Julian. “Then you should also be aware that investors enjoy a good company.” His eyes shifted to me, slow and deliberate. “And I happen to enjoy hers.”

The room went dead quiet. It felt like all the air had been sucked out at once. The cold breeze from the AC was still blowing, but somehow, the office suddenly felt too hot. The tension in the room was almost pressing against my skin.

Employees who were passing by and casually watching through the glass walls suddenly became very interested in their laptops as Julian briefly looked at them. Then his voice dropped. “She’s busy.” He said, facing Adrian directly.

“And?” Adrian asked calmly. “Beautiful and busy women are still allowed to eat dinner, last time I checked. Eight tonight? Ms. Cole, I'm persistent when interested.” Then he looked at me like he already expected me to say yes. I hesitated because part of me knew this would irritate Julian.

But another part of me wanted to see exactly how much.

“Sure,” I said finally. Julian looked at me almost immediately. “Amara.” The way he said my name sounded like a warning. He couldn't believe what I'd just agreed to. I held his stare anyway. I wasn't taking back my answer.

“Perfect,” Adrian said as he clapped his hands once lightly. Then he walked away, leaving a very tense silence behind. Julian stepped closer to my desk.

“You’re not going.” He said with so much audacity. My eyebrows lifted in a bit of anger and shock.

“That sounded like an order,” I replied immediately. I paused for a second, trying to figure out where Mr Vale got the right to restrict my movement. "You can't tell me what to do." I continued.

“I was just giving advice.” His voice stayed calm, but it sounded forced, like he was trying hard not to lose his temper.

I let out a short laugh and shook my head. “No,” I corrected. “It wasn’t. That didn't sound like advice, and even if it was, I won't take it from someone who ghosted me." I said as I started gathering my files, trying to arrange my desk.

Julian’s patience finally snapped. “You don’t know him,” he said.

“And as I told you before, you don’t get to control me. I still have dinner tonight. You don't own me anymore, and I am done with this conversation,” I stood up and walked away. Julian stayed where he was. But his mind was already racing; he hated the fact that he could not control me. He wanted me so badly. I could see it in his eyes; he wanted to own me again.

ELENA ----

Morning sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, filling the space with a warm glow. The only sound was the morning news playing softly on the television. Elena Whitemore, Julian Vale’s current girlfriend, sat elegantly on the marble kitchen island, sipping champagne while scrolling through her phone. She looked beautiful, confident, and the kind of woman nobody dared to mess with. At least that was how the world saw her.

Her phone buzzed, and a message appeared.

"There’s a woman causing tension at Ardent Holdings, and Julian looks interested." Elena’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Julian Vale was not a man who got distracted easily."

She opened the attached photo. A woman stood beside the executive elevators in a fitted black skirt and a silk blouse, her head tilted slightly as she spoke to Julian.

Elena zoomed in slowly, then she smiled.

“Well,” she murmured, setting her champagne glass down. “This should be entertaining.”

AMARA'S POV----

By evening, I had almost convinced myself Julian’s reaction didn’t affect me. I was rounding up the document I was working on when my mind travelled back to the nights of deep romance, where Julian had made me moan and scream his name. The moments where I slept peacefully in his arms. “Mtchhew....what a mistake,” I muttered to myself.

Across the office, the glass walls of Julian's office overlooked the city. One executive after another walked in and out. Assistants came in with files, phones rang nonstop, and meetings seemed to follow each other without a break.

Still... somehow, I couldn't ignore him. Every now and then, I found myself looking up from my laptop, only to catch him already looking in my direction. He never stared long enough for anyone else to notice. Just a quick glance before returning to whatever was in front of him. But each time it happened, my heart skipped, and I had to force myself to look back at my screen like nothing had happened.

By five-thirty, I finally shut my laptop. I wasn't going to cancel dinner, and this wasn't because I liked Adrian that much—in fact, he wasn't even my type. I grabbed my bag and took out a small mirror and lip gloss, applied a little gloss on my lips, and clapped them gently. Then I checked my reflection one last time and smiled faintly. Good enough.

I stood up from my chair, adjusted my skirt, and walked out of my office, heading towards the elevator. Just as the doors opened, a familiar voice spoke behind me.

“Done for the day?” I turned. Julian stood a few feet away, jacket off, sleeves rolled slightly. He looked like he had just stepped out of a meeting, but his attention was completely focused on me.

“Yes,” I said politely.

“Are you still going to dinner with him?” His voice carried a trace of irritation as he stepped into the elevator.

“His name is Adrian,” I said, looking back to correct him.

“I know his name.” He replied with a firm. The elevator chimed, and the doors opened, but neither of us moved. Julian stepped closer. “You’re doing this to make a point.”

“And if I am?” I asked, tucking my hair behind my ears as I looked at him.

He lowered his voice. “Then it’s working.” My breath caught as I looked at him in shock. That wasn’t the reaction I expected. For a moment, neither of us spoke while we looked at each other.

“Well, well, well,” a woman said smoothly as she clapped her hands gently. “This looks intense.” She continued. Both of us turned, and standing near the reception desk was a woman who looked like she belonged on the cover of a luxury magazine.

She was tall, effortlessly elegant, and dressed in a cream-colored suit that looked like it had been tailored just for her. She carried a black Birkin bag and walked confidently towards us in her pumps. Her dark hair fell in smooth waves over her shoulders. Her confidence filled the entire room, and her eyes were fixed on Julian.

Elena,” he said, his voice calm. I understood immediately. This was her. The woman I'd heard about. The woman Julian was supposedly dating.

Elena walked toward us slowly, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. When she reached Julian, she placed a light kiss on his cheek. The kiss looked possessive and familiar. Then she turned her attention to me.

Her smile was polite, but her eyes were sharp. We both locked eyes with each other. Then she said, “You must be Amara.”