Tension at the Office

The elevator doors slide open with a soft chime, revealing the twenty-seventh floor, sleek glass, silver fixtures, and the low hum of productivity. Maya steps out, clutching her tablet like it’s her only defense. Her heels click across the marble floor, echoing louder than her heartbeat.

Every step toward Ethan Blake’s office feels heavier than the last.

It’s been five years since she walked away from him. Five years since she promised herself she’d never be in the same room again with the man who could unravel her with just a look.

And yet, here she is, under his company’s roof, working for him again.

“Good morning, Ms. Carter,” says Elise, Ethan’s assistant, looking up from her desk. She’s tall, polished, and efficient and the kind of woman who probably alphabetizes her perfume bottles. “Mr. Blake asked that you join the strategy meeting in ten minutes. Conference room A.”

Maya forces a smile. “Thank you, Elise.”

Her voice is calm and professional. But her hands tremble slightly as she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Ten minutes. Ten minutes before she has to sit across from him again, pretending like her world didn’t once revolve around his

The conference room is all glass walls and city views. A skyline of steel and clouds stretches beyond the windows, sharp, breathtaking, and intimidating. Just like Ethan.

He’s already there, standing near the window, a black suit hugging his frame perfectly. The sunlight hits his features: the strong jaw, the slight stubble, and the kind of intensity that used to make her forget how to breathe.

She freezes at the doorway.

He turns, as if sensing her hesitation. Their eyes meet.

A pulse of energy crackles through the air—thick, undeniable, and dangerous.

“Ms. Carter,” Ethan says, his voice smooth but clipped. “You’re late.”

“I...” She glances at the clock. “It’s still nine fifty-nine.”

“Which is one minute late in my book.”

A faint smirk tugs at his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. Those eyes… God, those familiar dark eyes that used to soften when he looked at her. Now, they’re guarded by steel.

Maya lifts her chin, determined not to let him see her flinch. “Then I’ll make sure I’m early next time, Mr. Blake.”

“See that you do,” he says quietly, before turning to the team gathered around the table.

The meeting begins, and Maya sinks into a chair near the end of the table. She tries to focus on the slides, the figures, and the marketing plans projected on the screen—but she can feel his gaze flicker toward her every few minutes.

Each time it happens, her breath catches.

“Ms. Carter,” Ethan says suddenly, breaking her concentration. “What’s your opinion on the rebranding proposal?”

Her head snaps up. “I... I think the concept has potential,” she starts, glancing toward the charts. “But it’s missing emotional connection. The numbers look good, but the message doesn’t make people feel anything.”

The room quiets.

Ethan folds his arms, watching her. “You’re suggesting emotion sells better than logic?”

“I’m saying emotion is what keeps people loyal,” Maya replies, her voice gaining strength. “You can sell a product once with numbers. But you build a brand with stories.”

For a heartbeat, the room is still.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, including hers, Ethan’s lips twitch upward in what looks dangerously close to approval. “Interesting perspective,” he says. “Let’s explore that angle.”

A murmur of agreement ripples around the table. Maya exhales softly.

But the relief is short-lived.

When the meeting ends, Ethan’s voice stops her just as she’s about to leave.

“Ms. Carter,” he says evenly. “Stay back for a moment.”

---

The others file out quickly, eager to avoid the chill in the air. Once the door closes, silence fills the room.

Maya straightens her posture, clutching her tablet. “Yes, Mr. Blake?”

He walks closer—slow, deliberate steps that echo softly across the polished floor. He doesn’t stop until he’s just a breath away from her.

“Five years,” he says quietly. “And not a word.”

Her stomach twists. “Ethan…”

He lets out a low laugh—cold, humorless. “Don’t. Not here. Not with that tone.”

“Then what do you want me to say?” she asks, the words coming out sharper than intended.

He tilts his head, studying her. “You could start with the truth.”

She grips her tablet tighter. “I came here for a job, not a reunion.”

“And yet, here we are,” he murmurs, eyes flicking briefly to her lips before locking back on her eyes. “You should’ve known what stepping into this building would mean.”

“I didn’t know you were the CEO,” she says softly, the tension thick between them. “I wouldn’t have applied if I had.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper now—controlled but trembling at the edges. “That you ran then, and you’d still run now?”

Maya swallows hard, blinking back the sting in her eyes. “I had my reasons.”

He steps closer, close enough that she can feel the heat of his breath. “Then tell me one good reason why you disappeared without a single word.”

Her throat tightens. Because I was pregnant. Because I had to protect him. Because you weren’t ready for that life.

But she can’t say any of it. Not yet.

Instead, she says, “It doesn’t matter anymore. You have your life. I have mine.”

For a moment, his expression softens—the tiniest crack in the armor. Then it hardens again.

“You’re right,” he says, voice low. “It doesn’t matter.”

But the lie lingers in the air between them, heavy and unfinished.

He steps back, just slightly, running a hand through his hair. “You’ll report directly to me from now on,” he says, his tone turning businesslike again. “Your ideas are… valuable. Let’s see if your execution matches.”

Maya’s pulse skips. “Directly to you?”

He nods, his jaw tightening. “Unless that’s a problem.”

Her chest rises and falls faster. “No. Not at all.”

“Good,” he says, his gaze locking on hers for one last lingering second so full of unspoken things it almost hurts. “You can go.”

She turns quickly before her composure cracks. Her hand trembles slightly as she grips the doorknob.

But before she can open it, his voice stops her again.

“Maya.”

She freezes.

When she looks back, his face is unreadable, but his eyes are burning with something she can’t quite name.

“Welcome back,” he says quietly.

And somehow, those two words hit harder than any accusation could.

Back in her small office, Maya leans against her desk, trying to steady her breathing.

What just happened wasn’t a meeting. It was a storm disguised as conversation.

He still affects her every word, every look. And that’s dangerous. Because she’s built her life on keeping secrets.

She presses her palm to her chest, feeling her heart race beneath it.

Stay focused. Keep your distance.

But deep down, she knows distance isn’t possible anymore. Not when his presence fills every corner of the building. Not when the past keeps breathing down her neck.

Later that night, Ethan stands by his office window, city lights flickering below like restless stars.

He’s supposed to be reviewing contracts. Instead, his mind replays every second of that meeting—the defiance in her voice, the flash of hurt in her eyes.

Five years.

He thought he’d buried whatever she made him feel.

But one glance, and all those old emotions—love, anger, betrayal—come roaring back to life.

He lifts a tumbler of whiskey but doesn’t drink it.

He’s not sure what’s worse—that she’s back, or that part of him never wanted her to leave.

As the night deepens, the city hums below them, unaware that in a glass tower high above, two hearts that once belonged to each other are now trapped in a quiet, dangerous dance.

A battle of control, guilt, and longing.

Neither of them knows it yet, but the tension between them is only the beginning.

Because the truth—the one hidden in a child’s eyes—is waiting to surface.

And when it does, nothing will ever be the same again.