เข้าสู่ระบบShe stepped into his office and closed the door behind her.For a moment, she simply stood there with her back against the door, gathering her courage, trying to steady her breathing. The walk from her office to his had felt eternal. Every step had been measured and deliberate, each one carrying the weight of the unknown, not knowing what he wanted, not knowing what he would say, not knowing if she was prepared for whatever was about to happen.She could see him sitting at his desk, his attention on the documents in front of him. But she knew he'd heard her enter. She knew he was waiting for her to move first.He looked up.His eyes found hers across the distance of his office, and something dark and controlled flickered in his gaze."Come here, Lyra," he said, his voice carrying absolute authority. "You don't expect me to be talking to you from where you're standing, do you?"It wasn't a question. It was a command wrapped in the veneer of a question.She pushed off from the door and
The meeting concluded professionally and efficiently.Lyra stood up with poise, and she and Victoria exchanged the normal courtesies of business colleagues. Victoria mentioned that she would reach out via email to send the remaining documents that she hadn't brought with her, and Lyra nodded in agreement.Then she turned and left the office.The door closed quietly behind her.Victoria turned toward Damien with a slight smile, moving around his desk.She leaned against his desk, her body positioned close enough to be suggestive but not so close as to be overtly inappropriate."Are you okay?" she asked, her voice carrying a note of concern that sounded almost genuine. "You seemed tense during the meeting. More than usual."Damien looked up from the document he'd been pretending to read.For a moment, he simply met her gaze without responding."I'm fine," he said finally, his voice flat and final in a way that made it clear the conversation was over.Victoria understood the signal.She
Lyra pushed open the office door.The first thing she saw was Victoria still standing beside Damien's desk, her hand resting near his shoulder in that casual way that suggested familiarity and claim.For half a second...just half a second, Lyra felt the familiar tightness in her chest.But she pushed through it.She walked into the office with purpose and presence. She didn't hesitate. She didn't show discomfort. She simply moved across the space with the kind of calm confidence that suggested she belonged here just as much as anyone else.She positioned herself in front of Damien's desk and greeted Victoria with a warm, professional smile."Good morning, Victoria," Lyra said. "Shall we start with the authentication? I'm eager to begin."Victoria's expression shifted into something pleased.She looked at Damien, and there was a glimmer of something...approval, perhaps in her eyes."I like your employees," Victoria said smoothly. "She's so ready to dive into work. I appreciate that kin
Lyra walked into Stella Design House at 8:45 AM.She'd spent the entire night planning and spiraling at some point. But strategically mapping out how she was going to approach the Collection project with Victoria. She'd made notes on authentication processes, on how to manage client expectations, on timelines and deliverables and every detail that could possibly go wrong.She'd also made a decision about herself.The girl who ran away was gone. This morning, a different version of Lyra walked through those doors. One who was calm. One who was focused. One who had made peace with the fact that if she was going to stand beside him, she couldn't fall apart every time something hurt.Emma was waiting for her at her desk, coffee in hand."Good morning," Emma said warmly, handing her the coffee. "I'm going to bring you the documents for The Marchetti Collection later once I get them from Mike. We need your signature on the updated timeline and budget adjustments. Is that okay?"Lyra took th
The elevator doors closed.And Lyra fell apart.She didn't make it to the ground floor before the sobs started. Her entire body began to shake, tremors that started in her chest and radiated outward until her hands were shaking so badly she could barely stand. Her breath came in gasps...short, desperate pulls of air that never seemed to fill her lungs completely.She pressed herself into the corner of the elevator, trying to make herself smaller, trying to disappear.The elevator dinged as it passed the fifteenth floor. Then the fourteenth. She held her breath, hoping no one would get on. Praying that she could make it to the lobby alone, could make it outside, could find somewhere...anywhere to fall apart without an audience.By some miracle, no one entered.She made it to the lobby and walked through it with her head down, her hand over her face, moving quickly toward the back exit. She couldn't face the main street. Couldn't face people looking at her. Couldn't bear to have anyone
Damien looked up from his desk. His gaze moved from Victoria to Lyra, and in that movement, Lyra saw the comparison being made. Victoria in her perfectly tailored emerald dress, her dark hair styled to perfection, her presence commanding and confident. And Lyra in her navy blazer, her emotional composure hanging by a thread, her eyes revealing far too much."Yes," Damien said. He gestured toward Victoria with a kind of casual possession. "Lyra, this is Victoria Solare. She's from Solare Design House. She's here regarding the authentication of an antique collection, and I'm assigning you to work with her on this project."The words landed like stones.Victoria turned fully toward Lyra now, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. She extended her hand in greeting."Lyra," Victoria said, her voice warm and smooth. "I've heard so much about you from Damien. He speaks very highly of your work. I'm very much looking forward to working with you."Lyra's hand moved almost automatically t
Her phone screen glowed accusingly in the darkness, her shameful confession staring back at her. With shaking hands, she minimized the app and clutched the phone to her chest, heart hammering so hard she thought it might break through her ribs.Footsteps on the stairs.Light, measured and feminine.
Lyra's fingers trembled as she typed, the blue glow of her phone the only light in her darkened bedroom.LyraNight: I thought about him again today. God, I'm so fucked up.She held her breath, waiting. The three dots appeared almost immediately....her anonymous stranger always responded, no matter
Lyra set her phone down with shaking hands and stood up.Her legs felt weak, her body hypersensitive. Every movement of fabric against her skin made her gasp.She walked to the full-length mirror in her room and looked at herself.Her hair was disheveled from the flight and the stress. Her face was
Lyra stared at her phone screen, her heart still racing from the encounter in the hallway.DarkVeil: Welcome home, little one. Did you miss me?Her fingers trembled as she typed back.LyraNight: How did you know I got to New York? I didn't tell you I was flying home.The three dots appeared immedia







