Chapter 5

Aria did not sleep properly that night, not because she did not try, but because every time she closed her eyes, her mind kept circling back to the same thing; the call, his voice, the way he said he would see her again like it was already decided, and no matter how much she tried to push it aside and focus on something else, it stayed there in a way that made it impossible to completely ignore, because the truth was that this was no longer something she could walk away from as easily as she had wanted to believe.

She woke up earlier than usual, not because she needed to, but because staying in bed felt pointless when her mind was already fully awake, and for a few seconds she just lay there staring at the ceiling, letting the reality of the situation settle in again, because the meeting he mentioned was not something she could avoid without raising questions, and avoiding it entirely would only create more problems than it solved, which meant she had no real choice but to go and face whatever was waiting for her there.

Getting ready felt more deliberate than it normally did, not rushed but controlled in a way that made it clear she was preparing for something more than just another workday, and even though she told herself this was just a meeting like any other, there was a part of her that knew that was not true, because this time she was walking into something personal whether she wanted to or not, something she had already tried to leave behind and was now being forced to confront again.

By the time she stepped out of her apartment, she had already decided one thing clearly, she was not going to give him anything he did not already have, no explanations, no reactions, no signs that this situation affected her in any way beyond what was necessary, because if she let even a small part of that show, it would only give him more reason to keep pushing, and she had already seen enough to know that once he started, he did not stop easily.

The drive to "Carter Holdings felt longer than usual even though nothing about the route had changed, and the closer she got, the more aware she became of the fact that this was no longer just about work, because he had already made it clear that he was not coming into that meeting without expectations, and the problem was not just that he would be there, the problem was that he would be paying attention in a way she could not fully control.

When she arrived, everything looked the same as it always did; the building, the reception area, the steady movement of people going about their work without hesitation, and for a moment it almost felt like she could pretend nothing had changed, like she could walk in, do what she needed to do, and leave without anything different happening, but that feeling did not last long, because she already knew that today was not going to be normal.

She stepped into the elevator and pressed the floor she needed, her reflection staring back at her from the mirrored surface in front of her, and for a second she studied it more closely than usual, making sure everything about her looked exactly the way she wanted it to; composed, confident, untouched, because if she was going to face him again, she was not going to let anything slip.

By the time the elevator doors opened, she had already settled into that mindset fully, and as she stepped out and made her way toward the meeting room, every step felt more intentional, not slower or hesitant, but controlled in a way that made it clear she was not walking into this blindly.

The room was already partially filled when she walked in, a few familiar faces seated around the table, quiet conversations happening as they waited for the meeting to begin, and for a moment she let herself focus on that instead of what she knew was coming, because this was still work, still a space she knew how to navigate without hesitation.

She took her seat without drawing attention, placing her files in front of her and keeping her posture relaxed but focused, and for a few seconds it almost felt like everything was normal again, like she could settle into the routine of the meeting and let it carry her through the next hour without anything unexpected happening.

Then the door opened.

She did not look up immediately, because she did not need to, the shift in the room was enough to tell her that he had walked in, the subtle change in attention, the way conversations paused just slightly before continuing again, and even though she kept her eyes on the documents in front of her, she felt it clearly, the same presence she had noticed the night before, just closer now, more immediate, more real.

When she finally looked up, it was not rushed or uncertain, it was controlled, just enough to acknowledge his presence without making it obvious, and the moment her eyes met his, she knew immediately that this was not going to be simple, because this time there was no question in his expression, no uncertainty, just recognition of a different kind, not of who she was in the past, but of the fact that she mattered in this moment more than she should have.

The meeting started shortly after that, and for a while it stayed exactly what it was supposed to be, structured, professional, focused on numbers and projections and agreements that had nothing to do with anything personal, and Aria held her part of it without difficulty, speaking when necessary, listening when required, making sure nothing about her performance gave away anything beyond what was expected of her.

But even as she focused on the discussion, she could feel it, the way his attention kept coming back to her, not constantly, not in a way that would draw attention, but enough for her to notice, enough to remind her that this was not just another meeting for him, and the more she ignored it, the more aware she became of it.

At one point, their conversation crossed directly, a simple exchange about a detail in the proposal, nothing personal, nothing that would stand out to anyone else in the room, but the moment their eyes met again, it carried something else underneath it, something that had nothing to do with the work they were discussing.

She kept it brief, answered what was needed, and moved on without hesitation, because staying there even a second longer than necessary would have been a mistake, and she was not about to give him that.

The meeting continued, moving through its agenda without interruption, and for a while it almost felt like she had managed to keep things under control, like she could get through it without anything else happening, but that sense did not last, because just as the discussion was coming to an end and people were starting to gather their things, preparing to leave, she heard it again.

“Aria.”

This time it was quieter, not directed at the room, not meant for anyone else to hear, just for her.

She paused for a second, her hand resting on the file she had just closed, because she knew ignoring it now would not change anything, and slowly, she turned.

He was already looking at her, not from across the room this time, but close enough that the distance between them felt different, less like something she could use and more like something she had to deal with.

“We’re not done,” he said, his voice low enough that it stayed between them.

Aria held his gaze, keeping her expression calm even though she already knew where this was going, because this was exactly what he had meant the night before.

“There’s nothing to finish,” she replied, keeping her tone just as controlled.

“There is,” he said, and there was no hesitation in it, no uncertainty, just the same quiet certainty she had heard before.

Around them, people were leaving, the room slowly emptying out, but neither of them moved, and the more the space cleared, the more it felt like this moment was narrowing down to just the two of them.

Aria picked up her file, holding onto it more as a way to keep herself grounded than anything else, because she was not about to stay here longer than necessary.

“I have work to do,” she said, turning slightly as if to leave.

“So do I,” he replied, and when she looked back at him again, there was something in his expression that made her pause, not uncertainty, not confusion, but something more deliberate.

“Then do it,” she said, not giving him anything more than that.

“I am,” he said, and this time his gaze did not shift away from hers even for a second,

“Starting with you.”